Trim B's and Rocky Bleier -- Classic Wisconsin

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Trim B's, Appleton

Classic Wisconsin was checking the fish fry listings -- that's what Classic Wisconsin does for you, dear subscriber, checks the fish fry listings -- when Classic Wisconsin came across a story about Appleton Xavier High School re-naming its stadium to honor local football great Rocky Bleier.

You've probably heard of Bleier. He is best known for single handedly beating the snot out of Green Bay Premontre for three consecutive years.

In fact, Bleier never lost a game in three years of varsity football for Xavier in the early 60s. He finished his high school running back career averaging an amazing 9.4 yards a carry.

Bleier went on to star in the collegiate ranks, and after recovering from wounds suffered in Vietnam he helped win four Super Bowls for some team in the 70s, but still, he never quite recaptured the glory of making the Premontre football team look like the girls from St. Joseph Academy and spanking their lily white asses all over the field.

Premontre never recovered. In 1990 they defunctified the place, renamed it Notre Dame de La Baye and began sending the girls from St. Jo's to the new school -- the Premontre administration figuring if their teams were going to continue to perform like girls, they might as well include girls. Speaking of defunctification, you're wondering what this has to do with fish frys. Everything, dear subscriber, everything.

A tavern owner's son, Bleier grew up in downtown Appleton. The senior Bleier eventually sold his tavern to Ron and Carol Trimberger, who opened a supper club called Trim B's. The restaurant was a local favorite for its
fishilicious food, bucket-sized cocktails and neighborly atmosphere. The reputation of Trim B's perch, whitefish, and baked scrod preceded itself for years.

Like the old saying goes, all good things must become defunct. As Classic Wisconsin read the article about Rocky Bleier's local honors, Classic Wisconsin noted this: "The 61-year-old Bleier grew up in what is the now
defunct Trim B's restaurant on the corner of Walnut and Lawrence streets."

Classic Wisconsin last visited Trim B's in summer of 2006. The restaurant had been sold by the Trimbergers. Although the new owner kept the name, things didn't seem the same. It was a bland fish fry experience made all the more forgettable by a night on College Avenue. You know how that goes, don't you. Don't you. That's right. Cleo's...Jim's...American Legion, next thing you know you're trying to find Joe McCarthy's grave at 3 a.m.

Then diners began to report problems at Trim B's via that World Wide Web thing: dirty glassware, high prices, and this appetizing gem - unfinished portions getting transferred to new plates.

A lesson for fish slingers everywhere: Don't screw the fish eaters. Not in Wisconsin. Just don't do it. It's a one-way ticket to defunctdom. You will go down like pimply Premontre boys under Rocky Bleier's churning cleats.

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