Nov 2, 20233 min read

100 Years of Sports

Updated: Nov 6, 2023

Exploring the best stories and photos from Whitefish sports history.

Down, set, hut! Football season for the Bulldogs wrapped up last weekend, which marked the 102nd season of high school football in Whitefish. This month in Stumptown Stories, we share a collection of moments from the last 100 years of fall and winter school sports. Read on for gridiron exclusives, basketball escapades, and musings about missing moments no one can seem to find.

Pictured above, the football team plays on the Whitefish football field circa 1930. Situated behind where the modern-day library sits, this field was the center for fall sports in the early 1900s. On the left, one can see the early Central School Gymnasium. The train depot sits in the upper left corner of the photo in the same location (and the same appearance!) as it does today. The line of buildings directly to the right of the depot are the ice houses - read more about their central role in Whitefish history here.

The First Whitefish Football Team - 1922

Dr. Edmonds stepped up to coach the first Whitefish football team, pictured above.

He scraped together uniforms, helmets, and balls so the boys could play. It was a rough inaugural season for the football team as they lost every game with scores as bad as 90-0 against Flathead and 77-0 against Libby.

The first home game was played on Saturday, 11/11/1922, against Polson. Shops across town closed for the game, which ended in a tough 33-19 loss for Whitefish. This Whitefish Pilot article (below)from Friday, November 11, 1922, highlighted the game as, "...a small riot, but an exciting riot."

Scroll the the bottom of this newsletter for more Whitefish Pilot stories about the 1922 WHS Football Team.

Whitefish Bulldogs Battle on the Gridiron in 1939

Standing (L to R): Moore, Kusumoto, Hermann, Hatsukano, Gallo, Pond, and Kaluza

Kneeling (L to R): Hori, Sloan, Street, Christopherson (center), Kaber, Flint, Baker.

Record:

Whitefish 27 - 0 Shelby

Whitefish 0 - 20 Butte Central

Whitefish 13 - 32 Havre

Whitefish 0 - 14 Missoula

Whitefish 7 - 14 Flathead

Big 16 Champions and State Runner-Ups in 1931

The 2023 football season for the Whitefish Bulldogs wrapped up last week and now all eyes turn toward basketball and other winter sports! Pictured here is the 1930-1931 men's basketball team.

They played Miles City in the 1931 State Championship game. Controversy struck early in the game when Whitefish's star player, Bob (Tubby) Taylor, left the game injured after being sent flying into the bleachers on suspect play. Miles City ended up winning 35-26. And despite missing almost all of the final game, Tubby Taylor still won the award for scoring the most points in the tournament with 49. To see what the Whitefish Pilot had to say about the game, scroll to the bottom of this newsletter.

First Row (L to R): Coach Lloyd Muldown, Johnny Bill Hutchinson, Bill Hileman, Ted Depew, Robert Taylor.

Second Row (L to R): Assistant Coach Charles Garretson, Dan Holmquist, Cliff Olson, Ray Darnell, Jess Maas.

Basketball in the Early Years - 1926 WHS Team

Basketball was one of the first sports Whitefish High School competed in. Since it only requires 5 people on the court, it was easier to field a team! Pictured here is one of the earliest teams in Whitefish history - the 1926 squad.

From L to R: Frank Trippett, Wink Avery, Forrest Forcum, Ike Hori, Bub Jennings, Bob Wheatley, and Buck Rice.

Something's Missing - Where are the Ladies?

You probably realized by now that this newsletter is missing something! Where are all the ladies? We need your help to answer that question!

As we put this newsletter together, the Stumptown Historical Society realized that we have very few (if any) photos of lady athletes in the early years of Whitefish. Do you have any you can send us? Help us tell the story of Whitefish by sending your photos and stories to info@stumptownhistoricalsociety.org. Thank you!