The Minnesota American Legion and Legionnaire Auxiliary Volume 101, Number 9 For God and Country September 2019 Oxford of North Chasing down the hero Carolina elected Legion Commander Bill Oxford of North Carolina was elected National Commander of The American Legion at the organization’s 101st convention in Indianapolis. Oxford recounted dozens of American Legion programs and said it is up to us, who are carrying forward the legacy into the second hundred years, to keep those programs strong. He served as Department Commander in 2010-11, and he chaired the national Legislative Commission, and the Veterans Employment and Education Commssion. Part of a family of nine, Oxford grew up in Lenoir, N.C., joined the Marine Corps and served in Vietnam as a mechanic on an A-6 Intruder. He later served in National Guard and the Army Reserves and retired as a colonel. Continued on Page 17 Commander sets up ad hoc committees Two new ad hoc committees were created and staffed by Department Commander Mark Dvorak at the August Department Executive Committee held in Osseo. Excelsior teammates chase down Jarod Wandersee after he connected for a single in the bottom of the One committee will look at setting up and running a seventh for a walk-off victory over two-time state Division I champion Tri-City Red in a quarter-final game Minnesota Legion College. The other will examine the at Cold Spring. Photo by John Sherman. Minnesota Legion’s bylaws and constitution and suggest changes and deletions. The college committee will work to establish the col- lege. There is a national week-long college, but Minnesota Excelsior, Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton win has not had one for many years. The Department has been putting a renewed emphasis on state Legion baseball championships training, and having a college is seen as a way of helping Legion leadership and potential leadership gain a better By Al Zdon ney at Sioux Falls. understanding of the organization’s programs, history, and At Cold Spring, Joel Solfest of Tri-City was named purposes. Excelsior and Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton respectively the Robb Wassenaar Outstanding Pitcher after tossing a Continued on Page 2 won the Division I and Division II Minnesota American no-hitter and striking out 12 in a game. Nick Thimsen, Legion Baseball tournaments this year. who cracked two home runs for Excelsior, was named Minnesota representatives went on to a measure of the Fred Wannamaker Outstanding Player. He also had Dvorak announces success in the Central Plains Regional Tournaments with eight RBI and eight runs scored. Excelsior making it to the final game before bowing out, Ham Lake won the Father Moran Sportsmanship his appointments and Plato, the second place finisher in Division II, win- Trophy. ning the regional. Other teams in the Division I Tournament were: Commander Mark Dvorak announced his appointments Excelsior, coming into the tournament at Cold Spring Austin, Eastview, Minneapolis Southwest, Woodbury to various Department committees at the August Executive with a gaudy 47-2 record, was clearly the class of the Blue, Duluth Lakeview, Rosetown, East Grand Forks, Committee meeting in Osseo. tournament, and they proved it by winning the state title Anoka, Buffalo, St. Cloud Chutes, and New Ulm Gold. The following list names those who were appointed or without losing a game. In regional play, the Fire Club continued its hot re-appointed, and not those whose terms continue through The Fire Club was mightily tested, though, in a quar- streak, winning the first four games of the tourney, this Legion year. ter-final game against Tri-City Red, the state champs the including a victory over Edina, and heading into the Tess Davis of Princeton was appointed to a three-year last two years. Tri-City was up 6-5 heading into the bot- final day only having to win one game to advance to the term on the Americanism Committee. Tom Hallett of tom of the seventh, but Excelsior pushed across two runs World Series. Mankato was named chairman of the Scout Subcommittee. for the walk-off victory. Excelsior ran into some good pitching from Fargo Other Americanism subcommittee chairs include Tom In the championship game, Excelsior outlasted Edina Post 2, losing the first game 8-0 and the second game 3- Clabo of Hutchinson, Community Service; Don Skow, 3-1. Both teams moved on to the national regional tour- Continued on Page 7 Continued on Page 2 Fall Conference set A baseball legend for Shooting Star This year’s Fall Conference will be held at Shooting Star Casino and Hotel in Mahnomen from Oct. 25-26, sponsored by Bagley Post 16. A registration form is on page 3 of this Legionnaire. The conference is considered the school of instruction for the Legion year, and often features education programs and guest speakers from the national organization. Those seeking rooms should contact the hotel directly at 1-800-453-7827. Those calling should ask for the American Legion room block: 6536. Registration is $15 per person if received by Oct. 1, $18 after that, and $20 at the door. There will be no post activities at this year’s fall confer- Pages 12-14 ence. Page 2 Minnesota Legionnaire September 2019 year term on the Credentials Committee. Lynne Nottage of Slayton will serve a two-year term and replace John Flynn, Appointments Minneapolis will chair the committee. and Paul Orson of Circle Pines will replace Ralph Paul Edwards of Brainerd was named to three-year term Schneekloth. Continued from Page 1 on the Education and Training Committee. Carl Moon of Gary Munkholm of Ramsey was re-appointed to a five- Lindstrom, Education; Jared Sturgill of Champlin, Junior Walker will chair the Employment Committee. year term on the Rehabilitation Committee. Shooting Sports. Richard Wog of Willmar was named to a five-year term Al Davis of Princeton was re-appointed to a three-year Kyle Oldre of Luverne was named Boys State Director on the Finance Committee. Tom Burau of Fergus Falls will term on the Resolutions Assignment Committee and will be replacing Thomas Nelson. Cliff Newman of Anoka was chair the committee.The Fort Snelling Cemetery the chairman. named chairman of the Oratorical Contest, replacing Sylvan Association representative will be Tom Mullon of Eagan. Gary Weaver of LaCrescent will be the advisor to the Fix. Tim Haugen of Moorhead will chair the Fund for Sons of the American Legion. Joe Niesen of Cologne will Joe Jansen of Arden Hills will be the Legion’s represen- Hospitalized Vets. Christine Wendt of New Prague will join be the new Vice Chairman South. tative to the Armed Forces Service Center. Terry Larson of the committee. Randy Schaub of Danube will replace Mike Perry as a Shafer will chair the blood program. Susan Edwards of Brainerd will chair the Law and Order vice director of the Baseball Committee. Brandon Raymo Karen Welander of Sunberg will chair the Children and Committee replacing Tom Conway. of Montevideo was appointed to a three-year term as vice Youth Committee and Veronica Fernlund of St. Cloud, will Chuck Stone of Owatonna will be the Riders liaison. director. serve as vice chair. Bill Barbknecht of Battle Lake will serve a three-year John Torma of Eveleth will continue as chair of the Tom Schottenbauer of Minnetonka was appointed to a term and chair the Legionnaire Insurance Trust Committee. Bowling Committee. Tom Skuza of Sauk Rapids will join five-year term on the Convention Corporation. Richard Cross of Sauk Centre will be the Department’s the committee. Virgil Wagner of Middle River was appointed to a three- representative on the Legionville Board of Directors, Carla Tappainer was named to a five-year term on the replacing Roger Myren. Strategic Planning Committee replacing Dan Williams. Bob Hart of Oak Park Heights will chair the Legislative Mike Maxa, LeCenter, will serve a two-year term replacing Committee replacing Peggy Moon. Deon Ford of Apple Brad Pagel. Tom Fernlund of St. Cloud will chair the com- Ad hoc committees Valley will join the committee. mittee and Maxa will serve as secretary. Sylvan Fix of Brownsville will be the new membership Don Pankake of Hutchinson was re-appointed to a two- named by Dvorak director. year term as a Legion representive on the Veterans 4 Continued from Page 1 Richard Janssen of Richmond and Gary Olson of Veterans Committee. Moorhead were re-appointed to three-year terms on the The college committee must assemble a staff, set a meet- Brain Science Foundation. ing time, create an application process, develop a budget Lloyd Ricker of Dawson and do other tasks to get the college functioning. was re-appointed to a five- Named to the ad hoc committee were Mike Ash, St. year term on the Minnesota Paul; Paul Edwards, Brainerd; Sy Fix, Brownsville; Denise Legion Foundation. Milton, Bagley; and Linda Dvorak, LeCenter. The commit- Lane Stunkel of St. Paul tee will elect its own chairman and secretary. was named to a five-year The Constitution and Bylaws ad hoc committee will look term on the National at the Department’s official documents and legal construc- Security and Foreign tion. Relations Committee. Periodically, the Department goes through its standing Eugene Leifeld of resolutions to see which ones have become obsolete or need Zumbrota was appointed to to be updated. a three-year term replacing The committee will include: Past National Commander Richard Wog. Jim Kellogg Dan Ludwig, Red Wing; Ray DeZurik, Breezy Point; Al was named chairman. Davis, Princeton; William Goede, Plainview; and Glenn Mueller of St. Department Judge Advocate Greg Colby of Northfield. Charles will chair the Proceedings of both sub-committees will be subject to Pheasant Feed Committee review by the DEC.