Murphysboro High School Hall of Fame: Class of 2013
Tim BrownAthlete 1969-1973
Tim Brown graduated from M.T.H.S. in 1973. Tim Brown was truly an outstanding all around athlete. Amazingly, he earned a total of thirteen varsity letters while competing in four sports (football, basketball, baseball and track). His "southpaw" delivery in baseball, his pinpoint passing in football and his precision shooting in basketball made him one of the best ever to wear the Red Devil colors for M.T.H.S. He was most outstanding in football and basketball. In football, he was a varsity starter as a sophomore. His overall record as a starting varsity quarterback was 22-5-1 . During his senior season, Tim was named team captain. He threw 18 TD passes and completed a total of 89 passes for 1,440 yards. In his career as a Red Devil varsity quarterback, he passed for 44 TD's and slightly over 4,000 total yards. |
He was named All-Conference, All-South and selected to the Chicago Daily News All -State Team for both his junior and senior seasons. As a senior, he was selected by the Evansville Courier as an Honorable Mention All-American. In basketball, Tim became a varsity starter as a freshman. During his four years as a varsity starter, he scored a total of 1,478 points. As a shooter he shot 78% from the free throw line and 48% from the field. He scored 43 points in a single game, which was a school record at that time and still ranks second in all-time single game performances. In addition, Tim is listed in the Illinois High School Association record book as making 19 consecutive free throws in a single game. He was a member of the 1972-73 Red Devil Basketball Team that finished with a 26-3 record and was considered the best in Southern Illinois and among the Top Ten Teams in Illinois. He was selected to the All-Conference Team, the All-South Team, and was an honorable mention on the All-State Teams of 1971-72-73. Tim continued his basketball career at Mineral Area College in Missouri. He became a two year starter on a nationally ranked junior college team that posted 45 victories. He averaged 13 points, 6 assists and 6 rebounds per game. He was named to the Missouri All-Conference and National Junior College Athletic Association All-Regional Teams in 1974 and 1975.
Joe FranzaAthlete 1939-1942
Joe Franza was born in 1924 in Murphysboro, IL and passed in 2005. At Murphysboro High School, he starred in football, basketball, and was a state champion pole vaulter. In 1943 he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corp. serving in the South Pacific as a communication specialist until the end of the war. He returned to marry his high school sweetheart, Shirley Temple. He earned an athletic scholarship first at the University of Southern Illinois and then Erskine College, where he graduated in 1949. He was inducted into the Erskine College Hall of Fame in 1985 for his prowess in basketball, track, and football during the 2 years he was there. He had a distinguished career at Avon Park High School, also home of the Red Devils, which spanned 31 years. |
He coached from 1949 until 1972. He coached football, baseball, and started the track program. He also coached basketball for a short time, but stated they just didn’t know how to play basketball in Florida like they did in Illinois! During his time the Devils football teams had 138 wins, 68 losses, and 10 ties, reaching nine titles games, five Ridge Conference titles, 3 district titles, and one regional title. He was named Coach of the Year in 1962. During his tenure, teams were known for their physicality, and toughness. He believed in defense…“if the other team did not score the worse that could happen would you would end up in a 0 to 0 tie.” He also concentrated a great deal of effort on fielding as many players as possible during a game. Even the most unlikely athlete found his way into a game if he was willing to work hard and showed heart.
He also served as the athletic director and worked in the community with an athletic association for fund raising. In 1954, in an effort to keep students active and involved in physical activity, even at the elementary level, he put together a school/community Circus. They put together an extravaganza that rivaled any other school production of the time. They featured tight ropes, web and even a flying trapeze along with lots of tumbling and gymnastics. This ran yearly until 1961 when they were forced to close due to insurance and replacement equipment needs. Due to personal illness in 1972, he retired from coaching but continued on as athletic director and served as a Dean of Students until 1980. In 1984 he was elected to his first of two terms on the Highlands County School Board, serving as chairman for one of those years. One of his proudest moments was the dedication of the Avon Park High School Stadium to him. In 2011, he was the first inductee into the Avon Park High School Hall of Fame, and on January 12, 2012 he will be inducted into the Florida High School Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Throughout his life he was an active man and an avid outdoors-man, enjoying quail hunting and fishing; during retirement he took up golf, the guitar and wood crafting. He was a Past Worshipful Master of the Masonic Lodge, a Rotarian, and a member of Union Congregational Church. He was a man of honor, a dedicated husband, father, grandfather, friend, and patriot. At his 80th birthday celebration one of his former student/athletes gave to all, a T-shirt that said it all: “PROUD TO BE A COACH FRANZA RED DEVIL”
He also served as the athletic director and worked in the community with an athletic association for fund raising. In 1954, in an effort to keep students active and involved in physical activity, even at the elementary level, he put together a school/community Circus. They put together an extravaganza that rivaled any other school production of the time. They featured tight ropes, web and even a flying trapeze along with lots of tumbling and gymnastics. This ran yearly until 1961 when they were forced to close due to insurance and replacement equipment needs. Due to personal illness in 1972, he retired from coaching but continued on as athletic director and served as a Dean of Students until 1980. In 1984 he was elected to his first of two terms on the Highlands County School Board, serving as chairman for one of those years. One of his proudest moments was the dedication of the Avon Park High School Stadium to him. In 2011, he was the first inductee into the Avon Park High School Hall of Fame, and on January 12, 2012 he will be inducted into the Florida High School Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Throughout his life he was an active man and an avid outdoors-man, enjoying quail hunting and fishing; during retirement he took up golf, the guitar and wood crafting. He was a Past Worshipful Master of the Masonic Lodge, a Rotarian, and a member of Union Congregational Church. He was a man of honor, a dedicated husband, father, grandfather, friend, and patriot. At his 80th birthday celebration one of his former student/athletes gave to all, a T-shirt that said it all: “PROUD TO BE A COACH FRANZA RED DEVIL”
Bill MontgomeryAthlete 1937-1941
Bill Montgomery participated and earned letters in football, basketball, baseball and track. It was on the gridiron where "Mont" felt most at home and made a name for himself. Because of his size and speed he played linebacker and running back. In an era when linemen usually weighed around 200 pounds, Montgomery stood at 6'-1" and 215 pounds. With his famous cutback style, "Mont" shook off most would-be tacklers until he became one of the most feared ball-carriers in the area. His style, size, and success attracted many college coaches including but not limited to: LSU, Tennessee, Illinois, Northwestern, Mississippi. Bill played on the Conference Champion 1939 MTHS Football Team. Most lettermen returned for the 1940 season, which was forecasted as the team to be Murphysboro's best team in a decade. |
The 1940 team opened the season with a victory over West Frankfort (eventual Big Seven Conference Champion), The following week the Devils lost an encounter with the Tomcats of East Aurora. This was the longest trip ever taken by a Murphysboro Football Team. After losing this close game, the travel and injuries took a toll, resulting in an unexpected loss the following week to DuQuoin. From this point in the 1940 season, the Red Devils would not lose another game. During this stretch, Murphysboro's goal line was crossed only once. The defensive strength is indicated by the fact that in the last 5 games no opposing team gained more than 20 rushing yards. The Red Devils gained more than 2200 yards during the season. After high school, Bill Montgomery attended Louisiana State University (1941-1944) and played for the Tiger Football Team. After a successful 4 year career at LSU, Bill Montgomery was Drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 15th round (151st overall) of the 1945 NFL Draft .
Jennifer TweedyAthlete: 1985-1989
Jennifer Kathleen Tweedy ran track and cross-country at MHS from 1985-1989. Her mother, Judith, has always sworn to the fact that Jennifer ran before she walked. She was a four-year varsity letter winner in both track and cross country, and received seven MVP awards in both sports. As a freshman, she broke the MHS Lake Murphysboro cross county course record. The following year ('86) she re-broke the record, which still stands today (12:39). That same year in track, she won the Meet of Champions 1600m competition (5:11). Jennifer was the first MHS athlete to qualify for the state cross country meet, winning Cross Country (top 25) All-State Honors all four years and placing 13th and 11th her sophomore and junior years, respectively. She also received the Illinois High School Cross Country Top 50 Award. |
She broke numerous area records and won Cross Country and Track Conference, Regional, and Sectional titles. Placing sixth at the state track meet in the 800m run in '89, Jennifer broke the MHS 800m record two years prior to the state meet and still holds this record (2:16). Qualifying for the Prairie State Games multiple times, she was awarded the Prairie State Games NutraSweet Giving It 100% Award for her second-place finish in the 800m in '86. She was a member of the Illinois Track and Cross Country Association Allstate Cross Country Team ('88) and Allstate Track Team ('88) and won the Illinois Coaches Association Recognition Awards for Cross Country ('88) and Track ('89). Her senior year, Jennifer received the Clara Blanche Diers Award, an honor awarded to a top female athlete selected by the faculty. An athlete and an honors student, Jennifer was a Southwestern Egyptian Athletic Conference Honor Student Athlete ('88-'89) and received the Epsilon Sigma Alpha International Outstanding Youth Award ('86). She earned academic High Honors at MHS and was also a member of the Beta Club and Student Council. Earning a college scholarship as an athlete-scholar, Jennifer continued her cross country and track career at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). She was a three-sport, four-year Big Ten varsity letter winner in cross country, indoor track, and outdoor track, and a member of the '90 and '93 second-place 4x800m relay Big Ten Track & Field Championships teams. While representing UIUC, Jennifer ran her personal best times in the 800m (2:11), 1500m (4:39) and cross country 5K (18:28). Jennifer was awarded the Big 10 Conference Scholar-Athlete Award and was a four-time recipient of the George Huff Award for outstanding scholastic achievement while earning a varsity letter. On the UIUC Dean's List in '91, '92, and '93, Jennifer earned a bachelor of arts degree in liberal arts and sciences from UIUC in '93. She went on to receive a master of science degree in technology in 2000 from Arizona State University. At the time of being inducted into the MHS Hall of Fame, Jennifer resides in Arizona with her partner and three children.