Danvers smacks Wildcats

From today's Pantagraph

50 years ago (1957): Glen Zook limited Wapella to just five hits as he pitched Danvers High School to its fourth straight Kickapoo Conference victory, 11-1. Zook struck out 13 and walked none. Wapella’s only run came on Jim Bland’s homer.

Who needs to petitionn the FCC for an equal time ruling on this one when Wapella.com gets more readers than the Pantagraph? I am sure the Wildcats gave Danvers a good stomping or three, as we used to demolish them regularly in the mid 70's. This is not a dead issue. The Wildcats are still planning a comeback.

HT to Jim Bland for the Home Run to save the Wildcat Pride.

Make Mine a Double

The Wildcats used to double-team the Maroons for many years, at least back to the days of Leslie "Sas" Spencer, Clinton basketball great, who was double-teamed by none other than the Fryman Twins, Kim and Kelly in a 1979 matchup. About 10 years later Clinton's greatest basketball player, Martina Underwood experienced an unusual double up when she was guarded on the court by a Lady Wildcat (Name Please?) and off the court by her future spouse, Raymond "Cherokee" Toohill (in something of a full court press, if I recall).

So to continue the double up, we would like to not only lay a goonsmack on the usual suspects proposing to turn Clinton's water Maroon colored, but also give a boost to a local organization asking some good questions about adding another source to the sludge in the water supply of Central Illinois. Take a look at this site. Sure, it could use more information about Wapella, but who couldn't these days, and a funeral notice would bring in more visitors. But here is some public scrutiny for a rather curious plan to bury waste in Clinton, and it is well worth scrutinizing the worth of souring our wells.

WATCH the Clinton Landill Here

Any of you Zappa fans out there up for some Central (Illinois) Scrutinzer?

10AM Hughsday October 2 at St. Patrick's Cemetery, Wapella

Come one, come all to visit with the "Hall of Famer's" (in the words of WHT) at St. Patrick's cemetery in Wapella on RT 51 about 2 miles north of the Village, or 4 miles West of Irish Row, depending on your starting point.

At 10AM, there will be a ceremony held at the cemetery for WH "Huey" Toohill. Though, Huey was not a veteran, he knew a lot of them (and could tell a good war story), and I suggest in his honor of his leading role in Wapella, general good nature, and kindness to others the flag be dipped to half-mast.

Wapella salutes you Huey.

Rover to Clintucky and Beyond: Weekend Recap..Riddle Engagement..Apple..Pork

Wapella.com had a largely busy weekend this past one. Things kicked off Friday, and after beverages and food at Wings Etc, a stop at Annie's for some Nintendo WII bowling action called. Retiring semi-early, the 'Cats had some work ahead of them. Illinois' upset of Penn State on Saturday got us all in the mood, and we headed out to tackle the rest of the weekend:
- Saturday kicked off with a party for one of the Blue and White. Noted earlier on Wapella.com, Jim Byrne (a great guy, we feel for his Mets) and Colleen Riddle are engaged, and Saturday was the engagement fete at Vic Riddle's farm. A delicious spread of food and cold refreshments welcomed the numerous Wildcats on hand.
- Sgt. John Earl Wheat was back from Mad City, as was brother Jake Riddle. Interesting sidenote: the two brothers had recently patched up after a nasty little squabble over a disagreement regarding Wheat's questionable generosity in regards to letting his brother crash at his apartment in Madison, WI late one night. Happily, we can report that the brothers were spotted in a near uncomfortably long embrace before Jake packed up and headed back home.
- The crowd at the party included residents from Long Island, Brooklyn, Chicago, Michigan, Champaign and beyond. The evening was brought to a head when a tour of The Irish Circle became order of the night, and "Kodiak" Reid Marten impressed with various bartending skills, as always. Again, congrats to the couple, and once again, Hog City impresses the big city boys. And here's to John and Jake hugging this one out.
- Sunday, the Rover and crew were on hand for Clinton's Annual Apple and Pork Festival this weekend. Remembering not to drink or get near the water, a group of Wildcats perused the food, the crowd, and searched intently for new switchblades combs.
- Village fund-raising committee, Wapella Says YES, was on hand making breakfast all day for all to enjoy. The Schmid twins sampled the delicacies and gave the breakfast a hearty four thumbs up.
- New father (congrats from Wapella.com are overdue. Apologies all around for the miss) go to Jason Reynolds. Jason is the son of Cheryl Reynolds and grandson of Richard and Audrey Reynolds. He and wife Kristen (Riegel) Reynolds welcomed a boy, Jaxon Reynolds, into the world a few months back. A hearty congrats to the new family! Wapella.com would like to point out Kristen is the sister of Anthony Riegel, friend to all Wildcats and general man about town.
- The Thomas clan was out in full force. Brad, Janelle, Bruce and Susan were hard at it, alongside Tim Potts and Jessica Shaw. Always good to see the bunch of them. No news to report, other than harvest is keeping the Thomas boys busy, and I think I saw Potts looking at Cubs hats to buy.
- Speaking of hats, while the Rover was looking for a new spray-painted, mesh cowboy hat, complete with RATT headband, the group spotted Anne (Roesch) Leischner and child hastily exiting the premises. The group talked with Anne for a minute, noted her new (and good looking) hair-do and headed back into the fray.
- Spotted Lynn Karr and Chad Schmid out and about as well. After catching up a bit, the group found those Chinese throwing stars we were after, we bid them adieu.
- Daily reader Monica Shipp was out and about with her children and sister Mona and husband and Wildcat, Randy Rich. Monica and Mona are themselves honorary Wildcats as they spent many the summer day at Aunt and Uncle Patti and Ronnie Mills'. Monica has requested that we correct a past editorial error: there are definitely TWO P's in SHIPP.
And so it goes; another Apple and Pork Festival in the books, and another weekend in Hog City has passed. Make it your goal to get recognized on Wapella.com. Come to God's country and say 'hello.'
*** The Wapella Rover would like to also note that many of the people we spoke to at the party and at the Apple and Pork Festival wished to pass along condolences for the passing of Wildcat great William Hugh Toohill ***

Till Tuesday

As I cannot bring anyone (including myself) to write a full obituary of the late WH Toohill, I'll pass along a few notes.

1) The Toohill family has requested that Tuesday be celebrated at Hughsday on Wapella.com (and in all of the Village, if you are up for it), honoring Huey and his legacy. The Board of Wapella Historians was unanimous on this one. Tuesday is Hughsday and all Huey all the time.

2) If you are harvesting, it will wait a few days. There is a Rosary and Wake for Huey in Granite City at 4:30 till ??. Come on down and pay your respects.

3) I have an old testimonial from about 1990, from playing basketball at Fell Park in Bloomington, in a (pretty good) game featuring 3 Sons of St. Patrick's from Wapella vs. 3 guys from Illinois Wesleyan. After the match, one of the IWU guys came over and asked Dennis Toohill, "Do you have a brother who lives in town?" Dennis replied "I have 2 brothers and 2 sisters in town", to which the IWU man said, "Does one of them flip pizza at Micheleo's"? DIT somewhat hesitantly stated "uh...yeah". Awestruck, the Titan got a gleam in his eye, extended his hand, and said "Your brother is Huey Toohill: The man is totally cool".

Which is a phrase I'm sure has been repeated over and over again by the thousands of people who knew WH Toohill.

Illini Smelling like Roses

In an uncanny series of events, the Fghting Illini are undefeated in the Big Ten after stinging Penn State today 27-20. Whatever the Illini are doing, it is working, and they should stay with it (much like the Bears should have stayed with 8-1 Kyle Orton, before Rex "Wobbly" Grossman took over; no one could tell how Orton won, except for the Bears having more points than the opponents)

Hail Orange! Hail Blue!

.525: Congrats to all those Cub Fans

As we noted 2 weeks ago sometimes good enough is good enough. The Chicago Cubs have clinched it, in Cincinnati of all places. To those .525 of our readers who are Cub fans, Congratulations, and Wapella.com hopes after 99 years, your patience can hold out for at least 20 more games before the Cubbies again take the World Series.

Still haven't got a legit answer to my trivia question. Where is this logo from? Very close to the Cubs.

William Hugh Toohill, 1957-2007

Hughie Toohill has died today from complications related to a brain tumor. More details to come. He will never be forgotten in Wapella. Our deepest condolences to his wife and his family.

From the Archives

Found this in the old 2005 Wapella.com Archives, from the top 10 events list in Wapella history.

#11 The catchphrase "Eight Skate and Donate" is coined in Wapella in 1848 coincidentally on the same date that Abraham Lincoln makes the "fool some of the people all of the time" speech in Clinton. For 12 years, "Eight Skate and Donate" is the #1 catchphrase in the US, outpacing "Ship, Captain, Crew" and "Full Boat" as spirited gambler lingo, until Lincoln's election in 1860 brought "fool some of the people" into the top catch phrase spot. "Eight, Skate, and Donate" was virtually unheard for nearly 120 years, only to come roaring back in 1985 when the Irish Circle gained new management more accommodating to the sporting type, boosting it into the 22 year run of rhyming rage that it holds to this day.

Next time, drive 18 Miles South for a Dust Up

This is almost too easy (next), but Hilary Quinlan, the former Mayor of Waterford, Ireland (ancestral home of the Irish Row's own Donovan's (I think)) got into a balliwick at Jumer's Chateau in Bloomington, striking a woman at a wedding reception.

The possiblities are endless for comedy here, but I suggest:

1) Offering Quinlan the Keys to Hog City. This man represents the true spirit of the Wapella Irish, always welcoming a brawl at Jumers.

2) Kicking off a lecture tour in Hog City devoted to woman smacking. Current norms in the US make this in particularly bad taste, but in the Old Country, they still know how to dust it up.

3) Asking Quinlan to appear at the upcoming midget wrestling matches at the Irish Circle. Perhaps some type of ceremony, MCed by "Rock and Roll" Buck Zumofe where in Quinlan is offered an olive branch and shilleleagh and made a public spectacle of.

Quinlan, I can't agree with all your methods, but I certainly applaud your style. You lifted the reputation of the Irish back to about the 1854 level in Central Illinois, which as we all know was when we Paddies were on the bottom of the heap and the top of the world.

Applause? Jeers? Petition drives? What does Wapella make of Quinlan?

Editors Historical Note:

If there were custom T-shirt shops in the early 19th century, it may have been possible for Irishmen to make a Muscle T stating "Famine? What Famine? I'm digging my way to Hog City" with a big logo of a shovel.