Bill McArthur who has been on-the -scene at the baseball field for many years, is back again this year as a coach and this time it's the Norman's IGA team.
"I don't know why he took this coaching job," Mrs. McArthur said after many years of watching her family at the ball fields.
But we know why. It's because of people like Bill McArthur and Don "Curly" Meredith of Union that the Jaycee baseball program has been so successful.
Curly is in his 17th year of coaching and this year he has four teams. And we know from getting pictures and names that Curly knows all the kids by their first names.
We asked a couple of baseball fans the other night why Nebraska City has not produced some major league players.
The Jensen boys and Wes Harrah were mentioned as among the top ball players to come from Steinhart park.
One fan said Nebraska City may have a lot of boys on the fields, but compared with towns like Omaha, we are a small sampling. Another said the community lacks in a carry-through ball program to get the boys into college games.
Let's not forget while we are talking away here that this ball program is not just for boys. The Jaycees have done a commendable job of organizing girls softball and if you don't think those little girls are serious, then you ought to attend one of the games.
Games begin at 5:30, and 7 on the west side of Senior High and at 6 and 8 at Steinhart park.
The Optimist club which has as its theme, "Friend of the boy," is sponsoring a girls softball team.
Thanks for taking the ribbon fellas. The girls are enjoying your sponsorship.
Harris Esluer, perhaps the first constable for Otoe county, said he doesn't know what his salary is under the appointment by County Judge George Stanley, but he knows his job:
"I work for the county judge," he said after his appointment.
Esluer said he expects that much of his duty will be to serve court documents as ordered by the judge. For this he will receive 15 cents per mile.
"I'm not too concerned about the pay; I want the experience. I'll still be working at my place every day (Bee Hive Auto Parts.)"
Esluer was an unsuccessful Republican candidate for Otoe county sheriff in the May primary.
But he likes the law enforcement work and as Chief Clarence Iversen can attest, he has been helpful with law officers giving assistance at accident scenes and wherever he has been asked.
Congratulations to Paul Young on his promotion with the Lipton Tea company. The Youngs will be moving in a few weeks to Fairfield, N. J., or that general area. Paul said he has found that housing in the Fairfield area is more costly than in Nebraska City.
However, he said that many of the homes are on larger lots or on small acreages.
Nebraska City will miss the Young family. They have been active in the community.
Fred Oetgen, Steinhart park golf course manager, is looking forward to the opening of the junior golf league for boys.
Last year, the first year for a junior league, three dozen boys signed up. Fred said that because of the interest, the league is being repeated again this year.
And there may be golfing for girls if there is enough interest. The new golf course now under construction will be a fine addition to the park.
The Chuck Bachinski family will be moving to Lincoln later this month where he will work with another section of boy scouting in the Cornhusker Council.
Chuck has served as Three Rivers district executive. Understand Bob Peck, son of the Roy Pecks (Roy is a barber on North Eighth Street), will be the new Three Rivers Scout executive.
We enjoyed a brief visit last weekend at the first Washington, Kans., high school alumni banquet. There were 749 at the dinner held in the high school gymnasium. (The town population 1,500).
There were a lot of unfamiliar faces, but one quite elderly woman caught my attention. She was one of my best customers when I was a fifth grader and peddled the Saturday Evening Post door-to-door.
There was a special warmth in her handshake we'll remember for a long time.