30 years ago

ISHPEMING – Skully, a friendly skeleton, will be used to encourage youthful interest in the U.S. National Ski Hall of Fame and Museum in Ishpeming. Greg Speirs of Bronxville, N.Y. who was a designer for the legendary rock group “The Grateful Dead has donated a logo the ski hall is using on T-shirts to raise money. The design includes a friendly skeleton named Skullman “Skully” and is the ski halls current logo. A scarier version of the skeleton was used in his designs for the band. “Today my art has turned into a friendly skeleton,” said Speirs, “I never want to scare a kid.” A display designed by Speirs will be created at the ski hall of fame. “(Speirs) will redo our ski history coloring book for children” with hope of attracting young people, said John Pontti, ski hall of fame president. “He did all the artwork and design work for the Grateful Dead,” Pontti said. “He’s going to make sure the friendly Skully he’s designing for us is going to appeal to the young people.” The ski hall is fortunate to get Speir’s talents for free, Pontti said. “(Speirs) wants to make sure he’s not associated with drugs or the rock culture,” Pontti said. “It’s going to be the opposite of the Bart Simpson family-type outlook. This Skully will be a friendly parent-type feature. Speirs contacted the ski hall because he’s a skier and snow boarder, Pontti said. “He had a read about the ski hall of fame and volunteered,” Pontti said. Speirs has worked with Jerry Garcia and company, the Lithuanian basketball team, and the Golden State Warriors. His works also hang in the Basketball Hall of Fame, RCA Records, Polygram Records, Sesame Street, the PGA tour, and the rock music magazine, Grooves.

60 years ago

MARQUETTE – Members of the Speakeasy Toast Master Club will hold their regular meeting at 7:30 this evening in the Union National Bank Lounge here. The organization is composed of persons interested in acquiring more self-confidence in talking before groups or in improving their general speech delivery, according to John Mahosky, Ishpeming, president of the club. “There is no obligation to join and no charge for attending the meeting tonight,” Mahosky said, in urging all interested persons to be present. Men 18 years of age and over are invited.