Vintage

The Fall Meeting was held this past Saturday, October 17th at the Delton Sportsmen's Club. More details to follow in the newsletter, but here are the highlights:

• Mosinee will host the 2011 State tournament. They were up against Eau Claire, who said they will bid again next year for the 2012.
• Jimmy Paulson was elected to 2nd Vice-President, replacing Terry Sternberg who retired from the position. The election was won in only one round of voting, with Jimmy taking 20 votes, Ed Wheeler taking 10 votes, and Kevin Brekke taking 6. Jim Haupt noted that there was more interest for the WHPA 2nd VP job than the whole NHPA could muster for the NHPA Presidency (only one candidate for the election this past summer).
• Tom Steinke was re-elected WHPA President by unanimous vote.
• Suggestions for bylaw changes need to be submitted to the newsletter for publication, to be voted on at the 2010 Spring meeting, to be held on March 20th, 2010

Read the complete article, as printed in Volume 22 Issue 5 of Wisconsin Horseshoes.

The shakers and bakers of the WHPA met on an October day at the Sportsman's Club of Lake Delton, 39 of them. Every member is invited to these meetings. Only a few interested show up to express their individual ideas.

Our percentage is way down, meaning our percentage of members attending the State Meeting. From a North Carolina newsletter (incidentally called “Down and Back”), we learned that 80 of its 210 members were present at their Fall meeting. That’s 38%. Our attendance ranked at a low 8%.

WHPA Chaplain Ken Heinritz prefaced this meeting with a prayer for wisdom in making decisions.

He was followed by state Secretary-Treasurer John Secord reading the minutes of the last meeting, in detail. It took 15 minutes to read the minutes of the last one-hour meeting.

Secord then reported an existing balance of $2,548 current in the WHPA treasury and 468 members.

Jane Smith told of the team competition within the State Tournament, in practice for the last 20 years, with the Little Bull Falls HSC as the 2009 winners of the traveling trophy and cash.

Terry Sternberg, retiring 2nd VP, was cited for his Hall of Fame Induction in 2006, seven years as VP, the constructor of the HOF display cabinet, and his many years as President of the Goldendale club. He thanked Platteville for hosting a fine State Tournament reminding members that Beloit will host the 2010 venture, adding that he has copies of the WHPA brochure available as pass-outs.

Scholarship Fund Director and 3rd VP Sonia Cook told of her year of Fund activity, announcing a working balance of $7,899.

Lorraine Sternberg, 3rd NHPA VP, reported four Wisconsin teams in her recent Sanctioned league team tournament in Missouri. Three of the Wisconsin teams placed. Next year the event will be in the same place sometime in October.

Cedar Rapids (July 26-August 7)will be the next address of the World Tournament with Louisiana to follow as announced by Dick Hansen, NHPA Secretary-Treasurer. He also confirmed that the 29-inch platform courts now in popular use have been grandfathered as legal and approved by the NHPA executive board. Answering a question by Norm Mauthe, Hansen defined some of the costs of the NHPA Hall of Fame Building in Missouri. Owned by the NHPA, the building lease is set at $1,000/month, some of which is offset by subletting for events and Game Related Sales pays a storage fee for their space. Hansen added that he thinks they are doing OK.

Regional Director Eddie Wheeler's hopeful remark was that he is looking forward to setting up the 2010 summer schedule and will provide a form for tournament directors in the next Newsletter.

Under old business, Norm Mauthe revisited the State Tournament, thanking the Arena club for their help and announcing all winners, saying the event was blessed with good weather and good competition. He's got only four State shirts left over. He also reported that the Men's Championship class began at 2:15pm, last shoe at 7:15pm, five hours.

The Ken Kosky Award, presented to a most-deserving contributor, was given to Jimmy Paulson for sharing his computer skills and his adoption of the publisher job, joining the Newsletter staff.

Chairlady of the Hall of Fame committee, Edie McKinney, asked that all nomination submissions be made by February 1st. You can download the nomination form from wihorseshoes.com.

A member suggested that the HOF selection committee could be expanded with little effort to include all present members of the Hall of Fame. As the selection is done by mail, a baker’s dozen more would be available and well-acquainted with those in nomination.

In the new business category, President Tom Steinke made members aware of the oncoming Spring Meeting when the Bylaw book will be open for revision.  Changes should be submitted to the Newsletter for February publication to be scheduled for possible adoption. In discussion, it was established that the proper term for those men over 70 years of age and pitching from 30 feet is, "Elders Men."  In further discussion it was suggested that maybe the WHPA would like to provide free NHPA cards for all Juniors,  in order to increase participation as some other states do. Objections arose. In some cases it may be OK, it was said, but the card should remain an earned right. Others wondered whether a flock of kids may take advantage of the perk without any commitment to pitch in horseshoe leagues or tournaments.

That does not rule out individual sponsorship. Know a  Junior you’d like to sponsor? Send him a Christmas card. Make it an NHPA Christmas card. It is only $5.

State Tournament bidders for 2011 offered their qualifications. For the Little Bull Falls Club in Mosinee, Randy Rein spoke of the welcome the town might get from the Mayor, who seems quite interested in the event. Rein promised, “Just as good as last time: indoors, entry the same.” Mark Gagnon, new President of the Eau Claire Club, offered their eighteen-court outdoor facility, noting that his club is willing and pumped up for it.

Slips were passed, marked 21 times for Mosinee, 12 times for Eau Claire. In accepting, Rein promised to vote for Eau Claire, only next time around.

Next on the agenda was the election for  the new WHPA 2nd VP seat, with three candidates running. Kevin Brekke told of his pleasurable horseshoe life since 1983 living and competing throughout the state: Marshfield, Green Bay, Deansville, Arena, and now Beloit. Eddie Wheeler, as a horseshoe pitcher of 14 years and new Regional Director, offered his services to learn the way of the WHPA board. Jimmy Paulson said most of his experience was with his home club of Beloit and he has done some computer work on the road for a State Tournament.

Before we announce the winner we should express our thanks to all who ran. There was more interest in this state job than the entire NHPA could muster for their presidency. OK? OK. Here we go: Brekke,  6 votes; Wheeler, 10 votes; Paulson, 20 votes. Jimmy Paulson is now our 2nd VP.

Almost as an afterthought the other office up for election was considered - the presidency! Without opposition, Tom Steinke was acclaimed our lasting President by acclimation.

Kevin Brekke announced he is planning a 4th of July tournament in Edgerton, partially sponsored by the Lion’s Club. For a $20 entry fee, pitchers can expect awards going to all places. Other activities on the grounds will be a horse pull, car show, ball games, live bands and fireworks, all for the price of the two-dollar admission. Sounds like a party not to miss.    

Visit wihorseshoes.com, we were advised, to print a flyer designed to increase your club membership through proper distribution, but give the web mistress a few days to get it up there.

Ken Heinritz apologized for not returning some Emails but he has changed jobs and his email address. Refer to page 2.

This time, the hall of the Sportsman’s club was setup with two long tables and chairs. Betcha they have more chairs. As that guy, Tom says, “We’ll keep the light on for ya.” Next
time, March 20^th.  Let’s up that percentage.

Meeting adjourned, about 2:20pm, 1 hour and 20 minutes, not bad.

The horseshoe pitching season in Wisconsin is half over with 23 of 42 tournaments and 243 pitchers entered in the Pitcher of the Year race. The points in all divisions are much closer this year than they have been in years past.

Age 93, died peacefully Monday May 18, at a hospice care center.

Here is a list of Wisconsin's 2009 sanctioned leagues and their directors. If you are interested in pitching, call now!

Roger E. Heinritz

Earlier this March, Rudy Van Fleet was visiting his wife in the nursing home, when he tried to speak and realized he couldn't. He was taken to the local hospital in Columbus, Wisconsin and they found a tumor in his brain.

He was transferred to UW hospital in Madison. Surgery was performed on Monday, March 9th, lasting almost 8 hours. He was sent home that Thursday afternoon.

They were able to remove the tumor completely and it was benign. No chemo, nothing. He puts on a baseball cap and it looks like nothing happened at all. He is still a bit tired but really doing great considering.

Best wishes for a speedy recovery, Rudy!

August Lee “Augie” Potter, age 47, of Waterford, passed away Sunday, March 15, 2009 at Memorial Hospital of Burlington.