"This book is not just about a team, it's about a community - they cannot be separated. This is a must read for anyone with Halstad connections and a should read for people who are interested in the social history of small town America."
Paul Dovre
Past President, Concordia College
Moorhead, Minnesota
And husband of Mardeth Bervig, former Halstadite
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Monday, April 28, 2008
Order Pirates on the Prairie Online
Pre-order Pirates on the Prairie by calling 1.800.278.1292. We expect the book to ship July 21.
$17.95 + shipping & tax (no sales tax outside of Iowa)
$17.95 + shipping & tax (no sales tax outside of Iowa)
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Pre-Order Pirates on the Prairie!
We are getting very excited as the Pirates on the Prairie publication date is looming closer. In the meantime, you can pre-order your copy of Pirates on the Prairie by calling 515.278.1292. The cost of the book is $17.95 + shipping & tax (no sales tax outside of Iowa). Pirates on the Prairie should be finished within the next few weeks. You can also e-mail erika.stennes@resourcesunlimited.com with any questions.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
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
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
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
"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 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.
Friday, February 15, 2008
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."
Read "Small-town spirit recalled."
Thursday, August 2, 2007
Pirates On The Prairie
Eric Bergeson takes readers back to the early fifties – a time when a small Midwestern community followed its sports teams through two state tournaments.Bergeson examines life in rural Minnesota and relives the excitement generated by a group of guys who became the “darlings of Minnesota.”
Expected publication date is June 2008. Call 515.278.1292 or email Clarence@Stennes.com for details.
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