William E. “Pop” Rannow
William E. Rannow, known by everyone as “Pop”, was the father of football in Sandy.
When he came to Sandy High School in 1927, there was no football team. In fact, no one knew the rules or even how to play the game. None of the students had ever seen a game played. Miles Aubin, Sandy historian, wrote about this in a July 1996 article in The Buckboard Tales.
Miles stated that “Pop” was “selected”, not hired, to be football coach. That meant he would receive no extra pay for coaching duties. Despite the initial lack of pay, he rushed at the opportunity.
To coach football in Sandy, “Pop” had to start from scratch. Miles commented that “as far as football was concerned, the entire Sandy area was culturally deprived.” Not only did the students have to learn about the game, but the community needed to learn enough to be supportive spectators. Rannow first took a busload of prospective players to Gresham to see a football game. Enthusiasm and interest soared, so he immediately organized a team.
Players had to solicit five dollars each from a total of 11 sponsors to help buy padded football pants for the first team. Reserves could wear denims. Each player could buy his own sweatshirt for one dollar from any general merchandise store. A few boys were able to buy Sears & Roebuck helmets and shoulder pads.
It was a ragtag-looking group of outfits that drew laughs from opponents before more standard equipment was assembled in 1935. That first season they beat Parkrose but lost to Gresham, Canby, and Estacada in the four games played. Had they had earlier training they might have won more games, as they were a rugged group of individuals who could have given considerable trouble to challengers. Sandy could soon hold their own with most of the schools.
That first team included linemen Russell Norquist, Clarence Griffin, Lewis Lund, Clark Lund, Vic Bacon, Elmer Glockner, and Bill Dodd. In the backfield were Ken Scales, Alvin Eri, Quentin Norquist, and Ed McCabe.
Rannow kept busy during his 35 years of teaching at Sandy High School. He not only coached baseball and football, but also physical education, history, civics, economics, Latin, and German.
He lived at the end of a route and drove a flat-wheeled GMC school bus to and from work, stopping for students along the way. At first the thrifty school board did not want to pay him for driving, reasoning that he had free transportation, but soon relented
to pay him $5 a month extra. He drove the teams to all the “away” games while laughing and joking with the players. In the absence of counselors, he and other teachers urged students to continue their education after high school graduation.
He spent evenings, week-ends, and summers as a berry farmer on the 80 acres purchased from his in-laws, Hans and Christina Koch of Cottrell. He and their daughter Emma had married in 1925. When their first child Christina “Chris” was born, a Sandy student called him a new “Pop”, hence his nickname stuck. Later a son, William, joined the family.
Pop Rannow was easy-going and pleasant, but could be tough when needed. Phil Jonsrud recalled that during infield practice when students weren’t being serious about their jobs, Pop would hit “screaming” line drives at them, which instantly sharpened their focus and attention.
Pop had a lasting, positive impact on everyone around him in Sandy High School. He earned high respect and made good memories. The new football stadium was named “The Pop Rannow Stadium” to honor him.
Sourced from 80 Years in the Same Neighborhood, 41-42, Hometown Sandy Oregon, 58-59, Whistle Punks and Misery Whips First Edition, 172-3, and Sandy Pioneers, Early Settlers, and Barlow Road Days, Second Edition,158.
