| Another Confusing Cody Column |
Book Tour: Second
Edition
Edition
Last Year I kicked off a task to have my copy of the large
IHSA boys basketball book, “100 Years of Madness”, signed
by those involved. Because of a busy schedule last year, I
only got one more signature.
IHSA boys basketball book, “100 Years of Madness”, signed
by those involved. Because of a busy schedule last year, I
only got one more signature.
| Northern Illinois Sports Beat http://www.northernillinoissportsbeat.com |
Chances are, you have a favorite sports team from a particular year. A large
something to get signed by all the members of the team is something special.
I only have one: the 2005 Chicago White Sox. I have a few things large enough to
gather a bunch of signatures on it. However, the time and effort toward
accomplishing this task is far too great.
Professional sports aren't my cup of tea compared to Illinois high school sports. As
a history buff of Illinois high school sports, I buy books relating to it. Perhaps none
more special to me than “100 Years of Madness” by Scott Johnson, Curt Herron,
Pat Heston, Jeff Lampe and Bob Leavitt. My apologies to Taylor Bell.
What makes this book special? One, it's large enough to be spotted in my
bookcase, and is a reference book with just about any IHSA Boys Basketball State
Tournament factoid imaginable. The five authors compile a year-by-year review of
each state tournament from 1908 to 2006 (the most recent tournament prior to
release), and mix in some fascinating stories in between.
I bought the book at my first appearance as a media member at America's Original
March Madness (there's a story about the naming in the book too) in 2007. I was
covering Boylan there, and they were sent home in day one, back when you could
be one-and-done at State compared to these days. I returned for the second day
anyway.
My most memorable moment at the Peoria Civic Center was the gathering of many
of the “100 Legends” of Illinois high school boys basketball. There was a “meet
and greet” that day, too.
Armed with the book and a sharpie, I made my way to the March Madness
Experience and went on down the line. The first person to sign the book was the
granddaughter of Rock Island star Richard Liitt. I have a couple of other signatures
from wives and children of the legends (Gay Kintner's granddaughter, Bruce
Brothers' son, Herb Scheffler's son and Dike Eddleman's wife Teddy).
I even got Johnson, Herron and Heston to sign the book (“To Cody, Long live
March Madness – Scott Johnson”).
Providence star Walter Downing is the only signature to grace the cover of my
book. I accidentally flipped to the 1979 AA page (because Providence is AA now,
but wasn't then), before he offered to sign the cover.
Some signatures I had put on the team they were on: Champaign's Ted Beach
(1946), Mt. Vernon's Max Hooper (1950), Hebron's Judson twins (Paul and Phil)
and Bill Schulz (1952), Lyons' Ted Caizzia (1953), Chicago Marshall's Big George
Wilson (1958), Collinsville's Vergil Fletcher and Bodie Redmon (1961), Maine
South's Jeff Baker (1979), Quincy's Bruce Douglas (1981), Peoria Manual's Dick
Van Scyoc (1994), St. Joseph's Gene Pingatore (1999) and Aurora West's Gordy
Kerkman (2000).
Other signatures in the book include, in alphabetical order: Kenny Battle (West
Aurora), Brad Bickett (Ohio/Bureau Valley), Francis Clements (Ottawa), Jerry
Kuemmerle (Danville Schlarman), C.J. Kupec (Oak Lawn), John McDougal
(Salem/West Aurora/Rockford Lutheran), Fred Miller (Pekin), Dave Robisch
(Springfield) and Bob Van Vooren (Moline). Bickett's was the only one I got outside
of the tournament. There are many other names, and pictures, in this book that I
would like seen graced with a signature.
Hopefully the book will become one of the most prized scrapbook possessions in
the history of IHSA boys basketball. And before you ask, it's NOT for sale.
Cody Cutter is the Publisher of Northern Illinois Sports Beat, and writes columns
about Illinois high school sports. He can be reached at
Northernillinoissportsbeat@yahoo.com.
something to get signed by all the members of the team is something special.
I only have one: the 2005 Chicago White Sox. I have a few things large enough to
gather a bunch of signatures on it. However, the time and effort toward
accomplishing this task is far too great.
Professional sports aren't my cup of tea compared to Illinois high school sports. As
a history buff of Illinois high school sports, I buy books relating to it. Perhaps none
more special to me than “100 Years of Madness” by Scott Johnson, Curt Herron,
Pat Heston, Jeff Lampe and Bob Leavitt. My apologies to Taylor Bell.
What makes this book special? One, it's large enough to be spotted in my
bookcase, and is a reference book with just about any IHSA Boys Basketball State
Tournament factoid imaginable. The five authors compile a year-by-year review of
each state tournament from 1908 to 2006 (the most recent tournament prior to
release), and mix in some fascinating stories in between.
I bought the book at my first appearance as a media member at America's Original
March Madness (there's a story about the naming in the book too) in 2007. I was
covering Boylan there, and they were sent home in day one, back when you could
be one-and-done at State compared to these days. I returned for the second day
anyway.
My most memorable moment at the Peoria Civic Center was the gathering of many
of the “100 Legends” of Illinois high school boys basketball. There was a “meet
and greet” that day, too.
Armed with the book and a sharpie, I made my way to the March Madness
Experience and went on down the line. The first person to sign the book was the
granddaughter of Rock Island star Richard Liitt. I have a couple of other signatures
from wives and children of the legends (Gay Kintner's granddaughter, Bruce
Brothers' son, Herb Scheffler's son and Dike Eddleman's wife Teddy).
I even got Johnson, Herron and Heston to sign the book (“To Cody, Long live
March Madness – Scott Johnson”).
Providence star Walter Downing is the only signature to grace the cover of my
book. I accidentally flipped to the 1979 AA page (because Providence is AA now,
but wasn't then), before he offered to sign the cover.
Some signatures I had put on the team they were on: Champaign's Ted Beach
(1946), Mt. Vernon's Max Hooper (1950), Hebron's Judson twins (Paul and Phil)
and Bill Schulz (1952), Lyons' Ted Caizzia (1953), Chicago Marshall's Big George
Wilson (1958), Collinsville's Vergil Fletcher and Bodie Redmon (1961), Maine
South's Jeff Baker (1979), Quincy's Bruce Douglas (1981), Peoria Manual's Dick
Van Scyoc (1994), St. Joseph's Gene Pingatore (1999) and Aurora West's Gordy
Kerkman (2000).
Other signatures in the book include, in alphabetical order: Kenny Battle (West
Aurora), Brad Bickett (Ohio/Bureau Valley), Francis Clements (Ottawa), Jerry
Kuemmerle (Danville Schlarman), C.J. Kupec (Oak Lawn), John McDougal
(Salem/West Aurora/Rockford Lutheran), Fred Miller (Pekin), Dave Robisch
(Springfield) and Bob Van Vooren (Moline). Bickett's was the only one I got outside
of the tournament. There are many other names, and pictures, in this book that I
would like seen graced with a signature.
Hopefully the book will become one of the most prized scrapbook possessions in
the history of IHSA boys basketball. And before you ask, it's NOT for sale.
Cody Cutter is the Publisher of Northern Illinois Sports Beat, and writes columns
about Illinois high school sports. He can be reached at
Northernillinoissportsbeat@yahoo.com.
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