Post 29 boys start playoffs authoritatively

Runs came abundantly for the Morris American Legion team on Monday, July 14. So abundantly, the ten-run rule came into play. The Post 29 boys "ruled" West Central Area.

The score was 12-2 as this smoothly-executing crew got win No. 8 of the season. The score was 9-0 after four innings. West Central Area got untracked with two runs in the top of the fifth. Post 29 then snuffed out any hope for WC Area, plating three runs in the bottom of the fifth to wrap things up.
The Morris Legion crew owned an 8-5 season record coming out of Monday. Their line score was 12 runs, ten hits and three errors. WC Area had 2-4-1 numbers. Blake Amundson had two of the WC Area hits. He fashioned a two-for-two line.
For Morris, Riley Biesterfeld's bat made noise to the tune of three-for-three including a triple and two RBIs. Bryce Jergenson was not to be denied at the plate. Bryce socked three hits, all for extra bases: two doubles and a triple. He scored three runs and drove in three.
Sean Amundson had impact with two hits in four at-bats, plus he had a stolen base and drove in two runs. Brady Jergenson was perfect at two-for-two, plus he scored two runs and drove in two. All in all there were lots of offensive highlights for the fans to savor.
The three Morris runs in the fifth were all scored with no outs.
Oh, this was a playoff game! Yes, we're into that stage of the summer. We're the No. 5 seed in District 7 North of Division II. By winning Monday, Morris climbed to Tuesday's second round. They traveled to New London-Spicer to play the fourth seed.
Brady Jergenson had a memorable day Monday and not just because of his hitting. Brady worked all five innings on the pitching mound. He sat down seven batters on strikes and walked no one. Neither of the runs he allowed was earned. He allowed four hits.
WC Area employed the pitching arms of three players: Jordan Beuckens (the loser), Gideon Morrow and Ben Anderson. Beuckens got rocked.
Morris scored three runs each in the first through third innings, and three again in the fifth. Three times four is twelve: the winning Morris run total! (I can do arithmetic but don't ask me to do algebra.)
  

PPD is in the books for 2014

The 2014 Prairie Pioneer Days seemed like a quite nice celebration. It serves its purpose as a midsummer community gathering for an outstate community. It doesn't seem to have all the features it once did. The turnout may be a tad diminished. But no matter.
A light rainfall caused us to leave the park a little sooner than we had planned on Saturday. Thus we missed most of the community band performance.
I would like to suggest a more ambitious community band. That's easy for me to say. I told Mr. Mike Odello to check the website for the Eastern Iowa Brass Band (EIBB) to see if the Morris area might have the potential for supporting something like this. A group like this would be tailor-made for the Killoran bandshell at East Side Park. Let's make those acoustic panels at the stage useful.
The EIBB is much more formal and structured than our community band. It travels for competitions. An old acquaintance of mine, Joan Force, is a long-time member of the EIBB. We're trumpet players.
Am I all talk and no action? Well, in 1971 here in Motown, I played in the "German band" as well as a larger ensemble for the grand Morris Centennial. The German band roamed around town (including into the Met Lounge). The larger group played under the reconstructed "alfalfa arch." A large photo of that reconstructed arch is on a wall at Willie's Super Valu. I could have been in that photo but missed it.
John Woell directed us musicians for the Centennial. Let's see a nice large formal musical group get organized for the Morris Sesquicentennial in 2021. If we're ambitious enough.
Del Sarlette has long suggested with tongue in cheek that Morris have an "apathy festival." Problem is, an organizing meeting gets scheduled and no one shows up, Del says. Rimshot.
If we're apathetic for the Sesquicentennial, there's no hope for us.
I hope our Morris Area school district gets back on its feet by then, with leaders who aren't getting into serious trouble. Is that too much to ask?
Everyone seemed to have fun for the Prairie Pioneer Days parade on Sunday. If I were to nit-pick, I'd say the politicians were too overbearing. I can remember five who were in the parade. I don't mind as much seeing incumbents in the parade, like Collin Peterson. It's annoying when a campaign lackey passes out literature along the route. All that stuff becomes litter. I am not a "Backer backer." Let's all support Democrat Jay McNamar!
I normally don't complain about minor price inflation, but I thought the $3.50 for an ordinary chocolate shake at the shake trailer was outrageous.
It seems Luther's Eatery has less competition than it used to. I hope First Lutheran Church raked in the $.

- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com