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* Nick Vlahos at the PJStar…
During the ‘82 WIU homecoming game, [Gov. Jim Thompson] Thompson sipped peppermint schnapps from a toilet plunger, the [United Press International] report stated. He also received a kiss from a bearded female impersonator named “Candie,” who left a lipstick stain on the governor’s cheek.
It made good Thompson’s pregame promise to “join all you party animals at halftime,” UPI reported. The governor apparently turned down several toilet-plunger offers before he relented. […]
“You’ve got to remember, Western is kind of an unruly school,” Thompson told the [Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library during a 2014 interview]. “The group started towards us, and I said, ‘Who are they?’ These big guys in dresses, wigs, holding the plunger came right at the (university) president and I.
“I thought to myself, oh, no, no, no, no, no. It’s one thing to be handed a beer, it’s another thing to be drinking out of a toilet plunger. So I refused, and they finally went away.”
The next day, the story broke about what or what didn’t take place in the Hanson Field stands. Thompson said it was “ginned up by Adlai.”
“It was just not true,” the governor said. “My wife came down, and I said, ‘Listen, before you read this story in the paper, let me explain.’ And I didn’t know whether she believed me or not, since she was inclined to think that I might have done something stupid like that. But I didn’t.
“I did a lot of stupid things, but that wasn’t one of them.”
I cannot stop laughing.
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Aug 18, 20 @ 10:19 am
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Some great imagery in that piece. I just imagine a horde of big guys in dresses coming up to Big Jim with a plunger of booze. Pretty awesome.
Comment by Boone's is Back Tuesday, Aug 18, 20 @ 10:22 am
We can only hope the guys bought brand new, unused plungers to use in their shenanigans.
Comment by Perrid Tuesday, Aug 18, 20 @ 10:25 am
Sounds like the “Peach Blossoms”, WIU Veteran’s Club. Still around, minus the drag aspect.
Comment by downstateR Tuesday, Aug 18, 20 @ 10:31 am
“And I didn’t know whether she believed me or not, since she was inclined to think that I might have done something stupid like that. But I didn’t.” Huh?
Comment by Amalia Tuesday, Aug 18, 20 @ 10:33 am
Plunger sipping is one of the few lt. gov duties outlined in the constitution.
Great story.
Our governors and our colleges used to be fun.
Comment by Leigh John-Ella Tuesday, Aug 18, 20 @ 10:35 am
The bearded man was one of the “Peach Blossoms”. A veterans group that dresses in Kilts and wigs and back in the day drank out of toilet plungers. And while Big Jim denied it to me personally years later, he 100% did it. I was at the game..
Comment by exneck Tuesday, Aug 18, 20 @ 10:35 am
Ginned up is the clue. I bet he did do it and good for him
Comment by DuPage Saint Tuesday, Aug 18, 20 @ 10:35 am
Here’s a bit more about the Peach Blossoms. This photo is from a football program in ‘75: https://i.imgur.com/zLktJZz.jpg
They still come to games, although they’re a lot less “rowdy” and “non-PC”. They still wear the wigs, but the dresses became camo kilts, and they don’t put balloons under their shirts anymore.
Comment by Scott Tuesday, Aug 18, 20 @ 10:40 am
One more bit about this. Bob Hope was a semi-frequent visitor to Western Illinois in that era and was also known, on occasion, to have fun with the Peach Blossoms.
Comment by Scott Tuesday, Aug 18, 20 @ 10:41 am
I guess the alcohol would kill any germs in the plunger.
Comment by Da Big Bad Wolf Tuesday, Aug 18, 20 @ 11:09 am
“I did a lot of stupid things”, haven’t we all Big Jim. RIP.
Comment by pool boy Tuesday, Aug 18, 20 @ 12:01 pm
“I did a lot of stupid things, but that wasn’t one of them.” - I’ll take that for my tombstone if the Thompson family isn’t going to use it.
Comment by Riich Hill Tuesday, Aug 18, 20 @ 12:23 pm
LOLOLOLOLOL
It is so nice to have a funny memory of a former Illinois Governor. Sadly, many of the other formers we remember for their convictions and criminal behavior.
RIP Big Jim Thompson
Comment by Nearly Normal Tuesday, Aug 18, 20 @ 1:12 pm
Authenticity.
Can’t get it dropping G’s or wearing a vest with patches on it.
Comment by Cool Papa Bell Tuesday, Aug 18, 20 @ 1:31 pm
=== Sounds like the “Peach Blossoms”, WIU Veteran’s Club. Still around, minus the drag aspect.===
Basically if you went to a Leatherneck game in the 70’s and 80’s you had to drink out of the plunger. It was hard to turn down because as noted these dudes were all vets and they didn’t like to take no for an answer. Never actually knew what I was drinking.
Those were some really fun football games to go to. And the team was pretty good while I was there.
Comment by Been There Tuesday, Aug 18, 20 @ 1:32 pm
Oh, my. That’s the funniest thing I’ve heard all day.
Comment by JoanP Tuesday, Aug 18, 20 @ 1:39 pm
“You’ve got to remember, Western is kind of an unruly school.”
Waiting for Kirk Dillard to defend his alma mater…
Comment by Practical Politics Tuesday, Aug 18, 20 @ 2:16 pm
“Skilbeck, what have you gotten me into?”
Comment by dr. reason a. goodwin Tuesday, Aug 18, 20 @ 8:34 pm