Football Hall of Fame

Bottom Row, from left: Vern Woosley, Al Stapleton, Dick Fahnestock, Bill Gangloff, Ed List, Lou Aicaraz, Bob Lowder, Dick Parker, Fremont Bender.

Second Row, from left: Bill Griffith, Frank Hutt, Jim Powell, Lou Roberts, Bill Bowcott, Bill Teegan, Clint Gaylord, Dick Echard, Bob Peake, Paul Fehi, Jim England, Mel Shoup, J. Hayes, Wayne Nelson, Jerry Vogel.

Third Row, from left: Coach Bob Jauron, Ed True, Dick Voungren, Dean Flessner, Jack closen, Joe Schaab, Bud Cassens, Gene Wailer, Elmo Petty, Dick Lohrman, Chaires Lewis, assistant coach Ed Stonebock, assistant coach Ken Hinrichs.

Fourth Row, from left: Dale Johnson, E. Marchbanks, D. Stockwell, Ron Hagel, Gene Barnewalt, Jack Vicary, Tom Trunk, 1. Houston, Dave Johnson, Bob Dean, D. Petrl

Peoria Manual High School suddenly needed a new football coach in 1949 when Tony Juska, who had gone 8-1-1 to bring the school out of the football doldrums, was hired by Bradley. Heads turned toward the northwest. Coming in from Montana to succeed Juska was a burly young man named Bob Jauron. A former fullback for legendary coach Frank Leahy at Boston College, Jauron was about as devoted to the game as Leahy himself. What happened was perhaps beyond anyone's fondest dreams.

The result was unbeaten seasons in 1949 and 1950 and 22 victories in succession before the streak ended in the midst of a 7-3 season in 1951. A 14-0 loss at Mishawaka, Indiana, ended the streak in the third game of the season. Jauron also left then to fill a variety of football coaching jobs before retiring in Swampscott, Mass.

Jauron's first two Manual teams simply overwhelmed almost every opponent. It outscored the opposition 637-79 in the 20 games with its closest tests 6-0 and 7-0 victories over Kewanee, 6-2 over Spalding, and 7-0 over Pekin. Other teams were totally blitzed: Central 45-0, Spalding 37-0, Decatur 58-6, Lincoln 43-7 among others.

Jauron's teams had fine size, a stout defense, an exceptional fullback in Bob Peake and a bunch of small but quick and deadly running backs. One of the latter was Vern Woosley who played at 5 foot 9 and 135 pounds, making the Greater Peoria first team, later playing at 145 at Bradley.

As a Coach, Bob Jauron was a stern and demanding person. Very innovative, he was far ahead of his time in coaching knowledge, even running from the "I" formation that was unheard of at that time. He even changed Dick Echard, now deceased, a fine pass catcher, to quarterback.

Under Jauron, Manual had four players on the All-Greater Peoria first team in 1949. The following season, after his streak hit 20-0, eight of the 12 players to make the Greater Peoria team were from Manual: end Gene WaIler, tackles Joe Schaab and Elmo Petty, guard Lou Roberts, center Dick Lolrman and running backs Peake, Woosley and Lou Alcaraz.

Ken Hinrichs, later one of the most successful local coaches during a long career at Manual, and the late Eddie Stonebock, Manual's brilliant baseball coach, were Jauron's assistants during the two seasons. Both were admitted to the GP Hall during earlier induction banquets.