Bye, Bye, Birdies
HARLAN -- For the past 18 years veteran Jim Zea has been releasing 10 to 12 of his white pigeons during the playing of the National Anthem prior to the start of the HCHS varsity home football games at Merrill Field in Harlan.
Last Friday marked the last time Zea released pigeons out from under the large American flag during the patriotic salute at regular season football games as he and his wife, Judy, will be relocating to Ankeny.
The pigeon release occurs when the American flag at the north end of the football field is raised to the top of the pole. He hopes the pigeon release tradition, which he does on behalf of the American Legion, will continue at Merrill Field.
Zea remembers returning home from Germany where he was stationed in the Army in the late 1960s and watching the pigeon release during the home football games at Merrill Field. At that time he said the pigeons came from Glen Rasmussen and were released by a high school student.