Leland Klein & Bill Rose

Leland Klein and Bill Rose National Championship Plaque

A plaque was established in 1997 in memory of Leland Klein and Bill Rose. They participated in the National contests in the 1930's and 1940's. At that time the National contests were 80 minutes in length. All the contestants would start at the same time and finish at the same time. Leland Klein while picking in the 1941 National Contest at Tonic Illinois was credited with the least amount of deductions for a National contest. He placed second in the contest. That same year he was one of the only four men ever to pick 50 bushels in an 80 minute contest. Bill Rose won the Illinois contest in 1937 to qualify for the National contest. It was a  rainy day at Marshall Missouri  when Bill picked the largest gross load. After the deductions were calculated he had earned his way into the record book for the most deductions at a National contest, 1,341.56 pounds deducted out of a gross of 2,025 pounds. Both men were instrumental in helping revive the corn husking contest in Illinois and at the National level. They both won their share of corn husking contest and were willing to share their experiences and techniques.