1987

In the wake of their 30th anniversary the previous year, Green White made several hat tips to their past in 1987.

Every year the players on Green White chose a most valuable player of the First Team. In 1987, the team of mostly younger players gave the award to the man who had been their goaltender for more than fifteen years; Hardy Ritter (photo). Ritter starred as the keeper of the 1970 and 1971 youth championship teams before joining the first team. It seemed only fitting to honor him for his twenty years of outstanding play for Green White. (Ritter also received invitations to try out for the U.S. Olympic team in his earlier years).

At the 30th anniversary party the club also saluted all of the previous winners of Miss Green White. One of the honorees was the first Miss Green White, Helga Peltzer, who was now known as Helga Albrecht. She won the crown in 1963. Well, 24 years later, she must have been proud when her daughter Andrea Albrecht wore the same crown. They became the first (but not the last) mother-daughter combination to serve in that role. Andrea was 17 years old and studying at Loyola University at the time of the Sport, Radio, and Press ball.

Nearly every Green White member was in attendance at the dinner that year, because club founder Martin Schneider was honored as Sepp Herberger's Man of the Year. His long-time friend (and fellow Green White member) Wilhelm Franz was the Master of Ceremonies. This is a short excerpt of what he had to say...

"Mention the name Martin Schneider in soccer circles in Chicago and you really need no further description. Martin Schneider is known for his long commitment to soccer. His willingness to be of help whenever and wherever needed has made him any friends, not only within his own club (SC Green White), but all German-American soccer clubs in the Chicago area. No sooner did Martin arrive in Chicago, when he joined others to found the SC Green-White. As all of us recall, the early 50s were the golden years of post-war soccer in Chicago. Those were the years when it took hard work to even secure playing fields. It took the patience of a person like Martin Schneider to guide his club through the early turbulent years, and there is no position within the club that Martin did not hold at one time or another.

From the very beginning Martin was a member of the Sepp Herberger Commitee as well, and again, true to his character, has held many positions. The purpose and results achieved by the committee need not be described here, for they are well known. One of our commitments has always been to be an active part of the German-American community. Most visible is our participation in the Steuben Parade.* All the work behind the scenes is usually in the hands of Martin Schneider. (Photo: Martin Schneider/middle at the Steuben Parade with Wilhelm Franz/right and Green White board member Eckhard Kaempfer/left)

Our thanks for a job well done, Martin Schneider!"

*For our younger members, the Steuben Parade was featured in this 1980s classic film "Ferris Buehler's Day Off"...Note the German outfits...


Green White Youth

1987 was a big year for the Green White youth program. Both the U-16 boys team (led by Alex Gyurko) and the U-19 boys team (led by Walter Melcher and trained by Frank Speth) went to Germany to play a series of exhibition games. For most of these boys it was their first time visiting.

Peter Kaempfer was a member of the U-19 team and remembered it this way: "Our U-19 team did very well against the mighty Germans. I think we were 3-0-3, undefeated. Staying in the homes of some of our opponents led to some interesting stories too, especially the ones that had no ability to communicate with one another at all. The team from Kaufbeuren was especially hospitable – we hit it off well with them – and returned the favor when they visited us in the US the next year."

Kaempfer neglects to mention that he also lost his passport, and had to be left behind as the U.S. Embassy made him a new one. Here are a few photos from that memorable trip...

In Pop Culture

*The number one song of the year was "Walk Like an Egyptian" by The Bangles.

*The Academy Award for best picture was given to "The Last Emperor"

*The top rated television show of 1987 was "The Cosby Show"


Elsewhere in 1987

~The Dow Jones closed above 2000 (and then later 2500) for the first time.

~Pennsylvania politican Bud Dwyer shot himself during a live televised press conference

~President Reagan addressed the nation and admitted dealing arms for hostages

~U2 released "The Joshua Tree"

~The largest indoor audience for a sporting event in history attended WWF's Wrestlemania III in Pontiac, Michigan; more than 90,000 fans. (That record has since been broken)

Coming next month: 1988.

As always, if you have any thing to add or correct in this month’s installment, please drop me a line at amishrick@yahoo.com. I consider this a group project, and a work in progress, so we can add and subtract until we get it all exactly correct. If you have photos you’d like to contribute, please do.