Omission of Founder From Story Appalling
I am writing in response to the “Morton Timber Tourney Turns 40” article published March 26 (page Sports 1).
It left me speechless. I am baffled that anything could be written about the rich tradition behind the tourney without mentioning the tourney’s founder, especially because the tourney’s founder was also a part of that team that helped the town turn the corner, as is mentioned in the article, and a teammate of Sweetie Suter’s when Sweetie scored those 40 points to dominate the game in 1962.
The tourney’s founder was the high school coach when he started the tourney as the fundraiser for the local youth sports programs.
The tourney’s founder was responsible for that raw passion running through the veins of the town when Morton basketball was at its best and when several of those famous players came to Morton to play.
The tourney’s founder was the coach who sparked that fiber in the souls of the players and fans, as the article mentions, and he did it for many years.
The tourney’s founder is my father, and his name is Ron Nilson. Many people reading this know that. Many people reading this should be ashamed that his name was left out.
As one of the article’s contributors mentioned, I am also proud of where I was born and raised. I am also proud that the tourney has grown to such great heights and has survived the test of time.
I do think credit is due to those who have continued to run it for so many years. But when talking about the rich tradition behind the tourney, when talking about the tradition that began in ’62 and ran through the establishment of the tourney, when talking about the basketball community at that time, failing to mention Coach Nilson’s name is an absolute travesty.
Of course, in the scheme of Morton basketball tradition, I am just a youngster and wasn’t around to witness it when it was at its best. After all, I was just 8 months old when my dad led his team to that awesome ’87 championship. And I was still a baby when my dad was subsequently treated so unfairly by so many of those he thought of as family and friends.
I was only a baby when his future as the coach was unfairly ripped out of his hands by the school board and others back then.
So no, I don’t know what it was like back then. I wasn’t given that chance. And I wasn’t even given the chance to hear all the stories because what was done to him still hurts him too badly to talk about.
But I do know that ’87 marked the beginning of the end to the strong tradition in Morton. And I wish so badly that my dad would’ve been allowed to remain at the helm of Morton basketball. If he would have, the town would not have gone a quarter of a century without bringing home a state championship. I know that with certainty.
Sunshine (Nilson) Nunogawa
Auburn
Obama’s Enmity Toward Israel Ruining U.S.
President Barack Obama, by his hatred of Israel, is leading America into a providential calamity. Obama should stop embracing Islam and respect the Judeo-Christian Bible, which is the basis of America’s Constitution.
Obama should personally note God’s word regarding his flawed character; Isaiah 5:
“Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.
“Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight; who acquit the guilty for a bribe; but deny justice to the innocent.”
Obama believes he is more wise and more clever than America’s Founding Fathers —pure arrogance!
Regarding Obama’s hatred of Israel, we Americans and our Congress should understand God’s word in Genesis 5:
“I will bless those who bless Israel and whoever curses Israel I will curse.”
By conspiring with Iran and cursing Israel, Obama has put America in the same camp with terrorist Iran. “Those who curse Israel will be cursed.”
Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and a curse upon those who curse Israel.
Obama is transforming America’s blessings into a curse.
Richard Block
Centralia
Cop’s Killing of Cat With Hammer Disgusting
I cannot believe anyone in their right mind would take a hammer to an injured cat and kill it, rather than treating it humanely.
There surely must have been something else that could have been done. Cut the barbed wire and take the poor thing to a vet. I am disgusted by the cop’s action.
Nancy Sjoberg
Cinebar
