Dave Sweitzer, Jeff Gumersall and Bill Fox went to Harv's wake at Donnellens.I'm hoping there were others from this class. I want to say summmer of 2014.
Had thoughts about Dave just yesterday...October 27th...42 years since the epic battle in the rain... New Trier East 3, Evanston 0. Remember Coach Chicowski screaming at us that we would remember this game for the rest of our lives before we hit the field for the second half. And Dave Hall went out and absolutely OBLITERATED an all-conference LB named Steve Molitor on the second half kick-off...the ball flew at least 10 feet or more in to the air...Tom Nissly recovered it... and Tim Hall went out on one leg and kicked a 25-yard field goal...just barely clearing the crossbar. And then there was the mouth-piece incident. Seems the Coach was right.
I remember Evanston's speedster running back -- breaking free for an apparent TD -- and Brad Fox coming up off the ground to catch him from behind and a game saving tackle.
And I remember blitzing in and sacking the Evanston QB just before half time, and the PA announcer calling out "sack by Al Hurley" -- evoking Hurley's lovable wicked laugh...
Guys, while I did not personally know Dave, I vividly remember the game. Dave was a good QB on a team that was ranked 1st in state by the Chicago Tribune. The day was rainy, muddy, etc. -- perfect for slowing down Evanston's speed. They had a RB named Joe Stewart who eventually made it to the NFL. I remember Hall's kick (made it despite having torn ligaments in his kicking knee) and the mouthpiece penalty that nullified their game-tying FG. I remember a bunch of us that hid out the night before the game in bushes, trees, etc. around our home field with baseball bats waiting for any foolish Evanston students who tried to show up and trash the field. And, despite the lousy weather, the stadium was packed that day.
Just out of curiosity, I remember Dave was a good athlete. What caused his passing? It's really a shame to see someone like him die at a still young age.
I recall David being a very, very nice person. Enthusiastic, funny, good-hearted. My family had this dopey VW bus and I had to learn to drive on it. It had a stick shift and I was incompetent at driving. For whatever reason, we wound up driving Dave to New Trier in the morning...and I was making a complete mess of stick-shifting...and he cheerfully said, "no, it should sound like this...mmmmmm...shift....mmmmmmm....shift...mmmmm" Like...mimicking the sound of somebody who actually knew how to drive a stick shift. It helped me figure out what I was supposed to be doing - he was like my stick-shift coach. I remember when we got to play in the state basketball finals in 1973 and Dave was like, "we're in Assembly Hall! Isn't this great!" He was a star - but he always struck me as unpretentious, just a guy who liked to play, who liked people, who loved life. I remember the Evanston game. it was epic. What's Tim Hall up to? What a great moment that was. Miserable weather, dark, cold, wet....and yet, immortality.
Bill Fox
Dave Sweitzer, Jeff Gumersall and Bill Fox went to Harv's wake at Donnellens.I'm hoping there were others from this class. I want to say summmer of 2014.
bill fox
Henry King Lahey
Had thoughts about Dave just yesterday...October 27th...42 years since the epic battle in the rain... New Trier East 3, Evanston 0. Remember Coach Chicowski screaming at us that we would remember this game for the rest of our lives before we hit the field for the second half. And Dave Hall went out and absolutely OBLITERATED an all-conference LB named Steve Molitor on the second half kick-off...the ball flew at least 10 feet or more in to the air...Tom Nissly recovered it... and Tim Hall went out on one leg and kicked a 25-yard field goal...just barely clearing the crossbar. And then there was the mouth-piece incident. Seems the Coach was right.
Dan Goodman
Great post about Harvey and the Evanston game.
I remember Evanston's speedster running back -- breaking free for an apparent TD -- and Brad Fox coming up off the ground to catch him from behind and a game saving tackle.
And I remember blitzing in and sacking the Evanston QB just before half time, and the PA announcer calling out "sack by Al Hurley" -- evoking Hurley's lovable wicked laugh...
Chick was absolutely right....🏈
Sean Kelley
Guys, while I did not personally know Dave, I vividly remember the game. Dave was a good QB on a team that was ranked 1st in state by the Chicago Tribune. The day was rainy, muddy, etc. -- perfect for slowing down Evanston's speed. They had a RB named Joe Stewart who eventually made it to the NFL. I remember Hall's kick (made it despite having torn ligaments in his kicking knee) and the mouthpiece penalty that nullified their game-tying FG. I remember a bunch of us that hid out the night before the game in bushes, trees, etc. around our home field with baseball bats waiting for any foolish Evanston students who tried to show up and trash the field. And, despite the lousy weather, the stadium was packed that day.
Just out of curiosity, I remember Dave was a good athlete. What caused his passing? It's really a shame to see someone like him die at a still young age.
Henry King Lahey
Dave died of Colon Cancer in September 2010 at the age of 54. Missed him at our 40 year Reunion lasr October.Chris Wall
I recall David being a very, very nice person. Enthusiastic, funny, good-hearted. My family had this dopey VW bus and I had to learn to drive on it. It had a stick shift and I was incompetent at driving. For whatever reason, we wound up driving Dave to New Trier in the morning...and I was making a complete mess of stick-shifting...and he cheerfully said, "no, it should sound like this...mmmmmm...shift....mmmmmmm....shift...mmmmm" Like...mimicking the sound of somebody who actually knew how to drive a stick shift. It helped me figure out what I was supposed to be doing - he was like my stick-shift coach. I remember when we got to play in the state basketball finals in 1973 and Dave was like, "we're in Assembly Hall! Isn't this great!" He was a star - but he always struck me as unpretentious, just a guy who liked to play, who liked people, who loved life. I remember the Evanston game. it was epic. What's Tim Hall up to? What a great moment that was. Miserable weather, dark, cold, wet....and yet, immortality.