Sophomores this year, you move over a couple of rows in study hall. You now have a year behind of you of high school and are no longer looked at as the dorks you really were as freshmen.
The class of 1966 was a good class not a great class in my opinion. Bruce Adams and Bob Seidler were very cool guys and this class produced the first Viet Nam casualty in Melvin Thompson who was the Salutarorian of the class and was killed in Viet Nam on November 21, 1968 in Quang Ngai Province, South Vietnam. Melvin was killed by hostile fire and you can find his name on the Wall at Panel 38W line 031. Melvin had gone to Viet Nam so he could get the GI Bill and go to school.
Our class consisted this year of 18 students. Nick Baskerville, Vicki Buditt, Carlotta Delano, Joyce Eccher, Becky Gottschalk, Jane Hatteberg, Myron Hatteberg, Darlene Hunter, Philip Kelly, Dick Murphy, Pat Murphy, Karen Nieland, Joleen Reis, Steve Schossow, Linda Seagren, Don Smith, Dennis Stafford and myself.
Again since Fonda did not play football and there was no girls volleyball at that time, all of us could not wait for basketball season to start. I had grown almost 8 inches over the summer and was now a full 6' tall. Every joint in my body hurt and due to the rapid growth I was certainly not the most coordinated. Both the boys and girls basketball teams had lost alot to graduation and so this was certainly going to be a rebuilding year, yet, hopes were high that we would have good teams.
The girls team was again coached by Lee Hurlburt and they did not win a game during the regular season. They were led by Karen Schoon and Jane Hatteberg in the forward court and by Jeanne Hatterberg and Sheral Adams in the guard court. The team was very young playing alot of juniors and sophomores who previously did not have alot of game time experience and better things would come.
The boys team was coached by Phil Rihner. Mr. Rihner was a wonderful man, shop teacher, drivers education teacher, however, was not a great coach and unfortunately for him, he also would have a very young and inexperienced team this year. Our best player was Bruce Adams who would quit the team before the season started. We started that year, two sophomores, two juniors and one senior, and our subs were a freshmen and a junior who had never played before, disaster was about to occur.
In those days you did not have the youth traveling teams, you did not play 25 games a year in junior varsity, that just wasn't the way it was done. So, when you have a very young team, you were going to struggle. Our practices were never more than 90 minutes long as we had to share the gym with the girls team and we were always home by 6PM for dinner.
You never understand the speed of the game until you get into the game. Plays that would work in practice just never seemed to work in live game action. I remember our first game was against Rembrandt and they had a very good team. I was playing point guard and the first two passes I threw were intercepted and taken in for lay-ups. The speed of the game and the quality of the opponent was too much for us to handle and we were beaten soundly. The whole year was that way and we like the girls did not win a game that year. Most of our losses were by big margins and the closet we got to winning a game was the last game of the year. Newell beat us 80 to 70. I had 19 points. Pat Murphy and myself were the two big scorers, we played Palmer one night and Pat had 31 points and I had 29 and we still got beat by 20 points. We were a very poor basketball team, but help was on the way.
Homecoming King and Queen this year was Kathy Stauter and Bob Seidler. Queen Candidates were Kathy Behrends, Karen Schoon and Jeanne Hatteberg. King Candidates were Bruce Adams, Martin Hatteberg and Jack Winkler.
In the spring time we played golf and ran track. Allen Goetchius was our best track performer and I was the medalist on the golf team.
Every year we had an all school awards banquet where you got your medals and awards for the year. There was always a big meal followed by the awards being given out. This year was particularly interesting as at the end of the banquet, Mr. Adams announced that Mr. Rihner would not be coaching next year and the Fonda would be starting a football team in the fall of 1966. Football was coming to Fonda!!!!!!
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Summertime in Fonda
The summers in Fonda, Iowa were great. In the summer of 1965 the Beatles were still the group you liked to listen too, muscle cars were becoming more prominent with the Mustangs, GTO's and Chevy Supersports all really fast. The war in Viet Nam was not that prevalent yet on our nightly tv screens, yet in November of 1965, Colonel Hal Moore and the 7th Cav will tangle with the NVA in the Ia Drang Valley. 170 US troops will be killed as well as 1800 NVA regulars. Gas for regular was 19 cents a gallon and ethel was 24 cents a gallon. We would all get in the car throw in a dollar a piece and have enough gas for the night.
While every building in Fonda had a business in it, Fonda, like many other small towns was an agriculturally based community and how well the merchants did hinged on how well the farmers did. Unlike today, if you wanted a job in the summer you could work. Most of my friends lived on farms and worked there and we would walk beans, detassle corn and put up hay in the summer. I also worked at the local grocery store and had a paper route.
Fonda had a nice swimming pool, we had band concerts on Saturday evenings and one of my favorite places was the golf course. Fonda's golf course opened up in 1964. I had only played golf a couple of times with my father in Sioux City so playing golf was something new to me. Some of the better players in Fonda at that time were Mark Kelley, Bill Evans, Kelly Boettcher, Gary Boettcher and Terry Smith. Par on the course was 35. Many of the men who played golf at that time belonged over in Newell. Newell at that time had sand greens and they really weren't much fun to play on. Fonda had beautiful big grass greens when it opened and was a much better course to play.
One of the great things we did at the golf course was league golf. You had two man teams and every Monday night you had a team competition. The team captains would pick there teams at the beginning of the league season and you would go out and play based upon your handicap. I was on the team with Gary Boettcher and truly enjoyed the competition.
I remember one evening I was in a match against Kelly Boettcher. Kelly was a very good player however, I had to give him a stroke. The seventh hole in Fonda is a long par three and the number one handicap hole. As we were standing on the tee, Kelly asked me if I thought he could get there as there was a wind in our face. There was also a group in front of us putting out on the hole. I told him I wasn't sure. He told me he didn't think he could so he hit the ball. He hit it quite well and as it hit the ground it started to roll and up onto the green it went, hit Larry Calkins in the foot and rolled right into the hole for a hole in one!!!!! I obviously lost the hole and the match. It was the first hole in one for Kelly and he would always remind me of it years later when I saw him. Kelly was a wonderful man who I liked very much. There was also other good matches with Bill Evans, Bill beat me on the last hole one night by making about a 50 foot side winder putt that only Bill could make. It is funny the things you do remember, however, I do remember that putt. I also remember playing Dale Garlock who owned the local newspaper. I beat Dale handily one night and his next column was how he got beat by a 15 year old kid and how he bowed to youth. I still have the article. I also remember Allen Blume. Allen was the local barber at that time. We all would get our haircuts and Allen would make fun of us because we all liked to play golf. He could not understand how anyone could go out and chase a little ball and have any fun. He called golf "pasture pool." Ironically, Allen did take up the game of golf and got hooked on it. In the winter he would hit balls in his garage to keep his game sharp as he would say. Allen became a very good golfer and I will still see him occasionally when I go home and visit the course.
I also remember playing basketball at Mahaney's. Mahaney's was the local funeral parlor so there was plenty of room there, nice big garage and a hoop. At nights we would play pick-up games until late into the evenings. There would always be anywhere from 6 to 10 of us and we always had great games and just alot of fun. If your parents wanted you, you were easy to find.
At the end of the summer we would have a Labor Day Celebration, held down by the baseball park. There would be a small carnival and the big event was always the tractor pull. There was always plenty of food to eat, beer to drink, tractors to watch and great looking girls at the ball park. In the evening there would sometimes be a talent show for local talent to sing and dance and the ball park was usually full.
Summer is over, school is about to begin again. Sophomore's this year.
While every building in Fonda had a business in it, Fonda, like many other small towns was an agriculturally based community and how well the merchants did hinged on how well the farmers did. Unlike today, if you wanted a job in the summer you could work. Most of my friends lived on farms and worked there and we would walk beans, detassle corn and put up hay in the summer. I also worked at the local grocery store and had a paper route.
Fonda had a nice swimming pool, we had band concerts on Saturday evenings and one of my favorite places was the golf course. Fonda's golf course opened up in 1964. I had only played golf a couple of times with my father in Sioux City so playing golf was something new to me. Some of the better players in Fonda at that time were Mark Kelley, Bill Evans, Kelly Boettcher, Gary Boettcher and Terry Smith. Par on the course was 35. Many of the men who played golf at that time belonged over in Newell. Newell at that time had sand greens and they really weren't much fun to play on. Fonda had beautiful big grass greens when it opened and was a much better course to play.
One of the great things we did at the golf course was league golf. You had two man teams and every Monday night you had a team competition. The team captains would pick there teams at the beginning of the league season and you would go out and play based upon your handicap. I was on the team with Gary Boettcher and truly enjoyed the competition.
I remember one evening I was in a match against Kelly Boettcher. Kelly was a very good player however, I had to give him a stroke. The seventh hole in Fonda is a long par three and the number one handicap hole. As we were standing on the tee, Kelly asked me if I thought he could get there as there was a wind in our face. There was also a group in front of us putting out on the hole. I told him I wasn't sure. He told me he didn't think he could so he hit the ball. He hit it quite well and as it hit the ground it started to roll and up onto the green it went, hit Larry Calkins in the foot and rolled right into the hole for a hole in one!!!!! I obviously lost the hole and the match. It was the first hole in one for Kelly and he would always remind me of it years later when I saw him. Kelly was a wonderful man who I liked very much. There was also other good matches with Bill Evans, Bill beat me on the last hole one night by making about a 50 foot side winder putt that only Bill could make. It is funny the things you do remember, however, I do remember that putt. I also remember playing Dale Garlock who owned the local newspaper. I beat Dale handily one night and his next column was how he got beat by a 15 year old kid and how he bowed to youth. I still have the article. I also remember Allen Blume. Allen was the local barber at that time. We all would get our haircuts and Allen would make fun of us because we all liked to play golf. He could not understand how anyone could go out and chase a little ball and have any fun. He called golf "pasture pool." Ironically, Allen did take up the game of golf and got hooked on it. In the winter he would hit balls in his garage to keep his game sharp as he would say. Allen became a very good golfer and I will still see him occasionally when I go home and visit the course.
I also remember playing basketball at Mahaney's. Mahaney's was the local funeral parlor so there was plenty of room there, nice big garage and a hoop. At nights we would play pick-up games until late into the evenings. There would always be anywhere from 6 to 10 of us and we always had great games and just alot of fun. If your parents wanted you, you were easy to find.
At the end of the summer we would have a Labor Day Celebration, held down by the baseball park. There would be a small carnival and the big event was always the tractor pull. There was always plenty of food to eat, beer to drink, tractors to watch and great looking girls at the ball park. In the evening there would sometimes be a talent show for local talent to sing and dance and the ball park was usually full.
Summer is over, school is about to begin again. Sophomore's this year.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Summer Baseball 1965
Summer Babe Ruth baseball started out with the hope that we would have a good season. We lost Doug Evans and Larry King, however, we gained John Leo Hartnett who would be joining the team. John Leo was huge compared to the rest of us. He was probably already 6'3" by the time he was a freshmen in high school. He could throw very hard, his only problem was sometimes he didn't know where it was going. I can tell you he was legendary in Little League baseball and you never dug in on John Leo. John Leo would go on to play at University of Iowa where he played on Iowa's conference championship team that made the College World Series and I believe threw a no-hitter against Arizona while in college.
Since Doug Evans was no longer playing with us we had a new coach in Lee Hurlburt. Lee was a teacher at the public school and also the girl's basketball coach and for the most part did a good job with the team.
We played very well during the year with John Leo and myself doing most of the pitching duties. I remember we played Ida Grove and John Leo threw a one hitter at them as we defeated them 13 to 4. I pitched most of the important games and had a very good season with a strike out ratio of almost 2 stike outs per inning. Our season was a good one with John Leo Hartnett, Pat Murphy, Terry Cole and myself making the Northern League All Star team.
We played our prelimary tournament games in Sac City and won the championship easily. Pat Murphy played very well and I pitched in one of the games as well. It was now time to go to Boone and play for the State Babe Ruth championship.
Going to play in Boone was truly a wonderful experience. You did not stay in some fancy hotel, people in the community would bring players into their homes and you stayed with one of your teammates and another family. You were fed, taken to the ball park, had a good bed to sleep in and stayed with really nice people. It was a wonderful experience.
We won our first game handily and came time for the second game. The game started inthe late afternoon and was very very hot. John Leo was pitching for us and while doing fine was very wild on this day, walking as many as he would strike out. Every inning I was up and getting warmed up ready to come in and somehow John Leo would get out of the inning. One particular inning was very exciting as John Leo walked the bases loaded and up I got again to get ready to come in. It just so happens that I was ready and I remember the manager saying that if John Leo doesn't get this guy out to be ready to come in so I am standing and watching the activities. The batter hit a line drive shot right back to John Leo who caught it, the runners were going as they were sure it was a hit, he threw the ball to second for out number two and the shortstop then threw it to first for a triple play. It was amazing how quickly it happened and it just took the life out of the other team. The manager had seen enough, I came in the next inning and pitched three innings of no hit, no run ball and we did win the game. Now onto the championship game.
Since I had pitched three innings the day before I would not be pitching unless absolutely necessary. I had the type of arm that did not recover quickly and I got sore and needed a couple of days rest before I could go again. It was a overcast rainy day and we were playing a team out of Des Moines. They got off to a fast start and before you know it we were behind ten to nothing and that is how the game ended with the pitcher from Des Moines throwing a no hitter against us. No trip to Minnesota to play in the National tournament, no trophy, no plaque, you just went home.
None of the players were aware of this, however, the parents made arrangements for when we got back to Sac City to have a parade for us, ride on the fire trucks and give us a warm welcome. You went from very sad of losing to very happy to be a part of this and being shown how much the people enjoyed our team and how hard we played. I remember sitting with Pat Murphy on the fire truck and how much fun we had at the tournament and we just couldn't get over that people really did care enough to give us this parade.
Baseball was over for the summer, yet there were still fun things to do in Fonda.
Since Doug Evans was no longer playing with us we had a new coach in Lee Hurlburt. Lee was a teacher at the public school and also the girl's basketball coach and for the most part did a good job with the team.
We played very well during the year with John Leo and myself doing most of the pitching duties. I remember we played Ida Grove and John Leo threw a one hitter at them as we defeated them 13 to 4. I pitched most of the important games and had a very good season with a strike out ratio of almost 2 stike outs per inning. Our season was a good one with John Leo Hartnett, Pat Murphy, Terry Cole and myself making the Northern League All Star team.
We played our prelimary tournament games in Sac City and won the championship easily. Pat Murphy played very well and I pitched in one of the games as well. It was now time to go to Boone and play for the State Babe Ruth championship.
Going to play in Boone was truly a wonderful experience. You did not stay in some fancy hotel, people in the community would bring players into their homes and you stayed with one of your teammates and another family. You were fed, taken to the ball park, had a good bed to sleep in and stayed with really nice people. It was a wonderful experience.
We won our first game handily and came time for the second game. The game started inthe late afternoon and was very very hot. John Leo was pitching for us and while doing fine was very wild on this day, walking as many as he would strike out. Every inning I was up and getting warmed up ready to come in and somehow John Leo would get out of the inning. One particular inning was very exciting as John Leo walked the bases loaded and up I got again to get ready to come in. It just so happens that I was ready and I remember the manager saying that if John Leo doesn't get this guy out to be ready to come in so I am standing and watching the activities. The batter hit a line drive shot right back to John Leo who caught it, the runners were going as they were sure it was a hit, he threw the ball to second for out number two and the shortstop then threw it to first for a triple play. It was amazing how quickly it happened and it just took the life out of the other team. The manager had seen enough, I came in the next inning and pitched three innings of no hit, no run ball and we did win the game. Now onto the championship game.
Since I had pitched three innings the day before I would not be pitching unless absolutely necessary. I had the type of arm that did not recover quickly and I got sore and needed a couple of days rest before I could go again. It was a overcast rainy day and we were playing a team out of Des Moines. They got off to a fast start and before you know it we were behind ten to nothing and that is how the game ended with the pitcher from Des Moines throwing a no hitter against us. No trip to Minnesota to play in the National tournament, no trophy, no plaque, you just went home.
None of the players were aware of this, however, the parents made arrangements for when we got back to Sac City to have a parade for us, ride on the fire trucks and give us a warm welcome. You went from very sad of losing to very happy to be a part of this and being shown how much the people enjoyed our team and how hard we played. I remember sitting with Pat Murphy on the fire truck and how much fun we had at the tournament and we just couldn't get over that people really did care enough to give us this parade.
Baseball was over for the summer, yet there were still fun things to do in Fonda.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
1964/65
Our freshmen year, we now get to sit in the big study hall with all of those who are in High School. Our high school journey has now officially started and we are full of hope and promise. Starting in the fall of 1964 there were 18 of us in the class of 1968. They were: Nick Baskerville, Vicki Burditt, Carlotta Delano, Joyce Eccer, Becky Gottschalk, Jane Hatteberg, Myron Hatterberg, Darlene Hunter, Philip Kelly, Dick Murphy, Pat Murphy, Karen Nieland, Joleen Reis, Steve Schossow, Linda Seagren, Don Smith, Dennis Stafford and myself. We lost Barb Meyer, Paul Erickson. We lost Barb Meyer and Paul Erickson. We gained Joyce Eccer, Becky Gottschalk, Pat Murphy, Karen Nieland.
Our year started out very nicely with Freshmen initiation, we had to wear burlap bags all day long and the seniors had plenty of things for us to do which for the most part was all in fun. On Friday night we had the big initiation where each person gets there turn. I had to sit on a block of ice while the proceedings went of during the evening as I was told I thought I was a "hot" trumpet player and needed cooled off. Obviously there wasn't much feeling left in the buttocks after having sat on the ice for about 30 minutes. The next tradition was to take the freshmen out and "dump" them, basically take them out of town and leave them and make them walk back into town. Steve Walters and Bruce Schoon were the designated dumpers of myself and Dennis Stafford, they took us out of town about 2 miles and we got out of the car and started to walk back into town. They didn't leave us long as it was very late in the evening, however, some of the parents got wind of this and went to find their children, my father being one of them. Now, my father was not someone you messed with and he did find us before Steve and Bruce did and there was heck to pay, the parents were calling Tom Adams the principal and were quite unhappy.
Baby Boomers are those children born between 1946 and 1964. To me the Class of 1965 is probably one of the best classes to ever come out of Fonda High School. People of character, integrity and knew right from wrong. Really the first or second class of "Boomers" to graduate from High School. I do have a theory that suggests that the earlier "Boomers" to graduate took on more of their parents viewpoints and culture and the younger ones became the more spoiled, the more pampered and less independent and not as accepting of their parents value system.
Since we didn't play football in Fonda the basketball season was always looked forward too. This year should be a good year for both of the girls and boys teams as they have alot of returning players.
Girls team posted a 12 win 5 loss team losing to Schaller 70 to 54 in the Sectionals. They were lead by Dee Ann Darling and Janet Peterson in the forward court and Nancy Maddy and Elaine Johnson in the guard court. Girls basketball in those days was the 6 on 6 version, with three guards and three forwards. A much better game than today's attempt at women's basketball. They were coached by Lee Hurlburt.
The boys team was coached by Phil Rihner. Expectations were high as the team had returning Charley Maschino, Steve Walters, Bruce Schoon who were all starters the year before and we were adding Bruce Adams and Darvin Dirks. The team started out slowly, however, played well enough in the middle of the season to end up winning the CPW Conference Championship. Charley Maschino was first team all conference and Steve Walters was second team all conference. I remember we beat Pomeroy 64 to 61. Was a big game to us as it counted as either two wins or two losses as we only played them once during the year. Pomeroy was a big favorite as they were very good. Pat Murphy, a freshmen was playing alot now and was very good. Pat made two free throws in the last minute of the game to help preserve the victory. Quite an accomplishment for a freshmen. We lost to Schaller 72 to 50 in the sectionals to close out the season at 10 wins and 8 losses. Honestly the team had much more talent than the wins and losses showed and was coached by a wonderful man who knew absolutely nothing about basketball. My season was dressing some for the varsity games and playing in the jv games. I was not very good at the beginning of the year. I was only 5'4 inches tall and had only played 8 games of basketball in my life. I was way behind the others in fundamentals, yet, I had alot of drive and desire to be good. I did get to dress for the sectional game against Schaller. I remember we got new uniforms for the game. Since I was the last person to dress I got the last uniform, the number was 54. If you know anything about uniforms, the bigger the number, the larger the uniform. The armpits were down to my waist it was so big for me but I did get to suit up. I did also get to play the last minute of the game. I took a shot that hit the side of the backboard, not a good shot, yet, I did get one off.
Since we did not have football in Fonda, our homecoming every year was during the basketball season. We like other schools always had a King and a Queen. The Queen that year was Janet Peterson and the King was Steve Walters. Steve Walters was a hero of mine, he was smart, talented artistically, had a great car and wonderful parents. He was the one I would have wanted to be most like. I always had a huge crush on Dee Ann Darling and Linda Barlow. Do you remember being a younger man and wishing you could have the woman of your dreams. Well, either one of them would have done very nicely for me. LOL Both were very pretty and smart and always nice to me.
Marching band was great fun with this group. We would always take a couple of trips a year. We usually went to the Drake Relays in Des Moines, Iowa usually marched at the Morningside College parade in Sioux City, Iowa and the Buena Vista College parade in Storm Lake, Iowa. This was a great group to go with, we sang on the bus, the older ones took care of the younger ones. I remember Ray Peterson was the best marcher I ever saw. Ray played the saxophone and marched with his knees high and a smile on his face. We all should have marched like Ray and enjoyed it as much as he did.
The year ends, a great class now leaves to follow their own dreams.
Our year started out very nicely with Freshmen initiation, we had to wear burlap bags all day long and the seniors had plenty of things for us to do which for the most part was all in fun. On Friday night we had the big initiation where each person gets there turn. I had to sit on a block of ice while the proceedings went of during the evening as I was told I thought I was a "hot" trumpet player and needed cooled off. Obviously there wasn't much feeling left in the buttocks after having sat on the ice for about 30 minutes. The next tradition was to take the freshmen out and "dump" them, basically take them out of town and leave them and make them walk back into town. Steve Walters and Bruce Schoon were the designated dumpers of myself and Dennis Stafford, they took us out of town about 2 miles and we got out of the car and started to walk back into town. They didn't leave us long as it was very late in the evening, however, some of the parents got wind of this and went to find their children, my father being one of them. Now, my father was not someone you messed with and he did find us before Steve and Bruce did and there was heck to pay, the parents were calling Tom Adams the principal and were quite unhappy.
Baby Boomers are those children born between 1946 and 1964. To me the Class of 1965 is probably one of the best classes to ever come out of Fonda High School. People of character, integrity and knew right from wrong. Really the first or second class of "Boomers" to graduate from High School. I do have a theory that suggests that the earlier "Boomers" to graduate took on more of their parents viewpoints and culture and the younger ones became the more spoiled, the more pampered and less independent and not as accepting of their parents value system.
Since we didn't play football in Fonda the basketball season was always looked forward too. This year should be a good year for both of the girls and boys teams as they have alot of returning players.
Girls team posted a 12 win 5 loss team losing to Schaller 70 to 54 in the Sectionals. They were lead by Dee Ann Darling and Janet Peterson in the forward court and Nancy Maddy and Elaine Johnson in the guard court. Girls basketball in those days was the 6 on 6 version, with three guards and three forwards. A much better game than today's attempt at women's basketball. They were coached by Lee Hurlburt.
The boys team was coached by Phil Rihner. Expectations were high as the team had returning Charley Maschino, Steve Walters, Bruce Schoon who were all starters the year before and we were adding Bruce Adams and Darvin Dirks. The team started out slowly, however, played well enough in the middle of the season to end up winning the CPW Conference Championship. Charley Maschino was first team all conference and Steve Walters was second team all conference. I remember we beat Pomeroy 64 to 61. Was a big game to us as it counted as either two wins or two losses as we only played them once during the year. Pomeroy was a big favorite as they were very good. Pat Murphy, a freshmen was playing alot now and was very good. Pat made two free throws in the last minute of the game to help preserve the victory. Quite an accomplishment for a freshmen. We lost to Schaller 72 to 50 in the sectionals to close out the season at 10 wins and 8 losses. Honestly the team had much more talent than the wins and losses showed and was coached by a wonderful man who knew absolutely nothing about basketball. My season was dressing some for the varsity games and playing in the jv games. I was not very good at the beginning of the year. I was only 5'4 inches tall and had only played 8 games of basketball in my life. I was way behind the others in fundamentals, yet, I had alot of drive and desire to be good. I did get to dress for the sectional game against Schaller. I remember we got new uniforms for the game. Since I was the last person to dress I got the last uniform, the number was 54. If you know anything about uniforms, the bigger the number, the larger the uniform. The armpits were down to my waist it was so big for me but I did get to suit up. I did also get to play the last minute of the game. I took a shot that hit the side of the backboard, not a good shot, yet, I did get one off.
Since we did not have football in Fonda, our homecoming every year was during the basketball season. We like other schools always had a King and a Queen. The Queen that year was Janet Peterson and the King was Steve Walters. Steve Walters was a hero of mine, he was smart, talented artistically, had a great car and wonderful parents. He was the one I would have wanted to be most like. I always had a huge crush on Dee Ann Darling and Linda Barlow. Do you remember being a younger man and wishing you could have the woman of your dreams. Well, either one of them would have done very nicely for me. LOL Both were very pretty and smart and always nice to me.
Marching band was great fun with this group. We would always take a couple of trips a year. We usually went to the Drake Relays in Des Moines, Iowa usually marched at the Morningside College parade in Sioux City, Iowa and the Buena Vista College parade in Storm Lake, Iowa. This was a great group to go with, we sang on the bus, the older ones took care of the younger ones. I remember Ray Peterson was the best marcher I ever saw. Ray played the saxophone and marched with his knees high and a smile on his face. We all should have marched like Ray and enjoyed it as much as he did.
The year ends, a great class now leaves to follow their own dreams.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Summer Baseball 1964
At last the baseball season had arrived. This would be a new team for me as I had played baseball the summer before in Sioux City making the 13 year old All-Star team. So, new team, new players, had to be accepted and prove I could play. In the 60's you played Little League baseball at ages 10, 11, 12, Babe Ruth baseball at 13, 14, 15 and American Legion at 16 and 17.
Our coach was Bill Evans. Bill was one of the finest men I ever met. Very competitive, yet Bill would never yell at you, he would just give you that look of " what are you doing" and made you feel so bad cause you let him down. Bill was an excellent baseball man and had played the game and could teach it. He also was a WWII veteran who played the game to win the game. WWII veterans had a much different outlook as they were placed in an environment where losing was not acceptable. They did bring a mentality of winning at all costs.
Today with our socialized athletics we don't get that. When I played the best 9 played until the game was decided. Then the substitutes would get their turn. It was understood and if you wanted more playing time, then you had to get better. Today, it is you have to play everyone at least 2 innings and they have to get to bat at least once. Where is the reason to get better if you get to play whether you are good or not? I never liked that approach and still don't.
We had a pretty good team that summer. I pitched and played shortstop. We had 17 kids on the team. Gerald Johnson, Tim Stauter, Doug Kruchten, Bob McLaughlin, Dean Harrold, Gary Stairet, Danny Noethe, Ed Fitzgerald, John Sebben, Terry Cole, Les Miller, Doug Evans, Garry Fulcher, John Hartnett, Larry King, Pat Murphy and myself. Roger Evans was the batboy.
Our best player was Doug Evans. He was a very good pitcher as well as a great catcher. Doug threw really hard and when he caught, he would throw the ball back to me harder than I threw it to him sometimes, especially if he was mad. Evie did have a temper. Some of the other good players were Terry Cole, Larry King, Pat Murphy and John Sebben. We were having a pretty good year till we went to Newell to play a game. It had been raining and their field was very wet and muddy. Doug Evans went to slide into second base and his cleats caught and he broke his ankle. Doug to his credit would not let that deter him and he tried to play with a leg in a cast. He caught the rest of the year. Doug, Pat Murphy and myself made the county All-Star team that summer. Doug continued to catch and in the All Star games it hindered his play. He hit into a couple of double plays to end innings and hard for him to chase after the passed balls. We lost both games and had an early exit from the tournament. No fault of Doug's, yet he was put in a situation that was not the best for him or the team. In those days there were no designated hitters so you played or you sat.
I believe the team ended up with a 10 and 6 record however, would not swear to that one. We played in a beautiful ball park as Fonda had one of the best. Old time ball park. Big green fence, good hitting background, grass infield and a nice backstop. Nothing better than playing right after the grass had been cut and could smell the freshly cut grass. Nothing better than baseball in the summer in Fonda. We always had a big 4th of July celebration and every year played a game. We used to have big crowds of 500 to 600 people come to those games, followed by fire works afterwards. These were the best of times.
Our coach was Bill Evans. Bill was one of the finest men I ever met. Very competitive, yet Bill would never yell at you, he would just give you that look of " what are you doing" and made you feel so bad cause you let him down. Bill was an excellent baseball man and had played the game and could teach it. He also was a WWII veteran who played the game to win the game. WWII veterans had a much different outlook as they were placed in an environment where losing was not acceptable. They did bring a mentality of winning at all costs.
Today with our socialized athletics we don't get that. When I played the best 9 played until the game was decided. Then the substitutes would get their turn. It was understood and if you wanted more playing time, then you had to get better. Today, it is you have to play everyone at least 2 innings and they have to get to bat at least once. Where is the reason to get better if you get to play whether you are good or not? I never liked that approach and still don't.
We had a pretty good team that summer. I pitched and played shortstop. We had 17 kids on the team. Gerald Johnson, Tim Stauter, Doug Kruchten, Bob McLaughlin, Dean Harrold, Gary Stairet, Danny Noethe, Ed Fitzgerald, John Sebben, Terry Cole, Les Miller, Doug Evans, Garry Fulcher, John Hartnett, Larry King, Pat Murphy and myself. Roger Evans was the batboy.
Our best player was Doug Evans. He was a very good pitcher as well as a great catcher. Doug threw really hard and when he caught, he would throw the ball back to me harder than I threw it to him sometimes, especially if he was mad. Evie did have a temper. Some of the other good players were Terry Cole, Larry King, Pat Murphy and John Sebben. We were having a pretty good year till we went to Newell to play a game. It had been raining and their field was very wet and muddy. Doug Evans went to slide into second base and his cleats caught and he broke his ankle. Doug to his credit would not let that deter him and he tried to play with a leg in a cast. He caught the rest of the year. Doug, Pat Murphy and myself made the county All-Star team that summer. Doug continued to catch and in the All Star games it hindered his play. He hit into a couple of double plays to end innings and hard for him to chase after the passed balls. We lost both games and had an early exit from the tournament. No fault of Doug's, yet he was put in a situation that was not the best for him or the team. In those days there were no designated hitters so you played or you sat.
I believe the team ended up with a 10 and 6 record however, would not swear to that one. We played in a beautiful ball park as Fonda had one of the best. Old time ball park. Big green fence, good hitting background, grass infield and a nice backstop. Nothing better than playing right after the grass had been cut and could smell the freshly cut grass. Nothing better than baseball in the summer in Fonda. We always had a big 4th of July celebration and every year played a game. We used to have big crowds of 500 to 600 people come to those games, followed by fire works afterwards. These were the best of times.
Friday, February 12, 2010
8th grade year 1963-1964
The eighth grade year was a new adventure for me. Much smaller school, knew your classmates more closely. Being is a small school was good because it took everyone to be involved in things to get them done. In our class was, Joleen Reis, Dick Murphy, Paul Erickson, Jane Hatteberg, Carlotta Delano, Steve Schossow, Myron Hatteberg, Nick Baskerville, Barbara Meyers, Don Smith, Darlene Hunter, Vicki Burditt, Linda Seagren, Dennis Stafford and myself.
My first real excitement was our first marching band trip. I had played trumpet in the 7th and 8th grade bands in Sioux City and wasn't going to be in the band at all in Fonda. My father bought me a brand new trumpet though to entice me to join the band. I don't remember where the first place we went was to march, however, I got to march right beside Ross Nixon. Ross was the coolest guy in the senior class, very good trumpet player, excellent basketball player and athlete. Ross was the man. Fonda had a pretty good basketball team with Ross Nixon and Charley Maschino being all conference. Both Sam Withers and Steve Walters were excellent players as well, Bruce Schoon and Bruce Adams were also good players on the team. The basketball team was 8 and 8 for the year with some high moments as well as some low moments.
The girls basketball team won the county tournament that year beating Pocahontas 73 to 68. They really had a very good team and played very hard. All of their games were close and they lost to Rockwell City 78 to 76 in the sectional tournament. Girls played 6 X 6 in those days and the games were exciting and fun to watch. Dorothy Jackson, Elayne Johnson, Nancy Maddy and Delored Dirks were the main guards and Janice Hatteberg, Dee Ann Darling, Janet Peterson and Judy Johnson were the main forwards. These were very good basketball players who happened to also be very good people.
Our 8th grade basketball team was 6 wins and 2 losses that year. The girls had the same record.
Denny Stafford was our best player, with Gerald Johnson also being good. I played guard and did ok. For the girls teams Jane Hatteberg and Jane Stauter were the best forwards and Linda Seagren and Carlotta Delano were the best guards. We were full of hope for being the future stars of the school.
We played spring baseball in Fonda. I played in all of the games we had, though I don't remember how many there were. I don't think we played that many. I do remember losing to Pochahontas Catholic in the sectionals that year. I did get a hit.
Every year in Fonda we had an all school carnival. The gym was decorated, you had booths to play games in, throw darts, pie sales, all to raise money for the school. One of my favorite memories then was of the talent show that was put on every year. That show was done in the home economics room. We had our little band that played and different people would put on acts. The biggest draw was the hula girl dancers. Men dressing up as hula girls and they would come in and we would play the Hawaian War Chant while they danced as hula girls. Was incredibly funny and fun and the room was always full. Gene Walters was the Master of Ceremonies who would introduce the acts. He would dress up in a tux with a white coat and flower and his wife LaVonne would also assist. After we would do our last show, Gene and LaVonne would always go down and buy maid rites and pop for all of us and we would sit around and talk about the evening and how much fun we really had. In the band was Steve Walters, Ray Petersen, Bruce Adams, myself and Mr. Gottfried who played the drums. Those were wonderful times and would love to do them all over again.
My first real excitement was our first marching band trip. I had played trumpet in the 7th and 8th grade bands in Sioux City and wasn't going to be in the band at all in Fonda. My father bought me a brand new trumpet though to entice me to join the band. I don't remember where the first place we went was to march, however, I got to march right beside Ross Nixon. Ross was the coolest guy in the senior class, very good trumpet player, excellent basketball player and athlete. Ross was the man. Fonda had a pretty good basketball team with Ross Nixon and Charley Maschino being all conference. Both Sam Withers and Steve Walters were excellent players as well, Bruce Schoon and Bruce Adams were also good players on the team. The basketball team was 8 and 8 for the year with some high moments as well as some low moments.
The girls basketball team won the county tournament that year beating Pocahontas 73 to 68. They really had a very good team and played very hard. All of their games were close and they lost to Rockwell City 78 to 76 in the sectional tournament. Girls played 6 X 6 in those days and the games were exciting and fun to watch. Dorothy Jackson, Elayne Johnson, Nancy Maddy and Delored Dirks were the main guards and Janice Hatteberg, Dee Ann Darling, Janet Peterson and Judy Johnson were the main forwards. These were very good basketball players who happened to also be very good people.
Our 8th grade basketball team was 6 wins and 2 losses that year. The girls had the same record.
Denny Stafford was our best player, with Gerald Johnson also being good. I played guard and did ok. For the girls teams Jane Hatteberg and Jane Stauter were the best forwards and Linda Seagren and Carlotta Delano were the best guards. We were full of hope for being the future stars of the school.
We played spring baseball in Fonda. I played in all of the games we had, though I don't remember how many there were. I don't think we played that many. I do remember losing to Pochahontas Catholic in the sectionals that year. I did get a hit.
Every year in Fonda we had an all school carnival. The gym was decorated, you had booths to play games in, throw darts, pie sales, all to raise money for the school. One of my favorite memories then was of the talent show that was put on every year. That show was done in the home economics room. We had our little band that played and different people would put on acts. The biggest draw was the hula girl dancers. Men dressing up as hula girls and they would come in and we would play the Hawaian War Chant while they danced as hula girls. Was incredibly funny and fun and the room was always full. Gene Walters was the Master of Ceremonies who would introduce the acts. He would dress up in a tux with a white coat and flower and his wife LaVonne would also assist. After we would do our last show, Gene and LaVonne would always go down and buy maid rites and pop for all of us and we would sit around and talk about the evening and how much fun we really had. In the band was Steve Walters, Ray Petersen, Bruce Adams, myself and Mr. Gottfried who played the drums. Those were wonderful times and would love to do them all over again.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Moving to Fonda
We moved to Fonda in September of 1963. We were living in Sioux City, Iowa prior to moving. My father was a banker and took a postion at the Fonda bank. I did not want to leave Sioux City. I was enjoying success in baseball having made All Star teams and throwing two no hitters. I also was a starter on the 7th grade basketball team at North Jr. High and was looking forward to playing football as an 8th grader. I had friends and really didn't want to move. At North Jr. High there were 1,000 students in 7th, 8th and 9th grade and I would have gone to Sioux City Central as a 10th grader.
My first day at Fonda was a typical first day at a new school. You were enrolled, I met the Principal Tom Adams, he took me through the school, showed me the gym and told me if I worked hard I might play there someday. He then took me upstairs and introduced me to Denny Stafford and told Denny to show me where to go the rest of the day, take me to lunch and make sure I got the hang of things.
I still remember walking to the class room. You had to go thru study hall to get to the room and the study hall was full. All eyes were on me as I walked thru the study hall to class.
In Fonda in those days there were two schools. There was Fonda Public where I attended and there was also Fonda O.L. G. C. the parochial school. We had a 15 kids in 8th grade and I think O.L.G.C. had like 43 give or take. Fonda was very split on religion in those days so that is the reason why the two schools. Also, why we were good at baseball in the summer and really only average to a little better than average in the other sports. I have always said that if the two schools would have been together, what we would have had for athletic teams would have been incredible. We had state tournament caliber teams if together.
We lived in the country when we first moved to Fonda as there was no housing available in town. Actually we lived in the Lytton school district, but my brothers and I rode with my father everyday to school. We moved to Fonda proper in the spring.
I started on the 8th grade basketball team. Dennis Stafford was really the best player. Mr. O'Rourke was our coach. I remember my grandmother came up from Early to watch me play as an 8th grader. I fouled out in the first half as I wanted to impress her so much. She thought the refs were picking on me. lol
The biggest event of 1963 was the assasination of President Kennedy. They say there are events in your life that you will never forget, this is one of those. We were all in music class sitting on the stage when it came over the intercom that the President had been shot. It was a Friday. We sat there and talked amongst ourselves, Jane Stauter was sitting next to me and I told her I thought Jackie had him shot, trying to be cute. About 15 minutes later they informed us he was dead and sent us home. A very long weekend, we were all scared, the weather was terribly cold, I know we lost power over the weekend and a farm house in the winter is not the place to be. I also remember that Sheral Adams and I played taps at the ceremony in Fonda in the parking lot of the post office. It was so cold the spit froze in the trumpets and we had to stay in the post office till it was time to play. Sheral had a problem with the high notes when playing. She asked me what key we were going to play it in. I told her we would play it in open valve, meaning we would not depress any of the keys. She lead off and I followed her as we played what is called "Echo Taps" It didn't take long for me to figure out that she was not playing open valve but playing with the first and third valves down, making the key much lower than what I was playing in. We got it done, no one said anything but I certainly was not a happy person with her. lol
My first day at Fonda was a typical first day at a new school. You were enrolled, I met the Principal Tom Adams, he took me through the school, showed me the gym and told me if I worked hard I might play there someday. He then took me upstairs and introduced me to Denny Stafford and told Denny to show me where to go the rest of the day, take me to lunch and make sure I got the hang of things.
I still remember walking to the class room. You had to go thru study hall to get to the room and the study hall was full. All eyes were on me as I walked thru the study hall to class.
In Fonda in those days there were two schools. There was Fonda Public where I attended and there was also Fonda O.L. G. C. the parochial school. We had a 15 kids in 8th grade and I think O.L.G.C. had like 43 give or take. Fonda was very split on religion in those days so that is the reason why the two schools. Also, why we were good at baseball in the summer and really only average to a little better than average in the other sports. I have always said that if the two schools would have been together, what we would have had for athletic teams would have been incredible. We had state tournament caliber teams if together.
We lived in the country when we first moved to Fonda as there was no housing available in town. Actually we lived in the Lytton school district, but my brothers and I rode with my father everyday to school. We moved to Fonda proper in the spring.
I started on the 8th grade basketball team. Dennis Stafford was really the best player. Mr. O'Rourke was our coach. I remember my grandmother came up from Early to watch me play as an 8th grader. I fouled out in the first half as I wanted to impress her so much. She thought the refs were picking on me. lol
The biggest event of 1963 was the assasination of President Kennedy. They say there are events in your life that you will never forget, this is one of those. We were all in music class sitting on the stage when it came over the intercom that the President had been shot. It was a Friday. We sat there and talked amongst ourselves, Jane Stauter was sitting next to me and I told her I thought Jackie had him shot, trying to be cute. About 15 minutes later they informed us he was dead and sent us home. A very long weekend, we were all scared, the weather was terribly cold, I know we lost power over the weekend and a farm house in the winter is not the place to be. I also remember that Sheral Adams and I played taps at the ceremony in Fonda in the parking lot of the post office. It was so cold the spit froze in the trumpets and we had to stay in the post office till it was time to play. Sheral had a problem with the high notes when playing. She asked me what key we were going to play it in. I told her we would play it in open valve, meaning we would not depress any of the keys. She lead off and I followed her as we played what is called "Echo Taps" It didn't take long for me to figure out that she was not playing open valve but playing with the first and third valves down, making the key much lower than what I was playing in. We got it done, no one said anything but I certainly was not a happy person with her. lol
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