This is a picture of two Galesburg High School coaching legends- John Gillespie and Gerald Phillips. This picture is from the 1935 GHS Reflector. They are talking in Galesburg’s brand new spectator gym in Steele Gym.
Gillespie was basketball coach at GHS for four years from 1924-1927. His teams won the District each year, and overall were 64-21 for a .753 winning percentage.
The popularity of high school basketball in Illinois exploded in the 1920’s. Gillespie recognized this and had the vision of building a huge spectator gym on top of the existing Steele Gym. Few people thought it was possible. He didn’t give up on the idea, and finally New Deal money allowed it to be built for the 1934-5 basketball season. Other than Wharton Fieldhouse, no one in 1935 had anything to compare to this gym. This allowed thousands of Galesburg residents to become basketball fans.
Gillespie remained AD and football coach at GHS until 1940.
Gerald Phillips coached basketball at GHS from 1929-30 to 1949-50 season. During his 21 years, GHS won .665 of their games, and went to State 7 times. With one of the best gyms in Illinois and some of the best teams in Illinois- Gillespie and Phillips built a basketball tradition in Galesburg.
Thanks for info about yesteryear coaches. Gerald Phillips was a name well known in Galesburg while I was growing up. I was a student at Lombard Jr. High School in 1951-1953.
ReplyDeleteYou know I grew up in the halls of GHS and I hadn’t heard stories about these coaches. Great teaching moment Coach!
ReplyDeleteGood to hear from you!!! How about letting me do a post on you? Email me at emass70@yahoo.com if interested. Evan Massey
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