Category: Non-Conference Game

December 23, 2022 – 19,041 Days Later…Original November 6, 1970 Muskegon Catholic Central vs Reeths Puffer Football Radio Broadcast!!!!

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Hello 1970 Muskegon Catholic Central Football Community!!!

Going through some family audio cassette recordings recently from the 1970’s we discovered a cassette with a recording of the last 10 minutes of the 1970 Muskegon Catholic Central Crusaders vs Reeths Puffer Rockets football game from November 6, 1970. The details of that game are on the Muskegon Catholic vs Reeths Puffer blog post we published back on November 6, 2020, the 50th Anniversary of that game titled 1970 MCC Football Game 8: Reeths-Puffer Rockets at Muskegon Catholic Central Crusaders.

The link below is a recording of the last ten minutes of the last game we won that year…our 7th win in a row. Before this game we had already been christened Lake Michigan Athletic Conference (LMAC) Champions. After this game we were ranked Associated Press #1 in Class B.

We believe that this could be the only recording , either video or audio, of any of our games from the 1970 Muskegon Catholic Central Football season. If anyone has more 1970 MCC Football audio or video from that year, please let us know and we will be happy to post those also.

The timing of this post just before Christmas, 2022 is not a coincidence.  At 7:00 pm ET tonight, December 23, 2022 it will mark exactly 19,041 days ago to the minute that this game began.

We want to dedicate this post to all of our Teammates, Coaches, Cheerleaders, Band, Classmates, Families and Fans as a Christmas present and a tribute to all of you, both living and to those who have passed on.

We hope this recording provides some joy and fond memories to all of you for this holiday season, and beyond, that you can share with your loved ones.

We can raise our glasses together tonight at 7:00 pm ET to celebrate our historic season…

CHEERS!

Muskegon Catholic Central vs Reeths Puffer Rockets Original Radio Broadcast Game Recording
November 6, 1970

Around 10:36 left in the 4th quarter on the game clock…

NOTE:  If you want to download this audio, just click on the 3 dots to the right of the recording bar and click “Download”.

1970 MCC Football Game 8: Reeths-Puffer Rockets at Muskegon Catholic Central Crusaders

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GAMETIME CONDITIONS:
  • Location: Muskegon, Michigan
  • Date: November 6, 1970
  • Game Location: Kehren Stadium
  • Geographic Coordinate: 43°13′8″N 86°16′20″W
  • Game Start: 7:00 pm ET
  • Sunset:  5:30 pm ET
  • Condition:  Cloudy
  • Temperature:  54 Degrees
  • MPH Wind Speed:   16 MPH
  • Wind Direction:  SW

Opponent Profile:

1970 Reeths-Puffer

Michigan Sports Classification:  Class B

Colors: Green and White

Nickname: Rockets

Year Founded: 1958

League:  Seaway Conference

Head Coach:  Gale Bolthouse

Record Prior to MCC Game:    4 – 2 – 1

Record After MCC Game:        4 – 3 – 1

1970 Season Final Record:      4 – 3 – 1

Reeths Puffer (RP) 1970 Scores

RP/MCC Game Statistics

1970 Reeths Puffer Football Notes:

  • The 30 points scored by MCC was the most given up by R-P in 75 previous games.
  • After 7 games, 6 against Class A opponents, game 8 against R-P was only the second and final Class B team on the 1970 MCC Football schedule.
  • Mona Shores earned its only win of their season by beating R-P in the first game of the season.
  • R-P played Fruitport HS to a tie in game 5 but came in second in the Seaway Conference to Fruitport due to a loss to last place Whitehall High School in game 7.
  • The 1970 R-P team played only 8 games so the loss to MCC was their last game of the 1970 season.
  • Head Coach Bolthouse was 1st team all Southwestern Michigan  Conference quarterback for Grand Haven HS in 1943, enlisted in the Navy in June 1944 immediately after graduating and, after serving, played center for the Michigan State Football squad for 4 years.
  • Head Coach Bolthouse passed away in 1972  less than 2 years after the 1970  season at only 45 years old.
  • R-P honored Coach Bolthouse by renaming their football field “Gale Bolthouse Stadium” in 1973.
  • Gale Bolthouse Stadium was demolished in 1998 when R-P moved to the current Rocket Stadium.

Crusaders mentioned in the Muskegon Chronicle clipping below*:

  • Jim Spilka
  • Dave Komosinski
  • Steve Jados
  • Tom Holmes
  • John Dombrowski
  • Frank Belmonte
  • Tom Kern

*Let these Crusaders know that they are in the newspaper this week…only 50 years later!

Muskegon Chronicle

MUSKEGON CATHOLIC CENTRAL NEWSPAPER QUOTE OF THE WEEK:

“The 17 – 8 deficit forced Catholic to demonstrate the mark of a true champion…the ability to come from behind.”

Next Game:

Game 9

Muskegon Catholic Central Crusaders (7 -1)

at

Muskegon Big Reds (6 – 2)

FRIDAY, November 13, 1970 7:00 PM

1970 MCC Football Game 3: Grand Rapids Union Red Hawks at Muskegon Catholic Central Crusaders

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Gametime Conditions:
  • Location: Muskegon, Michigan
  • Date: October 2, 1970
  • Game Location: Kehren Stadium
  • Geographic Coordinate: 43°13′8″N 86°16′20″W
  • Game Start: 7:00 pm ET
  • Sunset: 6:24 pm ET
  • Condition: Mostly Cloudy
  • 61 degrees
  • 12 mph wind speed
  • W wind direction

Opponent Profile:

1970 Grand Rapids Union

Michigan Sports Classification:  Class A

Colors: Red and White

Nickname: Red Hawks

Year Founded: 1859

League:  Grand Rapids City League

Head Coach: Milo Sukup

Record Prior to MCC Game:    1 – 1

Record After MCC Game:         1 -2

1970 Season Final Record:      2- 7

Grand Rapids Union 1970 Scores

1970 Grand Rapids Union (GRU) Football Notes:

  • In 1970, GRU played three common MCC opponents, Traverse City Central, Grand Rapids Catholic and Portage Northern and lost to all three.
  • 1970 was the 1oth year of the scheduled MCC vs GRU series that started in 1954 but was extended two more years through the 1972 football season.
  • After 1972 MCC didn’t play GRU again until the 1985 – 1988 seasons.
  • The Muskegon Chronical article below is incorrect on one fact. The 1970 MCC 39 points against Class A GRU on Friday, October 3, 1970 was the first time in 5 years and 35 games that MCC scored more than 3 touchdowns, not 43 games like the Muskegon Chronicle reported .  Ironically the previous game with more than 3 MCC touchdowns scored was also against GRU 5 years and 1 day earlier on October 1, 1966 with a 36 – 12 winning score.
  • The 1970 MCC 39 points against Class A GRU was both the most scored and largest winning margin against GRU by MCC in the 15 game history between 1954 and 1988.
  • The win against GRU was the second straight win in the 1970 season for Class B MCC against a Class A opponent.
  • Founded in 1859, GRU is one of the oldest schools in Michigan compared to MCC founded 94 years later in 1953.
  • Legendary GRU Head Coach Milo Sukup was born in Muskegon Heights and was inducted into the Muskegon Area Sports Hall of Fame (MASHF).
  • GRU ran the same “Single Wing Formation” offense with an unbalanced line and an extra receiver that the 5’8″, 190 lb Sukup played as an offensive guard at the University of Michigan blocking for Tom Harmon from 1938 through 1940.
  • In 1970 Coach Sukup was in the twilight of his career and coached for only one more football season. He retired in 1972 after a 29 year coaching career.
  • Here is a brief summary of Coach Sukup from the  MASHF:

An outstanding all-around athlete at Muskegon Heights High School from 1933-37, Milo Sukup earned All-State honors in basketball and football. Sukup also excelled in track, holding the school’s record in the 100-yard dash at 10.2 seconds, and in baseball, as an infielder for the Tigers. His athletic exploits were recognized with 12 varsity letters.

On the gridiron, the powerful fullback led the Tigers to 27 consecutive victories and three mythical state titles between 1933 and 1935. In his honor, the final football game of his senior year was played on a day declared “Milo Sukup Day.”

Following graduation from the Heights, Sukup attended the University of Michigan. At Michigan, head coach Fritz Crisler moved the 5-foot-8, 176 pound back to the offensive line, as the running guard for Wolverine great Tom Harmon. Despite his small size, Sukup excelled on the line.

Soon after completing his college career, Milo became head football coach at Grand Rapids Union High School. At Union, Sukup installed the single wing attack used at Michigan. Between 1942 and 1971, his Red Hawks earned five outright City League titles and shared a sixth. His 1948 squad went undefeated en route to the mythical state crown in Class A.

  • Upon his retirement in 1972, Coach Sukup was honored by the State of Michigan House of Representatives that passed a resolution of tribute to him.

Crusaders mentioned in Grand Rapids Press and Muskegon Chronicle articles below*:

  • Jim Spilka
  • Jim White
  • John Zimmer
  • Dave Komosinski
  • Steve Lenar
  • Dave Beckmann
  • Greg Fodrocy
  • Dennis Treptow
  • Neil Sweet
  • Jerry Tejchma
  • Steve Jados
  • John Dombrowski

*Let these Crusaders know that they are in the newspaper this week…only 50 years later!

Grand Rapids Press

Muskegon Chronicle

Next Game:

Game 4

Muskegon Catholic Central Crusaders (2 -1)

at

Mona Shores Sailors (1 – 2)

Friday, October 9, 1970 7:00 pm

1970 MCC Football Game 2: Muskegon Catholic Central Crusaders at Portage Northern Huskies

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Gametime Conditions:
  • Location: Portage, Michigan
  • Date: September 25, 1970
  • Game Location: McCamley Field
  • Geographic Coordinate:  42.198013 | Longitude : -85.586285
  • Game Start: 7:00 pm ET
  • Sunset:   6:34 pm ET
  • Condition: Fair
  • 66 degrees
  • 5 mph wind speed
  • ESE wind direction

Opponent Profile:

1970 Portage Northern Team Profile

Michigan Sports Classification:  Class A 

Colors:  Brown, White, Orange

Nickname: Huskies

Year Founded: 1965

League:  Big 6

Head Coach:  Bud Breed – 1982 MHSFCA Hall of Fame Inductee

   Record Prior to MCC Game:    1 – 0

Record After MCC Game:         1 – 1

1970 Season Final Record:      8- 1

1970 Scores

1970 Portage Northern Football Notes:

  • Portage Northern lost only 1 game in 1970 – to Muskegon Catholic Central.
  • The 22 – 6 MCC/Portage Northern final score represented the the worst Portage Northern offensive and defensive effort in 1970.
  • MCC held Portage Northern to 2 yards rushing.
  • In 1970, Portage Northern played one common MCC opponent, Grand Rapids Union.  MCC beat that team.
  • In game 9 Portage Northern beat Grand Rapids Union 18 – 0.
  • Portage Northern Head Coach Bud Breed is a dual Michigan High School Football Coaches Association (MHSFCA) inductee as one of the original Board of Directors and as a Football Coach.
  • The original McCamley Field built in 1959, home to Portage Northern, was torn down in 2018 and upgraded to a new facility at the same location (pictured above).

Crusaders mentioned in the Kalamazoo Gazette and Muskegon Chronicle articles below*:

  • Bruce Bourdon
  • Tom Kern
  • John Zimmer
  • Tom Holmes
  • Dave Komosinski
  • John Dombrowski
  • Mark Carslake
  • Frank Belmonte
  • Steve Jados
  • Dan Ozios
  • Jim Spilka
  • Frank Engle
  • Jim Tejchma

*Let these Crusaders know that they are in the newspaper this week…only 50 years later!

Kalamazoo Gazette

Muskegon Chronicle

Next Game:

Game 3

Grand Rapids Union Red Hawks

at

Muskegon Catholic Central Crusaders

Friday, OCTOBER 2, 1970 7:00 pm

1970 MCC Football Game 1: Muskegon Catholic Central Crusaders at Grand Rapids Catholic Central Cougars

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Gametime Conditions:
  • Location: Grand Rapids, Michigan
  • Date: September 18, 1970
  • Game Location: Houseman Field
  • Geographic Coordinate:  42.9660°N 85.6462°W
  • Game Start: 7:00 pm ET
  • Sunset: 6:48 pm ET
  • Condition: Partly Cloudy
  • 61 degrees
  • 13 mph wind speed
  • WSW wind direction

Opponent Profile:

1970 Grand Rapids Catholic Central

Michigan Sports Classification:  Class A

Colors: Royal Blue and White

Nickname: Cougars

Year Founded: 1906

League:  Grand Rapids City League

Head Coach: Jerry Sieracki

Record Prior to MCC Game:    0 – 0

Record After MCC Game:         1 – 0

1970 Season Final Record:      6- 3

GRCC 1970 Scores

1970 Grand Rapids Catholic Central (GRCC) Football Notes:

  • Out of their 6 wins in 1970, GRCC shut out 4 teams (including MCC)  and allowed only 2 points against Lansing Everett because of a snap over the head of their punter in the end zone spoiling a 5th shut out of their 6 wins.
  • The 1959 MCC Football team lost the state championship to  GRCC 6-0 on November 13, 1959…the same date, day and time 11 years later, in 1970, that MCC played Muskegon High School.
  • In 1970, GRCC played two common MCC opponents.  MCC beat both.
  • In game 5 GRCC beat Grand Rapids Union 27 – 0
  • In Game 9 GRCC lost to Traverse City Central  28 – 20

Muskegon Catholic Central Crusaders at Grand Rapids Catholic Central Cougars Program

COVER

To enlarge: MCC vs GRCC Program Cover

ROSTERS

 

To enlarge:  MCC vs GRCC Program Rosters

 

Crusaders mentioned in Grand Rapids Press and Muskegon Chronicle articles below*:

  • Tom Kern
  • Bruce Bourdon
  • Jim Spilka
  • Steve Coyne
  • Tom Holmes
  • John Zimmer

*Let these Crusaders know that they are in the newspaper this week…only 50 years later!

Grand Rapids Press

Muskegon Chronicle

Next Game:

Game 2

Muskegon Catholic Central Crusaders (0 -1)

at

Portage Northern Huskies (1 – 0)

Friday, September 25, 1970 7:00 pm