Goldie Babcook

Alfred Golden Babcook was born on January 10, 1901, in Carman, Illinois. A 1919 graduate of the now-defunct Dallas City High School, Goldie spent his first year at the University of Illinois and then transferred to Bradley University in Peoria. While at Bradley, he played football and track and captained each team during his senior year.

Goldie married Bonnie McKee in 1924, and the couple lived in Forrest, Illinois. In 1926, Babcook was hired as a teacher and coach at the high school in Bushnell, Illinois.

In 1937, Babcook rose above 30 other applicants and replaced Ollie Carman at WCHS, teaching science and math while coaching football and track.

Strangely, in 1948, the WCHS school board did not want to offer returning contracts to Babcook or fellow teacher and coach Roy Romani and asked for their resignations.  Both men refused to resign, and the school board, not wanting to be dragged into a legal battle or face the court of public opinion, offered both teachers contracts to return for the 1948-49 school year.

In 1949, Goldie was inducted into the inaugural class of the Bradley University Athletics Hall of Fame.

After the 1952 football season, Babcook resigned from his coaching duties to assume the role of Assistant Principal at Washington High School.  He was replaced as football coach by Bill Osness.  Bill, a former Illinois Wesleyan baseball star, was coming off an undefeated 9-0 season in his one year as head coach at Crete-Monee High School.  In his new position, Goldie, as staff and students fondly referred to him, advocated for students and was a strong presence each day at WACOHI.

In 1962, the new football field at WCHS was named for Babcook.  A ceremony was held before a crowd of over 5,000 people, and many of Goldie's former players and co-workers returned to honor him.  Babcook always said that was the highlight of his career.

Golden Babcook continued as an Assistant Principal until his retirement in 1966. He remained in Washington and was able to spend more time focusing on his other passion: fishing.

Washington lost its beloved Goldie in 1978, and he is interred in Glendale Cemetery.  Washingtonians can pass by his grave and pay him the ultimate respect with a "Hey, coach."  WCHS staff and students tip their collective cap to him whenever his field is used.  In his words: "Take care of this field.  It's the only one I have."