Variety ---- The Spice of Life

     We have a variety of subjects to subject our viewers to in this edition of the Korner.
     And.......as Jackie Gleason used to say, awaaaaay we go.
     Evelyn Lewiston, over Ogden way, wrote, "I don't know if you post birthdays in the Korner or not."
     The Kornerman says, "hey, bring em' on. We post about anything that meets the "good taste" list."
     "Husband Bernie turns 75 on Tuesday, July 11, and he loves to read the Korner," Evelyn added.
     Well, a big happy, happy birthday to an old KWBG buddy, big Bernie. We've both got some great memories of our days there and, of course, don't get together often enough to share the belly laughs.
     Now, it just so happens that we heard from another BG grad this week also.
     Larry Kelley (no relation) wrote, "do you remember when Wes Nielson (another BG grad) lived in a little house somewhere in southeast Boone?" The Kornerman does not remember that.
     Larry added, "I'm being nostalgic now in life and wanting to re-visit some of the places I have been from years ago. I heard Kio Dettman say that BG once was for sale for $75k. I wish I had known that. I had a chance to own part of it when Ken Kilmer was the General Manager. He offered me a partnership. The things we could have done in life that we missed out on."
     The Kornerman says,"whatever happened to Ken Kilmer? Vic Sayer has passed and I'm not sure about Dick Johnson. I think I was station manager a short time between Dick and Ken. I remember Dick was my boss and I don't think I was still at the station when Ken took over. Anyway, lots of great memories."
     P.S. Here's the latest on Larry's famous son, Jamie.
     His East Coast Fan Club recently held their annual party at the home base, Vineland, NJ.
     Jamie has a new album with a dozen tracks, 10 of them originals.......songs he has written.
     And, always the dedicated Booneite, Jamie, again, will favor his hometown with a charity concert. This time he'll benefit the Boone County Humane Society. It will be held at TK's Event Center on July 28. Tickets are available for $25 at HyVee or by calling 432-4332 and here's a secret, kids ONLY can show up at the door the night of the concert for a special price of $15. Again, its another Jamie Kelley Boone charity to benefit the Humane Society.
K-----K
     Tim Johnson showed up at the Kornerman's door the other day with the question, "when was baseball play started on the Memorial Park diamond?"
     Well, of course, Memorial Park has been Memorial Park for quite some time. When the Kornerman was 13-18, all of the youth baseball that was available was American Legion ball and yes, we played at Memorial BUT at that time, the early 50's, home plate was on the Greene Street part of the park and there was no outfield fence. Just bushes in left-center field along 21st street and in dead right field, along Boone Street. So, the diamond then was laid out completely different than it is today.
     Boone High School had baseball teams in the early 1940's but shortly thereafter, that sport was discontinued. They played their games at the old Vets park site which later became the first Jimmy Archer Field......at, what?, 10th and Tama?
     A former Minor League baseball player, Mike Jacobs, moved to Boone as an administrator with the railroad. He had a deep interest in baseball and started a semi-pro team, the Boone Falcons, and also was very instrumental in developing the Memorial Park baseball diamond as we know it today. In that time, it was often said that some of Mike's railroad workers were spending more time working on building a baseball diamond than they were actually working on the railroad. I remember they used remnants of old railroad cars to build the first dugouts and eventually, it was Jacobs and his crew who got lights installed there.
     If my memory is still valid, Bill Sapp, a teacher-coach at Grand Junction, was hired at Boone High School in 1958 to teach and to again begin a high school baseball program. By then, the diamond, itself, was in place and was "one of the best" around.
     So, I guess the answer to Mike's query would be that baseball has been played on the Memorial Park diamond since the early to mid-1950's.
K-----K
     At our most recent class meeting, class of 1953, we did something unusual, at least, to our group. We tried to think of individuals who were in our class at one time or another but, due to a family move or some other  reason, did not finish with us. This brought back some additional memories.
     Names we came up with were Clarice McBirnie, Jack Butler, Emilee Jackson, Ron Keneipp and Ramona Reckner.
     We know Jack has  passed. He used to keep in contact as did Ron Keneipp. In fact, Jack would email the Korner every so often.
     Maybe some of you viewers remember these folks.
K-----K
     BOONE CONNECTED DEATHS:.Kent Hubby, 63, Kansas City. Formerly of Boone. BHS-72. His parents, Merle and Elaine. Kent was a wood finisher for several Kansas City companies. Boone area survivors include his mother, Elaine, sisters, Debbie, Vicki and Nancy, and his brother, Danny........Gwendolyn Capps, 87, Boone. Her husbands, both deceased, were James Casey and John Capps. She married John in 1971. Gwen was a head cook at Iowa State University and later worked at Walmart. Boone area survivors include her son, Chris Capps, of Ogden, daughter, Jo Ellen Wells, brother Duane Wilcox and sister Charlene Alexander all of Boone.
K-----K
     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.