Bleeding Purple

Shelby Neelly - K-State football letterman, 1927, 1931, 1932

My family didn't have anyone on the field at Morgantown, WV, on Saturday night. But the last time K-State played at Morgantown, my Grandpa, Shelby Neelly, was on the team. It was October 31, 1931.

Pages from K-State programs - At left, Neelly is listed as a probable starter against Missouri; top right, the program vs. West Virginia in 1931; bottom right, Grandpa is on the right.

My brother, Kent, posted a photo of the 1931 program on Facebook Saturday morning. I don't remember the story, but Kent says that Grandpa told about taking the train to Chicago, practicing at Soldier Field, and then traveling on to West Virginia, where they beat the Mountaineers, 19-0.

At left, a page from an old K-State program. Grandpa is at the top righthand corner of the page. He was Fan of the Game at a K-State women's basketball game in 2002 at age 98.

Unlike specialized players today, Grandpa played both offensive and defensive end, first lettering in 1927. After his second year at K-State Grandpa was forced to drop out because of financial concerns. He came back to Pratt County, and he shucked corn for his parents and for neighbors and planned to return to Manhattan the next fall. However, his parents needed money to pay off a farm debt, so he gave them the money and began saving again.

The K-State coaches called him, asking him to come back. He told them that if they could help him find a job at Manhattan, he would return. He began working at Manhattan's Wareham Hotel, where he earned his room and board by keeping the hotel's car clean and doing odd jobs for the hotel owners. He also cleaned for a bank to make extra money. He earned 25 cents an hour as an athletic trainer, wrapping athletes' ankles before practices and competitions.

Shelby returned to the K-State football team and letters in both 1931 and 1932. He also was the heavyweight intramural wrestling champion.

Grandpa is on the end of the front row

Grandpa bled purple. Or at least he painted with purple. On his farmstead, purple was the color of choice for an old outhouse, his barn, the chicken house and even the trim on his house. He also erected a purple metal building that's still in use today. (For more on the Neelly homestead, click here.)

He went to K-State football games until he was 94 or 95 years old and was thrilled to be the Fan of the Game at a K-State women's basketball game in 2002.  

Saturday night, my parents were at the game and watched K-State again triumph over West Virginia, 81 years after my Grandpa stepped onto the field at Morgantown. Brent made the 4-hour drive from Morehead, Ky., to watch the 'Cats win.

I'm looking forward to next weekend, when now No. 3 K-State takes on Texas Tech for homecoming. Go 'Cats! Purple runs deep in this family. EMAW!

(Coco)Nuts About Dads

Professional family photo by Stan Reimer, Pratt, KS

I have the packages neatly wrapped in Kansas sunflower paper. The cards are signed and attached with an inch or two of tape.

But the best gift of the weekend won't be found by tearing off the Kansas sunflower paper. (Yes, I obviously need to replenish my "manly" wrapping paper selection.)

The best gift came complete with a fantastic light show. It wasn't in a box but in a slender cylinder-  a rain gauge. Around here, we got varying amounts from 1 to 1.5 inches. For my folks, it was more in the 0.80" to 0.90" range.

No question: It was the best gift a couple of farming dads could order for their Father's Day weekend.

Professional family photo at the top taken by Stan Reimer: Since it was taken in December 2011, my Dad has one new grandson-in-law and two more great-grandchildren, with another on the way.

Today, I'm thankful for the Daddys in my life - my own Dad and my late father-in-law Melvin who with Marie raised the best Daddy for my kids that I could have prayed for.

I also made a new sweet treat to go along with my gifts for my guys. These Caramel Coconut Bars are a tasty treat for Dads who like coconut. If yours doesn't, then you'll need to go with Plan B.

Since both Randy and my Dad choose to celebrate their birthdays with coconut-based cakes, this treat is made to order.

They are not as good as rain. But they are still good. Happy Father's Day to all the Dads and to the families blessed enough to have them!

Caramel Coconut Bars

Adapted from Cookies and Cups Blog

6 tbsp. butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
1 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 cups shredded, sweetened coconut
1 1/4 cups caramel bits (or chopped caramel pieces)
1 tbsp. milk
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 to 1/2 cup toasted coconut flakes for garnish (opt.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9- by 13-inch pan with cooking spray.

In mixer, beat butter and sugar together until well creamed. Add egg and vanilla and mix on medium speed until smooth and well blended. Turn mixer to low and add in flour, salt, baking powder and coconut, mixing until combined.

Spread evenly into prepared pan and bake for 15 minutes.

When the cookie base is baking, melt the caramel and milk in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat for 1 minute at a time on 50 percent power, stirring after each minute, to prevent burning. Repeat until the caramel bits are melted and spreadable.

Spread caramel evenly over baked cookie base and return to oven, baking 10-12 more minutes. Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle chocolate chips on top of the caramel. Put back in the oven for 1 minute. Remove from oven and use an off-set spatula to spread the chocolate evenly over the caramel layer. Sprinkle with toasted coconut, if desired (The original recipe said 1/4 cup. I didn't think that was enough, but use your own judgment.)

Let cool completely before cutting into squares. Makes 30 bars.