Here's an interesting photo from early last century. Bob Reed retrieved this from an ebay merchant, its a postcard labeled "MARCUS IA BASKETBALL CHAMPIONS, STEINHAUS PHOTO CHEROKEE" Can anyone help identify it further?
(Click on photo for a large copy)
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If anyone is watching the U.S. Open Tennis Championship Tournament keep an eye out for Benjamin "Benny" Becker vs Andre Agassi on Saturday. Benny was a 3 time All-American and helped lead my Alma Mater "Baylor University" to the OUTDOOR NATIONAL TITLE a couple of years ago. Benny is good and fyi.......even though he is from Germany he is not related to BORIS BECKER!
ReplyDeleteTHE CHAMPI0NS
ReplyDeleteI bid on the picture labeled “Marcus IA, Basketball Champions” on E-Bay and obtained the representation. It was sold by Paper Collector of St. Cloud, Minn. I’ll donate it to the Marcus Historical Society when they get up and running.
It raises some interesting, fascinating speculations and questions. It is difficult to decipher. Maybe those with better memories or eyesight or a sense of history can help answer them.
1. The picture was the front of a postcard, as was the custom of the early 1900s. It was taken and sold by Steinhaus Photo of Cherokee, Iowa, according to the printing on the front of the card. There is no “message” scrawled on the back of the card.
2. There is no date but the large—probably leather—basketball has some writing on it that maybe says “20”—a reference to the year? Was it chalked on? Is there a different date on the ball?
3. The lettering on the front says that they are “Champions.” What were the boys “Champions” of?
4. The team is posed in front of what was probably a school building with wooden steps and landings. It doesn’t look the front of the old Marcus High School building. Was it taken in Cherokee at their high school—after the boys won the county championship? Or at an Opera House in Cherokee or Marcus, which maybe served as a basketball court in those days?
5. I think this was still in the era where the boys jumped center after every goal and played in cages—hence the term “cagers.” The boys and their coach all look to be of average size. Some look short.
6. There are six fellows, with the coach in a suit and tie. Are the guys wearing high top street shoes? Three of them wear knickers and three wear shorts. Three of the guys are in dark tops and three wear a light top that has a symbol—a stylized “S”?—on the front. Or is that an elaborate ”M”?
7. Is it possible that the game they played was the six-person ”girls game” of later years, where three played on offense and three played on defense, and the tops they are wearing reflected their roles?
8. Or was it the five-man game and they had but one substitute? Maybe they simply didn’t have enough uniforms to go around.
9. Who was the coach? The principal or a teacher? Did he know anything about the new sport? The scores in those days were in the teens (16-9) and often much lower.
10. Most important—who are these guys? They stare out at us—arms folded in the stilted pose of the time—serious, unsmiling but seemingly proud of themselves and their accomplishment as “Champions.” They are the callow youth of yesterday—from our hometown.
The picture is a fascinating moment, captured by the camera and frozen in time. It was designed to be sold and then mailed (for 1 cent). But mostly it served to immortalize an important event in the young men’s lives. It was certain to be kept close to their hearts and the memories of their girl friends and family.
The photo seems as fresh and revealing as yesterday. The scene, long vanished, seems to evoke the times. The boys are the living past, frozen in one precise moment on film. There in front of us is the light that fell on human faces, gone now forever.
Until they ended up in Minnesota and on E-Bay, some 85 years later.
Any thoughts?
Bob Reed
I enhanced the photo with Adobe PhotoShop a bit and I wonder if the logo on the shirts is an S interwound with an M using a fancy script type of font.
ReplyDeleteAlso found something kind of interesting, if you look over the left shoulder of the boy standing next to the coach there is a reflection of another person. There also appears to be a rather high banister in the reflection in the window behind the 3rd person from the left. The banister appears to be behind the large tree yet. Probably on the building on the other side of the street.
The numbers on the basketball seem to clear up to show 08 on them when playing with the software.
I have no information, but those faces are timeless. The hair styles, the expressions -- they can be seen on high school boys in any classroom today. Anyone see any family resemblances down through the generations?
ReplyDeleteI just sent a quick email to Rick Wulkow at the Iowa High School Athletic Association to see it he could help us unravel the basketball photo "riddle wrapped in mystery", Bob.
ReplyDeleteIn going to the association's website, though, I found out that state tournament play didn't start in Iowa until 1912 (after the photo). It involved the Iowa High School Athletic Council inviting 4 to 8 teams to play in Ames or Iowa City.
James Naismith only "invented" basketball about 17 years before the photo.
Two in the photo look like brothers to me. Also, notice the arms on those guys. No wonder Uncle Sam liked "farm boys" when it came to fighting this country's world wars - that and Yankee ingenuity.
Fred Dorr
I recognized a few on the Peavey pictures. No. 19 shows Howard Peavey and Freddie Hoover; No. 20 is Freddie and Craig Door; No. 21 is Fred and Tete Hogue; No. 71 shows Krock Bass at the right end of the back row and Eric Carlson next to him; No. 110 shows Hope Faul Schlenger beside the lady in blue. Bonnie Morgenthaler
ReplyDeleteMarcus had some amazing talent floating around there back in those days. The homecoming parades were absolutely awesome and something one really looked foward to even when I was a kid. The bonfires out at the high school were the best and the SNAKES through town were a blast!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing the pics with us DENNY!!!!
I talked to Le (Tete) Hogue and gave him the picture of the Basketball Team after I enlarged it. It is Bill Bass standing next to the coach. Tete and Jean have that picture of the team. The field at Morningside College in Sioux City was named Bass Field in the early 1900's after a donation was given to the College by Bill and his brother John who lived in Canada.
ReplyDeleteI just talked to Tete a minute at the Pizza Ranch (coffee shop) and will maybe find out more about this when I corner him again.
Jack Clarkson
Hello Marcus
ReplyDeleteI am doing regenealogy research on the Whealon side of my family. James Whealon was my uncle. I would like to locate his daughters, Colleen,Rosmary, or Sheila.
Andrew Kuhn
Perry Iowa
About the BB pic of Bob Reed's....As I recall, Bill Bass, Sr. coached our football team as a soph in 44-school could not find a coach due to war years--played old Notre Dame T. He told me that Marcus won the state invitational in I believe the early 20s at Sioux City. I believe he said Marcus was undefeated that year. Mr. Bass I think had a hog sales business. Don Peters, SD, CA
ReplyDeleteMargaret Dorr asked me to add this to the blog. jms
ReplyDeleteThe phone numbers weren’t in the paper. I thought a good idea if anyone can think of any prospects for George. ---- M.D.
A For Sale sign appeared on the spacious lawn. A Home of the Week ad featured the stately old place in the weekly paper. So it must be true. A piece of local history is now on the market in our town.
The beautiful house at 400 E. Spruce St., in Marcus, is owned by retired postmaster, George Engebretson and wife, Karyn. It was built in 1898 by Marcus pioneer, E.J. Edmonds, at the height of the Victorian Revival period of American architecture. He came to town from rural Rock Twp. in 1885, having purchased interests in the Louis Gund elevator from a Mr. Edson. Edmonds became sole owner of the business the following year and soon added a coal and lumberyard.
His access to house plans and materials of the highest order are evident in this well-maintained home. It has endured a number of transformations but is once again a lovely family dwelling.
It is my understanding that E.J. Edmonds, who passed away in 1908, was survived by his wife, Frances, who lived there until her death in 1935. After that, the commodious place was purchased by Lowell and Ruth Nelson and became both their residence and the Nelson Funeral Home for some 20 years.
When I recently inquired if those years might have supplied the embellishment of a “resident ghost”, the Engebretsons’ answer was a bit ambivalent, leaving me to suspect they feel that such a possibility might just add to the charm.
When the Nelsons moved to another location, the house was sold to Ed and Florence Evans who lived in a portion of it and converted the remainder into apartments. About 40 years ago Lucy Yoshioka, beloved vocal instructor, was one of the first to live in one of them. She and a number of her former students are still able to regale us with many stories of that time. Since then a good many local residents, most of them as newlyweds, have lived in those facilities.
Through all of its incarnations, the fine old place has maintained its authentic charm. It has been beautifully restored and is in excellent condition. There have to be some history buffs in our area who could purchase it and enjoy living in this stunning piece of our past. Or perhaps there are former Iowans out there somewhere, aging baby boomers nearing retirement, who are weary of the urban ratrace and ready to return to peaceful, small-town living. This might be just the opportunity they are looking for.
No, I’ve not been offered a “cut” or anything like that. I’m just a bit carried away with the hope that this local landmark will continue in caring hands for at least another century.
F.Y.I. Owner’s # 712-376-2552
Real Estate Agt. # 712-376-4154 0r 888-376-4156.
I was looking at the Howard Peavy slides and picture #11.026a1956 is the Jr. High basketball team. Bottom rt in blue is Joanne Bilsland, 2nd row lt. is Lynette Gates and back row 3rd from lt. is Paulline Prunty (Roger Prunty's younger sis)
ReplyDeleteJune:
ReplyDeleteU r too kind to do this for us that don't live in the area anymore. Very sad to hear about the young man from Hospers.
BTW, I stopped in Galva recently and visited Nate Shubert's grave site out of respect (Marine who attended Cherokee High) and it was very touching to see his grave and that of his father's right beside his grave. It really hits you seeing this because his dad died just 6 months before Nate lost his life. Then just down the road the parents/grandparents live in a lovely house on the family farm. Couldn't help but feel the pain these folks must be experiencing! God Bless All Of These People!
Thanks June. I clicked on the video link but can't see the video on Mr. Thorne. Can you tell me where it is?
ReplyDeleteKurt Dorr
June,
ReplyDeleteSo great that we can even get video clips at this site. Thank you! Really interesting!
I am going to pass on a gift of some beautiful prairie photos from a link to the Minneapolis Star & Tribune.
They are from a Jim Brandenburg exhibition at the Bell Museum.
You'll probably have to copy and paste the link to your browsers for this to work.
You can read the article at http://www.startribune.com/418/story/684847.html.
You can look at the slideshow at http://www.startribune.com/319/v-slide_show/story/687910.html.
Gorgeous country!
I am still missing something June. I can make it to the page with four different videos but that's all I see. What video do I click on to watch the story? The top one, the bottom one?
ReplyDeleteKurt
It seems to load on its own without clicking on anything. Maybe it is a little slow?
ReplyDeleteThe first few Howard Peavey slides are from a Grauer family reunion. I recognize my dad, Kendall Grauer, in the group pictures. In addition to Howard, I recognize a few others, but not all. It appears that they are all first cousins. Their grandfather was Christoph Grauer.
ReplyDeleteBob--what has happened to our October discussions? I can't find a place to download them. Wht am I doing wrong? Bettye Pallesen
ReplyDeleteJulia and June: Thanks for posting the prairie photos and the "clickable" access. I tried to open the slideshow through the site you referenced initially, Julia, and when I couldn't I gave up. Now I've had a chance to view them. Wonderful pictures of our part of the world. Thanks for making this available to all of us. Fred
ReplyDeleteThanks, June.
ReplyDeleteI think Kurt might have had an explanation of how to create links at one time. Could that be explained here again. I have more time to try it now due to the fact that I am no longer teaching ... no papers to grade on Sundays! Yes!
Bettye,
ReplyDeleteThe October 2006 discussion thread will be created and available this weekend.
If you are looking for October 2005 discussions, they are at this link
Maybe the third time will be the charm. I wrote a lengthy post and it failed, so will keep this third try short. I'll post a link to the Marcus blog on my blog roll and write a post about my upcoming visit to Marcus and Remsen.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Kurt!
ReplyDelete