Joe Cosentino and Prof. Don Heldmann
Written by Joe Cosentino-
This photo was taken on Nov. 9, 2013 at Elmhurst College during the Fenwick v. Wheaton North IHSA playoff second round football game. Mr. Heldmann, now retired from the classoon, works as the pressbox eye-in-the-sky for Fenwick's football team. Unfortunately Fenwick lost to Wheaton North, 32-31 following a spectacular comback by Wheaton North in the second half. It was 50 years go I was a freshman in Mr. Heldmann's history class. Interestingly, we discussed the Kennedy assasination which was 50 years ago that month and where we were when the assassination was announced.
I covered the game for the Daily Herald. The photo was taken in the press box by his son, who seemed surprised to meet one of his dad's students from 50 years ago. I told Mr. Heldmann how deeply I felt about my education at St. Mel was to me and said, "Who I am today is directly related to the spiritual and work ethic I learned at St. Mel and I thank you for being a part of that." He was quite moved to hear that.
I talked to one of the coaches about a lot of erasers flying around the classroom back then. The coach said, "Yeah, the kids today DO the same thing," I responded that, "it was Mr. Heldmann doing the tossing of erasers at us!"
Mr. Heldmann was a 1954 graduate of St. Mel. He was a classmate of Gene Pingatore, legendary basketball coach at St. Joseph High School. Pingatore was a member of the 1954 St. Mel that defeated DuSable City of Chicago Championship team.
The Chicago Tribune Archives has an article written by Charles Bartlett. I believe the game was played on 3/24/54 as the article appeared in the paper on 3/25.
An abstract from this article says: "The St. Mel Knights won the City High School Basketball Championship by whipping the famed DuSable Panthers 83-74, before a wildly cheering crowd of 15,363.''
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This photo was taken on Nov. 9, 2013 at Elmhurst College during the Fenwick v. Wheaton North IHSA playoff second round football game. Mr. Heldmann, now retired from the classoon, works as the pressbox eye-in-the-sky for Fenwick's football team. Unfortunately Fenwick lost to Wheaton North, 32-31 following a spectacular comback by Wheaton North in the second half. It was 50 years go I was a freshman in Mr. Heldmann's history class. Interestingly, we discussed the Kennedy assasination which was 50 years ago that month and where we were when the assassination was announced.
I covered the game for the Daily Herald. The photo was taken in the press box by his son, who seemed surprised to meet one of his dad's students from 50 years ago. I told Mr. Heldmann how deeply I felt about my education at St. Mel was to me and said, "Who I am today is directly related to the spiritual and work ethic I learned at St. Mel and I thank you for being a part of that." He was quite moved to hear that.
I talked to one of the coaches about a lot of erasers flying around the classroom back then. The coach said, "Yeah, the kids today DO the same thing," I responded that, "it was Mr. Heldmann doing the tossing of erasers at us!"
Mr. Heldmann was a 1954 graduate of St. Mel. He was a classmate of Gene Pingatore, legendary basketball coach at St. Joseph High School. Pingatore was a member of the 1954 St. Mel that defeated DuSable City of Chicago Championship team.
The Chicago Tribune Archives has an article written by Charles Bartlett. I believe the game was played on 3/24/54 as the article appeared in the paper on 3/25.
An abstract from this article says: "The St. Mel Knights won the City High School Basketball Championship by whipping the famed DuSable Panthers 83-74, before a wildly cheering crowd of 15,363.''
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