16 Jun 2023 - Appleton (Ben Shot, Lefty's Baseball Past), Oshkosh Fox River Brewing Company with Kathy and Doug Jarmusz

 

Alliance friends Kathy and Doug Jarmusz 

Busy day here, starting in Appleton WI, about a 30 minute drive north from the campground  to visit a great American company I've done business with call BenShot.  From their web site, their mission "is to create unique glassware designs. The "Bulletproof" shot glass started as a father and son project in 2015 and developed into a family business. Everything we make is our own design and handmade in the USA." So "BenShot" as in "Been Shot" - their signature glass with a bullet imbedded in the side.  Here is mine, given to me by Chief Master Sergeant Valerie Rose from the 185th Air Refueling Wing:

My BenShot bourbon glass with a bullet in the side

The beer glass we had made for daughter Jennifer 

when she was promoted to Chief Master Sergeant

We arrived at BenShot and immediately noticed the huge US flag flying above their business.  BenShot is a huge supporter of military veterans, first responders, law enforcement officers, and mental health causes.  

We were greeted inside by Laura who has worked for BenShot nearly as long as the company has been in business.  Tiffany was also in the office today but Annie, whom I have corresponded with many times, was on vacation.  

Laura, out tour guide today with a display of various BenShot products

Laura led the tour into their production area where the glassware is made.  We first passed a wall where their patents are displayed

In the production area they take various styles of glassware and heat them up to anneal or soften them.  Then they apply focused heat with a torch and while the glass is soft they insert a specific shaped probe that creates a space where various items can be inserted.  There will be pictures below of examples.  The glass is further heated in a kiln to soften it so it is not brittle.  

The kilns where the glasses are annealed

Heat being applied to a shot glass

The tool used to create the pocket for possibly a baseball or golf ball

After the glass has been softened, heated, a pocket created, and softened again, it goes to the station where the object is glued in place.

Miniature baseballs inserted into a bourbon glass

Ultraviolet adhesive used 

Various caliber bullets used

Miniature hockey pucks

A bourbon glass with a Lego 

Airplane propellers

Decanters

A beer stein with a fishing lure

Thin blue lines or red lines are hand painted with the aid of a mask

You can order your BenShot glasses with custom laser etching including flags, lettering, etc.  They have multiple laser etching machines working simultaneously to accomplish this.  The video screen allow the technician to monitor progress since the laser is harmful to the eyes if viewed directly

The research and development area.  New items are tested here and processes improved.  

After the tour we returned to the office where I presented Laura with a Command Chief coin for their company as they represent the Air Force core values of Integrity, Excellence and Service.  They, in-turn presented me with one of the huge stars from one of their flags that became unserviceable.  They harvested the stars and presented them to the Veterans that work for BenShot.  I was truly honored that they would give me one of them!

One of the stars from their old flag

The flag was huge!!

The star compared to Doreen's iPhone 12 Pro Max

We finished up at BenShot and headed to a baseball field.  This one has special meaning to me and my family as it is where my dad, Lowell "Lefty" Schellhase played baseball in 1941 for the Appleton Papermakers, which was a semi-pro Wisconsin D League baseball team for the Cleveland Indians.  The field was called Goodland Field and has evolved since then and is now called Nienhaus Field.  The semi-pro baseball team is now called the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers and they have a nice new stadium located elsewhere in Appleton.  

High School baseball picture.  We have none from his Wisconsin days.

Then the fateful day, 7 Dec 1941 and the Japanese invasion at Pearl Harbor and World War II.  Nearly every able-bodied young man enlisted for military service.  My dad and his brother (mu uncle) Bernard both enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and fought bravely in the South Pacific - Kwajalein, Tinian, Saipan, Iwo Jima.  They both survived but my dad's baseball career never resumed.  Instead he joined the Iowa Highway Patrol and would go on and serve for over 29 years, retiring with a rank of Captain in charge of one fourth of the State of Iowa.  

Bernard and Lefty

Captain Lowell E. "Lefty" Schellhase  ISP #162

Nienhaus Field

My dad pitched baseball right here in 1941 

While playing baseball here my dad and likely his team mates lived in the Conway Hotel which used to be located downtown but has since been destroyed.  I have postcards sent by his mom (my grandmother Freda Fett) to the hotel. 

Just a block or so from the hotel was a tavern that used to sponsor pocket cards of the ball team schedule.  This was a "watering hole" for the ball players and with no proof I can say beyond a reasonable doubt Lefty likely had a bourbon or two at Dick's Tavern.  It has since become Jim's Place.

So Doreen and I headed down to Jim's Place knowing that it did not open until 1600 hrs.  It was indeed closed, but there was a bar a couple doors down so we stopped in there for a drink and an appetizer, and hoping to talk with someone that might be familiar with local history.  Luckily we were seated at the bar right behind the owner who was operating the grill. He has owned his bar since 1998 and it was a record store before then.  We had a nice chat with him and then headed back towards the truck.  Doreen looking in the window of Jim's Place and there was someone behind the bar!  We knocked on the door and the lady inside hesitantly opened to find out what we wanted.  We explained the history and she let us in!

Jim's Place remains nearly the same since it was Dick's Tavern and back to the early 1900's.  The bar is magnificent!  There are old pictures on the wall and even a Calvin Coolidge bumper sticker under the bar gate!  

This was a cigar humidor!

Beautiful bar, made by Brunswick, the same company that made pool tables

It seemed only appropriate to have a shot of bourbon here

where my dad and his baseball teammates would have at Dick's Tavern back in 1941

Here one for you, Lefty!

We finished up at Jim's Place and headed back to the campground.  The Cubs were playing the Orioles so we watched them and walked Liberty a bit.  At 1800 we headed into Oshkosh to meet up with our Alliance friends Kathy and Doug Jarmusz.  We met at the Fox River Brewing Company which has a beautiful outside seating area right on the river.  

We had a great time catching up with Kathy and Doug.  We were with them at the Alliance Texas Rally back in early May but Kathy had to fly home due to an illness in the family.  We saw them again in Goshen Indiana at the Alliance National Rally.  

It was a beautiful, cool evening and we enjoyed some locally brewed beer and some great conversation!  We are so thankful for our Alliance friends we have met along the way!  Before we knew it, it was time to head back to the campground as Liberty had been cooped up for quite a few hours today.  

Tomorrow's plans include the EAA Museum and the local Military Museum.