The Knox-Lombard Athletic Hall of Fame
Steve Baumgartner was a four-year member of the football team who graduated from Knox in 1977. Playing the nose guard position, Steve was a defensive stopper, award winner, and conference champion during his four-year career for the Knox football team between 1973 and 1976.
Steve was an All-Midwest Conference selection as a sophomore in 1974, and he was named the football team’s most valuable defensive player in 1974, 1975, and 1976. A co-captain his senior season, Steve helped the 1976 Knox football team win the Midwest Conference championship and earn the program’s first-ever berth in the national playoffs.
Several of Steve’s teammates, more than three decades later, still distinctly recall his great ability, accomplishments, character, and leadership.
Larry Tarman ’75 said the qualities that Steve exhibited raised the level of performance of those who played with him on the team. “Steve was a demanding teammate who set an example of holding himself to the highest level of accountability and expecting the same from others. The best example of his leadership was when he was forced to have an appendectomy in the middle of the football season. Not only was he able to come back to play that season, he missed only one game against the advice of his doctor,” Tarman added.
The 1976 Knox football team finished the season with a 7-1-1 record, which was the best mark among all college football teams in Illinois that year, and was ranked #10 in the country by United Press International (UPI) in October of 1976.
Tom Stelter ’77, who played football all four years with Steve, said his teammate made a significant difference in the success of the 76ers. “I have absolutely no doubt that without Steve’s leadership as a co-captain of the team, and more importantly his leadership on the defensive side of the ball, there is no 1976 championship team.”
Coach Al Reilly talked about Steve in a Galesburg Register-Mail article about the 1975 season. “Steve is very quick and a hard and sure tackler. He has an almost fanatic dedication to the team that is somewhat contagious. He has a very strong effect on the other players, as well as being effective as a middle guard.”
Former teammate Rod Swan ’77 points out that Steve has maintained a strong relationship with Knox for decades. “Steve has been a tireless advocate (for Knox College) in the years after his collegiate career in terms of fundraising. I also know that he has taken his family business (Baumgartner Construction Incorporated) to an unprecedented level and has been an outstanding member of the Naperville area business community,” he said.
