Salute to Richard Dawson

If there is one word to describe Richard Dawson, it is versatile. With a career spanning over 40 years, on stage, TV and Film, Dawson captured a huge audience with his role as Corporal Peter Newkirk in Hogan's Heroes, a show much beloved in Wapella and other places.

Born Colin Lionel Emm in Gosport, England, Dawson started out in the merchant marine at the age of 14, then became a boxer and comedian appearing as Dickie Dawson. Dawson hit it big when he married starlet Diana Dors, recognized as the most beautiful actress in England, whereupon they moved to Los Angeles to pursue their careers.

And what a career it has been, with the amazing role as the crafty Corporal Newkirk firmly establishing Richard Dawson as major star, then moving on to Laugh-In and two huge hits as game shows with Match Game and the masterpiece of Dawson's career, Family Feud, which he played to great effect in the "Running Man" Movie.

Approaching 78 years old, and living in Beverly Hills California, Richard Dawson has truly had a fabled and admirable career, one of the great performers of the 20th Century. And for a tip of the hat, Joe Jackson (from neighboring Portsmouth, England) questions "Is She Really Going Out With Him" a question never asked of the suave Dawson.

Cheers to you Richard Dawson!

In the Spirit of Chris Ooms,: Celery Stalks in Texas

He Seemed Like Such a Nice Guy, I Never Knew He Was a Stalker



"Four Killed by Celery: Texas Food Processing Plant Shut Down After Poisoning Deaths"--headline, Daily Mail (London), Oct. 22

W.Com Sends Out Congrats to Jason and Kristen Reynolds!

Wapella.com sends out big congrats to one of Wapella's finest clans, The Reynolds', and one of Clinton's as well, the Riegel's, as proud parents Jason and Kristin (Riegel) Reynolds and brother Jaxon welcomed Xander Martin Reynolds into the world at 8:41 on 10/7/10. Weighing in at 8lbs, and 19.5 inches long, he is a fine addition to a pair of already outstanding families.

Congrats all around!

                                                    

What's Next for Jeff Finger?

After a whirlwind career with the Colorado Avalance and the Toronto Maple Leafs, Jeff Finger has been put on waivers, leaving the Blue and White for the second time including his WHS '79 commencement.

This from a Canadian blogger

One of the cool things about maintaining this blog for the past 8 years is that I can go back in time and read what I thought about events as they unfolded. For example, on July 1, 2008, I wrote an entry entitled "Uncle Cliffy Gives Us The Finger". The deal didn't make any sense to me at the time, and here's what I wrote.

I understood signing Cujo to a nice and tidy one year deal for $700,000 but I don't get why Cliff Fletcher just signed defenceman Jeff Finger to a four-year deal worth $3.5 million a season.

I understand the Toronto Maple Leafs need bodies, but do we really have to give four year deals to 28 year olds with 94 career games under their belts? Admittedly, I can't remember ever seeing him play, so if The Finger is Sylvain Lefebvre reincarnate I shall stand corrected.

I look at it in the opposite direction. $3.5 Million is a lot of money to anyone and Wapella is proud of Finger's accomplishments. Jeff gave 110% during his time in Toronto, but maybe it was just time to move on. Come to think of it, I don't recall Jeff playing all that much hockey in Wapella, perhaps in our basement a time or ten, with some street sticks from S.S. Kresge, but he was and is a tough competitor deserving of every dime he made. And who need some Canadian punk telling a Wildcat what he should be doing anyway? And Sylvain Lefebvre...please God Help Us!

Congrats Jeff Finger and all the Finger family on a solid career. Another lucky NHL team will pick you up and let your Wildcat pride lead them.

Dunk Tank Returns to Living History Museum in Clinton

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, children of all ages, fasten your seat belt, warm up your pitching arm and prepare to re-live The #1 Event in Wapella History: The Wapella Dunk Tank has returned.

An alert Martin Morris, WHS '84, spotted the tanks at school festival in Clinton, Illinois, a city outside of Wapella, reportedly to the South.

"It was a sort of spiritual experience", mused Morris, "seeing the tank, enjoying the banter of a smart-alecky school principal raising money for one thing or another, and a line of enraged customers taking a shot at dunking the fine gentleman who volunteered for this sort of ritual humiliation".

That's principal, John Smith, in the tank at Webster School's PBIS celebration last week, giving his all for the kids of...Wapella...read it on the dunk tank by clicking on the photo...donated to the kids of Wapella, by Wapella legend KB Duncan.

It is heart-warming to see this machine put to good use again. If you are ever in Clinton, why not stop by Webster School and take a toss at dunking the Principal?