A BOONE/NBA CONNECTION

     O.K., its a little stretchy I know. BUT, any time we can grab a little national attention for our little central Iowa community, we don't feel a bit restricted. We go for it.

     Nate Bjorkgren was named the new head coach of the National Basketball Association (NBA) Indiana Pacers last Tuesday. SO.........

     Mark Hutcheson, BHS-81, was a good Toreador athlete who later, as the head varsity coach at Storm Lake High School, had Bjorkgren on his squad. Mark had earned a degree at Buena Vista in Storm Lake and after finishing his college playing career, took the reins at Storm Lake high. He provided Bjorkgren, his former player, with his first coaching job, working as a varsity assistant and head coach of the freshmen team at Storm Lake high.

     From Storm Lake, Bjorkgren nabbed a head coaching job at Sioux Central high, followed by a move to Arizona and the head job at Cactus Shadows high school in Scottsdale.

     After an assistantship with the Iowa Energy of the NBA's G-League, he took the head job with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers of that league, followed by the Energy's head job, the top job with the Bakersfield Jam of the G-League, assistant jobs with the Phoenix Suns and Toronto Raptors of the NBA and, eventually, an interview and offer to become the head coach of the Pacers.

     Its been a long road with many stops and it began when Bjorkgren played high school basketball for former Toreador Mark Hutcheson at Storm Lake High School.

     Hutcheson is the son of Eldon and Ann Hutcheson of Boone. His wife is the former Amy Hughes, BHS-82, who made a name for herself as one of the state's best softball pitchers in Iowa during her high school days. Her parents are Nancy and Larry Hughes also of Boone.

K-----K

     Vern Modeland, BHS-50, is looking backwards. He's wondering, "what do you remember as your favorite hangout during your high school years........restaurant that is."

     He went on to recall how his friends met at the place just next door north of the Boone Theatre on  the west side of Story Street. The Bon Appetite no doubt. He also recalls what their best way of initiating a new arrival into the crowd was.

     He explained, "the newcomer was told to order a chocolate coke, preferably from the newest waitress who hadn't filled that order before. Immersing a straw in a chocolate coke was sure to create an eruption  of foam that would fill a tray or cascade over the table top for sure."

     Vern added, "didn't take a lot to amuse the class of '50 and its predecessors. That was back in those good old days we wish were here again."

     The Kornerman concludes, "what a group of wild and crazy guys."

K-----K

     BOONE CONNECTED DEATHS: GREAT NEWS.......NOTHING TO REPORT.

K-----K

     Worldwide Korner headquarters are still located at 928 South Jackson, Boone, Iowa 50036-4932. Phone number is 515-432-1530. Leave a message. To email  your stories/memories/comments.....

kelleyskorner1@gmail.com.