1. I had just completed my master's degree in the summer of 1981 and finished an accelerated course in German at the University of Oregon when I returned to Kellogg, early in September, for a visit. Dad and I went uptown to Dick and Floyd's and, for the first time, I heard the rumor, soon to become the news, that the Bunker Hill Mining Company would be shutting down.
And it did.
I remember my disbelief that day. The company's nickname in the Silver Valley was Uncle Bunker and I thought Uncle Bunker would be the engine of the Silver Valley's economy forever.
It wasn't.
In the pages of Patricia Nelson Limerick's book Legacy of Conquest that I read today, she doesn't single out the Bunker Hill Company closure, but examines mining, logging, and farming in the West, all as industries of instability and vulnerability, despite the faith people, like me, have or had in them to provide stable work and long term economic strength to communities and families.
Whether these industries suffer because of changes in the weather, swings in demand for their products, fluctuating timber, mineral, or food prices, depletion of resources, changes in government support and regulation, the callous greed of the entities who own mining companies, wood products corporations, or industrial farms, or other changes in the economic weather (recession, inflation, stock market drops, etc.), these industries have always been caught up in boom and bust cycles of prosperity and hardship and failure.
2. I decided life at home would be a wee bit more convenient if I had a couple of USB extension cables and three pairs of reading glasses. They arrived today in the mailbox. I was right. My life is a wee bit easier.
3. With keen anticipation, I flipped on this morning's basketball game matching Gonzaga, rated #1 in the USA, and #3 Iowa.
I'd seen Iowa play two or three times this season and their offensive prowess impressed me. Inside, Iowa's Luka Garza is regarded by many (all?) as college basketball's best player. He's strong, relentless, and agile. He is very difficult to stop around the hoop and can step out and hit midrange jumpers and score from behind the three point line as well. I love watching him play. Iowa's offensive power doesn't begin and end with Garza, either. They have an accomplished bunch of deadeye shooters from the outside, especially Joe Wieskamp, Jordan Bohannon, and CJ Frederick. In addition, Iowa has depth. Jack Nunge, Keegan Murray, and Joe Toussaint all give Iowa great minutes off the bench.
So, I wondered, after a two week layoff because of Covid-19 infection in their program, how would Gonzaga play? Would it take some time to get in synch, to shake off the proverbial rust?
Not really.
Aside from some occasional sloppy ball handling and lapses at the free throw line, Gonzaga's offense blazed right from the start, especially Jalen Suggs, and the Zags bolted to a 24-10 lead, expanded it to as many as twenty points, and pretty much cruised to a 99-88 win. Iowa closed to within nine points of the lead late in the game, but Gonzaga held on for the victory.
Luka Garza had a superb game, scoring 30 points. Joe Wieskamp supported his effort with 20 points, but, overall, Iowa had a miserable game shooting, not only from the three point land, but from the free throw line. Should these teams meet again, I can't believe Iowa would struggle like this a second time. I also wonder if Gonzaga could duplicate their torrid first half shooting in a rematch. I would expect a second round between these squads to be a much tighter contest.
Out of an abundance of caution, I didn't go to Christy's to watch this game.
As the came neared the finish, Everett was on my mind. Everett loved it when the Zags scored over 100 points in any game. My heart sunk an inch or two near the game's end. Aaron Cook went to the free throw line with 14 seconds left in the game to shoot two charity tosses. Gonzaga's lead was 98-88.
Cook took his time, eyed the basket, and calmly missed his first free throw.
To quote Everett: "Dirty rotten!"
Cook made his second free throw and the Zags fell on point short of hitting the century mark in memory of Everett.
As Everett might have said, "The first hundred points are the hardest!"
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