Until now, there has never been a book in the entire world ever written about prison sports and recreation. "We Only Played Home Games" is full of wacky, hilarious, bizarre, and even deadly true stories that will rivet the reader to the book.
The stories are about four years the author spent organizing, installing and administrating a very controversial, but highly effective sports and recreation program in Michigan's maximum security prison at Marquette. This prison is considered one of the toughest in the country not only because all of the inmates are hardened, repeat offenders - but because Michigan does not have the death penalty. In states with capital punishment, condemned convicts on death row are not allowed any of the recreation privileges available to the general prison population until they are executed.
The warden realized he had a human carbuncle on his hands with "600 of the worst bastards" in Michigan housed inside the walls. Downstate, the Jackson prison (largest walled prison in the world - 6,000 inmates) was just recovering from a huge riot. All of the ringleaders (plus some of their subordinates) had been sent to Marquette, the Siberia of Michigan! The warden could not find enough work for these dangerous "malcontents" and he could not keep them locked in their cells all day. To allow them to roam around the exercise yard with nothing to do guaranteed a future disaster in a very big way! The "joint" could be torn down, people killed, careers ruined. To circumvent this, the warden decided on a very intensive sports and recreation program to keep this select group of human bombs from exploding. He hired the author, Leonard "Oakie" Brumm to implement it.
During the four years described, the author did what he was paid to do, and then some! Any convict (who behaved himself) was offered the opportunity to participate (either actively - or as a spectator) in practically every sport and game known to the civilized world (including some that were invented in the prison). The effect was astonishing!
Previously, all these convicts had to think about was getting out, one way or another. Now their minds were shifted, consciously or unconsciously, to their next round of miniature golf, their next shuffleboard contest, or worried if rain would stop their upcoming bocci ball game. Could the visiting "outside" softball team hit the "joint’s" star pitcher today, or was the weather going to be OK for the big football game on Sunday? The inmates even got to see the World Championship Detroit Red Wings face off against the Marquette Prison Pirates in the most unusual hockey game ever played.
Now, there were lots of things to think about other than getting out or raising hell! The public and the guards had a hard time accepting this program, but knowledgeable penologists in Michigan gave it credit for "keeping the lid on the joint" during these very delicate times.
This is a fascinating account of life in a totally different world. Readers will come away with their eyes’ opened, and their heads spinning.
Leonard "Oakie" Brumm was born in Ironwood, Michigan and raised in Marquette, Michigan (both in the Upper Peninsula). After an exceptional athletic career in high school and a stint in the U.S. Army (World War II), Brumm went on to graduate from the University of Michigan in 1950 with a degree in Physical Education. While attending college, Brumm won three varsity letters in hockey, one in varsity tennis and two freshman/JV awards in football. The highlight of his collegiate athletic accomplishments was being a member of Michigan’s first NCAA hockey championship team (1948).
After graduation, Brumm was appointed varsity hockey coach at the University of Wyoming for one year. Next, Brumm was recruited by the University of Alaska-Fairbanks to become the Athletic Director (which included coaching the hockey and basketball teams).
When Brumm returned to Marquette in 1953, Warden Emery Jacques was determined to lure him away from his Construction Superintendent’s position and hire him as the notorious prison’s first Athletic and Recreation Director. During Brumm’s four year "adventure" at the prison, he also played and coached the Marquette Sentinels - a solid, semi-pro hockey team in the strong Northern Michigan-Ontario Hockey League.
After completing four danger-filled years of service (and the most comprehensive sports & recreation program ever installed in any prison) Brumm didn’t want the law of combat averages to catch up with him. Subsequently, he departed from the Siberia of Michigan to join the family construction business.
During Brumm’s long and varied construction career, he took advantage of the winter layoffs to further develop his hockey playing and coaching abilities. Most of this was accomplished in the semi-pro United States Hockey League where Brumm was player-coach, and eventually - the coach of three different USHL teams: Des Moines (Iowa) Oak Leafs, Waterloo (Iowa) Blackhawks, and the Marquette (Michigan) Iron Rangers. In fifteen years, Brumm’s teams won four league championships and two playoff championships in this very tough league.
In 1980, Brumm left Marquette for Green Bay (Wisconsin) to continue extensive construction work. While in Green Bay, he coached the St. Norbert College hockey team for one season (12-12-1 record.)
In 1982, Brumm appointed the Construction Manager for a large International Construction Group doing projects in Kuwait. For the next five years, he managed road, bridge projects and the new Kuwait International Airport project. Again, Brumm blended sports and construction, co-founding the Kuwait National Hockey League in the mid 80's. He became the league's publicity director and served as the player-coach of his team that captured three playoff titles.
With the acceleration of the neighboring Iran-Iraq war looming, Brumm returned to the United States. In 1994, Brumm moved to Wisconsin to continue construction projects.
During 1995-1998, he took a "break" to coach the combined Brookfield (Wisconsin) high schools' hockey team to the state championship "Elite Eight" for their first and only time.
In 1992, Brumm was named to the Upper Peninsula (Michigan) Sports Hall of Fame.
Currently, he and his wife, Francis reside in Racine, Wisconsin. He continues to be active in the construction consulting business. In 2000, Brumm become the owner/editor of THE WISCONSIN HOCKEY NEWS, a statewide publication.
