Remembering Leona Cruze, a true matriarch

Seventh grade was a different type of experience from what preceded it. One difference was some new faces in the school hallways. The Catholic kids! They were quickly assimilated. We never forget their religious distinction, though. Catholics feel they need their own cemetery in Morris. To each their own, I guess, but I'm not a fan of cemeteries.

Death ultimately comes, of course. It came on Friday, Oct. 16, 2015, for Leona Cruze, age 95, a devoted Catholic who would never use her faith in a critical context toward anyone. She was the matriarch of a large family that reflected her church's spirit 100 percent. What a vibrant family! Boys predominated.

Back at the start of my seventh grade year, I got familiar with two of the Cruze children who had been guided previously at St. Mary's School. I have always been impressed by St. Mary's as a basic type of school, just doing the job and not getting caught up in any avant garde educational ideas. The public schools get tugged down those detours sometimes. OBE? Those detours are good for getting attention in the media and our pop culture. Meanwhile St. Mary's makes sure the kids get the basics in preparation for real life. A little healthy discipline doesn't hurt either.

Leona and her husband Carl had ten children. Unfortunately one of them has left us: John.

The two MHS Class of '73 members were Art and Tony. Tony did a little wrestling at heavyweight under Al Hendrickson. He's a large of stature individual who could apply that imposing physique as a Kandiyohi County sheriff's dept. member. Our class prophesies had Tony getting taken to the Como Zoo, mistaken for the Hamm's Bear. Young people know little about the Hamm's Bear. Remember the jingle "From the land of sky blue waters?" People my age do. The jingle referred to "pines' lofty blossoms."

Art and I were in the school play in the fall of 1972 under director Mick Briscoe. Art proudly remembers his line "Hey miss, you can't do that!" Briscoe taught French the futile way, with conjugating verbs etc. He knew I was hopeless with my attitude. We had no capability of talking French after actually taking those classes. The way to learn a foreign language is through "immersion."

Art went into communications like yours truly. His forte: radio. Today he "sells air." He sells for the Willmar radio station. (Billy Crystal talked about "selling air" in the movie "City Slickers.") More importantly, Art has been a caregiver for Leona in Paynesville.

We lost a lot when the Cruze family left Morris for Paynesville in 1974. I remember visiting them for Game 1 of the 1991 World Series. Our eyes were riveted on the TV in the basement. When the first pitch thrown by a Minnesota pitcher was a strike, we all leaped up and were ecstatic.

Leona lived life in a relaxed but self-assured pace at all times. There was no evidence that having ten children ever caused her to pull her hair out. She and Carl had a sense of humor that they passed on to their kids. Their family gatherings through the years have been lively. "Lively" is a safe adjective. At times, "raucous" (in a fun-loving sense) would describe. Art and I imagined a headline for the Paynesville newspaper once: "Cruze family reunion held - four cars overturned."

The Cruze family got me introduced to the Catholic Church: they took me to Catholic bingo!

I had an interesting sort of closeness with the Catholic kids in general. There I was, an only child from a Lutheran family. My best friend in college was Mike Westra from a large Catholic family in Foley MN.

I have been a Civil War buff all my life. I have often read that "rebellion is immoral." Thus it was destiny for the South to lose. But isn't the Lutheran Church a rebellion from the Catholic Church? Ahem. All that matters is who wins.

I hope Leona was able to pay attention when the Pope visited the U.S. recently. Her son Greg bristles a bit when attention is paid to the Pope's liberal political leanings. A lot of Catholics are having to learn to rationalize over that. I say "hats off" to the Pope.

The Cruze clan put together a movie saluting Leona, a movie played on the big screen of the Cold Spring theater. Cold Spring is the home of Greg and wife Kari. Leona came back to Morris to hear Greg's daughter sing opera for the summer talent shows at East Side Park.

Leona was born in Morris on June 27, 1920. Her maiden name was Rudnicki. She went to St. Mary's when that school went all the way through the 12th grade! She married Carl (of Morris) on September 9, 1942. They understood the adventure of raising their large and vibrant family. They lived in Morris until 1974.

Leona developed a career in nursing. she worked in the nursery of Stevens County Hospital for ten years.

Here's a list of her surviving children: Roger, Michael, Diane, Patrick, Tony, Art, Marie, Greg and Richard. John beat all the others to heaven.

Leona herself came from a large family. She was preceded in death by siblings Leo, Joseph, Frank, Marie, Sylvester, Edward, Raymond, Josephine, Anselm, Genevieve, Angeline, Paul and Charles.

Families in general have gotten smaller through the years. Is the idea to make things more manageable? Is it about economy? Is it about perfectionism? We need to think twice about this. You're rolling the dice when developing a large family. Being responsible for these human beings can be a messy proposition. But Leona and Carl wouldn't have traded that experience for anything. We're blessed having all the Cruze family members amongst us. How else could I have learned Catholic bingo (LOL)? 

Mass of Christian burial for Leona Cruze is at 11 a.m. Monday, Oct. 26, at St. Louis Catholic Church in Paynesville. Leona Cruze, RIP.

- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com

Rocky Colavito couldn't get into baseball fast enough

Toby Tyler ran away to join the circus. Within all of us there is admiration for an inspired young soul that wants to join a glamorous occupation. The kids don't respect the shackles that society seeks to impose on them. Thus we should recognize Rocky Colavito.

Colavito was an American League baseball star who appeared on diamonds in the '50s and '60s. We visualize him as a Cleveland Indian. He grew up in the Bronx, NYC, but was not destined to be a Yankee. Only at the end of his career was he present "for a cup of coffee," as it were, with the Yanks.

Let's rewind to the start. We learn that "by age nine" he was playing semipro baseball. I'd be a batboy at that age. (We were "compensated" with taped, i.e. broken, bats.) This Toby Tyler-like story continued with Rocky dropping out of school at age 16 to pursue his baseball dream. Way to go! Major league rules were a complication for this starry-eyed young man. Rules stated that he had to wait until his school class graduated. Somehow he was able to succeed with a "special appeal." (Was he hopeless in school?)

This young man was destined to play high-caliber baseball. The Yankees didn't see it get. They passed on him. Into the picture came Cleveland, not a marquee team like the Yankees. But it was big league. Rocky got inked by Cleveland in 1950. There was an asterisk, though: two-thirds of the signing bonus was deferred until he progressed in their system. Patience was needed. Stardom was elusive for a time. All kinds of crazy up and down stories characterize our national pastime.

Rocky spent about six years paying dues and striving to climb the ladder. In 1954 some of that slugger potential came forth, when he was wearing the uniform of the Indianapolis Indians. Harmon Killebrew played for Indianapolis too in the late 1950s. Harmon actually came to Metropolitan Stadium, Bloomington MN, to play in 1958, which was three years before his team of destiny, the Twins, were born.

Rocky Colavito hit 38 home runs and drove in 116 runs in his seminal 1954 season. He made a minor ripple with the big league Indians in 1955 (the year I was born). Then in '56, he pulled on a uniform in the Pacific Coast League. There was a time when that league had a reputation of being nearly as good, or just as good in some cases, as the bigs. Major league baseball moved west in the late 1950s. The Giants and Dodgers got started in California, and Calvin Griffith's Twins left the nation's capital for our Upper Midwest environs.

The days of train travel with its limitations had ended. "Quaint" describes train travel now. It's the stuff of scenes in old movies.

July of '56 saw Rocky get the call to join the Indians. He was ready to make a name for himself. We should note that Rocky's given name was "Rocco." Our hero batted .276 with 21 home runs and got a vote for A.L. Rookie of the Year. In '57 he fell out of the groove a little, marking time with a .252 average. Then in '58, he had the big league pitchers figured out. He soared to a .303 batting average. He made considerable noise with his 41 home runs. He was just one homer behind Mickey Mantle. Rocky drove in 113 runs in 1958. He was No. 3 in MVP voting.

In '59 he maintained his homer pace, becoming the first Indian to achieve two 40-home run seasons. He socked 42, tying our Killebrew for tops in league. He was No. 4 in MVP voting. He was an all-star. He would be a six-time all-star. He built a legend around himself when on June 10, 1959, he hit four homers in consecutive at-bats in Baltimore! As a Detroit Tiger later in his career, he hit four homers in a doubleheader. Rocky would hit 30-plus homers in seven seasons. He carved out a fine defensive reputation too, playing the outfield with a strong arm.

Cleveland loved him - he always accommodated the autograph-seekers. He went to Detroit in 1960 via a blockbuster and controversial trade. Why on earth would general manager Frank Lane trade this flashy player? Talk of the trade continued for years, even germinating a theory called "the curse" regarding Cleveland and its frequent futility.

Colavito was spectacular as a Tiger in 1961, the first year of our Minnesota Twins and also the year, you'll remember, when Roger Maris hit 61 home runs. Colavito's bat resonated with 45 home runs. He had the monster RBI total of 140. He scored 129 runs. He was No. 8 in MVP voting. Oddly, he wasn't as well accepted in Detroit as in Cleveland. He switched from right field to left due to Al Kaline being parked in right for Detroit.

An odd feud developed between Rocky and sportswriter Joe Falls, who I remember being a contributor to The Sporting News when I was in high school. I liked Falls but I think less of him now, having read about the conflict with Colavito. Falls created a stat for Colavito: "run not batted in." Why? So petty.

Colavito moved on to the Kansas City Athletics for the '64 season. He reached 300 career home runs as an Athletic. Then he was brought back to where it all began, to Cleveland. but in that trade the Indians had to relinquish Tommy John. Not only that, the Indians jettisoned Tommie Agee. Remember Agee? He starred with the amazing Cinderella story of the 1969 New York Mets.

Colavito had gas left in the tank for his finale as an Indian. He was an all-star in 1965 and '66. He led the American League in RBIs (108) and walks (93) in '65. That was the year our Twins won the pennant. I'm sure our fans were excited to see Rocky at our Met Stadium.

He built a journeyman reputation when he was traded to the White Sox in July of 1967. Then it was on to the Los Angeles Dodgers of the National League. He was past his prime but not past creating special excitement. As a Yankee in 1968, Rocky became the last position player until Brent Mayne in 2000 to be credited as the winning pitcher in a game. He pitched a scoreless two and two-thirds innings against his old team, the Tigers. He also scored the winning run in that game. It was the first game of a doubleheader, and in game 2 Rocky homered. What a denouement in this Toby Tyler-like story: a man totally in love with his profession of destiny.

Such a career story lends itself to Hall of Fame status. Had he played most of his career with the Yankees, I think he'd be in. I strongly feel he ought to be in the Hall anyway. His problem was that he slid into decline a little too early. Baseball players today have much better longevity. Personally I think the Hall puts too much weight on sheer longevity. Why can't Tony Oliva be in the Hall?

I don't think I ever saw Rocky Colavito play in-person. The Indians weren't a big attraction. The Indians were rumored to be a candidate to move to Minnesota in the late '50s. We also heard that talk about the Giants. If the Indians had come here? My, we'd see a statue of ol' Rocco in downtown Minneapolis somewhere. I'm happy for all of his success.

You have to pat "Rocco" on the back for his lifelong love of the American pastime.

- Brian Williams - morris mn Minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com

Duel of QBs ends with Monte's Diggins on top

Montevideo 20, Tigers 13

MACA got off to an encouraging start but ended up on the short end Friday (10/9). Jacob Zosel put the Tigers up 6-0 with a 12-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. The score was 7-0 when Dylan Gillespie kicked the point-after. That was the only scoring of the first half in this game played at Montevideo.

The MACA defense looked imposing. But in the third quarter, the host Thunder Hawks began getting their offense untracked. Preston Herfurth broke loose on a 32-yard scoring run. The PAT try was no-go. The Tigers' Zosel answered with a two-yard run for six. The PAT kick try was unsuccessful. Herfurth made another scoring statement, this time as a pass-catcher. This T-Hawk caught a 15-yard scoring pass that had Troy Diggins throwing the ball. Hever Valenzuela kicked the point-after.

The regulation four quarters ended in a deadlock: 13-all. Overtime!

The T-Hawks were really going to have to earn their seventh win of the season. They survived and improved to 7-1. A one-yard dive play made the difference. The ball was clutched securely by quarterback Diggins.

Diggins had experienced some rough-going on this night, throwing two interceptions. He completed nine of 20 pass attempts for 107 yards. His QB counterpart for Morris Area Chokio Alberta, Trent Marty, had solid numbers: six of 15 for 119 yards and no interceptions.

Eric Staebler had four catches for 98 yards. It was Marty who made both of the interceptions when Diggins was throwing. The Tigers' running game had Zosel bulling forward for 148 yards on 31 carries of the football. Staebler punted the ball five times for 152 yards.

The tackle chart showed Philip Messner with six solo tackles and one assist. Taylor Staples matched those numbers. Brady Jergenson had five solos and one assist. Jergenson and Staebler each had a quarterback sack.

The top Thunder Hawk receivers were Herfurth (three catches, 44 yards) and Riley Emery (3-27). The T-Hawk running game was fueled by Reece Kuhlmann (20 carries, 88 yards), Herfurth (6-59) and Ethan Schmitt (4-26). Valenzuela punted the ball. Kuhlmann had seven solo tackles and five assists.

The overtime conclusion had the final score at 20-13.

 

Volleyball: Tigers 3, Montevideo 0

The MACA volleyball Tigers continued the stellar pattern with their play on Thursday evening, at Monte. Scores were 25-20, 25-23 and 25-16 as MACA swept.

The success upped our won-lost record to 18-2 overall. In conference play we're 9-2. Karly Fehr was the proficient setter as always, with 31 assists on this night. Lindsey Dierks and Riley Decker each had two serving aces. Brooke Gillespie, Fehr and Cassidy Fehr each had one ace.

Gillespie, Ashley Solvie and Carly Maanum each had an ace block. The digs list had Decker at the top with 20 followed by Gillespie (15), Dierks (10) and Fehr (7). Here we go with the hitting summary: Jenna Howden had eight kills followed by Gillespie (7), Solvie (7), Fehr (5), Dierks (5) and Maanum (4).

Abby Olson pounded 13 kills for the host T-Hawks. Plus she had two serving aces. The Sulflows were the set assist producers, Grace with 24 and Sarah with six. Alexis Schmitz was imposing at the net for the host, executing five ace blocks. Olivia Hagen had eight digs.

Viva Morris Area Chokio Alberta fall sports for 2015!

- Brian Williams - morris mn Minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com

A. Solvie nails eleven kills in sweep over Benson

Volleyball: Tigers 3, Benson 0
It was back to sweep city for MACA volleyball Thursday (10/1), as the Tigers handled Benson quite routinely. Scores were 25-11, 25-12 and 25-14. It was the 12th triumph of the season for Morris Area Chokio Alberta.
Ashley Solvie came at the Braves with eleven kills. Lindsey Dierks, Jenna Howden and Brooke Gillespie each pounded seven kills. Karly Fehr added four kills to the mix, followed by Carly Maanum with three and Haley Erdahl with two. Solvie and Howden each contributed two ace blocks. Fehr went up to execute one ace block.
Riley Decker impressed with her dig total of 19. Gillespie came through with eleven digs followed by Dierks with eight and Fehr with six. And in setting, Fehr raced around the court to contribute 35 assists. Gillespie showed precision at the serving line and produced three serve aces. These Tigers each had one serving ace: Fehr, Dierks, Erdahl, Decker and Koral Tolifson.
Benson's Addie Forbord had two serve aces. She was also the busiest setter for the Braves with 12 set assists. Megan Amundson had eight kills for the host Braves. Sophie Ascheman, Danielle Himley and Amanda Nissen each had one ace block. Amundson dug the ball up eleven times.
 

Melrose 3, Tigers 1

The Tuesday story wasn't so upbeat for the Tigers, who were dealt a 3-1 loss by Melrose at home. The Tigers and Dutchmen split the first two games, Melrose taking the first 25-18 and MACA rebounding to take the second, 25-15. After that the Dutchmen had the upper hand with scores of 25-21 and 25-18.
This was the second meeting this season of MACA and Melrose. MACA's season opener had the Tigers beating the Dutchmen.
Karly Fehr executed 28 assists in the Tuesday setback. Brooke Gillespie topped the kill list with eight. These Tigers each pounded down seven kills: Lindsey Dierks, Jenna Howden and Carly Maanum. Ashley Solvie had four kills followed by Fehr, Haley Erdahl and Moira McNally each with two. Moira McNally had two ace blocks followed by Gillespie, Fehr, Solvie and Howden.
Riley Decker was busy in digs, posting the team-best total of 24. Gillespie dug up the ball ten times. Erdahl had nine followed by Fehr with seven and Dierks and Tolifson each with six.

 

Football: BOLD 22, Tigers 12

BOLD was bold in making a comeback vs. our MACA football Tigers Friday at Big Cat.

Fans at Big Cat cheered as the orange and black went up 12-0. Eric Staebler caught a one-yard pass from Trent Marty for the game's first score. Sean Amundson hauled in a 31-yard aerial from Marty for the second score. The conversion tries misfired on these TDs. MACA had an encouraging 12-0 lead. After that, BOLD owned this game.

BOLD scored 22 unanswered points and won 22-12. Halftime arrived with the score 15-12. Brad Wolf found the end zone on a run from the eleven. Zach Blom kicked the point-after. Ethan Weis caught a 24-yard touchdown pass from Breckan Ebnet. The conversion was good on a run by Austin Einerson. BOLD polished off this win with a 69-yard run by Brad Wolff, and Blom kicked the conversion.

Trent Marty had his usual good passing stats despite the game's outcome: he was seven-for-eleven for 100 yards and had one interception. Jacob Zosel carried the football 17 times for 63 yards. Ryan Dietz had seven carries for eleven yards, and Marty added five yards to the mix. Sean Amundson and Eric Staebler each had two receptions, Sean's covering 72 yards and Staebler's covering six. Taylor Staples, Zosel and Chase Metzger each had one catch. Staebler did the Tigers' punting.

On the defensive side of the ball, Metzger had six solo tackles and eight assisted tackles. Continuing with the tackle chart: Staebler (five solos, three assists), Cole Watzke (4-5), Staples (2-7) and Brady Jergenson (3-3).

Wolff was a terror in the eyes of MACA fans, as this Warrior gained 211 yards on the ground in 24 carries. Connor Riley covered 44 yards on the ground for the visitor. Austin Einerson gained 43 yards and Max Buchtel had 39. Ebnet completed two passes in four attempts for 15 yards and had none picked off. Weis and Einerson each made an interception. Jon Schultz had seven solo tackles and two assists. Riley Weis had a quarterback sack.

The Tigers will next travel to Montevideo.

 

Keep up with this trend, please

It appears there are fewer businesses willing to part with their money, to have their name in a tiny box on the edge of an MACA sports schedule page in the Morris newspaper. The paper should simply publish the schedules (three times a year) as part of its news reporting obligation. I thought that's what newspapers were for.
The paper should also publish obituaries as news and not try to wring money out of grieving families. But if the paper can get away with it. . .
The fall sports schedule page appeared to have fewer names of businesses than before. An ad like this is called a "sig ad," as a business basically just places its signature on it - the business does not inform about its products and services, which is the purpose of advertising. So, by supporting the sports schedule page, you're really just subsidizing the Fargo-owned Morris newspaper. Please try to employ more brain cells in the future.
Oh, and "sig ads" are referred to in another way by some in the newspaper industry: "sucker ads."
Here's another media observation I've made recently: I noticed that in the Chokio Review, the football game review article had a byline with the name of an assistant coach. Whenever I see this sort of thing, I think "bush league." Isn't there anyone associated with that business who could generate some paragraphs? These activities are fun and important. Let's make them exciting and interesting with the media.
Stevens County appears to have one less print media product now: There's no sign of the controversial "Northstar" on the UMM campus. I strolled through the campus a few days ago and saw no "Northstar" newsstands. It's astonishing that this "shock" publication was allowed to last as long as it did. As I ponder whether to make my annual $ contribution to UMM, I'm weighing how much to consider my anger over the needless distraction that Northstar represented.
Maybe we'll see no "affirmative action bake sales" either.
Northstar was not even a legitimate journalistic product. It was a very oddball attack vehicle mounted by an oddball faction of students. Amazingly, it got inserted with the Morris Sun Tribune paper not once but twice.
The longer the Northstar existed on campus, the greater likelihood that UMM staff members would quietly acquiesce to it. One staffer confronted me over my criticism of it. I imagine this person had adjusted to Northstar as part of UMM's information ecosystem, contradicting logic, i.e. simply because it was permitted. If it was permitted, the staff would begin to shrug and offer no objection, because after all, these staffers had wonderful jobs with wonderful pay and benefits, thanks to the existence of the University of Minnesota-Morris. This is "learned behavior" according to psychology lingo. Well, I'm not the type to be influenced by such a factor - I analyze things objectively.
The First Amendment was never an issue regarding Northstar. UMM has the right to manage the information ecosystem on its campus, as we have finally realized after two years.

- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com

America's Youth in Concert 1972: a blast

B-10 bus members (l-r) Hyland, Chris and Tom

Don McLean gave us the song "American Pie" in 1972. The last U.S. ground troops left Viet Nam in that year. John Lennon was at the peak of his musical powers, going it alone. Atari released its "Pong" game. We watched "All in the Family" which underscored the generation gap.

The summer of '72 afforded me a wonderful opportunity. I traveled with a group called "America's Youth in Concert." It was truly a once in a lifetime experience.
There are better ways I could have spent that summer, really. I could have gotten involved in activities, like a real job, that would have led me to greater maturity. I remember I was chosen for Farm Bureau Camp, but had to decline due to the music trip. Doesn't Farm Bureau Camp instill conservative/Republican political values? I didn't need that. So, my trumpet was my partner for much of that summer of '72.
It was a time when many my age watched "Monty Python's Flying Circus." We loved Benny Hill's comedy. Why the reliance on so much British talent? Lennon was in that category too. After years of young men being in such fear of the military draft, and of actually getting drafted and being forced to face so much peril in Viet Nam, young talent in entertainment had not been given a chance to flower and develop. 

Here I am in Salzburg

The '70s gave us weird movies like "A Clockwork Orange." Bobby Fischer was at the peak of his chess powers. A current movie focuses on the dramatic rivalry of Fischer vs. Boris Spassky (of that menacing Soviet Union). The Cold War was a scourge. The Viet Nam war was a more direct scourge. Young people of today must read the history and appreciate what it was all about. Understanding the past helps keep us from repeating mistakes. Or, at least it ought to in theory.

The Cold War put pressure on U.S. schools to really push kids in science and math - bad news for me, because my aptitude was not in those areas. I had to stay in school because it was compulsory. It was a matter of survival for me, not enrichment. But in the summer of 1972, I spent a month immersed in music and with musical friends. It was an oasis type of experience for me. 

A photo of our group appeared on the front page of the style section of the Washington Post. The Washington Post! Remember what was happening, or starting, in the summer of 1972? Watergate! I'm not sure today's young people should read about Watergate - it was too stupid. But again, we must learn about past mistakes, even those that grow out of nothing more than paranoia and mendacity. The same Post edition that had our picture had an early Bob Woodward article. He co-wrote this article with someone other than Carl Bernstein. I didn't tote this paper around with me for the rest of the trip, but when I got home I special-ordered one, so I still have it.

You could get a Ford Pinto automobile for $2,078 in 1972. A gallon of gas cost 55 cents. ABBA was giving us the kind of music that would inspire the musical and movie "Mamma Mia!" The Oakland A's won the World Series. 

When I was chosen for America's Youth in Concert, I was supposed to drop off a news release at the local paper. The release had a bit of a political edge, asserting that such youth in the program set an example in contrast with what we might call the hippie or counterculture of the time. My family disapproved of such a political statement and we modified the release. 

The counterculture was part of the generation gap which was really quite a significant conflict of the time - more severe than the youth of today can imagine. I'm puzzled and disturbed as I reflect on it. The World War II generation was raising kids who by comparison to them were drenched in prosperity. Those kids got many luxuries before they even knew they wanted them. The WWII generation had also endured the Depression. They grew up without television. Television! It was ubiquitous by the time I was an adolescent. Alexandria MN got its own station in 1958.

America's Youth in Concert is a division within the Universal Academy. A check on the web indicates they must still be in existence. It began in 1970. I gathered it was a bunch of Mormons from Utah. In 1971 the first group of musicians were assembled and traveled, even witnessing the signing of the 26th Amendment to the Constitution: the 18-year-old vote. Three of the young people were actually chosen to sign the document! 

I was proud to wear that maroon blazer, black tie and white shirt in that unforgettable summer of 1972. We began in Italy and finished up in England. We crossed the English Channel and saw the white cliffs of Dover as we neared England. We performed in many interesting and important places. 

I'm sure the price of my trip was a fraction of what it would be today. We didn't talk about "terrorists." We were composed of both a band and choir. I was pleased to be sitting next to Joan Force, an attractive blond from Iowa, in the trumpet section. In the U.S. we played at the Kennedy Center, when it was quite new, and Carnegie Hall. We dined on the rooftop of the Kennedy Center. "I wonder what the poor people are doing." Just kidding. 

You should seize the opportunity to see Europe - don't put it off.

My little trademark among my peers was my tendency to want to do a little jogging. This was just before the pastime of jogging (or distance-running) began taking off. In '72 if you engaged in such a thing, you might be considered a little oddball. I remember a fellow trumpet player, Mike McVicker, who I think was from Washington state, took special interest in my pastime. So did an African-American gentleman named Hyland Brooks from the Carolinas. Hyland is still active in music as you can appreciate by clicking on this YouTube link. He had more hair in 1972! Here's the Hyland Brooks Quintet with "Come on Back."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0K1ykGJA5ow

 

I was in Salzburg, Austria, when I saw the cover of Time Magazine that had George McGovern with Thomas Eagleton. Eagleton was the senator from Missouri who had only a short stint as the runningmate. We learned he had had multiple medical treatments for psychiatric depression. He had kept that secret. Once revealed, the background forced him out. 

The McGovern campaign was completely futile partly due to Richard Nixon's dirty tricks. Nixon eventually left office in humiliation. I have watched the movie "Frost/Nixon" and found it wanting. I agree with the Star Tribune's movie critic, who had a problem with the movie because it made Nixon look too sympathetic. Movies are supposed to show us the multiple dimensions of people, of course: the bad and the good. Nixon was a bad and dangerous person toward the end. Bob Scheiffer later revealed in a book that Nixon wasn't even the commander in chief at the end: any military intentions he voiced had to be relayed to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs. That's rather concerning, considering that our system is based on civilian control of the military. The reason coups work is that, who can stand up to the military? Fortunately the coup we're considering here was a benevolent one, necessitated by the instability of our nation's leader. Thanks Republicans. How did the Farm Bureau rationalize all that?

You know, I think McGovern would have been a good president. Remember his "peace buck" proposal?

The first push toward the running/jogging "boom" or fad was Frank Shorter winning the Olympic marathon, within a few months after our trip. We were mesmerized watching Shorter on TV. My generation in particular became thrilled with the pastime, thus we saw the blooming of all those 10Ks and 5Ks. And marathons. I ran the Twin Cities Marathon three times, in 1984, '87 and '88. I ran it once really well, in '84 with a time just a minute over three hours - a great time for someone my size.

In 1977, James Fixx came out with a book that pushed the running pastime considerably. Its title: "The Complete Book of Running." I have to chuckle a little, because it's hardly necessary to read a book in order to learn how to run. Fixx died of a heart attack while jogging at age 52. Irony? Really not, as he had a genetic predisposition for heart problems, and other previous lifestyle factors. He had atherosclerosis. Kenneth Cooper took over as an exercise/running guru.

The boomers in their vitality of youth, and showing their tendency to get obsessed with various things, really took to running. Today we have moderated. We endorse a variety of activities in an exercise regimen. 

As kids we endorsed both the counterculture and the political "new left." The counterculture survived, the new left did not. Jim Morrison at the Sun Tribune (of Morris MN) joked: "The new left is now the old left."

Yes, I could have spent my time better back in that summer of '72. I lived for the present, not a bad idea considering all the economic inflation that was on its way. We got "stagflation." The '70s were by and large a cynical and rather discouraging time. Jimmy Carter tried rescuing the hostages in Iran and the helicopters broke down. The Roe vs. Wade decision on abortion wouldn't come until 1973, the year I graduated from high school.

No one can ever take those trip memories away from me. I stood at the front of the stage at Carnegie Hall, as we dispersed for free time in NYC, and played my trumpet, improvising. That's a precious memory if ever there was one. The sound of my trumpet filling Carnegie Hall! So, 1972 had its charms, even including the game of "Pong," which I first played at an arcade at the Willmar shopping mall.
The full names of the three gents in the photo at top-right of this post are: Hyland Brooks, Chris Kuhs (not Kush) and Tom Crossler. Tom was a real character from Idaho. He gave us his "Tom the Tourist" character.

- Brian Williams - morris mn Minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com

Re-thinking age-old pastime of hunting

I have always admired the bluebill, a.k.a. lesser scaup.

Going to Africa sounds exciting to me. Our librarian, Melissa Yauk, went to South Africa for a thimble collectors convention. Yes, people collect thimbles. What a healthy and interesting pastime. Thinking of South Africa reminds me of one of my favorite all-time movies: "The Gods Must Be Crazy."

Africa was in the news recently because of a hunting incident. This is not such a wonderful pastime. Unfortunately it was a hunter from our state, Minnesota, in the focus. Unfortunately it was a dentist at the focus. Not only was the incident on its face regrettable, look at the amount of money that guy spent. Imagine spending what seems to me to be an astronomical sum, $55,000, for the opportunity to kill an animal.
I have written a song about this incident and its protagonist, Dr. Walter Palmer. The song is on YouTube. I had it recorded at the Nashville TN studio of Bob Angello. Bob is a great guy who sees to it that their product is rendered with high competence and feeling. His studio is in the Nashville suburb of Hermitage. I invite you to listen to "Hey Walter Palmer" by clicking on the permalink. Thanks for listening.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbVUO0WtQ5g
 
My father came to Jesus in regard to hunting late in his life. I overheard him discuss this with a friend one day. He said he was inclined to a "live and let live" attitude. He took me hunting often when I was growing up. I suppose any activity that brings a father and son together can't be all bad.
We hunted ducks at Frog Lake (a.k.a. Gorder Lake) near Alberta MN. Frog Lake in the 1960s was a hunter's bonanza. A whole kaleidoscope of ducks passed overhead. I have great memories of observing these ducks. I don't care to think about the hunting aspect: firing a shotgun into the air, hoping to knock down one of these winged creatures. They'd land in the water, often not immediately dead. I don't care to describe it any further.
I'm proud of having been close to nature, not proud of having fired the gun. My first gun was a single-shot 16-gauge, which I gathered was a somewhat oddball gauge number. A 16-gauge was one notch down from the powerful 12-gauge. Many of my friends used the weaker .410. I remember the variety of interesting ducks along with the blue and snow geese which were too high in the sky to shoot at. Do the "blues and snows" still pass over this area? Believe it or not, Canadian geese were rare in the 1960s. We were awestruck when seeing them. It was very rare for the Canadians to get close enough for us to shoot at. If we could actually "bag" one, we probably felt as proud as did Dr. Walter Palmer in bagging his lion.
I remember redheads, canvasbacks and spoonbills around Frog Lake. I'm pulling these terms from my distant boyhood memories. Mallards were common and beautiful. Oh, and the "teals." Each year we anticipated the "northern flight." My father advised me that the flight could be very fleeting - over almost as soon as it started, and it might come through during the dark of night. The flight could be exciting because of the exotic breeds. The bluebills were fascinating. A flock of bluebills passing overhead produced a sound like a jet plane! It's a shame to fire a shotgun into that. It's fun to just observe. The "bufflehead" was another exotic duck.
In the late '70s my father and I did some hunting at Flax Lake next to Frog Lake. That's how I got to know Carl Benson. Dad and I also did some hunting at Mud Lake.
As I look back, I realize how dangerous this activity was. It's bad enough for a hunting party to have members each toting around a loaded gun, for crying out loud. But in addition, being out on the (very cold) water wearing heavy clothing spells danger, if for some reason you end up in the water. I never thought about that at the time.
My father was very well-intentioned planning these activities for us. In hindsight I could have gotten involved in far more constructive activities.
Dr. Walter Palmer will spend the rest of his life trying to explain his trip to Africa that cost him $55,000. He should have been far more contrite in the aftermath. Even if he was insincere, he should have been contrite. If I were him, I would have immediately volunteered to serve with some of those traveling clinics that serve the underprivileged. He really could save face doing this. He could have publicly stated that he was searching his soul over the "hobby" of big game hunting.
Our societal attitudes are shifting. After over 157,000 people signed a petition asking Delta Airlines to stop transporting hunting trophies, the airline announced it had officially banned the practice. Shortly after, American Airlines, United Airlines and Air Canada announced they had joined Delta in banning trophies. Get the drift, Walter?

- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com

Five touchdowns by MACA at Yellow Medicine East

Tigers 34, Sting 0
The MACA boys rolled over Yellow Medicine East in Friday football action. It was win No. 4 for the surging Tigers. Remember when Granite Falls by itself was a football power? Today, folded in as part of YME, a lot of the firepower seems to have been lost. I remember in the late 1980s, the Tigers used a trick play to beat Granite Falls in a highly memorable game at Granite Falls. That era is fading into the past.
Today, MACA is certainly connecting on all cylinders. The Tigers improved their season record to 4-1 with this 34-0 triumph. We scored in every quarter. We accumulated 279 rushing yards. The passing game, while not used often, was efficient and effective. Quarterback Trent Marty completed three passes in six attempts for 93 yards. Eric Staebler had two of the catches for 59 yards. Andrew Ulrich had the other catch for an ample 34 yards.
The Tigers capitalized on YME turnovers. We intercepted three passes and recovered three fumbles.
Jacob Zosel bulled forward, getting 101 rushing yards on 14 carries of the football. The balanced rushing attack also featured Chase Metzger getting 73 yards on four carries. Connor Koebernick added 52 yards to the mix on seven carries. Signal-caller Marty was effective with 41 rushing yards on eight carries. Kyle Staebler rushed for nine yards and Taylor Staples added five. Eric Staebler did the Tigers' punting.
The first quarter ended with MACA up 6-0. It was Metzger scoring that touchdown on a 19-yard run. Zosel was off to the races on a 42-yard scoring run in the second quarter, and he carried again successfully on the conversion play, so halftime arrived with the score 14-0.
MACA momentum grew into the second half. Metzger had two rushing touchdowns in the third quarter, the first covering 17 yards, the second covering eight. Ryan Dietz ran for the two-point conversion after the eight-yard scamper. MACA made its final scoring statement of the night when Taylor Staples ran the ball into the end zone from the three.
MACA had just two successful scoring plays among the five touchdowns. We accumulated 12 first downs en route to the win. We lost one fumble and were penalized nine times for 70 yards.
YME was not able to establish any sort of passing game. That's an understatement, really, as the Sting had no completions and three interceptions. Ballcarriers who gained yards for the host Sting were Jordan Odegard, Austin Friese, Bryce Schmidt, Garrett Nordang and Miles Kattevold. Garrett Schmitz was the YME quarterback. Bright spots for YME were Jordan Odegard with an interception and Miles Kattevold with a fumble recovery.
 

Volleyball: Tigers 3, Minnewaska Area 0

The Morris Area Chokio Alberta volleyball express rolled forward on Thursday, Sept. 17, with a sweep on the road. The success was versus Minnewaska Area. The 3-0 win came by scores of 25-14, 25-9 and 25-22.
Karly Fehr was the set assist machine with 20. Lindsey Dierks executed two ace blocks. One ace block each came from Brooke Gillespie, Ashley Solvie and Moira McNally. Gillespie had ten digs followed by Dierks with eight and Decker with seven. At the serving line, Riley Decker pounded two serve aces. One ace each came from Gillespie, Fehr, Dierks and Carly Maanum.
On to the hitting department. Here it was Gillespie and Dierks setting the pace, each with six kills. Solvie and Haley Erdahl each pounded four kills. Jenna Howden delivered three kills. One kill each came from Fehr, Maanum and McNally.
Abby VerSteg had seven kills for the host Lakers. Emma Middendorf had six ace blocks. Bailey Stewart topped the Lakers in digs with 22. Taylor Amundson was the chief 'Waska setter with 14 assists. And in serving, VerSteg led the 'Waska effort with two aces followed by Kaylee Glover and Marie Styve each with one.
The Tigers enter the new week with a 6-0 overall record, 5-0 in conference.
 

Cross country: meet at NL-Spicer

Cross country action had the Tigers testing their stamina in the New London-Spicer Invitational on Thursday. Maddie Carrington and Savannah Aanerud were headlining performers for the Tigers. Carrington placed third with her time of 20:51.1. Aanerud was the No. 4 performer with her time of 20:55.8.
Malory Anderson was No. 11 to the finish line, clocked at 21:41.0. Kylie Raths turned in a 21:52.7 time, good for 13th; and Midori Soderberg was 32nd with her 21:19.2 clocking. Anna Donnay of Eden Valley-Watkins was the first place girls runner, timed at 18:50.9. The runner-up was Carissa Vanderwal of Ortonville with her time of 20:32.6.
The boys race was won by Keiser Freetly of LQPV/DB, timed at 17:25.5. His Eagle teammate, John Wagner, was runner-up with a 17:32.0 clocking. Tate Nelson of the Tigers led our orange and black efforts, placing ninth at 18:32.8. Ryan Gray placed 17th (19:06.1) and Noah Stewart was #18 (19:10.3). Also representing the orange and black were Cam Arndt (20:34.5) and Tyler Reimers (20:47.0).
Lac qui Parle/Dawson-Boyd topped both the boys and girls standings. The MACA girls were No. 2, while our boys were fifth.

- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com