Sights, Smells, and Spells on Walker Street in Braidwood

“I remember my childhood names for grasses and secret flowers. I remember where a toad may live and what time the birds awaken in the summer -- and what trees and seasons smelled like -- how people looked and walked and smelled even. The memory of odors is very rich.”― John Steinbeck The gravel road in … Continue reading Sights, Smells, and Spells on Walker Street in Braidwood →

My “Field of Dreams”

“The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It has been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt and erased again. But baseball has marked the time. This field, this game; it's a part of our past, Ray. It reminds us of all that once was good, … Continue reading My “Field of Dreams” →

“…people of my nationality”

Ed Anderson, an African American native of Braidwood, Illinois, referred to himself also as belonging to "my nationality." I have long disagreed with terms like "white race" or "yellow race" of "white race" since there is only one race. The human race is comprised of variously tinted skin shades between lighter and darker. The commonly … Continue reading “…people of my nationality” →

Discovering Braidwood History: John Mitchell, Anton Cermak, and African Americans

"There is nothing new in the world except the history you do not know." Harry Truman Learning History from Braidwood Area Folks One of the benefits of being semi-retired is that I have time to talk with former Braidwood residents and to conduct some research on my native town’s history. Having the opportunity to communicate with … Continue reading Discovering Braidwood History: John Mitchell, Anton Cermak, and African Americans →

Lessons I Learned about Prejudice

“Prejudices, it is well known, are most difficult to eradicate from the heart whose soil has never been loosened or fertilized by education: they grow there, firm as weeds among stones.” Charlotte Brontë Lower Braidwood Grade School. (1930s) Coal Mines, Strike, and African Americans As I learned later, growing up in Braidwood was much different … Continue reading Lessons I Learned about Prejudice →

Ice Skating on Braidwood Lakes

The Joy of Skating “Hearts shall dance once again; when canvas of ice is painted with the brush of skates.” Shah Asad Rizvi Winters in Braidwood were tolerable in my pre-teens and teen years partly because of the recreation opportunities that I took for granted for a long time. The snow was an occasion for building … Continue reading Ice Skating on Braidwood Lakes →

Basketball in Braidwood

In my mind, basketball has always been big in Braidwood especially since the high school team went to the state finals in 1938. Coached by Lou Bottino, the Principal, the Comets lost the championship game to Dundee, 36-29. Remember, it was only one class system so Braidwood had to beat Rockford, Bloomington, and Carbondale to reach … Continue reading Basketball in Braidwood →

Fusing Imagination with Memories

“Childhood is measured out by sounds and smells and sights, before the dark hour of reason grows.”― John Betjeman I wrote this journal entry in 2000 in my early grandfather years. Still a rookie, I was in a juxtaposition between my current world reality and a distant time when innocence went unrivaled and unchecked. Memory Triggers … Continue reading Fusing Imagination with Memories →

Braidwood: Why It Matters

The first 18 years of one’s life may be the most critical time in a person’s development. Everyone knows that the family has a profound influence on character development and the formation of values. I am sure that that influence molded me in ways that even I do not understand, but I do accept. Probably less recognized … Continue reading Braidwood: Why It Matters →

Lucky TK Basketball History

My Improbable Path to the NBA Despite having never played basketball until I was 18, I was indeed fortunate to compete for four years in college. Even flukier, I was drafted and signed to a professional contract in the NBA after college. To assume that I had aspirations in my early years of being a professional … Continue reading Lucky TK Basketball History →