Time Machine Trip to August 1972

Kaukauna Times – August 1972

By Lyle Hansen

 

August 4, 1972

1916 Mitchell

At the June KHS Alumni rally, we asked Norbert Rennicke, Class of ’13 if he would send us a story about Kaukauna as he remembered it. This story was recently received by the Times.

The Automobile came to Kaukauna between 1909 and 1916. This ended one era and began another, Luther Lindauer was one of the first auto owners. The car was a four-cylinder Mitchell. It was black in color and had a folding top. While in storage the first winter it was completely repainted. The body was maroon and the running gear yellow. With the help of the Lindauer twins Gus and Gold, I was taught to drive this car. One Sunday afternoon, the car backfired while I was cranking it and broke my right arm.

 

Ray Gertz

Hey Mike, what year did the Babe swat 60 homers? It was 1928, wasn't it? Nah it must have been around ‘25 or ‘26 at the latest Joe. You're crazy I'm sure it was ’28. Let's call Ray Gertz if anybody in the city would know he would. Hello, Ray this is Mike could you settle an argument for us once and for all, I say the Babe smacked his 60 homers in ‘28 but Joe swears it was ‘25 or ‘26. You're both wrong it was 1927. Admittedly Ray Gertz had settled many such differences of opinion concerning all phases of sports. What he didn't know firsthand he was happy to look up in his wealth of stats and record books. His Tavern on 107 W. Wisconsin Ave was the sports Information Center of the city and the man who ran it was perhaps the city's most knowledgeable man in the sports field. Passing through the front door was like going through a time tunnel and being whisked back into the past. Ray being born October 1st, 1904, grow up in Kaukauna I'd like most kids liked and breathe baseball. While employed at Kimberly mill in 1925, Ray pitched for a team in Niagara Falls, New York. The following year he moved to Oklahoma and became a top hurler in the Southwestern League. Unfortunately, he threw his arm out – never to pitch in competition again. The manager of the Oklahoma franchise was none other than Kaukauna’s George “Stormy” Kromer. 

 

August 9, 1972

Mrs. Joddy (Nancy) Jansen, Combined Locks scored a hole in one on the 175-yard No. 6 at Oakwood Hills Golf club Monday.

 

August 11, 1972

Thilmany Pulp & Paper company’s kraft odor will be greatly minimized in a $3.5 million four-year multiphase program announced today by President Fred Herbolzheimer, Jr. Thilmany for the past two years, has had a task force of scientists and engineers working to improve its Air Environmental Control Program.

 

Rev. Greg Landreman will assume duties as pastor of St. Aloysius Catholic church on August 16. Rev. Landreman is a former Kaukauna resident.

 

August 16, 1972

The King of the Schut, Jerry Gehl and his wife are pictured are being congratulated by Gary Wolf, last years king. The shooters participated in the 124th annual event sponsored by the Hollandtown St. Francis Society. 

 

Kaukauna head football coach Ken Roloff lost 17 veteran players through the ’71 graduation and to add to his headaches one of his best returning running backs failed to respond to treatment from an injury and is feared to be out for the season. You might say. They can always “drop back ten yards and punt,” but the player who handled most of the punting last year has also departed.