Preserving the Korner

     The Korner's Ozark correspondent leads the way this time. Vern Modeland, BHS-50, wrote, "thanks for putting my over-used mind at some ease by admitting there is a hard copy of the Boone version of "our town." Now, gather it up, make a copy of the hard copy and walk it to the library, please, so that it can find it's way into safety from fire and such. Okay? Then, update that occasionally. Then, cut a deal to have printed copies available for sale to support the hard work you've done. Thanks, too, for letting me know that Tom Quinlan is still around. He was Chief Engineer and the sign-on person when I started my first hitch at KWBG. I became sign-off person and followed some Liberty Network programming with, my idea of, good music from our pretty good library of 78's. I was transferred to assist Wayne Spangler at Perry when KWBG had a studio down there preceeding their own station. We did two hours of live broadcasting five days a week in the early 50's. Before I went home one night, I  remember setting an old wind-up alarm clock to go off in the middle of the morning newscast that Tom did. Put it way back in the bottom of the cabinet holding a record turntable. I don't remember the outcome of my stunt. I hope he doesn't either."
     The Kornerman replies, "sounds like a good plan Vern but also a lot of work which, you should know, this old guy tries to spend his serious time avoiding. Expensive too. I thought I remembered printer ink at $50 or $60 but when forced to buy some the other day, a $100 bill frittered away. That, and a lack of stories/memories/comments from viewers, which seems to crop up way too often, makes me wonder, at times, if this effort is really that important. My time could be spent in various other ways."
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     Jo and I had a wonderful time just last night (Friday). We were invited to a gathering at Lake Panorama. A warm but beautiful night at waterside. Fun watching a cadre of ducks. Found out they do keep themselves in a row much of the time.
     Anyway, I discovered that we were in a group with a former, great all-state basketball player, Norma Pies Erickson of Napier. When I realized that, the memories started to flow. I clearly remembered following that 1955 Napier team all the way to the state tournament........broadcasting their state tourney play on KWBG. Norma was a great guard in those six-on-six days while Boone resident Karen Judge Anderson was a top forward on that team.
     I spent time trying to remember when I had an opportunity to broadcast games from state tourneys and I came up with the Napier girls, 1955; Boone girls, 1958; the Grand Community girls, 1960;  the Boone boys, 1963; and the United Community boys, 1970. Hey, with 80 years behind me, I may have forgotten others.
     In sports broadcasting, that, doing play-by-play at a state event, is the pinnacle. And, I'm still proud to this day of that first state airing, 1955. Gosh, I was barely 20 years old and I often wonder if any broadcaster younger than that has had that opportunity or do I hold the record?
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    Scratching the surface (for news that is.) My wife and I were in an eating establishment and she was seeking a rest room. Jokingly I asked, "are you going to mark your name on the rest room wall." She gave me an odd look. Then I added, "oh, I always do that." NOT, of course.....just goofing off. Anyway, somehow, "Kilroy was Here" came bouncing into my feeble mind. Remember that saying splashed here and there in usually very unusual places? Wasn't that a big deal during World War II and what is it's history? Did the late, great war cartoonist Ernie Pyle have something to do with that?
Just wondering.
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     O.K. More bits and pieces: (1) Congrats to the Boone Toreador baseball team. At 23-10 they have earned their way into the State High School Baseball Tournament. Their first round game matches them up with Sergeant Bluff-Luton next Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. at Principal Park in Des Moines.
(2) Yours truly has become much more interested in golf due to Iowa's Zach Johnson. Since his Professional Golf Association career got more serious I have been a most faithful follower.........every tournament, almost every shot. I was following the Open from Scotland last weekend and I do mean following. I don't think I missed one of his shots. If it wasn't on live TV, I was following him, shot-by-shot on the computer. I think I sat five hours one day.......and have had a sore back ever since. However, to the delight of all Iowans I'm sure, Zach won this major PGA event and represented us "back home" extremely well. (3) That Iowa By the Sea picnic in California is August 8th and the price of tickets will increase as of Monday. If you're planning to attend, you better sign up as quickly as possible. (4) Mark Tompkins, BHS-60, is inviting anyone interested to join his latest bike ride. He wrote, "I'm biking back to Council Bluffs from the grand Oshkosh Air Show. I should pass through Dubuque Sunday and then will follow county roads just north of U.S. 20 passing in or near Independence, Cedar Falls, Eagle Grove and Storm Lake before cutting down to Onawa where I can follow the Missouri River south on other county roads. So, greetings from Watertown, WI. The BHS class of 1960 reunion is this weekend." (5) Regarding that phone booth. Ron Schmickley, BHS-54, said he thought it was "well hidden" at the west entrance of the Century Link building (the old telephone building) at the northeast corner of Mamie and Story. Larry Jackson, BHS-57, wrote, "I thought there was one near Mrs. Fox popcorn stand at Ninth and Story." (6) Bob Fisher sent me some Cubs information he knew I would be interested in. Thanks Bob. Go Cubbies.
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     Boone Connected Deaths: Betty Smalley, 89, Boone. She and husband, Walter, farmed in Boone County. For a time, she was a hostess at the Lincoln Restaurant in Boone. Boone area survivors include a daughter, Candie McAlpine, daughter-in-law Cindy Smalley and sister-in-law Glenda Smalley all of Boone..........Marilyn Goeldner, 84, Boone. Came to Boone in 1961 and taught vocal and instrumental music in the Boone Community School District for 29 years. She was a faithful and active member of the Boone Municipal Band for over 50 years. Many good friends survive but there are no Boone area family survivors.
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     Worldwide Korner headquarters are located at 710 Aldrich, Boone, Iowa 50036-4703. Phone number is 515-432-1530. To email your stories/memories/comments/support.........
kelleyskorner1@gmail.com.