just a quick follow up ... thanks for all the help...I sprayed lubricant onto the vertical rod leading from the forward/reverse lever into the tranny ... I let the lubricant drip down the rod, through the floor, and downwards. This did the trick, it freed up with two or three hard pulls/pushes...gotta tell you that I had to use way more force than was comfortable to get it moving again but I've had no more problems since.
John.