Ann Arbor "Great Event" @ Hollway Field Kicked-off

Posted: Oct 6, 2012 at 7:03 PM [Oct 6, 2012]

The 50th reunion of the 1962 Ann Arbor High School State Championship football team was a "Great Event," Friday, October 5, 2012. The work that everyone did to pull this off was amazing, with special thanks to Mark Quigley and Mary Tobin for being instrumental in making this event something to remember. So many of the players came up to me to express how "thankful" they were to be treated in such a fine manner. You have really set the bar so high for future State Championship Team celebrations.    The food was unbelievable, and not an easy task to pull off as professionally as it was done. Thank you, Mary, for making such a delicious and large quantity of food, which is especially important to ex-football players.  I don't know how you did it, but you did it well!    And Mark, you were great at keeping us on track with your agenda timeline. If it wasn't for you, we would have probably missed the coin toss, the Banner holding, and perhaps even the game itself.  And these weren't the only details that you oversaw last night.   And Ray Pittman, thanks to you and all you did, including your ideas and suggestions every step of the way.  And on top of it all, Ray, you played personal chauffeur for Gary Ulmer, who just got out of the hospital.  You not only drove to Detroit to where he lived, but volunteered to bring him to the Reunion in his wheelchair, and then driving him back home again. Your total commitment to all of this was remarkable and did not go by unnoticed.   And Mary, I want you to know that Jerry Hartman and I went out to teammate Tom Lovell's house this morning, and gave him your booklet of memories and the reunion program (with the team picture).  Tom was so thankful and impressed with your degree of effort that it brought tears to his eyes, and that was before he even saw our signed football.  You made his day, and it meant everything.   And Dale Leslie, thank you for doing all the "on location" interviews for Art Vuolo's Reunion DVD.  I can't wait to see what you prompted these senior citizens to confess to.  I believe that the DVD may help solve some of the 50-year-old open case files at AAHS.     Rick Weid, we appreciate in advance the special mailing to the people that couldn't attend last night.  I will be forwarding the list by email in the next day or so. And then there are the sales of keepsakes that you are doing. A whole lot of work and you voluntarily took it on.  Thank you.    And finally, thanks to Chuck Wilkins, who was extremely level headed and even kneeled when it seemed like the time was right to begin panicking. Chuck never panics, because he never reads my emails. If for some odd reason that you are actually reading this Chuck, I wanted to tell you that your time to claim your lottery ticket has expired, which I had emailed by the deadline last week.     In all seriousness, thanks to everyone.  Now everyone, try to get some rest. It's over. The "Fat Lady" finally sings!   And last, but certainly not least, thanks to head coach Jay Stielstra, who without his leadership in 1962, there wouldn't have been a reunion last night. The perfect season- in more ways than 8-0- is something "the team members have cherished all of their lives." Jay, we did our assignments, and look what happened!   John White  1962 Team Member AAHS, '64 Editor's note:  "John White, a tip of the Pioneer cap to you too!"