Princeton High School - addendum
North central Minnesota, 40 miles north of Minneapolis on #169
Years Represented: 1921-1926
The book, Daughters of the Game, includes a team profile of the 1921 Princeton girls basketball team, p. 243.
Two daughters of Freda Steinbrecher provided information about teams in 1925 and 1926.
1925:
Daughter Marlys C. Johnson, St. Peter, searched through family photos and located a photo of the Princeton girls team in 1925. Marlys commented, "Looks like the coach was from the University of Minnesota, considering his letter sweater!" He is not identified on the photo.
Marlys recalls her mother saying that her team played full court basketball and that they played again teams from Iowa.
The 1925 team photo had names written on the back, but not identified by position. Marlys' mother, Freda Steinbrecher, nicknamed "Fritz," is on the left end of the back row. She was a high school junior.
The other players and their team nicknames are listed as: Helen Staples (Bobbie), Mildred David (Tillie); Hazel B. Anderson (Hey), Olive Orton (Curley), Eunice Kahler (Spoonie), Helen L. Rusch (Bush), Laura Belle Cater, Captain; Gwendolyn G. Glade (Gwen) and Ethel Sausser (Mike).
1926:
Daughter Sandra R. Brenden from Albuquerque, NM, found a small basketball yearbook entitled The Tiger Club. It included a photo of their mother's picture as a senior in 1926. Freda is on the front row, left side.
In 1926, they played St. Francis, Big Lake, Cambridge, Anoka, Elk River and Mora, winning seven out of nine games. Their team consisted of only 9 players and a woman coach.
The 1926 photo identifies the players as:
Back row, left to right: Busch, Coach Michelson, Westman
Middle row: Marjorie David, Kaliher, Mildred Davis, Staples;
Front row: Steinbrecher, Captain Orton, Anderson.
The season narrative follows:
I: St. Francis vs. Princeton (7-13)
The girls' game was fast and was featured by good passing and accuracy in shooting. Captain Orton was in particularly good form, and made 15 of the 31 points. The guards played a fast game and did some clever work in passes.
II: Princeton vs. St. Francis (50 - 10)
The Princeton girls overwhelmingly defeated the St. Francis team to the tune of 50 to 10. Captain Orton, as in the game before, was the high point winner, making 28 of the 50 scores. Kaliher was substituted for Anderson, and Staples for Steinbrecher. Points scored: Orton 28, Kaliher 8, Anderson 6, Busch 6.
III: Princeton vs. Big Lake (30 - 6)
Princeton gained an early lead and was not threatened during any period of the game. During the last quarter, Princeton made 11 points, while Big Lake chalked up one tally on a free throw.
IV: Princeton vs. Cambridge (31-11)
The fast Cambridge girls team went down to defeat by a score of 31 to 11. Cambridge ws to be feared as they had not been defeated as yet. Capt. Orton was in excellent form and caged basket after basket. Hazel anderson, who also played a speedy game, was the other high point winner.
It was the best girls game that had been seen so far in Princeton this season. The playing was fast and the home team had developed some clever teamwork.
The two forwards gave an exhibition of passing and teamwork that would be a credit to a fast boys' quint. The guards also did good work.
Points scored: Orton 12, Anderson 9, Kaliher 8, Busch 2.
V: Anoka vs. Princeton (21 - 14)
The Princeton girls were defeated in a rather heart-rending game. The forwards seemed to be somewhat off form and had hard luck in making baskets also.
The only time the home team had any chance to get the lead was in the third quarter when the score stood 13 to 12. In the fourth quarter, Anoka forged ahead rapidly with four field goals.
The Anoka girls had a strong team and outplayed Princeton throughout.Points scored: Orton 7, Kaliher 3, Busch 2, Anderson 2.
VI: Elk River vs. Princeton (13-16)
The Princeton girls team won a hard fought game from Elk River by a 16 to 13 score. The game was close up to the last minute, each team taking the lead alternately. The guards of both teams did exceptionally clever work in this game. The first half ended with a score of 6 to 4 in favor of Elk River.
Princeton did its work so well that the final score stood Princeton 16, Elk River 13.
Points scored: Kaliher 10, Orton 2, Anderson 4.
VII: Princeton vs. Anoka (31-12)
The Princeton girls avenged their first defeat of the season by winning from the Anoka girls by a score of 31 to 12. From the beginning, Princeton took the lead and kept it.
The forwards were in good shooting form and with the excellent passing outplayed their opponents, making the game a rather one-sided affair. The guards also did good work and at all times held the Anoka team in check.
Accuracy in shooting both field baskets and free throws characterized the girls game.Points scored: Orton 12, Kaliher 9, Anderson 10.
VIII: Mora vs Princeton (10-62)
The girls inflicted a decisive defeat on the Mora girls team, ending with a score of 62 to 10.
the game was played in three courts with two forwards, tow centers and two guards. They simply outclassed their opponents, and the forwards piled up the enormous score with 34 points credited to Hazel Anderson, 22 to Capt. Orton, and 6 to Eunice Kaliher, who substituted for Anderson.
It was the easiest game of the season.
IX: Princeton vs Elk River (38 - 9)
Elk River was defeated for the second time this season by the Princeton girls. They outplayed their opponents at every turn although the Elk River team had the advantage of size and weight. the forwards did exceptionally fine work in this game. Points scored: Anderson 21, Orton 9, Kaliher 6, Davis 2.
The girls' games during the latter part of the season were characterized by exceptionally good team work, thanks to the excellent work done by the coach, Miss Mickelson.
They made almost as good a record in basketball as the boys, considering the fact that they do not play in tournaments. They lost one game of the nine they played. Here's to the future team!"
Special stories:
In 2007, Haley Gunderson,the great-granddaughter of Freda Steinbrecher,played on a seventh grade basketball traveling team in Minnetonka.
Two daughters of Freda Steinbrecher provided information about teams in 1925 and 1926.
1925:
Daughter Marlys C. Johnson, St. Peter, searched through family photos and located a photo of the Princeton girls team in 1925. Marlys commented, "Looks like the coach was from the University of Minnesota, considering his letter sweater!" He is not identified on the photo.
Marlys recalls her mother saying that her team played full court basketball and that they played again teams from Iowa.
The 1925 team photo had names written on the back, but not identified by position. Marlys' mother, Freda Steinbrecher, nicknamed "Fritz," is on the left end of the back row. She was a high school junior.
The other players and their team nicknames are listed as: Helen Staples (Bobbie), Mildred David (Tillie); Hazel B. Anderson (Hey), Olive Orton (Curley), Eunice Kahler (Spoonie), Helen L. Rusch (Bush), Laura Belle Cater, Captain; Gwendolyn G. Glade (Gwen) and Ethel Sausser (Mike).
1926:
Daughter Sandra R. Brenden from Albuquerque, NM, found a small basketball yearbook entitled The Tiger Club. It included a photo of their mother's picture as a senior in 1926. Freda is on the front row, left side.
In 1926, they played St. Francis, Big Lake, Cambridge, Anoka, Elk River and Mora, winning seven out of nine games. Their team consisted of only 9 players and a woman coach.
The 1926 photo identifies the players as:
Back row, left to right: Busch, Coach Michelson, Westman
Middle row: Marjorie David, Kaliher, Mildred Davis, Staples;
Front row: Steinbrecher, Captain Orton, Anderson.
The season narrative follows:
I: St. Francis vs. Princeton (7-13)
The girls' game was fast and was featured by good passing and accuracy in shooting. Captain Orton was in particularly good form, and made 15 of the 31 points. The guards played a fast game and did some clever work in passes.
II: Princeton vs. St. Francis (50 - 10)
The Princeton girls overwhelmingly defeated the St. Francis team to the tune of 50 to 10. Captain Orton, as in the game before, was the high point winner, making 28 of the 50 scores. Kaliher was substituted for Anderson, and Staples for Steinbrecher. Points scored: Orton 28, Kaliher 8, Anderson 6, Busch 6.
III: Princeton vs. Big Lake (30 - 6)
Princeton gained an early lead and was not threatened during any period of the game. During the last quarter, Princeton made 11 points, while Big Lake chalked up one tally on a free throw.
IV: Princeton vs. Cambridge (31-11)
The fast Cambridge girls team went down to defeat by a score of 31 to 11. Cambridge ws to be feared as they had not been defeated as yet. Capt. Orton was in excellent form and caged basket after basket. Hazel anderson, who also played a speedy game, was the other high point winner.
It was the best girls game that had been seen so far in Princeton this season. The playing was fast and the home team had developed some clever teamwork.
The two forwards gave an exhibition of passing and teamwork that would be a credit to a fast boys' quint. The guards also did good work.
Points scored: Orton 12, Anderson 9, Kaliher 8, Busch 2.
V: Anoka vs. Princeton (21 - 14)
The Princeton girls were defeated in a rather heart-rending game. The forwards seemed to be somewhat off form and had hard luck in making baskets also.
The only time the home team had any chance to get the lead was in the third quarter when the score stood 13 to 12. In the fourth quarter, Anoka forged ahead rapidly with four field goals.
The Anoka girls had a strong team and outplayed Princeton throughout.Points scored: Orton 7, Kaliher 3, Busch 2, Anderson 2.
VI: Elk River vs. Princeton (13-16)
The Princeton girls team won a hard fought game from Elk River by a 16 to 13 score. The game was close up to the last minute, each team taking the lead alternately. The guards of both teams did exceptionally clever work in this game. The first half ended with a score of 6 to 4 in favor of Elk River.
Princeton did its work so well that the final score stood Princeton 16, Elk River 13.
Points scored: Kaliher 10, Orton 2, Anderson 4.
VII: Princeton vs. Anoka (31-12)
The Princeton girls avenged their first defeat of the season by winning from the Anoka girls by a score of 31 to 12. From the beginning, Princeton took the lead and kept it.
The forwards were in good shooting form and with the excellent passing outplayed their opponents, making the game a rather one-sided affair. The guards also did good work and at all times held the Anoka team in check.
Accuracy in shooting both field baskets and free throws characterized the girls game.Points scored: Orton 12, Kaliher 9, Anderson 10.
VIII: Mora vs Princeton (10-62)
The girls inflicted a decisive defeat on the Mora girls team, ending with a score of 62 to 10.
the game was played in three courts with two forwards, tow centers and two guards. They simply outclassed their opponents, and the forwards piled up the enormous score with 34 points credited to Hazel Anderson, 22 to Capt. Orton, and 6 to Eunice Kaliher, who substituted for Anderson.
It was the easiest game of the season.
IX: Princeton vs Elk River (38 - 9)
Elk River was defeated for the second time this season by the Princeton girls. They outplayed their opponents at every turn although the Elk River team had the advantage of size and weight. the forwards did exceptionally fine work in this game. Points scored: Anderson 21, Orton 9, Kaliher 6, Davis 2.
The girls' games during the latter part of the season were characterized by exceptionally good team work, thanks to the excellent work done by the coach, Miss Mickelson.
They made almost as good a record in basketball as the boys, considering the fact that they do not play in tournaments. They lost one game of the nine they played. Here's to the future team!"
Special stories:
In 2007, Haley Gunderson,the great-granddaughter of Freda Steinbrecher,played on a seventh grade basketball traveling team in Minnetonka.
Princeton 1925
Princeton 1926