Story #5

Minnesota March Madness

Growing up in Gaylord MN, was pretty much an idyllic setting for a kid. We lived on 4th st for a long time. I lived 1/2 block from the city park. 1 block from the Baseball field (Walsh Field) 1 & 1/2 block from the city pool. The same to lake Titloe and the Jaycee softball fields. Pretty much everyplace you could want to go was with-in walking distance in 5 minutes. The school was also just a block away. Our block was filled with kids. The Uecker's next door, The Weirs 2 doors down the Grissom's a half a block away. The Mattfield's the same. Three blocks away were the Hoppe's. Dad was always pissed because the killer Frisbee tag games took place on our front yard and awesome whiffle ball tournaments took place in the backyard. With day long games of "war" took up the whole block! Our grass, if you could call it that was not the best looking in town. We were never inside. There was always something to do and someone to play with.

As with all small towns, the local High School sports were the biggest draw of interest. Football and Basketball were and are still king. When the Gaylord Hospital was still in operation as it was in my day. When babies were born the child was given a football, (Boy) and a note to the parents, to try harder for a boy next time, if it was a girl child! (slight exaggeration) Gaylord lived for it's sports teams. Girls sports were just in its infancy in my time. Today it is just as big as the boys teams. Now Gaylord and Arlington are paired into a school named Sibley East. First Gaylord and Winthrop paired for a one year experiment, which failed. I could have saved them the time and effort if I had been asked for my opinion. After all those years of us kicking their asses all over the fields and courts. It was like pairing the Christians and the Lions.

The spring Basketball state playoffs in Minnesota are known for many things, but a major snowstorm is usually the thing most talked about. For me, I will always remember it as dad and I, annual trip the the tournament in St. Paul. This usually meant that we would meet my uncle, Noel and cousins, Ace and Scott for a day or two down in the city to catch as many games as possible. It seems like we always new a team in the tournament. One year Butterfield even made it. They still talk about it in Butterfield, and it was over 30 years ago! Glencoe made it one year as well. I believe that Ace had graduated by then but I know Scott made it to the floor of the Civic center. Play well also. They were beaten by the Lake City team led by 7' center Randy Breuer. They almost won though! Gaylord made it a time or two as well. I so looked forward to trip, I waited in anticipation all freaking winter for it.

It must have bee my sophomore or Junior year, when this story takes place. My dad was the proud owner of a new 1976 Ford Bronco, full sized, two door, two toned Green and (I think) light green or cream color. The big day came to head off to the cities. Of course I got to skip school for 2 days to go to the big show, I was sent to town to get the Bronco washed. I just had to drive by school so all could see me in my glory, free as a bird and off to the tourney! I went down to the car wash and cleaned her up and raced off to the R & R to get dad. As I approached the Drive Inn driveway on Highway 5 & 19, I saw the oncoming traffic was heading my way but if I gave it some gas I could easily beat them and enter the driveway clear of traffic. What I did NOT take into consideration was the fact that the R & R's Parking lot was completely covered in Ice after a recent snow storm. Take the high rate of speed and the slick road conditions and this makes for a bad situation for the hometown hero! (ME) add that the R & R (as it usually was) was full of breakfast diners, and the parking lot was full, made this just a terrible event for all involved. I pumped the breaks, and I held the breaks, I pumped the breaks some more, I tried to turn. I tried pretty much everything I could think of. Then I braced for impact and held on. I slammed into the back end of a BIG, red and white Snap-On Tools truck. Knocked her about 5 feet to her right. I looked up, and rolling and tumbling out of the truck came MY DAD!!!!!!! and the Snap -On Tools guy!!!!!! who had been showing my dad some new stuff inside the truck!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OH NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In my minds eye, I saw myself pummeled into a bloody mass and dropped off on the steps of the school and never allowed home again. Time stood still as the two stood erect and surveyed the damage. What could I do? I was to big to hide. To scared to move. My dad almost ripped the door off the Bronco to get to me. Only to ask me if I was, OK?

Don't get me wrong. I DID get an ass chewing of the highest order. One, that although brief, was intense and straight to the point. I was not damaged in anyway. Which was a shock to me, and I believe, to the 20 or so patrons of the R & R who were peering out of the windows at the show outside. A few had also ventured out onto the drive just to get a better look. Mom even came out just to keep an eye out on the situation.

In the end, I still was able to go to the State Tournament, Had a good time actually. I can still see dad standing up and giving the baskets good signal! (Right, Noel?) I could not tell you who won or lost. But those trips were always worth the long winters wait.

Even today, I like to go to the state tournament games, Feel the excitement of the fans. Watch the kids and their dads and remember back when..... I was just wondering why I never asked my dad to come with me these past few years, I figured that he was always to busy with something. I wish I would have. Sometimes, you don't get another chance.

The Bronco got fixed. I have a lot of memories of that Ford. First kiss, First ........... Never mind. I did get to scour off a tornado shaped powder burn off of the fiberglass top of it! But that just may be another story!!!

Bye for now.

Mike