Mike Selak:  

It is a long tale, but will be brief here. (edited again 7/14/22 so not so brief anymore. As it is less likely we will meet again I am sharing some stories I thought some will be interested in.) It's not the years, it's the mileage. I've the hurdlers hip and arthritic feet to prove it. Since my senior year hamstring catastrophe continued with athletics mainly 4 wall handball learned at WSU while working on my degrees. During that time I almost won the lottery in 1971 but finished No. 2 in the draft lottery. With my college deferment was ranked 1Y, would have been inducted after graduating in 1974 but the draft ended in 1973. Managed/played adult softball. Flag football, tennis, ice hockey, et al. Worked full time as a Registered Professional Civil Engineer for over 40 years, half in civil service and half as a consultant mainly on public water supply and pollution control projects. Now retired from full time, always the gadfly and an advocate for our civilization. The April 1970 first Earth Day led me to my lifelong avocation. Some may recall we were able to take an excused absence and some us went to WSU for their symposium. Was married once and have 3 adult offspring all married in the area and 5 grandsons. Youth coached soccer, floor hockey, managed ice hockey for Coach Ron Larson 2 years and a lot of baseball. Several years of care giving of an uncle, my Dad, my Mom who passed away at 103 in 12/18, a cousin and always those in need . Back in 2001 when I finally had about a few minutes (lol) I looked up and took Coach Kluck to dinner in thanks for his duty. Most of us probably didn't know he served in the Navy PT boat service in the Pacific. After my Dad passed away in 2008 2 weeks short of his 93rd, I helped the Coach maintain his living independence for several years until a stroke not long before he passed in 1/17. DPS Mackenzie Stag grads, Coach's older bro had an important role in WWII Europe as an Army railroad specialist learned as a Stag which averted him from moving up during the Battle of the Bulge. I had several family members who served and several who have served rarely spoke of some of the horrors experienced or of fate. Coach explained one day a routine hike to the supply ship was interrupted by their skipper who directed Nick to stay with him for another task and the crewman continued on for supplies. He never made it back because the enemy bombed the supply ship. Coach was friends with his lost crewman and regarded the incident as a dam shame, It was months before they were able to recover remains from the bombed service vessel, Coach's training skipper out east in the Atlantic was the movie double for John Wayne in They Were Expendable filmed near their training base. My dog Mo missed the Coach treating him to pizza every 2 weeks. He was the last of OHS original mens coaches and is buried at Great Lakes National Cemetery. Learned some about OHS that was maybe not commonly known. Coach Dop. and AD/Coach Rutherford both served in the Army during WWII. Before serving as an artillery spotter our AD was Wayne U. QB. When OHS was organizing, our AD tried to get our nickname to be the Patriots, hence our red, white, and blue colors. Maybe Knights arose from West Point Black Knights of the Hudson. Before the gym complex was built the basketball practices were held at Richard in the early 60's. Too tight under the boards. At the wake gathering for our AD, Pat Sorise and I reflected and many wondered why I never played football. During 10th grade after I was moved to va...Expand for more