Thomas D. Brackett (1968)

Jim, thanks for your insight on the Fall '66 football season....I went to most of the games, those losses were really tough, and to have your inside info about the special plays is great----the Juniors on the team that season got invaluable experience which paid off in the Fall of "67 when they went undefeated of course...I have forgotten where did coach Burgett went after leaving UHS?  Great stories about him, I liked coach Leto and Nicola also....one of my good childhood buddies Johnny Sims played on that Johnson team in '66---maybe you remember him, I think he played running back?  I followed QB Tom Hanson closely as well as he lived only 5 houses away from me on Prarie St....

And I beg to differ with you Mr. Fred Bowers, those mid-60's UHS teams were great, had you been there to see the Boals brothers, receivers Dave Watham and Jim Keane (whose dad played for the Chicago Bears), and numerous other hard working players developed by Coach Burgett,  you would have been impressed along with all the rest of us!  They set the high standard for performance and established the tradition of excellence in UHS football that Coach Freirchs built on of course.  Those early teams would have done fine in a post season playoff format had there been that opportunity back in the day.....

James L. (Jim) Beasley (1967)

No one was tougher than Mark Boals, Steve Berrier, Doug Graham (Class of '65) . . . and others, Seniors when I was a Soph.  

I waited my turn in line behind Jim Keane, and Dave Halverson waited his turn behind me.  "Po" Bob Wedemeyer (SP?) was left end in '65, before Mike Connolly.  Coach called him "Po" because he had great Potential.

Trying to figure the lineup for the '67 season. I have Mike Connolly at left end, Dave Halverson at right end, Mike Lucas at a guard, Danny Christiansen in the backfield, Garry Graham at fullback, Eric Blockus at a tackle, Glenn Richardson at a tackle.  I don't know who replaced Custer at center and Hanson at QB.  Frank Miller?

Now that I snooped a bit, I see that Garry Graham was All State.  In that case I'll forgive him for breaking my toe!!!

If anyone has any pull with the J-Hawks "Hall of Fame", Mike Connolly should be in there.  Football, basketball, baseball, whatever . . . but I believe he still has the state rebounding record.  He still has 10 Urbandale basketball records.  C'mon man, put him in the Hall of Fame!!!

At our 25th reunion in '92, Coach Burgett said something to me about how good Halverson was.  He was a great catcher on the baseball team, too.

I didn't know many of the 9th graders, but how about Dennis Dickey and Calvin Eilings, RIP (sp?)?  I saw Dennis at an Iowa State Game, probably in 1970, where I believe he was being recruited by Johnny Majors.  I worked on the staff as a student there with Johnny Majors, Jackie Sherrill, Jimmy Johnson, Joe Avezanno, et al..  Quite an experience!!!

I can't believe this year is our 50th.  Someone tell the kids in school now that it will go fast!!!!!

Thomas D. Brackett (1968)

Yes, thanks for mentioning Steve Berrier, Doug Grahm, Mr. Wedmeyer, etc. as they all set the bar very high! They made Fall Friday nites in the mid-60s very exciting as did you and the class of 1967 & 1968 teams......

James L. (Jim) Beasley (1967)

Is there still a Victory Bell?

Thomas D. Brackett (1968)

Jim, thanks for jogging my memory on the Suburban Conference!  Did you know any of the Johnson players? I always liked their Dragon mascot and purple & gold colors.....can you tell me what the other conference mascots/colors were?  I remember Saydel being green I think, Ankeny burgundy perhaps, but if you could fill in their colors and/or mascots or nicknames that would be great to share!  Thanks!  I sure remember alot of wild celebrations at the Victory Bell so I hope it still exists....I seem to remember even the coaches banging it after a big home Victory.....

James L. (Jim) Beasley (1967)

Stevie Alms was the only Johnston player I knew.  I had played little league with him in Beaverdale.

The school colors have left my memory.

Dixie Green (Gebhart) (1968)

Tom,

The Saydel colors have always been forest green and gold.  Their mascot - Eagle.  Both of my sons are teaching and coaching at Saydel nowl.  Their baseball team is currently 17-3.  Go Eagles!  However, I live in Urbandale now, so Go Jay-Hawks also!

Dixie Gebhart (Green)  Class of 1968

Thomas D. Brackett (1968)

Dixie, thanks for the Saydel info....their bright colored uniforms impressed me way back in 1965. Glad to hear your sons are teachers!  My son is a teacher also! Take care!

James L. (Jim) Beasley (1967)

Maybe Mike Connolly will weigh in on an incident at Saydel, and a meeting we had the following morning with Principal Peterson.

Anthony N. Woloch (1972)

UHS circa 1969-1972

Boys Central Iowa Conference (CIC)

Ankeny Hawks

Boone Toreadors

Grinnell Tigers

Indianola Indians

Saydel Eagles

Southeast Polk Rams

South Tama Trojans

Urbandale Blue Jays

Girls Conference

Ankeny

Clarke

Perry

Southeast Polk

Urbandale

Valley

Winterset

Confirmation or correction(s) to the above information  is welcomed.  Tony

Nancy J. Coenen (Chapline) (1977)

The Graywalkers/Jaywalkers will be using their "old" bodies to do a "new" routine to "Old Days" by Chicago on Sunday, July 2nd at 1:30 pm in the NEW air-conditioned high school gym. Sure to be a crowd pleaser!  

Under the direction of Kathy Collins Reilly, their former Jaywalker coach, up to 18 women will be marching their hearts out to entertain one and all!

Becky Grady DePhillips, Joline Marvin Wondergem, Kellie Kading Dickinson, Kristi Kentros Walston, Connie Whiton Newville, Jenny Seiler Schiltz, Shelly Byrnes Burkhart, Nancy Coenen Chapline, Sherri Lyness, Catherine Cole Murphy, Sally Cole-White, Kelle Carlyle Hausler, Jean Van Vleet Ingersoll, Joan Roberts Tapps, Karen Johnson Ullrich, Carol Boals Light, Betty Fouche Best, and Lyanna Kroloff Lindgren (from class of '73 - '82 represented).

Take a stroll down memory lane! If you loved the Jaywalkers then, you won't want to miss this!

Brenda S. Green (Mickle) (1976)

Good job getting some of the past Jaywalkers together for a performance, Kathy Collins and Nancy Coenen, et. al. Hope to see the performance, I might have to adjust my itinerary just to see the Graywalkers.
Break a leg. Uhh, actually don't.
:) xxx

Kathy Collins (Reilly)

Hi, Brenda Green! Wish you could have joined us. It's been such fun (and hard work, too). Don't forget to come down and say hi on Sunday!

Kathy Collins Reilly

Lois Walton (Russell) (1977)

I'm sure it will be awesome!  Won't be able to make is as I won't be there yet!  I do hope to make it for the parade on the 4th.

Hope someone videos it aand posts it on this site!!

James L. (Jim) Beasley (1967)

Y'all have fun.

I'll see you at our 100th.

James L. (Jim) Beasley (1967)

From the Des Moines Register, 

October 24, 1967

URBANDALE is on the brink LJ of having its best football season since the Suburban Conference school switched to 11- man football. Coach Dennis Frcrichs' B1 u e j a y s have won six straight and can clinch a tie for the conference title by splitting the final two games against Ankeny and Saydel. Urbandale has never won the conference title and the best record in the school's history is 6-2.

A strong defense, which has limited foes to 102 yards per game, and the running of fullback Gary Graham have been the key factors. Graham, who plays middle guard on defense and averages 13 tackles per game, has carried 87 times for 467 yards. Other defensive leaders are tackle Eric Blockhus, a 210- pounder who has started every game for three years, and defensive halfback Danny Christensen. Blockhus has averaged 12 tackles while Christensen has intercepted nine passes in six games. 

&

Saturday, November 4, 1967

Urbandale rolled to its first undefeated season since shifting to 11-man football 13 years ago by defeating Saydel in a Suburban Conference 144>, at Urbandale night. Urbandale (8-0) had already clinched its first league championship last week. Scoring twice in the second quarter — once on a one-yard plunge by Dan Christensen and again on a halfback run- pass option toss from Christensen to Scott Stanfill for 60 yards — Urbandale held a 14-0 halftime margin. 

In the first half, Saydel could penetrate only to the 31 before being thrown back by the defensive charge of the Urbandale line of Gary Graham, Mike Lucas, Eric Blochus, ' Gary Stearns and Glen Richardson. Lucas made 13 unassisted tackles.Urbandale's defense has allowed only two touchdowns this season and the offense two on intercepted passes. The Blue- jays have limited opponents to 26 points while rolling up 167.  

James L. (Jim) Beasley (1967)

If the D Line could have stopped the only thing Carlisle had in '66, Jim Sinclair up the middle, and if I had not dropped the same 27 Cross County pass Christensen threw to Stanfill in '67, we would have beaten Carlisle.  I remember it being 6-0.

We couldn't stop Saydel's running game, either.

The defense sure got a lot better between '66 and '67.

Sinclairs were big in Carlisle.  I read in Jim's eulogy that he had 15 siblings.  One of them was covering me that night, and we beat another of them in a sectional baseball game, 11-0, played at Saydel.  Oppedal got the win for the good guys.

Ankeny, Saydel and SE Polk were the other powerhouses in the conference.

Hey, if it's any consolation, we won the conference golf tournament in '67.  In was in a cold rain storm at Urbandale Country Club, and we won by one stroke.  Forgive me for those I forget, but . . . Rich Custer, myself, Don Cracraft, Tom Marion . . . someone help me out.

James L. (Jim) Beasley (1967)

Anyone else about to get nailed in Florida?

We're at our Missouri house, and figured nothing will be left at our Florida place.

Barbara Ridgway (Larsen) (1967)

I'm so sorry, you may be surprised when you return though. Since I don't know where your Florida home is located I pray it will be ok. I have Family whose homes are located in central Florida, but also have a home in Iowa in the Spring & Summer. Gary Hudson & Sharon Givens also live in Florida, I PRAY they will all be ok. Do you live close to Branson in Missouri, as that's where I live.

Marcia Larick (Karns) (1970)

We have family in Tampa, FL that could use prayers. Hurricane Harvey was not kind - we got about 12" of water that stood in our house for 7 days. What a mess. Jan Stokes Elias: how did you fare in Sugar Land? And have you heard anything from Christine Diehl? We got water from the Addicks Reservoir. We are about 5 miles north, and when Army Corp released Addicks & Barker on 8/28, waters rose. Finally could drive in to our neighborhood on 9/5. 

Janice (Jan) Stokes (Elias) (1970)

James L. (Jim) Beasley (1967)

Just answering in order.

The legend that our little Florida village is protected by the spirits of the Native Americans who settled the area has not been diminished.  In recent years it has survived Charley and Irma.  But I guess we have a lot of avacados on the ground.  It was their year.  Maybe Rob Wedin will go pick them up.

In Missouri, we live 3 miles south of the Kimberling City bridge on the Lampe side.  DW works for Shoji and I'm at Branson Hills Golf Club.  I golf with Shoji and a few others.  I'm also a member at LedgeStone, but haven't played there in years.

We probably know a lot of people in common.

- - - - -

Our Texas cousins live just west of the Addicks Resorvoir, in Katy.  They're OK.  They also own 13 lakefront acres on our road on Table Rock Lake, but can't decie if they want to build and move here.

James L. (Jim) Beasley (1967)

Has Mike Connelly been put into the Urbandale Hall of Fame?

He still holds the rebounding records:

https://sites.google.com/site/iahsaasports/iowa-high-schools/current-high-schools/urbandale/urbandale-boys-basketball

Timothy J. Lyons (1968)

I agree Jim. Mike averaged over 28+ points per game ( no 3 pointer ). The team averaged over 88+ points and scored over 100 points in 3 of the 20 we played.

James L. (Jim) Beasley (1967)

Amen . . . a high scorer, and his records are in rebounding.

Not only were there no 3-pointers, but no dunking, too.

At SE Polk in the pregame lay-up drill, he stuffed one.  The gasp from the crowd was amazing.  The game started with SE Polk shooting a technical.  If they made it, which I can't remember, that would have been their only lead!!

In '65 or '66, Dick Jensen from Madrid stuffed 2 balls in lay-up drill, one with each hand.  That game was in the Cracker Box gym, when Sugar Bear Dan Carlyle was point guard.  (Chuck Rizutti the next year and Tom Hansen after that).  Dick played for Iowa after high school.

Looking up Mike Connelly's records, I saw Lloyd Thornburg from Pleasentville high on the records list.  He is the son of my mother's best friend from college, and my brother and I used to go stay on their farm in the Summers.

BTW, Tim, you are more blurry now.