Growing up in my home town, Iona, Idaho was a lot of fun.  We pretty much had freedom to do what we wanted.  At a young age I remember even helping mom and dad (grandma and grandpa) clean the grocery store.  Dad purchased the store from his dad and we as a family spent many hours helping.  At least for a little guy it seemed like many hours, but it was nothing compared to mom and dad.  Because of the store dad was well know in town and he also took a big interest in sports.

Dad used to groom the baseball fields all the time.  He tried to make them look as professional as he could.  He ran the baseball program for many years with no pay.  (Note, years later they decided to start paying someone to run it and those that ran the town decided to hire someone else.  This was a slap in the face for dad.  The gentleman that was hired ran it into the ground.)

One day there were few older guys playing softball and dad had to leave to run the store.  He told me that when I left, to take the bases with me.  I guess you could say I took after my dad because when it came time for me to leave I started picking up the bases.  I know I probably should have left them, but I did not.  However, there was one guy there (I will leave his name out and just call him guy) that told me to leave the bases and he would bring them over when they finished playing.  I am not sure if it was because of how, he told me or because my dad asked me to pick them up, but I said that I promised to take them with me so I did.

Years later Rich and I would go to the high school during the summer to play basketball.  Rich was now driving so mom and dad did not have to drive us.  On one occasion, the coach asks Rich to go get drinks after practice.  Rich told him that he had me with him and I would have to go.  The coach told him to send me home with someone else.  Rich told the coach as I remember it, that if Doug can’t go, he could not go either so Rich drove me home.  I don’t remember if it was Rich that told me, but I found out later.  I remember feeling that I had the greatest brother in the world.  I also felt hurt that the coach did not want me to go and bad that Rich could not go because of me.

Dad wanted his boys to have opportunity to really grow in sports so he would take us into Idaho Falls to play.  There was more competition in the big town over Iona.  Dad took many of our friends from town and build a team and drove us into town to play.  It was funny that parents of other kids did not put that kind of energy into there own kids, but that did not bother dad because he was spending time with his boys.

We spend many years, for me from 3^rd grade until almost high school, being toted into town to play.  Dad, who carried mail, would run through his route so he could finish early and mom would pick up all the boys and drive into the rec center for games.

We became really good.  We competed very well and if I remember right, we played in many championships.  I believe we even won a few.

With this experience when Rich became a sophomore, he and Mike Davis, who played with us in town, made the JV team.  In fact, the high school coach moved them to varsity during the year if I remember correctly.   Rich was an excellent shot.

I made the 9^th grade team, but always set on the bench.  I did not get much chance to play and when I did, I was so nervous because I wanted to do so well, that I didn’t show very well.

When Rich became a senior, they had tried outs.  I tried my best but I guess I did not have what the coaches wanted so I was cut.  The coach that wanted Rich to go have drinks with them a couple years earlier was one helping make the decision. I always wonder if that had something to do with my failure.  This coach was also friends with the guy that I would not let use the bases.  I never had a good repour with the guy or that coach.  I guess you could say I was like my dad and would speak my mind and they did not like that.  I always thought I played a pretty good game, but I guess not.

After I was cut from the team, Rich told mom and dad that he was going to quit because they would not give me a chance.  Mom and dad told me what he said and I went to him and told him that he better not quick because he is the only reason I would go to the games.  I was proud of my brother.  I used to have girls come up to me all the time and ask me if Rich was my brother.  It was fun being the brother to the high school star.

I knew that my older brother would do anything for me.  I have not always treated him the best, but I was proud to have him as my brother.  Thank you, bro.,