Pirates on the Prairie Sponsor Heading to Norway

Clarence Stennes, sponsor of Pirates on the Prairie, is celebrating his 70th birthday in Norway in May 2011. He and his family are vacationing in Oslo, Bergen, Odda, and Flam, Norway. He is taking along copies of the Pirates on the Prairie book to give to his Norwegian relatives.

Pirates on the Prairie by Minnesota Author Eric Bergeson - New Documentary Book About Minnesota Sports History

DES MOINES, IA (08/04/2008) -- Pirates on the Prairie chronicles the achievements of a remarkable group of athletes, the Pirates, who explode out of tiny Halstad, MN, population 500, in 1952, much to the amazement of the Minnesota media and fans who quickly learn to love them.

Author, nurseryman, and American history lover, Eric Bergeson, of Fertile, MN, carefully traces the development of Halstad's homegrown Pirates, their classmates, and families, while also bringing vividly to life the environment that nourishes them. Readers become part of the seemingly ordinary day-to-day dynamics in Halstad, from the home lives of the players to the play-by-play reports of their movements on the court-and in the field.

Gradually Pirates on the Prairie answers its fundamental question-how did this happen? What enabled this particular group of boys, at this time, in this place, to perform the larger- than-life feats that earned them third place in the 1952 Minnesota state boys basketball tournament and first in the 1953 state baseball tournament-both against much larger, big-city schools? As excitement builds and hopes grow stronger, readers learn about-or in some cases recall-life in small-town America, when communities worked hands-on together to support and develop their children. At the same time, we detect a foreboding undercurrent-a realization that this will also be a story of loss. For Pirates on the Prairie also documents a profound change in rural American culture that those with small-town roots still feel today.

"This book is not just about a team, it's about a community-they cannot be separated," says Paul Dovre, past president of Concordia College in Moorhead."

Hiram Drache, well-known historian and author of a dozen historical documentaries, states, "The story [is] cleverly woven into a social-economic and cultural history of what was happening in agriculture and small towns throughout rural America . . . Bergeson has done a splendid job."

The writing of this book was first and foremost a labor of love made possible by Clarence Stennes, a Halstad native who hired Eric Bergeson to research and write the story in time for Halstad's 125th reunion, July 19, 2008. The book, greeted with great enthusiasm at that event, is now available in selected Minnesota Thrifty White drug stores, book stores, libraries, and online at http://www.piratesontheprairie.com/.

Call 515.278.1292 or email info@piratesontheprairie.com for interview requests and Pirates on the Prairie book signing information.

Excerpts from Hiram Drache Foreword

My first thoughts after finishing a very enjoyable few hours reading this book were that it could have been titled, A Little Boy’s Heroes; The Rise and Decline of A Small Town; or A Nostalgic Journey. I was born and lived in a small farm-service village in southern Minnesota. After graduating from country school I rode the first bus in the community that transported students to high school in Owatonna, Minnesota.

While reading the story I thought back to my days when we country students occasionally were referred to as “dumb farmer,” “plow jockey,” “hayseed,” or “hick” by the big-time city kids, an experience had by many others during the transition years from the last 1920s to the 1950s after which the country schools basically disappeared from the scene. This was a strong theme that author Eric Bergeson used throughout the story. Bergeson, a very successful nurseryman in the Red River area, uses his writing talents to provide weekly columns for area newspapers making him an excellent choice to write this account for he was aware of the transition. In some respects the story seems to be a fantasy, cleverly woven into a socio-economic and cultural history of what was happening in agriculture and small towns throughout rural America….

The achievements of a small number of highly motivated and team-centered athletes united the residents with the sense of community and pride. This is what makes the story unique. Bergeson has done a splendid job weaving these events into a free-flowing, interesting, and enjoyable read.

Accolades go to Clarence Stennes who made his heroes from the fifth grade come to life by providing the means to record part of his hometown history for future generations to enjoy. He collected material for a half century to make this fine addition to Americana possible.

Hiram M. Drache
History Professor Emeritus
Concordia College
Moorhead, Minnesota

"The Man Behind the Book"

Foreword written by Clarence Stennes

Pirates on the Prairie has been a three-year adventure for me. The people I have met and the stories I have heard have all contributed to an incredible journey. During this process I have been asked a number of times, "Why are you doing this?" My answer has always been, "It is something I have wanted to do for a long, long time."

Even after moving to Iowa 45 years ago, my ties to the Halstad area remain strong and enduring. I was born in a hospital located in the center of Halstad (population 575). I grew up nearby on a 400-acre farm, now designated a "Century Farm" that is still in our family today. I developed so many wonderful friendships in Halstad, friendships that are still part of my life today.

The impetus for this book was the significant impact the events and players back in 1952 had on me and the Halstad community. I was a mere fifth grader when this group of guys took the entire Halstad area on a memorable ride that was as much a dream as an actual experience. In 1952 expectations for success had been building for a couple of years. We followed every basketball game either in person or on the radio (Remember, we did not have television back then.). My grade school friends and I viewed "The '52 Team" with awe and adulation. Seeing one of them in the hallway was cause to stand back and stare. Seeing Ted Williams or Mickey Mantle would have been no more exciting than seeing a member of "The '52 Team" casually meandering down the street.

The larger-than-life image created by these five guys was not only about their success in sports. They all had a confident dignity, making them even bigger heroes to a young grade-schooler. Fifty-five years later, when I became reaquainted with The Starting Five, they still possessed that same quality of control and self-confidence. It is no wonder they had such an impact upon me back in the early '50's.

For years I thought the exploits of Akason, Hesby, Holm (pictured to the right), Serum, and Thompson should be chronicled. However, I never carried it any further. Then, I began noticing Eric Bergeson's newspaper columns and a light went on: Here was a guy who wrote beautifully and better yet, he was from small-town, northern Minnesota. He would be perfect to write the book!

Eric and I agreed from the start that Pirates on the Prairie should be more than a sports book that recreates the successes of a basketball team and a baseball team from a small town in Minnesota. It should be a book about the background of a small town in northwestern Minnesota. It should be a book that also looks at the history and uniqueness of the little town of Halstad. It should be a book that looks into the lives of the players and the coaches. Where did these young men come from, what influenced them, and how did they develop into such outstanding athletes and coaches? Eric did a masterful job researching, reading, and interviewing. Eric Bergeson has retold this story in a typical, Eric Bergeson manner.

Pirates on the Prairie would never have happened without the support of my wife, Barbara. When obstacles presented themselves, she encouraged me to go ahead with a life-long dream, and she provided me with many helpful ideas along the way. Lori DeLong, who lives in Halstad, helped me every time a photo was needed or a page had to be turned. Kathy Myers, the publisher, generously guided me with her expertise and creativity. I also appreciate the assistance of Ron Laqua, Amy Hoey, and Erika Stennes. These people and countless others turned this childhood experience into an adult adventure.

Pirates on the Prairie Featured in the Fargo Forum

An article in today's Fargo Forum features Pirates on the Prairie author, Eric Bergeson and Halstad, Minnesota native, Clarence Stennes, who wanted to tell the story of the 1952 basketball team featured in the book.

Read "Small-town spirit recalled."