Hyrum Crusader

Between the time I graduated from high school, and when I went on my mission, I published in Hyrum a city paper.  I had several ins that made me a good person to do this.  My brother and I had run the city recreation programs for several years.  I was also a curious sort of a person, and had friends who were willing to help.  I found a printer, Downs Printing, who were willing to print for a reduced fee.  I also new the owners of one of the businesses in Hyrum, and my brother-in-law helped manage so I had a source of advertising.

So I was up and running as a newspaper man who had no idea of what he was doing.  I went to every business in the community to ask if they would be willing to advertise.  There weren't that many as Hyrum was a small community, and dominated by, where most went to do shopping and business.  However in the end, we even had some advertising from Logan.

I didn't charge much to advertise.  I just wanted to break even rather than make a big profit.  I had  Hyrum Crusader account at the bank, and it had some money when I went on my mission, (a few dollars) but as the account went inactive the bank closed the account and took this little bit.
 We had fun.  We wrote stories about the local sports teams, Little League and Jr. High sports.  At that time there was no high school in Hyrum.  We did some investigative work.  One time I called a sample from town to ask people what they thought about the noise from snow mobiles in town.  I wrote a story when the city allowed the place recognized as the founding spot of Hyrum, to be destroyed by development.  They moved the plaque to a new park, but it was not the same.  I took pictures of the light poles for the lights at the new ball diamonds.  I even attended city counsel meetings and wrote articles about what was discussed.

Sherrie Nelson, a friend from Hyrum, was my co editor.  I also recruited family members to write for me.  My brother-in-law wrote Clyde's Corner, My sister Personality of the month.  There were also others who would provide articles.  Another friend, Sherrie McBride, wrote about the civic clubs.  Carol DeBolt was my agitator.  She was the parent of my friends, and a friend herself.  She would get me going on local politics.  Fortunately I didn't usually put in all she said, otherwise I would have been hated, but it was fun to have the frame of reference.

When I went on my mission, the little paper died, but I had a mission in life to come home and study journalism and go into the newspaper business, which is what I studied, until I decided I wanted to pursue a different career.

Basketball Wars

Weldon and I played so much basketball growing up you wouldn't believe it.  He use to win most often; he is three years older than me.  But in my mind it was because he cheated, and consequently we would often have fights after a few games.  We wouldn't always fight, but we would fight enough to keep it interesting.

After one such fight, I grabbed a rock, threatening my brother.  I was a pretty good aim with a rock.  He took off running, and actually was quite a ways away, running through a field across the street.  I decided to give the rock a throw anyway, not really thinking it would ever hit him, but at least it would give him a good scare.  So I threw that rock with everything  I had, well over his head.

But Weldon was running.  When the rock came down, Weldon had caught up with it.  It caught him right on the ear, and he dropped like a deer that had been shot.  I ventured towards him wearily to see if he was OK.  I knew if he wasn't dead, he was going to kill me.

As I crept closer, asking if he was OK, he jumped up and ran towards me.  But instead of pounding me, we just had a good laugh.  I survived that bullet.

Snow was our biggest enemy in those days, or at least would keep us from playing all the basketball we wanted.  The hoop was on the front of our house, and we had to fight the snow to play.  Some years the snow would win, and we were dependent on someone to let us into the church to play (a block away.)  However we would fight the snow and ice with our snow shovels, and would be out playing in the snow storms, as long as it wasn't sticking the the drive way, in the coldest of weather.  The cold would be invigorating.

I had brothers to play with, but I would also shoot by myself.  In my head I would be my favorite team, which was usually the Jazz.  Those were the Adrian Dantley days.  And they started to eventually win a few games.  Of course before the Jazz it was the Stars.  We loved them as well--Zelmo Beaty "Big Z" and Willie Wise, Jimmy Jones and Ron Boone.  They actually won the championship one year.  By the time they got Moses Malone strait out of high school the Stars were just about through.  They were not a team selected to move to the NBA from the ABA.

Me, Weldon, Clyde and cousin Reed Olsen, and Buffy running around

 As we got older, and Charlie joined the wars, we would play a lot of two-on-two.  We added Charlie's friend, Martin Smith to our fray.  Weldon and I would still be on opposite teams, but we would have a partner from the younger two.  Our favorite game was 22.  You had to win by four so a game could last a long time if it was close.

Our hoop was a bit shorter than ten feet, but still close to regular height.  Between our house and Marty Smith's house were a couple duplexes where they had a basket just over eight feet.  This made for fun pay as well as we could stuff on this basket.  

sports pictures

I am on the right in green.  Clyde is reffing

22 Blue is David Jensen

Our Coach is Claude Williams, Jay Shaver in middle, Todd Williams 22

Me warming up

Me.  Jay Shaver to the right

Me at the top of the lane in green

Clyde tossing the ball, I am right of him

I'm the one with the big mouth

Soda Springs Tournament

I'm safe going back to first, but got out trying to steal 2nd

ltor Monte Stevens, Kenny Jensen, Doug Jensen, Ricky Stevens, Don Williamson

center field

Sports were a big part of growing up.  The basketball pictures are from a game in our church, and so I thought it had to be a Church game, but as I look at the uniforms I think this is Bantam Basketball, which we usually played at the Elite Hall.  Clyde, my brother-in-law is reffing.  I am number 20.

Pictures of Pony League, Soda Springs tournament follow.  I had to crop the center field picture a bit so you could even see me.  I loved playing center for this team.  I was able to sit out there and watch David Jensen pitch a back cut fast ball that would break 8 inches back over the plate.  You don't know how many batters gave up on the pitch.  We had he and Jed Murray pitching for us.  They would both later play minor league ball.

The last picture is of me keeping score for my brother's high school team.  He coached at Tintic.  I hope I'm not picking my nose.

Wilhelm

Wilhelm is a name by oldest sister has used for me in a loving fashion.  I like it because it is dignified.  My full name is James William, but I have always gone by Billy.  I don't use James, because my father and older brother both are James W., and that would have been confusing.  My younger brother is Charles James, so he got to use his first name.
Over the course of my life it has been suggested to me that Billy is a diminutive name; but I prefer it all the same.  William is just too refined, and Bill is too short, however I don't mind if people call me Bill.  But I prefer Billy, or if you're my oldest sister you can get away with Wilhelm.

A place for my thoughts, poetry etc.

So another blog as a place for me to write my personal history, thoughts, stories poetry etc. etc. etc. (said like the King in "The King and I.)"  A place where I can talk about me, but mostly a place to write stories about my life (my history) and a place to put my poetry.  9which can be scary because I usually don't share such things.