Friday, 1/29

 It's Friday, so you know what that means, right?

I get to repurpose a newspaper article!

Well, actually, I don't do it every Friday. It only happens six or seven times a year, depending upon how many newspaper articles I write each year for the Marquette Regional History Center. But seeing as how I've (somehow) become one of a small group of people that cranks these articles out week in and week out, I figured that I could kill two birds with one stone, at least in a literary sense.

So with that in mind, here's the latest. Please don't think any less of me for doing this.

8-)

Have a great weekend!

(jim@wmqt.com)

*****

It now names an elementary school in Marquette, but a century ago “Superior Hills” conjured up an entirely different meaning.

In the 1920s through 1940s skiing (and ski jumping) reigned as perhaps Marquette's premiere winter sport. Wherever there was a hill (and enough snow) kids and adults alike would strap on their skis, sometimes attached to their feet with plastic cords instead of bindings, and they would soon find themselves gliding through the snow or flying through the air for afternoons on end.

City-sanctioned tournaments were held on home made jumps set up on streets with steep inclines, like Genessee in South Marquette and Sherman in the Piqua Location. Trophies and prizes were given out, and crows in the hundreds would gather to watch the youth of Marquette fly a few dozen feet through the air. But the majority of fun on the snow usually occurred held at two different locations, Superior Hills and Chipmunk Bluff.

(courtesy Superior View Studios)

Both hills were near each other in south Marquette. Superior Hills encompassed an area were Shiras Hills now stands, and went south toward Mount Marquette. Starting off as a rough, natural area, skiers would climb to the top of the hill on foot and then ski down, only getting in two or three runs a day. In the late 1930s, the city installed a tow rope on the hill, which greatly increased the number of runs per day. According to Dr. Don Hurst, who skied the hill as a youth, the tow rope would allow up to 25 or 30 runs down the hill in an afternoon. At the same time dedicated toboggan paths were cut into the snow, allowing sledders and tobogganers to join in the fun, as well.

Less than half a mile away was another winter sports haven in south Marquette. In the 1930s, Altamont Street went only as far south as Hampton Street. There it ended as the base of a hill. The hill is now home to several hundred houses, but 90 years ago it became home to Chipmunk Bluff.

Chipmunk Bluff, courtesy of Superior View Studios

Like Superior Hills, Chipmunk Bluff started off as a rough, natural sports area, but soon became more developed as more people began using it. Not quite a high in elevation as Superior Hills, Chipmunk Bluff drew in residents from all over the city with its sledding paths, gentle slope, and a small (but sturdy) ski jump.

It also had a rope tow to help bring enthusiasts to the top of the hill. Many people who used the tow rope recall having to let go of it at just the right moment lest they get dragged somewhere they did not want to go. The tow rope also had a habit of chewing up an errant mittens or scarves that might happen to get caught up in it. For several years Chipmunk Bluff was also the home to a youth ski jumping tournament that would attract participants from all across Marquette County.

In the late 1940s and early 1950s the area around Chipmunk Bluff began to develop as a residential area for a growing city, and the tow rope and ski jump were traded in for a subdivision. The city shifted its winter recreation focus Chipmunk Bluff and Superior Hills to Kirlin Hill, which eventually became Mount Menard, a ski area that would then operate for the next several decades.

However, for several generations of Marquette winter sports enthusiasts, nothing could ever match the fun they had on Superior Hills and Chipmunk Bluff.

(Note—this material comes from “Skiing, Skating, and Slapshots”, a video slide show from Jack Deo and Jim Koski, available now on DVD at the Marquette Regional History Center or for download at www.marquettehistory.org)

Thursday, 1/28

 I can not believe it's been thirty five years.

For those of us who were born in the 1960s and 1970s the first time we had a “generational” moment, a moment where we know exactly where we were when it occurred, occurred 35 years ago today. Much like people older than us know exactly where they were when John Kennedy was shot, we as a generation know exactly where we were when we heard that Challenger blew up 74 seconds after liftoff from an icy Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The event that occurred thirty five years ago today.

In one way, it's been amazing that it happened thirty five years ago, because it sure doesn't seem that long, at least to me. But when you look at footage about the accident (something I really don't like to do, always covering my eyes at the words “Challenger, you are go for throttle-up”), you see grainy, standard-def video, you see spokespeople with big 80s hair, and you see computers that, while advanced for their time, probably have less processing power than the phones you hold in your hand. The evidence is there. It really DID happen 35 years ago today.

Since Challenger, of course, there have been other “generational” moments that have occurred. And I think it's surprising that the loss of another space shuttle, Columbia in 2003, wasn't among them. I don't know if that's because we already had a spaceflight “trauma”, or because by that point people just didn't care, but for most people Columbia didn't mean a thing. Or at least it didn't mean as much as the other two “generational” events that occurred after Challenger.

What were those events? Well, September 11^th is one of them. Everybody know where they were when the planes hit the towers. I have a feeling January 6^th of this year, when insurrectionists & white supremacists stormed the US Capitol, might soon be defined as another. And the last generational event might surprise you, but it's true. Everybody knows where they were the night O.J. Simpson took a ride in that white Ford Bronco. It's wasn't as earth-shattering of an event as Kennedy or Challenger or 9/11, but everybody seems to know where they were that Friday night. And some might even argue that since O.J hired an attorney named Robert Kardashian and gave he and his family their first access to fame, it's the most influential of the generational events.

And that's a scary thought in itself.

But for many of us, the first “generational” event of our lifetime was Challenger, which occurred thirty five years ago today, whether you want to believe it or not.

(jim@wmqt.com)

Wednesday, 1/27

 The $600 is, I'm happy to say, almost gone. I've done my best.

Now, what to do with the next round?

As I've written about in here many times, I've been one of the lucky ones the past year. Because I've been working the whole time I really don't have a pressing need for this latest round of stimulus money, so I've been spending every single cent of it at locally owned businesses. With the latest round I've picked up everything from running pants to basil-vanilla soap, and I've been able to pass the money around to as many local businesses as possible.

After all, the stimulus money is supposed to stimulate the economy, right? I'm just doing my part.

If thing go according to plan we'll soon be getting another $1,400, which will be a lifeline for those who really need it. But for those of us who don't, a somewhat unique situation may arise—where to spend the money when it comes in.

This may sound strange, but I think I've started to run out of places to spend the money. I could go buy another pair of running pants or a few more bars of soap; I can certainly find more restaurants from which to get food. But I'm also thinking of another group with whom I could share some of the money--

Non-Profit organizations.

Like I said, I don't necessarily need to buy anything else. I mean, I could, but I'd literally have no place to put it. And knowing the huge hit that most non-profits have taken in the past year, I'm thinking they might be a great way to use the next round of stimulus money. The only thing is...there are so many of them that could use the help that I'm not quite sure who to help.

When I was just trying to buy things, the choices were rather easy. What i was buying had to come from a store that was  locally owned and should have been something that I'd actually use (or discover something new that I now can't live without). But local non-profits? Like I said, there are so many out there that could use the help that I'm not quite sure where to start. Sure, there are a couple with which I'm involved, but there are also others that I wouldn't mind helping out. There are also others that are in dire need, and could use the money.

How does one choose?

It'll be a little while before we get the $1,400, so I do have some time. But I am going to have to devote a little thought to this. I'd like to help out every group that deserves it. The problem is, that's almost every non-profit these days. So which ones get the money, and which ones don't?

At this moment, I have no idea. But I suppose I should start figuring it out soon.

(jim@wmqt.com)

Tuesday, 1/26

 I now know why I don’t like winter. Well, I now know another reason why I don’t like winter

Winter has killed off every car battery I’ve ever owned. And now that I don't even own a car, it's killing off Loraine's car batteries, too.

Loraine went to start her car Saturday and was greeted by nothing more than a sad little “click click click” coming from under the hood. I can’t say I’m surprised; like I said, it’s become quite the tradition. But I am VERY surprised, because the day before I had taken the dog (er, the car) out for a walk to make sure it was still working okay.

Guess that worked well, huh?

As far as I can remember, I’ve owned five or six cars in my life. The first was a late 70s or early 80s Honda Civic with a battery that died (if I recall correctly) on a regular basis, a regular basis usually exacerbated by extremely cold temperatures. In fact, the only thing I know how to fix on cars--the use of jumper cables--I learned about with the help of that Honda Civic. My next two vehicles, a mid-80s thing that my parents (very coolly & with great pride) rebuilt out of two separate cars, and an early 90’s Eagle Summit, each had a battery that died. the last car I actually bought was the Purple Neon I had for a decade, and the battery in that finally gave up the ghost one February morning when it was 21 below. Then, my final two cars were old vehicles of Loraine's, each of which would sit in the driveway while I walked to work every day, and each of which rebelled by letting their batteries slowly fade into oblivion.

In the seven years I haven't had a car Loraine's had two, the neon green Mazda and her current one. The Mazda's battery died after a year, and her new car's battery lasted almost three years until giving up the ghost. And daily blog reader Chicky-Poo in Florida, yes, we KNOW we should be driving it more in the winter to stop this from happening. But it's been a mild winter. And we've been busy. And you're not supposed to be going anywhere anyway.

Fortunately, over the years I’ve gotten quite good at knowing the drill for this. I first call someone to jump the car (in this case, the best sister in the history of sisters, someone who actually left work to help out), and then head out to Advance Auto Parts in Marquette, where someone greets me with a smile, sells me a battery, and even puts it in my car for me.

It's like I'm turning into a regular at that place, or something.

I know I complain about winter and the cold in here an awful lot, but you hafta realize I’m not just doing it for myself. I’m also complaining on behalf of every car battery I’ve ever owned.

That kinda justifies it all, doesn’t it?

(jim@wmqt.com)

Monday, 1/25

 I wonder if 5 O'Clock Charlie made me the person I am today?

Let me explain. Because my usual insanely busy last weekend of January was anything BUT insane and I had a few spare hours, I found myself was thumbing through my copy of Norman Lear's autobiography. Norman Lear, of course, was the guy who turned television comedy on its head in the 1970s with shows like “All in the Family” and “Maude”. While I did watch several Norman Lear shows growing up (“All in the Family” and “Good Times” foremost among them), they didn't have as much of an effect on me as did two other shows. And it wasn't until I started reading Lear's book that I realized a fictional character from one of those shows, a character named “5 O'Clock Charlie”, may be one of the reasons I turned out the way I did.

When I was eleven or twelve I came across a repeat of an episode of a TV show that featured the character “5 O'Clock Charlie”. I was quite taken by the episode and the absurdity of “5 O'Clock Charlie”, so I began watching all the episodes I could of the show, both in first run and reruns, and found myself enchanted by not only the writing but the characters, the way they acted, and what they believed in. All these decades later, I can tell you that I really think watching the show growing up formed a big part of who I became, the way I act (especially my sense of humor), and what I believe in.

I turned out the way I did because a toss-off, one-shot character named “5 O'Clock Charlie” was featured on an episode of “MASH”.

I've always known growing up watching “MASH” had a big influence on me, but I never actually realized WHY I watched it. It seems like the show was always on, and it seems like I always watched it. That why I was surprised when I was leafing through Norman Lear's book and, for some reason, the character of “5 O'Clock Charlie” popped into my head. I've always loved the episode from the show's second year, and I've probably seen it a dozen times over the years. But for whatever reason I never actually remembered that particular episode was my gateway to the show. Why Norman Lear's book made me recall that, I don't know. I just know that it did.

I think I know why the eleven or twelve-year old me liked the episode “5 O'Clock Charlie” so much. It was actually rather goofy and absurd, about a near-sighted North Korean pilot who flew over the unit every day at 5 and tried to blow up a nearby ammo dump. He was so bad that the doctors would take bets on how far off he'd be, and his daily fly-over was cause for a big party. Unlike many of the “MASH” episodes I would like in the future, the first one I watched was more goofy and strange than serious and thoughtful. Maybe if “5 O'Clock Charlie” hadn't been the first episode of the show I watched, the eleven or twelve-year old version of me would've been bored, and I never would've viewed the series again, probably changing the way I turned out.

I could've been a very different person if it hadn't been for “5 O'Clock Charlie”. So, in a roundabout way, thanks, Norman Lear, for making me think about it.

(jim@wmqt.com)

Friday, 1/22

 I promised you a video today, and a video you'll get.

“Skiing, Skating, & Slapshots”, the program Jack & I put together for the Marquette Regional History Center, is Jack's baby. It was his idea, mostly his pictures, and his stories. To use a historical reference, I'm kind of the Ed McMahon to his Johnny Carson on this one. Aside from cracking jokes and editing and producing the whole thing, I also put together a bunch of interview segments with people from Don Hurst to Carol Urbiha, people who actually skied or skated back in the day.

So I'll share a short segment featuring the voice of Nancy Henderson, talking about the night the placed called  Hockey Temple of the 50s or the Church of North Marquette, the Palestra, started to burn. It's just two of the 100 minutes of the show, which is available in its entirety from the History Center as a download or a DVD.

Hint hint.

Enjoy the clip, and have yourself a great weekend!

(jim@wmqt.com)

Thursday, 1/21

 Today was supposed to start my annual “Big Weekend of the Year”. But because it's, what, December 52^nd, 2020, it won't be happened as scheduled.

Bummer.

Every January I have a weekend that's a whirlwind from Thursday night to Saturday night, one that brings out all the “Jims” that we keep referring to here. On Thursday History Jim would be doing the big annual history jokefest at Kaufman Auditorium. After a few hours of sleep TV Jim would shooting the quarterfinals of “High School Bowl”, then become Radio Jim for the afternoon. After a little more sleep Finish Line Jim would then head down to the Superior Dome to announce the names of 1,500 or so people wrapping up their Noquemanon.

That's why it's my “Big Weekend of the Year”. But this year, it's not even my “Small Weekend of the Year”. Oh well.

The Noquemanon has been turned into a virtual race. “High School Bowl” has been cancelled for the entire season. And while we did put together a video version of the Kaufman show, I finished it a week ago and without a crowd present it's way different than it usually is. So the only part of the “Big Weekend of the Year” that's left is radio, and seeing as how I do that almost every day of my life it's no big deal.

Oh well.

The “Big Weekend of the Year” was always a little hectic; as I've written in here before, I would get to do all of these cool things yet not have any time to reflect on what had just happened. I'd go from Kaufman to TV to radio to finish line announcing without taking more than a few breaths, and while by the end of the weekend my voice would be strained and I'd be craving sleep it was always an amazing 45 or 46-hour span.

Everyone should be lucky enough to experience a weekend like that, and before this year I was able to do it almost every year. And seeing as how this is one of the least painful ways in which you could affected by this whole pandemic thingee, I'm lucky times two.

After all, it's not that big of a deal in the entire scheme of things. It's just a bummer. That's all it is.

Tomorrow, maybe I'll share a little of the “Skiing, Skating, and Slapshots” program we had to do virtually instead of in-person this year. So behave, and that'll be your reward.

8-)

(jim@wmqt.com)