From The Pages Of The Ponca City News, Monday, June
15, 1998
LOCAL
85-MPH Wind Tosses Mobile Homes
Ponca City Great Racers 4th in Championship Run
Incidence of Hepatitis A Quadruples in Ten Years
Ponca City Wildlife Artist Puts Works on Display
DEATHS
Lyman Elmer Knapp
Lillian Faulk
Obituaries
Virginia M. Green Perciful
Services Pending
Ruby E. Leathers
NEWS BRIEFS
LIFESTYLES
Little News
SPORTS
Monday Evening Quarterback
Big Mac Attack
Father, Son Vie for Title
Golf Results
By PATTI PFEIFFER
News Staff Writer
Twice within five days the northwest side of Ponca City has been hit and hit hard by severe weather, the latest occurring Saturday evening in what some are describing as a tornado.
It happened at a time when there were still insurance adjustors yet to arrive, windows yet to be replaced, roofs still to be repaired and vehicle dents still to be removed from the damage sustained during last Monday's hail storm.
This time it was a more isolated area that was damaged. This time area residents were luckier as winds, clocked as high as 85 mph, overturned a house trailer and several semi-tractor trailers, ripped roofs from their structures, blew doors from their hinges and sent debris flying in every direction in a quarter mile area from Union Street to Prospect Avenue to the 2200 block of Ash Street.
The Meadow Brook Trailer Park, hit hard Monday, received another devastating blow Saturday. An abandoned trailer toppled over by the strong winds and several others were lifted and moved 3-to-4 feet off their foundations.
Police and fire units were called in to secure the trailer park. The odor of natural gas filled the air as gas leaked from the overturned trailer. Crews from Oklahoma Natural Gas Company arrived and worked to disconnect the gas.
One elderly woman, frightened by the storm, was reportedly taken to the hospital after the storm hit the park.
The residents were still recovering from the last deluge of devastation.
"We lost over 100 windows in our rental trailers Monday and we just got them replaced," Susan Bennett stated. "I was told it was a tornado but I have never been in one before so all I know for sure is it was scary."
Another trailer resident clad in her robe and visibly shaken was leaving as the rescue units started to arrive.
"It moved our trailer three feet and I can't get in the door," she said. "I'm just trying to get some medicine and get out of here - I'm upset and I'm tired."
Up and down Ash Street the devastation was apparent. Hardest hit was Kinder's Campers, 2208 North Ash Street, where a large storage shed collapsed like a house of cards and travel trailers of every size were overturned and damaged. One 30-foot unit was thrown 40 feet across a fence into an adjoining empty field as if it were a football.
People hurried to salvage their belongings. "We heard about the storm on the scanner and came over here," Gary Page said as he shifted through the remnants of what had been his new travel trailer. "As we drove up we could see it was not where it was supposed to be."
Within a matter of minutes Page's source of traveling entertainment was reduced to merely a pile of rubble laying in a neighboring field. Page said the camper was always stored under a shed, however he had just brought it in to have an awning put on it.
The wind had no mercy, taking aim at everything it sight. Heavy duty loading doors at businesses were either sucked in or torn off their hinges. A fire truck at the No. 2 fire station was damaged, its windshield smashed when a door was ripped from the building and dropped onto the truck. Everywhere sheets of metal hung in trees, dangling like oversized branches.
The fireman at the station describe being inside the metal structure when the storm hit. "It was like a tornado," Fireman David VanBurskirk said. "It was scary, the whole roof was shaking."
"It didn't last as long as the last storm but the hail was just as big and just as hard-hitting," Training Officer Gary Reed says. "I guarantee there was rotation in that storm because it wrapped a piece of metal around a bale of hay."
It was during Monday's storm that one elderly woman, knocked down by high winds and suffered a broken hip. It was then hundreds of windows, roofs and vehicle were damaged when large hail pelted the north side. Roofing signs now sit in yards throughout the area, as common as mailboxes.
Saturday evening the hail was described, once again, as golf ball size. However, Bennett says it was not the hail this time that caused the damage but the wind. "It happened so quickly and did so much damage," she explained. "There was still so much we had left to do and now there is even more."
Haverhill, Mass. - After 14 days and 4,200 miles of competition, the championship came down to the last two stages of the race, as Astronaut High School of Titusville, Fla., swept the top two places in the X-Cup Division of the History Channel's Great Race.
With the championship being based on the last two stages and the best other stage in the race from Tacoma, Wash., to Haverhill, the Florida school saved the best for last to win the event over five other high school teams.
Ponca City, entering the race for the first time, led the high school division from Hays, Kan., on and finished 21st overall in the 61-vehicle (cars, trucks, motorcycle) field, well ahead of the next high school team. But the Ponca Citians slipped to fourth place in the critical stages that were used to determine the prize winners.
The Ponca City team of Robert Scott, Matt Brewer, Paul Oblad, Greg Cunningham, Steve Hermann and sponsor J.D. Hanks had a 14-day cumulative score of 14:19 in their 1930 Model A Ford pickup.
Connersville (Ind.) Area High school was 26th with 16:50 in a 1928 Ford Model A Speedster while Brillion (Wis.) Coop Vocational School was third in the cumulative totals with 20:22 in a 1928 Ford Speedster, according to results posted on the Great Race internet site.
Hammond Area Career school was 36th overall and fourth among the student teams with 33:37 in a 1928 Ford pickup.
Trailing in 51st and 52nd places were the Astronaut High School teams in a 1929 Ford Model A Roadster (the championship car) and a 1948 Chrysler Business Coupe (the runnerup). Granbury, Texas, was a distant 56th place with no cumulative total posted but snared the third-place finish with his championship stage efforts.
The Astronaut No. 1 team collected $30,000 in scholarship money for its school. The four team members split 30 percent of the scholarship money.
Astronaut No. 1 had a combined score of 1:19 for the three stages that counted toward the Championship. No. 2 had a 1:47 while Granbury had 1:49, Ponca City 1:55, Connersville 3:52, Brillion 4:30 and Hammond 7:06.
Other Results
Just six seconds separated the top three finishers in the Championship Division of the Great Race.
Driver Rex Gardner (Stilwell, KS) and navigator Gary Kuck (Lincoln, Neb.) edged defending champions Charles Currie (Anaheim, Calif.) and Wayne Stanfield (Santa Ana, Calif.) by only two seconds. In third place was the grandfather/grandson team of Stanley and Ryan Jones (Woodland Hills, Calif.).
Rookie Division - 1st Skip McCoshum/Gell Shunn 1934 Ford Sedan :50; 2nd Bill Josler/Donna Rinkel 1934 Ford Tudor 1:23; 3rd George Tarbutton/Tom Wirth 1942 Ford Convertible 1:50.
Sportsman Division - 1st Skip McCoshum/Gell Shunn 1934 Ford Sedan :50; 2nd Les James/Michele James 1929 DeSoto Convertible 1:00; 3rd Al Partee, Jr./Rich Clark 1940 Ford Tudor 1:00.
By Kathy Zehr
News Staff Writer
According to a release from the Oklahoma State Department of Health, the incidence of hepatitis A in Oklahoma has more than quadrupled in the last 10 years, and in response state legislators have recently passed a bill requiring hepatitis A vaccination for kindergarten and seventh grade school-aged children in Oklahoma.
The bill amends current mandates for statewide pediatric vaccinations, adding vaccination against hepatitis A, will go into affect being Nov. 1, 1998.
Hepatitis A is a highly contagious virus that attacks the liver and in most cases is not known to the carrier since the liver does not register pain.
"Once hepatitis A hits a community, it may be years before you see an end to the outbreak," said Oklahoma State Senator Kelly Haney, the bill's original sponsor. "The State of Oklahoma recognizes that hepatitis A has been a serious health problem in this area for quite some time, and we are committed to reducing the incidence of this very contagious virus. This bill is an important 'call to action' for Oklahoma parents to roll up their children's sleeves, and get them vaccinated."
The highest rates of hepatitis A are among children 5-14 years of age with almost 30 percent of reported hepatitis A cases occurring among children less than 15 years of age. Additionally, younger children are often a symptomatic (they have no signs or symptoms) during infection and may go undiagnosed through their illness, unknowingly placing classmates and other family members at risk for infection.
Older children who contract hepatitis A. often suffer more severe consequences, as do adults. Up to 22 percent of hepatitis A patients require hospitalization. Approximately 100 people die every year from severer hepatitis A.
"Hepatitis A is most often transmitted through person-to-person contact, especially contact with young children who have the infection without showing any symptoms," said Craig Shapiro, epidemiologist for the hepatitis branch of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Other states are also reporting a high incidence of hepatitis A.
"Oklahoma is taking an innovative approach to controlling this disease through widespread vaccination. Other states with high rates of disease may want to consider a similar approach," continued Shapiro.
According to Dr. Jerry Nida, Oklahoma State Health Commissioner, "In Oklahoma, everyone is at risk for hepatitis A infection, especially international travelers, Native Americans and children living in areas with an outbreak.
"We are now targeting school-aged children because rates of infection are highest among children, and they are accessible to vaccination programs," said Dr. Nida, "When you consider the high cost of evaluation and treatment associated with hepatitis A outbreak, a vaccination program is easy to implement and the best way to offer long-term immunity against the virus and prevent the further spread of the disease."
According to the CDC, hepatitis A vaccination of children two years of age and older who have not been previously vaccinated should be implemented to control an ongoing outbreak in communities that have high rates of hepatitis A. Vaccination of children before they enter school should receive highest priority, followed by vaccination of older children who have not been vaccinated.
Dr. Thomas Dobbins, a family practitioner and parent in Calhoun County, Mich., where several children and families were affected by a hepatitis A outbreak last spring, also supports Oklahoma's efforts. His nine-year-old daughter contracted a severe case of hepatitis, causing her to be severely ill and bed-ridden for weeks with extreme abdominal pain that prevented her from being able to get out of bed or walk to the bathroom by herself.
"I definitely believe protecting our children by vaccinating them against hepatitis A should be a priority," said Dr. Dobbins.
Hepatitis A is a highly contagious virus that affects the liver. It is spread by the fecal-oral route through close person-to-person contact, or by ingestion of contaminated food or water. Each year, an estimated 134,000 people in the United States are infected with hepatitis A. Healthy, adult persons who have contracted hepatitis A often develop flu-like symptoms such as vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, fever, nausea and jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes.) Sometimes there are no noticeable symptoms.
For more information regarding hepatitis A, visit the CDC's website at www.cdc.gov.
TULSA - Ponca City wildlife artist, L. Kent Rous, has been working on a series of oil paintings for an exhibit of residents of the Tulsa Zoo. The exhibit is a joint effort of Rous and zoo docent, George Reid, who supplied some of the photos used for reference.
The exhibition of 18 paintings will go on display Monday through July 31 at the Flavors Restaurant, 71st and Sheridan, in Tulsa with a portion of the proceeds going to the zoo to aid their annual fund raiser, "A Waltz on the Wild Side."
Rous has worked as an artist for 25 years, tours the country with the wildlife art shows, has had other one-man exhibits and many awards and recognitions. Her work is in gallery collections as well as private collections such as that of Jack Hannah of the zoo in Columbus, Ohio. Her work is presently exhibited at Art on Broadway Gallery in Drumright.
A reception is planned at Flavors Restaurant 2-4 p.m. June 27.
DEATHS
BLACKWELL - Lyman Elmer Knapp, Blackwell resident, died at St. Joseph Medical Center in Wichita, Kan. on Saturday afternoon, June 13, 1998. He was 83.
The funeral will be held at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, June 17, at Blackwell First Christian Church with the Rev. Daryl Donavan officiating. Burial will be in Blackwell Cemetery under the direction of Roberts and Son Funeral Home.
Lyman Elmer Knapp was born Dec. 22, 1914, in Autwine to W.E. and Jessie (Petis) Knapp. He grew up in the Round Grove Community and attended school there for eight years. He graduated from high school at University Preparatory School in Tonkawa in 1934 and attended two years of college there.
On July 19, 1936, he married Myrle Ann Keith in Beaver City, Neb., and they settled on a farm near Autwine. In 1952, they moved to their present farm home southeast of Blackwell. He was active in farming his entire life and was a past-chairman of the American Agriculture Movement. He had been active in community affairs furnishing his steam engine to cook beans in downtown Blackwell for the Annual Bean Feed in October. He was also noted for building the only Rix-Knapp crawler tractor in Oklahoma in the 1960s.
Knapp was a member of the Blackwell First Christian Church, Horseless Carriage Club of America, Old Settlers Club, Sons of American Revolution, Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg Club, Two Cylinder Club, Case Heritage Club, Top of Oklahoma Historical Society, Tonkawa Historical Society, Oklahoma Steam Threshing and Gas Engine Association, Inc. Model T Club, Chero-O-Kan.
Survivors include his wife, Myrle Ann Knapp of Blackwell; two daughters, Evelyn Knapp Urban of Wetumka and Carolyn Chambers of Cedar Falls, Iowa; and one niece April Johnson of Blackwell, who was raised in their home as a daughter; seven grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by one son, Keith Elmer Knapp; his parents; one brother, Elliott "Bud" Knapp; and two sisters, Eleanor Reser and Elsie McClung.
Casket bearers will be Frank Urban, Dan Pollock, Lyman Urban, Brock Boland, Kevin Zimmerschied, Gary Jenkins, Bryan Kugel and Chady Atteberry. Honorary bearers will be members of the American Agriculture Movement.
Memorial contributions may be made in Mr. Knapp's name to Top of Oklahoma Historical Society, The Larry Jones "Feed the Children" group or the Blackwell First Christian Church, c/o Roberts Funeral Home, 120 West Padon, Blackwell, OK 74631.
Lillian L. Faulk, 2028 Mary Street, died Saturday morning, June 13, 1998, at the Tender Heart Nursing Center in Ponca City. She was 75.
The funeral will be graveside, Tuesday, 10 a.m. at Longwood Cemetery with the Rev. Paul Graham, pastor, Second Baptist Church, officiating. Arrangements are under the direction of Trout Funeral Home. Friends may call at the funeral home until 9 a.m. Tuesday.
Lillian L. (Huddleston) Faulk was born April 10, 1923 at Sheridan, Wyo., she was the daughter of William C. and Stella M. (Hale) Huddleston. Following graduation from Sheridan High School, she moved with the family to Ponca City.
On May 16, 1948, she married Billy George Faulk. Mr. Faulk preceded her in death on Aug. 25, 1975. Mrs. Faulk was a lifelong homemaker. She enjoyed being with her family and caring for her grandchildren.
She is survived by two sons, Warren L. Faulk of Ponca City and Bradley G. Faulk of Sourlake, Texas; a brother, Walter Huddleston of Ponca City; nine grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by a son, William C. Faulk; her parents; a brother, William Huddleston, and a sister, Thelma Moffet.
The family will be at 2028 Mary.
Virginia M. Green Perciful, longtime Ponca City resident, died Thursday, June 11, 1998 at the St. Joseph Regional Medical Center. She was 69.
The funeral service was to be held at 10 a.m. Monday, June 15, 1998 at the Longwood Baptist Church with the Rev. Larry Stevenson, pastor, officiating. Burial was to follow in the Resthaven Memorial Park Cemetery under direction of Grace Memorial Chapel.
Virginia Perciful was born Dec. 17, 1928, in Virgil, Kan., the daughter of Owen and Tillie (Strauch) Wells. She grew up and received her education in Gridley, Kan., Braman, Okla., and graduated from the Tonkawa High School.
She and Jesse Green were united in marriage on Dec. 18, 1954, in Tonkawa, and made their first home in Ponca City. He preceded her in death on Dec. 31, 1989.
On July 10, 1993 she was married to Orville Perciful at the Longwood Baptist Church. Mrs. Perciful worked for Miss Nan's Christian Day School and the First Baptist Church Mothers Day Out program and was a cook for West Junior High. She also worked for a number of years as assistant manager of Taco Hut.
She was a member of the First Christian Church, and in later years, a member of the Longwood Baptist Church where she was active in the church choir. In addition, she was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star, Sweet Adelines and TOPS. She enjoyed traveling, fishing, cooking, crafts, gardening, and her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Surviving are her husband, Orville of the home; three sons, Billy Joe of Byers, Colo., David O. of Perry, and Jimmy A. of Oklahoma City; one brother, Clinton Wells of Fort Collins, Colo.; a sister, Doris Fernandez of Cortland, N.Y.; 21 grandchildren, including Jenny, LeAnn, Clairie and Amy Perciful, Lacy Perciful, Jason Perciful and Jerod Perciful; six great-grandchildren and two nieces, Nancy Combes of Ponca City and Teresa Redman of Mulhall, whom Mrs. Perciful helped raise. She was preceded in death by her first husband, Jesse Green; her parents; one brother, Bobby Wells; and a sister, Norma Findley.
Casket bearers will be Buddy Wilkins, Wesley Green, David Green, Ryan Green, Travis Windler, Jedediah Redman, Anthony Redman, Tim Perciful and Adam Perciful. Honorary casket bearers will be Shane Green, Chrissy Windler, Kelley Redman, Sarah Green, Jesse Green, Brandi Combes, Mason Combes, Trevor Findley, Shannon Findley, Amy Perciful, Lacy Perciful, Jason Perciful, Jerod Perciful and members of the Ponca Lodge AF&AM.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Longwood Baptist Children's Ministry, Route 2, Box 574, Ponca City, OK 74604.-9725.
The family will be at 721 South Ninth Street.
paid obituary
Ruby E. Leathers, former resident of Ponca City, died Sunday morning,
June 14, 1998, at the Perry (Okla.) Nursing Home. She was 85. Local survivors
include a son, Max Leathers. Arrangements are pending with Grace Memorial
Chapel.
NEWS BRIEFS
Flag Stolen - An employee at Lew Wentz Golf Course reported to the Ponca City Police Department at 7:01 a.m. Saturday that a flag had been stolen. An officer was assigned and a report was taken.
Power Line Damaged - The Communications Center received a 911 call from a business in the 2700 block of North Fourteenth Street at 7:54 a.m. Saturday that a subject mowing a field behind the business had hit a power line. Two officers of the Ponca City Police Department responded and information was logged that Water and Light Department was notified.
Accident - The Communications Center received a 911 call at 2:37 p.m. Saturday that a two-vehicle, non-injury accident had occurred in the 3000 block of North Fourteenth Street. An officer was assigned and a report was taken.
Van on Fire - The Communications Center received a request for assistance from Oklahoma Highway Patrol at 3:23 p.m. Saturday concerning a van on fire 10 miles south of U.S. 60 on U.S. 177. A unit from the Ponca City Fire Department handled the situation.
Accident - A minor two-vehicle accident in the 400 block of East Grand Avenue was reported to the Ponca City Police Department at 4 p.m. Saturday. An officer was assigned and a report was taken.
Subject Held - The Communications Center received a report of a suspicious activity going on in the 500 block of North Pine Street at 10:13 p.m. Saturday. Two officers were assigned and a 21-year-old woman was held on a city warrant for failure to pay.
Beer Missing - A clerk at Sav-A-Trip, 501 West Highland Avenue, reported to the Ponca City Police Department at 10:39 p.m. Saturday that someone had taken some beer without paying. An officer was assigned and information was logged.
Subject Held - An officer of the Ponca City Police Department reported from the 200 block of West Grand Avenue at 1:27 a.m. Sunday that a 22-year-old man was being held on a city warrant for failure to appear.
Subjects Held - An officer of the Ponca City Police Department reported from the intersection of North Fourteenth Street and Crawford Avenue at 1:55 a.m. Sunday that an 18-year-old woman was being held for public intoxication and a 21-year-old woman was being held for DUI, transporting an open container and reckless driving.
Item Missing - A man from the 3600 block of Bellflower reported to the Ponca City Police Department at 2:38 a.m. Sunday that while fishing at Lake Ponca subjects had stolen a radio out of his vehicle. An officer was assigned and a report was taken.
Window Broken - A person from the 1300 block of West Hazel Avenue reported to the Ponca City Police Department at 6:53 a.m. Sunday that a window of the residence had been broken. An officer was assigned and a report was taken.
Subject Held - Two officers of the Ponca City Police Department reported from the 1300 block of South Eighth Street at 6:34 a.m. Sunday that a 28-year-old woman was being held on a city warrant for failure to pay and public intoxication.
Billfold Missing - A woman from the 1000 block of South Eleventh Street reported to the Ponca City Police Department at 9:19 a.m. Sunday that a billfold had been stolen from her vehicle Saturday. An officer was assigned and a report was taken.
Vehicle Burglarized - A man from the 1200 block of Bradbary Lane reported to the Ponca City Police Department at 10:21 a.m. Sunday that his vehicle had been broken into. An officer was assigned and a report was taken.
Item Missing - An employee at Jack Griffith's, 2501 North Fourteenth Street, reported to the Ponca City Police Department at 1 p.m. Sunday that a subject had stolen an item from the store. An officer was assigned and the information was logged.
Window Broken - A man from the 900 block of North First Street reported to the Ponca City Police Department at 1:41 p.m. Sunday that a window had been broken out of his vehicle. An officer was assigned and a report was taken.
Subject Held - The Communications Center received a 911 call from Hastings in the 2900 block of North Fourteenth Street at 3:07 p.m. Sunday that assistance was needed with a subject at the business. Two officers were assigned and a 14-year-old girl was held for petit larceny.
Accident - The Communications Center received a 911 call at 3:08 p.m. Sunday that a non-injury accident had occurred in the 1900 block of North Fifth Street. Two officers of the Ponca City Police Department responded and a report was taken.
Accident - An officer of the Ponca City Police Department responded to an area of the 1100 block of West Liberty Avenue at 4:50 p.m. Sunday were an accident had occurred. A report was taken.
Fire From Power Line - A person from the 500 block of Lora reported to the Communications Center at 5:29 p.m. Sunday that a downed power line had started a fire on a fence. An officer of the Ponca City Police Department, a unit from the Ponca City Fire Department and assistance from the Water and Light Department responded to handle the situation.
Vehicle Damaged - A person from the 2000 block of North Seventh Street reported to the Ponca City Police Department at 6:02 p.m. Sunday that while parked in the 800 block of East Prospect Avenue, her vehicle had been hit. An officer was assigned and a report was taken.
Window Broken - A woman from the 1400 block of West Hazel Avenue reported to the Ponca City Police Department at 6:27 p.m. Sunday that someone had broken a window of her vehicle. An officer was assigned and a report was taken.
Motorcycle Vandalized - A man from the 2100 block of North Union Street contacted the Communications Center at 9:30 p.m. Sunday to report that someone had vandalized his motorcycle. An officer was assigned and a report was taken.
Suspicious Activity - The Communications Center received a report of suspicious activity by two men and a woman at 9:57 p.m. Sunday concerning some beer at the intersection of Fifth Street and East Grand Avenue. Two officers were assigned and a citation was issued for a minor in possession.
Subject Held - An officer of the Ponca City Police Department reported from the intersection of Blackard and East Hartford Avenue at 10:36 p.m. Sunday that a 25-year-old man was being held for DUI, and having no insurance.
House Fire - The Communications Center received a 911 call at 1:45 a.m. Monday from a residence in the 1000 block of North Pine Street that the house was on fire. All Ponca City Fire Department stations responded to the scene and an officer of the Police Department reported arriving on the scene and the fire was put out. Fire officials reported the fire was from food left on a stove.
Item Missing - A clerk at a business at the intersection of West Grand Avenue and Oak Street reported to the Ponca City Police Department at 4:46 a.m. Monday that someone had left the business without paying for a food item. An officer was assigned and the information was logged.
Items Auctioned - The unclaimed property and surplus city item auction
held Saturday morning at the Public Safety Center netted receipts totaling
$849, which were to be deposited in the city's general fund.
LIFESTYLES
Little News
Dale and Misty Fath of Tonkawa announce the birth of their son at 5:15 p.m. on June 11, 1998 at Stillwater Medical Center. Blaine Conrad Fath weighed 7-pounds, 1 1/2-ounces and measured 21-inches long.
Maternal grandparents are Donnie and Glenda Pierce of Ponca City. Maternal great-grandparents are Charles and Joann Ward of Ponca City, Carl and Luella Pierce of Ponca City, Ruth Kelle of Blackwell and the late Wilbert Kelle. Blaine also has a great-great-grandmother, Daisy Summers of Hermitage, Mo.
Paternal grandparents are J. C. and Myrna Fath of Tonkawa. Paternal great-grandparents are Emmett and Grace Wilkins of Blackwell, Eunice Fath of Tonkawa and the late John Conrad Fath.
Madeline Paige Evans is the name selected by Walter and Lynn Evans of Marland for their daughter born at 7:32 p.m. May 11, 1998 at St. Joseph Regional Medical Center. The baby weighed 5-pounds, 14-ounces and was 19 1/2-inches long. She has a brother, Cameron, 5-years-old.
Maternal grandparents are Dan and Dee Hicks and paternal grandmother
is Marlene Evans, all of Ponca City. Great-grandparents are May Evans of
Marland, Laurl and Pearl Lydick of Cowling, Ill. and Raymond Shutts of Peoria,
Ill. Great-great-grandparent is Lelo McReynolds of Cowling, Ill.
SPORTS
by FRED HILTON
News Sports Editor
The Ponca City Tennis Open will have a new look this week.
Actually, the tournament, which started today at the Wally Smith Tennis center isn't even the Ponca City Open. It is now the Ponca City Bank of Oklahoma Junior Tennis Open.
The changes started when the Bank of Oklahoma, looking to further its sponsorship of tennis events in Oklahoma, found a very willing and needy tournament here.
BOK has sponsored tennis tournaments in Bartlesville and Enid for the past couple of years. This year, it is adding Ponca City and Muskogee to its corporate sponsorship.
"It was a good fit." Ponca City Bank of Oklahoma President L. J. Chaufty said. "We sat down last winter to look over our budget and to see if we could sponsor an event that would give us further exposure and help the community.
"The tennis tournament was looking for a sponsor, but was afraid to ask. It couldn't have come at a more appropriate time. This is good for the city and good for the Bank of Oklahoma."
More and more sporting events are being tied to corporate sponsorships as the cost of the events rise.
The long-standing Ponca City Open had been sponsored by the Ponca City Tennis Club until the demise of the club.
At that point, the Ponca City Park and Recreation Department took over the running of the tournament.
But entries have declines in recent years. While the junior entries dropped slightly or remained about the same, adult entries dropped off considerably.
"With league play becoming more popular in the bigger cities - where most of our adult players come from - they weren't willing to make the trip here," explained Terry Sherbon, Recreation Superintendent for the Parks and Recreation Department.
With the entries declining, it became harder and harder for the Open to meet expenses.
Along came BOK.
This year the tournament will be a junior open with play running through Wednesday.
The future is anybody's guess.
"We'll have to see what happens after this year as far as getting the adult divisions back," said tournament director Mike Larimer. "It's going to be a junior tournament for at least one year."
The 16-and-under boys and girls opened the tournament this morning with the 18-and-under boys joining the fray this afternoon.
With some cooperation from the weather, the 16s will finish up on Tuesday with the boys and girls 14-and-under players taking to the court along with the 18 girls.
The 12-and-unders start play Wednesday as the older age groups finish up.
By MATTHEW KOENIG
News Sports Writer
ENID - Maybe it was the incentive of McDonalds gift certificates.
Then again, it could have had something to do with the nice tail wind towards center field, or the slightly smaller-than-average Enid field.
Or maybe the American Legion majors team was just tired of losing.
After dropping their first three games of the Enid Tournament - two by one run - the Royals came back with a vengeance on Sunday, run-ruling both Hutchinson, Kansas, 14-5, and the host team Enid, 16-6. The wins capped a five game slide for the Royals, leaving them with an 8-13 mark on the season.
In just 10 innings through two games, the Royals slapped out 24 total hits, including eight home runs. Four of those home runs came with a two-out, 12-run rally in the bottom of the fourth inning against Enid.
"When the dam broke, it really broke," said a beaming coach Jack Shears. "These kids just wanted to hit the ball today, you could see it in their faces. This will really give them some confidence."
Down 6-4 going into the bottom of the fourth inning against Enid, the Royals suddenly got very, very hungry.
With a coupon good for a two-all-beef-patty-special-sauce-lettuce-cheese-pickle-onion-on-a-seseme-seed-bun sandwich going to all home run hitters, the Royals got a Grand Slam from first baseman Dean Hemenway, a 2 RBI homer from designated hitter Kevin Reusser, a 2 RBI homer from catcher Jerrod Spears, and a 2 RBI homer from third baseman Jason Neff.
After centerfielder Toby Red Leaf got the 15-batter inning started with a walk, shortstop Justin Thomas got on with a base hit, and Neff was hit by a pitch to load the bases.
Second baseman Wes Murrie then drove in one after dropping a ball into left field, and Hemenway - who all but guaranteed he'd be hitting a home run to his teammates - proceeded to bounce Enid pitcher Zach Easter's first pitch off the center field scoreboard to quickly make it 9-6, Ponca.
The Royals, however, were nowhere near done with their special tribute to the special sauce sandwich.
Taking on Enid reliever Eric Reed, Marc Smith just missed his home run opportunity by bouncing one off the right field fence for a double. That led to Reusser's blast, which sailed completely over the scoreboard to score two more.
A walk at the bottom of the Royals' line up by right fielder Bubba Lieb then brought up Spears. Spears - who finished the tournament with five home runs to his credit - then hit what was probably the longest shot of the day, a monster mash that ricocheted off the top of a house chimney beyond left field.
A slicing, two-base shot by Red Leaf and a 2 RBI double by Thomas then brought up Neff, who completed the Royals' home run derby. Neff - who finished with three home runs in the tournament - knocked his latest over the trees in left field to score two.
Though Ronald McDonald could have pitched with offense like that, Daniel Denny did a fine job on the mound for the Poncans, giving up just five hits while striking out eight.
Thomas, who launched a solo shot over the fence in the first inning and was 4-for-4 at the plate with two doubles and 3 RBIs, was declared Player of the Game. Murrie was 2-for-4 with 3 RBIs, while Smith was 2-for-2 with an RBI.
In the first game, the Royals got five runs in the first inning and homers from Spears, Neff, Hemenway and pitcher Evan Rupp in four other innings to take the win against Hutchinson.
Spears started things off with a walk, Smith followed with a bunt good for a base hit, and Thomas then scored one after reaching on an error. Neff then belted a shot out of the park for three more runs.
Two hit batters and a walk later, Rupp completed the scoring blitz with a sacrifice fly to score one.
Though Hutchinson responded with two runs of their own in the top of the second to close within two, 5-3, the Royals came back with two runs in each of the second, third and fourth innings to spread the gap again.
A 2 RBI double by Murrie in the second, a 2 RBI dent in the scoreboard by Spears in the third, and a 2 RBI home run crank by Hemenway in the fourth led to the Poncans' tally.
Hutchinson did manage to add three desperation runs in the top of the fifth to momentarily avoid the run-rule, but the Royals made them up right away in the bottom of the inning.
Rupp opened things up by dropping a solo shot over the fence in left field. Right fielder Denny then snuck one through the infield for a base hit, Spears reached on an error, and following a sacrifice fly by Thomas, Neff made the run-rule a reality with an RBI single through the infield.
In that game, Neff was 2-for-3 with 3 RBIs and a home run and was declared Player of the Game, while Murrie was 2-for-2 with 2 RBIs.
The Royals now have two days off before heading to Bartlesville on Wednesday.
Ponca City 14, Hutchinson 5
Ponca City 522 23 - 14 9 4
Hutchinson 020 13 - 5 5 4
Rupp and Spears; Warren and Haugstad.
Ponca City 16, Enid 6
Ponca City 103 12 x - 16 15 3
Enid 221 10 - 6 6 1
Denny and Spears; Easter, Reed (4), Charles (4), and Smith.
By FRED HILTONNews Sports Editor
The finals of the Ponca City Country Club's Fourball Matchplay Championship will have a special flavor Saturday as a father and son square off across the greens.
John (J.B.) Hron II will team with Bruce Newman to face John Hron III and Dale Chapman for the Championship Flight title. It will be a friendly, but intense, rivalry.
"J.B. really wanted this," Newman said of the family clash.
Often paired together, the Hron's will be on opposite sides for the first time in this finals. They got there by very different routes.
Chapman and Hron III blasted to a 7-and-6 win over the family twosome of Tom and John Green while Newman and Hron II had to come from behind to beat Phillip Knight and Wade Lessert 1-up in the semifinals Sunday.
John (IIl) is playing real well right now," partner Chapman said Sunday. "He had five birdies again. I'm just along for the ride."
Any chance the Greens had of chilling off Hron went by the way of a pair of wayward putters.
But Hron had no such problem with birdies on holes 1, 5, 10, 11 and 12. Chapman also birdied No. 12 to add to the clincher.
Actually, Tom Green also had a birdie on 12, but the putts had started to fall too late by that time.
"Our putts were falling and their's weren't," Hron (III) said of his team's second quick win. "I'm playing pretty good and Dale helped out on some holes.
"I'm really happy to be playing against my father. It's going be an interesting week. It's personal now."
It's also personal for Dad.
While Newman had the hot hand with a pair of crucial birdies on 16 and 17 to bring the team from behind, it was a par by Hron (II) on 18 that secured the win.
But for a while it looked like the father-son matchup wasn't to be as Knight and Lessert hit the birdies early and were up by two strokes at the turn.
But that's when Newman and Hron started their charge.
Newman canned a birdie on 10 to draw his team within one. Knight and Lessert had a bogies on 14 to put the match even.
"That was their first open hole of the match," Newman said later.
But his team returned the favor with a bogey on 15 to go down one again.
That's when Newman found the range, sinking birdies on 16 and 17 - the last from about 30 feet - to give his team the lead.
The pressure started to build on 18 as all four golfers had poor tee shots. But Hron and Newman recovered first to save the win.
Champions are also scheduled to be crowned in three other flights Saturday,
Rick Cavener and Keni Ray will face Frank Rogers and Jon Yocam for the President's Flight title. Mike Starbuck and Bill Schutte will go against Russ Didlake and Jeff Webster for the First Flight trophy while Don Bouldin and Bill O'Connor tackle Don Thorson and John Simon in the Second Flight finals.
The finals in all four consolation flights will also be held this week.
RESULTS
Fourball Matchplay Championship
Championship Flight
Hron-Chapman d. Green-Green, 7&6
Hron-Newman d. Knight-Lessert, 1-up
Championship Consolation
Wallace-Lyhane d. Romine-Biernacki, 2&1
Clark-Self d, Greenwood-Walker, 2&1
President's Flight
Cavener-Ray d. Kong-King, 5&4
Rogers-Yocam d. Ladd Alcott, 1-up
President's Consolation
Loosley-Hudack d. Armstrong-Young, 5&4
Pave-Musgrove d. Carter-Carter, 5&4
First Flight
Starbuck-Schutte d. Subramaniam-Hadley, 6&5
Didlack-Webster d. Williams-Haynes, 6&5
First Consolation
Hoover-Paden d. Hohensee-Mott, 1-up
Casad-Evens d. Northcutt-Becker, 3&1
Second Flight
Bouldin-Connor d. Greenfield-Brandt, 5&4
Thorson-Simn d. Pappan-Fullet, 7&6
Second Consolation
Worstell-Niemann d. Wimberley-Dickinson, 5&4
Wathins-Brown d. Rigdon-Pulley, 1-up (19)
The first annual OSU Alumni Association golf tournament was held at Lew Wentz golf course, Saturday, to raise money for scholarships to OSU.
The tournament was highlighted by Joe Hager, a Conoco retiree, who shot a hole-in-one on the fifth hole to win round trip airline tickets, anywhere in the United States, courtesy of Jim Crossland Lincoln-Mercury.
The tournament was a two-man shotgun scramble, with 68 golfers vying for $15,000 in prizes.
The biggest winner of the tournament will be two Class of 1999 seniors from Kay County high schools, who will each win a $2,000 scholarship to OSU in the Spring of 1999.
OSU Golf Tournament
Lew Wentz Golf Course, June 13
Two-Man Shotgun Scramble
Cowboy Flight
1 - Bill Delaney, Pete Peterson, 62
2 - Jerry Orr, Casey Orr, 62
3 - Joe Hager, Aaron Gard, 64
Pistol Pete Flight
1 - Tom Lane, Stan Wheeler, 69 1/2
2 - Tony Underwood, Rick Sober, 69 1/2
3 - Bill Eichor, Matt Waddell, 69 1/2
Orange Power Flight
1 - Jim Armstrong, Bobby Stieber, 71
2 - Wayne Coates, Nathan Coates, 71
3 - Lee Little, Kiel McCall, 71
Closest to the Hole - Ryan Austin
Longest Drive - Bill Delaney