The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1934-11-29
National Champion Gets
Mail From All Sections:
Requesting Many Things
Hero Worshipers Ask Auto
graphs, Photographs, Let
tiers and Endorsements

graphs, Photographs, Let
tiers and Endorsements :.
1t is a strange collection of mail
that the mailman brings to the box
on the Balko farm these days.
Letters, cards, literature, catalogs
all addressed to the national corn
husking champion, Ted Balko, seek
ing Endorsements, autographs, samp-
les of Minnesota corn. Some of the
fan mail even hints that the writer's
would like to end Ted's bachelor days.
Many of the letters are from old
friends or acquaintance Or from
persons who once lived in this COM
munity. Several are written by per-
sons having similar names who are
trying to trace relationships.
The many places from which they
come and the great distances indicate
how much publicity the contest re-
ceived and how much interest it
aroused, even where corn is not rails
ed. Many of the items include clip
pings from newspapers, big and
small.
Letters include one from a former
national champion, Carl Seller. Stat
ford King, state auditor; Harry H.
Peterson, attorney general and Jul
Jus Schmahl, state treasurer also
wrote or wired congratulations.
Below are few of the many let
tiers. Names of senders have been de-
leted in most cases for obvious reas-
ons. In some cases the towns from
which they come also are left out.
Wilson, New York
I want to congratulate you, as the
nations champion corn husker. l
live up here in Niagara county and
listened over my radio and heard
your ears of corn strike the bang
board as they called it. But, oh! my
how did you do it? surely would
have like to see you and all the
others, it must have been lots of fun
for the crowd.
see an account of it in my Buffa-
10 paper tonight. I have an only
boy "a years old. He works my farm.
We raise cabbage, tomatoes, cucum-
bers, melons, peaches, prunes, apples,
grain and potatoes, so we have to
work, you see. If you ever come to
Niagara Falls, call on US. Would
like to meet you. I know you must
feel very proud.
l certainly enjoyed listening to you
boys with the tractors. l could hear
the crowds cheer, etc. told my girls
it was like being there.
Wishing you much success in life.
xxxxxx, Minnesota
Congratulations Ted! May you win
many more such honors. We have
been eagerly waiting the results of
yesterdays cornhusking. We would
have liked to have gone to Fairmont
but the large amount of fall work we
have to do kept us home.
Yours for continuing success.
xxxxxx, Minnesota
Maybe you think me awful bold
writing to you but am writing to
congratulate you for winning the
corn husking contest. I was up to
Fairmont Thursday and saw you win.
NV girl friend and / told everyone
you was going to win and you did.
Nv uncle and my father both talk
ed to you up to Fairmont Thursday.
I am wondering if you will ex-
change snapshots with me. / would
like to have one of yours.
I heard you enjoyed your evening
that night at Fairmont.
You can answer my letter if you
want to which l hope you do.
+
Dayton, Ohio
No doubt you will be surprised to
hear from me. Though this is not the
first attempt I have made to write to
you. Before when 1 heard the corn
husking contest being broadcast over
the air I wrote to the station l was
listening to but they were not able
to give me any information regarding
you.
One morning on my way to work
as I always buy a paper I read that
a man Ted Balko had won the corn
husking contest and by this I learn
ed your address.
If you receive this letter I would
like to know whether or not you are
any relation to me although you spell
your name with an "A" and spell
mine with "U." Father says that
when he came to America he spelled
his name "Buyllxo" and was very diff
fcult to pronounce so he had it
changed to Bulko. By this father
thought maybe your grandparents or
parents did the same.
If your grandfather's or fathers
name is George Balko then am GER
tain we are cousins. Fathers says