June 29, 2016 News

Birthdays: June 30, Ted McCormick, Amanda Lamer, Debra Luft; July 1, Shirley Bundy, Lindsey Tacha, Clay Faiman, Maura Albers; July 2, Mitchell Conner, Emily Tomlinson; July 3, Sharon Irvin, Sheryl Rogers, Kristina Simmerman, Richard Baldwin, Dave Davenport, Arline Rues, Gary Barnes; July 4, Brenda Rosenlund.

Anniversaries: June 30, Paul and Cindy Cannetella; July 2, Dennis and Susan Walker, June 3, Danny and Marilyn Mills; June 5, David and Janice Norlin.

It was nice to visit with Gary Wilson at Hays on Friday. His father is the late Harry Wilson.

Mass will be held at St. Mary's Catholic Church rodeo weekend on Saturday, July 9 at 4:30 p.m. with Father Matthew Kumi.

Check with the posters for the rodeo or the ad in the Rush County News for activities during the rodeo.

The program by Phil Dixon at the city building sponsored by McCracken Public Library was well received. One highlight was the fact that one McCrackenite ball player who played against the Kansas City Monarchs was present. He is Wilfrid “Hoop” Higgins. The game which was scheduled for McCracken had to have a change of venue due to a rainstorm the night before the event. It was moved to the ball park east of Brownell. Mr. Dixon also talked about the Monarchs playing against the “Bloomer Girls” teams. We had a “Bloomers Girls” team in McCracken, all men dressed as women.

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News from the Jail/Museum:

Renewing and new members of the Jail/Museum are Shelly Oelkers, Jerry Schutte, Dorothy Graham, Carl and Velma Legleiter, Janice Haney, Marilyn Sommers, Stephanie S. Stephens, Gladys Hinman, Jean Oelkers, Dwight and Sharilyn Eisenhour, Francis and Roberta Wierman, Holly Hunter Schkoda, Keith Schkoda, Stacy Schkoda (daughter, son-in-law, grand-daughter of George and Joyce Hunter), George Hunter, Fred and Mary Ann Taylor, Frank and Elaine Littler, Norma McNair, Marge Moran, Jeff and Anita Butler, Cathie Ryan Shapiro, Terry and Carol Herdman, Kent Bible, Phyllis Higgins, Dave and Carolyn Davenport, Bob and Marlene Funk, Tony and Tomi Rues and family; Dan and Kim Townsend, Anya Graber; Sandie Emerson, Greg Buster, Kellye and Sandy (Forman) Irvin, Gloria Blackwell,

Memorials were received in memory of Erman Oelkers from Shelly Oelkers, Wendell Hinman from Gladys Hinman, Glen and Ruby Ryan, Elmore and Lorraine Ryan and Glenn Ryan, Jr. from Cathie Ryan Shapiro, Bill Moran from Marge Moran, Philena Baus and Elmer Baus from Gloria Blackwell, Bob Rhodes from Sandie Emerson, Family from Dwight and Sharilyn Eisenhour, Melvin and Mildred Littler and Oliver and Willetta Herdman from Terry and Carol Herdman.

Donations, Jean Oelkers, Carl and Velma Legleiter, Janice Haney, Kent Bible, Frank and Elaine Littler, Kellye and Sandy (Forman) Irvin, Sandie Emerson, Norma McNair

Blue and Gold Club $100 or more, Dwight and Sharilyn Eisenhour, Stephanie S. Stephens, Cathie Ryan Shapiro, Terry and Carol Herdman, Tony and Tomi Rues, Greg Buster.

Items donated to the Jail/Museum include - from Curley (H. D.) Juvenal some old post cards that feature giant rabbits and grasshoppers in farm settings. For example, pulling a plow and hay wagon, the rabbits being ridden by a rodeo rider.
Sandie Robertson Emerson writes, I am sending a wood carving of Kansas State flower (sunflower), that Bob Rhodes carved for the county fair in 1988, I have misplaced the ribbon and will forward it when I find it. I wanted the museum to have it.”

An item given by Carol Waelchi was a Saturday Evening Post from 1956. On the cover are all the current new cars from that era.

Shane, Jennifer Anderson and family have donated a piece of stationery from NORLIN'S ,Groceries, Dry Good, Meats, McCracken, Kansas.

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On the 2nd Monday of every month there will be a Coffee held at McCracken Public Library starting at 2:30 p.m. The next one will be July 11.

A Tribute to Bill Lovitt: St. Mary's Catholic Church was filled to capacity for the funeral of Bill on Monday morning. The choir and guitarist Loretta Flax, Denise Flax and Cindy Roths from Ransom provided the music for the services. The casket bearers were Greg Flax, Don Irvin, Norbert Flax, Rich Higgins, Galen Pfannenstiel and Myron Schuckman. Father Warren Stecklein was the celebrant. Bill excelled in sports both at the high school and college level and mentored young men in baseball. He was a businessman and farmer in Rush and Ness Counties. His Irish wit will be missed by all. Shirley Lovitt Higgins is his sister. Our sympathy to his wife Sharon, children and grandchildren.

Kayla Weskamp, Springfield, MO, attended funeral services for Bill Lovitt on Monday, also attending were Tammy, Jerry, Chuck and Zach.

History Notes

McCracken Town Team History Notes: 1949 The first baseball game of the season is scheduled for the fans Sunday when the McCracken Implement Company team meets Great Bend at McCracken. The western Rush county nine boasts a strong lineup and they expect to give their foes considerable trouble throughout the season. Pairings of the four teams in the two-day baseball tournament which will be held as part of the Rush County Diamond Jubilee and Homecoming celebration were announced today by Sylvester Scheideman, tournament manager. McCracken and Loretto will open the tourney on May 27 and an hour later LaCrosse Ban Johnson will meet Ness City. The Kansas City Monarchs will play at McCracken on Saturday; the game is set for 2:30. McCracken opened the homecoming celebration baseball tournament at LaCrosse Friday afternoon with a 13 inning victory over Loretto, 5-4. Herb Settles pitched for McCracken, allowing only five hits; Wails for Loretto was the losing pitcher and was hit for 11 safeties. Ness City emerged the victor of the homecoming baseball tournament last weekend. The Ness squad edged the LaCrosse Ban Johnson nine 7-4 in the first round of play, they trimmed McCracken 11-8 in the finals. In the early innings McCracken led for a short time when a home run by Marion Foster put Scheideman’s team out in front. Ness City collected nine hits off the pitching of Chet Irvin and Shirley Hahn. Herman was the winning pitcher for Ness City. McCracken players: Chet Irvin, Wilfrid Higgins, Lloyd Ludlow, Paul Gilkison, Marion Foster, Harold Harper, Shirley Hahn, Phil Richolson, and Pad Higgins. Ness City: W. Pfannenstiel, N. Washinger, Herman, H. Pfannenstiel, W.Wasinger, Kindsvater, Opplinger, R.Pfannenstiel. E. Pfannenstiel, M.Rothe and Gordon.

Population in Rush County towns: Alexander 191; Bison 321; LaCrosse 6,693; Liebenthal 211; McCracken 490; Otis 392 and Timken 136.