Schreiber and the guy in the pink shirt

[Mark Magyar]

I don't get the chance these days to check this forum as much as I was like to do so.
I was really thrilled to see this photo.  ^_^
I added it to my FB Spin Top Gallery...

[ta0]

The forum also received a Christmas present, a special member who is a first for us . . . 

I will break the news: we now have 3 generations of Watts players on our board!  Byron junior has joined Byron senior and Walter as a forum member. The tradition continues. 

[the Earl of Whirl]

That is exciting news about the Watts family.  Thanks for sharing it.

It seems like we might be close to a third generation in the Gray family, too?

I have some generational top news to share, too.  In April my youngest son Joe and his wife Lauren are having a baby girl.  That is my hope for a third generation of top spinners!

[Watts' Tops]

It is neat to have Byron Junior (B. J.) on the form. Welcome to my oldest grandson.

[Dojo-yoyo7]

nice pic did not know till' now

[the Earl of Whirl]

Wow, I got a nice letter in the mail just a few minutes ago.  It was from the Oak Hills Christian College of Bemidji, Minnesota.  In the letter was a copy of the memorial service held for Jim on October 26th, 1996!  The service was the one held at the Oak Hills campus in the Schreiber Activity Center.  On the front it says: April 19, 1905-October 2, 1996.  OHF Staff Member 1928-1974.

Inside it says "James Conrad Schreiber, youngest son of Jacob and Gertje Schreiber, was born April 19, 1905, in south Chicago and passed away October 2, 1996 at the Go Ye Village, Tahlequah, Oklahoma at the age of 91 years, 5 months and 27 days.  His great-grandparents immigrated to America from the Netherlands in 1894 and helped form the Dutch community of Roseland, Illinois.  They were instrumental in the founding of the First Reformed Church.

Mr. Schreiber received his elementary and high school education in Roseland and was very active in school and church activities.  He played the fife in the school fife and drum corps and was a proficient pianist.  In the summer of 1927, he and two other men formed a gospel team to conduct services in northern Minnesota.  This led to an invitation by Wilbur Cummings for him to become a staff member of the Oak Hills Fellowship in Bemidji, Minnesota, in 1928.

On September 27, 1932, he was united in marriage with Jemima Olson, a fellow staff member.  After the death of Mr. Cummings, he was appointed superintendent of Oak Hills Fellowship, in which capacity he served for 28 years.  The Schreibers made a wonderful team in seeing the fulfillilng of the vision of its founder.  Along with Mr. and Mrs. Cummings, they were the pioneers of the "Missions to the North Woods."

As a boy, Mr. Schreiber learned the skill of top spinning.  For some 60 years, he always had a top in his pocket, ready to illustrate lessons of salvation and Christian living.  He became widely known as "the Ole Top Spinner," and has taught several young men to be "top spinning preachers."

After 46 years of service with Oak Hills Fellowship, the Schreibers retired to Tahlequah, Oklahoma, in 1974.  There he became an enthusiastic supporter of the Go Ye Mission and zealous promoter of Go Ye Village.  As residents there, both James and Jemima Schreiber are remembered for their gentle Christlike character.

Mr. Schreiber was preceded in death by his wife, two brothers, and one sister.  He is survived by one niece and one nephew.  Memorial gifts may be directed to the Oak Hills Fellowship, Bemidji, MN  56601 or to the Go Ye Mission, Tahlequah, OK  74464."

[jim in paris]

thanks a lot for sharing this , Mike


he always had a top in his pocket, ready to illustrate lessons of salvation and Christian living.

I wonder if Rev Joe Mauk might have met him....


jim

[poptop]

Good stuff Mike!  Thanks for the transcript.

[ta0]

. . . was born April 19, 1905, in south Chicago

South of Chicago . . .  the birthplace of "acrobatic" spintop play, as far as we know (not only from Schreiber's childhood recollections but according to the famous Life Time 1945 article).

I wonder if Rev Joe Mauk might have met him....

Sure. Joe Mauk was a disciple of Jim Schreiber (but I forgot the details).

[poptop]

I have some family who have relocated to Chicago.  Ive asked my brother to look into any history he might find, but he's a bit busy living life and all.

Anyone got clues or ideas as to what and where we might look to better understand the early beginnings of string play?  It does seem that South Chicago is ground zero (or at least one ground zero?) for us.

[Dick Stohr]

Try the Spintastics history that Val Oliver did:  http://www.spintastics.com/SSThisttop.html
https://www.ta0.com/history-tops

[poptop]

Thanks Dick.  That article is definitely a good read (and reread!).

It does however seem to skip over the on-string play that we now know to have existed in the 1930's and 40's.  To be more precise, it's this "prehistory" of modern string play that I wish we knew a bit more about...

Who "invented" the boomerang?  The yap? The jerk?
What other tricks might early players have been doing?
How long ago were these tricks first performed?
Where else?  Besides Chicago, were there other cities whose youngsters were also pioneering string play concurrently?  Where else did our style of play spread to besides the woods of Minnesota?

I can't help but to think we've lost some details to history, but it doesn't seem too late--about 80 years hence--to perhaps meet folks who might still recall details about the earliest string or "acrobatic" players and their skills.

[Watts' Tops]

Much of Jim Schreiber's skill can be seen in his movie, "Top Secret".  I think Don Olney still has copies of this available.

[ta0]

It does however seem to skip over the on-string play that we now know to have existed in the 1930's and 40's.

Actually, we are talking a least 1910's.  It would be interesting to research if there were particular immigrant communities in south Chicago at the time (Dutch?) and tag acrobatic play to one of them, and perhaps even trace it back to the Europe . . .