Judge Henry Schrenker - 1998 Meritorius Service

The founding years of Anderson University football was strengthened by the volunteer interest and coaching skills of the late Judge Henry Schrenker. Some of Anderson’s earliest gridders have called “Heine” Schrenker the glue that helped hold the program together in the survival years.

The fall of 1947 saw this 1942 Notre Dame graduate first leave his judicial office – perhaps sometimes a little too early in the afternoon – in order to join the Anderson University coaching staff and share basic fundamentals so necessary for those on the line.

Often it was “Heine’s” colorful choice of words, as he endeavored to instruct “his” players that not only “shook them up” but also brought much needed encouragement. Indelible in the minds of gridders and those early year fans are memories of his long, nervous strides up and down the old playing field on East Fifth Street, his broad-rimmed felt hat perhaps askew, often the appearance of a long, forbidden cigar clenched between his teeth and on other occasions a large wad of chewing tobacco.

“Heine” Schrenker was one figure that will long be remembered as having perhaps more than 100 percent interest and faith, over a 17-year period, in what young Raven gridders could accomplish.

Judge Schrenker served his native Madison County as prosecuting attorney (1948-52) and as judge of the Madison County Superior Court (1970-82) before retiring from private law practice in 1992, a year before his death.

Anderson University is proud to posthumously name Judge Henry Pershing Schrenker among its second class of inductees to the Athletic Hall of Fame.