Remembering Jerry Falwell-1981 Sermon

The Rev. Jerry Falwell came to Madisonville, Kentucky in 1981, shortly after Ronald Reagan had been elected President. I was a news reporter back then, and I went to Madisonville to cover his appearance there at a local church. Falwell was then head of the Moral Majority and was quite a controversial figure.
I got to the church which was already crowded with parishioners. About 100 people were there in the small country church when Falwell stepped to the podium. He gave a sermon, and I'll tell you, whatever you thought of him, Falwell gave the best sermon I've ever heard. It was teriffic, real fire and brimstone combined with a real understanding and compassion for Jesus Christ. Just incredible. When he finished he said 'Now all of you in the church, you come right up here and Jerry will pray for you.' Everyone rushed the stage and bowed their heads and Falwell lead them in prayer.
After the sermon, I interviewed Falwell about his political involvement. I really wanted to stick it to him about the Moral Majority, which I didn't approve of, but I was no match for him. He really knew his lines and sort of disarmed me. He was charming in person, smiling, and not the confrontational person I thought he would be.
My memory of that evening though, was his incredible command of the Bible and his great sermon. The best sermon I've heard, before or since. Thanks for listening.

Minnesota North Stars-Unforgettable Memory

In the winter of 1967, when I was 13, I was on a plane going from Chicago to Minneapolis to visit some relatives when a large group of men came on the plane and took the rest of the seats around me. The man sitting next to me turned and said 'Do you know who we are?'. I shook my head no and he said 'We're the Minnesota North Stars'. Sure enough, the original, expansion, North Stars were on the plane with me.
The player sitting next to me was Bill Goldsworthy. I asked Goldsworthy t0 point out some of the other players to me and he did.
Parker MacDonald was sitting across the aisle. Cesare Maniago was taking a nap right behind me. Moose Vasko was a few rows behind him.
During the flight I peppered Goldsworthy with hockey questions and he was gracious and kind, asking him stuff that a 13 year old would ask like: What's it like to play against Bobby Hull?'. He was nice about it all.
When the plane landed, Goldsworthy handed me an autograph sheet that all the players had signed. Some of them came up to me and thanked me for being a fan. I was overwhelmed.
I also met Johnny Mariucci, a coach with the team who had been a player for the Blackhawks in the 1940's. He signed as well. A wonderful memory all these years later.

Bobby Hull-Unforgettable Memory

In the winter of 1969, when I was 15, I went to O'Hare Field in Chicago to try to get autographs of the Chicago Blackhawks after they returned from a road trip from Toronto. Their plane was delayed by fog and it didn't land until 3 in the morning. Still, even at that late hour, the Blackhawks were so popular that almost a hundred fans were waiting along with me at the terminal hoping the players would sign for us.
Finally, off the plane they came. Stan Mikita, Doug Mohns, Pierre Pilote, Chico Maki and all the rest. Believe it or not, we let them all go by. We were waitng for Bobby Hull. Perhaps by design, Hull was the last player off the plane. When he arrived, we surrounded him asking for autographs.
Even though it was 3 in the morning, there was Hull, smiling and signing for everyone and posing for pictures. We were all on cloud nine.
Then we raced down the long airport hallway to get the other players to sign for us. They couldn't have been nicer. Mikita, and everybody was as nice as could be. We were just kids and everyone just sort of looked at each other, clutching our autographs, smiling, and thinking just how great this was.
Thanks for listening.

Chicago Cubs-Last Day of the 1969 Season

As most Cub fans know, 1969 was a season to remember. The Cubs were on the way to winning the pennant when the New York Mets came out of nowhere to win it and the World Series. The disappointment felt by Cub fans from that 1969 season has lingered through the years and even with some of the players.
I will never forget the last day of the 1969 season. I was watching the final game of the season on telelvision. It was at Wrigley Field and the Cubs legendary broadcaster Jack Brickhouse was announcing the game.
The Mets had overtaken the Cubs on September 10th and never looked back. At the end of the game, when the last out was made, the fans in the lower box seats rushed onto the field, hugging the players and thanking them for the 1969 season.
And Jack Brickhouse, seeing this, said 'Look at that will you!', the fans are on the field thanking the players for the season!', and the ushers just stood around and let the fans do it. No one was arrested or anything like that.
Then the cameras showed a fan in the stands with a sign which read, 'The Cubs are Still Number One to Us.' The Brickhouse came on camera with tears in his eyes and told us that we would never forget the excitement and thrills of the 1969 season, even though the Cubs finished second.
And Brickhouse was right, of course. 1969 has remained in the memories of Cubs fans everywhere.