Western Illinois Magazine Issue 9 — Fall 2013

Western Illinois Magazine

Lincoln makes his way around Western Illinois

Shoeless Joe Jackson made a little known stop in Macomb

Dagorhir brings battle among friends Fall 2013

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Western Illinois Magazine Vol. 1 No. 9

T h e o n l y m a g a z i n e i n t h e w o r l d t h a t g i v e s a d a m n a b o u t We s t e r n I l l i n o i s

S TA F F

Letter From The Editor

This issue of the Western Illinois Magazine marks the ninth time Steve Lutz we’ve highlighted one of the more Managing Editor: interesting corners of the world, Garrick Hodge Western Illinois.

Art Director: At Western Illinois Magazine we Aaron Viner live for the motto that we are the Staff Writers/ Photographers: only magazine in the world that gives a damn about Western Il Elana Katz linois, and I feel that never has it Mary Friday been highlighted more than in this Caleb Duckwiler issue. We’ve covered everything

Abbi Clevenger from localized tales such as “House

Erika Davis call hero” by Caleb Duckwiler, Ashley Pickett about a doctor in Rushville, who Lauren Blough still charges for a $5 house call, to Advertising Sales: larger stories like, “Shoeless Joe in Samantha Hubbard Macomb” by Garrick Hodge, about a baseball legend who played in David Mitchell sleepy Macomb.

Business Manager: On a personal note it has been Danielle Balbach an honor to work for the magazine Assistant Business Manager: during my time at Western. I’ve

Lauren Barrett learned a lot from my first day as Distribution: a very confused student, just try Roger Connelly, ing to build my resume, to working Anne Marie O’Niell, as the editor looking over my last Brooke Pappas issue these past few weeks. When I started, I had no clue that there was Rachel Goldsberry such a wealth of history and culAdvisor: ture in the Western Illinois region, Richard Moreno Editor:

and I can’t think of a better way to have learned about it than reading the fine articles in the magazine or going out and learning about them myself. There is nothing like doing the leg work and finding all the great things about this region first hand.

To all the Western students out there reading this magazine, I encourage you to write for it next semester. The magazine isn’t just for English or journalism students, it’s for anyone who is interested in learning about the history and culture of Western Illinois. In the past we’ve had history and fashion merchandising majors write for us, and last semester’s editor has a degree in biology.

In the words of my predecessor James Needham, “No matter how big, how small, how old or how weird, if it happened here, it matters to me.”

Thank you, Steve Lutz Editor

Contact Info: A Western Illinois Publication 1 University Circle Macomb, IL 61455 (309)298-1876, ext. 7 Westernillinoismagazine@yahoo.com

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Table of Contents War rages on in Macomb

By Elana Katz

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The most haunted city in America

By Erika Davis

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Whitey’s creates long standing tradition

By Abbi Clevenger

Former slave leaves mark on history

By Ashley Pickett

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By Garrick Hodge

Shoeless Joe in Macomb

House call hero

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By Caleb Duckwiler

See the scenes of Illinois

By Lauren Blough

16 Rockys on parade

18 Lincoln travels Western Illinois

By Steve Lutz

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War rages on in Macomb

By: Elana Katz Photos by Mary Friday

Dagorhir fighters meet every Wednesday in Macomb to practice their fighting skills.

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It’s an especially cold October evening, and Ashley TinninTimm just got stabbed in the head.

It’s an illegal move, but Ashley is a pro. She laughs it off and raises her sword to the top of her head to signal her death. As soon as the rest of the group joins her in grave death, someone shouts, “Play on!”

Her words ring out like a battle cry, and the sword fighting commences.

This is Dagorhir. The swords are made of foam, but to the group members who practice every Wednesday in Everly Park, the battle is real.

Ashley, a senior geology major at Western Illinois University, visits the park for fighting practice almost every week, when the weather allows it. Her husband, Bill Tinnin-Timm, a Western alumnus who graduated with a geology degree in 2012, introduced foam fighting to her and the rest of their group in 2008, and they’ve been fighting together ever since.

From afar, it may look like a group of friends goofing around with foam weapons, but as Bill explains, this is not the case. Ask any of the group members about it, and they’ll tell you the same thing — Dagorhir is a sport.

“This is not something that you pick up and become good at in a second,” he said.

“You have to actually put some time in and some effort.”

Like any sport, a strictly followed set of rules are involved.

“The rules consist of, if you’re fighting one-on-one with someone, if you get one hit in the torso, you’re dead,” Ashley said. “If you get hit in either arm, you put it behind your back. If you get hit in either leg, you drop down to one knee to represent that leg being gone. Any two limbs, (you’re) dead.”

“We have weapons ranging from swords, two-handed weapons, javelins, rocks…” Bill said. “Each one of them has a different code to it. Most weapons do one point of damage; some do more.”

Their weapons and clothing, or “garb” as they call it, can be bought online, but most of the group members make their own weapons out of items they can find for cheap.

Dagorhir is organized, and when it comes to battles, each member has a job.

“I fight in the line. Ashley fights in the flank,” Bill said. “We have guys who are archers; we do actually have bow and arrows and they’ll shoot people in the head.

There’s stuff like that.”

Despite handling weapons and hitting each other with full force — Ashley explained that her husband “holds back for no one” — the sport isn’t dangerous, as ex-

Bill Tinnin-Timm slays a fighter while practicing for Dagorhir. plained by group member Serenity Tomala, another Western alumna who graduated in 2012 with an English degree.

She felt the need to explain this after a couple of nearby fighters messing around with their swords accidentally ran into a table.

“Generally we’re safe, unless we do dumb things like that,” Tomala, a freelance writer, said.

But just because it’s safe, that doesn’t mean it’s easy. Bill, who just turned 32, has been fighting since he was 14, while Ashley, Tomala and the rest of the group have been practicing on and off for the past five years to excel at it.

“One of the comments I get a lot from people is, ‘oh, that must be really easy. You guys are just poking each other with foam,’” Tomala said. “No, no, no. There’s actual effort behind this. We actually practice.

There’s a reason why we come out every week and do this.

“If you come out at the beginning of next season, after we’ve been off practice for a while, you can really tell who’s rusty and

who’s not. It’s a sport. It’s not just prancing around poking people with sticks.”

As the group explained, this seems to be a common belief among the football players and Frisbee golf players who ask to join after passing by in the park. According to Ashley, she has had multiple encounters with male athletes who mistake her small stature for weakness.

“It’s really entertaining because if someone (Ashley’s) size comes up and there’s a football player who’s 6’2,” he’s like ‘all right, I’m gonna do this,’” Bill said.

“The football guy was so awesome,” Ashley said. “Bill showed him to do it, and he comes out onto the field and comes up to me. And so I take him out, and he stops, looks at his weapon and goes, ‘I will not be schooled by a girl!’ He throws down his weapon and walks off the field.”

For Bill, a professional woodworker and metalworker, getting involved with foam fighting was a no-brainer when he was younger.

“I heard about these people hitting each 5

other with foam weapons, and I was like, ‘I’m gonna go see what that is,’ and I started it like that,” Bill said. “I convinced my parents to drive me up to one of the places, and I started it then. I’ve been playing off and on for a while, and I got back into it when I got out of the service. I started up a realm up north in Rockford, Ill., Kchador.

I started that realm, and then I came here and helped this place get started.”

The Macomb group generally has anywhere from six to 15 people show up at

Everly park each week, with its biggest turn out being more than 35. While the members admit that it’s small, they’re certainly not alone.

The members try to attend at least six or seven events a year around the region, where week-long battles consisting of at least 250 to 300 people fight. In fact, foam fighting is so popular that the most recent event had about 450 people, and Bill explained that the largest one he fought in had 750 people.

Fighters prepare for a practice battle in Macomb’s Everly Park.

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For Ashley, the events are what she looks forward to the most.

“You get a little bit of everything. I love to go camping,” Ashley said. “The events usually last about a week long. You go out, you put out all your best stuff. You get to hang out with friends who you usually don’t see.”

“One of the things people have a hard time with is seeing where they came from,” Bill said. “Sometimes what I tell people is, practice for a month and drag your best friend out with you, and fight him. They’ll be like, ‘I don’t suck as bad as he does.’ One of the big things is, practice is OK, but you need to go to these bigger events and fight different people. I’m one of the most welltraveled fighters that I know of, and in my group of friends; I don’t travel that much.”

At the events, attendees fight in battles, attend classes, camp and more. Bill even builds period tents for camping and built “a good old-fashioned-Viking bed” for him and Ashley to sleep on.

With so much going on, these events are also good ways to get more people involved with foam fighting. As the group explained, there are a variety of ways to do so, including one unexpected role in particular — feastocrats, who are in charge of preparing the feasts.

“It’s a very thankless job,” Bill said. “You literally spend two or three days preparing the meal, four hours cooking, two hours serving, three hours cleaning up…”

“A lot of the time, that means you’re not on the field,” Tomala said. “On the other hand, that’s a way of getting people who don’t want to fight into it.”

Tomala also mentioned that the Macomb group is trying to get its own event up and running, but is just waiting for more interest to get started.

Of course, like any obscure hobby, it doesn’t come without some criticism from those who don’t fully understand. However, the group doesn’t let this faze it.

“That’s our one problem,” Tomala said.

“A lot of the times, I say, ‘I’m gonna go foam fighting’ and people are like ‘you’re gonna what?’

“God love ‘Rolemodels,’ the movie.

When fighters put their swords in the air, it signifies their death.

That’s been a big help. But then we have to explain that we’re not that crazy and dramatic. There are some people who do that, we are just not one of them.”

If there’s one thing that’s evident from hearing the group members speak about Dagorhir, it’s how passionate they are about it. The amount of time and effort they put into it is comparable to that of any organized sport, and they completely immerse themselves in it.

In addition to the garb they sport, the members even have names for themselves on the field, with exception of Tomala who chose to keep her own. Ashley goes by Feora, while Bill uses Wilhelm.

“I’ve been going as Wilhelm in this circle and reenactment circles for about 10 years now,” he said. “It’s my name.”

While they take it seriously, it’s no surprise that they’re all mostly in it for the fun of it. Bill enjoys the line battles the most, while Tomala sees multiple benefits to Dagorhir.

“I like just coming out and fighting,” Tomala said. “Number one, it’s good exercise.

A lot of the time I’m not willing to motivate myself to exercise, but I’ll come out here and get my ass handed to me, and I’ll wake up tomorrow like, ‘God, I’m sore.’ It’s also really, really good stress relief. There’s a lot of aggression that comes out.” ***** Back at the park, where the group is engaging in one of its last practices of the season before it gets too cold, the fighting intensifies.

The members have paired off in one-onone battles, and no one is fighting harder than Bill. With just a few tries, he quickly lands his opponent on the ground. Before he can take his last breath, Bill stands over him boldly. Within a second, Bill’s sword is digging into his opponent’s chest, and his death is evident. Moments later, the entire group is laughing as Bill helps his opponent up.

The deaths are all too common every Wednesday at Everly Park, but so is laughter. It may not be the most normal sighting in Macomb, but to the group who spends most of its time practicing Dagorhir throughout the year, it’s certainly the most fun.

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The most haunted city in America By: Erika Davis

M

ost people celebrate Halloween once a year. The very spooky holiday usually consists of haunted houses, candy and scary but yet very fun activities. Even though it seems a little bizarre, once the night fades, the weirdness goes away and does not return until the following year.

However, that is not the case in a small town called Alton, Ill. Alton is known to be haunted 365 days out of the year. It’s earned a reputation as “One of the most haunted small towns in America.” When people think of Alton, they instantly picture the McPike Mansion, which is Alton’s haunted house.

The McPike Mansion was built in 1869 for a

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man named Henry Guest McPike. Henry McPike was the son of John McPike. Henry came from a family of soldiers that fought in the Revolutionary War. He had uncles that were active captains in the war. His descendants came from Scotland.

He first came to Alton in 1847. When he arrived, McPike was instantly very productive. He worked as a real estate agent, a box manufacture and insurance executive, in addition to other jobs. He took an interest in Alton’s business and political community, and he was also the president of horticultural society in Illinois.

McPike had a strong passion for politics.

However, he did not want to pursue his political dream right away. He was offered to be in

the political office numerous times but denied it.

During the Civil War, McPike was called to act as Deputy Provost Marshall of the district. With this position, he held management position in the war department. He began to act as a representative in various conventions and with the city council.

McPike had his dream come to fruition when he became Mayor of Alton from 1887 to 1891.

He was finally settled in Alton in his mansion.

The mansion, which is located on Alby Street in Alton, has the style of Italianate-Victorian. It is one of the most known homes in Alton. The mansion has 16 bedrooms and a wine cellar, which McPike calls “Mt. Lookout.” The cellar was built on a country estate of approximately 15

The mansion was often referred to as beautiful. Since McPike loved horticultural, he had nice things put around the mansion. He had bizarre trees, plants, orchards, fruit trees, vineyards and flowers planted outside. McPike’s grapes became propagator everywhere.

Even after the death of McPike, his family still took pride in living in the house. That is, until Paul A. Laichinger bought the house. It is unclear on if Laichinger bought the mansion and stayed there himself or if he rented it to his tenants.

Regardless of who had the house, it was clear that the house was left a mess after the McPike family left it. The house has been completely abandoned since the 1950s. The house is on two very distinct lists. It is on the National Register of Historic Places and the Landmarks Preservation Council of Illinois’ list. The Landmarks Preservation Council List is the list of the top 10 most dangerous historic place in the state of Illinois.

Severe weather has caused damage to the house. The mansion had marble fireplaces and extravagant woodwork. During the time that the house was unattended, there was vandalism and break ins. The house lost all of its unique qualities during that time. Windows were broken, floors were severely cracked, plasters cracked, the walls were destroyed and bugs and creatures got into the house. It was also said that teenagers used the abandoned house for parties. The house is in extremely bad shape due to all of the damage both humans, natural disasters and creatures caused.

The roof by itself cost $50,000. The house needs repair, but the price to do so is very costly.

In 1994, Sharyn and George Luedke purchased the house from an auction. They hope to turn the mansion into a bed and breakfast. According to Sharyn, the house is haunted. She knows that it is, because she spends most of her time there. She said that she has seen the ghost of Paul Laichinger.

She claimed that her first encounter with the ghost was six weeks after she purchased the mansion. She was watering the plants when she looked up and saw a man in the window, who looked just like Laichinger. He was wearing a tie and striped shirt. She has a photo of Laichinger with the exact same outfit on.

Luedke said another spirit that she has encountered is Sarah. She said that she can smell

The McPike mansion has been featured on multiple paranormal television shows. her scent and feel her spirit. There have been hundreds of stories about the mansion and its haunted ghosts. None of these stories have been proven true. However, during one of the tours of the house, a group of people were standing in the wine cellular. The visitors instantly became uncomfortable. One of the women asked to go back upstairs. She was taking upstairs by another woman and everyone else continued to look around. They heard footsteps followed by the sound of the wine cellar door opening. There was no one there though.

A woman by the name of Kerry Normans has family that lives in Alton. Normans lives in Chicago, but visits her grandparents occasionally. “I (have) never been to the McPike Mansion and would never in my life go,” Normans said.

“That town creeps me out completely. There are always people staring, and you can hear all type of weird noises. I always visit my grandparents for Thanksgiving, and it always looks so dull. It’s

like you know when you get to Alton because your mood changes.”

McPike is not the only haunted main attraction in Alton. Mineral Springs Hotel is haunted as well. It was originally an antique mall known for its pool. The pool was named the “largest pool in Illinois.” It was opened in 1914.

People have said that the hotel is extremely haunted. Many have said that the hotel has a ghost who smells like the Jasmine Perfume. Another one is an artist and a specter who hangs out in the former swimming pool. He allegedly died when his jealous wife struck him, and he fell into the pool and drowned.

Apparently, Alton is haunted. There are too many stories that would make a person think otherwise. Everything from the mansion, to the swimming pool helps prove this town is not quite right. There are tours all throughout the town to prove that Alton is haunted. One can take a tour — if he or she is brave enough.

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Whitey’s creates long standing tradition By: Abbi Clevenger In 1933, Chester Lindgren — often referred to as Whitey — took a leap into the ice-cream business, and opened the first Whitey’s Ice-cream parlor in Moline, Ill. Two years later, an ambitious 15-year-old, Bob Tunberg, was hired on at Whitey’s. Whitey and Tunberg had a father-son like relationship, and Tunberg was considered one of the best employees during his time there.

“Whitey knew my father (Bob Tunberg) had icecream in his veins,” said co-owner of Whitey’s, Jon Tunberg.

The well-known family business was handed over to the Tunberg family in 1953 after Bob Tunberg returned from military service. But before Bob was allowed to take over, Whitey required him to think about the decision for no less than two weeks.

After the time period elapsed, the decision was a no-brainer for Tunberg. Of course, Bob accepted the offer and took over while Whitey and his wife continued to live in an apartment above the store for many years.

For years Bob and his wife, Norma, ran the business making ice-cream by day and selling it at night.

When Bob and Norma’s children Jon and Jeff were old enough, they too began working for the busi-

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ness. Their initial job was to pick up trash in the parking lot. Eventually, they advanced to putting lids on cups and then waiting on customers.

“It was a ma and pa business, and we were raised in the backroom,” Jon said.

Forty-four years after the first store was opened, the Tunbergs decided to open another store in Moline. However, this was only the beginning of the expansion. Soon after, two more stores were added before Whitey’s crossed into Iowa, opening a store in Bettendorf. Before they knew it, Whitey’s stepped its foot into the grocery stores, allowing for the icecream to be sold from different outlets.

Over the years, Whitey’s has earned a reputation for a few very famous ice-cream combinations. In 1969, Jeff Tunberg invented the idea of putting candy bars in milkshakes, starting with a Butterfinger.

“The blizzard and McFlurry were copied from Jeff’s idea,” Jon said.

According to Jon, Whitey’s was also the first to come up with cookie dough ice-cream. After attending a conference, Ben and Jerry asked Jon and Jeff what their most popular flavor was. After they told them about the chocolate chip cookie dough flavor, Ben and Jerry patented the idea.

“Imitation is the highest form of flattery,” Jon said.

A few more dishes from Whitey’s include using splenda for no sugar added ice-cream. Also, Whitey’s features a “perfect touch cup” which was originally designed for coffee and keeps the customers hands from getting too cold.

Of all the things Whitey’s is known for, though, the upside down milkshake is No. 1. Whitey’s milkshakes are so thick that one can turn them upside down in the cup and they will stay inside.

Being named “Best in the Midwest” by Midwest Living Magazine is just one of the many accomplishments that Whitey’s has seen in the last 80 years.

“I loved working for Whitey’s, especially because of how much they pride themselves in customer service and cleanliness,” said former employee Kiara Moton.

In 2011, Jon and Jeff Tunberg and Western Illinois University-Quad Cities Development Director Gary Rowe sat down to talk about a possible flavor in memory of Western’s 100 years of education in the Quad Cities and the unveiling of the Quad Cities campus. Much of discussion and six flavors later, Western Rocks was born. The flavor was a spin-off of Rocky Road that included chocolate ice-cream with almonds, chocolate swirl and marshmallows.

or “Free Frank.”

Frank McWorter was born in 1777, and was bestowed the nickname Free Frank once he became a free man. Not only did Frank buy his own freedom, but he bought the freedom of four generations of his family members. He even bought his wife’s freedom before his own. Frank did this as an act of true love.

The town was even used as a stop on the Underground Railroad. Runaway slaves were able to pass through the town and find refuge during their travels north toward Canada. Although the land had several freed slaves, and was a temporary safe haven for fugitive slaves, Caucasian citizens also lived on the land. The town was integrated far before integration was fully accepted in America.

Juliet E.K. Walker, the great great granddaughter of Free Frank and author of the book “Free Frank A Black Pioneer on the Antebellum Frontier” documented the life and story of Free Frank and New Philadelphia. The book givesa great amount of insight into what happened. Filled with actual documents, blueprints, pictures and maps, the story unfolds and you feel as though you are a part of the town for a moment.

Through oral family history from her mother and research for her dissertation, Walker was able to produce this wonderful work. The production of the book was a great accomplishment for not only herself but members of her family. “It was a big moment for my mother; she would carry the book around to show people,” Walker said.

She got the support from professors while she was a graduate student at the University of Chicago. Walker worked rigorously researching and finding more information. In her quest for information, she was led from Chicago to other states, such as Kentucky, South Carolina and downstate Illinois.

When it came time for publishing, The University Press of Kentucky gladly worked with Walker to publish and distribute her book. Her book has received 12 publication awards, and awards from the Association of Black Women’s Historians.

Pike County was – and still is — a land based on agriculture and farming.

A great deal of this has to do with the demise of New Philadelphia. “I think if Free Frank had lived, he could have made it work,” Walker said.

Free Frank died in 1854, before the Civil War began, leaving many of his family members in the town. After the Civil War, many people that inhabited the land began to migrate in search of more opportunity. As people left the land Free Frank and New Philadelphia, Ill. — a man and a place that many have never heard of. But both this place and this businessman have a story, and moved west, it slowly declined in terms of population.

“This was the first settlement of business people,” Walker said. And busiand their story deserves the right to be taught in schools across the nation. ness people they were. The town was self-sufficient. Research shows they had Lost heritage in America is very common. It is not unlikely for certain parts of history to be omitted, or never taught within the academic system. a post office, a train stop, and several businesses. The businesses included shoemakers, merchants, a cabinet-maker and more. Free Frank was an enThrough oral tradition, many are able to keep a sense of their pasts. As trepreneur, farmer and frontier land speculator. His sense of business got the the cliché saying goes, “you don’t know where you’re going until you know where you’ve been.” That statement holds true; it’s sometimes hard to find town off the ground and made a safe environment for many to live there with motivation for the future if you don’t know where your ancestors originate their families.

During its heyday, this now-vanished town was a place of great sufficiency. from, and what their stories are. For many, the past is used to fuel motivaIt is recognized as a National Historic Landmark. Free Frank’s gravesite has tion to do better. also been added to the National Register of Historic Places.

New Philadelphia was located in Pike County, Ill. This land was once the home to several free slaves. Although it’s hard to tell by looking at the New Philadelphia was not only historic because an African American began it during a time of slavery and oppression of African Americans, but even more land today, this town during the 1800s was one of few towns that was purchased by African American man. The man’s name? Frank McWorter, powerful because of the legacy it has left behind.

Former slave leaves mark on history By: Ashley Pickett

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Shoeless Joe in Macomb By: Garrick Hodge

“Shoeless” Joe Jackson (far right) stands with three other members of the Chicago White Sox during the controversial 1919 World Series.

This wasn’t exactly a field of dreams, but it was an important part of baseball history.

Long before the steroid era, a group of men left a taint on America’s national pastime. In 1919, the Chicago White Sox were the odds on favorite to win the World Series over the Cincinnati Reds. Only, they didn’t. The Reds emerged victorious, leaving some to wonder how a team lined 12

with stars so talented such as pitcher Ed Cicotte and Shoeless Joe Jackson could be defeated.

Eventually, several White Sox players were accused of throwing the World Series. The Sox were the lowest paid team in baseball at the time, and their owner, Charles Comiskey, was notorious for being a cheapskate. It was said that a man

offered several players money for throwing the series, although the money never came.

Eight players stood before a judge and jury and faced trial for allegedly throwing the series, and all eight were acquitted.

That didn’t stop baseball from imposing penalties on the eight however, as all of the players involved were banned from

Jackson played in a baseball game in Macomb after the “Black Sox” scandal.

playing professional baseball ever again.

Alas, many have heard of the disgraced eight or the “eight men out.” Everyone has heard the “say it ain’t so, Joe” line — which was probably fabricated anyway. To this day, many still question Jackson’s involvement with fixing the World Series, seeing as he hit .375 (which was the highest for both teams), had no fielding errors and threw a runner out at the plate.

But what exactly happened after Jackson and Cicotte were banned from baseball? Did they hang up the cleats and move on to blue collar working jobs? Well, not entirely.

Believe it or not, Jackson, Cicotte and Swede Risberg all played baseball again, including a game that took place between rivals Colchester and Macomb at the Fairgrounds in Macomb on Sept. 11, 1921.

This happened because a woman named Kelly Wagle was known to have connections with the former Black Sox players. With the series between the two teams tied at two apiece, for the finale, Wagle, along with other fans from Colchester, wanted to give Macomb “a real game.”

When Jackson, Cicotte and Risberg took the field, they were met with wonderful reception from Colchester fans, who couldn’t believe they were in the presence of these stars.

Macomb fans, however, were disgusted, and did not think the game should be played with disgraced athletes. Unfortunately for the Macomb faithful, the game took place anyway, and Colchester won 5-0. Cicotte had 10 strikeouts in the contest, and Jackson threw a man out at second attempting to stretch a single into a double.

Sue Scott, Director of the Western Illinois museum said that the game was a conflict for most baseball fans, because they didn’t know whether or not to welcome the players.

“This was a huge significant event for the country,” she said.

“The idea that baseball might be potentially a fixed sport really rocked the country. The reaction of (fans in Macomb) kind of echoes or mirrors the the reaction of the country. So when the players step out onto the field there’s a lot of hostility towards them. Yet they are also really amazed by their technique and their ability to play ball. They’re grappling with their love of the sport and the love of the players. But they’re not too sure about whether or not they’re guilty and that impact that someone throwing a game would have on the sport in the long run.

“The country was split on whether or not they should be allowed to play baseball again. Many of them didn’t for a long time. But I think everyone wanted to see them play secretly so they let them play.”

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House call hero By: Caleb Duckwiler

Photos courtesy of Visual Productions/WIU University Relations

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Some heroes wear red jumpsuits with capes and save people from burning buildings. Others go unnoticed, even though they’re often right in front of us. For more than 50 years, Dr. Russell Dohner made the world a better place, one patient at a time.

Dohner was born in Astoria in 1925, but grew up on a small farm in Vermont, Ill. One of seven children, he attended high school in Vermont and later joined the army after graduation. He then became a military policeman in Washington D.C., having served the United States during World War II. After the war, Dohner knew he wanted to become a doctor, but his aspiration to help those in need had started long before that. “When I was a little boy, I had a lot of tonsillitis,” Dohner said. “And every time I would have tonsillitis, I’d have seizures. My mother always called Dr. Hamilton. And when I’d come out of it, there he would be taking care of me. So that’s when I decided I’m going to be a doctor, just like Dr. Hamilton.”

Although he knew that becoming a doctor was his future, there was only one other career that Dohner would have considered. “I always knew I wanted to be a doctor,” he said. “But I also said if I can’t be an M.D., I will be a college professor.” Had he become a teacher, he would have wanted to teach at Northwestern University. “History and geography would’ve been my choice,” he added.

Dohner’s search for a medical degree began when he learned that the Western Illinois Teacher’s College — as it was known at the time — had recently become a university. Of his group, he was the only person accepted to the pre-medical school program. After becoming Western’s first ever M.D. graduate, he went on to complete his education and earn yet another doctorate degree from Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill. Now 88 years old, Dohner served the community of Rushville, Ill. for nearly 60 years.

Dohner only just retired in October. But Dohner’s work ethic wasn’t the only thing that separated him from other doctors. Since 1955, he charged no more than $5 per office visit, regardless of the appointment reason. “When I first came here, other doctors were charging two dollars per office call so I did too,” Dohner said.

And nearly 60 years later, things have hardly changed.

Such a reasonable cost for health care drew

Dr. Russell Dohner with his family after he was awarded an honorary doctorate at Western Illinois University in 2006. attention from people far beyond the city limits of Dohner’s practice. When NBC news journalist Bob Dotson heard of Dohner’s $2 office calls, the drive from New York was well worth the story. Since then, Dohner has been featured on NBC’s “Today Show,” CNN and even in “People Magazine.”

Despite providing perhaps the most affordable medical aid in the nation and the attention he has received because of it, Dohner considers other aspects of his career to be even more rewarding. “I always appreciated being able to do home health,” Dohner said. His age and high transportation costs prevent him from providing the in-home care that he enjoyed providing years ago. “We don’t do that much anymore,” he said. “But back in those days, every day I went to several homes. I had several houses that I had to go to every night. That’s the way

we did it.”

As if making house visits all those years wasn”t generous enough, Dohner took the time to help people in other places as well; not all of them places he wanted to be. “They called me to a place just east of town one day,” Dohner said.

“It was a coal mine. When I got there, they said that the ceiling had fallen on some men back in one of the mine rooms.” One of the workers asked if Dohner would be able to go in and help.

“Well, you do, so I guess I can,” Dohner replied.

“They took me down and pulled me way back into the mine. I could see that the ceiling came down. Two of the men involved were killed. The other two survived.”

Although Dohner’s work was largely unrecognized by most of the world, those that rely on his love and care have constantly reminded him of their gratitude. Last year, the city of Rushville

raised enough money to build a statue of Dohner in his honor, which was placed in the town square. “This sculpture will forever represent our heartfelt appreciation for you and your commitment to those you have selflessly served,” reads the placard which was placed alongside it.

It was not uncommon for Dohner to receive cakes and pies at the office as well. Many residents came expecting to sit in the waiting room until it is their turn to be treated, but not to be fed while doing so. Yet, Dohner often shared these gifts with his patients.

Dohner doesn’t put out fires. He doesn’t wear a uniform or carry a gun. He’s just a regular man. A man who genuinely cares about the health and safety of others. A man who lived his dream each and every day, making the world a better place, one patient at a time. A hero among us.

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See the scenes of Illinois

By: Lauren Blough 16

The sweet and salty smell of fresh popped kettle corn was in the air, along with the sounds of hundreds of people hustling and bustling from one stop to another, and the greens of the summer leaves are disappearing into the bright orange and vibrant yellow of the fall. For the folks of Western Illinois, this could only mean that the Scenic Drive was here again.

Both Knox County and Fulton County have hosted their own Scenic Drive for more than three decades. Each Scenic Drive is held on the first two weekends of October, rain or shine. Knox County borders Fulton County directly to north, which makes it convenient to cover both areas during the Scenic Drive weekends. There is an abundance of attractions to see in just two weekends of the Scenic Drive bliss. The best course of action before you and your family or friends take off for the Drive is to map out exactly what you must see; there is something for everyone to enjoy within those four days.

Most stops along the Scenic Drive routes are a must for history buffs. In Knox County, there are four historical stops that are also part of the National Register for Historic Places. The Walnut Grove Farm, which is still a working farm, is a definite family approved stop. Not only does the farm provide years of historical and interesting information, it also offers people an insightful piece of the past. While adults will indulge in this historical landmark, there are activities for children as well, such as face painting and pumpkin picking.

Along the Fulton county path, those

interested in the historic landmarks should see some other notable stops along the way: the Camp Ellis Site between Table Grove and Ipava and a home that was part of the Underground Railroad in Farmington — both are very memorable. Historic stops along both routes are abundant and could consume all four days worth of the Scenic Drive.

Those who want to take in a nature-filled experience can see the beautiful fall colors consuming the trees that are far from scarce along either Scenic Drive route. Outdoorsy people can go to a featured attraction on the Knox County route, the Woodland View Farm. At this stop, any nature buff can revel in the fall colors of the changing season amid more than 350 acres of farmland, forestry, creeks and trails. Gorgeous snap shots of the fall season can be taken at any of the official routes of the Scenic Drive, even if you aren’t looking for it. Enthusiasts of all kinds will find something to be in awe with at this fall festival, even animal lovers will enjoy many stops along the way.

One attraction that many people don’t even know exist is Brown’s Zoo, which is a walkthrough zoo that is located in Smithfield. Kids and adults alike will be in awe by the beautiful exotic animals that they never thought they’d see of the back roads of Fulton County. More than one stop along the way offers petting zoos and other animals for children and adults alike to admire.

Off the beaten path of both the official Scenic Drive routes, any bargain hunter or self proclaimed thrifter can find hundreds of hid-

den treasures. Along with the many official stops, there are people all over both counties that use the two weekends of the Scenic Drive to host their own yard sales, garage sales, or barn sales offering an even wider array of gently used items. These sales are full of deals that any good thrifter would be crazy to pass up.

Finally, the Scenic Drive is known for bringing all sorts of fall foods to the Western Illinois area.

From homemade apple butter to the fresh popped kettle corn, the Scenic Drive has vendors offering an ample amount of autumn infused flavors to visitors from all around. Don’t worry about dessert; there are plenty of options along the Scenic Drive.

Most vendors offer free samples to help you pick which sweet treats you want to go home with; maybe the cinnamon roasted pecans, homemade fudge, or caramel corn will tickle your taste buds while you’re rummaging through those sales.

When the colors start to change to the deep orange and golden tones of fall and the leaves of the trees begin crisp up and drift to the ground, that is the first sign that the Scenic Drive is approaching. Unfortunately, the Scenic Drive only comes once a year, so for those interested, mark your calendars for the first two weekends in October 2014.

Most vendors and individual sales will be open from sun up to sun down, rain or shine, which makes it easy to enjoy a whole days worth of sales, food, and fun. Right after all those small town summer fairs and fests are coming to a close the Scenic Drive brings one last hurrah for festival lovers 17

Rockys on Parade Photos by Mary Friday Anyone who has been to Macomb lately has no doubt noticed colorful statues of “Rocky,” the bulldog mascot for Western Illinois University (located in Macomb) in front of various businesses and campus buildings. In fact, there are 14 of the fiberglass “Rocky” sculptures, each decorated by local artists.

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Called “Rocky on Parade,” the artwork was inspired by the successful “Cows on Parade” project in Chicago and is designed to strengthen the ties between the university and the community, according to organizers. A map showing all the “Rocky” locations is available from the Macomb Area Chamber of Commerce, 214 N. Lafayette Street in Macomb.

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Lincoln travels around Western Illinois Photos and story by: Steve Lutz

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this) or great triumph, such as the crossing of the Atlantic, just a man, his lunch and a legendary love of sandwiches.

Bath can also be noted as a town of particular history, as there is a second site devoted to Lincoln. In August, 1858 Lincoln returned to Bath while giving one of his very first readings of his “A House Divided” Speech. Given the lack of mass communication to get a message across in Lincoln’s time, many speeches were given multiple times and slowly worked on and perfected throughout the trip.

The stone commemorating the surveying can be found on North Oak street, which is also state route 78, it is located in the village park. The plaque commemorating his early house divided speech can be found just two blocks away from the surveying stone, still on North Oak/Route 78.

Bath is a place that has a lot of history for a town that hasn’t risen above 400 people in its 159 year history.

The Beardstown courthouse is the only active courthouse where Abraham Lincoln practiced law.

There is no denying that Abraham Lincoln has had an impressive impact on the state of Illinois. From the motto, “Land of Lincoln,” to the vast number of roads, buildings and municipal works named after him. The state has been commemorated with places, plaques, signs, carvings and rocks, all claiming some connection various locations to Honest Abe. Western Illinois is no exception, with a long history of Lincoln sightings, speeches and slogans. Most of these markers highlight Lincoln and either his 1858 trip around the state campaigning for senate, or his early career as a roaming lawyer. From small towns under 300 in population, to those in the thousands that reach the peak of Western Illinois population, Lincoln has a long past in Western Illinois.

Here are a few locations that the 16th President of the United States has been at that are worth a visit.

Bath Some claims to the Lincoln name can be something less than spectacular. Before his career as a lawyer had started up, Lincoln had worked as a land surveyor, traveling the state, and marking down details of latitude, longitude and elevation.

The small town of Bath got the grand distinction of being one of the few surveyed by Lincoln.

There is of a fitting tribute engraved in stone in the small town of Bath, pronouncing that in 1836 Lincoln worked to survey the town.

This isn’t the smallest claim of fame of any plaque by any means, of the long list of uninteresting events that that have made their way into public record, what stands out is the small town of Spearman, Texas. The airfield in Spearman claims that famous aviator Charles Lindbergh once stopped there and ate a sandwich, no great event such as a crash (Bloomington lays claim to

Carthage Lincoln is once again immortalized in a plaque in Carthage. In October of 1858, he spoke there, no debate, just trying to drum up some support for his election to the Senate. This however, wasn’t his first visit to Carthage as some years before, as a roaming country attorney, Lincoln represented one William Efram Fraim. Lincoln was unfortunately unsuccessful in defending his client, he was only two years into his career as a lawyer at a time. Fraim became the first and only person to be hung in Hancock county in the county’s 188 year history. The town tends to commemorate the speech to the crowds, with a plaque and is less enthusiastic with Lincoln’s lost court case and the resulting hanging.

The connection between Lincoln and Carthage is located in the courthouse square, located between Adams, Madison and Main, Wabash streets in Carthage. The commemoration of Lincoln is all located outside, so no need to abound hours in Carthage.

Beardstown Lincoln was a regular in Beardstown, with a number of personal and professional visits.

Beardstown lays claim to the fact that they are the only courthouse that Lincoln practiced law in that is still in use as a courthouse today. While working in the courthouse, there are a number of accounts of him staying at the Beardstown City Hotel, in 1844 and 1845. There is an interesting

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allegation into his time here, made by a law partner of his. This law partner alleges that Lincoln had a thing for the ladies, and may have frequented some ladies of the night, resulting in a case of syphilis. While the account is only in a journal and doesn’t bear that much weight, it does suggest an interesting side of Lincoln not seen before.

In Beardstown, one of the major draws in the case in which Lincoln defended Duff Armstrong in his murder trial, in what has been referred to as the “Almanac Trial.” In the trial, Lincoln famously used an almanac to discredit a key witnesses’ testimony that claimed of witnessing Duff Armstrong committing the crime. The 1939 film “Young Mr. Lincoln” is based on the trial.

The courthouse is not surprisingly found in the square of Beardstown, and offers tours and a gift shop Monday thrrough Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. from April until November.

Rushville Most of the immortalizing of Lincoln took place during his run for senate in October 1858.

The event record tells of a parade miles long, heading into town. Lincoln was met with cheering crowds and a general excitement for the most part. Schuyler county, which Rushville is the seat, at the time was fiercely Democratic and some individuals were not at all pleased to see the Republican Lincoln. The less than happy parties decorated the courthouse with a black flag for his arrival. The flag wasn’t the only act of rebellion as he was heckled by young men that forced their way on stage to try and interrupt Lincoln. After getting the men off stage, he was also harassed badly enough by women leaning out the window of a neighboring building, yelling at him, that he had to stop the performance and ask them to let him finish. Ultimately, the crowds were subdued and Lincoln was able to finish his speech, but it seems Rushville, was one of the few places in Western Illinois not happy to see Lincoln.

In Rushville, the plaque is easy to spot, located in the town square, it is on a rock that stands on the spot where Lincoln stood for his much heckled speech.

Winchester Taverns often acted as hotels when Lincoln was traveling. During his career as a roaming lawyer, Lincoln found himself in Winchester. He made many visits to Winchester during his early career, often staying at the Aiken and becoming quite notable. Over the years, the tavern was

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unfortunately lost to time. So in 1923, in a ceremony that was put together by the Winchester Women’s Club, a tree was planted on the site to commemorate the tavern that Lincoln stayed in, and a plaque to document the history was put in its place. The tree unfortunately like the tavern did not survive the years and all Winchester is left with now is a plaque, that commemorates a tree, that commemorates a tavern.

After his time in the Aiken Tavern, Lincoln returned to Winchester when he was speaking out against the Nebraska-Kansas act. Winchester was the sight of his very first speech against it, which he continued to speak against it throughout his election to senate. Many people consider the Nebraska-Kansas act, which dealt with creating the territories of Nebraska and Kansas and had deeper implications with slavery and states rights, as a precursor to the civil war.

Winchester is a small town with a lot of history, the plaque commemorating the tree and Aiken Tavern is found on the east side of the courthouse parking lot, just off the square. The plaque for the Nebraska-Kansas speech is located in the center of the square. If one is out in Winchester and on a quest for history, there are a number of additional historical sites located around the main square.

First is a statue commemorating Stephen Douglas because of the years he spent in the town as a teacher. Another plaque is devoted to G. V. Black, who was born just outside Winchester and is often cited as the father of modern dentistry.

running for office, the city has a lot of history and a big connection to Lincoln. Quincy, had prominence as the home of the sixth of the Lincoln Douglas debates. The debates were for a simple senate seat in Illinois but were in the long run much more important. This can be noted by the number of people from neighboring states that visited the Quincy debate. The importance of the debates can further be noted by the number of newspapers that sent transcribers to cover the speeches. Unfortunately, the integrity of journalists then was not the same as it was now, and newspapers that were supporters of Douglas were known to clean up grammar and transcription errors of his speeches and leave those of Lincoln as roughly transcribed, supports of Lincoln did the same for him. The debates covered a number of topics, most notability those that were encompassing the changing climate of not only Illinois but also the country at the time, many of which would be factors leading into the civil war.

Located at 128 S. Fifth Street in Quincy, the Lincoln-Douglas Debate Interpretive Center is just feet from where more than 12,000 saw Lincoln and Douglas debate. The center has information on both Lincoln and Douglas’s personal and public lives and provides plenty of information about the debate.

Macomb A distinction that many of the other places on this list is that Macomb has had visits from seven different presidents over the years, most notability Barack Obama and Lincoln, who both made stops and speeches to large gathered crowds. Lincoln spoke on Aug. 25, 1858 to a full crowd gathered in the courthouse, it was his second public speaking engagement of the day, and the speech was noted as being different from many of Lincoln’s other speeches during the period, as it was informal, and more like a personal conversation between friends than a stuffy political speech.

The plaque commemorating Lincoln and his journey to Macomb can be found in the center of town, next to the courthouse.

Galesburg Of the seven Lincoln-Douglas debates, the fifth one took place in Galesburg. On Oct. 7, 1858 a large crowd of an estimated 15,000 people showed up on the grounds of Knox College to hear the debate. There had been heavy rain the day before and the grounds were heavily damaged, so as many people as possible fit inside the main building of Knox College to hear the historic debate. For the 100-year anniversary of the debate two bas-relief panels were commissioned to commemorate both Lincoln and Douglas. They were unveiled in a large ceremony, with Carl Sandburg and Frank Lloyd Wright both in attendance to remember their fellow legendary Illinoisans.

The Old Main, which is the only building which housed a debate and is still standing today, can be found on the grounds of Knox College, on East South Street in Galesburg.

Quincy Quincy is the self-described gem of the Mississippi, while Quincy has greatly diminished in importance since the days when Lincoln was

Vermont In 1858 Lincoln made his way to the home of Colonel Thomas Hamer. While at the home, he gave a short speech. What is notable about this

plaque is that when it was installed in 1925, on the 72nd anniversary of the speech, it was paid for not by some committee or rich benefactor, but the entire town got together to finance it. Most of the donations were in the form of only a dollar or two from the citizens and a number of them were actually just the pocket change from local school children. The town of Vermont considers this plaque truly a community project as everyone in the small town came together to commemorate when Lincoln visited Vermont.

The monument can be seen in the village park, located on Main Street in downtown Vermont.

Havana Before his presidency, his law career and work surveying land, Lincoln was involved in the Black Hawk war. He worked a number of jobs ranging from being a captain over his company to being involved with a spy company. Lincoln’s horse was stolen the night before he was to return from war, so he rented a canoe and returned that way, sailing down the Illinois river to Havana before finishing the last 20 miles back to his home at New Salem on foot. To commemorate his landing in Havana, there is a plaque dedicating this honor as being a pit stop for Lincoln on his way home from war.

The plaque can be found along the Illinois River, at Riverside Park, just off Market Street in Havana. While also in Havana, on the courthouse lawn, located at Main and Plum Streets, is a plaque to commemorate Lincoln’s circuit as a lawyer in the area from 1847-1857.

Dallas City During 1858, Lincoln stopped at the small river town of Dallas City, to campaign. He was met by some opposition, as the democrats in the area first tried to tear down the stage which had been set up by Lincoln. When they were unable to tear down the stage, they set up their own, and had a speaker on it to try and interrupt and heckle Lincoln. In the 1930s the local American Legion acquired two granite stones and put them on the river. The first one, which got a bronze plaque commemorated Lincoln speaking there.

Their finances fell short, as the second stone sat unadorned; they were unable to put a plaque.

This second plaque was to commemorate another Presidential visit as, as some time earlier, President Polk and his Vice President Dallas had gotten stranded on the Mississippi River in Dallas City. The city was named after Dallas and the

Stephen A. Douglas was honored in Winchester, where he worked as a teacher. island they were stuck on was named Polk in their honor.

The stones and plaque can be seen at Riverfront Park, at the end of Oak Street.

Griggsville While Lincoln spent a lot of time in Griggsville, little of it was in a campaign or professional aspect, as he became friends with the Tyler family of Griggsville. Lincoln first stayed with the family during his time as a roaming lawyer, and enjoyed their library, which was the only library in the area at the time. The Tylers even hosted him again in 1858 when he was campaigning. The Tyler house still stands on Federal Street in Griggville, and is part of a larger collection of houses all throughout Pike County. Few areas, not only in Western Illi-

nois, but the country as a whole can boast so many houses directly connected to Lincoln. The whole area can be toured by car with a total of eleven houses devoted to Lincoln, tour information can be picked up at the Pittsfield Visitors Center at 224 W. Washington Street, in Pittsfield.

It is hard to get an exact idea on how much of an impact Lincoln has had on the state. There are more than 200 officially recognized Lincoln sites in the state, in addition to an unknown number of unofficial ones, with a lack of hard evidence (Naperville, I’m looking at you). Lincoln has done for the state, Land of Lincoln has a better ring to it than Region of Reagan, and it might be time to pay him back, by visiting some of these sites and learning all the man did for the state in his life.

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