Snowball Express Photos

I knew 1,700 were a lot of blankets. Here's the blanketeers with a small portion of them.

From left: Jill, Joy, Michelle, Cheryl, Minnie, Regina, Kathy, "Honey" (Theresa's husband), Helen and Theresa. The elf nestled in the blankets is Kaye. Taking the photo, I assume, is Jo.

You can see all of the photos at the Project Linus web site.

The gentlemen, and a couple ladies, helping us are active duty Navy personnel from NAS Fort Worth. The very young lady is the daughter of one of the Navy men. She was thrilled to be helping.

It still brings lots of smiles.

Its the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

I can hear Andy Williams singing but I was there this evening - Andy Williams wasn't.

There was the Dallas Convention Center where I was one of almost a dozen Blanketeers representing Project Linus at Snowball Express.

This is the fourth year that Snowball Express has brought together approximately 1,500 children of our fallen heroes for a special weekend with their parent or guardian.

Each year Project Linus Blanketeers around the country have guaranteed that each child in attendance receives a new, hand-crafted blanket. (Blanketeers call them blankets; you might call it a quilt, an afghan or a fleece blanket.)

Project Linus of Collin, Dallas, Grayson and Rockwall Counties (Texas) was the host chapter this year. Theresa Costin, our chapter coordinator planned carefully. We knew the approximate number of children in each age group - from 5 to 18. We took more than enough blankets for each age group and we took 200 more blankets than the expected number of children so that the last children in line felt that they too had a good selection.

After dinner the younger kids were swooping through the hall with their blankets as capes and many were wrapped up in them starting to fade after a long day.

I didn't take photos but I will borrow some from my fellow blanketeers tomorrow and post them for you to see. The mountain of blankets was awesome.

This evening I received enough hugs, blessings and thank yous to hold me well into the New Year but the greatest joy . . . to have a youngster hold up a blanket to show me his treasure and it was one that I made. It happened several times this evening.

Baltimore Colts Programs - 1955 and 1956

Custom bound volume of the NFL Baltimore Colts 1956 and 1957 home game programs with a lovely slipcase. The book is slightly over 8 x 10.5"; the blue cloth slipcase is 8 x 11".

Programs are in good condition. They have been read and were probably saved from the games attended. There are some wrinkles and other aging although the pages are sound.
Each program is approximately 52 pages.

The book is reversible with each year starting at the "front." There is some light damage to the center dividing page. Each program has a color cover.

1956Season:

September 16, 1956 - Washington Redskins (Pre-seasongame)
September 30, 1956 - Chicago Bears
October 6, 1956 - Detroit Lions
October 28, 1956 - Green Bay Packers
November 25, 1956 - Los Angeles Rams
December 2, 1956 - San Francisco 49ers
December 23, 1956 - Washington Redskins

1957 Season:

September 6, 1956 Washington Redskins (Pre-seasongame)
September 29, 1957 Detroit Lions
October 5, 1957 Chicago Bears
October 27, 1957 Green Bay Packers
November 3, 1957 Pittsburgh Steelers
November 24, 1957 San Francisco 49ers
December 1, 1957 Los Angeles Rams

Full page B & W photos of many Colt Stars:

• Alan Ameche
• Carl Taseff
• Art Donovan
• George Shaw
• Billy Vessels
• Art Spinney
• Don Joyce
• Lenny Moore
• Jack Patera
• Bill Pellington
• Royce Womble
• Bert Reichichar
• Don Shula (as aHalfback)
• Doug Eggers
• Tom Finnin
• L. G. Dupre
• Joe Campanella
• Jim Mutscheller
• Ken Jackson
• Alex Sandusky
• Gino Marchetti
• John Unitas
• Raymond Berry
• Cotton Davidson
• Milt Davis
• Don Shinnick
• George Preas
• Jim Parker
• Gene (Big Daddy) Lipscomb
• Steve Myrha
• John Call
• Andy Nelson
• Buzz Nutter

Plus small photos of all the Stars of the visiting teams, including:

PaulHornung, Bobby Layne, Y. A. Tittle, Hugh McElhenny, Norm Van Brocklin, Elroy Hirsch, Les Richter, Paul Younger, Jon Arnett, Doug Atkins, Rick Casares, George Blanda, Bill George, Harlon Hill, Don McElhenny, Joe Schmidt, Leon Hart, Tobin Rote, Jim Ringo, Ernie Harwell, Buddy Young, Bob St. Clair, Leo Nomellini, Matt Hazeltine,

Each program includes feature articles about the Baltimore Colts franchise and profiles of Colt and visiting players, profiles of Colts coaches.

Also:

• 1955 Colts Team Statistics
• 1955 NFL All-League Teams
• 1955 NFL Leaders Statistics
• Baltimore Colts Cheers

Meet the Broadcasters: Bailey Goss, Chuck Thompson, Joe Croghan

Profilesof Baltimore Sports editors and sportswriters, including Jesse Linthicum, Paul Menton, Rodger Pippen, Sam Lacy, Cameron Snyder, Norman Clark, Walter Taylor, George Bowen, Oliver Morrison, Edward Freeman,

There is also a wonderful assortment of period advertisements:

• Gunther Premium Dry Beer – This is in color and is the backcover of the 1956 and 1957 programs.
• National Bohemian Beer – In Color, Line-Up page, 1956 and1957
• Desoto Automobiles
• Carstairs Blended Whiskey
• Emerson Transistor Radios
• Crown Gasoline and Motor Oil
• Howard Johnson’s
• Copa Night Club

Available at Pogo's Place Books, $295.00. Click here to see the listing.