Louis W Ritchie

Shirley was raised up about 4 houses away from where I grew up. I remember how she used to beat me running while at Willard grade school. She could beat all the girls, and boys running back in those days. Her brother Jim Gregory was also a really good runner too! I hadn't seen Shirley in several years, since high school, and I'm really sad to see she has left and moved on. She is definally one of God's angels. 

         Love Shirley Gregory! May she rest in peace!  

Ray Kelso reminds me of the famous saying; (Its not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog)!! Ray wasn't very big, but man was he tough as nails on the football field! I met Ray in Junior high school in 7th grade at John Deere.  One of the nicest guys you ever wanted to meet! He excelled in both football and track. I wish I could have stayed in touch more after we graduated from high school but he lived on opposite sides of the country.  May he rest in peace! 

Love you Ray

I haven't forgot the time you throw some liquid soap in my eyes, during a shower I was taking at John Deere Jr. high school, I think my eyes are still burning!

If I had a chance to relive my days in high school, I would definitely take time to go watch Jim Jamieson play golf. I became a good friend of Jim, when he always seemed to never miss any of my track meets. It's sad that golf and tennis,didn't get the recognition it should have in high school because we really missed out on some fantastic golf played by the likes of both Jim Jamieson and Jim Simon If I remember right, Jim Jamieson was also a very good pool player. I always loved Jim Jamieson, may he RIP

I first became aware of Jim Cunningham, way back in Jr. High School, when I was at John Deere Jr. high school, and Jim was an athlete at Coolidge Jr. high school.  I remeber how dominate Jim was in football and especially Track & Field.  Jim was so dominate in Track in Jr. High School, I didn't belong on the same track with him. In Jr. High School, Jim was running the 440 yard dash in under 54 seconds, and I couldn't even break 60 seconds as an 9th grader. Jim was so dominate in Track in Jr. High School and so far  ahead of everybody, he use to go work out with the high school athletes, coached by the great Gene Shipley. I admired Jim so much, I remember telling my brother Henry (who was a junior at that time in High School) and Gene Shipley, that I wanted run like Jim Cunningham. So during my sophomore year in high school, Jim went out for football, and I went out for cross country. I told Gene Shipley, that I wanted to run like Jim Cunningham in the 440 yard dash, and try and make the mile relay team, when track season came around. To make a long story short, I made the mile relay team, along with Jim Cunningham, Ken Carlson, and my brother Henry. As most people know, our mile relay team won the state championship in 1960 and as a result, Moline won it's first state championship in school history, along with many other athletes on Moline's Track and Field team at that time. Gene Shipley had Jim Cunningham run first leg on our mile relay time, because he knew, Jim was one of those rare athletes, that had the upmost fight in him, and he would be a really big boost to start our relay off. Jim, I considered, the (spark plug) of our mile relay, because he always gave our mile relay team the spark that we needed to lead from the front. All myself, Ken Carlson, and my brother Henry (whose ran anchor leg) had to do, was hold on to the lead that Jim Cunningham provided for us. Any sucess I had in Track & Field, I owe to Jim Cunningham, because he was the one I admired so much in Jr. High School, to the point I worked hard in cross country to be a part of the mile relay.  I was extremly sadden when I heard the news of the passing of Jim Cunningham, and will always remember him in my prayers. (MAY HE REST IN PEACE)!

I met Mike at John Deere Jr. high school. Mike and I had a situation in Jr. High School, another situation in high school, a different situation at Black Hawk College, and a memory situation after our college days.

I never told Mike this, but one thing I always envied Mike about, was his beautiful had writing! Mike wrote left handed, and he had the most beautiful hand writing I’ve ever seen! Most people wouldn't think, that a rough and tough football player, could write so elengently! I was also happy to see Mike succeed in his business career.  May he (RIP)

Glen Johnson is the reason I never went out for baseball! One day I was standing at bat, and Glen threw me a curve ball! It was my first experience actually seeing a curve ball. I swung and missed the ball by a mile! I knew then, that baseball was not my sport! Glen will be surely missed.

Ray Kelso for his size, was one of the tuffest guys I ever met! May he rest in peace!

Posted on: Mar 26, 2014 at 8:14 PM

It must be nice to be 67 going on 32, LOL