The One And Only

Well, we’re off to Cleveland for the annual National Sports Collectors Convention where four “Chic people” will be meeting with thousands of sports and football fans telling them about Ohio State great Chic Harley. It’s all part of getting the word out about a new book about the life of Harley called “The One And Only.” We expect to meet with thousands of sport fans many of whom hold a place near and dear in their heart for Ohio State’s first, first team and first three-time All American. We expect to also make a special presentation to Hopalong Cassady who will be there signing books.
If any of you stop by our booth and mention that you read this blog, I’ll give you a free Chic t-shirt.

So now, it’s off heading east on I-94 toward the home of the Rock N roll Hall of Fame. It’s time to rock!

—Todd Wessell

What a weekend it was at the College Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival.
Lou Holtz, Troy Aikman and John Cooper were all there. Cooper attended our Chic Harley slide and video program in the Bucks & Blue Room that pays tribute to the great Ohio State-Michigan rivalry. We tossed Hall of Famer inductee Randall McDaniel a Chic Harley t-shirt. He said he would make sure everyone from Ohio State who were in the autograph room knew that Chic t-shirts were available. So many people expressed strong interest in the Harley story for a variety of reasons. Most people said that while they had heard of Chic they really didn’t know his story until hearing from us.
Stay tuned for more on our weekend stay in South Bend, Ind. We’ll soon be posting photos and some video!

A huge crowd is expected at this weekend’s College Hall of Fame Enshrinement festivities in South Bend, Ind. We’ll be there, too, presenting two stirring programs on Ohio State football great Chic Harley. We’ll also be stationed all day Friday and Saturday in the museum’s bookstore selling the full length biography on Chic called “The One And Only”. There will be free t-shirts and DVDs full of pictures, comments and videos on the great Harley.
A key chapter in The One And Only delves into the game that put Ohio State over the top—the 13-3 drubbing of Michigan on Oct. 25, 1919. It was OSU’s first victory over the boys in blue and one which kicked off the rivalry many regard as the greatest in American sport.

Preparations are being made for a rip roarin’ weekend Friday through Sunday, July 17-19 in South Bend, Indiana, home of the Fighting Irish.

That weekend we’ll be setting up a booth inside the College Football Hall of Fame bookstore offering copies of the new 314-page Chic Harley biography The One And Only. Anyone buying the book will be given, free of charge, a Chic Harley t-shirt and one of a kind Chic Harley DVD that comes complete with interviews about the Buckeyes greatest athlete.

Also that weekend, we’ll be giving two hour-long presentations on Chic. The book, which came out just a few weeks ago, tells the lifetime story of Charles W. “Chic” Harley, Ohio State’s first, first team, first three time All-American and first four-sport letterman. Chic is the single individual most responsible for the emergence of OSU’s football program and the building of the 101,000-seat stadium nicknamed The House That Harley Built.

If you have the time take the drive to South Bend and check out the Hall of Fame and visit us at the Chic Harley booth. Buy a copy of The One And Only for yourself, a friend or family member. It’s a story that will leave you amazed and breathless.

As we head into the depths of summer, believe it or not the college football season is not far behind.

With that, I’d like to say that the newspaper company where I serve as editor and publisher (The Journal & Topics in Des Plaines, Illinois) recently ran a story on the University of Illinois’ plans to erect a statue in front of Memorial Stadium honoring Red Grange. The Fighting Illini seem to have it all together when it comes to honoring the man who put their football program on the map.

So, what about Ohio State?

It was Dick Wessell who many years ago suggested that a statue honoring Buckeye legend Chic Harley be erected in front of the “House That Harley Built.”

Will we see in Ohio what they’re doing in Illinois?

If you agree that a statue honoring “The One And Only” should rise for all to see just outside the grand “Horseshoe”, drop me a line so we can get this bandwagon moving!