Concordia Sports - The First 100 Years by Finn Grinaker

by Vernon Finn Grinaker
| Return to Index | Chapter 1 | 1903-1921 | 20's | 30's | 40's | 50's | 60' | 70's | 80's | 90's |

Chapter 7-- The Restless Sixties

| 1960-1961 | 1961-1962 | 1962-1963 | 1963-1964 | 1964-1965 | 1965-1966 | 1966-1967 | 1967-1968 | 1968-1969 | 1969-1970 |

Coach Jake Christiansen’s 1966 football team amassed a 5 - 3 overall record and was 4 - 3 in the MIAC for fourth place. At the beginning of the season, Jake commented, “Only one week left and then the opener. We’re going to be in for a tough opener and this is all I am sure of at the present time.” With 16 seniors gone from the previous year’s team, Jake, a devout pessimist, really had a bit to be pessimistic about.
Co-captains were Lowell Gorseth and Rodd Olson. Paul Sannes was voted MVP. Four Cobbers made the all-MIAC football team: Paul Sannes, Chucky Hanson, Jim Satter and Carl Backes.

Paul Sannes '67 - Football/Baseball

The following were the scores for the season:
Concordia 17   MSTC   7
Concordia 13   St. John’s 6
Concordia 35   Augsburg 14
Concordia 14   Gustavus 19
Concordia 6   UM-Duluth 18
Concordia 7   Hamline 20
Concordia 32   Macalester 0
Concordia 26   St. Thomas 12

Final standings in the MIAC were:

Hamline   6 - 1
Gustavus   4 - 1 - 2
UM-Duluth 4 - 2 - 1
Concordia   4 - 3
St. John’s   3 - 3 - 1
Augsburg   3 - 4
St. Thomas 2 - 5
Macalester 0 - 7

The roster included J. Lindell, Tim Long, Carl Backes, Dennis Stamp, Franklin Hensch, Paul Anderson, Alan Schmidt, Jim Rosenkranz, Jim Satter, Don Hoven, Steve Erie, Mike Wolf, Eldon Nelson, Dennis Hasbargen, Joe Langemo, Paul Doty, Chuck Hansen, Wayne Orn, Richard Anderson, Mike Swanke, John Malvey, Lowell Gorseth, Larry Larson, Ken Moland, John Hovey, Harry Wagner, Chris Myrold, Brad Martinson, Art Glasoe, G. Sunde, Gregory Drummond, Ron Sovick, Rod Olson, Tim Braaten, M. Rasmus, Bob Halvorson, Mike Dondelinger, Brad Erickson, Loren Knutson, Tom Fink, Lynn Hanson, Randall Deckert, B. Emerson, Mike Hammond, Neal Jeppson, Tim Lundin, Regan Lefdahl, Dennis Bluhm, John Rose, Tom Yankoff, Merrel Kesler, Paul Donley, Donald Randall, Bruce Oyen, Larry Gullickson, Gary Williams, Bruce Carlson, Paul Sannes, Dennis Harmoning, Bob Kranz, Charles Rathert, Stephen Kidder and Dennis Johnson.

The Jake Christiansen Stadium was dedicated prior to the Concordia-Hamline game.

History of the stadium fund drive goes back to the fall of 1964. At that time a group of business and professional men from Moorhead and Fargo approached D. Knutson. Their proposal was to raise funds for a stadium that would be named in honor of “Coach Jake.” At the fall meeting of the Board of Regents the project was approved.

The fund campaign was officially begun the following year in November 1965. With Arthur P. Diercks as general chairman, the drive met with great success. Working toward a goal of $235,000, the amount was reached by the following spring. On May 16 groundbreaking ceremonies were conducted.(4)

Jake Christiansen was named to a three-year term on the National Football Coaches Association rules committee.

The Concordia basketball team in 1966 opened the season against North Dakota State with possible starters Bob Laney as center, brothers Jim, Dick and Bob Peterson, and either Jim Herhusky or Bob Moe.

The basketball team had an overall record of 13 - 12 and finished 8 - 8 in the conference for fifth place. Sonny Gulsvig was coach of the team which included J. Lovas, D. Knutson, J. Herhusky, J. Peterson, D. Cox, K. Holmes, K. Strand, W. Uglem, T. Rietz, B. Moe, B. Peterson, B. Laney, D. Peterson, E. Dahlberg and D. See.

Season scores were:
Concordia 82 NDSU   74
Concordia 69 MSTC   67
Concordia 64 St. Cloud   66
Concordia 94 Augustana   82
Concordia 73 Valparaiso 91
Concordia 59 NDSU   61
Concordia 94 SDSU   80
Concordia 73 Gustavus   80
Concordia 77 Morris   65
Concordia 73 St. Thomas 85
Concordia 86 St. Mary’s   90
Concordia 70 MSTC   72
Concordia 105 St. John’s   75
Concordia 76 UM-Duluth 86
Concordia 98 Augsburg   78
Concordia 72 St. Mary’s   77
Concordia 86 Macalester 82
Concordia 73 Gustavus   71
Concordia 70 Augsburg   79
Concordia 71 St. Thomas 78
Concordia 71 St. John’s   90
Concordia 96 Hamline   67
Concordia 92 UM-Duluth 85
Concordia 87 Macalester 80
Concordia 80 Hamline   78

MIAC Conference standings at the end of the season were:

St. Thomas 15 - 1
St. John’s   11 - 5
Gustavus   9 - 7
Concordia   8 - 8
St. Mary’s   7 - 9
UM-Duluth 6 - 10
Macalester 6 - 10
Hamline   5 - 11
Augsburg   5 - 11

A press release noted: “How about the brother act at Concordia — three Petersons, Dick, Bob and Jim, on the basketball team, Paul and Mark Budd, Tom and Wayne Yankoff, and Martin and Howard Thompson all on the wrestling team make every game or match a family reunion. The Thompsons are from Laverne, the Yankoffs from Miles City, Montana, the Budds from Osage, Iowa.”

..
1966-1967 | Football | M- Basketball | Hockey | Wrestling | Baseball | Golf | Tennis | Gymnastics | Men's Cross Country | Men's Track | All Sports | Facilities | MIAC News |
The 1966-1967 hockey team under Coach Charlie Basch finished the season with a 1 -13 record. W. Horgen was the team captain. Scores for the season were:
Concordia 2 Augsburg 8
Concordia 0 Augsburg 5
Concordia 0 St. Thomas 3
Concordia 0 St. Thomas 4
Concordia 2 Gustavus 6
Concordia 2 Gustavus 9
Concordia 1 Macalester 4
Concordia 1 Macalester 6
Concordia 3 St. John’s 7
Concordia 2 St. John’s 5
Concordia 2 Hamline 6
Concordia 2 Hamline 1
Concordia 0 St. Mary’s 6
Concordia 0 St. Mary’s 9

On the hockey roster were J. Thompson, J. Schultz, G. Norem, J. Vanbergan, W. Horgen, Gary Graham, D. Earnest, C. Hedland, D. Oehlke, D. Dose, V. Holmgren, G. Uecker, J. Matthewson, A. Marotta, S. Haslerud, N. Engevik, D. McCarthy, D. Idso, and D. Angerhofer.

In 1967 the presidents and faculty athletic representatives voted to eliminate spring football. They claimed that it interfered with the spring sports and it overemphasized athletics. Despite a vigorous fight by the coaches, they lost the battle to their bitter disappointment.

The 1966 - 1967 wrestling team, under Coach Grinaker, had a successful season, finishing second in the Carleton tournament, fourth in the Luther tournament and second in the conference meet.

Douglas J. Dufty, Wrestling 1963-1967

Their dual meet record was 6 - 7 - 0 with the following scores:
Concordia 33 Morris   3
Concordia 34 U. of Minnesota-Duluth 6
Concordia 14 Valley City State 15
Concordia 15 Augsburg   19
Concordia 9 Bemidji State 22
Concordia 12 NDSU   22
Concordia 4 Moorhead State 31
Concordia 6 Iowa State College 29
Concordia 22 Macalester 15
Concordia 32 St. Thomas 6
Concordia 17 UND   12
Concordia 6 Gustavus   24
Concordia 22 St. John’s    12

On the team were Mark Bratlie, Mark Budd, Doug Dufty, Wayne Yankoff, Olson, Howard Leopold, Charlie Bishop, Tom Yankoff, Paul Sukke, Halvorson, Dennis Stamp, Hult, Martin Thompson, Narvaez, Plumb, Larsen, D. Johnson, Roger Toffle, Howard Thompson, Smith, Sigfrid and Sandman.

The only information available on the 1966-1967 gymnastics team were the names of four gymnasts: Tom Norton, Steve Kidder, Gordon Isachsen and Terry Nybo.

The 1967 baseball team chalked up an 8 - 5 record. Scores for the games were:
Concordia 5 Offut Air Force Base 0
Concordia 5 NDSU    3
Concordia 6 Macalester   0
Concordia 5 Hamline   4
Concordia 0 Hamline   1
Concordia 4 Augsburg   5
Concordia 4 Augsburg   1
Concordia 11 Gustavus   7
Concordia 11 Gustavus   6
Concordia 0 St. Mary’s   1
Concordia 1 St. Mary’s   4

On the roster were G. Otto. P. Anderson, A. Wicken, W. Cole, T. Braaten, P. Linde, R. Heidt, D. Wick, K. Strand, J. Peterson. J. Langemo, J. Herhusky, L. Perry, R. Olson and P. Sannes. Charlie Basch was the team coach.

Playing tennis for the Cobbers in 1967 were Don Idso, Mike Vogel, Dave Erickson, Dave Wee, John Bragstad and Volker Hennig. Bob Nick was the coach. The squad was the youngest of all spring sports. They split with intra-city rivals, trouncing MSC while dropping their meet with NDSU, and held their own against MIAC rivals.

The 1967 golf team was comprised of Terry Knauf, Dave Hanson, Doug Herzog, Roger Stadum, Mike Swanke, Steve Ronnigen, Steve Auenson, Dave Stoll, Gary Williams, John Severson and Tom Norton. Finn Grinaker coached the team. The season results were:

Cobber-Dragon Invitational - 7th out of 10
Jamestown Invitational - 3rd out of 9
All-City - 1st place
Bison Invitational - 8th out of 13
Morris Invitational - 12th out of 14
MIAC Conference Meet - 9th out of 9
Honeywell Invitational - 5th out of 9

MIAC Dual Meets:
Concordia 1 1/2 Duluth   13 1/2
Concordia 6   Augsburg 9
Concordia 3   St. Mary’s 12
Concordia 2   Macalester 13
Concordia 3   St. Thomas 12
Concordia 1   Gustavus 13
Concordia 9 1/2 St. John’s 5 1/2
Concordia 5   Hamline 10

Coach Jim Christopherson’s 1966 cross country team undertook the most ambitious schedule in the history of the program at Concordia, competing in seven meets. Two of the best distance runners in the history of the school — Roger Wrolstad and Roger Neugebauer.

Jim Christopherson, Cobber track coach in 1967, took three boys to the International Meet of Champions in Winnipeg and they all placed with Al Schmidt winning the pole vault. Later that spring Al Schmidt broke the school pole vault record with a vault of 14' 2 3/4"..

Chapter 7

1. Joel Watne, Concordian, November 11, 1960.
2. Glen Temanson, Concordian, December 2, 1960.
3. Pete Hastings, Concordian, September 12, 1961.
4. Concordian, October 21, 1966.
5. Concordian, April 5, 1968.
6. Neal Jeppson, Concordian, April 19, 1968.

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These pages are maintained by Jerry Pyle - pyle@cord.edu and Finn Grinaker - cgrinaker@juno.com. These pages are copyrighted © and may not be published or reproduced without the express permission of Finn Grinaker.