The 1949 team, with three members· Bob Bishop, Charles “Bud” Parker and Bill Spratt, previously inducted into the Salem High Sports Hall of Fame, were involved in close games all through their schedule. Only a 25-0 win over Bridgeport, following the tie with Lawrenceville, and a 26-7 victory over Fairfield could be considered “cake walks.”

The Wildcats, coached by Kenny Farrar, also a past Hall of Fame inductee, skipped by Flora, 14-7, on the strength of a pass from jack Finks to Bill Howard, described as a “finger-tip catch that turned a possible 10-15 yard gain” into a 64-yard touchdown play, “with some sensational open field running by Howard.” Against Fairfield the next week, Salem, scored just 25 seconds into the game on their way to the 26-7 win.

After a 12-7 win over Mt Carmel, the Wildcats slugged and sloshed out a 6-0 win over Centralia with sophomore Bill Spratt going 24 yards in the rain and mud for the touchdown. In a close ball game at Olney, Salem scored seven points in the first quarter and broke open a tight game with 14 points in the third quarter for a 21-6 victory.

Salem closed the season with a 28-20 win over Mt Vernon as a tenacious defense kept the Rams pushed back late In the game. Spratt had his biggest game pf the year, rushing for 147 yards. Only Mt Vernon and Benton, with john Bauer punching Into the line, scored more than one touchdown against the Wildcats. Benton handed Salem its only loss, 24-21.

In addition to the aforementioned Parker and Bishop, players who put up a strong defensive front for the Wildcats were Bill Howard, Fred Johnson, Sam Balden, Frank Lee, Earl justice, Tom Newport, AI Spratt, Rex Holler and Roy Shoemaker. Backs who engineered some of the offense, in addition to Finks at quarterback and Spratt, were Ted Lee, Bob Morris, Randy Kirne, Diet Garden and Ellis Sanders.

Bishop, Holler and Finks were selected to the North Egypt Conference All-Star Team, selected by the sportswriters around the conference, with B. Spratt, and justice named to the second team.

Horner, ran and passed for a total of 2,312 yards in his high school career. His senior year, when he garnered his post-season honors, he rushed 81 time for 731 yards, a nine-yard average. He also completed 30 passes for 530 yards. As a junior, he carried 55 times for 461 yards, an 8.4-yard average, and completed 23 passes for 328 yards.

On top of All-Conference and All-State honors his senior year, Horner was chosen to the high school All-American team and played in the All-American game in the Cotton Bowl in Dallas in the spring of 1962.

Horner also participated in baseball, basketball and track while in high school. He attended Oklahoma State University, Kaskaskia College, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, and the University of Cincinnati. After college, he coached football for 20 years at O’Fallon, St. Charles, MO, Carlyle and Centralia. He restarted the football program at Carlyle after they had not had a . program for several years. He coached Centralia football for 12 years.

Meador, overcame his disability to become a successful businessman and one of the top golfers in the nation. He won the National Championship of the United States Blind Golfers Association (USBGA) at the Firestone Country Club at Akron, Ohio, in 1977 and has finished second seven times.

In high school he participated in football, basketball, track and golf. He was an All North Egypt Conference center on the 1965 football team that finished with an 8-1 record and won the NEC Championship. He was a member of the first Salem Community High School golf team. His basketball playing started at St Teresa grade school and carried on through high school.

Meador attended Southern Illinois University at Carbondale and Loyola University in Chicago.

Meador is a successful insurance agent for Northwestern Mutual Life in Nashville, Tennessee, having earned his Certified Life Underwriters ranking. He not only enjoys his association with the USBGA for the opportunity to play golf at some of the finest courses in the country but appreciates the funds those events raise for charities, particularly the Leader Dog Program for the Blind. He has been a member of the USBGA since 1971.

David is the son of Delores Meador of Salem and the late Francis Meador. His father was member of the 1942-43 State Basketball Team and the 1941 football team, both having been inducted into the Salem Sports Hall of Fame. His youngest brother, Joe, is an assistant pro at the Sandestin Golf Resort in Destin, Florida.

David is married and he and his wife, Connie, have two daughters, Emily and Julia.

Donoho, a 1966 graduate, lettered four years in football and as a three-year regular ball carrier averaged over six yards per carry. His senior year was capped with 996 yards on 166 carries on the Wildcat team that finished with an 8-1 record and the North Egypt Conference Championship.

His senior year, he scored 14 touchdowns, and caught six passes for 74 yards. As a junior, Donoho scored 15 touchdowns while gaining 867 yards on 141 carries. His sophomore year, he carried 54 times for 351 yards and caught four passes for 60 yards, scoring four touchdowns and five extra points.

Post-season honors for Donoho in high school were NEC All-Conference Team, Evansville Sunday Courier All-South Team and North Egypt Conference Player of the Year, Chicago Daily American All-State Team, Rockford All-State Team, and Chicago Daily News All-State Team.

After high school, Donoho played for four years on a football scholarship at West Texas State University, playing in the Junior Rose Bowl at Pasadena, California in 1969. He received invitations from the Dallas Cowboys, San Diego Chargers and Los Angeles Rams for tryouts following his college career, but opted to return to Salem.

After his high school and college playing days, he was an assistant coach for the Selmaville North and Selmaville South basketball teams for four years; served five years as a coach of a Salem Little League team, and four years as a coach for a Salem Babe Ruth League team. In his recreational time, he played basketball for 10 years with the Salem ACCO team in the Salem Community League.