Historymaker Joe Garagiola's life is full of achievements . . .

Arizona Historymaker and Hall of Fame baseball personality Joe Garagiola sits down with Richard Justice to discuss his career and the 2014 Buck O'Neil Award. Read about it at www.MLB.com

"Joe Garagiola's wonderful life has been one of humor and giving, of dignity, integrity and grace. Baseball has been a constant -- his enduring love. Yet that's just part of the story. Rather than curse the darkness, he has lit candles, hundreds of them."

The Historical League is proud to have honored Joe as a Historymaker in 2005.

Wallace and Ladmo Show creator, Historymaker Bill Thompson passes

Bill Thompson, Ladmo Kwiatkowski, Pat McMahon

The creator, producer and co-star of "The Wallace and Ladmo Show" died July 23 at age 82. He leaves a legacy of a unique children's program filled with offbeat humor that many Arizonans grew up with.

Bill Thompson arrived in Arizona from New York in 1954 and went to work in the art department at KPHO TV. One day he volunteered to appear as a clown named “Wallace” on a children’s TV show. A month later, a cameraman, Ladmo Kwiatkowski, joined him and together they created “The Wallace and Ladmo Show.” Although Thompson scripted the shows, hilarity was compounded by improvisations created on the air. Receiving the highest ratings for its time slot, the program, after thirty-six years, became the longest running children’s television show in history.

A Civil War buff, Thompson participated in reenactments, and collects weapons, uniforms, and books on the subject. Retiring in 1990 after thirty-six years of continual television and appearances, he became known for his miniature lead toy soldiers, particularly those of the Civil War era.

Bill was honored as an Arizona Historymaker in 1992 along with co-stars Ladmo Kwiatkowski and Pat McMahon. The other 1992 Historymakers included Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, U.S. Senator Barry Goldwater, Civic Leader Robert Goldwater, Artist and Educator J. Eugene Grigsby, Jr., Artist Philip Curtis, Attorney Frank Snell, Family Circus Cartoonist Bil Keane.

Dr. Reba Wells Grandrud honored at Western History Symposium Aug 2.

From the Sharlot Hall Museum Messenger-

Historical League member Reba Wells Grandrud, Ph.D., will be honored with the 2013 Sharlot Hall Award on August 2 at the Western History Symposium in Prescott. This award is given by the Sharlot Hall Museum to a living Arizona woman who has made a valuable contribution to the understanding and awareness of Arizona and its history.

Grandrud’s wide-ranging historical work in preservation, museums, oral history and historical trails exemplify the type of dedication common to the 30 women who have preceded her as recipients of this award. After moving to Phoenix from Albuquerque, NM, in 1982 and for the next 30-plus years, Grandrud has been involved in historical research, writing and publishing, as well as serving on a variety of boards and historical societies. She holds degrees from the University of New Mexico in education, Southwest history and history of the American West.

She has researched such historical ranches as the San Bernardino Ranch in southern Arizona and the Richard DeKuhn homestead in Cherry, Arizona. She also served as research historian for the Yuma Crossing Foundation, which developed programs and interpretation of Fort Yuma and the Quartermaster Depot. Grandrud has several publications including articles about the Slaughter family and the San Bernardino Ranch; Yuma Crossing; a book about Sunnyslope; and a children’s book. Grandrud, who has been committed to promoting local history, has volunteered and served on the board of the Sunnyslope Historical Society.

She has been active in researching and promoting national historic trails and belongs to several trails associations. In addition, Grandrud served as director of the Arizona Historical Society Museum in Papago Park, as well as Heritage Fund Planner and the Coordinator of National Register of Historic Places for Arizona with the State Historic Preservation Office. She has been a member and past president of Westerners International, an active member of several Westerner Corrals, and Past Sheriff of the Scottsdale Corral; a speaker for the Arizona Humanities Road Scholar Program and member of the Arizona Women’s Hall of Fame Board.

Join us in congratulating Dr. Grandrud when she receives this well-deserved honor.  Information at www.prescottcorral.org