Amazing Appleknockers' team members are family A thank you with regards to the book review for “The Amazing Appleknockers”
<strong><span style="font-size: 8pt;">I just wanted to take a moment to thank not only the authors, Teri Campbell and Anne Ryman, but also to the hundreds of local Union County folks who weathered the humid afternoon Saturday, June 4, and came out to honor the 1964 Cobden Appeknockers and to enjoy the release party for the book “The Amazing Appleknockers” by Teri and Anne.</span></strong>
<strong><span style="font-size: 8pt;">As we sat and autographed literally hundreds of books, we were once again honored and humbled by the great folks of Union County and the surrounding area. More than once one of my old teammates would say, “Can you believe this?” </span></strong>
<strong><span style="font-size: 8pt;">And of course it was difficult to grasp, mentally record and imagine all the excitement as it has been 47 years (almost a half a century) since our run for the state championship in March 1964.</span></strong>
<strong><span style="font-size: 8pt;">Renewing old acquaintances and meeting now the grown children and grandchildren of many of our most ardent fans was most gratifying and humbling. Humbling as many of the youngsters made statements and asked questions that indicated that the amazing year of our team was living on and I am sure embellished as “folklore” tales often are.</span></strong>
<strong><span style="font-size: 8pt;">When asked if we had anything to say, I was so dumbfounded by the buzz of excitement and actually intoxicated by the electricity of the moment that I sat “dumb” and “numb” by the scene unfolding before me. But now after the experience and some serious introspection I would like to say a couple of things.</span></strong>
<strong><span style="font-size: 8pt;">One of the most asked questions I have been quizzed about over the years is something to the effect of “what was the secret?” or “what made you guys successful as a team?" </span></strong>
<strong><span style="font-size: 8pt;">First of all read the book, buy it as gifts and give it to young people because the secret is in the pages recorded by Teri and Anne. </span></strong>
<strong><span style="font-size: 8pt;">The secret ingredient is one that can be used in business, church, government and family and is this; we were more than friends, more than teammates, We Were Family. We had a one for all and all for one attitude seeking only the best for each other; kind of a “Robin Hood” attitude led by a Boston, Massachusetts, “Robin Hoodish” leader keeping us in line. Even today if one of my teammates were in need of anything of which I could help, it would be done. We were a Family long before Sister Sledge popularized the phrase in the song, “We are Family.”</span></strong>
<strong><span style="font-size: 8pt;">Second we were successful because of our passionate, enthusiastic and loyal fans, first from Cobden, but then as we kept winning, from all of Union County. </span></strong>
<strong><span style="font-size: 8pt;">Individuals, families and businesses put aside petty differences, old scars, bitternesses and wounds, subsequently binding together in a common cause of bringing the “Hardware” to Southern Illinois. </span></strong>
<strong><span style="font-size: 8pt;">As a husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, I now realize that many of those fans sacrificed time and money, perhaps that they did not have to spare, in order to make the games; for that I say a very belated and heartfelt Thank You from all of us.</span></strong>
<strong><span style="font-size: 8pt;">Perhaps there was a third ingredient, and that being the times in which we lived coupled with the Southern Illinois old-fashioned work ethic. </span></strong>
<strong><span style="font-size: 8pt;">All of us worked the farms and fields throughout the region whether picking blueberries at Leo Stadlebacher’s, “maters” at Gordon Rich's, the orchards at Flamm's or at any of the myriad other fields, co-ops and sheds all of us worked with the admonition from our parents ringing in our subconsciousnesses: “you will give a good day's work for a day's pay.” I hated it then, but I love the memories now.</span></strong>
<strong><span style="font-size: 8pt;">Thanks again residents of Southern Illinois who showed up and made the book release of “The Amazing Appleknockers” a glowing success and thanks for the Memories. I suppose I am a prime example that you can take the boy out of Southern Illinois but you cannot take Southern Illinois out of the boy.</span></strong>
<strong><span style="font-size: 8pt;">Signed, Jim Neal, Bakersfield, Calif.</span></strong>