With the interesting discussion about "the Gipper" the past few days on the Pasty Cam, I came across this fascinating Shoebox Memory about one of the winning-est U.P. High School teams at the beginning of the last century. In 1910 Ironwood held their opponents to only 14 points all season, while rocketing to victory with 146. One of those rugged players was James Hosking Fish, in the top photo, left end of the front row. James died in World War I. Wonder how many of his teammates made the same sacrifice in the Great War?

The second picture highlights his younger brother, Zenda, about 17 years later, graduating from Lawrence College in Appleton, Wisconsin. On the wall of my office I have a large classic road map of the Keweenaw, with the name "Z.D. Fish" listed in the credits. Zenda served for many years as a Keweenaw County Road Commissioner, and lived right here in Eagle River, in the house across the street from ours.

This land in which we are blessed to live is the product of millions of individual efforts and sacrifices. Not all of these individuals are as well known as our late President Ronald Regan, who was laid to rest on Friday. But each life is significant and important - as is yours and mine. It's good to remember.

Morning Everyone!!

Morning all. When I was in Calumet High, Ironwood always had a good football team. We played them every year and they were always very good. We usually lost to them. Another team we always found tough in football was Wakefield. Small towns, with little guys, but they could block.

Good Morning from Florida Will be in the UP for the month of July, hope the bugs are gone then.

Are the black flies still active?

Good Morning from the "Sunny & Hot" Central valley.

As good as that Ironwood team was, I see by the record on the right hand side of the picture; they were beaten by Escanaba 6-0. Can you imagine the adventure to travel to Escanaba from Ironwood in 1910. It had to have been by train. My grandfather told me they went trout fishing by train, no roads.

Thanks Charlie. Your words are so true. It is good to remember. God bless.

The reality is that the only people in the room when George asked Rockne to "win one for the Gipper", were Gipp and Rockne. Rockne never mentioned it until years later when he told the story in the famous halftime speech to inspire another ND team. But, as another poster said, it doesn't really matter what the truth is, it's the legend that lives on. Football builds character (and a few characters, too).

kEN....The blackflies have not peaked yet...we're waiting for fresh tourists.

It is foggy and drizzly in Escanaba this am...57F........It is not very good weather for the "Cuny Hogan" golf-tournament at Escanaba Country Club. They teed off this morning and I hope the weather holds out for them to finish. We had some rough weather on Bay De Noc ....for the Cabela Walleye Fishing Tournament which ended yesterday. Oh well, no snow or black flies.....

Hey, I guess state lines didn't matter back then. They played Ashland and Washburn where we're from.

Mornin from TX

I played football for Wakefield in the late 1950s. We played Calumet, Hancock, and Houghton. It was exciting to go there because they were such big vibrant cities. Calumet had lights on their football field, and we had a night game (WOW! We were in the big league!)
Mine closures has changed the culture of the U.P. a bit. Wakefield graduating class of 1961 had 61 studnets. The class of 2004 has 17.
After graduation our choices were Tech, Northern, or the Army. At least now they have two more options; Black Jack Dealer and Prison Guard.(lol) Have a good day everyone.

My understanding is that "Win one for the Gipper" was written in the movie script and was never said
by GG to KR. -- Totally unrelated, I heard yesterday that The Hut is closed. Sounds like a great investment for a restaurant entrepreneur. Am I speaking out of place here?

Jan - we recently explored that subject in the daily forum page entitled "Goodbye to the Hut Inn". We would love to see it re-opened as quickly as possible.

Ah yes. Charlie. You must be speaking of the old black and white 4' x 2 3/4' J.W. Jackson Keweenaw County Road Commission map. I obtained one many years ago from my late uncle (who served on the road commission in the late 1950's or early 1960's) and it now hangs on the fireplace wall just to the right of my computer where I retired it to after many years of use while exploring the old logging roads of the Keweenaw.
I couldn't find a date on mine (perhaps because the edges have been sealed with duct tape to prevent tearing), but along with the name of Z.D. Fish are P. Tomasi, R.O. Winquist-Chairman, and W.C. Veale-Engineer (who has a nice little roadside park named after him located between Eagle River and 5 Mile Point).
If anyone knows when that map was first printed I would be very curious to find out.
I don't recall exactly where I obtained this jpeg of the map, and Z.D. Fish's name along with the others in the lower right corner are too small to read, but nonetheless here's a copy of it for anyone who'd like to have a look or download a copy:

Charlie -

Although I didn't know Mr. Fish, I knew his wife Dorothy also known as "Dodie". She used to own a beauty shop on sixth street in Calumet. I remember her from church.

Does she still live in Eagle River?

Anyone have a guess as to how the wild berries will be this year. Seems all of the berries, fruit, etc were extremely plentiful last summer.

Help please, what am I doing wrong? Whenever I try to find more photos in the Guest Gallery,all I get are about 5 or 6 albums by the same people. I must be not looking at the right page? Thanks for any help someone can give. I'm really ignorant computer wise.:)

Ms. Katie - Go to the Guest Gallery and click on the underlined "Photographer Links". This gives a page of everyone listed together.

I'm guessing the berries will be plentiful again this year. My raspberry plants are loaded!! Can't wait for them to ripen!

Calumet Boy- Dodie the last time I seen her , she was living in Florida & spent some time with the children. I think she has a brother or son in Eagle River? She is a very sweet lady & friend.

That map hung in my Grandfather's Eagle Harbor home forever. Mr. Fish, Mr. Tomazi, Mr. Veal and several others were always around when I was a child. Some of them bowled on the White House Team sponsored by Rod MacDonald (alias Grandpa). As children, we did not comprehend the history of those men and their contributions to the area. It was just Gramps and his bowling cronies.

The 92 Lake Linden team outscored their regular season opponents by a factor of 10 also, 395-39. The 95 team took it to a higher level, scoring almost 20 times as much as their regular season opponents, 359-18.

www.michigan-football.com has the scores for almost every game played by Michigan high school teams since 1955

The Kaleva is for sale? Wow, what's up with that?

It's a beautiful day in my neighborhood. I live at the Villages Golf and Country Club, and I am sitting on my patio watching the people play golf. It seems there might be quite a competition going on, not in golf, but who can modify their golf carts the best. Just saw a RollsRoyce G.C., and a T model Ford G.C. drive by. It's a great place to live.

Everything is for sale....if you come up with the right price.....

Beautiful storm came through this afternoon, just as I finished watering the garden. Real gardeners never trust the weather forcast when it comes to rain.

Oh , my! First the Hut, then the Poor Boy in
MacMillan (probably not in that order
chronologically). What a shock to discover
that there were no cinnamon rolls to be had at
the Poor Boy, now or ever. How sad. We tried
cinnamon rolls in another place this weekend,
but nothing came close. Say it isn't so... Say
the Poor Boy hasn't closed its doors forever.

Thank you for the Gallery help! Now...does anyone know if the Avery Color Studios still exist? Found a small book from there with wonderful photos and writings called "Slow Me Down, Lord". Books never get old do they?

Ms Katie just type avery color studios in your computers keywords, you'll find a lot of info.

While on the subject of what's for sale and what's what-Does anyone have information about The Shoreline in beloved Eagle Harbor?

The Shoreline is alive and well, both the restaurant and motel operating as of last summer.

OK Now it's a new week. let's rise and shine

Shoreline is not open at this time. Ubderstand weekends only at the end of the month.

Mr. Reagan was honored last week and is remembered as
"The Gipper". Another Gipp who ought to be honored
and remembered is one from Laurium who has made a
great deal of difference in the community. I'm thinking
of Manila Gipp. What a wonderful person!

My Uncle Warren Johnston of Escanaba passed away recently. He was the oldest living "Eskymo" and the Last surviving member of the Semi-Pro Escanaba Rangers. He was born in Escanaba nearly 100 years ago, and my Aunt Helen survives "Warrnie" as he was known to his many friends. When Escanaba celebrated 75 years of football in 1972 he was chosen as one of the players on the "Eskymo Honor Team" covering the 1922 thru 1946 teams.
He would stay up and watch Monday Night Football until he was in his late 90's....and I miss him. I love you Uncle Warren.

The 1955 Hancock Bulldogs went 6 - 0 in conference and out scored opponents 181 to 6, averaging 30.16 points per game.
The only game we lost was to Bessemer in a non conference game with a much larger school 9-6 the points are not in the previous conference totals.