Carbon Hill Homecoming is a good time for friends
By Dick Steele — Keep Sporting, Keep Fit
Last week I was in Carbon Hill on Wednesday and again on Sunday taking in the Carbon Hill Homecoming, watching men's slowpitch softball. The Carbon Hill Homecoming is a great event. It's wonderful for the entire family and I watched some outstanding softball by men from this area.
I bumped into Lenny Onsen, the excellent Coalers' football coach. He wanted to know how a Morris guy like me was allowed into Coal City and Carbon Hill. I told him I had a visa signed by A.J. and John Manietta and the entire Manietta family and that takes in half the town. Lenny was only kidding since I was writing for the Coal City Courant when he was in high school and playing football. I talked to people from all over the entire area and had a great time.
Teams from this area play in a league at Carbon Hill during the week. I talked to Chris Harseim, a member of the Coal City Police Department, and he told me that he plays two to three times a week in this league. If you get a chance, drop over and watch these talented teams play, you'll really enjoy it. By the way, Chris also coaches youngsters in the little guy's baseball competition. Chris was my neighbor when he was growing up in Morris. Now he’s helping the little players learn the game of baseball and doing a great job.
Big Mack's All-Time team
Last week I wrote story about John Mackinson and his coaching of girl’s softball in Morris. I asked "Big Mac" if he would select his all-time MCHS girls softball team from the players he has watched play at the local school. Here's John Mackinson all time team:
His all time MVP is Holly Butterfield, a pitcher, catcher and shortstop and great Hitter. Pitchers named to his squad were; Joy Battersby (1990-1993) 65-7 with 0.26 era and 777 K's. Joy had 5 no hitters in 1993 and two perfect games. Also named were; Roxanne Rude (1980-84) 58 wins, Stori Phelps (1985-88) 63 wins, Kendra Phelps (1988-91) 57 wins, Kim Mackinson (1994-97) 64 wins and Stef Steele rounds out the pitchers.
Catchers on Mackinson's team are Lauren Gronski, Amy Kukman. Kendra Phelps, Chris Niewinski and Jen Siron.
Infielders on the team were; Kari Anderson, Sarah Borgstrom, Nikki Davy, Ryann Heap, Erin Hickey, Andrea Keech, Amy Nelson, Joan O'Hagen, Christina Roselle, Jen Wethington and Katie Kukman.
The outfield consisted of Katie Borgstrom, Sarah Calligaris, Gayle Gallo, Lauren Hanford and Janee Matteson.
A big thanks to John for selecting the team for me and congratulations to all on the team.
More Morris Merchants
A few notes from past articles that I have put together for the Morris Daily Herald. Dick Parker wanted to mention some names of players on the state championship team softball team in 1980 that did not get mentioned. They included Dick Sohan, pitcher; Bruce Sklut and Don Peterson coaches and Don Varner, manager of the team.
A Letter from Lynne
I received a letter from Lynne Letterly and she mentioned that she was classmate of the late and great Ken Barnett on the 1963 Braidwood Sweet Sixteen basketball team. And she wrote, "My brother Larry Fitzpatrick was a sophomore and a sub on the varsity during those tournament games. This is how important high school sports are. He went to law school and was working many years later in New Jersey for a company that handles all the lawsuits from asbestos. He would have to go to Washington D.C. for meetings with the attorney general on a regular basis.
"He was at one of those meetings with these big politicians and a lot of other lawyers and he noticed a guy looking at him," she added. "When the meeting was over the guy came up to him and said 'Are you Larry Fitzpatrick that was on the 1963 Reed-Custer Basketball team from Illinois that beat Toluca to win the sectional?' This guy had been on the Toluca team and recognized Larry after all those years."
Thanks to Lynne for the letter.
Enger and Fruland Have Seneca of Humor
Finally, a letter from my classmate Jack Enger of the 1953 Morris Redskins state-ranked team. Jack wrote (kiddingly) that Paul Fruland was quoted too much in the article. They are the best of friends since grade school. Jack also said Paul never scored 18 points in one game in his life (vs Peoria Central). Enger said maybe I meant for the season. He closed by saying, he hoped that I still had a sense of humor. I’m hoping Paul still has his sense of humor. Both were great players in the 50's.
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