brownwho63

Doubtful we'd be interested in spending $17 to tour the Westcott House. The Penn House would be okay. (Just my $17 worth.)..........Bliss

Sorry for belaboring this small-town basketball thing but I remember the Hebron Cinderella story because I was a 50's hoops junkie who played the game at every opportunity; school team, back yard, playground, etc. The Sweet 16 IHSA basketball tourney held in Champaign, IL each March was absolutely the sports highlite of the year. IL didn't have a class system (some say we had no class) as they do now and it was simply winner take all. Quincy, a large school about 40 miles from my small town dominated area and state basketball in the early 50's and were highly favored to win state in '52, especially because of their star player, Bruce Brothers. Hebron snuck up on we downstaters that year and found themselves in the championship game against the Quincy Blue Devils. Whoever heard of Hebron with its 98 students? It was exciting, though, and I was pulling for the Giants, especially because everyone in my area had such distaste for the Blue Devils. I listened to the game on our Zenith radio and was thrilled when Hebron won in overtime 64 to 59. Hebron's stars, twins Paul and Phil Judson, went on to play at the Univ. of IL along with Brothers from Quincy. Brothers and Paul Judson were starters and Phil was a reserve for the Fighting Ilini. A newspaper blurb follows. (I promise that I won't post any more roundball stories.)....Bliss Hebron's fame is eternal Article from:Chicago Sun-Times Article date:December 17, 2001 Author: Steve Tucker | Copyright informationCopyright 2001 Chicago Sun-Times. (Hide copyright information) Before Hoosiers" there was Hebron. It was 50 years ago that the greatest story in Illinois basketball unfolded. Hebron, a district school with an enrollment of 98 won the boys state basketball tournament. That was two years before the Milan, Ind. team that "Hoosiers" is based on, led by future Indiana (Note: He actually played 4 years for Butler) star Bobby Plump, won in Indiana.

We'll definitely be there sometime for next month's cruise so maybe we can see one or two of these sites. Didn't know multiple IN towns were involved in the film. Keep me posted on the cruise. Thanks.....Bliss

Each time I watch the movie "Hoosiers" I think about all of the old towns, old schools, old roads, etc. in the old days. What great time travel! Anyway, I recently watched a black and white of the actual 1954 IN state title game between Milan (aka Hickory) and Muncie, the larger school and greatly favored to win the game. I had previously thought that Milan just had a better team but I'm now convinced that Muncie was greatly outcoached and that cost them the game. For example, Milan ran what is now called a "motion" offense (aka a weave) versus the wide open run and shoot from 35 feet by Muncie. I was amazed that Milan took only "good" shots and I couldn't believe that Muncie never seemed to run any kind of inside offense and that most of their shots were from what would now be beyond the 3-point line. Milan did a great job of blocking out on defense and came up with most of the rebounds. Muncie never did catch on to this fact and played the game in a "playground" manner. Bobby Plump (aka "Jimmy") was not the great shooter the movie made him out to be but he took only "good" shots and could shoot a decent jumper, a fairly new concept in 1954. As I recall, he scored less than 10 points in the game but did actually make the final shot as depicted in the movie. He didn't say "I'll make it" in the huddle like in the movie and was told from the beginning of the huddle by Coach Wood that he would take the last shot. He held the ball until the remaining 5 or 6 seconds, drove from the top of the key to his right, stopped and took about a 15 foot jumper that swished with no hands in his face. He said that Coach Wood was a soft-spoken man very unlike Gene Hackman in the movie and only had to slightly raise his voice to get everyone's full attention. Would like to cruise to Milan one day and see the town and the old school but, man, it's in southeast IN waaaaay down there from STL......Bliss

Any of the 4 weekends in the poll are okay for us at this time....Bliss

You can now download the motor tour registration form, tour flyer, and lodging info at the ILHA site. Last year's initial motor tour was a winner and I'm confident this year's will be as well....Bliss http://www.lincolnhighwayassoc.org/iowa/tour/motortour.html

I watched his show in the fifties at the Western Illinois Fair held in Griggsville, IL. As I recall, the show was using Fords at the time......probably because if one was damaged beyond repair it was no big loss to the automobile world.....Bliss, still a Chevy guy

And here's my contribution from the February '07 Sweetheart Cruise........Bliss http://americanroadmagazine.com/forum/inde...=si&img=464

I'm not all that familiar with U.S. 40 in MO but have been on a few stretches that are original alignments away from the slab rather than just being I-70 outer roads. Some (I don't believe all) old alignments are marked with a green 40 sign and the stretches I remember and recommend for your return are: Boonville to just west of Columbia Kingdom City to Graham Cave State Park High Hill through Jonesburg, Warrenton, and Wright City to Wentzville These old alignments are true Americana through rural MO and very enjoyable....Bliss

Hi, Kat, and welcome to this group of roadies. Mary Sue, my bride of 48 years, and I talked endlessly about RVing the country's back roads before we retired but since actual retirement I've had a change of heart and prefer to cruise a Chevy instead. And we haven't actually cruised all of the states as we had planned. Instead, we prefer to take shorter, closer cruises like IL and MO 66 motor tours, IA Lincoln Highway motor tour, Sweetheart Cruise, Pat and Denny's spring or fall cruise, etc. Ironically, the main reason we don't cruise more is due to a general dislike for motel lodging. Anyway, Kat, welcome again and we look forward to hearing about your past and future adventures. (But being a Wal-Mart shareholder for 25 years they bin bery, bery guud to me and I hope there's a profitable store built everywhere)...Bliss

Please ignore above foolish question, as I reread your post about using the National Road. Duh...Bliss

As far as I know at this time, we can make it. Slab time required from STL to Richmond is what; 5 hours? Would the cruise be slabbing from Richmond to Springfield or two laning?....Bliss

I'm envious, Denny. Wish I coulda ridden shotgun in the Vette.....Bliss

That's great news, Becky! Thanks for your post....Bliss

I just received my IA Lincoln Highway Association newsletter and note that the 2nd annual motor tour will be conducted August 28-30, 2009. This year's motor tour will run west-to-east, as the association plans to alternate tour direction annually. I heartily recommend this motor tour to anyone interested in having fun and doing a little time travel over the Lincoln in IA. More details can be found at the official site listed below....Bliss http://www.lincolnhighwayassoc.org/iowa/tour/motortour.html

I have a photo of a Blue Star Memorial Highway marker from the outskirts of Carthage, MO that says, "A tribute to the Armed Forces that have defended the United States of America. Sponsored by Federated Garden Clubs of Missouri in cooperation with Missouri State Highway Department and Carthage Floral Study Club and Mimosa Garden Club." There is no date on the monument. There is another such marker at the intersection of old 66 just east of Cuba, MO and County P which goes to Leasburg. It has similar markings and it's my understanding these monuments were erected by various clubs that may or may not have been garden/floral related working with the highway department in honor of WWI and WWII forces. I seem to recall that we cruised a Blue Star Highway in MI that runs north-south alongside Lake Michigan a few years ago. If so, it appears these monuments were erected throughout the midwest and possibly other areas as well....Bliss

How sad! Seems as if every place we like gets torn down. Here's a shot of the motel just under turn 2 of the Indy speedway that was taken on the Cool Roads Cruise......Bliss http://americanroadmagazine.com/forum/inde...=si&img=450

I received a reply yesterday from IL Senator Frank C. Watson who agrees that the Governor's actions in this matter are "outrageous." He also said he would do everything he could to prevent the Old State House closing....Bliss

The local Shell's price was $1.96 Tuesday morning.....Bliss