The Okie Legacy

Vol. 2, No. 46 -- 19 February 2000, Saturday

Memories & Moments

Sometimes memories are the only things we have for the moment! No matter who you are each memory and each moment holds a special place in the heart and soul. Whether it be an old Baseball scrapbook, old photos, or a charcoal drawing done 55 years ago -- It is priceless & connects us to our past.

A friend in southern Oklahoma sent me a copy of a photograph of a charcoal drawing that he had done 55 years ago of his friend, Sgt. Melvin Cliser.

Ernest says, "Cliser and I became friends when stationed at Lowery Field, Colorado. We were both Sergeants and explored a large part of Colorado while there. Although Mel and I were in different squadrons we shipped out at the same time with the destination being Keesler Field, Mississippi. Soon we explored much of the Mississippi coast and the inland. WWII was over in August 1945 and it was about January, 1946 that Melvin was scheduled to be discharged. I went to the Biloxi Depot and watched as he waved 'good bye' from the platform of the last car on the train. I never saw or heard from Melvin Cliser again. After 55 years, this is all I have, except a memory."

If you or family members remember or know of Melvin Cliser, you may contact Oakie.

For my own memories of the past, I'm still working on my Grandpa's Baseball Scrapbook. I've really loved reading the 'Old Clippings'. The way the sports reporters wrote back then and the colorful languages that they used to get their story told is a pure joy today in the 21st century.

This quote was taken from a June 20th, 1906 clipping concerning the game between the Austin Senators v. San Antonio Bronchos when the Senators took the game and the Bronchos were ridden fast and hard in the fatal eighth spasm, "However, Parson McGill must not be overlooked. A gent named McGill, one-time hypnotizer of the Bronchos' sturdy sons of swatzen-jammer, was sent to the slab for the Senators, and he made good, living up to his reputation fine and dandy. When the Tamale Masticators had some shucks on the bases to be cleaned up he threw out the grapnels and the visiting bludgeon wielders were unable to connect at the right time."

Another little quote about my Grandpa Will is taken from the June 27th, 1906 clipping depicting the Galveston Sand Crabs when they administer the worst defeat to the Austin Senators that they had suffered during the season, "McGill going into the box turned the tide somewhat and after that the hard hitting Sand Crabs got only four hits in the remaining six innings and not a run was made. McGill did some really very fine pitching. He had fine control and fine head work, and taking the game when the opponents were batting for all they were worth and pulling out without a run being marked up against him was something for the big pitcher to be proud of. McGill really did some good playing. Everybody had been hitting and it was hard to break the ice, but McGill broke it good and hard, and the credit is due him that not a single run was made after he went in the box."

I just love it when the small, rural communities like Dacoma, Oklahoma makes the news. A couple of weeks ago on a local OKC TV News station's "Great State" segment a farm community in NW Oklahoma did just that.

One of my readers sent me this comment concerning Billy Whittet & the "Cowboy Grill" in Dacoma, "Bill Whittet says he has had some visitors since the Channel 4 show that stopped by because they had seen Whittet's on the news. One man was a salesman who was staying in Alva and came in for a bowl of 'Billy's Chili.' And a couple came up from the City, I think it was. They just wanted to go some place and had seen the spot on Great State."

The Whittet's do make Great Chili! Towards the back of the little grocery store they have a 'Hall of Memories' or a collection of signatures, photos of those who have stopped by and left a small token on their 'Diary Wall.' Check it out the next time you are up in northwest Oklahoma.

If you enjoy seeing and learning about Northwest Oklahoma Territory's past, then you need to navigate over to the "Cherokee Strip Museum" Web site. The Cherokee Strip Museum Association (Cherokee Strip Museum, located at 901-14th street, Woods County, Alva, Oklahoma -- (580) 327-2030) has their web site up and running.

You are encouraged to drop by online; sign their guestbook; and view a piece of the past with them. They have 40 rooms in the Museum for viewing, including the Drug Store, Prisoner of War Room, Kitchen, Country Store, Gun Room, Model Railroad, Old Saloon, the Oklahoma Room, and Agricultural Building, Implement Yard, a very special One Room School House and many more displays. Several of their rooms are available for viewing in their online Gallery. They would love to see you in person the next time you are head towards Northwest Oklahoma. Thanks to the efforts of their webmaster, Pat L. Steed, PhD.

Help us keep the Memories & Moments alive so we may learn from our past -- live in the present -- And look towards the future!

OAKIE'S LINKS & MAILBAG:

MORE of Grandpa's Baseball Legacy pages Fresh "Off the Web-Press": Page 20 | Page 21 | Page 22 | Page 23

From the Archives, 85 years ago, Lone Grove Ledger, 2/16/2000 -- "A few days ago Anna Stainwenskaitiskitage was married in DuQuoin,Illinois, to Frank Matus. The bride received a letter of congratulation from Miss Mae Makoupakosalouskis, of New Bedford, Mass., and the bridegroom one from William J. Pappademanaskakoopouolous of Kirksville, Mo. The local post office then inaugurated a contest for long names. The winner was Demetrius Pappatheothokoummountorgeatopoulous of Moline, Illinois."

"OK Cowboys & Indians Ancestor Seminar will be held March 24th & 25th at Gordon Cooper Technology Center, 1 John C. Bruton Boulevard (the southeast corner of I-40 & Hwy 18 - Exit 186) in Shawnee, OK. Our guest speakers hold a responsible position at the OK State Historical Society. Most of the lectures are repeated in the afternoon to give you the advantage of hearing as many lectures as possible. Further questions email -- Kathy, . Hope to see you there!"

"My gggrandfather migrated to St. Donatus, Iowa from Luxembourgh around 1850. He married Maria (or Mary) Miller who was from Prussia shortly thereafter. My ggrandfather was Peter Wagner married to Mary and they moved to Alva, Oklahoma around 1900. Mr grandmother was Maude Wagner who married Penick Thomas Farris in the 1910's. My mom was Christine Farris. She grew up in and around Alva and spent some time in Iowa with relatives and also Enid, OK. Does any of this tie in with any Wagner families from Oklahoma? My dad's family is from Enid, Okeene and Longdale (Cain and Campbell family). Thank you in advance for any info you may provide. Regards, Virgel Cain, Cave Creek, Arizona"

Sharon Crawford's Snapshots of the past. Sharon has some great old snapshots of Oklahoma & Indian Territory. There is also a place to view old maps of each of the states in the USA. She even has a place to view and identify old photos that people are searching for any info concerning their identities. Great Oklahoma Information site.

Send Your URL or Pictures to Sharon Crawford. This is a site is for those pictures you may have collected that do not tell you who the people are in the picture -- like the ones from Grandma's old shoebox. Someone might recognize the people and be able to tell you. If they are related, you might have found a new cousin.

"I am reading a book that seems to be very factual about northern OKLA. & southern KANSAS. 'THE CHEROKEE OUTLET COWBOY' by Laban Samuel Records. As you may guess, it is about the 1870s & up."

"Monday's Child is fair of face,
Tuesday's Child is full of grace,
Wednesday's Child is full of woe,
Thursday's Child has far to go,
Friday's Child is loving and giving,
Saturday's Child works hard for a living,
But the Child that is born on the Sabbath Day,
Is bonny, and blithe, and good, and gay!"

QUOTE OF THE WEEK:

"You can make a real and powerful difference in the quality of your life by the things you tell yourself from moment to moment. Stop and pay attention to what you're telling yourself. The world around you can often be very negative. That doesn't mean you must follow suit, though. Choose to encourage yourself. Choose to be a positive influence on your own life. What you say to yourself has tremendous power. Make it count." -- Ralph Marston

See You All Next Friday (When I become a year wiser!)

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