1975 - The Year of the Champions

Dec. 26-30, 1975

Three continuing sagas ˗ inflation, the Fayette Power Project and a remarkable string of sports champions ˗ dominated the 1975 news in Fayette County. Of the three, the championship year would be chalked up by county athletes as the standout occurrence. It was unlikely that any county in Texas had ever had two high school football teams in the state playoff finals the same year. None, for that matter, had ever had two teams as prominent in those playoffs in two consecutive years. The Schulenburg Shorthorns were quarterfinalists in 1974, and the La Grange Leopards semifinalists. The Shorthorns missed their second state championship in four years when they lost to DeLeon in Class A finals, 26-15. On the same night, the Leopards reached their ultimate goal, the Class AA championship, with a 27-6 victory over Childress. The La Grange Demons were also state champions, winning the National Baseball Congress tournament and going on to represent Texas in the NBC regional tourney in Kansas.

The death of Miss Hattie Kruschel, a lifelong La Grange resident, saddened local residents. Miss Hattie, as she was known to her legion of friends, passed away at Fayette Memorial Hospital at the age of 85. Miss Hattie and her sisters would be remembered for their many philanthropic acts, the most recent being the deeding of a piece of property near their home on N. Main St. to the Chamber of Commerce as the future home site for the organization. The Kruschel sisters, who included the late Miss Agnes, Miss Ella and Miss Hattie, also donated the land for the La Grange Recreational Association’s swimming pool and the La Grange Little League Park, as well as supporting a number of other community projects. Miss Ella survived her sisters.

La Grange would be a stop on the Pennsylvania State University’s Penn Bicentennial Wagon Train tour on January 8. The lively, thought-provoking show included themes such as parades, immigration and old-fashioned patriotism. The troupe would perform against a backdrop of wagons, including the official wagon from the state in which the performance was given.

Photocopying machines were about to disappear from post offices across the country, despite protests that they provided a valuable consumer service. The coin-operated machines enabled people to copy such things as Medicare and Social Security claims, insurance papers, tax forms and a wide variety of other paper material.

The permit issued for the new Fayette Heritage Museum/ Library pushed La Grange’s 1975 building permits to over $1 million for the fourth time in the city’s history, the sec-ond highest on record. The $277,426 bicentennial project’s permit brought the total for the year to $1,162,364.

The Internal Revenue Service announced it was mailing about 2.5 million 1975 tax packages to southern Texas residents, as part of a nationwide mailing of over 81 million. Of that total, 43 million were 1040s and 38 million were the short 1040A form.

A 180 to 190-pound male left Burton last Thursday with a coat and a pair of pants that belonged to Judge Herbert Bathe. According to a construction worker, an unidentified man carrying a suitcase visited the judge’s house when no one was home. When Judge Bathe returned, he found clothes missing. Chief Deputy Sheriff Elwood Golbert reported that a law enforcement pickup order had been put out for the man who left town hitchhiking. However, he had not been found.

The Schulenburg Shorthorns placed seven players on the Austin American-Statesman’s Class AAll-Centex football team. Their coach, Tom Walker, who took them to the state finals for the second time in four years, was named Class A coach of the year. Heading the newspaper’s All-Centex list was quarterback Mike Olle, who was chosen as player of the year. Olle’s passing to split end Marvin Jackson and tight end Chris Cernosek, both also chosen to the mythical team, was one of the big reasons the Shorthorns overcame more highly-ranked and favored teams in the playoffs. Running back Randy Houston also was picked for the offensive team. Shorthorns named on the defensive unit included linemen Ronnie Orsak and Willie Stevens and linebacker Neal Richter. Richter was also named the all-star punter.

Funeral services were held for: Mrs. Anna Muske, 80, of Round Top, and Mrs. Stancel (Ellen H.) Hill, 67, a Fayette County native.

Beginning in January, Texas cattlemen stood to lose $3.7 million in federal benefits to control brucellosis and be put under strict quarantine rules affecting the shipment of animals out of the state, according to a U.S. Department ofAgriculture spokesperson.

Navasota Roofing Company’s $20,800 bid to replace the roof on La Grange City Hall and the utilities complex was accepted by city council.

The Fayette Memorial Hospital Auxiliary continued its Christmas tradition of furnishing bright red felt stockings for newborns at the hospital during the Christmas season. It was customary for each baby to be tucked into a stocking before they went home. Mrs. Alma Robbins was chair of theAuxiliary’s sewing project that made the stockings every year.

Mr. and Mrs. John Paul Vacula Sr. of Beaumont celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary at a gathering of 21 family members. The occasion brought back memories of when they were married on Sept. 29, 1925, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in La Grange. The late Msgr. E. E. Holub officiated at the nuptial Mass.

Mr. and Mrs. Adolph Kulhanek of Frelsburg celebrated their golden wedding anniversary on Sunday, Dec. 14, at Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Frelsburg.

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