1 00:00:00,480 --> 00:00:05,840 Boy, it was a pleasure to welcome an old timer guy back 2 00:00:05,840 --> 00:00:10,280 from the 60s Jeff Keller guy that's real close to my family. 3 00:00:10,720 --> 00:00:15,280 We were able to talk about the early days of Osaka Boys Club, 4 00:00:16,200 --> 00:00:20,640 his time in the junior camp. His first trip was with Stub 5 00:00:20,640 --> 00:00:24,040 Mall. Great story and what camp meant 6 00:00:24,040 --> 00:00:26,960 to him. Again, it was a pleasure for me. 7 00:00:27,720 --> 00:00:31,800 I was named after Jeff and we hope you enjoy the show. 8 00:00:38,530 --> 00:00:44,410 OK, everybody welcome from the great central fire today we have 9 00:00:45,410 --> 00:00:49,010 I guess I can. Can I call you an old timer, 10 00:00:49,770 --> 00:00:50,450 Jeff? I don't. 11 00:00:50,490 --> 00:00:52,050 I don't. Is that is that OK? 12 00:00:53,210 --> 00:00:58,290 It's OK if it makes you happy. But listen, it's a great friend 13 00:00:58,290 --> 00:01:01,530 of mine, a great friend of our families, and it is such an 14 00:01:01,530 --> 00:01:05,160 honor to have Jeff Keller on the podcast today. 15 00:01:06,840 --> 00:01:09,400 An old Coochalamos. I think you were on staff in the 16 00:01:09,400 --> 00:01:10,760 60s. Is that correct, Jeff? 17 00:01:10,760 --> 00:01:14,960 Is that when it was? Yes, yes, you're correct. 64 ish 18 00:01:14,960 --> 00:01:19,080 6566 in there 68. Yeah. 19 00:01:19,680 --> 00:01:23,800 OK. And also a part of the Osaka 20 00:01:23,800 --> 00:01:26,840 Boys Club that was back in Cincinnati. 21 00:01:27,760 --> 00:01:29,120 Correct. Do you remember much? 22 00:01:29,120 --> 00:01:31,560 Tell me, can you tell us a little bit about that and then 23 00:01:31,560 --> 00:01:35,040 the people involved with that, Do you remember much how that 24 00:01:35,040 --> 00:01:41,160 how you got involved with that? Well, it was really by indirect 25 00:01:41,760 --> 00:01:45,000 association. There were a lot of kids guys in 26 00:01:45,240 --> 00:01:51,840 in our neighborhood and some of them belong to Osaka. 27 00:01:51,960 --> 00:01:58,680 I did not belong to Osaka and I I came in contact with it 28 00:01:59,280 --> 00:02:03,880 because they needed some fillers for some sports teams in the 29 00:02:03,880 --> 00:02:07,960 fall. They had, it wasn't a high 30 00:02:07,960 --> 00:02:11,280 school, you know, I mean, the soccer was a boys private boys 31 00:02:11,280 --> 00:02:17,520 club and it was in the Hyde Park, Mount Lookout area and, 32 00:02:17,520 --> 00:02:20,640 you know, spots throughout the city, I think. 33 00:02:21,720 --> 00:02:27,840 And and John Holden was its owner director. 34 00:02:28,560 --> 00:02:33,040 They were short on players for some of these sport teams. 35 00:02:33,040 --> 00:02:39,080 And we were kind of recruited by some of the members of Osaka. 36 00:02:40,440 --> 00:02:42,160 Do you remember who some of those guys were? 37 00:02:44,960 --> 00:02:46,920 I don't know who they were. No. 38 00:02:47,040 --> 00:02:48,480 OK. I don't remember him. 39 00:02:48,480 --> 00:02:52,400 I mean, I would screw it up anyway. 40 00:02:52,400 --> 00:02:54,040 I mean I. It's OK. 41 00:02:54,720 --> 00:02:59,400 Gospel so I make mistakes and. That's right. 42 00:02:59,400 --> 00:03:00,920 What can I say? But you. 43 00:03:00,960 --> 00:03:05,720 But you made your way to Cooch. Well, that's a long time after I 44 00:03:05,880 --> 00:03:09,400 I was in Osaka. I started in Osaka when I was in 45 00:03:09,400 --> 00:03:11,080 the 7th grade. OK. 46 00:03:12,000 --> 00:03:16,880 And I got I, I never had been to Cooch. 47 00:03:17,440 --> 00:03:23,160 It wasn't going to be in our sphere to go to Cooch because it 48 00:03:23,520 --> 00:03:27,680 they've had some high, high cash. 49 00:03:28,040 --> 00:03:29,600 You had to have money to get into it. 50 00:03:29,600 --> 00:03:33,720 And some my brother, I have a twin brother. 51 00:03:34,360 --> 00:03:39,840 So some friends of ours were going there and and they were 52 00:03:39,840 --> 00:03:42,440 playing football. But this is is it was 53 00:03:42,440 --> 00:03:44,440 frightening. It's ragtag football. 54 00:03:44,440 --> 00:03:50,680 You know, we were, we were small kids and played a lot of games 55 00:03:51,280 --> 00:03:54,600 with these communities in the surrounding area. 56 00:03:55,360 --> 00:03:59,760 And I can remember, well, I'll get, I'll get a little story. 57 00:04:00,360 --> 00:04:05,360 The team I it's not in, it's not in order now, but just it's 58 00:04:05,360 --> 00:04:07,080 something that just came to my mind. 59 00:04:07,680 --> 00:04:13,840 We were going to Indianapolis. This is in that 7th grade year 60 00:04:13,840 --> 00:04:19,160 for me. We went to Indianapolis because 61 00:04:19,160 --> 00:04:23,640 we were going to play the Park School, which was comparable to 62 00:04:23,640 --> 00:04:26,240 like a six Cincinnati Country Day. 63 00:04:26,240 --> 00:04:30,960 OK, Yep. And we were going to play their 64 00:04:30,960 --> 00:04:32,880 team. It was on a Saturday. 65 00:04:33,840 --> 00:04:39,800 So we went up there Friday night, camped and then went to 66 00:04:39,800 --> 00:04:42,120 the game. We were in the game, we were the 67 00:04:42,120 --> 00:04:46,240 game, right? It was a little frightening 68 00:04:46,240 --> 00:04:50,760 because we got there and we found out this was Park Schools 69 00:04:52,160 --> 00:04:58,880 homecoming game and and we we didn't have 20 people on our 70 00:04:58,880 --> 00:05:01,880 football team, right. So there was no way you were 71 00:05:01,880 --> 00:05:05,240 going without. You got to go both ways, you 72 00:05:05,240 --> 00:05:05,960 know? Yeah. 73 00:05:06,880 --> 00:05:13,720 And, and it was a setup. What could be better to turn 74 00:05:13,720 --> 00:05:18,520 these guys loose on us? I mean, and it was, it was just 75 00:05:18,520 --> 00:05:22,160 amazing because he thought I'm not going to survive this. 76 00:05:23,640 --> 00:05:31,440 And it just, it looked so bad that the first first half was 77 00:05:31,720 --> 00:05:32,880 all right. We survived. 78 00:05:32,880 --> 00:05:36,440 And then there was Bill Nyland. Oh yeah. 79 00:05:37,040 --> 00:05:37,760 Bill. Nyland. 80 00:05:39,040 --> 00:05:43,960 He was kind of one of the coaches and we we go into this 81 00:05:43,960 --> 00:05:49,680 locker room at Park School and no, my own's going to give us a 82 00:05:49,680 --> 00:05:55,040 Newt Rockney charge, you know, to put it all together and go 83 00:05:55,040 --> 00:05:58,640 out there and kick some ass or whatever it was. 84 00:05:58,760 --> 00:06:04,160 And we said we told my own to sit down because we were we were 85 00:06:04,160 --> 00:06:06,200 preparing ourselves to be fodder. 86 00:06:07,880 --> 00:06:10,480 And so this, this in, you know, there's nothing he could say to 87 00:06:10,480 --> 00:06:15,360 make my day better other than if he cancelled the game and said 88 00:06:15,360 --> 00:06:18,640 we can all go home. So we've played. 89 00:06:18,640 --> 00:06:21,560 We, we didn't win, but we made it through. 90 00:06:21,560 --> 00:06:24,080 We survived. Hey, that's, that's a win right 91 00:06:24,080 --> 00:06:26,360 there, I would say. Absolutely. 92 00:06:26,360 --> 00:06:30,040 Yeah. So so how did you what you came 93 00:06:30,040 --> 00:06:32,080 to Cooch your first year as a staff person? 94 00:06:32,960 --> 00:06:37,320 I came in my senior year in high school. 95 00:06:38,160 --> 00:06:43,080 When I graduated, I went to Cooch for the summer. 96 00:06:43,160 --> 00:06:44,880 OK. And who was it holding that 97 00:06:44,880 --> 00:06:48,280 connected you with it? I mean, is that who introduced 98 00:06:48,280 --> 00:06:50,880 you basically to Cooch or just being around Osaka you knew 99 00:06:50,880 --> 00:06:54,400 about it or? Yeah, and being around Osaka, I 100 00:06:54,520 --> 00:06:59,680 you know, I we knew about it. OK, and and then, you know, they 101 00:06:59,680 --> 00:07:08,000 did some camping and that Osaka you goes hold known to couple 102 00:07:08,000 --> 00:07:12,720 number acres and some I can't remember exactly where it was, 103 00:07:12,720 --> 00:07:17,960 but it was you know, in that mount. 104 00:07:17,960 --> 00:07:19,840 What I don't know, it was Mount Washington. 105 00:07:19,880 --> 00:07:28,840 I was and that and that was how I I got to know Holden. 106 00:07:28,840 --> 00:07:33,800 They brought us and then I went to Osaka because that was near 107 00:07:34,480 --> 00:07:35,960 Withrow High School. Yeah. 108 00:07:37,000 --> 00:07:42,560 And and we we went to Holden, had a house on Salem Ave. 109 00:07:42,680 --> 00:07:45,960 Right. And, and in the basement of the 110 00:07:45,960 --> 00:07:50,320 house there was a, we call it. Is it a pool table down there or 111 00:07:50,320 --> 00:07:51,800 something? Pool table, right? 112 00:07:51,920 --> 00:07:54,760 It was a pool table. And then Holden came up to us 113 00:07:54,760 --> 00:07:56,360 and he said, why, what's going on? 114 00:07:56,360 --> 00:08:00,680 You know, we hadn't, we hadn't been around because it was 115 00:08:00,680 --> 00:08:04,600 football season was over and they were into their basketball 116 00:08:04,600 --> 00:08:08,720 season. And we said, well, you know, we 117 00:08:08,720 --> 00:08:10,440 didn't know. We're members of the club. 118 00:08:11,280 --> 00:08:15,440 And he said, what do you mean members of the club? 119 00:08:15,440 --> 00:08:17,680 And I said, well, I mean, it's Osaka. 120 00:08:17,680 --> 00:08:21,600 It's a boys club and there's a fee because it's a private club. 121 00:08:21,600 --> 00:08:24,800 And as far as I know we're we're not members, he said. 122 00:08:24,800 --> 00:08:26,360 Well, you are now. Oh wow. 123 00:08:26,360 --> 00:08:31,280 OK. Yeah, a major member now. 124 00:08:31,320 --> 00:08:32,640 Yeah. Good. 125 00:08:32,640 --> 00:08:37,080 So that that's how we got on it and that just got us into the 126 00:08:37,080 --> 00:08:42,400 Osaka and you just we were members from now on. 127 00:08:42,679 --> 00:08:44,039 Good. That's awesome. 128 00:08:44,280 --> 00:08:46,600 So your your time at Cooch, I mean you remember your first 129 00:08:46,600 --> 00:08:48,560 summer. I mean you enjoyed your time. 130 00:08:48,560 --> 00:08:51,600 There. Yeah, I remember I graduated 131 00:08:51,600 --> 00:08:55,280 from high school. Were you in the junior camp? 132 00:08:56,320 --> 00:08:58,920 Yeah, when I yes. As a counselor. 133 00:08:58,920 --> 00:09:06,040 Most most when you start, usually it's in the small, small 134 00:09:06,040 --> 00:09:09,200 kids. So we went to we went up there 135 00:09:09,200 --> 00:09:12,480 and I think it was Steve Sullivan that gave us a ride 136 00:09:13,400 --> 00:09:18,880 from Cincinnati to Kuchichi. Did your brother John go with 137 00:09:18,880 --> 00:09:21,280 you the same first summer? Yeah. 138 00:09:21,720 --> 00:09:24,280 OK, yes. And we were in the prep camp. 139 00:09:24,720 --> 00:09:27,600 OK. And but I remember getting up 140 00:09:27,600 --> 00:09:30,600 there, it was it was a rainy, buggy day. 141 00:09:31,520 --> 00:09:34,520 We we arrived about maybe 10 O clock at night. 142 00:09:35,280 --> 00:09:42,200 And they just told you to, yeah, get your sleeping bag and find a 143 00:09:42,760 --> 00:09:46,960 cabin and get in there and see in the morning. 144 00:09:46,960 --> 00:09:50,640 They had first morning call was like at 7:00 AM, right, right. 145 00:09:50,640 --> 00:09:57,960 And we, we got there, we put our bags down and we had, we had 146 00:09:57,960 --> 00:10:00,720 foot lockers. So everything that you had 147 00:10:01,280 --> 00:10:04,200 brought up in a foot locker. So we did that, went to bed 148 00:10:04,200 --> 00:10:11,960 about 11:00 or 11:30 and morning bell rang soon and we were up 149 00:10:12,000 --> 00:10:19,480 and we went to the dining hall and it was, it was a cold, wet, 150 00:10:20,040 --> 00:10:26,480 very ugly day. And my brothers John, John and I 151 00:10:27,800 --> 00:10:31,120 sitting at a table. Most of the guys there at that 152 00:10:31,120 --> 00:10:33,920 time, when they, when it started, when we were up there, 153 00:10:34,640 --> 00:10:38,480 there were lifers. They've been at Osaka for all 154 00:10:38,480 --> 00:10:40,920 the time. And now they're at Kuchicheng 155 00:10:40,920 --> 00:10:44,640 and they've been there before and they know one another. 156 00:10:45,160 --> 00:10:47,840 And my brother and I are sitting at this table and we're going. 157 00:10:48,480 --> 00:10:50,480 I just looked at him. I said this, this could be a 158 00:10:50,480 --> 00:10:54,080 long summer. You know, you don't know 159 00:10:54,080 --> 00:10:56,040 anybody. You don't know what's going on. 160 00:10:56,720 --> 00:11:01,880 I'd never been in a canoe now. How was your canoe trips then? 161 00:11:01,880 --> 00:11:05,640 How did you like those? And you have any any stories 162 00:11:05,640 --> 00:11:07,520 from your canoe trips that stick out to you? 163 00:11:09,920 --> 00:11:16,000 Well, one in particular, Stub Mall was the trip head of this 164 00:11:17,440 --> 00:11:20,960 trip that I was on. My first couch trip was with 165 00:11:20,960 --> 00:11:23,080 Stub Mall. Wow. 166 00:11:23,080 --> 00:11:26,120 And there were. Roger Scribner was one of the 167 00:11:26,120 --> 00:11:29,960 counselors. I just talked to his son the 168 00:11:29,960 --> 00:11:31,880 other day. Roger Scribner. 169 00:11:32,040 --> 00:11:35,880 Yes. Is Rodger still around? 170 00:11:35,880 --> 00:11:38,320 He is. He's living in Florida. 171 00:11:40,080 --> 00:11:42,520 So he's retired now. I'm sure, yeah. 172 00:11:43,120 --> 00:11:44,360 But anyway, go ahead. I didn't. 173 00:11:45,320 --> 00:11:46,080 Mean to no, no, no. I. 174 00:11:47,360 --> 00:11:49,200 Stub and Rodger Scribner on the trip. 175 00:11:49,200 --> 00:11:52,360 OK. Rodger Well, Stubb, yeah, You 176 00:11:52,360 --> 00:11:56,800 know Stubb Mall was a football player at the University of 177 00:11:56,800 --> 00:11:58,040 Illinois. Correct. 178 00:11:59,040 --> 00:12:01,400 And what was he? Who's who was the guy that he 179 00:12:01,400 --> 00:12:03,920 was? That would have been Red Grange. 180 00:12:04,600 --> 00:12:06,880 Red Grange was a He was a national *. 181 00:12:06,880 --> 00:12:09,120 Yes, and his teammate of stubs. Yep. 182 00:12:10,600 --> 00:12:15,360 Well, and sub weighed all of 135 lbs, I think, right. 183 00:12:16,200 --> 00:12:22,400 He was a little wiry guy. And so he's like trip head and 184 00:12:22,480 --> 00:12:30,320 he's, he's well in his 60s and we go out there and we, we have 185 00:12:30,320 --> 00:12:31,880 to learn how to pack all your stuff. 186 00:12:31,880 --> 00:12:35,280 I mean, you're trying to put all this together, but it's, it 187 00:12:35,280 --> 00:12:39,640 seems to it works eventually, but first time I got in the 188 00:12:39,640 --> 00:12:47,520 canoe, I capsized and I, I was near the, the prep area prep and 189 00:12:47,520 --> 00:12:52,680 juniors so I could pick myself up and come back and give it a 190 00:12:52,680 --> 00:12:56,120 whirl again. And you know, you just have to 191 00:12:56,120 --> 00:12:57,440 learn how to what are you going to do? 192 00:12:57,440 --> 00:13:00,600 It's learned by fire. Right. 193 00:13:01,440 --> 00:13:07,680 And we get together and we're going out on the boat the the 194 00:13:07,680 --> 00:13:11,280 original boat, you know what it was about a 40 foot boat. 195 00:13:12,120 --> 00:13:15,240 Oh, the big boat. The big boat, yeah. 196 00:13:15,360 --> 00:13:19,680 So they drop us off and it was a tear Scones. 197 00:13:19,840 --> 00:13:22,760 Yes. Which was a beautiful lake. 198 00:13:22,880 --> 00:13:28,800 I mean it was wonderful Sub said he heard that I like to fish and 199 00:13:28,800 --> 00:13:32,560 he said we're going to we're going to go fishing and that 200 00:13:32,560 --> 00:13:36,320 sounded great. So the first night we camp and 201 00:13:37,280 --> 00:13:41,480 all of a sudden somebody's shaking me and it's stub mall. 202 00:13:41,480 --> 00:13:46,760 It's 3:00 in the morning and he said we're going fishing and I 203 00:13:46,760 --> 00:13:48,400 thought, well, this is this is good. 204 00:13:49,040 --> 00:13:51,200 You know, I said, what, what are we going to do? 205 00:13:51,200 --> 00:13:53,800 He said it's we're going to go trout fishing. 206 00:13:53,800 --> 00:13:57,040 This lake is known for trout and you have to go deep in that 207 00:13:57,040 --> 00:14:02,280 water to to reach them. And I said, OK, so I'm paddling. 208 00:14:02,760 --> 00:14:05,400 And this was this was his fishing idea. 209 00:14:06,640 --> 00:14:14,280 I paddle and he fishes and you know, I don't you what do you 210 00:14:14,280 --> 00:14:17,160 know? I mean, he's selling you, you 211 00:14:17,160 --> 00:14:19,840 know, to do. And so I start paddling. 212 00:14:19,840 --> 00:14:25,360 Well, I paddled till 6:00 in the morning and it just wasn't my 213 00:14:25,800 --> 00:14:28,200 concept that it was going to be like this. 214 00:14:29,760 --> 00:14:33,240 Did you throw a line in? No, I didn't have it. 215 00:14:33,240 --> 00:14:37,200 Somebody had to paddle. Say, hey, that brings me. 216 00:14:37,200 --> 00:14:38,520 We got to tell us. You got to tell me. 217 00:14:38,560 --> 00:14:40,640 Do you remember the story about the kid that wouldn't paddle in 218 00:14:40,640 --> 00:14:44,120 your canoe? He felt like his his parents 219 00:14:44,120 --> 00:14:46,920 spent the money that it you know that he can do what he wants to 220 00:14:46,920 --> 00:14:48,120 do. Do you remember this story at 221 00:14:48,120 --> 00:14:50,760 all? Well, he told me it was, it 222 00:14:50,760 --> 00:14:54,200 wasn't in my my first year, wasn't it was maybe this kids 223 00:14:54,200 --> 00:14:57,920 first year, but he's he was complaining because we had, I 224 00:14:57,920 --> 00:15:02,360 remember this, we had like a week of rain and it was, it was 225 00:15:02,360 --> 00:15:05,480 very bad. I mean, and the bugs are bad. 226 00:15:05,480 --> 00:15:09,720 This is now in July. I thought I got to get out of 227 00:15:09,720 --> 00:15:11,760 this. I mean, he, he didn't give me 228 00:15:11,760 --> 00:15:15,160 any other options other than paddling for him. 229 00:15:15,880 --> 00:15:18,520 And you know when you're, you're brand new there you you don't 230 00:15:18,520 --> 00:15:22,840 want to make an enemy out of the the old *. 231 00:15:23,160 --> 00:15:31,040 Right. So I, I, I kept at it and by the 232 00:15:31,040 --> 00:15:34,120 end I was able to go fishing a couple times. 233 00:15:34,360 --> 00:15:39,120 This kid was in the bow and he said he was complaining because 234 00:15:39,120 --> 00:15:40,800 it was, he said it was miserable. 235 00:15:41,920 --> 00:15:45,240 And I said, well, he said, what am I going to do? 236 00:15:45,240 --> 00:15:48,520 I said, well, it's just your dad getting at you. 237 00:15:49,600 --> 00:15:51,160 He's trying to make it hard for you. 238 00:15:51,160 --> 00:15:55,200 And so you have an option. You can get in the game or not 239 00:15:55,200 --> 00:16:00,120 get in the game. And he said, well, I don't 240 00:16:00,120 --> 00:16:03,840 particularly like this. I said, well, and that's the way 241 00:16:03,840 --> 00:16:09,160 it is. So just put your ass down in 242 00:16:09,160 --> 00:16:13,600 that chair and you know the chair in the boot. 243 00:16:13,800 --> 00:16:16,760 Yeah. And I said we'll go. 244 00:16:16,760 --> 00:16:20,600 And that reminds me, can I? I'll give you another because 245 00:16:20,600 --> 00:16:26,160 your dad was very influential in me as I came to Cooch and 246 00:16:27,040 --> 00:16:29,920 started with the preps and went to the juniors. 247 00:16:30,440 --> 00:16:36,560 I was I was already a seasoned counselor and I'm jumping to my 248 00:16:36,560 --> 00:16:38,440 second year. Yeah, yeah. 249 00:16:38,440 --> 00:16:44,160 We were going, I can't remember. We went into Canada and maybe 250 00:16:44,320 --> 00:16:46,960 Lake of the Woods. I think it's somehow we got into 251 00:16:46,960 --> 00:16:53,720 Lake of the Woods. OK, was my dad the trip head 252 00:16:53,720 --> 00:16:55,960 then? Yeah, he was. 253 00:16:55,960 --> 00:16:59,160 OK. But this maybe I'm I'm going 254 00:16:59,160 --> 00:17:01,240 ahead. I'll go, I'll jump ahead, and 255 00:17:01,240 --> 00:17:02,560 then I'll come back. Yeah, that's fine. 256 00:17:02,600 --> 00:17:07,920 Yeah. Your dad and I had talked about 257 00:17:08,079 --> 00:17:11,079 where we were going to meet on our trip. 258 00:17:11,400 --> 00:17:14,000 Yeah. So we were out there and this is 259 00:17:14,000 --> 00:17:17,280 like the second night and I'm supposed to meet him And. 260 00:17:18,480 --> 00:17:22,760 And it's, it's not, it's like 9 or 10 at night. 261 00:17:24,240 --> 00:17:27,280 I, I'm not exactly sure where I was or what I'm going to do. 262 00:17:27,280 --> 00:17:29,960 And I, I'm going, this is this horrible. 263 00:17:29,960 --> 00:17:34,480 You know, we, we ate peanut butter sandwiches in the boat at 264 00:17:34,600 --> 00:17:41,920 at 9:30 in the evening. And this is, I got to get 265 00:17:41,920 --> 00:17:44,160 everybody out. I go, how am I going to do this? 266 00:17:44,560 --> 00:17:49,640 And so I, the kids were saying we're lost. 267 00:17:49,640 --> 00:17:51,680 And I said, no, no, no, we're not lost in. 268 00:17:52,440 --> 00:17:56,200 So I said, we're going to yell, hey, Bugsy, where are you? 269 00:17:56,720 --> 00:17:59,120 And the kids are? So everybody gets together. 270 00:17:59,120 --> 00:18:01,400 We have this trip with all the kids in it. 271 00:18:01,840 --> 00:18:05,840 And we start screaming, hey, Bugsy, where are you? 272 00:18:05,840 --> 00:18:11,720 And then all of a sudden there's this, I'm over here and, you 273 00:18:11,720 --> 00:18:13,720 know, forget a compass. You know you don't need a 274 00:18:13,720 --> 00:18:15,360 compass. You need just yell. 275 00:18:15,560 --> 00:18:18,200 That's right. Just yell and hopefully somebody 276 00:18:18,200 --> 00:18:20,840 will answer you. Well, I know he's, he always 277 00:18:20,840 --> 00:18:22,640 talked about having great times with you up there. 278 00:18:22,640 --> 00:18:25,440 I know that. Well, the other thing is once we 279 00:18:25,440 --> 00:18:29,800 went to what's the place all the way down at the end of the end 280 00:18:29,800 --> 00:18:32,320 of Rainy Lake? Kettle. 281 00:18:32,320 --> 00:18:37,000 Falls, Kettle Falls. We went to Kettle Falls with us, 282 00:18:37,000 --> 00:18:39,000 where we get picked up tomorrow morning. 283 00:18:39,000 --> 00:18:43,920 The next morning, yeah. So we took our camping steers 284 00:18:43,920 --> 00:18:45,880 set up, you know, tents and all of this. 285 00:18:46,760 --> 00:18:49,480 And then we said, well, we're going to go to the Kettle Falls. 286 00:18:50,160 --> 00:18:55,000 So we go, we go to Kettle Falls, which you know, is a they have a 287 00:18:55,280 --> 00:18:57,920 like a hotel that last time. And. 288 00:18:59,400 --> 00:19:02,480 And it's up on a, on a bluff. Have you ever been? 289 00:19:03,920 --> 00:19:08,160 We went there and we decided we would. 290 00:19:08,160 --> 00:19:12,360 We went to Kettle Falls and then we bought maybe a six pack of 291 00:19:12,360 --> 00:19:16,480 beer and brought it back to the campsite. 292 00:19:16,800 --> 00:19:20,120 This was not condoned behavior and. 293 00:19:20,600 --> 00:19:26,040 That's all right. So the kids start saying that 294 00:19:26,080 --> 00:19:30,120 we're drunk, your dad, Bugsy and me. 295 00:19:30,680 --> 00:19:32,360 And then we said no, we're not junk. 296 00:19:33,080 --> 00:19:38,280 And we we said, OK, we can prove that by we drew a straight line 297 00:19:39,000 --> 00:19:48,040 and then bugs and I walked on her hands in in line and we said 298 00:19:48,040 --> 00:19:53,400 that that's absolute proof that we're not drunk hands and do 299 00:19:53,400 --> 00:19:57,440 that. And then the we to get the water 300 00:19:58,200 --> 00:20:04,000 to get the beer cold enough and to keep that way we sunk it in a 301 00:20:04,000 --> 00:20:09,320 netted bags that we made. Put weights in them so they go 302 00:20:09,320 --> 00:20:13,560 down to the bottom of the lake and the water was cold cold down 303 00:20:13,560 --> 00:20:14,480 there. Yeah. 304 00:20:15,040 --> 00:20:18,840 And we just had our beer and went about our business. 305 00:20:18,960 --> 00:20:21,520 Well, I know you're not the first who's ever had a beer at 306 00:20:21,520 --> 00:20:23,640 Kettle Falls, you know, at the end of a trip back in the day, 307 00:20:23,640 --> 00:20:27,080 you know? Well, yeah, I mean, you wouldn't 308 00:20:27,080 --> 00:20:28,600 do that today. No, not today. 309 00:20:28,600 --> 00:20:30,560 But that's OK. That's the way it was back then. 310 00:20:31,600 --> 00:20:33,840 Well, yeah, and that's what is good or bad. 311 00:20:35,600 --> 00:20:38,280 Right, right. But hey. 312 00:20:38,320 --> 00:20:43,560 And so you were in cabin too in 68, I think I was looking, Yeah. 313 00:20:43,560 --> 00:20:45,360 And. And that has the big. 314 00:20:45,360 --> 00:20:47,320 Boulder out out front. Yeah, I looked. 315 00:20:47,640 --> 00:20:50,360 It was funny because I saw two kids in your cabin were John 316 00:20:50,360 --> 00:20:54,760 Jolly and and Tom Walters, two names that I that ring a bell 317 00:20:54,760 --> 00:20:57,280 that were a big part of camp, you know, right. 318 00:20:57,360 --> 00:20:59,160 Do you remember them in your cabin at all? 319 00:20:59,880 --> 00:21:07,960 Yeah, I jolly Walters. I had about 9 kids in my cabin 320 00:21:09,040 --> 00:21:10,800 by myself. Right. 321 00:21:11,280 --> 00:21:14,640 Now they have a, you know, they have a couple kids in the camp, 322 00:21:15,200 --> 00:21:17,160 couple counselors like that. Yeah. 323 00:21:17,640 --> 00:21:20,880 Yeah, there's more staff now. Yeah, it was. 324 00:21:21,000 --> 00:21:23,240 Trips are smaller, you know, just, you know, you got a 325 00:21:24,040 --> 00:21:26,440 certain amount of kids per trip. I think you're limited now, what 326 00:21:26,440 --> 00:21:27,720 you can do in Canada. So. 327 00:21:28,720 --> 00:21:30,080 Oh, really? Yeah, I think so. 328 00:21:30,080 --> 00:21:34,240 So, Jeff, I mean, camp do a lot for you. 329 00:21:34,240 --> 00:21:36,640 I mean, were you happy to go? I mean, you know, we talked to 330 00:21:36,640 --> 00:21:38,680 people a lot about the importance of camp today with 331 00:21:38,680 --> 00:21:40,920 kids and. I loved it. 332 00:21:41,440 --> 00:21:43,320 Yeah. It was great. 333 00:21:44,560 --> 00:21:51,720 I mean I people I knew then I met I'm Jim Hilmer is a person 334 00:21:51,720 --> 00:21:55,400 that we were lifelong friends, right. 335 00:21:56,000 --> 00:22:00,960 I mean, he was there the first year and we just went off and 336 00:22:00,960 --> 00:22:05,040 did our own things and we're still in contact with one 337 00:22:05,040 --> 00:22:07,320 another. Any other names that you that 338 00:22:07,320 --> 00:22:08,960 stick out that you remember at all? 339 00:22:09,880 --> 00:22:13,680 AJ Cervantes, whose father was mayor of Saint Louis. 340 00:22:16,840 --> 00:22:20,520 Tim Briggs, that was in first year. 341 00:22:20,840 --> 00:22:28,400 Don Taft, Senator Chaff's son. It was a lot of people of merit 342 00:22:28,720 --> 00:22:31,160 and. And then you brought and then 343 00:22:31,160 --> 00:22:32,680 you brought him down. Is that what you're saying? 344 00:22:33,320 --> 00:22:35,840 And I didn't, no, I didn't do that. 345 00:22:37,760 --> 00:22:38,920 They did it on their own. They. 346 00:22:40,800 --> 00:22:44,720 Did it on their own. Jim Bond was somebody that I was 347 00:22:44,720 --> 00:22:48,240 with Dupree. Tom Dupree, Sure. 348 00:22:48,600 --> 00:22:53,520 Joe Holiday. Yes, and I'm sure BJ was there 349 00:22:53,520 --> 00:22:56,760 when you were there. Yes, he was in the intermediate 350 00:22:56,760 --> 00:22:58,400 camp. And he's still there. 351 00:22:59,680 --> 00:23:02,200 Yes. Not in the army camp, but he 352 00:23:02,200 --> 00:23:05,680 still goes up every summer. Right, he's about 90. 353 00:23:05,880 --> 00:23:09,000 Yep, 90 something now. Was my dad running the junior 354 00:23:09,000 --> 00:23:11,760 camp at that time? Yeah, he was. 355 00:23:12,160 --> 00:23:19,280 We had a boat we had a motor on and we took it into town. 356 00:23:19,920 --> 00:23:22,120 And as you remember, Rainy Lake Lodge is right. 357 00:23:22,240 --> 00:23:29,280 I mean almost straight shot from the lodge to to Cooch to Deer 358 00:23:29,280 --> 00:23:31,600 Island. Where the girls camp is now, 359 00:23:32,680 --> 00:23:35,160 right? Yeah, Rainy Lake Lodge was a 360 00:23:35,520 --> 00:23:38,760 mostly fishing lodge, and we would. 361 00:23:38,760 --> 00:23:41,520 That's where if you had a car, you left your car there. 362 00:23:41,880 --> 00:23:44,640 Correct. Didn't have a car you borrowed, 363 00:23:44,640 --> 00:23:47,040 somebody's you still, it was probably going to be at the 364 00:23:47,400 --> 00:23:49,840 lodge. Guys would come back at night 365 00:23:49,840 --> 00:23:55,920 and it was and they'd over serve themselves and they took any 366 00:23:55,920 --> 00:23:59,920 boat they could get you or one thing was people you had, 367 00:24:00,000 --> 00:24:04,760 everybody was injured, issued a canoe, so that canoe was yours 368 00:24:04,760 --> 00:24:06,280 for the summer. Correct. 369 00:24:06,320 --> 00:24:08,320 Right you were. You were you were responsible 370 00:24:08,320 --> 00:24:15,360 for it and but people came back to Rainy Lake Lodge their their 371 00:24:15,360 --> 00:24:18,600 boat should be there. Often it was taken back and just 372 00:24:19,240 --> 00:24:21,960 left somebody to scramble to figure out another way to get 373 00:24:21,960 --> 00:24:27,320 out back to Cooch and and then in the morning, the guy that ran 374 00:24:27,560 --> 00:24:33,200 Rainy Lake Lodge, the owner. It was a local notable in Rainy 375 00:24:33,400 --> 00:24:37,280 in Rainy Lake area and. He probably called Holden and 376 00:24:37,280 --> 00:24:40,120 said can you please take, give me, get my boats back over here. 377 00:24:40,320 --> 00:24:43,200 He needed his boats back because the fishermen were there with 378 00:24:43,200 --> 00:24:46,440 their guides and they're waiting for boats and most of the boats 379 00:24:46,440 --> 00:24:50,680 were down at Rainy at Kuchicheng because. 380 00:24:51,600 --> 00:24:53,760 So you snagged a few of those at times I'm sure. 381 00:24:54,480 --> 00:24:56,960 Oh yeah. Yeah, the heck with paddling. 382 00:24:56,960 --> 00:25:00,040 Back And the other thing is when you come back, everything you 383 00:25:00,040 --> 00:25:03,280 can say on on the water at that time goes. 384 00:25:03,520 --> 00:25:06,840 It's resounding all over. Everybody hears what you're 385 00:25:06,840 --> 00:25:10,240 saying. And I remember my brother, we 386 00:25:10,240 --> 00:25:12,280 were in the same canoe going back. 387 00:25:12,640 --> 00:25:16,600 I had to push him down because he was trying to flip the boat. 388 00:25:16,840 --> 00:25:20,600 He was inebriated, loud and boisterous. 389 00:25:20,600 --> 00:25:23,040 And then the next morning was that was Saturday night to 390 00:25:23,360 --> 00:25:27,880 Sunday morning and Holden came up and told my brother he had to 391 00:25:27,880 --> 00:25:31,960 clean the pump house on, on the dock, the main dock there was, 392 00:25:32,400 --> 00:25:34,680 you know, for boats. Yes, yeah. 393 00:25:34,840 --> 00:25:41,040 And he could barely stand. And I, I picked up that duty for 394 00:25:41,040 --> 00:25:43,080 him. John Holden came out and told me 395 00:25:43,080 --> 00:25:47,360 to leave, put my brother back to the to the boat, the guest 396 00:25:47,360 --> 00:25:49,800 house. You know, he goes back to the 397 00:25:49,800 --> 00:25:53,360 guest house and he hurls. Yeah, John had his finger on 398 00:25:53,360 --> 00:25:54,880 everything, though. He knew what was going on, 399 00:25:54,880 --> 00:25:56,760 didn't he? Absolutely. 400 00:25:56,840 --> 00:26:00,320 Yeah, yeah, He had his finger on everything. 401 00:26:00,480 --> 00:26:02,520 Now, 68 was your last year, correct? 402 00:26:02,520 --> 00:26:06,560 Is that your last? How was the third year in my 403 00:26:06,560 --> 00:26:11,480 graduate studies? They called me from Cooch and 404 00:26:11,480 --> 00:26:16,320 said they there was a trip had that was had to leave for family 405 00:26:16,320 --> 00:26:20,120 reasons and he believed somebody to take a trip out and I that 406 00:26:20,120 --> 00:26:26,120 was a a junior trip and I went out and took that. 407 00:26:26,280 --> 00:26:29,360 That was maybe 74. OK, Yeah. 408 00:26:30,440 --> 00:26:32,200 That makes sense, yeah. That you're probably about 409 00:26:32,200 --> 00:26:35,080 right. Yeah, I know 68 was a big year. 410 00:26:35,080 --> 00:26:37,640 That was the year that, I don't know if you remember all this, 411 00:26:37,640 --> 00:26:41,280 but Holden, that was the year the camp bought the rest of Deer 412 00:26:41,280 --> 00:26:44,720 Island off Oberholser, the northern half of it. 413 00:26:46,040 --> 00:26:48,120 And also, I don't remember, that was the first year they used the 414 00:26:48,120 --> 00:26:49,800 sauna. Did you ever get the old sauna 415 00:26:49,800 --> 00:26:51,520 back then? And I think I bring that up 416 00:26:51,520 --> 00:26:53,040 because they're rebuilding it now. 417 00:26:54,080 --> 00:26:56,960 The one that was built in 68 is now going down and the new ones 418 00:26:56,960 --> 00:26:58,680 going up. Really. 419 00:26:58,680 --> 00:26:59,360 There? Yeah. 420 00:26:59,440 --> 00:27:04,320 Yeah, so. I know the original one, yeah, 421 00:27:04,320 --> 00:27:06,000 but. That was the first year in 68 422 00:27:06,000 --> 00:27:08,440 was the first year of the of the of the of the original 1. 423 00:27:09,240 --> 00:27:13,600 Well, I know another story. I Holden put me in charge of 424 00:27:14,200 --> 00:27:16,520 logging. You know, I don't know something 425 00:27:16,520 --> 00:27:19,080 I was supposed to be doing. What was the? 426 00:27:19,360 --> 00:27:21,600 Woodcraft. Woodcraft. 427 00:27:21,600 --> 00:27:25,040 Yes. Yeah, so I did do some woodcraft 428 00:27:25,040 --> 00:27:26,600 tonight. I was trying to figure out what 429 00:27:26,600 --> 00:27:33,800 to do and I didn't know enough to be dangerous so I decided I 430 00:27:33,800 --> 00:27:38,680 would build a log cabin. OK. 431 00:27:39,640 --> 00:27:43,960 I went out in there and I needed some base logs and they were 432 00:27:43,960 --> 00:27:46,160 building an Indian crafts building, correct? 433 00:27:46,360 --> 00:27:51,560 And I procured a couple of those logs because they were, they 434 00:27:51,560 --> 00:27:55,040 were good logs for putting in the base because they were I 435 00:27:55,040 --> 00:27:57,800 guess some cedar, I think, I don't remember. 436 00:27:57,800 --> 00:28:01,120 But it was particularly beneficial to have that as your 437 00:28:01,120 --> 00:28:02,840 base. Yes, it was all out of cedar. 438 00:28:02,840 --> 00:28:06,320 You're correct. They wouldn't breakdown as 439 00:28:06,320 --> 00:28:10,920 easily, you know, So I, I took them, they were holding this 440 00:28:10,920 --> 00:28:14,760 bill, they were building a, a real log cabin house and I 441 00:28:14,760 --> 00:28:18,400 thought this would be great to match it, you know, and I didn't 442 00:28:18,400 --> 00:28:21,280 ask for those logs. I took them and. 443 00:28:21,520 --> 00:28:26,000 How'd that go? Not well, because it was well 444 00:28:26,000 --> 00:28:29,400 into the project. When I, I tried to build this, 445 00:28:29,840 --> 00:28:33,040 it was and I was figuring out how to get a sign. 446 00:28:33,120 --> 00:28:37,320 I was trying to steal a sign from Rain Lake Lodge because 447 00:28:37,320 --> 00:28:41,120 they had signs announcing it. And I thought, well, that I'll 448 00:28:41,320 --> 00:28:44,440 put that on there. So we had a ceremonial 449 00:28:45,240 --> 00:28:49,800 inauguration of the cabin. I mean, it was the only time I 450 00:28:49,800 --> 00:28:52,600 went back to see if it was there and the remnants were there. 451 00:28:53,120 --> 00:28:56,760 It was way the hell out in the in the Bush because how many 452 00:28:56,760 --> 00:29:01,520 acres are on Kuchiching Island? Oh, like it's 6700, I believe, 453 00:29:01,520 --> 00:29:03,800 Yeah. That's what I thought, yeah, 454 00:29:03,800 --> 00:29:07,920 it's a lot. So that was my log cabin and 455 00:29:07,960 --> 00:29:08,560 that's. That's. 456 00:29:10,480 --> 00:29:14,560 And the other thing that we did was when you get your food for 457 00:29:14,560 --> 00:29:20,040 your trips, if you can, you can make out your menus and turn it 458 00:29:20,040 --> 00:29:23,160 in to get the get some of the things you need. 459 00:29:23,520 --> 00:29:29,240 But otherwise, I would go up to the dining room and get into the 460 00:29:29,600 --> 00:29:33,320 cold locker where you have like some of the you're going to take 461 00:29:34,040 --> 00:29:37,800 bacon on the trip or whatever, salami, all those things. 462 00:29:37,800 --> 00:29:40,640 You could, you could. And if you went up really early 463 00:29:40,640 --> 00:29:42,960 in the morning, you could beat the crowd. 464 00:29:43,640 --> 00:29:46,680 So we would do that as well. You sneak a little thing out of 465 00:29:46,680 --> 00:29:49,240 there once you want a few things for your trip. 466 00:29:50,120 --> 00:29:54,680 Yep, and and I, I got one of Holden's tents. 467 00:29:54,880 --> 00:29:58,200 He, he kept some of these good things and you could figure out 468 00:29:58,200 --> 00:30:03,120 where they are and, and procure one, take one and then try to 469 00:30:03,120 --> 00:30:04,800 keep it out of his vision. So. 470 00:30:04,920 --> 00:30:06,760 You're right. He wouldn't come. 471 00:30:06,760 --> 00:30:10,920 After you exactly. Oh gosh, that's hilarious. 472 00:30:12,320 --> 00:30:14,880 Well, hey, I mean, this has been great. 473 00:30:14,880 --> 00:30:17,600 Is there anything else before we sign off that you would like to 474 00:30:17,600 --> 00:30:20,560 share about anything about camp that that sticks out or any 475 00:30:20,560 --> 00:30:23,760 other stories or? Well, I, I, I was going to say 476 00:30:23,760 --> 00:30:26,080 how who did, who's preceded us here? 477 00:30:26,480 --> 00:30:29,440 Oh, we've had people talk. Kathy Dix has talked. 478 00:30:29,440 --> 00:30:31,680 We've had one with her. We've had one with George 479 00:30:31,680 --> 00:30:33,080 Simmons. You who you know. 480 00:30:33,720 --> 00:30:35,840 Oh yeah. And then we had one with a young 481 00:30:36,040 --> 00:30:39,240 kid named Jamie Varley, but great guy. 482 00:30:39,240 --> 00:30:40,920 So that so you're the 4th one with that. 483 00:30:40,920 --> 00:30:43,000 We've had one with and we've got a whole list of people ready to 484 00:30:43,000 --> 00:30:46,920 go and, and down the road. So but I was, I was happy to do 485 00:30:46,920 --> 00:30:48,600 this one. I mean, obviously you and I go 486 00:30:48,960 --> 00:30:52,480 go back a ways with the, you know, you were close with my 487 00:30:52,480 --> 00:30:55,720 parents, so close that I've got my name after you. 488 00:30:56,720 --> 00:30:59,520 They, they name me after you. Why the hell they did that? 489 00:30:59,520 --> 00:31:02,080 I have no idea, but I I'll have to accept it. 490 00:31:02,360 --> 00:31:05,240 A public service I took on my on my own. 491 00:31:07,000 --> 00:31:10,440 But that's a true story. They named me after you, which 492 00:31:10,440 --> 00:31:15,360 I'm very honored to have that, you know, to have that name, you 493 00:31:15,360 --> 00:31:18,320 know, and it have it associated with you means a lot to me. 494 00:31:18,320 --> 00:31:21,240 So it always has. Well, thank you. 495 00:31:21,240 --> 00:31:22,800 You're a kind person. Yep. 496 00:31:23,280 --> 00:31:25,720 But we appreciate you coming on today and I hope we can get 497 00:31:25,720 --> 00:31:29,040 together sometime soon. And, you know, thanks again for 498 00:31:29,040 --> 00:31:30,760 joining us. Take care. 499 00:31:30,920 --> 00:31:32,240 OK, buddy. Bye bye.