Conference Highlights

Two interesting speakers are slated for the Illinois Park and Recreation Conference November 15-18.

Joseph E. Curtis, former Commissioner of Parks and Recreation for Boston, Massachusetts, will be keynote speaker for the Illinois Park and Recreation luncheon on Friday, November 16 at 12:30 p.m. at the Arlington Race Track Skyline room. Mr. Curtis, a truly dynamic speaker, and past-president of the American Park and Recreation Society, will address the audience to the changing of parks and leisure activities and how it relates to the American economy.

The park and recreation field has seen his involvement since 1947 when as a patrolman for the New York City Police Department, he did recreation work in Harlem and East Harlem. Mr. Curtis has been President of APRS, two state societies, and several city and county organizations. He has been guest lecturer, speaker and panelist for numerous seminars and conferences, and has over 50 published articles.

Saturday evening will prove to be equally exciting and interesting with Rick Talley, Sports Editor of Chicago Today, addressing the annual Conference Banquet held at Arlington Race Track.

Earlier this year Rick Talley was named "Illinois Sports Writer of the Year" by the National Association of Sportscasters and Writers. He supervises the 24 man sports staff of Chicago Today.

His regular column assignments for the newspaper include the Kentucky Derby, Indianapolis 500, World Series, the National Football League (including NFL play offs), the Super Bowl, major league baseball, the Masters and the U. S. Open, the Munich Olympic Games, Big Ten football, championship fights, baseball's All-Star game and other feature sports activities.

He also has covered the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City, the Muhammad Ali-Joe Frazier heavyweight championship bout and World Cup Soccer Championships in Mexico in 1970. The latter won him the Bronze Metal for world soccer coverage from the World Association of the Olympic Press.

Talley began his sportswriting career in 1958 with the Decatur (Ill.) Herald, then became editor of the Menio Park (Cal.) Recorder. In 1959 he became general news reporter and rewrite man for United Press International, San Francisco. The following year he joined the sports staff of the Rockford (Ill.) Morning Star and Register-Republic, and became sports editor in 1964. While in Rockford, Talley received several Associated Press awards for his coverage of major sports events. He moved to Chicago in 1969 to assume his present post as editor of the Chicago Today sports department.

Both the banquet and luncheon are planned for your pleasure and enjoyment. It is suggested that you register in advance for these events. Bus transportation from the Arlington Park Hotel will be available 45 minutes before and after each event. Banquet and luncheon tickets are included in the delegate registration package. Wives or spouses who register will also receive the banquet ticket.

Illinois Parks and Recreation 11 November/December, 1973