Since I haven’t been putting a newsletter out on a regular basis, I think I’ll try a new approach. I love this sport and I have so much to talk about that I need to share my thoughts more often. I’m not sure if there will be any pattern or just what’s on my mind while I’m thinking about the past, the future and the current. What’s next? Tune in…July 30 Okoboji, Iowa
Okoboji was off our course, but it was change due to a homesick mother and wife and to bring back some fond memories of years ago. I love Okoboji so it didn’t take much coaxing to change directions. We were going back to Minneapolis and then onto Mason City, but we needed to get across the Iowa border for the sake of mental-health and well-being. We stayed at The Inn and visited our good friends Pat and Mary Kay McGrath at their place on the lake.
This was supposed to be for my wife and her memories of staying at The Inn with her family as a kid, but, Okoboji reminded me of a wrestling camp I had a the Presbyterian Church facility on West Okoboji back in 1971 and ’72. The other two people involved in the camp were Dave Martin (from Algona), an ISU National Champ & current Assistant A.D. at Oklahoma State; and Tom Peckham (Cresco native), also a 2x ISU National Champ, ’68 Olympic place-winner and retired employee of Porto Vet in Hudson, Iowa. I have great memories of training-at-its-finest in preparation of becoming a World and Olympic Champion. The work-outs I had in the actual church were phenomenal. I loved every minute of it and when I needed a break – a quick dive into Lake Okoboji revived me to go back and get some more...cold water therapy!
Well, Kathy and I ate at the Maid-Rite near the Fillenworth Beach Motel and ran into some wrestling fans that really want the state of Iowa back on top. They were having lunch and have a place on Okoboji, but were wrestling fanatics and are now located in Northern Iowa and one couple now actually lives in Minnesota.
Speaking of Fillenworth – Julie Fillenworth, ex-Iowa Mat-aide and close friend of the late Jon Marks (Iowa recruiter way-back-when) is a daughter of this famous vacation spot. She is still located there; unless something has changed recently…this is all part of reminiscing about fond memories. You know, there is hardly a town that I drive through in Iowa where some wrestling connection doesn’t pop up. What a tradition!!
Next up: Mason City, Iowa
This was supposed to be for my wife and her memories of staying at The Inn with her family as a kid, but, Okoboji reminded me of a wrestling camp I had a the Presbyterian Church facility on West Okoboji back in 1971 and ’72. The other two people involved in the camp were Dave Martin (from Algona), an ISU National Champ & current Assistant A.D. at Oklahoma State; and Tom Peckham (Cresco native), also a 2x ISU National Champ, ’68 Olympic place-winner and retired employee of Porto Vet in Hudson, Iowa. I have great memories of training-at-its-finest in preparation of becoming a World and Olympic Champion. The work-outs I had in the actual church were phenomenal. I loved every minute of it and when I needed a break – a quick dive into Lake Okoboji revived me to go back and get some more...cold water therapy!
Well, Kathy and I ate at the Maid-Rite near the Fillenworth Beach Motel and ran into some wrestling fans that really want the state of Iowa back on top. They were having lunch and have a place on Okoboji, but were wrestling fanatics and are now located in Northern Iowa and one couple now actually lives in Minnesota.
Speaking of Fillenworth – Julie Fillenworth, ex-Iowa Mat-aide and close friend of the late Jon Marks (Iowa recruiter way-back-when) is a daughter of this famous vacation spot. She is still located there; unless something has changed recently…this is all part of reminiscing about fond memories. You know, there is hardly a town that I drive through in Iowa where some wrestling connection doesn’t pop up. What a tradition!!
Next up: Mason City, Iowa
posted by DanGable.com at 7:40 PM
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