With just ten days until the Pirates kick off the 2017 season at Susick Stadium, we celebrate one of our Pirate legends. Hillstrom followed up his Pirate days with a very successful coaching career before switching to the life of a restaurateur.
Spike has been one of our more entertaining speakers at our Hall of Fame gatherings. The following is from his Marshfield Hall of Fame induction in 2004
Eldon L. “Spike” Hillstrom 1953 MHS Graduate
Spike went to Harding Grade School , Marshfield Junior High, and Marshfield High School .
Played football under Pete Susick. Sophomore year played in State Championship game against Grant HS and named 3rd team All State . Junior Year played fullback and linebacker, Pirates won district and lost to Grants Pass in quarterfinals. Grants Pass won that year. Senior year was All-District, All-State and All American: Wigwam Wise Men of America. Selected to play in Shrine Game.
Spike Played basketball at Marshfield Jr. High School under Bruce Hoffine. Played basketball under Bill Borcher 1950-51 and Hoffine 1952-53. Played in the state tournament all 4 years. The team won the state championship in 1953 (senior year). Lost only three games in four years in the state tournament. Lettered all four years and was All District junior and senior years. Listed on Bill Borcher’s “Top 10 Players of MHS”.
Spike Hillsrom leading Jim Shanley at the U of O.
Spike accepted a football scholarship to University of Oregon and played guard and linebacker. Was named All Northern Division Junior and Senior Years. Graduated 1957 with a Bachelor of Science degree in secondary education.
Career & Family
1957 – 1958 Grants Pass Freshman Football (Mel Ingram Varsity Coach): taught Geography.
1958 – 1959 North Salem High School Offensive Line coach: Assist. basketball coach: taught US History and Government.
1959 – 1960 Appointed Head Football coach after 3rd game due to illness of Head Coach Mel Fox Played for State Championship; lost to David Douglas
1960-1961 Record of 7-2 Lost coin-flip for play-offs (only year to miss)
1961 – 1962 Won District, lost to Beaverton in the quarterfinals
1962 – 1963 Won District, lost to Medford in the quarterfinals
1963 – 1964 Won District, tied Grant in the State Championship 7-7. Assistant coach Shrine Game 1963, Head coach Shrine Game 1964 (first coach to have been a previous player in the Shrine Game).
1965 – 1976 Accepted position as offensive line coach United State Air Force Academy (Ben Martin Head Coach), Sugar Bowl 1971, Recruited for AFA in Oregon , Northern, CA., Washington and Idaho . Set up numerous football clinics in these areas.
In 1976 Spike started a new career in the restaurant business. After 25 years, he sold the business to his son. Spike’s wife is Sherry (Thaxton, MHS 1953), is a professional artist and they have been married 49 years. Together they raised Kellie, a buyer for boutique, Michael, a teacher and football coach at Air Academy HS and Jeffrey, owner of The Mission Inn Restaurant. Spike is retired and lives in Colorado Springs , CO .
