Page 12 THE NORTON TELEGRAM Friday, August 11, 2006 Norton golfers 3rd at Goodland By DICK BOYD players, Scott Focke, shot a 70 for Atwood, Rollie Halligan, A team from the Norton runnerup medalist honors. Focke Goodland and John Penny, Death of Norcatur native Countrrry Club placed third in the fired a 30 on the front nine to tie the Burlington, all 74s. Dick Ahlberg, 17th annual KLOE-KKCI- Sugar Hills record. Tyson Shelley Oberlin; Jon McLean, Goodland KWGB Classic Golf Tournament of Goodland shot a par 71. and Kenny Rummel, Atwood, all held Sunday, July 30 at the Sugar Other outstanding individual carded 75s. Hills Golf Club in Goodland. scores were: Michael Terry, Tournament director was Kay big loss for sports world Atwood won the team champi- Atwood, 73; Kevin Finley, Melia. onship with a 765, followed by Goodland, 781; Norton, 785; On Saturdays Eldon Auker Burlington, 791; St. Francis, 844; Oakley, 847; Sharon Springs, 881; Tribune, 893; Oberlin, 895. ‘Cat practices open to public excelled in Norton placed second last year after winning the championship By JIM MERRIOTT players currently on the field at this three straight years. Sit tight, Kansas State Univer- time. many venues Each of the nine teams com- sity football fans. You are not for- “I also want the people in the peted with their 11 best available gotten. western part of the state to know I By STEVE HAYNES golfers and all teams played Newly installed footballcoach have not forgotten them. Just after Norcatur’s Eldon Auker was “scratch” golf with no handicaps. Ron Prince knows you are out I was hired, I took my wife on a trip remembered as much for being the The top 10 scores were used to there and appreciates your sup- to the Colby and Goodland area. last man alive to have struck out determine the winners. port. She had never been farther west the legendary , but he Norton’s low scorers were Joe Prince, a Junction City native, than Salina. It was thrilling to meet was far more. Herman, Mark Klein and Brad returned to his home state to guide with fans. Mr. Auker, who died last Friday Leiker, who shot 76s. Clayton Cox the Wildcats, who start with their “I, along with the new coaching at age 95, won a remarkable nine and Tyler Rutherford both carded first home game Saturday, Sept. 2, staff, also hit the western half over varsity letters in three sports at 77s. Joel Duscher shot a 78. Rich at Bill Snyder Family Stadium in the winter months, talking to the Kansas State College. He may Wahlmeier and Rick Green each Manhattan. public doing the dinner circuit. have been simply the best all- recorded 80s. Dave Newell shot an Saturday, Prince opened a series Norton was one of the towns we around athlete ever to come out of 82, Chuck Vsetecka an 83 and of three weekend practices to the visited, and we look forward to Kansas. Kevin Largent an 86. public. coming to Oberlin and St. He was All Big 6 in all three Marcus Grinnan of Burlington “Our fans are our base, without Francis.” sports — baseball, football and won medalist honors with a three them our program would not ex- The Wildcats will practice in basketball — and chosen as a sec- under par 68. Colby was not able ist,” the said. “I am happy to public the next two Saturdays ond-team All American at quarter- to field a full team but one of their let them get an early look at 105 starting at 3:30 p.m. back by the legendary sportswriter Grantland Rice. An injury in college forced him to develop a unique underarm style of pitching that served him well over 10 seasons. Mr. Auker Bulletin Board compiled a 130-101 record with the Detroit Tigers, Boston Red Sox and the old St. Louis Browns, Business and Professional Directory all in the . Your Guide to Services Available in Northwest Kansas He last visited his native Norcatur in May 2000, when he Space for Rent Financial Service spoke at the dedication of a new downtown park named in his honor. As he often did, he told the Wouldn’t Your Ad What’s yours is theirs…or is it? story of his first day in the big leagues. Without a proper estate protection strategy, your At age 22, he’d been called up loved ones may not receive all you’ve worked so by the Tigers and joined the team A baseball in his hand, Eldon Auker signed autographs hard to achieve. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans can help ensure your assets pass according to James (Jim) Jordan in New York. In the third inning, in Norcatur six years ago. He will be remembered by Regional Support Associate your plan. Call today. Member–Million Dollar Round Table the starter faltered. The call went many as the last man living who struck out Babe Ruth. Member–NAIFA to the rookie pitcher in the Yankee — Oberlin Herald file photo Member–NAFIC Stadium bullpen. Great Here? 800-756-2139 The first man he faced: Babe to the majors was swift. He was at Mr. Auker’s memoir, “Sleeper Neither Thrivent Financial for Lutherans nor its respective associates provide legal or tax advice. Ruth. He struck him out on four For complete details, consult with your tax advisor or attorney. his best in 1934 and 1935, when Cars and Flannel Uniforms,” was Call 877-3361 21384B R5-03 200301466 ©2006 Thrivent Financial for Lutherans pitches, but Auker said, he didn’t the Tigers won the American published in 2001. He is a mem- have time to celebrate. On deck League pennant and their first ber of the K-State Sports Hall of Auto Service Repair Air Duct Cleaning stood . They didn’t call (in ’35). He led the Fame and the Kansas Sports Hall PROBLEM SOLVED! COMPLETE COMPUTER DIAGNOSIS the Yankees’ lineup Murders Row league in winning percentage in of Fame. DIVERSIFIED Careful Attention Sets Our Service Shop Apart From Others for nothing, but he got them out, 1935, his best year at 18-7. His visit to Norcatur six years MECHANICALConstruction and recalled getting to relax a little In 1939, Mr. Auker was traded ago apparently was his last. He had •TUNE-UPS •AIR CONDITIONER •BRAKES •EXHAUST SYSTEM •SHOCKS •RADIATOR REPAIR in the next inning. to Boston, where he played for a not been home since his mother WALTER MOTOR COMPANY MAINTENANCE As much as anything that day, year under player- Joe died in 1983, he told the crowd that NORTON — 1-800-479-3112 (877-3112) he added, he remembered being Cronin, later president of the day. “DONE RIGHT!” razzed by the Yankees’ third-base Dryer American League. He went to St. “I have had several honors,” he Rx Compounding and Therapy Vent coach, Art Fletcher, who likened Louis the next year, finishing out said, tears welling up in his eyes, Cleaning his underhand style to girls’ soft- his career with 16, 14 and 14 wins. “but this is one of the best.” ball: “Hey, Bush, you’ve got the In retirement, he moved to He hung around the unfinished •Residential Bam all upset. He said he’d been Florida and went into the abrasives park that day, signing baseball •Commercial struck out a lot of times, but that’s business. He prospered in business cards, baseballs, programs, any- Bison •Industrial the first time a damn woman ever Customized Rx compounding & Therapy as he had on the field. When he was thing a fan put before him. And prescriptions for struck him out.” vice president of the National As- James E. Hampton, RPh, PCCA Member www.dlverslfledmm.com telling baseball stories. patients with Auker later became friends with sociation of Manufacturers and He remembered seeing Gehrig unique medical 416 State Street, Suite A TOLL FREE Ruth, who retired just a couple of Ronald Reagan was governor of in 1939, shortly before he died of situations Atwood, Kansas 67730 years later, and then played golf in California, the governor recog- the disease which now bears his 1-800-AirDuct requiring (785) 626-3237 Florida. He said he told the Babe nized the former pitcher in the au- name. Gehrig winced when he Air Duct 247-3828Cleaning unique medical (800) 696-3214 about the razzing, and he denied dience. grabbed him, he said. Bison [email protected] ever saying that. “That’s They talked later, and the soon- “Lou was the kind of guy that solutions. FREE ESTIMATES Fletcher,” Ruth said. Mr. Auker to-be president told him, “I’ll could lift you off the ground,” he said the coach was known as a never forget you in the 1935 World said, “but he was so weak.” GIVE YOUR BUSINESS THE ATTENTION IT DESERVES!! “jockey” because he rode the op- Series.” He said Reagan wanted to He said it was hard to see his position players so hard. know if he remembered the young buddies grow old. After leaving K-State, Mr. sportscaster who had interviewed “So many have died,” he said, CALL . . . TT HH EE NN OO RR TT OO NN Auker had to choose among his him that year. “or have something wrong with favorite sports. There wasn’t “The young announcer did such them.” Spaces Always Available: much future in basketball in those a good job,” Mr. Auker recalled in Now, Eldon Auker has joined 1” per month — $42.50 days, but he had an offer to play TEELLEEGGRRAAMM Norcatur, “that they made him the them, and there’s no one standing T 2” per month — $76.50 pro football with the Chicago official announcer for the World who can say he struck out Babe 3” — per month — $103.50 785-877-3361 Bears. Series. It was his first break in the Ruth on four pitches. He chose baseball, and his rise entertainment world.” Thanks for reading The Telegram

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