Stories and Memories about George

“Memories”, how do I start? There were several trips that come to mind. On one trip we were going to Nebraska and stopped to let the dogs out about midnight in a big open field. Star, the setter I had, was pretty wild and got to chasing something, and after an hour and a lot of yelling and cursing, he finally came back. During our hunt, George continually called Star an SOB every time he ran too far ahead of us and continually reminded me about my “wild” dog. Another thing I’ll always remember was what we called Sunday school. A few of us would meet on Sunday mornings at George’s house for coffee and to try to solve the world’s problems. Eventually we would bet on baseball or football and George would beat me 2 times out of 3. The reason I called it Sunday school is because that’s where I told my wife I was going. I miss George and those Sunday mornings.

P.S. Will Rogers always said he never met a person he didn’t like. I never met a person that didn’t like George.

— Duke Kleihauer

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First of all I always called him George D.. When I wrote to him I always used George David Jacob Smitka Jr., but I really don’t remember why. In thinking about George, it seems he was a character, yet, that does not really explain him very well. I suppose George was George would be accurate, if you knew George. George first was a very intelligent individual, yet for some reason, life was something to not take seriously. Yes, I was with him in grade school and the story of the Easter egg dye I know is going to surface. I played sports with George; he was intense during the game whatever it was and yet if you won or lost, it was no big deal. He was a pretty good basketball player and probably a better baseball catcher, yet again it was no big deal. I know George was with us and we passed him up; I don’t think he ever finished high school; yet it was not because of lack of brains. George just did not seem to care. I know for a number of years, he and Earl Evinger ran the filling station in Sugar Creek, and then they ran a filling station in Marshall, Mo.. I know we did a lot of playing and partying just before the Korean war. George was drafted, I believe, and then volunteered to be a paratrooper. I’m pretty sure he jumped once in Korea, in a battle that was one of the worst diasters of the war. George one time told me he never went back to his outfit. He ran into a fellow from Fairmount named Bill George, who was a cook, and I think George spent the remainder of his time with him. Bill George lives in Richmond and is a retired school principal. He probably has many stories about George and the service. I remember distinctly one evening at Kross’s tavern. George, Don Powell, Don’s buddy in the Marine Air Force, and I were having a few beers. Don and his friend were in flight school and were going back to practice landing on aircraft carriers. George looked Don’s friend in the eye and told him “You be real damn careful landing on those carriers”. We received word not too long after that this fellow had cashed it in trying to land on an aircraft carrier.

Around this same time George and Jack Beal began “pantomiming”. They had two old trumpets that had been beaten to hell. It was during a Fourth of July celebration that we used to have down across the street from Kross’s. George and Jack got on the stage and put on one hell of a show. I also think this was the time that there was one hell of a fire at Kaw Transport during the festivities and Earl Evinger pulled the trucks out of the fire. Some were loaded with gasoline and some were empty. George and Jack also performed in KCK at an area known as the five corners. Some time in this area, George, Don Powell, and Earl bought a ’29 Pontiac Coupe with wooden wheels. They had painted on the side “Smitka, Evinger, & Powell- Moscow Incorporated”. There are many stories about this car. I think this was around 1947 through 1951. They raced the car around the William Christman High School track and when the police showed up they took off, went to Sugar Creek, and called the Independence police and reported their car had been stolen. They came away scott free. One time when we were downtown, we had parked the car in a parking lot and when we returned, the attendent was driving the car all over town. Not long after this George met Marge and they were married.

I suppose about this time George began laying block and finishing cement. There are many stories about George and his cement finishing business. One time in particular, George was hired by John Dumsky to do the concrete floor for the new garage John had built. John was very particular and installed a drain in the center of the garage and, of course, wanted all of the water to run from the sides into the drain. Well, you guessed it, when George was finished the high spot on the floor was the drain. It did not seem to bother George; life was not to be taken too seriously.

George served mass with Andy Mikula for a long time and I think Andy would tell you that being punctual was not a strong suit with George.

It would be difficult to classify George’s life; how he related to his wife and children, and the rest of his family. I suppose it could be said that George’s motto was; life was to live just the way you wanted to; and he did his damnest trying.

— Charles Dumsky

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– George and Damian Snow built his house. When he built his garage, the labor was free. There were 10 or more people there with maybe only two working at a time. They had a card game going continuously and drank over 20 cases of beer.

– George and Jim Maxwell were doing a concrete job he had bid. George told the customer that he was a Catholic priest and did concrete work on the side. When the job was finished, George blessed the customer.

– George was at Kross’s one day and his wife Marge called and said a dog was on the back steps and wouldn’t let her in the house. George went home and the dog was still there barking at him. He got mad and tried to walk into the house when he got tangled up with the dog and fell into his flower bed. The dog jumped on his chest, licked his face, and tried to shake his hand. George kept the dog and named him Jake.

George and I were up in Nebraska pheasant hunting. We didn’t have any reservations and had to look all over for a motel that night. We finally found a place about 60 miles away. That night George let his dog Jake stay outside. The next morning when we opened the door, Jake was there waiting to shake hands but he had blood all over him. We looked out front and there were six dead cats. We got out of there quickly. That day we killled eight quail and decided to clean them when we returned to town. Jake rode in the back of the camper with the birds and when we got home, there were only four quail and a bunch of feathers.

– George, brother Bill, and brother Aron were down at Clinton, Mo. fishing in a strip pit in a boat. George’s fishing pole and reel came from Raleigh cigarette coupons he had saved and wouldn’t cast bass lures. He caught a grasshopper swimming in the water, put it on a hook, and threw it in with a bobber the size of a baseball. Later he had a bite and hooked a 15 lb. catfish. He wore the fish down and got it up next to the boat but the net was left in the truck. Neither Bill or Aron would reach down and grab the fish and eventually it got away. George never let them forget it. He said “all I can do is bring in the big ones but I can’t get any help”.

-George, Jerry Kleihauer, his nephews, and I went up to Kenora, Canada, fishing. After the first week, we went into town to look around. Jerry’s nephews were too young, so Jerry and the younger nephews went to the malt shop while George, Jerry’s nephew Jerry, and I found a beer joint and stayed about three hours. When we returned Jerry was really hot. He made everybody ride in the camper except George who he hollered at for the next 90 miles. When we left Canada, they waved all of us through but Jerry, who they stopped and checked. Jerry showers about three times a day, so he was mad at us again. He said “why are they stopping me when you guys haven’t shaved in three days and look like drunken Indians!”.

-George and I were working together in Macon, Mo., as insulators. George was on permit at the time and it was dove season, so we went hunting after work. We found a good place and started to shoot doves. George had his old Winchester pump and loaded up. A young dove flew kind of funny over him and he watched it keep going after firing three shots. George loaded up again and that same dove turned and flew over him one more time Three shots later the dove was still flying and George threw his gun in an alfalfa field and began cussing.

-George liked it whenever they got a new barmaid at the bowling alley lounge. He would go in and order a Grain Belt beer. She would look through the coolers but couldn’t find one. He would tell her it was probably in the back cooler but she couldn’t find it there either. Then he would tell her it was under the kegs. She would look at the kegs and George laughing told her that they were probably out. Finally, someone told her about him.

– George sold his old 1951 Chevy truck to Ed Collins down the street. He kept a second set of keys and would walk down and take it to go to Kross’s.

-George and Botchko Lukomski were at George’s house and Marge said she sure wished she had some fresh peas. Botchko had peas in his garden so they went there to pick some. Botchko told George that if he wanted any, he would have to pick them himself. So George went into Botchko’s garden and started pulling his plants out by the root in order to pick the peas. Botchko saw that and asked him how he could be so dumb, and then told George to get away and that he would pick them. Of course, that’s what George wanted all along.

— Don Smitka

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George Smitka was a special person who always had a brilliant and cheerful smile. Growing up with George in Sugar Creek, I(known back then as Joan Povala), got to witness that smile and charm a lot. We went to school together, played, and worked the gardens. Grandma and Grandpa Povala and Mr. and Mrs. Smitka were the best of friends. The Povala’s lived on Evans Street and there was a path down to the gardens and across the street to the Smitka’s house. That’s where the canning of food, the butchering and smoking of the pigs, the baking of the bread, and the making of wine(also drinking of the wine) took place. Whew, so much fun.

I(known back then as Ed Kolich) first met George on August 1, 1953 at Joan and my wedding reception. He was attired in a brand new suit, which be brought back after seving in the army as a paratrooper. All smiles and ready to party. George and I became the closest of friends, like two peas in a pod. Our friendship grew when I had “the” gas staion at Sterling and Kentucky. George, working for Falstaff Beer Distributing and Jack Beal, working for Schlitz, would load their trucks then venture up to the station and see which one I would accompany to deliver their load of kegged beer. The first one there, usually George, got my company of visiting all the keg beer purchasers with them, a no-lose situation I might say. In case of a missed meeting, I could find the company of George and Jack at any of the following landmarks of Sugar Creek: Nick’s Place(Nick Roper-owner), Kross Tavern(Ernie Wells-owner), or Do Drop In(Babe Sopcich-owner). Then there was the alley. The bowling alley that is! Could you guess whom as the best bowlers in town were classified as the “Out Of This World Bowlers”? That’s right; George, myself, Jack Beal, and Duke Kliehauer. One time with our prize money we decided to go to the Lake of the Ozarks for the weekend. We went down to pick George up and he comes out the door all dressed up in a suit and tie. Smiling, Marge came to the door and threw out his boots and said “You might need these George!”. Imagination can only fill in what George did at the lake with only a suit, tie, and work boots. Never a dull moment when we were together.

Pig roasting was never so much fun and so delicious as the one’s done in George’s back yard. Most of the time it was done by placing the pig in a pit in the ground and smoking it all night. Through these experiences, I learned to smoke turkey, ham, and chicken, and that lead me to build my own smoker. As George told me, “apple wood is the secret!”, and throughout the years apple wood was always used to deliciously flavor the meat. Speaking of: Apples, Apples, Apples…trim the trees and pick apples. George’s backyard apples had many uses. Fertilizer from the rotten apples made my tomatoes grow 8 feet tall and bear fruit from July to October; applewood for smoking meats, and best of all, apple strudel, which Joan baked and George ate with joy and delight. Only George’s apples would do.

One traditional joke George and I had was when we saw a person and couldn’t remember their name. We’d call them “George Smrdiet Noga!!”. To this day if I see people and can’t remember their names it reminds me of George and I call out “George Smrdiet Noga, nice to see you!”.

As an artist , George was outstanding with his talents and abilities to build beautifull rock walls and fireplaces. Our backyard wall is a monument to his work. It is still in excellent shape and admired by all who see it. Our fireplace was built by George and Gene Mooneyham. Up to the day George departed, he hollared at me for having him use black mortar.

After the death of Margie, George kind of lost hope, not eating and not taking care of himself concerned me. One night at the bowling alley, George was leaving and he fell . Everyone wanted to take him home – NOPE!. George said “I can drive!”. So I followed him home and saw that he got into the house. Then as I was leaving, police cars, dogcatchers, and two big dogs were blocking the way. Only ten minutes to follow him home but 2 hours to get off his street! At least George was safe and secure.

George and Margie were very special people and we were honored to have them be the Godparents of our daughter Lisa Joan.

George will always be with us in our wonderful memories and prayers forever!!

— Ed and Joan Kolich

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George Smitka

– white socks

– constant “grin”

– black low-cut shoes

– black pants – (sometimes chartreuse socks)

– loved to listen to records He liked the old-time girl singers like Patti Page, Rosemary Clooney, and Doris Day

– loved Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra

– loved to dance and was a very good dancer

– loved to hunt and fish

After Marge died, we would meet in George’s kitchen for coffee every Sunday morning. Duke, D.R.Eaton, John Bradford and me. We called it going to Sunday school. What we really discussed was football, baseball, and world problems. George’s teeth were the center piece on the kitchen table.

On a quail trip to the Ozarks, George said he knew how to light a gas burner in the old Motel. He knew how to light more than the burner, because the flames went right up the wall. We were in my car, and the next thing he did was lock my keys in the trunk. I had to take the backseat out and punch a hole through the cardboard. This was a brand new car! I was mad to say the least, but you couldn’t stay mad at George.

We were taking George on a fishing trip to Minnesota. Everything was planned we thought. We went to pick him up and he is asleep on the front porch. His tackle box and pole were in the yard. I woke him up, he grabbed his shoes, got in the car, and was gone for four days without a change of clothes or telling his Mom where he was.

Four guys went on a fishing trip to Billy Smitka’s. Don and I were to get the beer and George was taking care of the food. He bought an 8 oz. jar of pickled herring and one tube of crackers for four people.

We went on another quail hunt with George around Marshall, Mo. with Earl Edward Evinger. It was bitterly cold. We thought George was prepared. We went to an island out on the Missouri River. The river came up and we looked at George and he had on his famous low-cut black shoes and the water was up above his ankles.

A comical sight to behold was George, D.R. Eaton, and Johnny Neiderland canning. They canned tomatoes and peppers.

George would always do a good concrete job for you, but before he was finished, you would get so mad at him. He did our driveway and the concrete truck pulled up but there was no George. I was so mad that I was calling the concrete company to send the truck away when George pulled up at the last minute. He always did a good job when he performed the actual work. You would be so mad at him but you couldn’t stay mad because George would always have you laughing.

Charlie Dumsky worked at A & P. George was in the service in Korea and I knew it was his birthday, so we sent him a fruitcake with a pint of Kross Tavern whiskey in the middle. He was on the front line in a bunker with 3 other guys and said it was the best birthday present he ever got as it was so cold there.

When George came home from Korea, we had a big party at Johnny Lukomski’s. George was demonstrating how he could jump out of an airplane from a picnic table. He said he could do a better job if he had on his paratrooper boots instead of his low-cuts.

I could tell stories forever about George. The stories were funnier when you could see his face and expression. He was a good true friend for a lot of years.

— John Hix

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GEORGE SMITKA George Smitka was one of those marvelous characters you seldom meet, but you never forget. He seemed to always have a mischievous grin on his face and I can never remember him being mad about anything. I did not become well acquainted with George until we were in the Army and served together with the 143'" Field Artillery in Korea. I lived on the south side of 24 Highway and attended Carlisle Grade School, while George attended Sugar Creek Grade School. The school line for attendance was a little north of Murrell St., but inside the Sugar Creek city limits, so I had several friends

who actually lived in Sugar Creek. When it came time to go to high school, I selected Northeast, as did most of the Sugar Creek students. However, a few went to William Chrisman. It was there that I became close friends with the following—Jimmy Dumsky, Charles Dumsky, Joe Sopcich, Bobby Simms, Earl Evinger, David Kobe, John Onka, Don Powell, Jack O'Renick, Jim Bateman and Raymond O'Linsky. We were all just a lot of guys who hung out together with all having some close friends in the group. While I knew George, we were not

close friends as I was with Earl Evinger and Bill Dull. After being drafted into the Army, I completed basic training at Ft. Leonard Wood and was then sent to Camp Drake in Tokyo, Japan, waiting assignment in Korea. As I was walking down a street in Tokyo, I heard someone yelling my name, and a million to one coincidence occurred when I discovered it was George Smitka! After exchanging greetings and expressing much happiness to see someone from home, we headed for the nearest bar for some Japanese beer. George was in Japan for R and R (rest and relaxation), which soldiers stationed in Korea got about every four months. George next suggested we visit a house of pleasure where you could get Japanese girls, who would show you the sights of Tokyo and do other small favors. After a couple of days our money was low and we returned to Camp Drake where George concocted a great plan. When he found out I hadn't been assigned a unit in Korea, he informed me that the

new troops were being assigned infantry units and casualities had been high. He had an idea. I was to tell the assigning Lt. that I had a cousin, George Smitka, with143rd Field Artillery "B" Battery and I would like to be assigned with him. The Lt. bought the story and assigned me the unit with George. However, I was sent to C.B.R. School first on an island about ten miles off Hiroshima which had previously been the Japanese Naval

Academy. This turned out to be a god send. For twelve weeks I went to school with no duties and drawing combat pay because the 143 was

engaged in warfare. When I finally joined the unit, George had a new plan. When I reported to our commanding officer, I was to tell him that I had been a cook as a civilian. George explained that we were short a cook and I wouldn't have to serve on the forward out-post where a couple of men had been killed the week before. Our commander, Capt. Joe Fant, assigned me as a cook and life became fairly routine. We fired our guns about three times a week, at which time George and I became "cannoneers", loading and unloading heavy shells. We were also fired on a couple of times a week and we took refuge in the cook's bunker. It was pretty safe unless you got a direct hit—

but I was still scared and thankful that I had George at my side! Eventually, much to our relief, a truce was signed and the famous 38th Parallel became the division between North and South Korea. With the cease fire, we moved out of the hills and located the Battery in a flat area where we remained until we rotated home. George was the battery clerk and privileged to much information that he shared with me. One of his duties was to announce information and orders over the P.A. system. That was a duty which he enjoyed very much. However, he was also known to harass the troops when he could. A U.S.O. troupe, which included Marilyn Monroe, put on a show about five miles from our arenand it was a real treat for the soldiers who got to see the show. That night, George came on the P.A. and in a very official voice announced an order from the captain which was, "All men are ordered to sleep with their hands above the covers

tonight!" George wore a blue paratrooper medal and often talked of his exploits and expertise. One time George drank a large amount of Saki wine. I had heard it would make you crazy and I think it did! I was sitting in our tent, playing Gin when a cook rushed in saying," You'd better come quick! Your buddy, Smitka, is on top of the latrine getting ready to show us how paratroopers jump." I rushed to the latrine, but George was prone on the ground with a silly Saki grin on his face. Unfortunately Captain Fant was there giving George a royal chewing. I don't recall all he said, but I remember he told George to get rid of that damn paratrooper's medal and he could forget the promotion he had coming. This really hurt George, as he had been a Corporal for a long time and wanted to make Sargeant before he went home—but I don't think he ever did. While George got the blunt of many remarks over the jumping incident several of the men felt George still had some paybacks coming and kept bugging me about his girl friend back

home. The only girl I could remember George dating was Norma Jean Palmer and I thought this romance had been over a long time ago. I wrote to Norma Jean, asking for a picture of her, which would make the time go quicker for a lonely soldier overseas. I didn't know if she would respond or not and was greatly surprised when she sent a sexy pose of herself in a bathing suit. The photograph soon make the rounds as Smitka's girl friend and many ficticious stories were circulated. The next time I saw the picture, it was posted on the Battery Bulletin Board with a message-"Bill George's pregnant girl friend whom he hasn't seen for a year!" George and I did take two more R and R's to Japan. The second was another of George's clever schemes. He organized a softball team then told the captain we needed to go to Japan and purchase softball equipment. We were short of money, so George took up a collection which bought the equipment and financed our trip handsomely. It was always hilarious to watch George dicker with the Poppa San at the Pleasure Houses. I'm not sure either could really understand the other and I would have to burst into

laughter when he would throw some Slavic words into the conversation.

Once George selected a girl he would have her count to four. If she counted "one, two, three, four", she was accepted, but if she counted "one, two,

three, foe," she was rejected! As I reflect on our time together in Korea, George and I were like inseparable brother and I felt he was always looking out for me-which he was. Yes, this loveable character had gotten me safely through the most difficult time in my life which was a debt that I could never repay. When the time came for George to be shipped back to the states, he was to give us one final laugh. Several of the soldiers gathered at the truck which was taking the popular Corporal back to headquarters. As he climbed on the truck, he turned to me and said, "Bill, I'll see you at Kross Tavern." As I looked at him I detected that devilish grin I had become so familiar with and wondered what he was up to! I was soon to find out. As the truck started to leave, George stood up-threw open his jacket and there on his shirt was the

fabled Blue Paratrooper medal and a grin on George's face, from ear to ear!! The group, naturally, broke into laughter and my next Smitka sighting would

be at Kross Tavern. When I returned to the States, George and I did get together for some drinking a carousing. It didn't last long, as I was enrolled at Central Missouri State University and had to leave. After that I was never around Sugar Creek except on rare occasions to visit my mother. I did see George a few times but had not seen him for twenty five years when I heard of his death. As I think back about George, the thinking is good and I don't know

where he is— but I know it's a better place for his being there.

— Bill George

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Time has probably changed some of the details of my memories of George but the events are in essence true. As you know, George and I were very close growing up. We kind of ran in different circles in later years, but we were still good friends.

1) In about the second grade, our teacher, Miss Moore, told a joke; I don’t remember what it was. Then George held up his hand and Miss Moore called on him. George said he wanted to tell a joke too. She said ok so George went up to the blackboard and drew a large circle, then he drew a small circle inside the larger one, and then put a dot beside the small circle. He then said that the large circle was a bull pen and the small circle was a bull, but said nothing about the dot. The teacher bit like a hungry dog on a piece of meat, saying “George, what is the dot?”. Young George replied by saying “That is the bull shit!”. After several minutes of riotous laughter died down and a red-faced Miss Moore regained her composure, she asked George where he learned that joke, to which George replied ” my pop”.

2) George had a habit in grade school of carrying candy like lemon drops loose in his pants pocket and sneaking a piece to eat while the teacher wasn’t looking. One day in about the seventh grade before Easter, George had some peanuts loose in his pocket. Unfortunately, he also had some pellets used for dying Easter eggs loose in the same pocket as well. When George quickly sneaked some peanuts in his mouth, he also accidently got one of those Easter pellets as well. George’s jaws were puffed out like a chipmunk with a mouth full of acorns. Our teacher, Mrs. Shields, noticed this and asked George what he had in his mouth. All George could do was point at his mouth and mumble. Mrs. Shields sternly said, as the class started snickering, “George, come up here”. George went up to the desk and the teacher asked him again what he had in his mouth with the same result. By now the class was laughing loudly. Finally, Mrs. Shields grabbed George by the jaws and squeezed, and out squirted a very deep, blue, liquid. A startled Mrs. Shields let George go to the drinking fountain and wash out his mouth but you can imagine that very little educating took place for the rest of the afternoon.

3) In the eighth grade, at the tipoff of the first basketball game of the season, George and I were the guards. It was in the old gym basement of the old Sugar Creek School. When the centers jumped for the ball, it went directly to George, who to the amazement of both teams, dribbled quickly down the court and scored two points for the other team.

4) Sugar Creek provided a lot of talent to the football teams at Northeast High School in the 30’s, 40’s, and early 50’s. George fell a year behind me in the eighth grade so I reached Northeast High School first and played football. While practicing before school started my junior year, Coach Markey called me aside and asked if there was anyone new from Sugar Creek that would make a good player. I said there is a guy named Smitka that could play. Coach said to bring him to practice and we will suit him up. So I took George to practice and he suited up and practiced until school started. On the first day of school, George didn’t show up for the school bus to Northeast. That afternoon I found out he was going to Christman and was going to play football there. I avoided Coach Markey as best I could but after about three days he cornered me and asked “Where’s your friend Smitka?”. I answered “Going to Christman, sir”. After Coach Markey finally regained his composure, he bellowed “Turn in his gear” to which I replied “yes, sir”. I had to get some bolt cutters from the metal shop to open Georges’s locker and realized he may be only person in Missouri to play for two high school teams at the same time.

5) George and I, along with a lot of other Sugar Creek kids, played on a Rudy Roper sponsored baseball team called the “Falstaff Juniors”. George was the catcher and his chatter behind the plate kept our team, the fans, and even our opponents in constant laughter. One day he even outdid himself. The batter had two strikes on him and George had him flustered with his chatter. The next pitch was obviously a ball to everyone which the batter took. Although the umpire called it a ball, George loudly called “strike three, that’s all, next sucker”. The batter mistook George for the umpire, threw down his bat, and stomped towards the bench while throwing his hat against the fence. He sat on the bench red-faced and cursing and it took the umpire and his teamates several minutes to convince him that he wasn’t out. Needless to say, our team and the stands were roaring.

6) When we were in our 30’s and 40’s, George and I played overhand fastpitch for the Knights of Columbus After our Sunday games, we would generally go to the Knight’s hall and have a few beers. George often answered the phone there and his standard greeting was “RBI King Smitka speaking, no autographs today”.

7) George and I worked for Mike Roper before we went in the service. Mike was just getting his distributorship started and it was before fork lifts and pallets were in use. All the cases were moved by hand, the only technology we had was gravity fed conveyors the we set up as the situation dictated. We had many humorous moments, for example, when we snickered while Mike was bawling us out for something. Mike would shout at us , “don’t laugh at me, I’m the boss” , and then stomp off as we laughed all the more. George always loved to to tease Mike; one example is years later, we were probably in our 40’s, George and I, surprisingly, were sitting at the bar in Kross’s. It was about noon and in walks Mike with Mo Mormon, a fairly well-known lineman for the Chief’s. We both knew perfectly well who he was but Mike walks over and in a serious mood says “hey you guys, I want you to meet Mo Mormon”. George replied with a straight face, “oh, yeah, you play center field for the Royals”. Mike was momentarily stunned and then blurted out “Chiefs, dammit, Smitka, Chiefs!”. Then Mike turned to Mormon and said “come on Mo, these guys don’t know shit”. Then went to the dining room and we had a great laugh when they were gone.

8) One afternoon George and I went to see the A’s play the Yankees. We sat directly behind home plate on the second deck. The stands were only about half full that day. As the game progressed, George made friends with the beer man who was a black man about 60. The beer man came by again and sat down next to George who kept him entertained. George ordered three beers instead of two and gave one to the beer man which surprisingly he drank. When we were empty, I ordered three more and he drank it too. When we were again empty, the beer man took out three more and said “these are on me”, and we drank those. It is the only time I have ever seen a beer man buy a beer for a customer.

9)George, Earl Evinger, and I used to go hunting a lot before we went into the service. After George got out and I was home on leave, we three went hunting. All the way to Sweet Springs, where we hunted, George kept saying how he had two pair of paratrooper boots that would keep his feet warm and dry and our boots would let our feet get cold and wet. He said we would get pneumonia and he’d have to take us to the hospital. There were two or three inches of snow on the ground that day and when we got there and started putting on our boots, George realized he had grabbed two left boots. He hunted in his street shoes that day and couldn’t say much about his warm paratrooper boots.

10) Another hunting episode involved John Hix, who drove, Frank Manners, Duke Kleihauer, Mike Pleacher, George and I. All six of us piled into John’s new Pontiac about midnight and drove to the Ozarks near Mack’s Creek. We slept, or tried to, the rest of the night in John’s car. We ate a big breakfast in a cafe and then quail hunted all day. As the sun was setting, we were parked out in the country away from everything. Most of us in those days wore bid overalls to hunt in over our street clothes. John, for some mysterious reason, asked George to carry his car keys. George put them in the chest pocket of his bibs. When we got to the car to leave, George unlocked the car and trunk, put the car keys back in his bibs, took them off, rolled them up and put them in John’s trunk along with our guns, clothes, and quail. After the trunk was closed, George started laughing, no one knew why until he finally told us that the keys were in the locked trunk. John said “I’d shoot you but my gun is locked in the trunk”. We had to remove the back seat, tear open the cardboard trunk liner and retrieve the keys.

11) this time I was just a bystander. We and our families used to go to the annual picnic held by the Knights of Columbus at the hall. At that time, Ed Kolich was the Grand Knight, who challenged George to a game of horseshoes for a dollar. George won and Ed, instead of a dollar, gave George a one-dollar raffle ticket on the beef the Council was raffling off. First prize was a side of beef, including free locker service. George cried foul and continued to chide Ed all afternoon about the ticket. Of course, when the drawing was held, George’s ticket was the one selected. It was the only ticket he had.

12) One last story. Before we went into the service, around Christmas time, George, John Hix and I were drinking beer late one afternoon in Kross’s. When we were leaving, for some reason, John and I decided that George was too drunk to drive, when in fact he was no worse than either of us. George in those days had a black ’49 Olds that he called his “cast iron 8”. It was parked right in front of Kross’s front door. We three piled into John’s car and took George home, I think we even put him in bed. Then John and I decided it would be a real good idea if we went back to Kross’s for another beer. We went up Sterling, circled behind Kross’s in the alley, came down Gill Street and turned on Sterling to park behind George’s car. The street was icy and John’s reaction was a bit slow. The net result being, we slid into the back of George’s car doing minor damage to both vehicles. Now we had to go back and wake up George and tell him what happened. That time, he did the laughing.

George, Earl Evinger and I owned a Model A Ford together. George decided he wanted to move the ignition button to the dashboard so he drilled a hole into the dash. What he didn’t know was that the gas tank was located right behind it and so he drilled through the gas tank as well. It immediately starting leaking gas so George put a cork into the hole. This helped but didn’t stop the leak entirely. We drove the car anyway but George made a handwritten sign that said “no smoking” and hung it on the dash. .

There are many more tales that are long forgotten, some including our mutually owned ’29 Pontiac and George’s Model A Ford. Growing up with George was a privilege I’ll cherish forever.

— Don Powell