Not only was the 1950 squad one of the most successful in Salem history, it was also one of the best overachieving groups.

Headed into the season the Wildcats had only 3 returning starters and it did endure some early growing pains with a 20-0 loss to Lawrenceville in the season opener.

Although that loss would eventually prevent Salem from winning the North Egypt Conference championship, the Wildcats quickly matured and responded for coach Kenny Farrar.

Defense soon became the trademark of the team. After the loss to Lawrenceville, Salem gave up only a single touchdown against Fairfield and Mt Carmel the rest of the season. Shutouts were recorded against Bridgeport, Flora, Centralia, Olney, Benton and Mt Vernon. In those eight games, which were all victories, the Wildcats outscored their opponents by a combined score of 249-14.

The team had some outstanding individual personnel, as fullback Bill Spratt, center Jack Finney and Dick Garden from the backfield all received honorable mention on the coaches all-state team.

Spratt was a particular thorn in opponents side, as he battled for the state scoring title most of the season. He eventually fell a little shy with 126 points.

Spratt and end Frank Lee were both NEC First Team choices. Quarterback Bob Morris, Garden, Finney and tackle Richard McGuire were NEC Second Team picks.

Backfield members Ellis Sanders and Bill Smith plus linemen Jim Williams, Harold Thurman, Jim Bachman, Gary SI. Clair and Jim Brandt all received All-NEC Honorable Mention.

The 1954 squad began that streak of dominance and as a result earned selection to the Salem Community High School Sports Hall of Fame.

The 1954 Wildcats, coached by Sam Bliss, were one of the most successful squads in school history. They went 15-3 overall and won the NEC title with a 10-2 record.

Salem had an awesome lineup that produced seven victories by 10 runs or more. The Wildcats needed to win their final six conference games in order to win the title and outscored those opponents by a combined score of 66-5. That included a 22-0 win over Bridgeport in the regular season finale which clinched the league crown.

The team also had a strong pitching staff anchored by Hall of Farner Jerry Mercer and John Gillmore. The duo combined on a no-hitter in an 8-0 win over Lawrenceville.

One of the few disappointments the team suffered came when it lost the district championship game 3-2 against Mt. Vernon, a club it had beaten 5-0 in the regular season.

While many contributed to the team’s success, the regulars consisted of Garry Pratt at catcher, Jack Clutter at first base, Jim Martin at second base, Don Guymon at shortstop, Bob Martin at third base, Phil Jones in leftfield, Jerry Forrester in centerfield and Fred Gain in rightfield.

The 1954 Wildcats became the first baseball team to be inducted into the SCHS Hall of Fame.

Wile’s football success at Salem in the 1953 season led him to a collegiate career at the University of Illinois and enshrinement into the Salem Community High School Sports Hall of Fame.

Wile, whose older brother Don was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1986, played a big role in the Wildcats 8-1 season in 1953. Wile, a fullback, carried the ball 116 times for 890 yards, a 7.7 average. He was especially tough near the goal line, as he scored 13 touchdowns that season. That included a trio of scores in a 19-6 victory over Centralia.

On five different occasions he cracked the 100-yard barrier in rushing with a season high 165 yards in the season opener against Lawrenceville. He later added games of 158 yards against Flora, 114 against Fairfield, 131 against Centralia and 103 against Benton.

Wile made his presence known by more ways than just his running. He had scores off punt returns, fumble recoveries and pass receiving, where he had an average of 17.2 yards per reception.

Wile, a North Egypt Conference First Team selection, was also a backup punter where he had a solid 33.2 average in four attempts. After high school Wile left Salem for the University of Illinois where he played for the Fighting Illini in the 1955 season.

When he left college, Wile went into a 19-year high school coaching career where he coached football, basketball, track, wrestling, golf and baseball. He was also an athletic director for 15 years.

Thomas ranks third on the school list in both NEC career coaching victories with 40 and overall victories with 47. His .653 career winning percentage ranks fifth behind Kenny Farrar (.765), Chuck Budde (.711), Scott Steward (.700) and Howard Thurman (.683).

Known for his color and toughness on the field, Thomas coached at SCHS from 1959-66 and during that time guided two conference champions. His 1961 Wildcats shared the league crown with Carmi, while the 1965 team won the title outright. Twenty years would pass before Salem would win another NEC championship.

Ironically, his best team may have been the 1962 squad which went 8-1. That squad was not only two points away from a league championship, but a perfect season. Flora spoiled both with a 7-6 victory.

Three future Hall of Famers would roam the field for Thomas, quarterback Tom Horner plus running backs Rod Wells and Dale Donoho.

Thomas left SCHS in 1967 for his native Oklahoma. Thomas had been a standout baseball and football player at Pauls Valley and at Oklahoma A&M, which is now Oklahoma State. After he left Salem, Thomas guided Pauls Valley High School to a state championship, a community where he still resides.