Just like Mom made it, wrote one reader who liked Ray Reilly’s feature on squirrel hunting, and having it for dinner. (Press Pros Feature Photos)
Responses from readers new and old…on sophisticated squirrel eating…is it safe to see a Reds game in Cincinnati…fewer high school divisions based on skill…and whatever happened to the Wally Post story from years back?
The latest responses from readers centered mostly around three recent posts to appear since the last TRS installment on August 20th.
Some are hilarious, and some bordered on the dark side of what seems overwhelming sentiment about visiting inner cities, and in particular, Cincinnati (The Reds Have A Big Problem, Aug. 7).
Ray Reilly’s recent outdoor column on squirrel hunting and eating wild game got the most reader responses of all.
The start of high school football has once again raised the readers’ own questions about not seven divisions based on enrollment, but fewer divisions based on competitive skill, like minor league baseball.
Wally Post’s four children…grown up, of course, and living in Mercer County.
For nostalgia sake, we’ll begin with a Reds fan who wrote to ask, “Whatever happened to the story about Wally Post’s family that you posted a few years ago? We’ve been Reds fans for decades and fondly remember those teams and players from the 50s and 60s. I have lost the link that was sent to me and would like to read it again. I thought it was wonderful.” … Carol and J.B. Leistner
(Ed. Note: The story you speak of was published in November of 2020, and as you might imagine it got a very large reading up in Wally Post country – in Mercer County. If you’ll be patient for a few weeks we’ll encore that story for you sometime during the baseball playoffs. Wonderful suggestion.)
Outdoor columnist Ray Reilly’s recent article on squirrel hunting and how to prepare it for the table received an enthusiastic response, pro and con, from those who can take it, or leave it.
“First-time writer to your site and I love Mr. Reilly’s stories because he brings back some memories of growing up. I hunted with my dad and we ate lots of squirrel. Didn’t have to, but just liked the way my mom cooked ’em. Thanks for that picture at the top of the story, because that’s exactly how her squirrel looked served with potatoes and gravy.” ... Ben Shippy
“My mom would pack leftover fried squirrel for my school lunch. I was so happy to graduate.” … Keith Treadway
“My father hunted squirrels in the 50s and 60s and my mother would pan fry it and serve it with mashed potatoes and gravy. I wasn’t that fond of it. Liked the taters and gravy, best.” … Lynn Hooley (via FB)
“Absolutely the best wild small game you can eat, if you take care of the meat properly and prepare it right. Just my opinion. First-time writer and I like Reilly’s page.” … George Mahone. (via FB)
“I can’t stand the thought of eating squirrel. When my grandpa was living he hunted and ate the brains with biscuits and gravy.” … Linda Shultz
(Ed. Note: I, too, knew some brain eaters. That’s old-school Depression eatin’. Never took that dive, myself. I was more of a leg man.)
“I grew up during the 50s when people couldn’t spend $250 a week at the grocery when they only made $50. No one was too sophisticated to eat a squirrel. People in the country butchered a hog and ate wild game.” … John Belville
Our story from August 7 about the safety of visiting downtown Cincinnati got a surprising amount of feedback with a consistent message.
“There was a time when Cincinnati really was the Queen City. Classy, and people were proud of the Reds, the Bengals, the zoo, the restaurants, and the arts. Now you think about drugs and guns. Your description of council is spot on.” … Hyde Park Ken
“Terrible city management. Not enough police. Serious drug, alcohol and crime culture. Dangerous streets. Too many incidents that should not happen in a town like Cincinnati.” … Armond Schmidt
“Found your article on social media. To your point, there is more to think about than baseball when you go to a Reds game now. Perception has become reality.” … Howard Lukens
“Indeed, why would you be on the streets of any downtown at 3 am in the morning?” … Tom Killilea
“I used to love Cincinnati. It was beautiful. Now I don’t feel safe there. You couldn’t pay me to take a walk in downtown today.” … Sharon Langenkamp (via FB)
“Besides the baseball part, probably not much worse than Columbus, actually.” … Craig Courtney
Finally, a different idea that’s being recirculated over too many divisions of high school sports….
“I agree with you and others that there are not enough athletes for seven divisions of high school sports. But there probably as many good athletes as there ever was if you would divide high schools into the competitive divisions, like they do with minor league baseball. When you’re good enough to go from A to AA you move up a division and play AA schools. When you’re good enough for AAA you move up again. That way it’s not about the size of enrollment, it’s about the ability of that school’s enrollment to compete, like basketball used to be in Indiana. A lot of advantages, competitively, and I can’t think of that many disadvantages. Agree?” … Dennis Locey
(Ed. Note: I can see why some people would like your idea. But who’s going to pay for all that travel and distance if there aren’t schools in your county that meet your skill level. And again, is high school all about playing football, or is there some Math and English in there, too? The priorities feel wrong and I’m not on board. Continuity would be a huge problem. If you think there’s recruiting now, what then? I think you’d have a lot of A ball, not enough AA, and very little AAA.)
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