Gordon Tech Rams
It all started at the top for Rams
Gordon Tech, a Catholic school on North Side of Chicago, is the Sun-Times' Spotlight School of the Week. Despite only winning one state title in its history, Gordon has a rich, successful tradition in athletics. Notable alumni include former DePaul basketball player Tom Kleinschmidt, former Houston Oilers linebacker Greg Bingham and Jitim Young, a former basketball standout at Northwestern.
TOP SPORTS MOMENTS
(Keith Hale/Sun-Times)
Location: 3633 N. California Ave.
Conference: Catholic League, GCAC
Colors: Orange and gray
Nickname: Rams
Enrollment: 600
State titles: 1 football
Behind the name: Father Francis Gordon of St. Mary of the Angels
State champions
1 The 1980 football team won the Class 6A state title under legendary coach Tom Winiecki. It was the first year of six classes, and the Rams beat Reavis 6-0 at Hancock Stadium in Normal, ending the season with a 12-1 record. Current Rams coach Bill Jeske was a standout on that team. It was the first and only state championship in Gordon Tech history.
A scoring machine
2 Tom Kleinschmidt was one of six Division I players who led the Rams Downstate in the 1990 Class AA basketball tournament. Kleinschmidt, a junior, was the tourney's leading scorer with 125 points in four games. The Rams, coached by Steve Pappas, lost to King in the Class AA championship game 65-55, ending the season with a 30-2 record.
Young gun
3 The 2000 boys basketball team advanced to the state quarterfinals with three Division I recruits: Jitim Young (Northwestern), Mike Lang (Dartmouth) and Julian McElroy (Northern Illinois). The Rams played eventual state champion West Aurora in the quarterfinals, where they ended their state run with a 74-64 loss and a final record of 25-7.
Back to gridiron glory
4 For the first time since 1992, the football team qualified for the state playoffs in 2004 and 2005. Bill Jeske came back to coach at his alma mater and produced Division I recruit Patrick George (Northern Illinois). The Rams advanced to the quarterfinals in 2005 after upsetting Bremen in the second round. In 2004, the Rams' run ended in the first round.
Better than Thornridge?
5 Coached by future Bradley and Indiana Pacers coach Dick Versace, the Rams (32-2) won the 1972 city championship over Crane and ached for a shot at state champion Thornridge (33-0), but the Catholic League was not part of the IHSA at the time. Versace's teams went 102-19 over four seasons, with one city title and two Catholic League championships.
WHAT GORDON TECH MEANS TO ME
By Tom Kleinschmidt: A 1991 graduate, Kleinschmidt played at DePaul and then went overseas. He recently retired after an 11-year pro career.
I've had great memories there and a bunch of good times through school and sports. I had a great high school coach who passed away, Steve Pappas. (Pappas died in 2006 after battling non-Hodgkins lymphoma. Pappas also coached at Deerfield.) Those high school guys were the best. Everyone was pulling for each other.
We were an all-boys school. Back then, it was not that big of a deal. But I wanted to play in the Catholic League. My dad played in the Catholic League and it had a stigma of being very physical. It came down to Gordon Tech and Weber. I grew up in the Weber neighborhood and I traveled east. It was that big of a deal then. We had Lane Tech across the river. If we wanted to look at girls we walked across the river to Lane.
We had a special group with a leader in Pappas. He was a great man, did a lot for a lot of us and made us win. We lost to King our junior year in the state championship game. We learned a hell of a lot. In pressure-filled games, we learned a lot.
I went to DePaul and graduated in 1995. I played 11 years professionally -- a year in the CBA and 10 years overseas. In game situations, a lot of times I reached back to high school. I brought [Pappas' teachings] to wherever I played. Those guys got tired of hearing me say 'three stops' in the huddle, but that was directly from [Pappas].
I just retired a year-and-a-half ago. I'm back in school, and I have a construction business and a piece of a restaurant. I have been back to Gordon, and I'm a mentor to a kid on the basketball team. Going back it is weird walking into the gym, but it brings back some good memories. I try to do a little bit more of that. Now, getting back there is something I want to do.
NOTABLE ALUMNI
• Joe Bunge: Ex-Naperville Central football coach.
• Tom Kleinschmidt: Pro basketball player overseas, DePaul star.
• Jitim Young: Northwestern basketball, pro player.
• William S. Bike: Author.
• Robert Meschbach: Ex-NASL pro soccer player.
• Greg Bingham: Former Houston Oilers linebacker.
• Ruben Castillo: U.S. district judge.
• Jason Gedrick: Movie and television actor, known for Iron Eagle.
• Kobi Karp: Former Michigan football player.
• George De Lama: Tribune managing editor, news.
• Glenn A. Gienko: VP/managing director Motorola.
• William Plantz: Executive director, AT&T Mobile.
• Robert Soto: President, Midland Development.
• Bob Pawlicki: Manager, national initiatives, Kraft.
• Vito Mitria: Partner, Ft. Dearborn Partners.
• LeRoy Foster: Manager, security/compliance Advocate Healthcare.
