I remember autumn in Monroe in the '40s. The leaves on the trees were dressed in brilliant hues of red and gold. They were drifting down and covering the lawns like a carpet.
The stores still had some of their Halloween decorations up, and pumpkin patches had a few pumpkins left. If you rode your bicycle around town, you had to check for a thin coat of ice, as a fall could result in skinned knees and elbows. As the evenings got colder, everyone could be seen in jackets and mittens. The leaves crunched under your feet and the ground got harder as we played varsity football.
Fall presented a particularly beautiful picture at Recreation Park, with people building fires at the fireplaces and cozying up close to keep warm. Hyde's Pond was another unique setting, with the leaves floating on the water. On Friday nights, we all gathered at the Recreation Center for dancing, singing and games and told each other how wonderful we were. We could get hot chocolate there, but it was better at Blumer's Drug Store or Ruf's Cafe across the street.
One particular Friday night in 1947, we had our high school homecoming game against Stoughton. It was a hard fought game. Because I was fast, I was a running back. We were losing 6-0 as the end of the game approached. It was their fourth down and our coach, Fred Simpson, pulled me out and said, "Danny, you've got to get in there and do something." And with that he gave me a shove back onto the field.
I received their punt on the 6-yard line, and with adrenaline pumping raced back. There was time for one more play and a pass play was called. With the luck of the Irish, I caught the ball for a touchdown and we were tied 6-6. As we came to the huddle for the extra point, we realized we had lost our kicker, Fred Huber, who had been accidentally shot in the leg during hunting season. Bill Moon, our quarterback, told me to be the kicker. I had not kicked a field goal in any previous game, and now I was told to kick for this homecoming game. The pressure was on!
The line held well, and Bill placed the ball a bit forward of where we usually kicked. I gave it my best and it cleared by six inches. You could hear the crowd from the stands cheering and the scoreboard read: Monroe 7, Stoughton 6. It all happened so fast that the Monroe Times photographer could not get to the end zone for a photo. He went over to the crowd and took his photos there. I have a copy of that photo showing all the fans - students, parents, friends and townspeople cheering and jumping up and down.
Autumn and Friday night football games hold memories for all of us. The camaraderie between the players, the cheers from the fans, the smell of a bonfire after a rally, friends being together, all bring a nostalgia for the Monroe of that time. It was a special time for me, and I'm sure it was memorable for others.
The stores still had some of their Halloween decorations up, and pumpkin patches had a few pumpkins left. If you rode your bicycle around town, you had to check for a thin coat of ice, as a fall could result in skinned knees and elbows. As the evenings got colder, everyone could be seen in jackets and mittens. The leaves crunched under your feet and the ground got harder as we played varsity football.
Fall presented a particularly beautiful picture at Recreation Park, with people building fires at the fireplaces and cozying up close to keep warm. Hyde's Pond was another unique setting, with the leaves floating on the water. On Friday nights, we all gathered at the Recreation Center for dancing, singing and games and told each other how wonderful we were. We could get hot chocolate there, but it was better at Blumer's Drug Store or Ruf's Cafe across the street.
One particular Friday night in 1947, we had our high school homecoming game against Stoughton. It was a hard fought game. Because I was fast, I was a running back. We were losing 6-0 as the end of the game approached. It was their fourth down and our coach, Fred Simpson, pulled me out and said, "Danny, you've got to get in there and do something." And with that he gave me a shove back onto the field.
I received their punt on the 6-yard line, and with adrenaline pumping raced back. There was time for one more play and a pass play was called. With the luck of the Irish, I caught the ball for a touchdown and we were tied 6-6. As we came to the huddle for the extra point, we realized we had lost our kicker, Fred Huber, who had been accidentally shot in the leg during hunting season. Bill Moon, our quarterback, told me to be the kicker. I had not kicked a field goal in any previous game, and now I was told to kick for this homecoming game. The pressure was on!
The line held well, and Bill placed the ball a bit forward of where we usually kicked. I gave it my best and it cleared by six inches. You could hear the crowd from the stands cheering and the scoreboard read: Monroe 7, Stoughton 6. It all happened so fast that the Monroe Times photographer could not get to the end zone for a photo. He went over to the crowd and took his photos there. I have a copy of that photo showing all the fans - students, parents, friends and townspeople cheering and jumping up and down.
Autumn and Friday night football games hold memories for all of us. The camaraderie between the players, the cheers from the fans, the smell of a bonfire after a rally, friends being together, all bring a nostalgia for the Monroe of that time. It was a special time for me, and I'm sure it was memorable for others.