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| The aptly named Suicide Hill in Ishpeming, MI looks harmless enough in this old photo. |
STORY No. 38
ELDRIDGE "FRENCHIE" FRENCH
Age 65
Chanhassen, MN
Minneapolis Ski Club
It was 1963 at the National Championships in Ishpeming, Michigan. I remember it to be a great ski jumping day, zero and clear. Coy Hill and Ralph had just finished sugaring the track and it was fast as hell. I was only sixteen and had never skied at Suicide Hill before. Ed Brisson told me that the inrun would be fast so stay on my toes. He later told me I jumped about twelve feet early and , yes, I did tip over. Not a problem for a young kid in great shape so naturally I ran back to the top for another one. I think I followed Jack Everson and Nipper and Dummer Jacobson. This time I was only six feet early and tipped over again landing on my head. I was shaking off the snow and Nipper came up to me laughing his head off wondering what the hell had happened. I told him I was hurt and he looked at me like I was crazy and broke out in laughter again. This time I pulled open the top of my sweater and he saw my collar bone all bloody sticking out of my shirt and he about puked right there. I did not go back to Ishpeming until 1965. This time I tipped over on my second jump during the tournament and put my ski through my kidney. Corky Denisson had sustained a concussion so the good local Dr. Narotski flew us back to Minneapolis for further treatment. I spent a month in bed, not a lot of fond memories. At age 18 my ski jumping career had too many injuries to come back. I did continue to jump at Leavenworth, Westby and Iron Mountain but my days of Ishpeming were a thing of the past. I coached for several years with Ed Brisson, Lenny Johnson and Nipper Jacobson and today play an occasional game of golf with Nipper, Greg Windsperger, Jerry and Jay Martin. I did have a round with Corky Denisson a few years ago. Fond memories for sure, a lot of aches and pains today but I would never forget the wonderful experiences of ski jumping.
It was 1963 at the National Championships in Ishpeming, Michigan. I remember it to be a great ski jumping day, zero and clear. Coy Hill and Ralph had just finished sugaring the track and it was fast as hell. I was only sixteen and had never skied at Suicide Hill before. Ed Brisson told me that the inrun would be fast so stay on my toes. He later told me I jumped about twelve feet early and , yes, I did tip over. Not a problem for a young kid in great shape so naturally I ran back to the top for another one. I think I followed Jack Everson and Nipper and Dummer Jacobson. This time I was only six feet early and tipped over again landing on my head. I was shaking off the snow and Nipper came up to me laughing his head off wondering what the hell had happened. I told him I was hurt and he looked at me like I was crazy and broke out in laughter again. This time I pulled open the top of my sweater and he saw my collar bone all bloody sticking out of my shirt and he about puked right there. I did not go back to Ishpeming until 1965. This time I tipped over on my second jump during the tournament and put my ski through my kidney. Corky Denisson had sustained a concussion so the good local Dr. Narotski flew us back to Minneapolis for further treatment. I spent a month in bed, not a lot of fond memories. At age 18 my ski jumping career had too many injuries to come back. I did continue to jump at Leavenworth, Westby and Iron Mountain but my days of Ishpeming were a thing of the past. I coached for several years with Ed Brisson, Lenny Johnson and Nipper Jacobson and today play an occasional game of golf with Nipper, Greg Windsperger, Jerry and Jay Martin. I did have a round with Corky Denisson a few years ago. Fond memories for sure, a lot of aches and pains today but I would never forget the wonderful experiences of ski jumping.
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| Frenchie, center, survived Suicide Hill and still plays golf with jumping buddies Greg Windsperger (L) and Jerry Martin (R). |
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