West Liberty History 1838-1938

Source: One Hundred Years of History
* Commemorating a Century of Progress in the West Liberty Community * WEST LIBERTY, IOWA
ATHLETIC HISTORY

West Liberty has been a member of the Iowa High School Athletic Association for 35 years. During these years and before West Liberty high school has produced some very good teams. Only a few years back did Liberty's gridiron men play big schools such as Cedar Rapids, Davenport, and Washington and many times they brought home the bacon. Coach Eby, coach at Coe College, was once coach of West Liberty and he had several good teams.

Od course we must not forget the heroes who brought glory to the older alumni. The high school students we hear about most are Howard " Rex " Watters, Dewey " Tim " Gibson, Phillip " Buzz " Phelps, Preston Brown and the two Holmes Brothers. When these boys were in their prime they really roughed the game up.

This year West Liberty held its seventh annual homecoming, November 3. Out of the seven games Liberty had lost only two, both to Anamosa.

In 1931 the homecoming game decided the conference title, although the game was a tie, Liberty took the conference championship. This is the only year West Liberty has won the conference championship.

Some of the pigskin heroes who helped win these homecoming games are: LeRoy Schneider, Wendall "Winnie" Keith, Lester "Luke" Lewis, Virgil Nauman, Ed Tiffany, Fritz Hogan, and John Kimball.

West Liberty in basketball, likewise, has produced some good teams. Many of the same "linebusters" were also good basketball players. Liberty's basketball teams have won the conference trophy three times. In 1932, 1933, and 1936. The team of 1937 went to the semi-finals in the district tournament. The basketball team which "Tim" Gibson played on, was in the state tournament and played in the finals, but that was before they had to go through competition in sectional and the district tournament.

Track has not been as popular as basketball and football in West Liberty high. Only in the last eight or ten years has there been any advancement made in this sport.

Each year both indoor and outdoor track conferences are held. In 1933 West Liberty was runner up in the ourdoor track meet.

This last year, Liberty's 440 and 880 yard team consisting of Richard Lane, Kenneth Chelf, Philip Aikins, and Don Ruess was entered in the Drake relays. They did not, however, place in the finish.

History of Conference

The Eastern Iowa Seven Conference was started in 1929. Dr.M. F. Carpenter, basketball and track coach of University High, Iowa City, was the first to think of the idea, and when he consulted the officials of other schools, which he thought equally balanced, it was agreed that a conference should be started. Seven schools were asked to join : Anamosa, Mount Vernon, Monticello, Tipton, University High, West Branch and West Liberty. In 1932 Mechanicsville was added to the conference, but in 1934 they withdrew.

When the conference began, it included only football and basketball. However, in 1931, track was added.

---