By John Littell
Photos By L.G. Patterson

I’ve never pawned anything in my life — not because I’m rich and don’t need the money, but because I’m so poor that I own nothing of value. A quick survey of the dusty firetrap I call home reveals a 20-inch TV I bought in 2001 for $89.95 (it’s a Yamakazi that I was told was an up-and-coming brand); a microwave oven circa 1969 — one that can cause pacemakers to malfunction; and a computer that was marketed to the public soon after the debut of UNIVAC in 1951. That’s it. No gold jewelry, no diamond earrings, no state-of-the-art electronics, no firearms, no silverware, no musical instruments, no coins or stamps or fine art. If a burglar ever busted down my door and cased the joint, he’d probably leave me a stolen Blu-ray player out of pure pity.

Bar None

That’s why I was somewhat apprehensive about visiting the Family Pawn store at 2416 Paris Road. Oh, I have a family that I would gladly pawn, but I doubt anyone would pay cash money for the lot of them.

On the way there, I pictured a dilapidated building in a gritty industrial zone. Inside the poorly lit interior, I was sure to find some old guy sporting galluses and a green eyeshade pulled low over his shifty eyes.

Boy, was I wrong! The shop is housed in a handsome, red brick building with ample parking space. It’s just after 9 a.m., but the place looks busy already. People are coming and going in a steady stream.

Inside the double glass doors, I spot a man in a blue polo shirt and ask him where I can find Steve, the store manager. “Steve?” he says. “We had to fire him. He showed up drunk again.”

I stand there like the idiot I am, wondering what to do. “We had an appointment,” I say lamely, hoping this Steve character is in the nearest bar, so I could join him.

The guy behind the counter flashes a smile that could light up the night. “I’m Steve,” he says, laughing, and holding out his hand. We shake, but I’m thinking, damn, this means no bar.

Nickel Tour

The main sales floor is one large, brightly lit room, chock-a-block with items as bulky as gigantic amplifiers and as petite as diamond rings.

“How about the nickel tour?” Steve asks.

I’m aboard, my head swiveling 360 degrees like the victim of demonic possession, trying to take in the whole lot at once without much success.

Everything on display was either purchased to sell, or was not redeemed by the pawnee (not a slam on feckless American Indians). That’s how the shop makes money, kinda. It offers small, short-term loans based on collateral physically held in-house. The price paid is based on what the item might sell for in case the borrower suddenly moves to Pittsburgh and doesn’t at least pay the interest. Family Pawn will also purchase things outright from individuals, wholesalers and other sources.

“Let’s begin with the music section,” my guide says.

I am immediately confronted with a wall of sound, not literally, but shelf after shelf of audio equipment that looks wicked, sleek and sophisticated. I have no idea what all these machines do, but I know my life is not complete without one.

“You remember in the old days, when stereo equipment came in components, but today everything is in one small package. That’s what the customer wants,” Steve says. “I understand how much you might have paid for huge speakers back in the day; they’re not worth much now.”

Quick Study

The televisions displayed are mostly flat screen, “Star Wars” wannabes bragging they are LCD, LED and plasma technology, whatever that means. Somehow, I don’t think they’d be interested in my blurry Yamakazi.

That’s the thing about electronic equipment in the pawn shop; it has to be the latest and greatest or it pays the least — or nothing at all. Last year’s technology, apparently, is not worth the circuit board it was printed on.

Some guitars and amplifiers, though, are different, I learn. Les Paul and Fender guitars from a bygone era are much sought after. “There’s a whole group of people who travel around the country, hitting all the pawn shops, searching specifically for those brands,” Steve says. “So if we get a ’57 Les Paul, we know where to find them.”

It’s an almost instant sale.

I spot some overgrown amplifiers and exhibit my ignorance once again. “Those are old and bulky, and must not be worth a lot,” I say confidently.

“Far from it,” Steve says. “Tube amps like Ampex and Marshall are very popular with people who seek out the nostalgic sound they provide.”

The Ampex is on sale for $899, which shows what I know.

You Can Look It Up

Steve, by the way, is Stephen M. Weise, store manager and pawnbroker extraordinaire. He enjoyed a long career in the restaurant and hospitality business, advancing from waiter to associate general manager of what is now the Holiday Inn Select. After 16 years there, he moved on to the wholesale food business with Sysco Corp. Later, he became executive director of the Tiger Hotel.

Four years ago, Weise arrived at Family Pawn and was glad he made the move. “I think a background in the hospitality industry prepares you for pawnbroking,” the 47-year-old says. “You learn to deal with the public and not come unraveled at the slightest problem. No matter how you stretch it, it’s still the service industry.”

Married with two children, he has lived in Columbia since 1982, and is “very much involved with the Boy Scouts of America. For 20 years, I shot competitively, and I like to think I know pistols, but my scores don’t reflect that,” he says with a laugh.

“You have to be a professional at everything. It’s like being a lawyer. You don’t have to know everything, you just have to know where to look it up,” he says.

Trumpet Of Doom

Suppose your son decides he’s going to take up the trumpet. You can go to a music store and spend a grand or more on a horn. The next week, like all kids, he changes his mind and decides he’d rather play hoops instead.

“We deal in brass instruments,” Weise says. “This one here is $245. Newer music students are referred to us all the time.” For which Dad’s wallet thanks you.

There are numerous gaming systems available, but like audio equipment, they go out of style quickly. “Last year’s Xbox was the hottest thing ever. But the new Elite, with 250 gigs of memory, makes them look like dinosaurs. There’s still a market for the older ones, but it’s declining,” Weise says.

Declining to nil is the market for music CDs. This comes as a shock to me because I always considered the 8-track tape the pinnacle of technology. Guess not. Weise says everybody gets their tunes from the Internet and downloads them to devices like iPods, which are also in stock. The new models can hold up to 20,000 songs.

I’m looking at a row of acoustical guitars. At the end of the line are a couple of short, stout instruments. They look like a guitar’s fat kid brother. Weise notices my perplexed expression, and says, “Oh, those are mandolins.” Ah, perfect for the madrigal group I’m thinking of forming. Even with my 8-tracks, who says I’m not hep about music?

R2D2

In the corner is a rotund shop vac that looks for all the world like an economy model R2D2 It is surrounded by machinery of all descriptions, their function a total mystery to me.

“Tools are a huge market,” Weise says. The pawn shop has chain saws, circular saws, welding equipment, toolboxes and compressors, to name just a few items.

“Depending on what you need, it’s sometimes cheaper to buy equipment here than to rent it. Not all the time,” he adds, “but it’s worth a look.”

Near the tools are microwave ovens that won’t cause pacemakers to explode, knives of all description, archery goods, and ammo. Unaccountably, there is a fencing suit and foil mounted on the wall. Touché.

The thing about tools, Weise says, is it’s a seasonable business. “The first day it gets cold, I guarantee we’ll have 5 to 10 customers looking for snow blowers. In the spring, they’ll bring them right back in.”

Bullpen

As large as it is, the main sales floor cannot display all the merchandise Family Pawn has in stock. Waiting in the bullpen are a variety of goods pending their chance to make the big leagues.

There is a row of bicycles that could supply Tour de France riders with all the spares they’d ever need, some honking big snow blowers that look suitable for riding on the interstate, and, curiously, a hot dog cart. A hot dog cart? “Why not?” Weise says with a shrug. Add a red-striped umbrella, and you’d be ready to open your own small business, I suppose.

“I always try to stay about six months ahead of what’s going on,” Weise says. “The bicycle season has peaked, but they are in demand during the spring.”

If he ever has too many of an item, he has the luxury of calling the other four stores in the chain to see if they are short on anything.

Once Upon A Pawn

The pawn end of the business is housed in a separate room behind the counter. These are the things that people have left as collateral for a loan. “Let’s say you want to pawn a rifle that I know is worth $240 to $260. I’ll lend you $100, and charge you $15 a month for 90 days. So you’ll owe me $145 at the end of the period. Redeem it after 30 days, and the bill is $115. If you choose not to get your rifle back, or don’t have the money, it becomes the property of the store, and we are entitled to sell it.

“If you are short after 90 days, I’ll extend the terms for a month, if you pay the interest,” he says. Conceivably, it is possible to have something on pawn until the end of time. “I have a rifle here that’s going on year 17. I’m sure it’s a family heirloom or something,” he says. “But three out of 10 people, you’ll never see again.”

Up front are gray metal compartments for the smaller items pawned. They look like gym lockers for little people in a big world. In the back are a couple of sinister-looking crotch rockets that seem to be going 100 miles per hour standing still. I am told that a mere seven grand will put me aboard one of those bad boys if they come off contract.

Fakes & Frauds

I ask Weise if he’d be interested in buying my Rollex watch. He looks dubiously at the spelling on the face. “Rolex is the No. 1 copied thing,” he says. “There are five indicators on a Rolex that are flags. A lot of times, the customer is shocked that the watch he paid thousands for is worth only $6 or $7.”

I’m not shocked because I paid $4.50 for mine. Two and a half bucks is not a bad profit, but then, how would I know what time it is — within an hour or two, anyway?

Weise says they have a similar problem with some jewelry that is offered to them for sale. “I’ve heard some heartbreaking stories. A person comes in and wants a certain amount for a diamond ring and it’s not even real,” he says, shaking his head.

Fortunately, the store employs a licensed master jeweler to sift the real sparklers from the cubic zirconia.

And don’t even think about spray painting a lump of metal and trying to pass it off as gold. Weise produces a small testing kit that not only determines if the gold is real, but what karat it is. “It’s MacGyver-simple,” he says. “Foolproof.”

To make sure everything they buy is legit, they send a computerized list of the day’s purchases to the police department, which makes it available to law enforcement agencies nationally. If anything turns up stolen, they’ll know it pretty quick

“We have seller’s IDs on file, as well as in-store surveillance videos, so it’s not a big problem,” Weise says. “It only happens a few times a year.”

Fix-It Shop

Like the five employees in the store, all the merchandise here is expected to work. “When we buy something,” Weise says, “the first thing we do is clean it up and invest a little TLC. Then we make sure it works properly. Sometimes, something will run fine for 15 minutes, then goes down.” In that case, he calls his small engine guy to find out what’s wrong with the thing. “That’s happened once or twice,” he says. “Now I’ve got the purchase price to consider, but the repair costs as well.

“One of the things about this industry is that you’ve got to be on guard for people just trying to unload something that’s not working well.”

Family Pawn, in addition to its sundry other functions, acts as a fix-it shop. The staff will make simple gun repairs in house, but if it’s more complicated, there’s a gunsmith in the Springfield area available.

“He’s a rock star,” Weise says.

Musical instrument repairs can also be done on the premises, guitars restrung and cleaned for a small fee.

“We have all the equipment any standard jewelry store would have,” Weise adds. They can clean, restore, and even customize pieces to enhance their value.

Computers, which may be virus-riddled, are cleaned by a technical wizard on retainer, and are sold squeaky clean, without the squeak.

Firearms

Racks of rifles provide a backdrop behind the counter. To the side are several glass cases displaying a variety of lethal-looking handguns. “We buy a lot of the handguns new because we don’t get many on pawn,” Weise says. “We don’t like to do that because there’s no money in it at all. But we want to keep up with the public and their demands.” Shotguns, he says, especially the higher end ones, are expensive, but the real market is for “everyday deer rifles.” Like snow blowers and lawn mowers, rifles are a seasonal sale. Right before deer season, the demand is high. Right after, the demand is for short-term loans on the same guns.

Each Family Pawn store is a federally licensed firearms dealer. “You have to maintain anatomically correct books, which is a good thing,” he says.

Gold In Them Thar Stores

Family Pawn has seen a huge increase in the amount of precious metals coming through the door. “We used to take the ‘melt,’ that’s gold jewelry that’s been broken, run over, or split in half, to the refiner maybe twice a year. Now, with the prices so high, I’m doing it twice a month,” Weise says.

You’ve seen those ads on TV touting the highest price for gold. All you do is put your the stuff in an envelope and mail it off to some company you never heard of. Probably not a good idea, Weise says. Who knows who you’re dealing with? And beware of the traveling dog-and-pony shows that descend on a city for a few days, then disappear into the wildwood. If you’ve got gold to sell, try a pawn shop first.

Jewel Box

The extensive jewelry section occupies most of a series of glass-topped display cases that form an oval island in the center of the store. Diamonds and rubies and sapphires — oh, my! — are on sale. “We don’t buy new jewelry,” Weise says. “But we have complete facilities for customizing.” There are fashion rings, engagement rings, ring rings and tennis bracelets (funny, I can’t remember anyone ever playing tennis while sporting a batch of diamonds, but I only know poor people).

That suddenly gives me an idea. “What if some cheap-o guy like me bought a big stone, had the setting customized, then presented it to my girlfriend for Christmas? Who’d ever know?”

“It’s been done before,” Weise says, laughing. “But be sure to switch boxes.”

Consumer Caveat

Family Pawn is a paradise for bargain hunters if — the operative word — they know what they’re doing. That means having a good idea of what things cost new and used, so they’ll be in a position to haggle.

“Hey, Steve, how much is that organ over there?” I ask, curious.

“Oh, I don’t know,” he says. “Make me an offer.”

I have no idea if it’s worth $2 or $2 million, which puts me at a distinct disadvantage (either amount is out of my price range, anyway)

“Do you encourage customers to bargain with you?” I ask.

“It’s a must,” he says with a laugh. “I have some customers that come in weekly, check out the jewelry, and before I know it, these ladies have me by the arm, practically throwing me to the floor, bargaining fiercely.”

Here, you can name your own price. The pawnbroker may not accept it, but if you don’t ask, you don’t get. Try negotiating with the sales clerks at Walmart, and they’ll probably call security.

But for the resourceful, knowledgeable consumer, this is the place to go for great savings on a cornucopia of goods.

To The Rescue

Weise and I are discussing the vagaries of maximizing profits and limiting losses, when he spots a young woman across the room. She has an antsy 3-year-old in tow, and is scrutinizing diamond rings with rapt intensity. He drops me like a hot potato (or more precisely, like the tepid turnip I am), and goes to her rescue.

“Looking for a ring?” he asks.

“Yes, I want to replace one that’s gone,” she says.

“Was it stolen?” he asks, concerned.

“No,” she says. “I think I lost it in the backyard.”

“Then what you need is a metal detector,” he says cheerily.

“You’ve got those?” she asks.

“Of course,” he says. “Right over here.”

Why am I not surprised?

Lightning

My head still reeling from the Oort cloud of miscellanea I have seen, I am lurking suspiciously in the parking lot, waiting for my ride. Black, dangerous-looking boomers are rapidly scudding my way. Lighting flashes in the distance, threatening to electrocute me on the spot. Suddenly, a distinguished, gray-haired man wheels up, and asks if I need a lift.

“No, thanks,” I tell him. “I’m waiting for a cab.”

“You sure?” he asks. I tell him I am, and he drives off in his red Lexus. Either he was an ax murderer, or just a nice guy, I couldn’t tell, but looking at the approaching storm, I’m thinking maybe I should go back inside and make a purchase. If he’s got a metal detector, Steve Weise is sure to have a lightning rod or two.

Don Mayse:The Eclectic Entrepreneur

Don Mayse owns five pawn shops in mid-Missouri — two in Columbia and one each in Jefferson City, Sedalia and Warrensburg. That seems impressive enough, but it’s like saying Donald Trump owns a hotel. In his career, Mayse has started 38 different concerns, ranging from a dive center to Show-Me Farms to a car wash operation. And that only scratches the surface.

Love At First Sight

“I just love business,” he says enthusiastically. “I’ve always found business the most interesting thing I’ve ever done. I mean I just love it. I don’t care if it’s a car wash or the insurance business or the real estate business.” He’s engaged in them all.

“Not all of them are winners. When you go into business, you have a plan you think will work. About halfway into it, you’ll find your business plan was wrong, and you’ll have to revise it. Then, about two-thirds of the way, you’ll find you have to scrap the business plan and start all over,” he says.

As an example of an operation that never lived up to expectations, he offers the Columbia Scuba Center. “It was a lot of fun, and my wife and I got to travel all over with the students.” But it never lived up to his hopes and was closed 15 years ago. “I’m no longer a diving instructor, but I still dive for fun,” he says. “Unfortunately, the insurance became too expensive per student. But, I look back on it fondly.”

Always interested in farming, Mayse also owns 500 acres south of Columbia, where he keeps cattle — 200 head of “mother cows,” another 100 head bred for meat, and 70 to 100 replacement heifers. Through Show-Me Gourmet Foods, he manufactures burritos and cooked or partially cooked product.

“At the Show-Me Farms shop, you can buy a single steak or 300 pounds of ground beef,” Mayse says with a laugh.

One of the earliest vendors at the Columbia Farmers Market, he has continued to maintain a strong presence there.

Under The Influence

Mayse, 63, was raised in a small agricultural community in California, where he farmed, hunted and fished. He came to Columbia in 1965 to attend the University of Missouri, and graduated with a degree in nutrition, followed by a master’s in public health. There, he also met his wife of 41 years, a Boone County native, the former Marylou Turner.

Mayse says the biggest and most important influence on his life and career was his father, Joe.

“The best way to describe him was a wheeler-dealer,” he says. “He would buy stuff, fix it up, and sell it. When I was kid, he figured out that he could sell fish bait, and I would go out to the park after dark, and crawl around looking for night crawlers.”

Although he spent years with the city health department as an inspector, Joe Mayse decided in his 60s he wanted a career change. “He was just a born entrepreneur. What he liked to do was business,” Mayse says. “He and my partner Larry Wayland were instrumental in starting Family Pawn on Paris Road in 1981.” Two years later, Wayland died, but Joe Mayse continued working at the store and at another Mayse enterprise, the Powder Horn Gun Shop.

“I learned absolutely incredible amounts from my father,” Mayse says. “He was a really neat guy and key to the design and setup of the Paris Road store. We had only one shop up and running when he passed away. He is still my hero, though he died 25 years ago.”

His wife, he says, has also been an integral part of all his businesses. “She’s worked hard behind the scenes, doing the bookkeeping, and originally the payroll.”

Media Star

For years, Mayse has been heard regularly on radio, appearing on about five stations, including KSDL 92.3FM in Sedalia and KPOW 97.7 FM, a regional mid-Missouri operation based in Pettis County. “Most people know me from radio,” he says. “I generally do two to three minutes on what’s going on in the stores, guns and hunting (because that’s my passion), and how gold is doing. We buy a lot of gold. In fact, we are probably the largest buyers of gold and silver in this area.”

The pinnacle of his radio career probably came when he was in Colorado broadcasting live from the Rockies. He found himself observing a herd of elk fighting and bugling during mating season. “You could hear them in the background,” he says. “It was absolutely one of the coolest things I’ve ever done.”

Beginning this year, Mayse has launched a series of TV commercials designed to get the consumer familiar with the comfortable atmosphere of his pawnshops, and the tremendous bargains to be found there.

Before It Was Cool

The advent of computers and databases has done much to counter the somewhat shady reputation of pawnshops. “A well-deserved bad rap,” Mayes says. “But now we can keep track of who we get stuff from, what it looked like, and what ID the seller produced. This has cleaned up a business that needed a little cleanup.”

Law enforcement agencies across the nation can now access the activity of all pawnshops to discover if anything reported stolen has shown up. You can no longer steal a television in Los Angeles and pawn it in Missouri with impunity.

The hit TV show “Pawn Stars,” about three generations of Las Vegas pawnbrokers, has also done much to demystify how the business actually works. “I’ve been trying to change the image for the last 30 years,” Mayse says. That’s why the shops are called Family Pawn, he adds.

“We’re recyclers,” he says. “We were recycling when recycling wasn’t cool. I want my stores to be kid-friendly places, where parents can buy something someone else once owned, but still has some life in it, and save some money at the same time. When the kids grow up, they will have no fear of coming in the store.

“That’s what we’re after,” he says. “A place you can take kids into.”

More Than You Ever Wanted To Know About The History Of Pawnbroking

Like most things more than 4 years old, the history of pawnbroking has been lost in the mists of time. The National Pawnbrokers Association insists that the business can trace its roots back to ancient China, some 3,000 years ago. That may be true because the Chinese have invented almost everything since then: paper, gunpowder and buying American debt, to name a few.

The NPA also states that pawnbroking was hot in Greece and Rome. “I came, I saw, I pawned it.” Julius Caesar, maybe?

In the 13th century, Franciscan monks began lending money for goods and, to avoid church usury laws, devoting the profits to the poor. Later, the Lombards, under the control of the Medici family, spread the idea, this time for profit, not charity. Throughout Europe, pawnshops were called Lombards, as in, “Let’s take your new jerkin to the Lombard and get us some money for gruel.”

In those days, ordinary people didn’t own much except the clothes on their backs, so that’s what they pawned. There must have been scads of naked folks milling about, perhaps creating the first demand for nude beaches that are so popular in Europe today.

A thorough scan of the Internet, which is about as reliable as a junkie’s promise, reveals that the pawnbroker’s traditional symbol — three gold balls — either had something to do with Charlemagne hiring a Medici to slay a giant with three bags of rocks, a heraldic device of the Lombards or the Medicis, or it is attributed to jolly old St. Nicholas’ gift of gold to an impoverished nobleman, so he could unload his three darling daughters with a decent dowry. Of course, it might also be an allusion to the amount of testosterone needed to start a pawnshop.

Oddly, almost every account of pawnbroking mentions the children’s nursery rhyme, Pop Goes The Weasel. Some experts say that in the 1700s, “pop” was a slang term for pawn. A weasel was either a tool used in looming or shoemaking. Too many trips “in and out the Eagle,” a famous English tavern, “that’s the way the money goes,” and the unlucky tippler had to pawn his tools to keep the buzz on high.

A less alcoholic explanation claims that the lyrics are written in Cockney rhyming patois. For example “apples and pears” actually meant “stairs.” “Weasel and stoat” meant “coat,” that had to be popped or pawned.

Tragically, few know that they’ve been reading their 2-year-olds a story about drunken revelry and degenerate behavior, leading to crushing debt. A fine lesson, indeed, for the very young.

Whatever the truth — and who really knows? — no one has ever fully explained just what the heck mulberry bushes and monkeys have to do with the ancient business of pawnbroking.

By Whitney Spivey
Photos By L.G. Patterson & Whitney Spivey

Chances are you live in one of the 72 neighborhood associations recognized by the city of Columbia. Even if you don’t, you likely have neighbors — a sixth-grader who waters your plants while you’re on vacation, a teenager who’s available to babysit on Saturday nights, a runner who’s always up for a few miles around town, a grandmother with kind words and freshly baked cookies.

When such people come together, they make Columbia’s communities vibrant, happy places to live. Here’s a look at just a few of the city’s active areas.

Benton-Stephens

Windsor Street is within walking distance of downtown, but on the first Saturday of every month, Kip Kendrick and Sarah Wolken forgo The District’s cafés in favor of a more local option — their own coffee shop. The couple began opening their home to their east-central Columbia neighbors nearly three years ago, and the monthly get-together has become a staple of Benton-Stephens life. Neighbors bring food, smiles and suggestions for the community.

“Neighborhood association meetings are great, but often it’s a controlled agenda,” says Kendrick, president of the Benton-Stephens Community Association. “A coffee shop is more open and allows anyone to talk about their ideas.” The relaxed environment also facilitates social connections.

“It’s an eclectic group of people, and everyone has a story,” says Kendrick, noting that neighborhood residents include a semipro soccer player and a two-time Emmy Award winner. “The more you get to know people, the more you get to know their stories.”

In addition to casual socializing, the monthly kaffeeklatsch provides a forum for serious discussions as well, such as Harvest of the Month, a Sierra Club grant-funded project that brings local farmers to Benton Elementary School to educate children about agriculture and local foods. The local and organic food movement also gets a boost through the community garden on Windsor Street that is home to an assortment of flowers, eggplants, green beans, onions, squash, tomatoes and zucchini.

The vibrant colors of the garden will be seen on the streets — literally — this fall; two murals will be painted on the pavement at the intersections of Melbourne and Windsor streets, and Ash and St. Joseph streets, as part of GetAbout Columbia’s Bicycle Boulevard. Six artists submitted ideas for the street mural project; an online poll chose the two winning designs, both by Sandra Eccles of Canton. Eccles will start painting this fall, which will undoubtedly be a topic of conversation at the next coffee shop.

Deer Ridge

Garage sales are frequent during Columbia summers, but Deer Ridge residents anticipate their own more than all others. Dana Harris and Barri Bumgarner started the rummage sale 14 years ago for the Garden City subdivision. Gradually more streets in northeast Columbia became involved — Thornwood, the “St. Louis streets” and Deer Ridge.

“We decided to include everyone,” says Bumgarner, who lives on Arrowwood Drive. “We didn’t want to leave out the newer homes because the more homes that participate, the more people come.” The sale now involves 40 to 60 houses, and multiple families often use one home to sell their combined items.

Bumgarner and Harris have perfected their advertising routine over the years: “Dana and I will put together two ads that will run the week before and the week of the sale,” Bumgarner explains. “We will then collect $2 from every household to pay for the ads, flyers, maps and handouts we have made.” The event is also posted on CraigsList, and signs are displayed at major intersections prior to the big day. Residents are responsible for hanging signs or balloons in the neighborhood to direct buyers to specific houses.

“It’s a really big annual event,” says resident Cherie Rutter who participated in this year’s sale on Aug. 21. Items are generally priced to sell, which attracts hordes of eager bargain hunters. “Our street is usually packed bumper to bumper with shoppers,” Rutter says.

Getting rid of unwanted objects and making some money is always nice, but Bumgarner says the best thing about the sale is catching up with his neighbors.

“In this busy time of life, many of us don’t stop to really talk with our neighbors,” he says. “This gives us a chance to do that. It feels like one big block party.”

Dubradis

Dubradis is a combination of streets — Dublin Avenue, Bray Court and Sardis Court — tucked between Fairview Road and Scott Boulevard on the city’s west side. A few other streets are also in the neighborhood mix, such as Watts Court and Canton Drive. The Dubradis neighborhood association has not been active for several years, but Dublin Avenue resident Christy Kremer is doing her best to get things back on track. Kremer, who moved into the neighborhood in 2007, has hosted a garage sale every year.

“I find that each year, I have met a new neighbor who stops by,” she says. “It has been at my garage sales that neighbors have invited me on bike rides and to other events or even invited me into their homes for dinner.”

As the new neighborhood association contact, she hopes to organize an “old-fashioned get-together” that allows residents to meet and mingle.

“I would like a neighborhood where people greet each other and their pets by first names, where favorite recipes are shared and when someone is sick or is in need, we help each other,” she says.

In the meantime, she’s organizing volunteers to help plan events and hopes to have the police department talk to residents about ways to keep the neighborhood safe. Kremer stresses that being happy, comfortable and safe are all things that are important to her. “My goal would be for living on Dublin Avenue to be much like living in Mayberry!”

East Campus

When the University of Missouri College of Engineering auctioned off a student-made suspension bridge six years ago, Robin Remington jumped at the chance to purchase the sturdy wooden contraption for her backyard. The original materials had cost $1,600, but Remington’s bid of $475 was high enough to relocate the bridge to her home on Taylor Street, where it lay in pieces for nearly five years. Finally, in the summer of 2009, Remington and her husband, Paul Wallace, enlisted their handyman, Mike Gerard, to reassemble the bridge over the creek in their backyard. In August the construction was complete; the couple invited the entire East Campus neighborhood over to celebrate. Everyone walked across the bridge with a glass of champagne.

The bridge party (which Remington and Wallace hope will become an annual event) wasn’t the first time East Campus residents had gathered in the backyard of 503 Taylor. The property is also home to one of Columbia’s four Peace Poles, created nearly a decade ago when members of the community came together to paint the word “peace” in 40 languages along the white surface of the wooden post. Wallace and Remington chose to write in Sanskrit: Shanti.

The Peace Pole is an appropriate accoutrement at the couple’s home, which is also the headquarters for Peace Haven International. The organization brings people together from various countries to talk — although lately the house has seen its share of neighborhood meetings as well.

The East Campus Neighborhood Association is working to purchase 1.26 heavily wooded acres at the end of Taylor Street that adjoin Clyde Wilson Memorial Park (formerly Rockhill Park). Residents have voiced concerns that if the current property owner sells the parcel to a developer, the lot will be subdivided, the road will be extended and the quiet, natural area will be ruined. According to the July 6 minutes of the ECNA, “this park in the middle of the city is a pendant in the necklace of parks around the city … It is critical that this piece of land continue to be green space and that no encroaching development decrease its natural beauty.”

The ECNA formed an executive committee to pursue the purchase of the property, which was appraised at more than $100,000. Group members say that preserving the land is an attainable goal, especially if options include city funding and the current owner selling at a lower price to take a tax break. Of course, the neighborhood must raise money as well. ECNA plans to collect from donors and organize fundraisers, such as Pennies for the Park in conjunction with Lee Elementary School, a project where schoolchildren can produce art and become invested in the future of the park.

“They’re empowered to think about issues of the environment,” Remington says.

The ECNA, which is one of the oldest neighborhood associations in Columbia, also hopes to work with its residents and MU’s Greek houses to preserve the land.

“We’re an icon,” Wallace says of the East Campus area. “We’re very proud of that, but we have to live up to that.”

Maple Bluff Estates

When Paul and Kim Ratcliffe moved from Marshall to Columbia in 1993, they missed participating in Apple Butter Day, an informal gathering at a former neighbor’s house that centered around a bubbling cauldron of delicious, stewing apples. So when the couple came across an ancient copper kettle in an antique store in Arrow Rock, they decided to reinvent the tradition in Columbia. In October 1995, they invited friends and neighbors to partake in the festivities for the first time. Apple Butter Day has been a fall ritual on Maple Bluff Drive ever since.

The day begins at 7 a.m. when people deliver apples to the kettle. “The idea is that anyone can put apples in to get apple butter out,” Paul Ratcliffe explains. “There’s always new folks who put apples in the kettle and old folks who look forward to it.”

The kettle, which is more than 100 years old, sits on a three-legged stand above an open fire. The copper container measures about 3 feet across, with a large black iron handle that folds over one side. The kettle holds 8 bushels of apples, a gallon of water, cinnamon, sugar and 12 silver dollars. The coins are part of an old apple-butter-making tradition: As the wooden paddle scrapes the bottom of the kettle, the walnut blade continually moves the silver dollars across the bottom, thus preventing the apple butter from sticking to the pot.

“If I don’t find 12 when we’re done, then I’ll have to track down who got a prize in their jar of apple butter,” Ratcliffe jokes, adding he’s never lost a coin yet.

Around noon, lunch is served — a combination of neighbors’ covered dishes and hot dogs and brats cooked over the open fire washed down with apple cider straight from a cider press that Ratcliffe purchased in Kansas. “I drove out there and bought one and had to assemble it and varnish it and put it all together,” he says.

People socialize in lawn chairs and beneath tailgate tents; children enjoy hayrides on a neighbor’s tractor. But everyone pauses around 3 p.m. when the apple butter is almost done. “We have an old short story — somebody’s recollection of what apple butter making was in the 1800s,” Ratcliffe says. “We always read that story.”

After the reading, it’s time for ice cream topped with the warm apple butter. “It tastes like apple pie,” Ratcliffe says. “It’s just wonderful.”

As if homemade apple butter isn’t wholesome enough, the neighborhood also gets together for a Christmas brunch, a summer picnic and other special occasions such as births and anniversaries. “You can do that because you just have 13 families,” Ratcliffe says of the small neighborhood. “Ours is a manageable size; you know everyone.”

North Central Columbia

“Better to be a first-rate version of yourself than a second-rate version of someone else.”

Judy Garland’s quote is printed carefully in bright orange letters. They cover just a small portion of the picnic table that Zach Rubin crafted from salvaged 2-by-4s.

In July, Rubin and his partner, Shea Boresi, waterproofed the table and placed it near the grapevines at the alley entrance of the Circus-Lyon garden, where the couple grows cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers and herbs. Boresi immediately recognized the white surface as a canvas for creativity. She sent an e-mail to neighbors and asked them to help paint the table one Sunday evening. “I hope you all can come at this time and put your own mark on this new garden fixture!” she wrote.

The message prompted a wave of neighborhood activity in the block just south of Jefferson Junior High School: dedicated gardeners volunteered to whack weeds and spread wood chips in preparation for the art extravaganza. Boresi provided paint and lemonade, which was accompanied by drinks and desserts from about 15 other neighbors.

“We have a great group of gardeners, including some notably creative people,” she says. “There’s a lot of casual socializing, but until the table there was no place to rest or to linger for a conversation. Now we can just hang out in the garden.”

West Ash

Last summer, residents in the West Ash area opened their mailboxes to find flyers advertising a neighborhood block party. Although the concept was a new one for the neighborhood, more than 200 people showed up with food and drink, excited to mingle with neighbors for the first time.

“We had people in their 70s carrying deviled eggs in those carriers from the 1940s,” recalls Julia Ames, a real estate agent who has nothing but good things to say about her community. “In my opinion, it’s one of the best neighborhoods in town.”

Ames, Adam Dushoff and Vanessa Welbern were the masterminds behind the neighborhood get-together. The trio was eating dinner together one evening when the idea hit them. They’d been chatting about how much they enjoyed the neighborhood, except that they often saw neighbors around town and didn’t know their names. A party seemed the best way to solve that problem. They made flyers, rented portable toilets, bought beverages and scrubbed down the grill in preparation for the event.

After the party, other residents began organizing events. The vacant, grassy lot on the corner of Anderson Avenue and Hope Place became the headquarters for “Andersonville,” where movies such as “Fantastic Mr. Fox” and “The Princess Bride” showed on a big screen throughout the summer while neighbors relaxed on blankets and lawn chairs.

This spring, the official West Ash Neighborhood Association was created; nearly 50 people attended the first meeting in Again Street Park, and longtime resident Carol Rogers was elected president. Ames is the group’s vice president, and a number of others fill various positions and subcommittees. Although WANA enjoys promoting social events, the group is pursing serious issues as well. Some concerns, such as traffic calming and mosquito treatments, are listed on the association’s Facebook page.

Vanderveen Crossing

No chickens. Despite its animal-friendly street names — Mamba, Snow Leopard, Jackal, Koala and Zebra, to name a few — the Vanderveen Crossing Homeowners Association has passed an ordinance banning any domestic fowl from residents’ yards. The neighborhood covenant “strictly prohibits chickens from being raised, bred or kept on property in our subdivision.”

There might not be chickens, but there are eggs. The neighborhood hosts an annual Easter egg hunt every spring at the playground. The hunt is one of many annual events that take place in this neighborhood in north Columbia. The Vanderveen Crossing pool opens on Memorial Day, which, of course, is occasion for a swimming party. The pool is open all summer and closes in early September.

Before and after pool season, the neighborhood hosts garage sales on the first Saturdays of May and October. The neighborhood association runs ads in the paper to promote the events.

Like many neighborhoods, Vanderveen participated in National Night Out on Aug. 3. Neighbors socialized while supporting crime prevention and public safety. The neighborhood also organized a safety workshop at Grace Bible Church in May. The second annual event included presentations by the police and fire departments, the office of neighborhood services and the Columbia housing authority.

By Jonathan W. Crowell
Photos By L.G. Patterson

Columbia native John “Chris” Graham has been a jazz fan for almost as long as he can remember. He first saw the Tom Andes Trio performing at Murry’s in Columbia some 15 years ago and has never lost his passion for the genre.

As a senior at Rock Bridge High School, he often performed with Andes’ trio, and with his own jazz trio, The Incumbens III, at Sake in downtown Columbia. Music has always been an integral part of Graham’s life, and in 2006 he moved to Chicago with a long-term goal of becoming a professional jazz vibraphonist.

Late June saw the release of “After-Birth of Cool,” the first album of the Chris Graham Trio, and already it has received rave reviews at the national level and has reached rankings as high as No. 4 on both College Music Journal’s CMJ Network and Roots Music Report jazz chart. In July, Graham returned to his hometown for a performance at Murry’s; Alex Austin joined him on bass with Oliver Hunt on the drums.

The Five-Mallet Grip

When Graham was a student at Rock Bridge, music teacher Rich Hadfield introduced him to the world of renowned vibraphonist Gary Burton. Graham immediately took to the instrument’s unique sounds.

“It’s a really versatile instrument and it’s easy to pick up gigs if you’re a vibraphonist,” Graham says. “I started messing around with it, and actually the transition from piano and guitar, which I grew up playing, was pretty smooth.”

Graham lauds his accommodating high school for allowing him to borrow the school’s vibraphones for evening performances around town, and his parents for letting him stay out late to perform on weeknights.

“At one point, I even quit soccer so I’d have more time to practice and perform,” he says. “I just couldn’t get enough. I knew it was something I loved to play, and the more I played the more familiar I became with jazz and its greats.”

Graham has drawn musical inspiration from a rich, diverse array of genres, including rock and punk rock. His jazz influences include Bill Evans, Gary Burton, John Coltrane and Brad Mehldau. To date, Graham is the only known vibraphonist who has mastered what he refers to as the “Graham five-mallet grip.”  He performs while holding all five mallets, which allows his music to have constant chordal function. Graham plays the melody lines simultaneously and can “bend” any note at anytime, without using an effects pedal.
“I get to be quite innovative while performing,” he says. “It’s become much more comfortable and natural, and it’s nice to be able to have more leeway in what kind of sound I create.”

A Cool First Album

The Chris Graham Trio’s first album, “The After-Birth of Cool,” is a jazz album of almost entirely original material, and in the few short weeks since its release, it has already made a splash in the national radio scene. Recorded in a mere two days at Rax Trax studio in Chicago, it’s all live, without any overdubs; Bob Katz, a renowned audio mastering engineer mastered the recording.

“As an independent artist with little previous national recognition, it’s an amazing feat for Chris and his band to have done as well as they have on the charts,” says Kari Gaffney, who handles Graham’s public relations.

Gaffney praises Graham’s ability and talent as a musician, and attributes his trio’s quick rise on the charts as a “testament to his originality and unique playing style.”

Since the new album’s release, the trio has seen a spike in CD sales and has been sought out from as far away as San Francisco and Japan.

“His five-mallet grip, which he came up with, is a signatory mark for him in the industry,” Gaffney says. “He doesn’t have an educational background, but rather has evolved as far as he has by touring and ‘playing in the trenches.’ He’s definitely a young lion that’s worth watching.”

A Future In Festivals

So far, Graham and company have performed in support of “After-Birth” in Chicago, Columbia and St. Louis. More regional dates are in the works for the upcoming months, followed by performances at larger jazz festivals next year.

Though all three members of the trio still have their day jobs, they are getting closer to being able to support themselves with their music alone.

“His talent is being recognized, and he’s an artist who has some serious potential and lasting ability,” Gaffney says. “More than one critic has considered the possibility of what Graham could do in an all-star lineup — the kind of dream lineup that Wynton Marsalis and Miles Davis have been known to assemble.”

“I’ve been in Chicago for four years, and I love it there,” Graham says. “But I know that none of this would have happened without the amazing music scene that Columbia has.”

For more information about The Chris Graham Trio and the new album, “The After-Birth of Cool,” visit: karionpresskits.com/chrisgraham/chrisgraham.html

By Jessica Perkins

As the weather turns chilly, fall fashion heats up with textural layers combined in unexpected ways. Vintage mixes with modern for subtly monochromatic and color-saturated ensembles — both looks are in, as long as the focus is on surprising, edgy details. Here, four young, successful professionals known for their fashion-forward ways model the biggest trends for autumn.

J.T. Tiller

Former Mizzou basketball standout J.T. Tiller has a piece of style advice for other college athletes: Pull on a button-down and a pair of slacks every now and then, because such an outfit might soon become your new “uniform.”

While making presentations and creating portfolios as a broker’s assistant at Smith, Moore & Co., Tiller’s day-to-day look is sharp and professional. “Instead of wearing just sweatpants and shorts all the time, I have to wear actual ties. Those definitely come up a lot,” he says with a laugh.

Do you still play basketball?

Yeah, I still work out because I plan on going overseas soon. I’d like to play in either Spain or France … Actually, I think basketball and style go hand-in-hand. You can tell a lot about the way a person carries themselves by the way he carries himself on the court.

You recently donated your time to play basketball with children in the Boys & Girls Club. How does participation in sports benefit children?

I think it teaches them a lot about themselves and helps build their confidence as well. It teaches them respect and responsibility; it’s very integral to them growing up and becoming men and women of society.
Stylewise, are you more of a James Bond or a Ben Affleck?

I would go with a little bit of both. I’d say I’m a mix between P. Diddy and James Bond.

What’s your weekend uniform?

If I’m just around the house, I’ll wear some basketball shorts and a T-shirt. If I’m going out, I’ll probably wear some jeans, some Jordans and a polo or T-shirt.

What’s the most beloved item in your wardrobe?

I’m gonna go with my “I love haters” T-shirt.

Sue Yun Fowler

Last year, Sue Yun Fowler made a bold career move: she resigned from her plum position as coordinator of diversity programs at the University of Missouri Trulaske College of Business and enrolled in the university’s accelerated nursing program instead.

“I really felt like I owed it to myself to try it or I might regret it later on,” she says. “It did take some courage, but it’s been the right decision.”

Yun Fowler passes on her words of wisdom for living — and dressing — courageously.

What’s your advice for living fearlessly?

I think you owe it to yourself to pursue those dreams and those ideas that you have. Most people would say they don’t want to live with regret. They don’t want to wonder what could have been, so if that’s how you are, you’ve got to go for it.

What’s your advice for dressing fearlessly?

What you wear is an expression of yourself — there’s usually more than what meets the eye. So I think that again, you probably owe it to yourself to have that freedom of expression, whether it’s by way of fashion or by way of writing or any number of things.

How has your wardrobe changed along with your career?

[She laughs.] Well, now I get to be very comfortable and live in scrubs every day, which actually is a lot of fun! And you can still be cute in scrubs. But I still love fashion, so now I just make sure I incorporate a lot of my wardrobe into the rotation somehow [on the weekends].

Who is your style icon?

Cameron Diaz. She’ll take some risks but she’s really versatile.

What’s the most beloved item in your wardrobe?

My wedding ring. It just means so much to me.

Billy Giordano

For Room 38 Restaurant & Lounge managing partner Billy Giordano, the key to success is pretty straightforward: Immerse yourself in your profession so you’re “being completely inundated and hands-on as much and as often as possible.”

This philosophy is reflected in the way Giordano dresses. “I dress for what’s in front of me for the day,” he says. If he’s bartending, that means a well-fitting pair of jeans paired with a crisp, black button-down shirt. But on Mondays, when the restaurant hosts Martinis and Manicures, “I wear a dress button-down and slacks. You have to look good for the ladies!”

Is your style more like James Bond or Ben Affleck?

I guess Ben Affleck. I try to stay well-dressed yet casual — that’s my approach.

What is your wardrobe staple?

I don’t know; I’ve got a lot of wardrobe! I love a great suit, but jeans and a T-shirt are pretty good by me.

What’s the one item in your wardrobe you can’t live without?

I like accessories a lot, shoes and watches and stuff. I’d say my watches. I’ve got two staples — a Wittnauer and a Gucci.

What’s your weekend uniform?

If I’m working behind the bar, jeans and a black button-down. If I’m not behind the bar, I dress for that particular evening — anything from the jeans and a tee to a casual blazer or even a suit, if the occasion calls for it.

Amy Susan

Amy Susan has a Carrie Bradshaw-type closet and a killer sense of style.

The well-heeled communication director for the Missouri Department of Labor and mother of two put her innate fashion sense to work when she helped style this photo shoot. She believes in being playful with clothing but also acknowledges fashion’s transformative powers.

“In the workplace, fashion can project boldness, confidence and professionalism. My job is to put forth a well-tailored message that the public will pay attention to,” she says. “After work, fashion is not about dressing for everyone else, or dressing for the times. It’s putting on an outfit and becoming a different person.”

What are some trends you’re looking forward to for autumn?

I’m really into the African vibe. I just bought this really cool purse that looks like you could charm a snake out of it. I like the African textile look with wool and a pair of old Dr. Scholl’s clogs. The platform heel is coming back, too. And the bigger the hair, the better right now — big all around, bringing the ‘80s back, poofing it up and making it larger than life.

What’s your wardrobe staple?

My vintage, clip-on earrings. I have probably 10 pairs that I wear. They just knew how to make earrings back then!

What’s the most beloved item in your wardrobe?

My Hermès scarf that my husband gave me. I wear it on my head as a hat, I wear it as a jacket tied around, I wear it as a scarf, I wear it as a shirt. [She laughs.] It’s my favorite, and it means a lot to me. It’s from when we first started dating. I told him I’d always wanted an Hermès white scarf — I got the idea from The Devil Wears Prada. I fell in love with that book.

What’s your weekend uniform?

I would say I take it down a level, but I usually wear heels unless I’m carrying my child somewhere. I’m obsessed with hats, headbands, big earrings and mismatching. I love doing the faux pas of fashion: browns and black, pinks and reds.

However when things don’t go as planned, and in those rare instances when the luster fades even temporarily, the town suddenly goes quiet.

Case in point: We’ve stubbed our toes a few times in the last couple of months and nobody wants to talk about it. The temporary closing of both the Missouri Theatre and the YouZeum are an embarrassment to a community that prides itself on exceeding everyone’s expectations. The original boosters who took early ownership and put on countless dog-and-pony shows at Rotary Clubs, foundations and supper clubs have now faded into the woodwork, distancing themselves from their failed projects. It’s likely now that millions of dollars of donations from local families, businesses and civic groups might as well have been flushed down the toilet.

What went wrong? Speculation points at weak business plans, overzealous promoters and a brutal economic downturn that turned fundraising efforts into a grueling exercise. Folks got tired and just gave up. It’s hard to point fingers. You’ve got to admire the entrepreneurial spirit even if it meant risking other people’s money. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Right?

Unfortunately, civic leaders and big money donors will be reluctant to gamble again on a big idea that might benefit the whole community. That’s a shame. After all, we live in a community that took a big gamble in the 1830s when business leaders made the initial financial investment in what is now the University of Missouri. If not for that gamble, we’d look a lot like Fulton.

Let’s hope someone steps forward very soon with a big idea for saving these two community treasures.

- Fred Parry

Tell me what you think. Send your thoughts on this topic to fred@insidecolumbia.net

Hey y’all. I’ve been cruising around the state emceeing the regional showcases for the State Farm Insurance “King of the Roots” band competition. These are being sponsored by Thumper Productions in connection with the Roots ‘n Blues ‘n BBQ Festival coming up.

There are four events altogether: Columbia, Kansas City, St. Louis and Springfield, with the winners convening at the Blue Note on August 27 to determine which band will take the main stage at October’s Boone County Bank Roots ‘n Blues ‘n BBQ Festival. It is a unique setup and so far all of the radio sponsors have been community stations with blues-heavy program schedules (KOPN in Columbia, KKFI in Kansas City and KDHX in St. Louis).

Here’s some video of the mid-Missouri winner, BJ Allen and Blue Voodoo from Kirksville, although I had these guys dead even with at least three other bands (Wild Cat Daddies, Fried Crawdaddies and Man in the Ring).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qpg1C5fvOME&feature=player_embedded

It’s been a little intense so far (only one competition, the one in Springfield, remains before the finals in late August) as there has never been, at least in my memory (hah!), a statewide “battle of the bands,” and if there were, they would’ve been geared toward younger, less experienced, up and coming “hungry” bands, as opposed to the mature professionals who for the most part have made up the bands in each event so far.

We are talking six bands at each event , blistering 20 minute sets by players that, most of them, have been together for years. I don’t envy the jobs of the local judges who volunteered, and although there is no arguing that the winners so far deserved to win, there have been easily at least four bands who deserved to win at each event so far.

So, even though I’ve judged a lot of band contests before, I’m kind of blown away by the precise intensity of the tight, almost harrowing, 20 minutes of music these guys are puttin’ out.

For details on the competitions so far, go to the King of the Roots page at http://www.rootsnbluesnbbq.com/king-of-the-roots/

Win a copy of Shari Mezrah’s new book!

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Riding on the coattails of an exhilarating winning streak, Columbia baseball team the Wicked Sticks was thrilled to discover they’d qualified to play in the Elite World Series July 10-17 at Walt Disney World. How did the 10-year-olds fare when pitted against the best teams from all across the nation?

With three wins and three this-close losses, the boys came in at a respectable 16^th place out of 32 teams.

“We had a great time. The kids played some great baseball,” Coach Robbie Williamson says. “The kids from Columbia were just as good as any around. We probably did better than most people would imagine.”

Heather Morris, the mother of Wicked Stick member Tre, calls the team’s three defeats “heartbreakers” because each was lost by just four runs or fewer. Nevertheless, “The boys had a blast and they played really well,” she says.

The tournament was held at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, or as Tre puts it, “the best place to play baseball.” The facilities were not only first-rate, but their proximity to Orlando theme parks allowed many teammates to enjoy jaunts to nearby attractions during their downtime. Tre’s wish to ride the Tower of Terror at Hollywood Studios was even granted. (He gives it an enthusiastic thumbs-up.)

Their first Elite World Series under their belt, the Wicked Sticks are already looking ahead to next year’s tournament. “It gives us motivation to compete and play well next year, and maybe we’ll get a chance to go back,” Williamson says.

By Jessica Perkins
Photos By L.G. Patterson

It’s about as good as sports fairytales get.

The 10-year-olds on the Wicked Sticks baseball team hit upon a winning streak so hot, it qualified them to play in the Elite World Series in magical Walt Disney World. As of press time, the Sticks were gearing up to compete against 31 other teams in their age group from across the nation July 10-17.

The 11-member team’s success story began with the formation of the Wicked Sticks three years ago. Many of the boys had played T-ball together for several years when their coach and the father of one of the players, Robbie Williamson, decided to start a baseball team.

In a sense, the Wicked Sticks have grown up together. From their T-ball years to their graduation to baseball, most of them have been teammates for five or six years. Many even began kindergarten together.

“That’s why they’re so close,” Williamson says. “They’re all like brothers; they hang out together quite a bit. When someone has a birthday party, it’s usually 10 or 11 of them all together.”

“We like to have sleepovers,” a blond player named Tre says.

“We try to do that as much as we can during the summer,” his friend Tanner adds.

In their spare time, the boys orchestrate Wiffle ball games that Tanner calls “pretty intense.” When they’re not on the diamond, many of the Wicked Sticks also stay close during the off-season by playing on football or basketball teams together.

The boys’ closeness certainly helped the Wicked Sticks qualify for the Elite World Series. “We play hard and trust each other,” Tanner says.

Williamson and his four assistant coaches believe the Sticks also owe their success to old-fashioned hard work, plenty of practice and a sophisticated understanding of the game.

“They’ve developed from playing catch to running different defensive plays. They’re to the point where you can coach them almost like high school,” Williamson says. “They play baseball at a pretty high level. They love to have fun, but they love to improve.”

The boys began practicing in January this year, hitting balls indoors twice a week until it was finally warm enough to move outside. When Memorial Day weekend rolled around, the Wicked Sticks packed their bags as they do every year to compete in the Super National Invitation Tournament in Kansas City.

This year, however, was different. “Once we went to the bracket play on Monday, we just got hot and won every game,” Williamson says. “We won three in a row and got to go to Disney. It was an awesome, awesome day.”

The Elite World Series is held at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World Resort. The different teams in the Sticks’ age group will play against one another before entering into a double-elimination-style tournament.

To gear up for the competition, the Columbia baseball team maintained a disciplined weekly routine: games on Mondays and Tuesdays, practice Wednesdays and Thursdays, and tournaments on the weekends.

“We’ve been practicing a lot more and hitting a lot more. We’re keeping it simple, practicing for an hour and a half. All the teams we’ve played that have beaten us have hit really well, so we’ve been focusing on hitting,” Williamson says. “They’ve just worked on the small things: paying attention, being more disciplined at the plate. They’ve definitely put in a lot of work.”

According to Tanner, the boys have also challenged themselves by scrimmaging against older age groups. And thanks to their frequent out-of-town and out-of-state tournaments, the players are well-prepared to play at a new place such as the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.

But before they could hit the road for Orlando, “They had to raise some money,” says Tre’s mother, Heather Morris. A testament to their commitment, the Wicked Sticks participated in numerous fundraisers to help finance the trip, such as organizing garage sales and washer tournaments and holding silent auctions. As a result, no Wicked Stick will be left behind when the team plays in the Orlando tournament.

Excitement has built as the players awaited their departure.

“They’re really excited, and they seem to be paying attention more in practice. They’re excited to go to Disney World and the water parks,” Williamson says. “We’re anxious to see how we stack up against kids from all around the country. It’ll be nice to see kids from places like Texas and Florida who play year-round,” he says. “We’ll try our hardest and just have fun.”

Tanner is looking forward to “playing with my friends, having fun and winning, adding that “it’ll be extra-special because it’ll be on my birthday.”

Although parents like Morris caution that the Sticks may not have much time for sight-seeing, the Disney World attractions are definitely on the boys’ agendas.

“I really want to go to Hollywood Studios. There’s this ride called ‘Tower of Terror,’ ” Tre says. He hasn’t been to Disney World since he was 3 years old and almost too small to remember.

Truth be told, the boys’ parents are just as thrilled as their kids. “The parents are excited because they understand what a neat opportunity this is for their kids,” Morris says. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The kids know it’s cool, but we’re older and wiser,” she says with a laugh.

Watching the Wicked Sticks grow and succeed gives the kids’ families an almost-indescribable feeling, Williamson says. “It’s amazing to watch these kids play at the level they do.”

READ THE UPDATE & CLICK HERE TO SEE PHOTOS

By Ralitsa Gospodinova
Photos By L.G. Patterson

Long before anyone ever bent it like Beckham, early versions of soccer emerged in ancient China, Japan, Greece, Italy and Persia. A Chinese text from approximately 50 B.C., now safely stored at the Munich Ethnological Museum in Germany, describes a game identical to soccer that involved kicking a ball around a small field. The early Olympic Games also featured a game somewhat similar to modern soccer, and both Romans and Greeks sometimes used the game to prepare their warriors for battle.

Ironically, soccer was officially banned for about 300 years in England before that country eventually introduced the game to the rest of the world. What has become the most popular game on earth was shaped there in the 1860s, when soccer and rugby split into two different sports. The first English Football Association was born in October 1863 when representatives from 11 London clubs met at the Freemason Tavern and outlined the game’s fundamental rules.

In May 1904, representatives from seven countries — Belgium, Denmark, France, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland — united in Paris to form the first international soccer association: Fédération Internationale de Football Association. FIFA still organizes and governs major international soccer tournaments, the most renowned of which, the FIFA World Cup, has been held since 1930.
American Soccer

America was one of the first British colonies to adopt a game similar to soccer, as evidenced by records of tournaments at major colleges and universities in the Northeast. The sport grew among the working class and was seen as a way of keeping energetic youth out of trouble. Soccer slowly spread to major cities such as Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, St. Louis and Pittsburg.

The United States Football Association (USFA), now referred to as the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) was established in April 1913, and had the honor of being one of the earliest members of FIFA. During the 1930 FIFA World Cup, the U.S. men’s team placed third, its biggest international accomplishment to date.

Soccer in the United States had its ups and downs until 1994, when the country hosted the FIFA World Cup for the first time. It was then that soccer fever truly swept across America. The FIFA Women’s World Cup in 1999 and 2003 also added to the game’s popularity in the U.S. Today, the U.S. women’s team is ranked the best in the world by the FIFA women’s world rankings.

As part of the United States’ bid to host the 1994 FIFA World Cup, the country founded Major League Soccer (MLS) in 1993. These days, the development of professional soccer in the United States is in the hands of the MLS.
Just Kiddin’ Around

It’s safe to say Columbia is a soccer town. Around here, there are many different ways to get involved at a variety of skill levels.

Founded in 1975, Columbia Soccer Club is the city’s oldest soccer organization and one of the Midwest’s top youth soccer programs. Its recreational focus provides the opportunity for anyone age 5 to 18 years old to enjoy being part of a team. Those who seek a more challenging experience can also join more difficult programs called The Academy and Pride, which focus on honing soccer techniques.

“In the States, we place the emphasis on winning at an early age, which burns out the kids. In our club, we are trying to fix that and emphasize more skill development at an early age,” says Columbia Soccer Club Executive Director Ryan Burke.

Terry Cavin founded Columbia’s first all-girls competitive league in 1994, the same year the United States hosted the FIFA World Cup. Called Carrera Soccer Club, Cavin’s organization is currently made up of 13 girls’ teams of players ranging in age from 10 to 18 years old.

Cavin recognized that the game of soccer naturally appealed to youth.

“Soccer is an easy sport to play when you’re little,” he says. “Put shirts on the kids and let them play. It’s a very simple game. There’s one thing that attracts the kids, and it’s the ball. Try to explain baseball to a 6-year-old — it’s harder than explaining soccer,” he says.

At MAC Soccer, which was founded seven years ago, Director Adam Booth places an emphasis on life lessons learned through the game. “In soccer, you have to learn to live with your decisions,” he says.

The developmental program at MAC Soccer is unique.

“We believe that soccer should be taught to everybody, not only chosen people and athletes,” Booth says. He believes there is more to soccer than just kicking the ball in the right direction; soccer, he says, is a great way to help kids reach their full potential while teaching them to control their emotions and that it’s OK to lose. It is a sport for which each player must focus on preparation and improving his or her technical skills, but it is the team effort that counts.

“The match is the ultimate masterpiece,” Booth says.
College Soccer

“In soccer, it’s about creativity,” says Shaunna Daugherty, assistant women’s soccer coach at the University of Missouri.

The game is played all over the field at any given point, not only where the ball is. To play creatively is to know where to place yourself, how to be useful and how to develop the play. When done well, one can see the beauty of the combinations and goals. There’s a game within the game, as simple or as complex as a mathematical formula, and the more kids play, the better they understand the game’s complexities.

Some players who stick with the sport are drawn by its depth and seek constant improvement, eventually gaining the chance to play college soccer. Many scholarships are offered to skillful players who love the sport and are willing to take it to the next level.

Such is the case for many of the players in Mizzou’s women’s soccer program, which was started 15 years ago by head coach Bryan Blitz. It is currently among the top 25 soccer programs in the country.

“In five years we want to win the national championship,” Daugherty says.

College soccer is so popular and competitive that many schools are recruiting internationally to secure players such as Steven Crane from Manchester, England, and Gary McColl from Edinburgh, Scotland, both of whom play for Missouri Valley College. These young, international players often find it appealing to study in the United States while simultaneously getting the chance to play at the college level.

“Soccer is the best sport in the world. Many people love the game and treat it as a religion,” Crane says. “It is developing really fast in the States. When I first came over, I didn’t know how good the standard would be; however, I can now say the game is played at a very high level and it’s great to be a part of it,” he says.

McColl opines that the United States is one of only a few places in the world where collegiate sports are played at a truly high standard. “I feel soccer’s reputation is definitely increasing throughout the country,” he says. “The MLS is also growing stronger and attracting some major players from around the world.”
Show ‘Em The Money

More than ever, Columbia children are interested in playing soccer. “Everyone grows up playing soccer for at least a year, both boys and girls,” Daugherty says.

The element that’s missing is people who are willing to invest in these kids and the future of the sport through sponsorships. The lack of money is the main reason leagues fold and competition disappears.

Today, major revenue-generating sports such as college football and basketball receive far more financial backing from the public than soccer.

“Nobody will do anything for fun,” Cavin says.

But as in any other sport, it takes money to put on soccer tournaments and build facilities. A club needs roughly $16,000 to pay for a single tournament, for example, and that money does not necessarily pour in the way it sometimes does for other sports. Soccer’s lack of support leads to a lack of revenue, a vicious cycle soccer players find frustrating.

Cavin cites a former Carrera player as an example of a talented person in search of better soccer opportunities. The player, an MU graduate who played four years of college soccer, is currently a member of a semipro league in New York. She is hoping for a contract with a professional team in Europe because her options are limited in the United States.

“We have to try to keep local kids local and help them develop,” Daugherty says.
The Future Of American Soccer

Youthful players are passionate, energetic and eager to play soccer, and at the moment, the professional U.S. soccer team is on the right track, competing well and even beating some of the best teams in the world. If support for soccer improves, this country could see better leagues, more competition and superior opportunities for professional soccer in America.

It’s a good thing, too, because soccer’s long tradition clearly indicates the sport isn’t going anywhere. From ancient China to modern-day Columbia, soccer is king.

Soccer For Grown-Ups

If you score goals in your sleep every night after picking up your child from soccer practice, maybe you should act on that impulse.

Columbia is home to the International Soccer League, open to players from 20 to 50 years old. Anyone who wants to have fun and play some soccer is welcome to do so on Sundays at Cosmo Park.

“It’s mostly for fun,” Columbia Soccer Club director Burke says.

The kids aren’t the only ones who get to scream and celebrate after a goal around here.

Lend A Hand

The Jeff W. Tyler Youth Soccer Foundation is a nonprofit organization that began last July in mid-Missouri. Supporting the organization is a great way to offer a hand to a future soccer star.

The foundation honors the late Dr. Jeff Tyler, an enthusiastic “soccer dad” and faculty member in the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine who died suddenly in May 2009. Established to carry out Tyler’s vision of making competitive soccer accessible for any child who wants to participate, the foundation’s goal is to provide funding for youth who can’t afford to play soccer. Support includes club participation fees and uniform costs. Coaches identify players eligible for support and the foundation reimburses clubs directly for fees and expenses. Already, 18 children have received funding from the organization.

For more information, or to make a contribution, contact the Jeff W. Tyler Youth Soccer Foundation at 601 Arbor Drive, Columbia, MO 65201. All funds collected go directly to support youth soccer scholarships.