Mark Wallengren

It's now been 11 weeks since my hospitalization for an MSSA bacterial infection with multiple abscesses. Have no idea where I picked it up, but it looks like it started in my pelvis and spread to the rest of my body. As you can see, I’m no longer in a wheelchair or using the walker. Isn’t that great? I still feel the abscess that is leaning against my Iliac artery in my pelvis and the sciatic nerve in my right leg. As a result, I’ve got a pretty decent limp. I mentioned in an earlier post that I was given a penicillin based antibiotic when first admitted to the hospital in Santa Fe, NM. I had never had a problem with penicillin in the past, but after two weeks, my legs broke out with a horrific rash and subsequent boils. You can see the scars left on my legs. The doctor told me that they will lighten up with areas possibly disappearing after a couple or three years. The good news is the new antibiotics are shrinking the pelvic abscess but might take another four weeks or so. I go in for an MRI on July 21st and will make more decisions later. The toughest thing for me is just how weak my legs are along with two areas where bacterial matter was drained. My left hand and my right shoulder. Because I’ve been on homecare taking medication intravenously I haven’t been able to start physical therapy. Fortunately, my PICC tube to deliver the antibiotic has recently been removed and I’m now on antibiotic pills. That takes me off of home care and I can get into physical therapy and start getting my strength back. Bummer about my antibiotic is I’m not allowed out in the sun. This summer looks to be indoors for me!! 🤣🤣🤣 Thank you so much for all the good wishes. As Paul sang, “It’s getting better all the time..” ✌🏼

I was very sad to learn of the passing of Jerry West. 86 is a long life but today with so many living into their 90s. Maybe he was cut a bit short.

I like millions of others grew up watching Jerry West play with the Lakers in the 1960s and 70s and obviously if you’re a Laker fan, you know post playing days Jerry was instrumental as a coach and leading the front office in the Laker organization for years.

My Jerry West story goes back 30+ years so my memory might be a little cloudy, but you’ll definitely get the jest of the story.

I was invited to play at the pro celebrity charity tournament (I think it was 1992?) as part of the then Nissan Open at the Riviera Country Club. When I arrived, I was introduced to the group that I would play with. It was a best ball tournament. As you can see in the picture. My five-some included another childhood hero of mine Chuck Connors (The Rifleman) and Gabe Kaplan (Welcome Back Kotter). Quickly to Chuck Connors I was having a massive fanboy moment and kept my cool for hole after hole sharing a cart with him. After spending a decent amount of time together chatting and playing, I finally got up the nerve to just tell him, as a child, I would never miss an episode. These were first run episodes. And of course the Rifleman was one of the first really successful shows in syndication and I watched it religiously until I graduated high school. So, was about a the sixth hole when I finally gushed to him how much he meant to me and my childhood (and by the way, there were a lot of stories about how he could be very mean and how he drank way too much. That was the reason why I didn’t want to bring anything up).
Anyway, I asked him if he would mind if I referred to him as “Pa” for the next. He belly laughed and said, “All right, but only this hole.” during that next hole I got in as many appreciative “Pa’s” as I could.🤣 He was in a great mood that day, and we all had a good time together.

But back to Jerry. When the celebrity portion of the tournament was over, we all gathered up by the steps going into the clubhouse, and not remembering how it happened, found myself in a group of a few men talking with Jerry West. I don’t remember why I ended up in this group but we obviously were talking about golf and the question came up to Jerry. When did he start playing?

I don’t remember exactly how he responded, but what I do vividly remember was Jerry starting into a story about leaving the Lakers as a player, he now had plenty of time to play golf. And as many athletes find themselves doing when they’re competing against each other on a golf course they start playing for money. I know Jerry was naming names of who he would go out and gamble with on the golf course but I can’t remember those names now. What I do remember is he said that he was losing thousands upon thousands of dollars on these games. For a decent length of time. As you know an athlete like Jerry West is a legendary competitor and could have quite the temper (certainly on court). For those of you who might have known or run across Jerry, you also know how colorful his language could be. 🤣🤣 🤣 In many ways, it’s what makes the greats, great. Not the anger but the drive to win.
He continued by telling us that he got so tired of losing to the various group of golfers that were literally taking tons of money out of his pocket that he decided he wanted revenge and formulated a plan. Jerry would disappear to Florida. There he had a pro in mind and that gentleman would coach and teach Jerry the game of golf. As I recall he stayed there for something like three months (I’m assuming it was basketball off-season) and played up to 72 holes of golf a day. Then he came back home nearly, if not, a scratch golfer.
Now it’s time to call the boys for a round.  Jerry said he assumed that the guys in his golf group expected to clean Jerry’s clock again. As you can easily guess Jerry West took them for tens of thousands of dollars that first round alone, which I also believe was at the Riviera Country Club. I remember him saying he was a member for decades.

To a certain degree that’s a fun side of Jerry, but it also shows you what he’s willing to do in order to win. What he’s accomplished as a player, coach and general manager and professional basketball makes him one of my heroes and an absolute GOAT.

Lucky to have shared the life-plain with this one. God bless you Jerry.

🙏🏼🏀🙏🏼🏌🏽‍♂️🙏🏼🏀🙏🏼



This beautiful woman whom I’m proud to call my mom, would have turned 98 today! A working television writer from the late 50s until the early 2000s. I miss you every day Mom and I’m so fiercely proud of you. Happy Birthday!! 🎂🎉❤️🙏🏼❤️🎊🎂

95 is a good long life. And in this case a well lived life. For most, we’ll never leave a lasting public legacy. And really, that’s ok. But in this case, Richard Sherman did. I had the pleasure of interviewing both he and his brother on more than one occasion during my broadcast career. Thank you Disney. He was a wonderful gentleman whose songs we’ll be singing the rest of our lives and so will our children and their children’s children. God bless this magnificent music maker. 🙏🏼🎶🙏🏼

Going thru storage boxes and found these two oldies! First, just hired in 1980 at KBOI in Boise, ID. Management picked another photo for station lobby. I remember the year only because of my Warner Brothers record t-shirt. The same one that I wore boating and being thrown out of a 50’s Chris-Craft woodside on Lake Coeur d’Alene in 1979 (second shot).

After being in storage for our remodel, I put Barbara Wallengren back up on our living room wall! Beautifully painted by my dear late uncle, William Whitaker 🎨❤️

Last night I again read my Nana’s last Christmas letter from 1999.

Born in 1906, she lived to see the new millennium before passing away in February of 2000. All these years later I find myself celebrating the first Christmas without any of my parents or grandparents. I’m grateful for the traditions instilled in me that I carry on in their memory. Like my Nana mentions, as we get older and unable to do the things we did in the past, may we all reflect on what’s truly important in life. We currently live in a world of constant change, conflict and chaos. For my 60+ years it’s always been that way. Added to that, today, thanks to the insane amount of information outlets, we are bombarded with negative news and social messaging that seem to amplify animated happiness. Yes, we need to be aware, understand and try to address important issues but we need to quite most of the outside noise and focus closer to home. Family, friends and the things we can really influence. The world is just too big and and overwhelming. Control and have influence over the things you can. It starts in your own circle and should include being kind, patient and giving. From there, collectively, it travel far and wide.

Just a few days ago I was looking thru boxes of my mom’s papers and I ran across a television project she passionately worked on for a few years, decades ago. It is a screenplay focused on the life of Alfred Burt. A jazz musician who sent out annual Christmas cards from 1942 to 1954 containing sheet music for a new Christmas song he wrote. One of those is a powerful look at how humans all over the world look at Christ himself. The song, “Some Children See Him” examines Christ and his image as seen thru the eyes of whites, then Latin, Asian and Blacks but ends with the lyric, “Tis love that’s born tonight.” No matter what spiritual or religious beliefs one carries, if it starts with love, goodness can and will follow.

Wishing you a joyous and love filled Christmas day and as Dicken’s own Tiny Tim said, “God bless us, every one.”

Merry Christmas! 🎄🙏🏼❄️🎁🎊🎄

My Christmas playlists are available on both Apple Music and now Spotify! Links in my bio and links will be popping up in the comment section as well! Freshened up this morning!! Merry Christmas! 🎄❤️🙏🏼❄️🎄

Christmas Chicken Pox at 6 years old in Midway, Ut. Look at that face! Glad I had the shingles vaccine!! 🤣
All's well in the Wallengren household. The house is decorated and I'm loving every second and grateful for my family and friends. Hey, I've got a gift for you. I've put up my 2023 Apple Music Christmas Playlist. If you're looking classic holiday tunes newer ones or Christmas deep cuts. They're all there. Search my name, Mark Wallengren, on Apple Music and you'll find my Christmas playlist and more. I'd add the link here but Meta would limit who sees this post. Nice huh? UUhhhgg! Happy Holidays!! (Sorry if you're not on Apple) I'm paying $6.99. per month for the whole family...it's a deal Santa likes. 🎅🤣☃️💕🎄

I won’t eat again for a week! 🦃🍁🍽

Have always rooted for Matthew Perry. Tragic news to process. 💔

'Friends' Star Matthew Perry Dead at 54 After Apparent Drowning Matthew Perry drowned to death Saturday, law enforcement sources tell TMZ.