HOPEVILLE – George Hosfield of Tingley, formerly of Ellston, won all five of the games of cribbage needed to get the perfect score of 605. Such a performance won him the championship title of the eighth Annual Jim Overholtzer Memorial Cribbage Tournament.
The tournament is held annually in conjunction with Hopeville Rural Music Reunion on the first Sunday after Labor Day. Sixteen people competed for the title this year. They played five games against others in that pool. The winning game score is 121 points making the perfect five game score 605. The second place winner had 599 points by losing one game by six points. That was Carol Klein of Treynor. The third place winner had 586 points, also by losing only one game, but by 19 points. That was Dan Shepard of Tingley.
Other players came from surrounding communities as well as Des Moines and Ames. The 2018 champion won a trophy and much respect. The tournament lasted just over three hours, but with perfect fall weather and great music playing live in the background, the time went fast.
Holly Klein of Treynor was the 2017 tournament winner, and she awarded the new 2018 trophy to George. The tournament is in honor of Jim Overholtzer, the former Postmaster of Grand River, which also included the Hopeville rural community. Overholtzer was an outstanding cribbage player and was well liked. His family provides the trophy for this tournament in Hopeville at the Rural Music Reunion.
This year was the 40th year of the Hopeville Music Festival. It is always free to everyone, including the cribbage tournament. The Hopeville Ladies Auxiliary manages the proceeds from the concession stand. Those proceeds keep the community church in operation the rest of the year.
Hopeville is at the junction of Clarke, Decatur, Ringgold and Union counties. There are no roads paved to Hopeville and the current population is under 15 people. However, the town square is now a Clarke County Conservation Board park. This park is used for area family reunions and picnics. It has restrooms, play courts, playground equipment, old shade trees and a large shelter house. Electrical connections for the camping area are also available.