Arnie Herber: A triple threat

Continued from last week

That spring, Arnie Herber was also named captain of West’s basketball team and led his team to a .714 standing, winning seven out of 12 games.

Herber also received another letter in basketball, before lettering in five events in track for the high hurdles, the broad jump, discus, javelin and the shot put.

Back on the football field that fall, Herber led his team to a last-minute win in the East-West high school rivalry game.

“In the greatest high school football game ever played here, West High nosed out East Green Bay at City Stadium Thursday afternoon by a score of 7 to 6,” a Press-Gazette article stated. “The winning touchdown came in the last two minutes of play and sent 10,000 rabid fans into a frenzy.

“As a result of the Purple victory, ‘Arney’ Adams and Arnold Herber, backfielders, are the idols of the Westsiders today. Adams caught a pass from Herber and fell over the goal line for the touchdown and the Purple captain, with 10,000 pairs of eyes on him, stepped back and calmly kicked the old cowhide over the posts for the extra point and the game.”
Back on the basketball court, Herber was leading local headlines.

“Arnold Herber, most versatile athlete in the Fox River conference continues to gather the printer’s ink for himself as the leading point getter in the conference. He has 38 points amassed on 15 field goals and eight gratis shots,” the Press-Gazette recalled following West’s game against Appleton.

“Arnold Herber, leading scorer in the Valley Conference, found Manitowoc a healthy place to fatten his scoring average, for he counted six baskets and three free throws for 15 points. The Purple guard stands far in the lead with 70 counters accumulated on 27 baskets and 16 free tosses,” the publication said the following month.

Later that spring, Herber broke two Valley conference records in track — the javelin throw at 164 feet, 10 inches and the discus at 120 feet, 11 inches.

That summer, Herber graduated from West High School, along with 10 other veteran football players.

Press-Gazette Writer Arthur W. Bystrom empathized with West High Coach Murph White as he mourned the loss of 11 athletes on the West High football team.

“Of these 11 men, probably the greatest of all is Arnold Herber, the first athlete ever to earn 10 “Ws” at the school,” Bystrom wrote.

“Herber was one of the greatest quarterbacks ever seen in high school competition hereabouts. He ranked as the best field general in the conference for three years, and as an open-field runner had few equals. His basketball career also was sensational, and his track performances even more so.”

In those three years, West had lost just one game.

To be continued