Winter Cap Quiz for 'Buckeyes' - See if you can Identify?

A. Stormy Kromer, B. Trapper, C. Aviator, D. Toque, E. Elmer Fudd .

Earlier I called us Stormy Kromer followers belonging to a  cult. That may have too much of a negative connotation. How about a brotherhood with a few sisters, also.

At a Packer game earlier this year (they beat the 49er's) I saw a young feller walking down the stairs in my section wearing a Stormy Kromer hat. I told him "nice hat". He turned to see who he thought was making fun of his hat until he saw me with a grin wearing mine. He returned the compliment. It is kind of like owning a Harley. If I had to explain it to you, you probably won't understand anyway.

The "Stormy Kromer" story is really good marketing.

(The whole truth? I don't rightly know, but, I enjoy a good legend and a bit of blarney).

The 'oldtimers', I knew, just called them a "railroader's cap".

I am a 'Troll'. My parents, grandparents, and 3/4ths of my great-grandparents were born or lived, significant parts of their lives, in the upper peninsula "Copper Country".

Northern Michigan is quite the melting pot of languages, cultures, and nationalities.

The 'yoopers' have a lot of regional names for things. They know how to survive serious winter and adopted things that worked!

Some examples, I grew up with, that meant nothing to my 'troll' friends:

Swampers = Boots with rubber bottom, laced leather upper, and sometimes a felt liner, (like L.L. Bean's).

Choppers = Double-mittens that have a leather outer-mitten and a wool inner-mitten.

Toque = A French name for a wool "watch cap", sometimes very stylized. It goes back to ancient times. It can be knitted or made from whole cloth.

Canadians pronounce it "Took", my family pronounced it "Chook", (rhymes with 'cook').

As a kid, when I headed out the door in winter to do my paper-route, my mother would yell: "Be carefull. Do you have your Chook and Choppers"?!!

Knute, you are right about the 'Brotherhood of Hats'. There are motorcycle guys, car and truck guys, gun guys, and there are hat guys!

Most of these fraternities probably overlap.

I've heard he got every one of them there pitchers write and he is unanimous in that observation.

Pith Helmet?  No, Sah.  I would not stoop so low as to wear that abomination.  Mine is a M1917 US helmet.  Worn by saints and sinners of the Great War and the Russia campaigns.  Pith helmets are only worn by scurilous dogs and scaliwag teetotalers.

Now about that likker stash.  What kin I pour for you? 

butlersrangers wrote on Dec 31^st, 2018 at 6:33pm:



Sad but very true.  Perhaps Ohio should annex Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati along with Toledo to Michigan.  We'll throw Kaisch in for free.

You're right 'Culpeper' ... (can't believe, I'm saying that!) ... you was in a Brodie Helmet with a Smith & Wesson.

You missed and sent me 'high tailing'. (The bayonet changes point of impact, you know)?

Can't trust the memory, too much, anymore.

(p.s. Michigan will take Toledo, Cleveland, Parma, and Cincinnati. You guys can keep Columbus ... ya hey ... we'll throw in da Ann Arbor 'whine country', eh).

Yup, guess you can call it my "Wonder Years"...like I wonder  when the next earthquake gonna happen...oh wait...there's one now!  Better go a wandering for shelter!

How did my hat turn into a flat cap...well...I was driving around town when all of a sudden...!

BTW: Isn't Culpepper's helmet missing something and where did you get that picture of me in my Air Force winter cap???