Chicago Creiger High School

Creiger High School Building (on Adams St.)

Photo by Cody Cutter (Feb. 2009)

Creiger High School (on Grenshaw Avenue)

credit: CPS Alumni website (http://www.cpsalumni.org/)

The History of Chicago Cregier Vocational High School

Chicago (population 2.8 million) is located in far northeastern Illinois in the center of Cook County. Chicago is famous for many different reasons and was a great influence on the growth of the United States in the early 1800s. Today, it is the third largest city in the United States and Illinois' largest city.

It is known that Cregier High School was opened in 1957 on the city's West Side to alleviate crowding at nearby schools, namely Crane Technical High School, but it was closed down in 1995. The original school building was located at 1820 W. Grenshaw. The school was moved to 2040 W. Adams in 1980.

The school building ended up being the home of three smaller schools, Foundations for elementary students, Nia for middle schoolers, and Best Practice for high schoolers. The process to house smaller schools in a setting similar to the Creiger location was a success and today, a number of former Chicago public high schools are converting their buildings for the same reason to help enhance educational success.

FACTS ABOUT CHICAGO CREGIER HIGH SCHOOL

School opened: 1957

School closed: 1995

School colors: Kelly Green & White

School nickname: the "Tigers"

School song: unknown

ATHLETICS

We are aware that the school was a member of the Chicago Public League and offered boys' basketball and baseball, but as for other sports, there is no evidence that we have found to show that Creiger had a team in them. If anyone has information about the athletic and extra-curricular success that the school had, we invite them to contact us at the addresses listed at the end of this page.

BOYS' BASKETBALL

The Creiger basketball program was known state-wide for its run-and-gun style of basketball, due to the fact that the school had a smaller then regulation-size floor on campus. Some folks, even some alumni, would refer to the gym as a "cracker box". But it was a unique place to play. As a result, a number of entries in the IHSA recordbook feature Creiger's hoop successes as of August 1st, 2007. Among them:

--12 games of 100 or more points scored (state record, set in 1984-85…overall record was 16-4 that season),
--scoring average per game of 100.35 (only school to reach 100 per game) in 1984-85.

Most points scored in a game by one team:

  152, Cregier vs. Chicago Prosser (51), Feb. 8, 1967--2nd highest total
  149, Cregier vs. Chicago Juarez (91), Feb. 13, 1987--5th highest
  143, Cregier vs. Chicago Roosevelt (89), Dec. 1, 1977--tied for 9th
  143, Cregier vs. Chicago Juarez (73), Feb. 20, 1985--tied for 9th
  143, Cregier vs. Chicago Juarez (69), Feb. 17, 1989--tied for 9th
142, Cregier vs. Chicago Lincoln Park (96), Mar. 1, 1985--tied for 13th
138, Cregier vs. Chicago Near North Career Magnet (117), Jan. 21, 1982--20th
137, Cregier vs. Chicago Wells (67), Feb. 21, 1967--22nd
135, Chicago Marshall vs. Cregier (97), Jan. 24, 1969--30th
134, Cregier vs. Chicago Wells (88), Jan. 18, 1985--34th

Most points scored by two teams in a game:

255, Cregier (138) vs. Chicago Near North Career Magnet (117), Jan. 21, 1982--1st
  252, Chicago Manley (127) vs. Cregier (125), Feb. 20, 1986--2nd
241, Chicago Crane (128) vs. Cregier (113), Feb. 25, 1986--4th
240, Cregier (149) vs. Chicago Juarez (91), Feb. 13, 1987--5th
238, Cregier (142) vs. Chicago Lincoln Park (96), Mar. 1, 1985--7th
235, Cregier (120) vs. Chicago Westinghouse (115) (OT), Feb. 9, 1978--8th
233, Chicago Orr (127) vs. Cregier (106), Jan. 13, 1994--9th
232, Chicago Marshall (135) vs. Cregier (97), Jan. 24, 1969--tied for 10th
232, Cregier (143) vs. Chicago Roosevelt (89), Dec. 1, 1977--tied for 10th
  232, Cregier (120) vs. Chicago Young (112), Jan. 30, 1986--tied for 10th
232, Chicago Manley (118) vs. Cregier (114), Feb. 24, 1989--tied for 10th
  226, Chicago Westinghouse (125) vs. Cregier (101), Feb. 19, 1980--tied for 15th
  226, Cregier (120) vs. Chicago Metropolitan (106), Feb. 27, 1985--tied for 15th
225, Cregier (114) vs. Chicago Orr (111) (OT), Jan. 25, 1980--tied for 18th
225, Chicago Westinghouse (119) vs. Cregier (106), Mar. 6, 1985--tied for 18th
  222, Cregier (134) vs. Chicago Wells (88), Jan. 18, 1985--tied for 22nd
220, Chicago Metropolitan (119) vs. Cregier (101), Jan. 14, 1981--25th

Most points scored in a losing effort:

125, Cregier vs. Chicago Manley (127), Feb. 20, 1986--1st
117, Chicago Near North Career Magnet vs. Cregier (138), Jan. 21, 1982--tied for 3rd
115, Chicago Westinghouse vs. Cregier (120) (OT), Feb. 9, 1978--5th
114, Cregier vs. Chicago Manley (118), Feb. 24, 1989--6th
113, Cregier vs. Chicago Crane (128), Feb. 25, 1986--7th
112, Chicago Young vs. Cregier (120), Jan. 30, 1986--8th
111, Chicago Orr vs. Cregier (114) (OT), Jan. 25, 1980--9th
106, Cregier vs. Chicago Austin (109), Feb. 21, 1984--tied for 17th
106, Chicago Metropolitan vs. Cregier (120), Feb. 27, 1985--tied for 17th
106, Cregier vs. Chicago Westinghouse (119), Mar. 6, 1985--tied for 17th
103, Chicago Austin vs. Cregier (113), Jan. 24, 1984--tied for 25th

Most players in double figure scoring in a game from one team:

7, Cregier vs. Chicago Prosser, Feb. 8, 1967--tied for 3rd
7, Cregier vs. Chicago Juarez, Feb. 17, 1989--tied for 3rd

Most points scored by a team in one half of play:

78, Cregier vs. Chicago Prosser, Feb. 8, 1967 (2nd half)--14th
77, Cregier vs. Chicago Juarez, Feb. 13, 1987 (1st half)--15th
76, Cregier vs. Chicago Wells, Jan. 18, 1985 (2nd half)--tied for 21st
76, Cregier vs. Chicago Juarez, Feb. 20, 1985 (2nd half)--tied for 21st
76, Cregier vs. Chicago Manley, Feb. 20, 1986 (2nd half)--tied for 21st
75, Cregier vs. Chicago Orr, Feb. 22, 1985 (2nd half)--27th

Most points in one half by both teams:

140, Cregier (76) vs. Chicago Manley (64), Feb. 20, 1986 (2nd half)--1st
136, Cregier (74) vs. Chicago Young (62), Jan. 30, 1986 (2nd half)--2nd
133, Cregier (68) vs. Chicago Near North Career Magnet (65), Jan. 21, 1982 (1st half)--3rd
125, Chicago Near North Career Magnet (67) vs. Cregier (58), Feb. 26, 1985 (1st half)--tied for 6th
125, Cregier (72) vs. Chicago Juarez (53), Feb. 13, 1987 (2nd half)--tied for 6th
124, Cregier (66) vs. Chicago Tuley (58), Feb. 23, 1966 (2nd half)--tied for 9th
124, Cregier (76) vs. Chicago Wells (48), Jan. 18, 1985 (2nd half)--tied for 9th
124, Chicago Crane (69) vs. Cregier (55), Feb. 25, 1986 (Public League playoff, 1st half)--tied for 9th
123, Cregier (71) vs. Chicago Lincoln Park (52), Mar. 1, 1985 (Public League playoff, 2nd half)--13th
122, Cregier (70) vs. Chicago Near North Career Magnet (52), Jan. 21, 1982 (2nd half)--14th
121, Chicago Westinghouse (69) vs. Cregier (52), Feb. 19, 1980 (2nd half)--15th
120, Cregier (67) vs. Chicago Juarez, Jan. 19, 1988 (2nd half)--17th

Most points scored by a team in a quarter:

44, Cregier vs. Chicago Prosser, Feb. 8, 1967 (1st quarter)--20th

Most points scored in a quarter by both teams:

   78, Cregier (43) vs. Chicago Young (35), Jan. 30, 1986 (4th quarter)--4th
   77, Cregier (43) vs. Chicago Manley (34), Feb. 20, 1986 (4th quarter)--5th
   74, Cregier (42) vs. Chicago Near North Career Magnet (32), Jan. 21, 1982 (4th quarter)--7th
   72, Cregier (40) vs. Chicago Wells (32), Jan. 18, 1985 (4th quarter)--8th
   70, Cregier (42) vs. Chicago Near North Career Magnet (28), Jan. 21, 1982 (1st quarter)--13th
   68, Chicago Westinghouse (38) vs. Cregier (30), Feb. 27, 1987 (Public League playoff, 3rd quarter)--tied for 17th
68, Chicago Metro (38) vs. Cregier (30), Jan. 20, 1989 (4th quarter)--tied for 17th

Most Field Goals made by a team in a game:

75, Cregier (152) vs. Chicago Prosser (51), Feb. 8, 1967--1st
70, Cregier (143) vs. Chicago Juarez (73), Feb. 20, 1985--3rd (NOTE: 111 shot attempts for Cregier in that game was the fourth best, as is the 72 rebounds for Cregier.)

67, Cregier vs. Chicago Juarez, Feb. 17, 1989--tied for 5th
66, Cregier (149) vs. Chicago Juarez (91), Feb. 13, 1987--tied for 7th

Most Field Goals made by two teams in a game:

   107, Cregier (60) vs. Chicago Near North Career Magnet (47), Jan. 21, 1982--1st
   105, Chicago Manley (54) vs. Cregier (51), Feb. 20, 1986--tied for 2nd
   105, Cregier (66) vs. Chicago Juarez (39), Feb. 13, 1987--tied for 2nd
   101, Cregier (70) vs. Chicago Juarez (31), Feb. 20, 1985--4th

   100, Cregier (51) vs. Chicago Westinghouse (49), Feb. 9, 1978 (OT)--tied for 5th
100, Cregier (52) vs. Chicago Crane (48), Feb. 25, 1986 (Public League playoff)--tied for 5th
     98, Cregier (53) vs. Chicago Metro (45), Feb. 27, 1985--7th
     97, Cregier (50) vs. Chicago Young (47), Jan. 30, 1986--8th
   96, Cregier (57) vs. Chicago Lincoln Park (39), Mar. 1, 1985 (Public League playoff)--9th
   95, Cregier (57) vs. Chicago Clemente (38), Feb. 23, 1978 (Public League playoff)--tied for 10th
   95, Chicago Farragut (54) vs. Cregier (41), Feb. 11, 1986--tied for 10th

Most points scored in a game by a player:

56 by Jesse Chism, Cregier vs. Chicago Lake View, Dec. 15, 1964

53, Reggie Murray, Cregier vs. Chicago Metro, Jan. 20, 1989 (19 FG, 1 three-pt. FG, 14 FT)

BASEBALL

Although there are no win-loss records to be found about the school's history, we are aware that one Creiger player was drafted by the Major Leagues. In 1973, Elbert Coutter was a 29th round selection of the hometown White Sox. He never appeared in a big league contest.

WRESTLING

Dennis Crosby tells us that Creiger excelled in the sport of wrestling in the late 60's and early 70's as well. Please contact us if you have further information to provide on this or any other activity at Creiger High School.

IF YOU HAVE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT CREIGER HIGH SCHOOL....

please let us know. We'd like to find out more in order to tell the story about the history of the school, its' students, and distinguished alumni. Information such as school colors, nickname, school song, and more are what we're looking for. Please contact us by either clicking on this Guest Commentary link, or by emailing us at dr.veeman@gmail,com. We'll also accept your submissions at the following address:

IHSGD SITE

6439 North Neva

Chicago, IL 60631