HR0725 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0725 LRB095 13778 GRL 39523 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, In the fall of 1957, a group of young men stepped onto the fields at Eisenhower and MacArthur High Schools, for the very first football practice under the direction of legendary coaches John Alexander and Bob Matheson; and

WHEREAS, Despite several injuries on the first Eisenhower Panthers football team, the team was able to finish with a record 2 wins, 4 losses, and 1 tie in their first season under Coach Alexander, who would go on to win another 103 games in his 25-year career at Eisenhower High School; and

WHEREAS, The first MacArthur Generals football team under Coach Matheson finished zero and 7 in their opening season, but Coach Matheson would go on to build a winning program that posted 73 victories in an illustrious 17-year career at MacArthur High School; and

WHEREAS, The two schools have met on the football field 48 times, with the overall record of 31-17, in favor of the MacArthur Generals; and

WHEREAS, Throughout the past 50 years, thousands of young men have played football for MacArthur and Eisenhower and have participated in a rivalry that divides the loyalties of friends and family and highlights both schools' tradition of producing student athletes of the highest caliber; and

WHEREAS, The Eisenhower Panthers, led by Head Coach Don Flowers, and the MacArthur Generals, led by Head Coach Derek Spates, will meet on September 21, 2007 on the football field at Eisenhower High School to renew their storied rivalry and pay tribute to the coaches and players that have come before them; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we commemorate the 50th anniversary of the football feud between the Eisenhower Panthers and the MacArthur Generals and wish both teams the best of luck in future seasons; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be presented to Eisenhower Panthers Head Coach Don Flowers and MacArthur Generals Head Coach Derek Spates as a symbol of our esteem and respect.