Lafayette County WI Archives History - Books .....Tug-Of-War 1976
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com January 28, 2008, 10:26 pm

Book Title: A History Of Blanchardville, Gem Of The Pecatonica

Tug-Of-War

    This rough and tough team went by the name of the Blanchardville Sod Busters
and was organized in the early spring of 1968. Lawrence Huber and Albie Swenson
were the founders of the group.

    Members of the first team were Duane Ellingson, Vernus Cassidy, Coach
Lawrence Huber, Fred Kolb, Robert McGowan, Fabian Loeffelholz, Amos Moen, Mike
Mulcahy, Charles Miess, Don Wedig, and anchor man, Ralph Hanson. The rope was
180 feet long and 1 1/4 to 2 inches thick.

    The expressions on the faces, bulging muscles, digging in the ground with
their heels was a sight to see.

    Most of the men on the team were farmers and used to the gruelling
experience. The matches were usually at celebrations held in small communities.

    In 1971 the Sod Busters ended their season as South Central Champions with
51 wins and 11 losses.

    The trophies won by the Sod Busters are at the Village Inn in Blanchardville.

    The female counterparts of the Sod Busters consisted of two teams: the
Blanchardville Go-Go, Cheryl Erickson, Bertha Mulcahy, Eloise McGowan, Marie
Meyer, Norma McKeon, Betty Cassidy, Eileen Johnson, Cyrilla Wedig, Marlene
Jeglum, Clara Strommen, Nancy Dammen, Eva Kammerude, Gloria Erickson, Katherine
Hanson, and Irene Baker; and the Pecatonica Queens, Marie Meyer, Audrey
Klosterman, Lyla Dearth, Marlene Jeglum, Lydia Gilson, Debra Hanson and Lori
Hanson.

    A special Tug of War called "The Snow Flake" was held Dec. 28, 1969 at Mt.
Vernon. It was between the Sod Busters and the Mt. Vernon Wildcats with the snow
knee deep. Each man looked like Frosty the Snowman when the pulls were finished
and the Sod Busters won both pulls.

    The tug of war teams were sponsored by the Blanchardville Businessmen and
the Village Inn.

   Helmer Swingen was a member of an early Primrose team.


Additional Comments:

Extracted from

A History of Blanchardville, Gem of the Pecatonica


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