I’ve been in a little bit of a posting slump since 841 N. Maplewood came down. Now, except for the big machines and a huge mountain of dirt where the old house used to stand, what were formerly the 800 and 900 blocks look barren. The whole scene seems a bit like “The Road,” the apocalyptic novel by Cormac McCarthy. I’m sure that comparison is overstating the case, but, on the other hand, how do you describe destroying charming, quality—the kind of quality that’s not built any more—100-year-old houses to put up an undoubtedly unaesthetic, concrete parking deck for fossil fuel burning vehicles? It’s definitely not the New Urbanism.
Dirt and destruction aside, I do have a few more memories and thoughts to share before I rap things up.
Not by my design, both my dad and my husband played basketball for Bradley University. My dad was a starting player on a Mt. Vernon team that won back to back state championships in ’49 and ‘50. His inclusion on the role of Bradley basketball players is a little more obvious than my husband’s.
John barely made his freshman team in high school and didn’t play in any games. His sophomore year was basically a repeat. However, he kept working and growing, and by his junior year, he started some games for a 1970 Spalding team that finished fourth in the state. He had a strong senior year, and as a freshman at Bradley, tried out for the frosh team and made it. After his first year on the Hilltop, he received a scholarship and played on the JV team his sophomore and junior years. He was voted the most valuable player his junior year and led the team in scoring and rebounding.
John came by his basketball success through hard work and perseverance. In basketball and many other areas of his life, especially his work providing medical care to Haitian children, he reminds me of the following Calvin Coolidge quote:
“Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan "press on" has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.”
When we were dating, John said, “Let’s go shoot baskets at Haussler.” We both loved to shoot around. As we walked down Glenwood toward Haussler, the side doors of the Field House were open. We could see a lot of activity going on around the floor. “Hey,” said John. “Want to shoot baskets in the Field House?” Now, you have to understand that I view the Field House much like the Ark of the Covenent. Even though I had passed the open side doors of the quonset many times, I would never think to step foot on the sacred floor. But with John leading the way, we hopped up on the hardwood. There were seemingly about three different teams, including the woman’s volleyball team, practicing, which I know attests to the need for a new facility. No one seemed to mind the two interlopers, so we shot around for about a half an hour. It was a lot of fun.
Dirt and destruction aside, I do have a few more memories and thoughts to share before I rap things up.
Not by my design, both my dad and my husband played basketball for Bradley University. My dad was a starting player on a Mt. Vernon team that won back to back state championships in ’49 and ‘50. His inclusion on the role of Bradley basketball players is a little more obvious than my husband’s.
John barely made his freshman team in high school and didn’t play in any games. His sophomore year was basically a repeat. However, he kept working and growing, and by his junior year, he started some games for a 1970 Spalding team that finished fourth in the state. He had a strong senior year, and as a freshman at Bradley, tried out for the frosh team and made it. After his first year on the Hilltop, he received a scholarship and played on the JV team his sophomore and junior years. He was voted the most valuable player his junior year and led the team in scoring and rebounding.
John came by his basketball success through hard work and perseverance. In basketball and many other areas of his life, especially his work providing medical care to Haitian children, he reminds me of the following Calvin Coolidge quote:
“Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan "press on" has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.”
When we were dating, John said, “Let’s go shoot baskets at Haussler.” We both loved to shoot around. As we walked down Glenwood toward Haussler, the side doors of the Field House were open. We could see a lot of activity going on around the floor. “Hey,” said John. “Want to shoot baskets in the Field House?” Now, you have to understand that I view the Field House much like the Ark of the Covenent. Even though I had passed the open side doors of the quonset many times, I would never think to step foot on the sacred floor. But with John leading the way, we hopped up on the hardwood. There were seemingly about three different teams, including the woman’s volleyball team, practicing, which I know attests to the need for a new facility. No one seemed to mind the two interlopers, so we shot around for about a half an hour. It was a lot of fun.
1 comment:
Childhood in Peoria! Chet the Jet walker, Glen Oak Park, Vonachen's and Squirt Little league teams at Grandview Park! Science fair at the Ark (Fieldhouse) in 1962! st Thomas grade school ....thanks for the memories!
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