Well folks, I was thinking this past week about a milestone coming up in my writing career and since this is column number 2,499, I thought I would dedicate it to my mother who was my biggest supporter in my early years and although she has been gone since 1983, her influence is felt every day of my life. She was a true sports fan and she loved the Yankees and the Baltimore Colts and their awesome quarterback Johnny Unitas. My dad could care less about sports back then but always got under her skin no matter what sport it was. Mom worked almost her entire life, first as a telephone operator until self-dialing came to be and then she decided cooking was her thing and was it ever. She and my dad made homemade donuts for a couple restaurants in town every morning, so I woke up to that smell every day. Then it was on to cook for Mack's Shack first and then on to a career at Ziskes on the corner. The donut days were over by then, but she made a zillion hamburgers for the customers and me of course. (remember when you got 5 burgers for a dollar, take out only) back in the day. I walked from school for lunch there every day. That job kept us going even after my dad passed away in 1969 and she turned her attention to getting me educated at Brown Institute for broadcasting in Minneapolis. She knew that was my passion, play by play sports and I made a  living at it until the late '90's. She loved hearing her son on the radio and listened every chance she had. She has missed so many things over the years, her grandson Aaron at the top of the list. But she never got to see the Twins win the World Series twice. If she visited for a day now, she wouldn't have a clue what a cell phone was or how it worked. She would look at our tv and wonder how events could be up on that huge screen and what the remote was. She would marvel at the cars these days, "what's an electric car?" She never got to see or read my book and see the great things I said about her. She missed so much and passed away at age 70. The internet, oh she would never figure that one out, so I'd have to teach her how to view my website. The one thing that I will never forget about my mom is that she was so proud of her kids no matter what they did, whether she approved or not. All of us were here when she passed and Warren, my brother, would pass in 1989 and my sister Glenna in 2014. Just Jim and I left now and we have different memories of Mom since Jim left for the "Coast in 1958 and I stuck around. She would be excited about my writing for the Aitkin Independent Age for so many years and I guess I am too. I never thought I'd be looking at 2,500 columns over the years and although it's just a number, I have to think about all the people and events I have written about. So many athletes over the years who always told me that they had really made it when their name showed up in Sports Spectrum. It all started with the confidence and love shown by my mom, Gladys Woodrow. She's been gone for 42 years now but her memory still shines bright and always will. Thanks Mom!      

       Well, folks, think about this, 3,653 days, 87,672 hours, 5,260,320 minutes; that's how much time it has been since October 18, 2015, to today. That day will have a place in my mind for the rest of my life. That is the day I lost one of my beloved friends and one of Aitkin's favorite sons. Steve Sandberg has been gone for 10 years now and like most people it seems like yesterday. Tributes came from all corners of the world when the news came out. Most will remember where they were when they heard the shocking news, I certainly do, sitting right where I am now writing this. Our little town has seldom if ever seen a death that affected Aitkin as this one did. I knew Steve most of his life, from his athletic career at Aitkin to the final day. Within that time frame I competed against him on the softball field and sat with him at the scorer's table as the next generation showed their stuff on the basketball court. His signature box of popcorn and bottle of pop became a staple at the games and by games end we had settled the problems of the day and had a quick synopsis of the contest we had just watched. I have written about Steve every year since that day in October, but I can't put it any better than this story. In September of 2015 I had hernia surgery and finally had felt well enough to get to the next Gobbler home football game. I sat by myself on the steps of the alternative school and as the game ended Steve and his brother Brian walked across the field to visit for a few minutes. I told them about my surgery, and they instantly wanted to know if they should walk home with me to make sure everything was okay. I said thanks but I figured I could get there on my own and we said our goodbyes. That was the last time I saw Steve and although I have told this story before, it exemplifies Steve's life. He cared, he always cared and if you needed something he was there to lend a hand. He was always the best of what people are supposed to be. The following winter season I brought a special sign to the basketball games, made by my friend Glen Watson and because of that sign I was able to tell Steve's story to visiting fans and officials for a whole season. I needed that season at that point and I thought of him during every game, and all the time we spent together at that table and talking about life. Ten years later, 3,650 days and my opinion about Steve Sandberg has never wavered. He was simply one of the finest men I have ever met. I miss him like a brother and always will.    Steve is missed by many other people as well, let's hear from some of those closest to him.

Undersheriff Heidi Lenk-"It was always about family, even when he came in on his days off, he always brought his dog along and talked about his family. When Cassie came along, she was the "gleam" in his eye. This wasn't just a loss for our department; it was a loss for our community. The way they turned out for him, the blue lights and everything. He was an honorable man, and we miss him so much. He's the reason we have the Memorial outside of the Office."

Deputy Greg Payment-"I was a young deputy, but he always treated me like he'd known me for a long time. He never looked down on people, no matter who they were. He treated everybody the same."

Deputy Jon Cline-"Steve was my first contact with the Aitkin County Sherrif's Office. He did all my background stuff. I sure miss that guy."

Life-long friend Mike Holder-"10 years, what happened to the time. I remember going to Washington D.C, for the Law Enforcement Memorial. It was so impressive. I miss him terribly-think about him all the time. So many stories."

Former ACS Scott Turner-"It's hard to believe it's been 10 years since we lost Steve. The feelings and emotions of that day are quick to return when I think of him. A husband, a father, a son, brother, investigator, firefighter...and a great athlete. He was always a strong advocate for crime victims, an ardent supporter of Aitkin youth athletics and someone who's opinion on matters of importance I greatly valued. #203 will forever have a place in the hearts of those who knew him."

Friend and teammate Bill Lundberg-"Each year a group of us go on a baseball trip in September. Last month we were in Seattle and toasted Steve and shared tales of previous trips. We miss him terribly. We revisited our adventures with him in places like Cooperstown, Boston, Atlanta, San Diego and Chicago. His loss is felt on every trip. We remember him athletically as a Gobbler, Dragon and lead-off man for the 40 Club. But mostly we think of him as a great supportive friend and a guy who strove to be a good husband and father."

        These ten years have passed so quickly. This Wednesday I will take a seat for a moment of reflection on those steps at Veterans Field before the game and remember that night 10 years ago nearly to the day. I will remember the friend, husband, father, mentor, athlete, public servant and all that Steve was to Aitkin in his years on this earth. I hope you take a moment this week in your busy lives and think about Steve Sandberg, the kind of person we should all strive to be. He is never, ever forgotten!

       Well folks, I could start and end this week with this quote, "I just want our athletes and students to have something that a lot of schools don't, a rehab and preventative sports injury room." It took just five months plus and an idea was transformed into reality. It was the brainchild of Dean of Students and Activities Director at Aitkin High School-Jim Henrickson. He started fundraising and in April and was able to gather some cash in two different ways. He decided to participate in the 51-mile Zumbro Trail run and trained hard for it. The goal was $3,000 and he made a deal. If he didn't complete the race or if they were able to raise that money, he would succumb to a red mohawk haircut. Well, he raised the money, over $12,000 at last count and he has been able to make this room a reality thanks to many sponsors and people who donated either time or money. Unfortunately, he broke his foot during the trail run and had to bow out. That meant the haircut was coming and as you can tell by the picture, he took his medicine. But the main idea was to get this room finished and stocked by the time practice started this fall. The room is a portion of the boys locker-room at the high school, and it has everything. A brand-new ice bath, ice machine, table to work on injuries and more. Gobbler sports trainer Mark Curley and Jim got together, and each wrote out a wish list for what they thought they needed in the cabinets. Those wish lists have been completed and whatever injury or rehab equipment is needed, it's there for students as well as athletes. It will be a year-round facility as long as there is someone in there with the student-athlete. The K.G. Nentl fieldhouse even got an upgrade according to Jim, "I ordered the ice bath for the rehab room and when it came it was too big so I just kept it and sent it over to the fieldhouse for the football team to use and ordered a new one that would fit in the room at the school. I want to thank all the people who helped me make this room happen. Volunteers helped paint the room and put down the rubber flooring and did so much more." It started with an idea and knowing Jim when he gets an idea, it's going to happen, come broken foot or a new haircut. Nice job my friend, this will help Gobbler athletes and students for years to come! 

          Well folks, it’s Homecoming week at Aitkin High School and the festivities have already begun. This week though, let’s go back to the first Homecoming that I remember and that would be the fall of 1961. The events were different back then; the pep fest took place at about 6pm prior to heading to the athletic field for the game. Coronation was held in the afternoon and if you can imagine where the new gym is now, that area used to be a field used for physical education classes, track practice and a ball field in the summer. During the week students were allowed to decorate store windows downtown with prizes awarded. On Homecoming Friday though there was a huge bonfire that everybody attended complete with the cheerleaders firing the fans up and the band playing. It was a great evening to say the least and it seemed like the whole town was there. The king and queen that year was Barb Pearson and Tom Hanlon and their attendants were Bill Kast, Noel Jones, Frank Thompson and Chuck Lyons along with the ladies Joni Soshnik, Beve Beyreuther, Linda Siemers and Bev Tibbetts. The Gobbler football team that season lost the Homecoming game to Staples 19-13, part of a 3-5 season that saw Aitkin lose their final five games. They had wins over Mora, Park Rapids and arch-rival C-I. That game was played at C-I and the Gobblers took their band and two student busses to the contest won by Aitkin 28-7. Ten seniors dotted that lineup and there were some good ones. Buzz Jones and Bill Kast were co-captains, and the rest of the seniors were Jeff Berry, Warnie Graton, Dick Christiansen, Dave Bloomberg, Jerry Hedberg, Bill Daskam, Dale Holm and Chuck Lyons. Wayne Simpson was the head coach that season. I can remember going up to the school and being part of that Homecoming 64 years ago like it was yesterday. The giant bonfire, the cheering students and adults, it was a community event and so much fun. It was the only thing going on in town that week and so everybody got involved. Homecoming, there is nothing better in the fall for fans like me. Don’t miss the events this week and Friday it’s Rush City in town and the weather looks great!
  

       The Aitkin Gobbler class of 1996 lost one of their own recently when Danny Meyer succumbed to Huntington's disease. Danny is the son of former Gobbler basketball coach and teacher Ron Meyer. Ron also lost Michael to the dreaded disease several years ago. Danny was a one-of-a-kind young man. I remember coaching him early in his career and found him to be so respectful and always willing to listen. As he moved on in his athletic career he became quite an athlete. He played football, basketball and baseball and was voted by his classmates as Best Dressed and Biggest Brown-Noser. His senior year in basketball he was voted conference MVP, Sub-Section All-Tournament team and team MVP. His senior teammates on the basketball team included Jeremy Spolarich, Jeremy Rikala and Jason Jacobson to name a few; Joe Hasskamp, Jeff Patnode and Neil Wagner were some of the teammates on the football team. The baseball team included teammates Jeremy Janzen, Nick Franzen and Mychal Fowlds in his group of fellow seniors. But I will always remember the kind young kid who always had a minute to talk and joke around and have fun. The world will miss Danny Meyer and needs more guys like him. He was the among this best the world has to offer.

      Well folks, this past week I was reminded that it’s never too late to connect with a family member that you never knew you had. Thanks to a grave site, some flowers and a lady named Gina I not only found out but was able to meet a cousin that until Friday, I wasn’t aware existed. We were out grocery shopping when Gina, a longtime friend, came up to us and said she had met a man at her work that was looking for flowers for his relative who is buried at Lakeview cemetery. They talked a bit and found out that he had other relatives isn’t the area. Gina, being Gina asked who he might have living in the area and my name came up and she of course said she knew me. A text message and phone call later in the weekend put us at the Roadside Sunday morning for our first meeting and breakfast. Jon and I share the same great-grandfather and had a lot to talk about that morning, and we also share many of the same interests in our lives and as i told Barb when I got home, “sometimes it seemed like I was talking to myself.” We both share a love of baseball, both played softball and both became ASA softball umpires during our younger years. He lived in the Twin Cities when he was younger and came up to Brainerd to play summer baseball in the 90’s and stayed with Aunt and uncle Babe and Oke Swanson. Although he lives in Washington state, he is still a huge Vikings fan. Jon and I talked about our great-grandfather and how he was a constable and saloon keeper in town and some of the stories he had told both of us at different times prior to his passing. He also told me that there are others in the area that are related to him that I don’t know, hmm, guess I’ll have to check that out. It was only an hour, but it was wonderful to connect with Jon, and I look forward to chatting with him in the future. He has some things that belonged to great grandpa Art, and I hope he shares some with me when we meet again. Oh, and one more thing, the first thing I noticed when I met Jon, he has the “Woodrow” nose. Thanks Gina, I owe you one for getting us together and Jon, safe travels and I’ll be here next time you’re in Minnesota. Thanks for the visit!

       Well folks, I start this week with a hope that you will join me in lifting up in prayer a guy who is a friend to many area people, a guy who is a former Gobbler athlete and currently a teacher in the Aitkin schools. Jacob Mehr, a young man who I have known since he was a little boy was severely injured recently when he was doing what he always does, something for his family. (he was trying out a zipline he had built for the kids) He is currently at North Memorial Hospital with a spinal injury that will require months of rehab. I can still picture that little boy that was part of the group that came to visit every day when Barb did daycare. Jacob, along with Jason Esler, Todd Gretschmann and our son Aaron would play all day long before going home and they were quite a crew. I reconnected with Jacob in the past year, and he even helped me get the livestream up and running once last basketball season since I am pretty much techno-challenged. We chatted a several times this past summer as he was coaching his summer baseball team and he did such a good job with those kids. Jake will be going to Craig Hospital for spinal rehab in Denver, Colorado, one, if not the best place in the country for such injuries. This rehab could take up to three months so the Mehr family will bring in 2026 together and looking forward to whatever life will bring them. Jake is a tough kid, and I have rarely seen a family with such faith and courage and determination. They have all of Aitkin supporting them and even though it will take a while I trust that God will be by their side 24/7. 

     If you would like to test your coaching skills Aikin High School is looking for two junior high girls basketball coaches for the upcoming season. If you'd like to apply you can do so online at applitrack.com, Online Employment Application. It's your chance to give your hoops knowledge to some great young players who are developing their skills on the hardcourt.   

       Well folks, it was 48 years ago this past Sunday when we were at the hospital with what we hoped would be our first child. There had been a few bumps in the road over the course of the pregnancy but nothing that we thought would be a real problem. Nothing could have prepared us for what would happen over the course of the next twelve hours. There was suddenly a lot of pain and finally after an eternity of discussion by the doctors, the decision was made to go in and take the baby. It was honestly the baby or my wife and there was no decision there. The doctor took the baby and there was no life there, lungs that didn't develop and other problems and our world was turned upside down. We would be going home without the baby we had wished and hoped for Time went by and years passed, and we decided that things would be different this time. Barb would see the same doctor every appointment and when the time came for the delivery that doctor would be the one who would deliver our baby. My longtime friend Ed Rosenbaum would be that guy, and things went smoothly and as Barb always reminds us that while she was having Aaron, Ed and I were singing like we did back in high school. The word I always used was responsibility The sadness wouldn't go away for a long, long time, years for sure but when we reached the end of this black tunnel, in 1986 came a little bundle we would call Aaron. We will never forget Michael, but we learned so much from losing him that we were ready and proactive when Aaron came along. We could place blame, including ourselves when that dark night ended but life is too short. I also know that there are those of you who have had these same experiences over the years and know how we feel but God always does things for a reason, right? 48 years have gone by, and I still think of that horrible night, but it gave me a new perspective. We have a wonderful son that we may not have even met had things been different and I wouldn't trade that crazy guy for anything in the world. Please hug your kids every chance you can, as we all know, the world can change in an instant.

  

      Well folks, the school year has started now and the 2025-26 sports season is underway. We have looked at some of the teams coming up here in the fall but this week let's check out four of the athletes from the past who are getting it done on the college front this season.

Jessica Much

The former Gobbler is a junior at Fairleigh-Dickinson and is playing the libero position for the Knights.

Jacob Williams

The former Gobbler who amassed nearly 4,000 yards rushing in his career is a freshman at Southwest Minnesota State University at Marshall. He looks to make his mark at running back for the Mustangs.

Baylie O'Neil

This former Gobbler of last year will hope to shine as an outside hitter for the Red Raiders of Central Lakes College in Brainerd.

     We'll keep an eye on these athletes this season and best of luck to them all in their college endeavors.

     The Gobblers victory over the Denfeld Hunters last week in volleyball was a huge confidence builder for this senior laden team. Their turnaround after a set one loss was great to see and they took the match over, something we hope to see more of as the season progresses.

      The Vikings certainly didn't hurt themselves with the trade that brought Adam Thielen back to Minnesota last week. He will be playing right away and his popularity among fans is out of sight. I can't wait to see how J.J. McCarthy and the rest of this Vikings crew does when the season starts next Monday against the Chicago Bears.     

      Well folks, nine months ago I talked about to you about teammates and how good ones will always have your back and take care of you when needed. I am back this week to tell you about the loss of one of those teammates and how tough that loss can be. Since her surgery in February to remove a cancerous leg our little dog has lived her best life. A new fence gave her the freedom to run the yard without fear of getting into the street and her ability to be off her leash most of the time. She chased squirrels and chipmunks and birds, knowing full well she would never catch one and what to do if she did. It was a great life for the little dog and she loved it. She would lay in the backyard for hours and watch the world go by. She didn't seem to lose a step with three legs and people she met on her walks marveled at her love of life and her ability to move around like the little tripod she was. Less than two weeks ago she was still going for her walks everyday and it appeared nothing was wrong. She had never had a seizure before but all of a sudden she had a number in a 24 hour period and we were at a loss at to what was causing them. A visit to the vet brought no answers but with some medication we hoped it would control them until we found out what was wrong. Our little teammate needed our help but we couldn't help her. Then after a four-day period of being lethargic and needing help to go outside once again we knew we were going to have to make another decision. One week ago we were back at the vet and deciding that with so many things going against her we were not going to get our little dog back. There was no guarantee that that would happen even with treatment and so with tears in our eyes we told the doctor that we needed to let Jaz go. Barb held her and for the first time in four days she let us touch her and pet her and comfort her. As the first shot started to take effect she looked at me and said "It's okay Dad, I'm ready to cross the rainbow bridge and meet Malcolm and Echo and say hi to Tigger and Ella." The vet assistant put her on the table and we said our final goodbyes, I told her thank you and I love you and then it was over. Again for the second time we asked ourselves if we had done the right thing but I knew when she looked at me that final time she was ready to say goodbye to the pain. The healing has begun but every day I have to hold Juno, our cat, and try to tell him that it's okay, his buddy was gone but not forgotten. Other pets know, they really do and Juno misses his friend that he has had for over ten years. It's very difficult for Barb since I am gone many nights in the winter covering sports because Jaz was a constant companion. Tough for me because she was always waiting on the couch for me to get home. I will miss my little girl and all the time we spent on the front porch in the summer waving at cars and enjoying people that stopped to say hello. She will most definitely be our last dog but we will remember them all. I have to give a shout-out to Iron Range Veterinary Clinic for all the help they have given us in the past two weeks. They helped make Jaz's journey a little easier and I think they were as sad as we were on that final trip. I knew this day would come but nothing makes it easier or prepares you for it. Another teammate gone and this one really hurts. I know you have all gone through this so you understand. Jaz, you were the best, right there with Echo but each of you had your own special life. God bless you and know that I will always miss you my little girl!