REMEMBER WHEN?

50 Years Ago from The Fayette County Record

March 21-24, 1972

Scandalous rumors concerning a state highway patrolman formerly stationed in Fayette County had been making the rounds. Local sheriff’s officers said that the reports were unfounded, untrue, and should be stopped once and for all.

Sadly, a giant oak in downtown La Grange yielded to 20th century progress. The venerable tree that stood alongside Travis St. near Jackson St. was cut down to make way for expansion of four lanes going through the heart of the city.

A 22-year-old Port Arthur man was apprehended at the Greyhound Bus Station in Schulenburg Monday morning and placed in the Fayette County Jail in connection with the theft of a late model Chevrolet at gunpoint in Houston. In a high-speed chase by Columbus officers, the suspect spun out on the median near Schulenburg and took to the woods. Despite running headlong into a barbed wire fence, he avoided arrest until he later was picked up at the bus station where he had bought a ticket to San Antonio.

Records tumbled right and left at the auction sale that concluded the highly successful 13th annual Fayette County Junior Livestock Show at the fairgrounds. The gross sales for the 157 animals and poultry amounted to a whopping $36,346.44, surpassing the previous high posted the year before by $8,883. Three grand champions sold for all-time highs, one champ sale tied a previous mark and all five reserve champions posted new records. Randy Heger of the La Grange FFA Chapter sold his 920-pound grand champion Charolais-Brahma cross fat steer to Beken Feed Co. and Beken-Fuchs Cattle-Tex Co. of Weimar for $1.60 per pound - 5¢ under the previous record. The reserve champion calf, a 713-pound Charolais from Darrell Neutzler of the Round Top-Carmine FFA chapter, went to Jacob’s Store of Carmine for a new record price of $1.10 per pound. Rutersville 4-Her Charles Koether saw his 210-pound Duroc market hog champion bid in by La Grange Wholesale Beer Distributors at $2.70 per pound, surpassing the $2.11 paid the previous year. Rebecca Fuchs of Carmine got $4.25 a pound for her grand champion 100-pound Hampshire lamb from Falstaff Feed, surpassing the $2.01 price paid the prior year.

Representatives voted to name a new amateur baseball league being formed in the area the Colorado Valley League. It was to be affiliated with the National Baseball Congress. The following teams had signed up to participate: Warda, Serbin, Plum and Winchester.

La Grange High School senior James Liska signed a letter of intent with Rice University. James had lettered the prior three years as defensive linebacker for the La Grange Leopards. He also distinguished himself academically by earning the Rosa Meinecke Academic Award.

Patti Fluitt was high point senior girl, Blair Ulrich high point senior boy, Maryanna Wallace high point junior girl and Gaylon George high point junior boy in the Colorado Valley Gauchos’ Horse Show.

Navy Lieutenant Commander Ernest R. (Bing) Kallus, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Kallus of La Grange, was a member of a unique flight crew. Since August 1971, he had been co-pilot of a Navy aircraft that flew senior naval officers from west coast bases to conferences and engagements throughout the U.S. and Western Pacific. Kallus, a 1962 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, had been a naval aviator since 1963 except for a two-year stint when he flew for commercial airlines.

The Navasota Rattlers pushed over four runs in the sixth inning at Fair Park to overcome the local Leopards, 7-4, and thus lower La Grange’s season mark to 8-3. La Grange was nursing a 4-3 lead when Lep reliever Dennis Winkler got into hot water at the start of the sixth by walking the first two Rattlers to face him. Billy Miller took over, fanned one and then Mitchel unloaded a three-run homer. The Leopards plated a pair in the very first frame without a base hit. Buddy Grobe opened the inning and drew a walk. An error on David Zapalac’s chance, a groundout and another error accounted for the trio.

A funeral service was held for Mrs. Ludwig Kossa, 74, of Ammannsville.

Four high school boys were to represent La Grange and Fayetteville at the 1972 session of Texas American Legion Boys State in Austin: Timothy Joseph Sulak, Harold J. Lindemann, David L. Zatopek and Larry Malota.

The Misses Ella and Hattie Kruschel gave two substantial checks to Fayette Memorial Hospital and auxiliary. The $300 check was earmarked to purchase an automatic thermometer that took temperatures in less than 20 seconds and was safer than those made of glass. The $200 check was to pay for the sisters’ life memberships in the auxiliary.

A display ad on the classified page warning that La Grange had a toilet paper thief suggested that businesses be beware and watch their restrooms because toilet paper could get expensive.

For more great stories, visit Elaine online at www.elainethomaswriter.com/blog/ or call her at 979-263-5031.