Letters March14

1954 was a magical year

On behalf of the Class of 1954 and the entire Central High School staff and all the students attending the "new" Central High School that year, I would like to say thank you to the Southeast Missourian for the article in the sports section of the March 7 paper about the 1954 Central High School state championship basketball team.

I want to include all the students and the teachers who were at the school at that time as part of the team because their support and enthusiasm contributed a large part in allowing those of us who played to bring the championship to our school. The support by the commnuity that year was also outstanding.

I would like to commmend the sports editor, Toby Carrig, for the effort he undertook to contact all the players and the research that he undoubtedly had to do to come up with an exceptional story. All of us would have recognized the quotes he used from the various members, even if the name of that person was not made known.

I can assure you there were 10 boys on the squad who all shared in the tough and long practices that Coach Muegge conducted. As many of your "older" readers will attest, Coach had a way of bringing out the best in all of his athletes. And I know personally that all shared in receiving some of the extra encouragement that Coach Muegge applied when we made mistakes in practice.

Those of us who transitioned into baseball for the spring sport, as mentioned in the article, were joined by other athletes who enabled us to climb and conquer another mountain for the second time that school year. Again, our accomplishment and the recognition given us was due in large part to the encouragement and support that we received from the entire student body.

This October, we, the graduates of 1954, will gather, and as best our minds can remember, will recall -- as Carrig wrote --that magic.CLARENCE "DUB" SUEDEKUM

Cape Girardeau