Hopkins Main Street
Suddenly it's June! And finally we are having warm weather! First, I have a request from the Reunion Committee that you think ahead to our 55th reunion coming next year in 2017. The Reunion Committee met last night to discuss plans. They are looking at having the event in September, 2017, and are hoping to have it where there are hotel rooms available for out-of-towners. If you have thoughts about food -buffet style, sit-down meal, or very heavy appetizers - they would like your input. They would also like input on what everyone would be willing to pay - $50-$60, $65-$75 - which includes the cost of the food, the cost of renting the room, decorations, tax, postage, and miscellaneous costs. Another question: Do we want to have a DJ? They also need updated email addresses, as well as any new information about classmates they may not already have. Please contact Claudia at cfinzen@aol.com with your ideas. If you live locally, you are also welcome to attend the committee meetings.
The committee also wants to remind everyone that there will be a gathering at Tuttles in Hopkins this year, the second week in September, Saturday, September 10th, 2016, as has been done in the past.
Earlier this year, if you had not heard, the Hopkins Royals (Hopkins Warriors in our day) won the Minnesota State Basketball Championship under the leadership of Ken Novak Jr., with 80-year-old Ken Novak Sr. still advising from the sidelines. And from our own Hopkins Warriors team of 1962, I want to thank John Pederson for being willing to share some stories of his basketball experiences from our senior year. I also want to thank Margie Dau Fallon (known as Maggie, east of the Mississippi), for her willingness to share her knitting passion, Barry Fox for classmate information, Bob Hillman and Diane Jasperson for more quips and quotes, and Mary McLeod for the idea to highlight our volunteering efforts. I also want to welcome three more classmates to our network...John Pierre, Jane Downing, and Jan Ivers Patterson. Happy you have joined us!
Barry Fox is in contact with Andre Milbert, who was one of two foreign exchange students we hosted, our senior year. Here is a current pic of Andre, who currently is enjoying life in Luxembourg. Barry also sent a link to our class video that he showed at our 50th reunion. Hopefully you will be able to access it this way. https://www.facebook.com/barry.d.fox.1/videos/10151267662279623/ You may have to copy and paste it into your browser window. If that does not work, contact Barry...:) .
And...if any of you feel inspired to write something for the newsletter or have ideas for future articles, please contact Karen at karenstenback@gmail.com.
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BASKETBALL 1962
by John Pederson
Here are a few short stories about my participation on the '62 basketball team. After writing the stories, I realized that the scant mention of me in the yearbook was probably warranted.
If you asked me what I ate last night, I probably couldn't tell you. However, I have vivid memories of my senior year on the Hopkins basketball team, 54 years ago! Can I share a few?
Hopkins at St. Louis Park/McDonald's
When we prepared for the game that week, Coach Novak referred to the Park players as "Greek Gods." And, when I looked around the locker room at Bob, Bruce, Jim, Orv and myself, and with all due respect to my teammates, I realized how challenging this game would be. (Guarding a guy named Larry Fundingsland was bad enoigh, I couldn't imagine going against Zeus or Apollo).
Before the game, all the varsity players were sitting in the bleachers watching the "B" squad. Before halftime of that game, a guy I remember as Wayne Ess came up to us and announced rather excitedly that after the game there would be a fight between Hopkins and St. Louis Park fans in the McDonald's parking lot! He wanted to tell us not to worry about the fight and just concentrate on the game. As quickly as he had appeared, Wayne hopped down the bleachers and disappeared into the crowd.
As you may recall, we beat Park that night and I later learned that we also won the fight!
QUESTION:
If you didn't know any Hopkins basketball players, how could you easily identify them?
A. They all looked like Greek Gods.
B. They were the tallest students.
C. They all carried a slide rule in their shirt pocket.
D. They were the only students wearing overshoes.
It's Okay to Cry
My 11-year-old grandson is playing on a Minnetonka traveling basketball team. After a difficult overtime loss to Wayzata, when his errant pass late in the game was instrumental in the defeat, I had to cope for the first time with his tears. To assure him that it was okay to cry, I told him about our loss to St. Louis Park at Williams Arena. As you might recall, that game went into overtime, too. In the huddle before the start of the overtime period, the coach looked at me and asked, "Can you get the tip, Pete?" Of course I answered "yes". But, I didn't, and Park went on to defeat us and go on to win the State Tournament. I can assure you there wasn't a dry eye in the locker room. And, I can remember our Assistant Coach, George Reynolds, trying to console me. I think it helped my grandson to know that I had cried, too. The difference I pointed out to him, was that he had many games to play in the future, but Bruce, Jim, Orv and myself, we had nothing to erase the pain.
P.S. To make matters worse, the next day a picture appeared in the paper of a Hopkins player going in for a layup. Granted, the player's face and number are obscured by his arms, but, the player's knee brace is very noticeable! It's me! However, the player is identified as "Craig Soltis", a bastardized combination of Craig Theony and Bruce Soltis. If nothing else, it prepared me for future disappointments in life.
QUESTION
How long should a former Hopkins player rationalize away his disappointment for not going to the State Tournament by telling friends and family that they were the only team to beat St. Louis Park that year? In fact, twice!
A. Maximum of 6 months (considering the depth of the disappointment, 6 months is understandable).
B. One year (not recommended by most mental health professionals.)
C. Five years (suggests a mental defect).
D. Forever (just ask me).
Me and the President
When I worked for the Hennepin County Public Defender's Office, we were contracted by the MN Office of Administrative Law Judges. They were interested in sending one of their attorneys to our office for a temporary sabbatical. Since the State of MN would continue to pay his salary and benefits, we readily agreed. When I heard that his name was Howard Kaibel, I told the Chief Public Defender that I knew him, he not only was a fellow '62 graduate, he was my School President!
When I called him to set up an initial meeting, I identified myself as a fellow graduate. Not recognizing my name, I then told him that I played on the basketball team! His response was, "I really wasn't interested in sports." And, finally, when I greeted him as he came off the elevator for his first meeting with the Chief Public Defender, I recognized him immediately but he had no recognition of me. Wouldn't you think that after walking in the same school hallways for three years with a guy 6'4" tall, there might have been some recognition?
By the way, what does a School President do, anyway?
How About That Soltis
After wandering away from school in 1962, I've had two encounters with Coach Novak. The first meeting was at a Hopkins basketball game well after his retirement from coaching. On that occasion, he didn't remember my name, which is understandable, but to his credit, he recognized me as one of his many ex-players. However, when I reminded him that I played with Soltis and Wiig, his eyes sparkled. "So, what are you doing?" he asked. Pleased by his interest, I told him that I was the Office Administrator for the Hennepin County Public Defender's Office. Ken's response was, "Have you heard about Soltis?" Not having the slightest idea what he was talking about, I just nodded my agreement. That night, I Googled Bruce Soltis to find out that he was now a Senior Vice President with the Sysco Corporation! A great accomplishment, for sure!
Now, flash foward about five years, and my wife and I are eating breakfast at "Maggie's" in Wayzata. Sitting a few tables away, Ken and I again locked eyes. The ensuing conversation was identical to the first. After showing some cursory interest in me, he again brought up the accomplishments of Bruce! And, this was in front of my wife. Now don't get me wrong, I couldn't be more proud of Bruce or any of my other teammates. But twice! Thanks, Bruce!
QUESTION:
At some point during the '62 basketball season, before practice, Coach Novak brought us into one of his classrooms. There, we sat and watched a film that had been made of our previous game. This was the first and last time that we ever viewed ourselves on film.
What reaction did I have to seeing myself on film?
(True or False) It was quite a boost to my self-esteem to see how good my long, skinny legs looked in those very short, shorts.
My Best Flop
I'm not proud to say it, but one of my best defensive moves was the flop. The offensive player would position himself on the free throw line to receive the pass. With his back to the basket, he had two options: either turn to face the basket or try to spin around me and drive for a layup. Invariably, if he was right-handed, he would spin to his left to keep his body between me and the ball. Therefore, I would cheat a little to my left and as he spun past me, I would feign a collision and flop backward onto the floor.
When we played our game at Minnetonka that year, I was having an unusually good scoring night, so I had already not endeared myself to the Skipper fans. So, late in the game when I went down like I was hit by a semi-trailer truck, the officials called a charging foul on the poor Minnetonka player, as I lay prone on the floor. The frosting on the cake, so to speak, came when one of the officials leaned down and extended his hand to assist me up. That gesture was greeted by a chorus of jeers from the Skipper fans who knew damn well that I had hardly been touched. Maybe not the best exhibition of good sportsmanship, but it was my best flop!
LOVE TO KNIT
by Margery Dau Fallon
(Maggie525 under People on Ravelry.com)
I started knitting when I was 10. My mother taught me, and her grandmother from Norway taught her. It's my hobby, addicition, compulsion...I just love to knit. And I knit everything - sweaters, shawls, scarves, blankets - you name it. I usually have 3 or 4 projects going at once, so I always have a project handy.
I taught knitting at a shop in Naples, Florida when I lived nearby...I taught beginners how to knit and did special projects incorporating beads, special stitches, etc. I also knit many of the shop samples. The picture of me in the orange Mandarin sweater below is on the website for the yarn manufacturer, Sublime Yarn. They saw the photo when I posted it on Ravelry, a treasure trove website for knitters, and asked if they could use it. Knitting is not an inexpensive hobby, and I'm a 'yarn snob' - if I'm going to make something, I like to use nice yarn!
A major project I have done for the past eight years is a Mystery Blanket Club, started by
Debbie Abrahams, a knitting designer in the UK, in 2008. It's a limited membership with members all over the world. It's a 'themed blanket' that incorporates many different knitting patterns and techniques over 49 different squares that are knit over the course of 10 months and then joined together and borders added. Once the club membership is filled, the patterns are no longer available. This year I joined another UK designer, Marie Wallin, for her Fair Isle Club KAL (knit along). Each month we receive a pattern for an 18x18 square. It's a very large and somewhat complicated project. The blankets in the picture below are from several of these projects.
 
Below are two skirts I have knit, a shawl, and winter gloves.
   
To see more of Margery's knitting projects, you can find her at www.ravelry.com. It is free to join. Once you join, you can find her under the people heading as Maggie525.
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CARE TO SHARE ?
Mary McLeod has told me about several classmates who have been very involved in volunteer work, over the years, and thought it would be nice to acknowledge these efforts and also give some attention to some very worthy causes. Most people who do good works do not do them to receive personal recognition, but if you have a non-profit project you support, or do volunteer work for a special organization, we would like to hear what you are doing and more about the organization you support. It's inspiring to hear about these projects and some of us may be interested in joining you in your efforts. It is also interesting to read about such projects, and helps spread the word about the huge world of possibilities and good works out there that could use some support. If you would like your cause or project to be highlighted in our newsletter, please email Karen at karenstenback@gmail.com.
QUIPS AND QUOTES...
...from Bob Hillman...
LEXOPHILIA - WHO ON EARTH DREAMS THESE UP?
A lexophile of course!
• How does Moses make tea? Hebrews it.
• Venison for dinner again? Oh deer!
• A cartoonist was found dead in his home. Details are sketchy.
• I used to be a banker, but then I lost interest.
• Haunted French pancakes give me the crêpes.
• England has no kidney bank, but it does have a Liverpool.
• I tried to catch some fog, but I mist.
• They told me I had type-A blood, but it was a Typo.
• I changed my iPod's name to Titanic. It's syncing now.
• Jokes about German sausage are the wurst.
• I know a guy who's addicted to brake fluid, but he says he can stop any time.
• I stayed up all night to see where the sun went, and then it dawned on me.
• This girl said she recognized me from the vegetarian club, but I'd never met herbivore.
• When chemists die, they barium.
• I'm reading a book about anti-gravity. I just can't put it down.
• I did a theatrical performance about puns. It was a play on words.
• Why were the Indians here first? They had reservations.
• I didn't like my beard at first. Then it grew on me.
• Did you hear about the cross-eyed teacher who lost her job because she couldn't control her pupils?
• When you get a bladder infection, urine trouble.
• Broken pencils are pointless.
• What do you call a dinosaur with an extensive vocabulary? A thesaurus.
• I dropped out of communism class because of lousy Marx.
• All the toilets in New York's police stations have been stolen. The police have nothing to go on.
• I got a job at a bakery because I kneaded dough.
• Velcro - what a rip off!
• Don’t worry about old age; it doesn’t last.
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... from Diane Jasperson Taylor, who went to Antartica to see penguins...
HEY, WASN'T THIS US?
A little house with three bedrooms,
one bathroom and one car on the street.
A mower that you had to push
to make the grass look neat.
In the kitchen on the wall
we only had one phone,
And no need for recording things,
someone was always home.
We only had a living room
where we would congregate,
unless it was at mealtime
in the kitchen where we ate.
We had no need for family rooms
or extra rooms to dine.
When meeting as a family
those two rooms would work out fine.
We only had one TV set
and channels maybe two,
But always there was one of them
with something worth the view.
For snacks we had potato chips
that tasted like a chip.
And if you wanted flavor
there was Lipton's onion dip.
Store-bought snacks were rare because
my mother liked to cook
and nothing can compare to snacks
in Betty Crocker's book.
Weekends were for family trips
or staying home to play.
We all did things together --
even go to church to pray.
   
When we did our weekend trips
depending on the weather,
no one stayed at home because
we liked to be together.
Sometimes we would separate
to do things on our own,
but we knew where the others were
without our own cell phone.
Then there were the movies
with your favorite movie star,
and nothing can compare
to watching movies in your car.
Then there were the picnics
at the peak of summer season,
pack a lunch and find some trees
and never need a reason.
 
Get a baseball game together
with all the friends you know,
have real action playing ball --
and no game video.
Remember when the doctor
used to be the family friend,
and didn't need insurance
or a lawyer to defend?
The way that he took care of you
or what he had to do,
because he took an oath and strived
to do the best for you.
Remember going to the store
and shopping casually,
and when you went to pay for it
you used your own money?
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Nothing that you had to swipe
or punch in some amount,
and remember when the cashier person
had to really count?
The milkman used to go
from door to door,
And it was just a few cents more
than going to the store.
There was a time when mailed letters
came right to your door,
without a lot of junk mail ads
sent out by every store.
The mailman knew each house by name
and knew where it was sent;
there were not loads of mail addressed
to "present occupant."
There was a time when just one glance
was all that it would take,
and you would know the kind of car,
the model and the make.
 
They didn't look like turtles
trying to squeeze out every mile;
they were streamlined, white walls, fins
and really had some style.
  
 
One time the music that you played
whenever you would jive,
was from a vinyl, big-holed record
called a forty-five.
The record player had a post
to keep them all in line
and then the records would drop down
and play one at a time.
Oh sure, we had our problems then,
just like we do today
and always we were striving,
trying for a better way.
Oh, the simple life we lived
still seems like so much fun,
how can you explain a game,
just kick the can and run?
And why would boys put baseball cards
between bicycle spokes
and for a nickel, red machines
had little bottled Cokes?
 
This life seemed so much easier
and slower in some ways.
I love the new technology
but I sure do miss those days.
So time moves on and so do we
and nothing stays the same,
but I sure love to reminisce
and walk down memory lane.
With all today's technology
we grant that it's a plus!
But it's fun to look way back and say,
Hey look guys, THAT WAS US!
 We are waiting for a story about your trip, Diane!
I want to remind you all of our class webpage, www.hopkinshigh62.com and our class Facebook page, Hopkins Class of 1962, https://www.facebook.com/groups/188901251151017/ maintained by Doug Anderson.
Here's to a Wonderful summer! Cheers!
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