After Igloo, On To Hershey

 The previous post related the connection between Igloo, South Dakota, and the Brookings Teeners baseball team of 1965 (https://classof69bhs.blogspot.com/2023/06/igloo-south-dakota.html).  

Winning that competition earned the team the right to participate in the National Teener Tournament to be held in Hershey, Pennsylvania.  

We left Brookings on a chartered Jackrabbit bus. We may recall that "westerns" were rather popular at the time.  TV shows such as "Bonanza" and "Gunsmoke" were some of the most highly-viewed programs.  At the suggestion of Bob Webbenhurst, one of our coaches, we were encouraged to purchase cowboy hats (aas shown in the photo below) to reinforce the belief that we here in South Dakota still lived in the era of the "Old West."  Perhaps those elite easterners still believed we traveled in covered wagons and lived in log cabins or sod huts.

 It seems that the first night we stayed in La Crosse, Wisconsin, while we stayed in Gary, Indiana, the next night, (where we were able to find a ball field and get in a little practice) before arriving in Hershey the following day.  While the bus trip was long, it was not uneventful.  Judd Bergan, the pick-up player from Watertown, brought along his guitar and entertained us with some popular songs.  "I'm Henry the Eighth, I Am" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GisCRxREDkY) by Herman's Hermits was frequently played, while Bob Webbenhurst liked "The M.T.A. Song" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7Jw_v3F_Q0)

Since we made frequent stops for nourishment, the jukeboxes were kept quite busy.  Some of the popular songs of the day were "Catch Us If You Can" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8MCsRXXc8A); "I Got You, Babe" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JxIw58lkHQ); "Baby, The Rain Must Fall" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtvDq1zn4Vg); "Wooly Bully (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5LWa18w-BE); "What's New, Pussycat (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQvIAs-nPSo); and Walter's favorite, "Down In The Boondocks" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4CeR9Mkjs4).  

A few of the fathers came along as chaperones.  Would they have been Mr. Tordoff, Mr. Kabrud, Mr. Buehler, Mr. DeWitt, Mr. Bozied, and who helped to keep us under control? (The article below indicates that only two parents came along, but that is incorrect) Card games were frequent, while some just enjoyed looking out the windows and enjoying the scenery.  It seems that we passed a number of Chrysler auto manufacturing plants. 

Upon arrival in Hershey, we stayed at the Hershey Ballroom.  Nearby was the local swimming pool.  Beneath the ballroom ran a little stream.  A player from one of the other teams rigged up a pin and some string and snagged a fish (carp?) out of there.  Also nearby was Hershey Park, and amusement park with a big roller-coaster.  It provided us with some great entertainment.  

The Phladelphia Eagles had their summer training camp at Hershey.  Pete Retzlaff, who played football at SDSU (then SDSC), was an outstanding player for the Eagles.  He came to talk to us one day, and gave us an autographed picture of himself.  We also visited the Hershey Chocolate factory.  

Since we came to play some baseball, we did have some important business to tend to.  Our string of victories, however, came to an abrupt end.  We played well in our first game, but lost by one run in extra innings.  We then moved into the loser's bracket, and, unfortunately, lost again, thus losing the only two games we played. 

On our trip home, we saw a number of high-school football teams in Pennsylvania and Ohio preparing for the upcoming football season.  Those boys were BIG by our standards.  

 While it may have been a disappointing end, we realized we had had an eventful summer, and owe a great deal of thanks to those who made it possible.  Many of those people are gone:  our parents and coaches, and even some teammates, but our memories will always remain.  

The above picture is our banquet that was held at the VFW later that summer.  In the back row are Tim DeWitt, Jim Arndt, Phil Trautman, Judd Bergan, Lloyd Beneke, Dan Sterud, Walt Osterberg, John Iverson.  In the front are coach Bob Webbenhurst, Tom Bozied, Doug deBoise, Barry Beuhler, Chip Kabrud, Randy Hofer, Don Tordoff, Tom Osterberg, coach Bernie van Essen.