The News for those few who play real croquet!                                June 26, 2005

The excited Pez winners of the 2005 Pez Invitational.

Ben outduels Brandon in a long park course.

"Are all events this long?" questioned rookie Jennifer at the 7th annual Pez Invitational. Thanks to some nearly impossible cement shots, this event became one of the longest one round events in IMC history. It was quite a quest for chalk flavored candy!

The event took place at Meadow Park in Springfield. This allowed for the use of playground equipment in the first four shots. Two slides,a speakerbox, and sawdust were early problems for the eight Pez participants.

Despite the playground equipment, a new star emerged. In his first ever tournament, Steve Roberts jumped to an early lead with the original Steve, Steve Unfred. They were closely followed by Ben and Brandon. It looked like we might have a rookie winner until one of the worst shots in league history occured, the basketball hoop.

Sitting on nothing more than a single weed in a slantly basketball court, this shot took Steve Roberts and others out of the running. Ben and Brandon were able to get thru it early to create a back and forth race to the end stick. Brandon had a few missed attempts allowing Ben to claim a rare victory. Brandon took his third runner-up finish of the year. The Steves, Steve Unfred and Steve Roberts took third and fourth respectively. Mike coasted to fifth place.

Alena , tournament host, was happy with the addition of two female rookies, Jennifer Riedy and Keri Baker. Alena was able to take sixth place beating the two rookies. Keri finished seventh and Jennifer last on this long day. "We should invite more people, so I can beat someone!"Alena explained. If events are this long, we likely will never get new players again.

The wounded great overlooks the course with Ben Lasher on June 26, 1999

By Brandon Lasher
(This is the fifth part in the annual series to remember Jon Crawford, the legend who founded the Pez Invitational. The below information is purposely exaggerated.)

Jon Crawford had paid a massive price. After saving a baby, kitten and potted plant from a fire, he continued his quest to save a photo album. Jon was saving his neighborhood from a fire, a usual event for this great man, when his knee was crushed by a falling pillar. Jon was able to escape but a question arose: Would he be able to play in the 1st ever Spam Classic?

A normal croquet player would take massive knee surgery and quit. Jon is not a normal croquet player however. In an era when players quit to play D & D, it is amazing to think a player would continue to play. However, Jon's obstacles did not stop with the knee brace.

The league was sick of losing to Jon in croquet. This caused unknown players to hire a croquet ninja, Alan Manka. Manka was well known for his inability to aim in croquet early in his career. He was here for another purpose. He was hired to do what the flaming pillar would not do, take the heroic Jon Crawford out of this croquet tournament.

The Croquet Ninja Alan was late to this event. As Jon and his croquet ally Brandon were discussing other matters, Alan took his chance. He "pretended" to miss his shot and launched his mallet in the air towards Brandon and Jon. The aimless Alan missed Jon and was on the verge of hitting Brandon. Jon Crawford, faster than the hurling mallet, pushed Brandon out of the way. Yes, this hero in a knee brace nearly was hit as he succeeded in saving another croquet player...from being hit by a mallet..

Jon had no further obstacles as he won the first Spam Classic. It was the second victory of his amazing career. As his rivals dicussed how how he outdueled Brandon and Mike on a difficult cement block shot, Jon's legend grew.

What would be a more exciting story? The truth story that Jon had a sport injury that led to his major knee surgery and his return to win two weeks later at the first Spam Classic. Or some made up story to grow the legend of Jon Crawford. I like to pretend it is the latter.