Fixing some, adding others, and just messing around with a few others:
Green Machine
A month or so before the start of the high school basketball season, a friend of mine who is quite knowledgeable of the Class L scene suggested that Manchester Central, despite graduating a ton of talent, would "still be pretty good."
Now we find out how accurate that comment is as the Little Green are undefeated through the end of January. Add in a three-game sweep in the Queen City Christmas Tournament, and you understand why the Little Green has sights on a Class L three-peat.
The Good Old Orange, Blue and Black
Local sports fan Brian Bendiks was a 16-year old on Long Island when the Dodgers and Giants fled NYC, and he is sure that the color combination of the New York Mets came together in hopes of rekindling some fan interest for the Mets, the new team in town. In fact, he remembers reading about it. He reminded me that the Polo Grounds (home field of the Giants) was in deplorable condition and that the average attendance figures for the Giants (6,000 per game) and the Dodgers (20,000 per game) was a far cry from today’s attendance.
While much younger, local sports media personality Mike Murphy, a staunch New York sports lover, chimed in saying my older son was correct, that the blue and orange indeed represents the melding of the Dodgers and Giants colors.
How did I ever miss that all these years? Maybe I was paying too much attention to Ed Kranepool, Choo-Choo Coleman, Elio Chacon, Ron Swoboda, Tom Seaver, Jerry Koosman, a young, pickle-brine soaking Nolan Ryan (and the very attractive Ruth Ryan), and Wayne Garrett. (And for the record, that’s without looking at any reference material, which accounts for any misspellings!)
Not doubting Mr. Murphy, but those colors look an awful lot like Syracuse University colors to me.
To Err Is
Writing this blog is like the Flying Wallendas without a net.......there's no editor to correct my gaffes. To wit:
The name of the park off the old Dump Road is Terrill Park, not Terrell Park. Hope I didn't offend any Terrells. Thanks for the editing goes to eagle- eye Paul Dallaire.
Vega-terrians
Kind of neat thing happening at Rundlett Middle School (real hard not to type Junior High, but I managed). The basketball coach of the boys B team is Mark Paveglio. The coach of the girls B team is Bob Paveglio, father of Mark.
So Bob and Mark get to ride the bus together to away games, chat about game strategy before and after the games, kibitz at practices, and just hang around like buds.
Kind makes your heart skip a beat, doesn't it?
Way Back and (thankfully) Out of Here
There are a number of us who yelled “hurrah” when the Red Sox deep-sixed Jerry Trubiano from its radio broadcast team. Apparently, Boston Globe sports writer Nick Cafardo didn’t see things the same way. In one of his Sunday sports sections this month, Cafardo added the following in his Appropos of Nothing segment:
“5. I still can’t understand why the Red Sox let Jerry Trubiano go.”
My guess, Mr. Cafardo, is that being a sportswriter – even the Red Sox beat writer for a while – you don’t have the opportunity to listen to many Red Sox games on the radio. If you did, you would understand what the rest of us understand: Trubiano was horrible and will not be missed. Sorry. He’s probably a great guy. But thankfully I have listened to my last “Way back!” only to find out that the shortstop is camped under a pop fly. And I won’t miss the inane bantering between Trubiano and Joe Castiglione that either went nowhere or agitated Castiglione, who, by the way, is not one of my favorites either.
That’s what happens when you grow up listening to Curt Gowdy, Ned Martin, Ken Coleman, Bob Prince (Pittsburg), Jim Woods (Pittsburg), and Bob Murphy. Trubiano and Castiglione just don’t stack up.
New Trade Manny Idea
If you don’t read Bill Simmons (http://sports.espn.go.com/keyword/search?searchString=bill_simmons&rT=sports) at ESPN.com under the Page 2 section , you are missing out. One of his recurring features is his Mailbag edition. Some of his readers are just plain creative and his answers are equally entertaining. Such as this creative way of dealing with Manny Ramirez:
Mailbag: The Sox should just tell Manny he got traded to Boston. He won't know the difference.--Mike H, Noxen, N.H.
Sports Guy (Simmons): I love this idea. They could go all out with this: Call him up, tell him he's been traded to Boston, have him pack up all of his stuff, fly him in circles in the team jet for five hours, then drop him off in Cambridge and tell him he's on the West Coast. He might fall for it. By the time the season starts, it will be too late for him to complain. I really think this could work.
Priceless.
Jim Veacock
His long right arm would shoot out from behind the old fashioned bubble chest protector. It would take a mini-pump before heading straight up as the man bellowed, "Steee-riiiiiiike." You could hear him all over the White's Park field, along White and Beacon Streets, and partway up Charles Street.
Jim Veacock umpired more of our games than anyone else. You may have argued with him on occasion or not liked his strike zone from time to time, but you always knew he was doing his best.......and you could guarantee that he knew the rules so if something funky happened, he'd make it right.
For me he was more than just an umpire. In my sophomore year of college I decided to take up umpiring as a means of making some money. Veacock was right there ready to help me learn the intricacies of positioning, strike zones, command of the game, and most of all, the rules. We'd work games together and talk baseball rules between innings and on the ride to and from the games.
He shared his knowledge and experiences with us because he wanted us to succeed, to carry the Concord umpiring torch on when he decided to get done.
Armed with my own supply of Knotty Problems baseball rules puzzlers first supplied to me by Walter Smith, I'd pick Veacock's brain for answers to the trickier questions. And he'd give me some from his own personal experiences. For a kid who loved the inside part of baseball, these meetings with Veacock were a pure joy.
Like other talented people in Our Town - the Old Scout, Ruel Colby comes quickly to mind - Jim Veacock likely could have taken his chest protector, his old mask soldered together in a dozen or more spots, and his balls/strikes indicator and umpired at much higher levels. Instead he chose to stay in Concord and our town's history is that much richer for it.
He moved away from Concord a number of years ago, after retiring from the Post Office. He spent his later years in Florida, reportedly umpiring games well into his 70s.
Now the local newspaper brings us the news that Jim Veacock, Umpire, has passed away at the age of 90.
Rest in peace, Jim.
http://www.concordmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070110/REPOSITORY/701100305/1006/COMMUNITY02
Paul Dupont
His name didn't appear in bright lights, his ego such that it didn't need stroking for his great and wonderful deeds performed in the world of Concord education. Nor did he ever need to chase his just rewards for teaming with his buddy Tom Thurston to keep Camp Fatima and Camp Bernadette afloat when both camps teetered on the brink of closing.
As directors of the two camps, they could have chucked it and let the camps close. But instead Dupont and Thurston put together video tapes (or was it slide shows?) and ventured off to Long Island and New Jersey in search of kids who would benefit from a summer or two or three in New Hampshire's wonderland.
The success of the two camps can't be measured in any quantitative means. But the love kids who attended the camps developed for each other has lasted much longer than a summer stay. Indeed, the bonds these kids developed have stayed with them forever.
And Paul Dupont was the common denominator for all of these kids.
When the tragedy of September 11, 2001, struck, I happened to be passing Paul's School Street house around noontime. Earlier in the day, a friend of mine had told me that many of the kids who attended Fatima over the years had jobs in and around the Twin Towers and that Paul Dupont had kept in touch with them over the years.
As I turned onto North Spring Street, Paul was coming down his back stairs. I pulled over and we talked. He was stunned - naturally - by the tragedy of the morning, and tears were welling in his eyes as he was thinking aloud of all the great campers - well educated, full of promise -who had moved on in life and taken jobs in New York City.
He had kept in touch with so many of the kids that his mind was racing, wondering which ones were in NYC that day, which ones had escaped the destruction, and sadly which ones were not as fortunate.
Kids - now adults - many of whom escaped the tragedy that day were at Paul's funeral last fall, bonding with friends from years gone by, honoring a person who made a difference in their lives.
Paul Dupont had that effect on the lives of many people in Our Town and beyond.
Betty Hoadley has written a eulogy for Paul that will appear in an upcoming newsletter for the Concord teaching community. She has graciously allowed me to print her thoughts.
"If a filled church for a memorial mass is a testament to a life well lived, then Paul Dupont must have had a life especially well lived.
On Saturday, October 21, family and friends gathered to say goodbye to Dupont, an educator with 37 years of service to the Concord School District. He had been a teacher at Walker School, Broken Ground School and Rundlett Middle School. He had the unique distinction of having served as assistant principal at the middle school as well as serving as principal at the Garrison , Walker and Conant schools earlier in his career.
Dupont has been characterized as a “straight shooter,” one who “called a spade, a spade,” and one who clearly let you know how he felt about a matter. Though not trained as a school guidance counselor, he gladly took on that role with Concord school students and with his campers (and staff) at his long time summer work at Camp Fatima. Young people listened to Paul and trusted him. Many of his students were appreciative of the way he explained mathematics, emphasizing the logic and relevance of the skills he was teaching.
Paul Dupont was a people person with adults as well. Staff members liked to work with him and for him. His stability, his interest in every staff person and his ever-present smile resulted in good school morale. As one secretary at Rundlett put it, “He was a joy to work for.”
Dupont’s interest and involvement with Concord athletics was both varied and continuous. He served as the first CHS varsity men’s hockey team coach at a time when the games were played at White Park. His wife, Bev, remembers him returning home at midnight on winter evenings after spending some cold hours spraying the rink to make a new and perfect surface. He was active in the Concord Youth Hockey program for many years. And in more recent years, he served as ticket seller and ticket taker at CHS games and matches. Why he even joined the “mall walkers” group after he retired from the school district! Looking around at his funeral, one could see representatives of all these groups, and others as well.
Paul and Bev Dupont raised five children, all of whom went to Concord schools. The next generation includes 14 grandchildren. It is a close and supportive family with their adult children having many memories of a typical Concord childhood made better still by summers spent at the church camp in Gilmanton. Though Paul was a professional educator and a faithful community volunteer, he balanced that with being a devoted and attentive father.
Concord is fortunate to have so many men and women citizens like Paul Dupont who care so much about this community, care about its young people and actually make differences in their lives. He exemplified a unique blend of educator and volunteer. We thank him for all of that. And, along with his family, we mourn his having left us." - Betty Hoadley
Rest in peace, Paul. Your deeds are done and your memory will carry on.
Jeff Smith
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Saturday, December 16, 2006
Band of Brothers (The Lovejoy Boys) by Bobby York
http://www.recorder.com/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=587&SectionID=3&SubSectionID=&S=1
Bobby York, from the South End Yorks and Rollins Park, writes for the Greenfield, Mass. Recorder, and found a topic that should be near and dear to the hearts of many of us Concord natives.
Carl Lovejoy, from the South End Lovejoys and Rollins Park, has spent most of his life since early teens in and around the private school scene. A graduate of St. Paul's School and Colby College, Carl has three boys, all of whom have starred in athletics at Deerfield Academy.
Yorkie does a great job bringing us up to date with the travels of the Brothers Lovejoy. Enjoy......Jeff
Bobby York, from the South End Yorks and Rollins Park, writes for the Greenfield, Mass. Recorder, and found a topic that should be near and dear to the hearts of many of us Concord natives.
Carl Lovejoy, from the South End Lovejoys and Rollins Park, has spent most of his life since early teens in and around the private school scene. A graduate of St. Paul's School and Colby College, Carl has three boys, all of whom have starred in athletics at Deerfield Academy.
Yorkie does a great job bringing us up to date with the travels of the Brothers Lovejoy. Enjoy......Jeff
Thursday, December 14, 2006
A Little Holiday Cheer
Catcher of the Decade
For you younger folks, this might be hard to understand or even believe, but it is true. Back in the day – that being the 50s and 60s for me – the powerhouse college baseball team of the Northeast region wasn’t UMaine. Wasn’t Boston College. Wasn’t UConn. Wasn’t Providence. No, those schools all became regional and national powers a bit later on.
(While I have a hard time understanding why UNH dropped its baseball team, I’m dumbfounded as to why Providence College dropped its program.)
The Beast of the East was none other than Springfield College. Yup, the school that is now a Division III program was a Division I power. Complete with legendary coach and players being drafted in the professional ranks annually.
No, I haven’t been sniffing the Tide box from Mr. Foy’s store. Haven’t even been chewing on some stale baseball card gum left over from Sammy Dahood’s market. And I haven’t munched on some old mint julep candies at Dan’s Market.
(Concord Quiz 1: Please! If anyone can tell me where Dan’s Market was in Concord, I’d be thrilled. Concord National LL used to have a team called Dan’s Market in the 50s and no one around these parts can tell me where it was…..but I digress.)
Springfield College, coached by the legendary Archie Allen, was a power. So strong, in fact, that it went to the College World Series in Omaha a couple of times. Yes, the very same College World Series that is now on ESPN in the spring every year. And one trip to the College World Series included the late Walter Smith, a catcher for Springfield, who went on to a lengthy career as the executive secretary of the New Hampshire Interscholastic Athletic Association.
(Concord Quiz 2: Name Walter and Robin Smith’s five kids. Extra points if you put them in the proper order by age.)
So why does Springfield College come up in this holiday season?
Because they just selected their all-time team of the decades and James Sutton Watson (CHS ’64, Springfield ’68, ’70) –Promaker to his buds at White’s Park – was selected as the catcher on the Team of the 60s.
Congrats, Jimmy Cat Pro. Humble as you are, that’s a great honor.
Might even put you in the running for White’s Park Man of the Year.
(Congrats can be sent to:
JWatson89@hotmail.com)
What Goes Around, Comes Around
You all know that Jason Smith, he of the fabled Merrimack Valley basketball teams of the late 80s and early 90s, is the highly successful men’s basketball coach at Brewster Academy.
What you may not know is that his assistant coach is long-time New Hampshire high school hoops mentor Al Simoes, who just happened to coach at Merrimack Valley in the late 80s when Scott Drapeau and Company were just beginning their surge to stardom.
Now he sits beside Jason on the Brewster bench watching a collection of Division I talent romp up and down the floor.
(And if you’re into star-gazing of the college basketball coaching variety, then you need to stop by the Smith Center -no relation, Jason claims - on the school’s Wolfeboro campus. Not at every New Hampshire high school gym could you sidle up to, oh say, Steve Alford, bedecked in his black and gold Iowa University early-winter jacket and just quietly watch 40 minutes of basketball.)
A Shiny Head, a Nickname Forever
Once upon a time, many years ago, the young men (boys) of Our Town wore their hair considerably shorter and far less styled then today. In fact, folks like George the Barber (Washington Street) made a career of providing the North End kids with haircuts called fuzz ball, crew, and whiffle.
So when classmate Jimmy Golden had his hair cut real short when he was a student at Rundlett Junior High, one didn’t expect much to happen.
But it did. One of the guidance counselors at Rundlett was flat out bald. So bald that kids called him Chrome-Dome…..out of earshot, of course, unless you wanted a forced vacation at home or with the truant officer.
Somehow the low shearing of Jimmy Golden’s hair spawned a new nickname for him, one that has stuck to this very day: Tucker, aptly named after Mr. Tucker from RJHS .
I’m betting my next bottle of Jic Jac that there are a significant number of our classmates who have no idea that Tucker Golden’s real first name is James.
So how come this comes up now? Because Edward L. Tucker, the RJHS guidance counselor with the bald head, passed away recently.
And Jimmy Golden is still Tucker to all of us.
Mr. Tucker's obit:
http://www.concordmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061207/REPOSITORY/612070334&SearchID=73265937194978
Last One Standing
You’ve heard me expound on how blessed Our Town was with the number of large familys who had all boys….in fact all athletic boys. The Callahans, the Knees, the Ceriellos, and the Kallecheys all wore out the ballfields and the ice rinks in Concord playing nearly ever sport available to them in the 20s, 30s, and 40s.
So it is that my condolenses go out to old pal George Kallechey and his relatives on the passing of his uncle Harry Kallechey, the last Kallechey brother standing of that generation.
The Brothers Callahan, Ceriello and Kallechey are all now passed on leaving three of the four Knee brothers (Ron, Bobby and Doug) to carry the torch.
http://www.concordmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061212/REPOSITORY/612120394/1006/COMMUNITY02
Not Fashionably Late for This One
Always got a kick out of reading a newspaper report about one of the kids I coached in Little League or in basketball as they made their way up through the high school athletic systems. Also loved the feeling of going to the Will Call window to pick up your special tickets to the games.
So I can't even imagine what it was like recently for Bill Haubrich, The Current (as opposed to The Elder or the Younger), when found out that his national athletic director conference this year was in Anaheim. Naturally he quickly checked the NBA schedule to see who the Lakers or Clippers were playing and much to his delight, the Lakers were scheduled to play the Spurs, with former CHS star Matt Bonner.
That meant Bill could see his former player play.
In person.
In Los Angeles.
At the Staples Centers as a guest of Bon-Bon.
Perfect.
Of course dining with Bonner the night before the game and meeting some of the celebs on game night (so wouldn't you like to meet Eva Longoria?) also made for an enjoyable time on the West Coast.
Itchy Boom
Our vet tech at Doggie Daycare (honestly, I wouldn't lie to you) explained to us that there is a procedure to take care of our dog doing the heinie scootch (her term, not mine - literal human translation: scratching your ass). It's called "squeezing your anal glands."
Stop right now: Betcha can't even put the thoughts you're having into a coherent sentence, can you?
Deal or No Deal
No reason to count the ballots. The National Human Resources Person of the Year award goes to the person in charge of hiring the 26 case carrying young laides on Deal or No Deal. Job well done, my friend. One would have to be blind to think Howie Mandel is the main attraction on that show.
And in case you're wondering: 17-10-3 in that order and I'd be a happy camper for a long time. On the other hand, Mrs. Off My Wall wants a replacement for No. 13. Says she is ugly. Funny, but I haven't made it up that far yet.
Name Change
Despite the accusations of being too 03301-centric, I must confess that I have no idea which Terrell family was honored by having a park named after him/her/them off the old dump road bordering the Merrimack River a block up from Exit 13.
But I do know that after the recent ConMon revelations of homosexual activity in the park, I'd be asking the City - no, make that DEMANDING the City - to remove my name from anything to do with that park.
Escaping the Wrath
So how come no one's bringing up J. D. Drew's lack of base running ability? Did you forget already?
Late last summer we almost doubled over in laughter watching SportsCenter as Met catcher Paul LoDuca tagged out the slow-footed Jeff Kent and Drew on the very same play at the plate with Drew arriving at home only seconds after the piano-bearing Kent was tagged out.
Of course, I went right to the Dodgers media guide to see if Wendall (Wave 'Em Home) Kim was coaching third for the Dodgers.
He wasn't.
Prove It!
I pay attention to major league baseball. Always have. So much so that when my oldest son told me that somewhere on the Internet he found that the color of the New York Mets baseball hats (black, blue and orange) honors the New York Giants (black and orange) and Brooklyn Dodgers (blue) leaving New York prior to the 1958 season, I gulped.
Never have I ever heard such a thing. Not then when the Dodgers and Giants left for the West Coast and not since.
So unless someone can prove to me otherwise, I'm siticking with my contention that some recent marketing or public relations person for the Mets thought it would be a neat thing to say.
But I don't believe it for a minute. It is just happenstance.
Fantasy Baseball
Towards the end of the regular major league baseball season, my wife and I were shopping at the Home Depot in Concord at about closing time. We were in the back of the store near the lumber racks when I picked up a long dowel and took a hitter's pose.
The kid working the area saw me and smiled, acknowledging that there's no bad time for a ball game. I agreed, naturally, and told him this was the first season in a long time that I was not following the Red Sox deep into the season and into the playoffs.
The kid, not yet 20 years old, said he too was bummed out by the Sox, but even more so because his fantsty team had just been knocked out of their playoffs.
Mrs. OMW, who has great disdain for my fantasy baseball involvements ("No different than grown women playing with Barbie dolls!"), all but vomited and immediately headed for the front of the store knowing that I'd be tied up in conversation for at least ten minutes discussing players, statistics, and future plans in Make Believe Baseball as she call it.
He’d Be Better Off Not Listening
Let me get this straight. Dice-K comes to America and can’t speak a word of English. He signs a mega contract and then listens to hordes of media types asking him questions in a language he can’t understand. Think about it: Bob Ryan talks at the speed of light. Glenn Ordway talks loudly over everyone. Tony Massoratti squeaks like he’s inhaled helium. Sean McAdams talks so low and slow that you think he might stop dead in his tracks in mid-sentence. Pete Sheppard talks like he still has last Sunday’s dinner stored in his esophagus. And Hazel Mae has been so styled up that she doesn’t look Asian anymore.
Then Dice-K goes into the Red Sox clubhouse and sees this guy with a perfectly bald head (Francona) who looks like he should be an emperor in a neighboring country. Then a huge black man (Ortiz) with wrap around sunglasses who sparkles from all the bling. And another big black man (Manny) with a funky hair-do sitting in the corner coloring in his latest color book. And a good-sized white guy (Schilling) with a mullet who seems to be unable to talk unless a camera is staring him in the face.
And think about this: All of Dice-K’s English lessons will be thrown out the window if Clemens shows up in June because nothing he says makes much sense.
Just be thankful that Pedro and Ricky Henderson aren’t with the Sox anymore.
Yup, welcome to Boston, Dice-K. You’ll just love it here if you can understand anything that anyone says.
Happy holidays to you all. May the new year be one filled with joy.
And just think: Every day that goes by means it's one day closer to pitchers and catchers reporting to spring training.
Joy to all.
Jeff Smith
For you younger folks, this might be hard to understand or even believe, but it is true. Back in the day – that being the 50s and 60s for me – the powerhouse college baseball team of the Northeast region wasn’t UMaine. Wasn’t Boston College. Wasn’t UConn. Wasn’t Providence. No, those schools all became regional and national powers a bit later on.
(While I have a hard time understanding why UNH dropped its baseball team, I’m dumbfounded as to why Providence College dropped its program.)
The Beast of the East was none other than Springfield College. Yup, the school that is now a Division III program was a Division I power. Complete with legendary coach and players being drafted in the professional ranks annually.
No, I haven’t been sniffing the Tide box from Mr. Foy’s store. Haven’t even been chewing on some stale baseball card gum left over from Sammy Dahood’s market. And I haven’t munched on some old mint julep candies at Dan’s Market.
(Concord Quiz 1: Please! If anyone can tell me where Dan’s Market was in Concord, I’d be thrilled. Concord National LL used to have a team called Dan’s Market in the 50s and no one around these parts can tell me where it was…..but I digress.)
Springfield College, coached by the legendary Archie Allen, was a power. So strong, in fact, that it went to the College World Series in Omaha a couple of times. Yes, the very same College World Series that is now on ESPN in the spring every year. And one trip to the College World Series included the late Walter Smith, a catcher for Springfield, who went on to a lengthy career as the executive secretary of the New Hampshire Interscholastic Athletic Association.
(Concord Quiz 2: Name Walter and Robin Smith’s five kids. Extra points if you put them in the proper order by age.)
So why does Springfield College come up in this holiday season?
Because they just selected their all-time team of the decades and James Sutton Watson (CHS ’64, Springfield ’68, ’70) –Promaker to his buds at White’s Park – was selected as the catcher on the Team of the 60s.
Congrats, Jimmy Cat Pro. Humble as you are, that’s a great honor.
Might even put you in the running for White’s Park Man of the Year.
(Congrats can be sent to:
JWatson89@hotmail.com)
What Goes Around, Comes Around
You all know that Jason Smith, he of the fabled Merrimack Valley basketball teams of the late 80s and early 90s, is the highly successful men’s basketball coach at Brewster Academy.
What you may not know is that his assistant coach is long-time New Hampshire high school hoops mentor Al Simoes, who just happened to coach at Merrimack Valley in the late 80s when Scott Drapeau and Company were just beginning their surge to stardom.
Now he sits beside Jason on the Brewster bench watching a collection of Division I talent romp up and down the floor.
(And if you’re into star-gazing of the college basketball coaching variety, then you need to stop by the Smith Center -no relation, Jason claims - on the school’s Wolfeboro campus. Not at every New Hampshire high school gym could you sidle up to, oh say, Steve Alford, bedecked in his black and gold Iowa University early-winter jacket and just quietly watch 40 minutes of basketball.)
A Shiny Head, a Nickname Forever
Once upon a time, many years ago, the young men (boys) of Our Town wore their hair considerably shorter and far less styled then today. In fact, folks like George the Barber (Washington Street) made a career of providing the North End kids with haircuts called fuzz ball, crew, and whiffle.
So when classmate Jimmy Golden had his hair cut real short when he was a student at Rundlett Junior High, one didn’t expect much to happen.
But it did. One of the guidance counselors at Rundlett was flat out bald. So bald that kids called him Chrome-Dome…..out of earshot, of course, unless you wanted a forced vacation at home or with the truant officer.
Somehow the low shearing of Jimmy Golden’s hair spawned a new nickname for him, one that has stuck to this very day: Tucker, aptly named after Mr. Tucker from RJHS .
I’m betting my next bottle of Jic Jac that there are a significant number of our classmates who have no idea that Tucker Golden’s real first name is James.
So how come this comes up now? Because Edward L. Tucker, the RJHS guidance counselor with the bald head, passed away recently.
And Jimmy Golden is still Tucker to all of us.
Mr. Tucker's obit:
http://www.concordmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061207/REPOSITORY/612070334&SearchID=73265937194978
Last One Standing
You’ve heard me expound on how blessed Our Town was with the number of large familys who had all boys….in fact all athletic boys. The Callahans, the Knees, the Ceriellos, and the Kallecheys all wore out the ballfields and the ice rinks in Concord playing nearly ever sport available to them in the 20s, 30s, and 40s.
So it is that my condolenses go out to old pal George Kallechey and his relatives on the passing of his uncle Harry Kallechey, the last Kallechey brother standing of that generation.
The Brothers Callahan, Ceriello and Kallechey are all now passed on leaving three of the four Knee brothers (Ron, Bobby and Doug) to carry the torch.
http://www.concordmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061212/REPOSITORY/612120394/1006/COMMUNITY02
Not Fashionably Late for This One
Always got a kick out of reading a newspaper report about one of the kids I coached in Little League or in basketball as they made their way up through the high school athletic systems. Also loved the feeling of going to the Will Call window to pick up your special tickets to the games.
So I can't even imagine what it was like recently for Bill Haubrich, The Current (as opposed to The Elder or the Younger), when found out that his national athletic director conference this year was in Anaheim. Naturally he quickly checked the NBA schedule to see who the Lakers or Clippers were playing and much to his delight, the Lakers were scheduled to play the Spurs, with former CHS star Matt Bonner.
That meant Bill could see his former player play.
In person.
In Los Angeles.
At the Staples Centers as a guest of Bon-Bon.
Perfect.
Of course dining with Bonner the night before the game and meeting some of the celebs on game night (so wouldn't you like to meet Eva Longoria?) also made for an enjoyable time on the West Coast.
Itchy Boom
Our vet tech at Doggie Daycare (honestly, I wouldn't lie to you) explained to us that there is a procedure to take care of our dog doing the heinie scootch (her term, not mine - literal human translation: scratching your ass). It's called "squeezing your anal glands."
Stop right now: Betcha can't even put the thoughts you're having into a coherent sentence, can you?
Deal or No Deal
No reason to count the ballots. The National Human Resources Person of the Year award goes to the person in charge of hiring the 26 case carrying young laides on Deal or No Deal. Job well done, my friend. One would have to be blind to think Howie Mandel is the main attraction on that show.
And in case you're wondering: 17-10-3 in that order and I'd be a happy camper for a long time. On the other hand, Mrs. Off My Wall wants a replacement for No. 13. Says she is ugly. Funny, but I haven't made it up that far yet.
Name Change
Despite the accusations of being too 03301-centric, I must confess that I have no idea which Terrell family was honored by having a park named after him/her/them off the old dump road bordering the Merrimack River a block up from Exit 13.
But I do know that after the recent ConMon revelations of homosexual activity in the park, I'd be asking the City - no, make that DEMANDING the City - to remove my name from anything to do with that park.
Escaping the Wrath
So how come no one's bringing up J. D. Drew's lack of base running ability? Did you forget already?
Late last summer we almost doubled over in laughter watching SportsCenter as Met catcher Paul LoDuca tagged out the slow-footed Jeff Kent and Drew on the very same play at the plate with Drew arriving at home only seconds after the piano-bearing Kent was tagged out.
Of course, I went right to the Dodgers media guide to see if Wendall (Wave 'Em Home) Kim was coaching third for the Dodgers.
He wasn't.
Prove It!
I pay attention to major league baseball. Always have. So much so that when my oldest son told me that somewhere on the Internet he found that the color of the New York Mets baseball hats (black, blue and orange) honors the New York Giants (black and orange) and Brooklyn Dodgers (blue) leaving New York prior to the 1958 season, I gulped.
Never have I ever heard such a thing. Not then when the Dodgers and Giants left for the West Coast and not since.
So unless someone can prove to me otherwise, I'm siticking with my contention that some recent marketing or public relations person for the Mets thought it would be a neat thing to say.
But I don't believe it for a minute. It is just happenstance.
Fantasy Baseball
Towards the end of the regular major league baseball season, my wife and I were shopping at the Home Depot in Concord at about closing time. We were in the back of the store near the lumber racks when I picked up a long dowel and took a hitter's pose.
The kid working the area saw me and smiled, acknowledging that there's no bad time for a ball game. I agreed, naturally, and told him this was the first season in a long time that I was not following the Red Sox deep into the season and into the playoffs.
The kid, not yet 20 years old, said he too was bummed out by the Sox, but even more so because his fantsty team had just been knocked out of their playoffs.
Mrs. OMW, who has great disdain for my fantasy baseball involvements ("No different than grown women playing with Barbie dolls!"), all but vomited and immediately headed for the front of the store knowing that I'd be tied up in conversation for at least ten minutes discussing players, statistics, and future plans in Make Believe Baseball as she call it.
He’d Be Better Off Not Listening
Let me get this straight. Dice-K comes to America and can’t speak a word of English. He signs a mega contract and then listens to hordes of media types asking him questions in a language he can’t understand. Think about it: Bob Ryan talks at the speed of light. Glenn Ordway talks loudly over everyone. Tony Massoratti squeaks like he’s inhaled helium. Sean McAdams talks so low and slow that you think he might stop dead in his tracks in mid-sentence. Pete Sheppard talks like he still has last Sunday’s dinner stored in his esophagus. And Hazel Mae has been so styled up that she doesn’t look Asian anymore.
Then Dice-K goes into the Red Sox clubhouse and sees this guy with a perfectly bald head (Francona) who looks like he should be an emperor in a neighboring country. Then a huge black man (Ortiz) with wrap around sunglasses who sparkles from all the bling. And another big black man (Manny) with a funky hair-do sitting in the corner coloring in his latest color book. And a good-sized white guy (Schilling) with a mullet who seems to be unable to talk unless a camera is staring him in the face.
And think about this: All of Dice-K’s English lessons will be thrown out the window if Clemens shows up in June because nothing he says makes much sense.
Just be thankful that Pedro and Ricky Henderson aren’t with the Sox anymore.
Yup, welcome to Boston, Dice-K. You’ll just love it here if you can understand anything that anyone says.
Happy holidays to you all. May the new year be one filled with joy.
And just think: Every day that goes by means it's one day closer to pitchers and catchers reporting to spring training.
Joy to all.
Jeff Smith
Thursday, November 02, 2006
The Ball Bounced Because of Red
We may not have been smart enough to understand what - or who - was behind why we did what we did, nor did we have much care for where we did it.
All we cared about was that we did it.......and did it as often as we could, where ever we could and with whomever was interested until we couldn't do it any more.
In the day when there were no color televisions, no FM radio, no handheld games, no indoor courts, and - take a deep breath - no fast food restuarants, we would simply put on our gloves, shovel off the newly fallen snow, find a neighborhood kid with a basketball, and shoot hoops.
By the hours. By the days. By the seasons.
On Blanchard Street at a basket high atop a bay of garages. At the courts at White's Park, or at the cozy cofines at West Street or Fletcher-Murphy.
At the hoop at the end of the driveway at Taylor's house off North State Street, or at the dunk-a-mania at Stooch Gagne's house on South State Street, or at the low (8 foot) hoops at Rumford School where we patented our dunks knowing that genetically we'd likely never have the chance in real time.
We all thought it was because we loved the game, that we all wanted to play for the Crimson Tide of Concord High or the Fightin' Irish of St. John's. Few, if any, of us understood who was responsible for planting the seed of interest in our being.
And realistically it was someone who may never have stepped foot in Our Town.
We may have loved basketball, but the genie behind the scene was Red Auerbach.
Red passed away a few months ago at the age of 89, and to most of us, he's freeze-framed in our mind as the genius behind the greatest TEAM in sports history - the Boston Celtics.
No, OUR Boston Celtics.
You see, we all played basketball because we loved the game, but hidden behind it all was the Celtics. Put together like pieces in a jig saw puzzle, the Celtics - Auerbach's Celtics - were everything that was right in our world.
We didn't understand just how right they really were. It took years and years of maturation, years of watching the slow demise of the NBA and the professionalizing of college basketball for us to realize just how finely tuned, how perfectly meshed, how mangerially perfect our Celtics were from the mid-50s through most of the 60s.
And it was Auerbach's fault.
It was clearly a different sports climate back in that day. My father would wake me, we'd scoop out the snow from the driveway on our side of the duplex, and we'd head off down Washington Street hill towards the Boston and Maine railroad yards to catch the passenger train into Boston's North Station.
North Station. Big, burly and flat out ugly, North Station meant two things to me: the passenger trains stopped there and the Boston Garden was upstairs.
For me, Boston Garden was a palace. Sure the first floor had its panhandlers and bums looking for an extra dime (inflation hadn't settled in just yet). And the walk up the curving ramps into the ticket foyer, well, stunk most of the time.
In fact I swear I had the following question on an SAT exam one year:
The smell of sausage is to Fenway Park as the smell of what is to the old Boston Garden?
Answer: Urine.
In any event, my father would bring me to Celtics games three or four times a year and we'd watch the best team in basketball beat team after team.
Sure there were the usual cast of stars that you read about or sawn on television paying hommage to their leader when he died.
But Red was more than a star-maker. He was into finding and fitting pieces together. Who wanted the geeky, bespectacled, knee-pad wearing kid out of that basketball behemoth NYU? (To be fair, NYU was pretty good back then, and Tom Sanders did have star power.) Or that skinny kid from North Carolina College who insisted on banking in all his shots from the side? (Sam Jones). Or that big brute of a guy who may have looked better providing pass blocking for Babe Parilli for the Pats? (Jim Loscutoff).
If it wasn't for Red we would never have heard of Gene Guarilla or Dickie Hemrick or Andy Phillips. We never would have had the joy of watching Baily Howell, a true star and gentleman, play out his career on the parquet floor.
We might not have fallen in love with basketball.....although I just can't see myself on skates.
Red Auerbach was just starting his climb to glory when we were lacing up our ChuckTaylor hightops. He was laying the foundation for what would become the greatest professional sport dynasty ever.
And all us lillte hooligans were the beneficiaries.
Thanks, Red.
All we cared about was that we did it.......and did it as often as we could, where ever we could and with whomever was interested until we couldn't do it any more.
In the day when there were no color televisions, no FM radio, no handheld games, no indoor courts, and - take a deep breath - no fast food restuarants, we would simply put on our gloves, shovel off the newly fallen snow, find a neighborhood kid with a basketball, and shoot hoops.
By the hours. By the days. By the seasons.
On Blanchard Street at a basket high atop a bay of garages. At the courts at White's Park, or at the cozy cofines at West Street or Fletcher-Murphy.
At the hoop at the end of the driveway at Taylor's house off North State Street, or at the dunk-a-mania at Stooch Gagne's house on South State Street, or at the low (8 foot) hoops at Rumford School where we patented our dunks knowing that genetically we'd likely never have the chance in real time.
We all thought it was because we loved the game, that we all wanted to play for the Crimson Tide of Concord High or the Fightin' Irish of St. John's. Few, if any, of us understood who was responsible for planting the seed of interest in our being.
And realistically it was someone who may never have stepped foot in Our Town.
We may have loved basketball, but the genie behind the scene was Red Auerbach.
Red passed away a few months ago at the age of 89, and to most of us, he's freeze-framed in our mind as the genius behind the greatest TEAM in sports history - the Boston Celtics.
No, OUR Boston Celtics.
You see, we all played basketball because we loved the game, but hidden behind it all was the Celtics. Put together like pieces in a jig saw puzzle, the Celtics - Auerbach's Celtics - were everything that was right in our world.
We didn't understand just how right they really were. It took years and years of maturation, years of watching the slow demise of the NBA and the professionalizing of college basketball for us to realize just how finely tuned, how perfectly meshed, how mangerially perfect our Celtics were from the mid-50s through most of the 60s.
And it was Auerbach's fault.
It was clearly a different sports climate back in that day. My father would wake me, we'd scoop out the snow from the driveway on our side of the duplex, and we'd head off down Washington Street hill towards the Boston and Maine railroad yards to catch the passenger train into Boston's North Station.
North Station. Big, burly and flat out ugly, North Station meant two things to me: the passenger trains stopped there and the Boston Garden was upstairs.
For me, Boston Garden was a palace. Sure the first floor had its panhandlers and bums looking for an extra dime (inflation hadn't settled in just yet). And the walk up the curving ramps into the ticket foyer, well, stunk most of the time.
In fact I swear I had the following question on an SAT exam one year:
The smell of sausage is to Fenway Park as the smell of what is to the old Boston Garden?
Answer: Urine.
In any event, my father would bring me to Celtics games three or four times a year and we'd watch the best team in basketball beat team after team.
Sure there were the usual cast of stars that you read about or sawn on television paying hommage to their leader when he died.
But Red was more than a star-maker. He was into finding and fitting pieces together. Who wanted the geeky, bespectacled, knee-pad wearing kid out of that basketball behemoth NYU? (To be fair, NYU was pretty good back then, and Tom Sanders did have star power.) Or that skinny kid from North Carolina College who insisted on banking in all his shots from the side? (Sam Jones). Or that big brute of a guy who may have looked better providing pass blocking for Babe Parilli for the Pats? (Jim Loscutoff).
If it wasn't for Red we would never have heard of Gene Guarilla or Dickie Hemrick or Andy Phillips. We never would have had the joy of watching Baily Howell, a true star and gentleman, play out his career on the parquet floor.
We might not have fallen in love with basketball.....although I just can't see myself on skates.
Red Auerbach was just starting his climb to glory when we were lacing up our ChuckTaylor hightops. He was laying the foundation for what would become the greatest professional sport dynasty ever.
And all us lillte hooligans were the beneficiaries.
Thanks, Red.
Saturday, October 07, 2006
A great BALL game: UNH-Richmond
Today was a very special day. I went to a college football game for the first time in a long time. But it wasn't just any college football game. It was to be a record breaker.
The last time I went to a UNH football game, Billy Estey was running back kickoffs and punts for touchdowns and quarterbacking the Wildcats.
And if you don't recall the name it's because he was a three sport star at Portsmouth High before starring in football and baseball at UNH in the mid-60s.
(In the spirit of honesty, I admit to attending one UNH football game in the early 90's, but that was to watch CHS alum Debbie Brown cheer. My seats were so low in the old grandstands that I couldn't see most of the field. So in my mind, it didn't really count.)
Today, well today was a different story. I took the advice of old friend and voice of Wildcat football Jim Jeannotte and tried the Alumni Association parking lot. Sure enough a lovely young lady informed me that I could park my rig in the AA lot so long as I was out by 4:00......provided I was going to the football game.
A short walk on this lovely fall day and I found myself at the ticket booth outside Lundholm Gymnasium......without the ridiculous lines I normally encounter for NHIAA tournament basketball games.
Once inside I thought about where I wanted to sit and decided standing high above the fray would work just fine so I chose to stand on the concourse to the east (I think it's East.....it's on the side where the baseball diamond used to be......and that's a story for another day) of the main grandstand.
A perfect choice.
Perfect, too, becasue in the third quarter, history found it's way right in front of me.
With the Wildcats knocking on the door at the one yard line, driving towards the 1,000 or so students rocking the East endzone grandstands, David Ball was split wide left on the one-yard line. He did his customary point to the sideline with his outside (this time his left) hand, his own personal way of gauging the distance from his position to the sideline. At the snap he came a couple of strides straight across the line of scrimmage, juked his sole defender in the endzone, and then planted his left foot and sprinted parallel to the goalline a few yards deep, making a beeline for the opposite side of the endzone, trying to find separation between his defender and himself. (And how much of a buzz word is "separation" these days in the world of football?). QB Ricky Santos, knowing from three years of practice exactly how long it would take Ball to traverse the width of the endzone and confident that in this situation Ball would find the slice of space needed to receive his toss, waited and then laid the ball into the waiting arms of what became, at that very instant, the Division One-Double A all-time touchdown leader.
And Jim Jeannote made the call! After all the miles and miles he has traveled with this team, he deserved the honor of making this call. And I hope he nailed it.
Instinctively my arms shot up and I found myself yelling. Talk about the quintessential Johnny-come-lately fan, but I couldn't help myself. There's something about the significance of this kid from Vermont, who had hoped to attend UNH as a basketball player, and settled for joining the track team, and just how much he has accomplished.
Of course maybe the emotions surrounding today's event was embellished a tad by whose record he broke. No one would give two hoots about someone breaking a record held by Bevo Francis, Dickie Hemric and Frank Selvy. But Jerry Rice, for crying out loud. JERRY RICE!
I found a welling feeling in my eyes and couldn't understand why in the world I was so touched by this event. Just watching David Ball catch that ball.....well that was just at thrill.
I couldn't take my eyes off him the rest of the game, hunting for him as they set up their formation, watching him run his routes. And it wasn't just him. A few moments after her son had caught his historic touchdown pass, his mother came over to the area adjacent to the home grandstand, right below my perch. I saw her, dressed in a blue home jersey with her son's #3 and carrying the now famous football, accept congratualations from a number of well wishers hanging by the area where the players enter and exit the field.
Later, at game's end, and with most of the huge crowd leaving, I couldn't leave my spot. Ball was surrounded on the field by the media folks, and then his parents, all of whom wanted a few words with today's hero.
But I couldn't leave. Not until he left the field.
Not until the only guy in college football who can say Jerry Rice is in HIS rearview mirror leaves the field.
And finally, he did. Out through the same area where his record breaking touchdown pattern started. Through the crowd of well wishers amidst the cheers, high-fives, hugs, kisses, and autograph requests. Stopping only for seconds, David Ball found his way under the grandstands and into the bowels of Cowell Stadium.
No one knows what the future will bring for David Ball, and I, for sure, have no way of knowing. But for one postcard perfect autumn afternoon in Durham, New Hampshire, David Ball vaulted onto the king's throne of receivers in his division.
********************************
Who is the UNH wedge breaker? He damn near killed three Richmond guys on one play and then got up and pursued the kick returner.
Standing on the concourse just outside of the gym - and more importantly only a short hop to the concession stands - is a great place to watch a game. No one standing in front of you. No one squirming in their seat beside you. Only problem is that you can't hear the public address system. Not......one.....friggin'.....word.
Only problem, part II: Until the sun gets over near right field (sorry, I still think of that area as a baseball field), the brightness on the scoreboard makes it hard to read.
I'm guessing that someone has a blast sending all those messages across the computer generated message board on the scoreboard. But they could find something else for the person to do because no one paid any attention to the messages.
Remind me not to advertise on that message board when I open my next business. (Don't worry about forgetting to remind me because I'm not planning on opening anythying but cans of Diet Pepsi).
Found Bob Cole (Ethan's dad) standing on the concourse. Says he stands there all the time. Chatted with him for the first half and part of the third quarter. Then he left to go to the Exeter HS game. Missed Ball's TD. He was a big star at EHS and says he has not been back to a game since when he left the field at the end of his last game of his senior year in 1966.
Couple standing to my left was the perfect example of why wifes get left home. She commented on every single damn play. Man was she annoying. But I'm just a guest here, so I kept my mouth shut.
But I had a laugh or two. A guy two or three people down from me put his head down to slurp some soup just as Ball was running his touchdown pattern and the guy missed the entire play. Why would someone bother with his soup when the home team is driving for a touchdown and has just snapped the ball at the one yard line?
And the guy on the other side of him left to take a leak and was really pissed (sorry, Freudian slip) when he returned to find out that Ball had caught his record breaking touchdown.
Later a couple shows up on my right at about the start of the fourth quarter. Both dressed as if they just popped out of a GQ catalog. Blue oxford button down shirt. Preppy v-neck sweater. $50 haircut. Designer glasses. Perfectly trimmed nails. And he spent the entire freakin' fourth quarter farting with his cell phone, trying to read and answer text messages and explaining to his wife who was texting him and why. I'm convinced he'll show up at some corporate headquarters on Monday and just gush about the UNH football game he went to over the weekend.
Oh, well. Enjoyed the afternoon. Got back to the parking lot before 4:00 and headed back to Maine. Hope the day was half as entertaining for you.
The last time I went to a UNH football game, Billy Estey was running back kickoffs and punts for touchdowns and quarterbacking the Wildcats.
And if you don't recall the name it's because he was a three sport star at Portsmouth High before starring in football and baseball at UNH in the mid-60s.
(In the spirit of honesty, I admit to attending one UNH football game in the early 90's, but that was to watch CHS alum Debbie Brown cheer. My seats were so low in the old grandstands that I couldn't see most of the field. So in my mind, it didn't really count.)
Today, well today was a different story. I took the advice of old friend and voice of Wildcat football Jim Jeannotte and tried the Alumni Association parking lot. Sure enough a lovely young lady informed me that I could park my rig in the AA lot so long as I was out by 4:00......provided I was going to the football game.
A short walk on this lovely fall day and I found myself at the ticket booth outside Lundholm Gymnasium......without the ridiculous lines I normally encounter for NHIAA tournament basketball games.
Once inside I thought about where I wanted to sit and decided standing high above the fray would work just fine so I chose to stand on the concourse to the east (I think it's East.....it's on the side where the baseball diamond used to be......and that's a story for another day) of the main grandstand.
A perfect choice.
Perfect, too, becasue in the third quarter, history found it's way right in front of me.
With the Wildcats knocking on the door at the one yard line, driving towards the 1,000 or so students rocking the East endzone grandstands, David Ball was split wide left on the one-yard line. He did his customary point to the sideline with his outside (this time his left) hand, his own personal way of gauging the distance from his position to the sideline. At the snap he came a couple of strides straight across the line of scrimmage, juked his sole defender in the endzone, and then planted his left foot and sprinted parallel to the goalline a few yards deep, making a beeline for the opposite side of the endzone, trying to find separation between his defender and himself. (And how much of a buzz word is "separation" these days in the world of football?). QB Ricky Santos, knowing from three years of practice exactly how long it would take Ball to traverse the width of the endzone and confident that in this situation Ball would find the slice of space needed to receive his toss, waited and then laid the ball into the waiting arms of what became, at that very instant, the Division One-Double A all-time touchdown leader.
And Jim Jeannote made the call! After all the miles and miles he has traveled with this team, he deserved the honor of making this call. And I hope he nailed it.
Instinctively my arms shot up and I found myself yelling. Talk about the quintessential Johnny-come-lately fan, but I couldn't help myself. There's something about the significance of this kid from Vermont, who had hoped to attend UNH as a basketball player, and settled for joining the track team, and just how much he has accomplished.
Of course maybe the emotions surrounding today's event was embellished a tad by whose record he broke. No one would give two hoots about someone breaking a record held by Bevo Francis, Dickie Hemric and Frank Selvy. But Jerry Rice, for crying out loud. JERRY RICE!
I found a welling feeling in my eyes and couldn't understand why in the world I was so touched by this event. Just watching David Ball catch that ball.....well that was just at thrill.
I couldn't take my eyes off him the rest of the game, hunting for him as they set up their formation, watching him run his routes. And it wasn't just him. A few moments after her son had caught his historic touchdown pass, his mother came over to the area adjacent to the home grandstand, right below my perch. I saw her, dressed in a blue home jersey with her son's #3 and carrying the now famous football, accept congratualations from a number of well wishers hanging by the area where the players enter and exit the field.
Later, at game's end, and with most of the huge crowd leaving, I couldn't leave my spot. Ball was surrounded on the field by the media folks, and then his parents, all of whom wanted a few words with today's hero.
But I couldn't leave. Not until he left the field.
Not until the only guy in college football who can say Jerry Rice is in HIS rearview mirror leaves the field.
And finally, he did. Out through the same area where his record breaking touchdown pattern started. Through the crowd of well wishers amidst the cheers, high-fives, hugs, kisses, and autograph requests. Stopping only for seconds, David Ball found his way under the grandstands and into the bowels of Cowell Stadium.
No one knows what the future will bring for David Ball, and I, for sure, have no way of knowing. But for one postcard perfect autumn afternoon in Durham, New Hampshire, David Ball vaulted onto the king's throne of receivers in his division.
********************************
Who is the UNH wedge breaker? He damn near killed three Richmond guys on one play and then got up and pursued the kick returner.
Standing on the concourse just outside of the gym - and more importantly only a short hop to the concession stands - is a great place to watch a game. No one standing in front of you. No one squirming in their seat beside you. Only problem is that you can't hear the public address system. Not......one.....friggin'.....word.
Only problem, part II: Until the sun gets over near right field (sorry, I still think of that area as a baseball field), the brightness on the scoreboard makes it hard to read.
I'm guessing that someone has a blast sending all those messages across the computer generated message board on the scoreboard. But they could find something else for the person to do because no one paid any attention to the messages.
Remind me not to advertise on that message board when I open my next business. (Don't worry about forgetting to remind me because I'm not planning on opening anythying but cans of Diet Pepsi).
Found Bob Cole (Ethan's dad) standing on the concourse. Says he stands there all the time. Chatted with him for the first half and part of the third quarter. Then he left to go to the Exeter HS game. Missed Ball's TD. He was a big star at EHS and says he has not been back to a game since when he left the field at the end of his last game of his senior year in 1966.
Couple standing to my left was the perfect example of why wifes get left home. She commented on every single damn play. Man was she annoying. But I'm just a guest here, so I kept my mouth shut.
But I had a laugh or two. A guy two or three people down from me put his head down to slurp some soup just as Ball was running his touchdown pattern and the guy missed the entire play. Why would someone bother with his soup when the home team is driving for a touchdown and has just snapped the ball at the one yard line?
And the guy on the other side of him left to take a leak and was really pissed (sorry, Freudian slip) when he returned to find out that Ball had caught his record breaking touchdown.
Later a couple shows up on my right at about the start of the fourth quarter. Both dressed as if they just popped out of a GQ catalog. Blue oxford button down shirt. Preppy v-neck sweater. $50 haircut. Designer glasses. Perfectly trimmed nails. And he spent the entire freakin' fourth quarter farting with his cell phone, trying to read and answer text messages and explaining to his wife who was texting him and why. I'm convinced he'll show up at some corporate headquarters on Monday and just gush about the UNH football game he went to over the weekend.
Oh, well. Enjoyed the afternoon. Got back to the parking lot before 4:00 and headed back to Maine. Hope the day was half as entertaining for you.
Thursday, June 22, 2006
FWIW (For What It's Worth)
Not being one to quibble, but I do think the radar gun in Atlanta was juiced a bit for the Red Sox - Braves game the other night. Hansen was consistently at around 98 and Papelbon around 96.
But the real clincher was the report that Jerry Remy dropped a fart in the 7th inning that registered 78 on the gun.
How about that Spurs trade for Matt Bonner?
Now we can go around saying that David Bonner spent his career working with Mr. Duncan (David) and Matt Bonner spent his career working with Mr. Duncan (Tim).
And who amongst us wouldn't like to be introduced to Eva Longoria, main squeeze of the Spurs super guard Tony Parker and new Bonner teammate?
What's the over and under on how many days it will take Bon-Bon to ask Parker if EvaLong has an available sister?
The Sox lost their beat writer when Chris Snow, the 24-year old Syracuse grad, opted out to take an administrative position with the Minnesota Wild.
I, for one, certainly hope that the guy in the back of the Boston Globe press room raising his hand fervantly yelling, "Pick me, pick me!" is former ConMon assistant editor and current Globe sports employee Chad Finn.
But my pals tell me that the beat writer's job hath no mercy on a marriage so Chad may have to hold off for Shaughnessy's gig.
You know, I check the Trading Places section of the ConMon on Sundays religiously and never did see that the Murphy Clan bought the Concord Monitor.
How else to explain the spate of articles over the last month featuring first Robbie Barker (Bishop Brady girl's lacrosse assistant coach/former UNH hockey player) then Casey Barker (recent Brady grad writing her own article) and then Tim O'Shea being featured on the delight of eating a hamburger - with a picture and all.
All kidding aside, I enjoyed all three pieces immensely.
I don't know about you, but I'm really pissed at Gatorade.
The TV was on in the background a couple of weeks ago and I stopped what I was doing to listen to "Take Me Out to the Ball Game."
But when I turned and looked at the TV, expecting to see some baseball highlights - or low lights as the case may be - I was shocked to see clips of soccer games leading up to the World Cup.
And Gatorade was the sponsor.
So, Gatorade, get your own flippin' song and leave mine alone!
Has anyone seen an appointment that just begged for the chairperson to cast one vote in favor of the most logical candidate than the one facing the Concord School Board when Bill Haubrich, The Present, applied for the AD's job?
But the real clincher was the report that Jerry Remy dropped a fart in the 7th inning that registered 78 on the gun.
How about that Spurs trade for Matt Bonner?
Now we can go around saying that David Bonner spent his career working with Mr. Duncan (David) and Matt Bonner spent his career working with Mr. Duncan (Tim).
And who amongst us wouldn't like to be introduced to Eva Longoria, main squeeze of the Spurs super guard Tony Parker and new Bonner teammate?
What's the over and under on how many days it will take Bon-Bon to ask Parker if EvaLong has an available sister?
The Sox lost their beat writer when Chris Snow, the 24-year old Syracuse grad, opted out to take an administrative position with the Minnesota Wild.
I, for one, certainly hope that the guy in the back of the Boston Globe press room raising his hand fervantly yelling, "Pick me, pick me!" is former ConMon assistant editor and current Globe sports employee Chad Finn.
But my pals tell me that the beat writer's job hath no mercy on a marriage so Chad may have to hold off for Shaughnessy's gig.
You know, I check the Trading Places section of the ConMon on Sundays religiously and never did see that the Murphy Clan bought the Concord Monitor.
How else to explain the spate of articles over the last month featuring first Robbie Barker (Bishop Brady girl's lacrosse assistant coach/former UNH hockey player) then Casey Barker (recent Brady grad writing her own article) and then Tim O'Shea being featured on the delight of eating a hamburger - with a picture and all.
All kidding aside, I enjoyed all three pieces immensely.
I don't know about you, but I'm really pissed at Gatorade.
The TV was on in the background a couple of weeks ago and I stopped what I was doing to listen to "Take Me Out to the Ball Game."
But when I turned and looked at the TV, expecting to see some baseball highlights - or low lights as the case may be - I was shocked to see clips of soccer games leading up to the World Cup.
And Gatorade was the sponsor.
So, Gatorade, get your own flippin' song and leave mine alone!
Has anyone seen an appointment that just begged for the chairperson to cast one vote in favor of the most logical candidate than the one facing the Concord School Board when Bill Haubrich, The Present, applied for the AD's job?
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
Bits and Pieces
Some of you read the Concord Monitor on a daily basis. Those of you distanced from Our Town may read the ConMon on line. And still others, perhaps, may never read the paper.
What's hard to gauge is how many folks read the ROUNDUP section. I, for one, scan it every day.
And based on what I found on May 13th, I'm glad I do.
For many it was just another blurb highlighting a recent hole in one at the Canterbury Woods Country Club.
"Norma Heinz, of Boswawen, shot a hole in one at Canterbury Woods Country Club during the Concord High School girls' basketball Booster Golf Tournament yesterday. She aced the 11th hole using her 7 wood. Witnessing the occasion were Shirley Brown, Geraldine Beall, and June Purington."
Seems harmless enough for most folks.
But it was far from harmless to me.
Norma Heinz is a lifetime educator, the daughter of Clarence Huggins who was a big-time car dealer in Our Town back in the middle of last century, and the widow of Big Bill Heinz.
Bill Heinz was a science teacher at Concord High and doubled as the golf coach and even was an assistant baseball coach for Mike Garrett in the early 60s.
Big Bill was also The Key Guy on Sunday nights. You see, Bill had the key to the CHS gymnasium in the early 70s and would open the gym so we could play basketball Sunday night. If he didn't show up, we'd go over to Buddy Eldredge's Store and call him on the pay phone. He'd say he couldn't make it that night, but we'd beg a little and he'd cave in.
"Hug's gonna yell at me," he'd claim, and then tell us he'd be there in a half hour.
But most of all, Bill was a golfer. He's start many an early morning at the old Beaver Meadow, playing a round of nine and turning on the sprinklers behind him, before heading to Concord High to work.
Bill Heinz was one of those tall, angular, gangly guys who was just too easy to like. That's why his death in a motorcycle accident in West Concord in his mid-30s was so hard to take.
It was with delight that I read about Norma Heinz canning an ace in Canterbury. Norma never remarried after Bill passed away. She raised her two kids alone and never moved away from her house in Boscawen. A smile crawled across the left side of my face, followed by a moment of sadness, and then a smile......a smile knowing that Big Bill was Up There someplace jumping up and down rejoicing Norma's shot.
*********************
What's hard to gauge is how many folks read the ROUNDUP section. I, for one, scan it every day.
And based on what I found on May 13th, I'm glad I do.
For many it was just another blurb highlighting a recent hole in one at the Canterbury Woods Country Club.
"Norma Heinz, of Boswawen, shot a hole in one at Canterbury Woods Country Club during the Concord High School girls' basketball Booster Golf Tournament yesterday. She aced the 11th hole using her 7 wood. Witnessing the occasion were Shirley Brown, Geraldine Beall, and June Purington."
Seems harmless enough for most folks.
But it was far from harmless to me.
Norma Heinz is a lifetime educator, the daughter of Clarence Huggins who was a big-time car dealer in Our Town back in the middle of last century, and the widow of Big Bill Heinz.
Bill Heinz was a science teacher at Concord High and doubled as the golf coach and even was an assistant baseball coach for Mike Garrett in the early 60s.
Big Bill was also The Key Guy on Sunday nights. You see, Bill had the key to the CHS gymnasium in the early 70s and would open the gym so we could play basketball Sunday night. If he didn't show up, we'd go over to Buddy Eldredge's Store and call him on the pay phone. He'd say he couldn't make it that night, but we'd beg a little and he'd cave in.
"Hug's gonna yell at me," he'd claim, and then tell us he'd be there in a half hour.
But most of all, Bill was a golfer. He's start many an early morning at the old Beaver Meadow, playing a round of nine and turning on the sprinklers behind him, before heading to Concord High to work.
Bill Heinz was one of those tall, angular, gangly guys who was just too easy to like. That's why his death in a motorcycle accident in West Concord in his mid-30s was so hard to take.
It was with delight that I read about Norma Heinz canning an ace in Canterbury. Norma never remarried after Bill passed away. She raised her two kids alone and never moved away from her house in Boscawen. A smile crawled across the left side of my face, followed by a moment of sadness, and then a smile......a smile knowing that Big Bill was Up There someplace jumping up and down rejoicing Norma's shot.
*********************
Wednesday, March 08, 2006
Tourney Leftovers
The King is dead. Long live the King.
Growing Up Concord, there was almost something romantic about Portsmouth High basketball. Naturally our favorite teams were the Concord High Crimson Tide and its parochial counterpart the St. John's Fightin' Irish.
But outside of the Concord area, the mighty Port City Clippers were our favorites.
And why not? They were close to the beach.....had the prettiest cheerleaders (outside of Concord, gotta save some face here, right BWT?).....had tremendous talent year after year.....always seemed to have a legendary coach.....had one of high school basketball's greatest managers, Pickles......and they had THE BANNER.
As kids, we had watched Portsmouth in the NHIAA tournaments at the University of New Hampshire Field House, with our seats in the front row as close to the floor as possible so we could absorb all the action into our youthful basketball crazed pours. Portsmouth, with its fan base just 15 minutes away, always packed the rickety old bleachers to yell and scream for their Wagners, Blacks, Neris, Sunneblicks and Shumways.
But I never had the opportunity to visit the Portsmouth High gym, at the time the largest basketball gymnasium in the state, until the 1962-63 season. As I walked into the Clippers home court along with my CHS teammates, I couldn't help but notice the maroon banner, high on the wall near the entryway to the gym, with each year that Portsmouth had won the Class L crown. Keep in mind as a 14-year old freshman still euphoric over Concord High's remarkable three-wins in three consecutive nights (by a total of five points) championship from 1962, the sight of that banner was a bit awesome.
Thirteen championship years hung on that banner. By far the most of any other team in Class L. What an accomphishment, I thought. Concord, my favorite team, a team I thought invincible, had won but only three at the time.
Three more championships have been added to the banner at Portsmouth in the last 43 years, a far lesser ratio than the first 40 years of high school basketball.
Nonetheless, Portsmouth maintained the crown as the most decorated school in all of Class L.....until March 18, 2006 when the Manchester Central Little Green finally dislodged the crown from Portsmouth.
Manchester Central had tied Portsmouth with 16 Class L crowns last season. This year the Little Green swept through as the number one ranked and unbeaten team through the regular season, the Queen City Christmas Basketball tournament and now through four games in the Class L tournament to snatch their 17th Class L championship and finally overcome the Clippers.
It's been a long and storied run by Central. Seventeen crowns and another 14 visits to the championship game. Central will continue to put competitive teams on the floor and the odds are that they will retain their loft perch for many years to come.
****************
Central's head coach, Doc Wheeler, is a big guy who likes to dress, shall we say, comfortably. At the end of the 2005 championship game won by Central, Wheeler pulled on a white hand painted champion t-shirt and looked oh so comfortable.
Adorning this year's Class L program is the team picture of last year's champs - Central - and there's Doc in the back row with a Green Bay basketball t-shirt on, courtesy of an old pal who is now a Division I head coach at the University of Wisconsin - Green Bay.
At the semifinals this year, Doc went styling with a black mock turtle neck shirt and a dark sports jacket and slacks.
Even the championship game found him looking pretty sharp......until you looked a bit closer. He was wearing a dark shirt with a sport jacket again, but if you looked carefully you could notice a white logo of some sort on the left breast pocket of his black shirt. You could only see the logo when he moved around waving instructions to his players.
It wasn't until late in the fourth quarter, with the game in hand, that Doc doffed his sports jacket to reveal a large PAPPY'S PIZZA arched in white letters across the back of the black t-shirt with the telephone number of Manchester's popular North Elm Street eatery underneath the wording.
*******************
Old friend and former Hopkinton High basketball coach Danny Parr was the game administrator for the tournament and looks dapper having just finished his 45th year of coaching basketball dating way back to Hopkinton stars named Bucko Johnson and Pat Leavitt. He currently coaches St. Thomas Aquinas after a long tenure with Portsmouth High.
*******************
The word around Lundholm was that the bleachers were broken on both sides of the gym and that's why the top half-dozen rows or so weren't pulled out thus limiting the crowd size. Truth be known, the local fire officials don't particularly care for the lack of walking space behind the team benches and the scorer's and behind the media tables on the opposite side of the gym and the only way they will let the games go on is to keep some of the bleachers folded in.
********************
"A" lot across from Lundhold was jammed packed by 11:30 on Saturday morning and fans arriving at that point in time scurried for parking spots wondering if, in fact, they'd even get a seat in the gym.
One of the things I watch for in high school basketball games is whether anyone can breakdown his man with a drive baseline to the basket from either the corner of from the fouline extended.
Can they make the requisite moves to get past their defender, drive hard to the basket, take the bump that usually always accompanies the drive, and finish off the layup.
Some get to the "take the bump" stage and have difficuties finishing the shot.
But the good ones finish.
So a couple of weeks ago when I was watching Bow's Paul Chergy, he of the 6'5" adult-sized body, drive baseline from the right side (he's a right dominant player), take a huge mid-air bump and finish off the layup with a two-handed in-traffic dunk, I was rightfully impressed.
That is until about a week later when I saw him do the very same thing, with the very same mid-aid contact, and the very same two-handed in-traffic dunk, from the LEFT side, then I knew this kid has something going beyond your normal high school player.
Talent like that doesn't happen much in New Hampshire.
*************************
Not up on my Robert's Rules of Order, but if at all possible, the Concord School Board should empower its chairperson to cast one ballot in favor of moving Bill Haubrich, The Current (as opposed to Bill Haubrich, The Elder and Bill Haubrich, The Younger) into the recently vacated director of athletics position at Concord High. I defy anyone to give me a better choice. Save the taxpayers the expense of advertising and say the Board the interviewing time.
*************************
Bill Whitmore will be missed. There aren't many people who have graced Our Town with as much dignity, professionalism, and organization. Our athletic programs have been in good hands.
*************************
Walked into Border's the other day to use one of my Christmas gift certificates on Roger Halberstam's book on Bill Belichek. But wouldn't you know it, staring me right in the face was John Feinstein's latest book, Last Dance, an inside look at what is now known as March Madness. With 30% off, to boot. Couldn't have thought of anything better to prep me for the upcoming weeks of college basketball. And despite what the New York Times says, it was a good read.
Growing Up Concord, there was almost something romantic about Portsmouth High basketball. Naturally our favorite teams were the Concord High Crimson Tide and its parochial counterpart the St. John's Fightin' Irish.
But outside of the Concord area, the mighty Port City Clippers were our favorites.
And why not? They were close to the beach.....had the prettiest cheerleaders (outside of Concord, gotta save some face here, right BWT?).....had tremendous talent year after year.....always seemed to have a legendary coach.....had one of high school basketball's greatest managers, Pickles......and they had THE BANNER.
As kids, we had watched Portsmouth in the NHIAA tournaments at the University of New Hampshire Field House, with our seats in the front row as close to the floor as possible so we could absorb all the action into our youthful basketball crazed pours. Portsmouth, with its fan base just 15 minutes away, always packed the rickety old bleachers to yell and scream for their Wagners, Blacks, Neris, Sunneblicks and Shumways.
But I never had the opportunity to visit the Portsmouth High gym, at the time the largest basketball gymnasium in the state, until the 1962-63 season. As I walked into the Clippers home court along with my CHS teammates, I couldn't help but notice the maroon banner, high on the wall near the entryway to the gym, with each year that Portsmouth had won the Class L crown. Keep in mind as a 14-year old freshman still euphoric over Concord High's remarkable three-wins in three consecutive nights (by a total of five points) championship from 1962, the sight of that banner was a bit awesome.
Thirteen championship years hung on that banner. By far the most of any other team in Class L. What an accomphishment, I thought. Concord, my favorite team, a team I thought invincible, had won but only three at the time.
Three more championships have been added to the banner at Portsmouth in the last 43 years, a far lesser ratio than the first 40 years of high school basketball.
Nonetheless, Portsmouth maintained the crown as the most decorated school in all of Class L.....until March 18, 2006 when the Manchester Central Little Green finally dislodged the crown from Portsmouth.
Manchester Central had tied Portsmouth with 16 Class L crowns last season. This year the Little Green swept through as the number one ranked and unbeaten team through the regular season, the Queen City Christmas Basketball tournament and now through four games in the Class L tournament to snatch their 17th Class L championship and finally overcome the Clippers.
It's been a long and storied run by Central. Seventeen crowns and another 14 visits to the championship game. Central will continue to put competitive teams on the floor and the odds are that they will retain their loft perch for many years to come.
****************
Central's head coach, Doc Wheeler, is a big guy who likes to dress, shall we say, comfortably. At the end of the 2005 championship game won by Central, Wheeler pulled on a white hand painted champion t-shirt and looked oh so comfortable.
Adorning this year's Class L program is the team picture of last year's champs - Central - and there's Doc in the back row with a Green Bay basketball t-shirt on, courtesy of an old pal who is now a Division I head coach at the University of Wisconsin - Green Bay.
At the semifinals this year, Doc went styling with a black mock turtle neck shirt and a dark sports jacket and slacks.
Even the championship game found him looking pretty sharp......until you looked a bit closer. He was wearing a dark shirt with a sport jacket again, but if you looked carefully you could notice a white logo of some sort on the left breast pocket of his black shirt. You could only see the logo when he moved around waving instructions to his players.
It wasn't until late in the fourth quarter, with the game in hand, that Doc doffed his sports jacket to reveal a large PAPPY'S PIZZA arched in white letters across the back of the black t-shirt with the telephone number of Manchester's popular North Elm Street eatery underneath the wording.
*******************
Old friend and former Hopkinton High basketball coach Danny Parr was the game administrator for the tournament and looks dapper having just finished his 45th year of coaching basketball dating way back to Hopkinton stars named Bucko Johnson and Pat Leavitt. He currently coaches St. Thomas Aquinas after a long tenure with Portsmouth High.
*******************
The word around Lundholm was that the bleachers were broken on both sides of the gym and that's why the top half-dozen rows or so weren't pulled out thus limiting the crowd size. Truth be known, the local fire officials don't particularly care for the lack of walking space behind the team benches and the scorer's and behind the media tables on the opposite side of the gym and the only way they will let the games go on is to keep some of the bleachers folded in.
********************
"A" lot across from Lundhold was jammed packed by 11:30 on Saturday morning and fans arriving at that point in time scurried for parking spots wondering if, in fact, they'd even get a seat in the gym.
One of the things I watch for in high school basketball games is whether anyone can breakdown his man with a drive baseline to the basket from either the corner of from the fouline extended.
Can they make the requisite moves to get past their defender, drive hard to the basket, take the bump that usually always accompanies the drive, and finish off the layup.
Some get to the "take the bump" stage and have difficuties finishing the shot.
But the good ones finish.
So a couple of weeks ago when I was watching Bow's Paul Chergy, he of the 6'5" adult-sized body, drive baseline from the right side (he's a right dominant player), take a huge mid-air bump and finish off the layup with a two-handed in-traffic dunk, I was rightfully impressed.
That is until about a week later when I saw him do the very same thing, with the very same mid-aid contact, and the very same two-handed in-traffic dunk, from the LEFT side, then I knew this kid has something going beyond your normal high school player.
Talent like that doesn't happen much in New Hampshire.
*************************
Not up on my Robert's Rules of Order, but if at all possible, the Concord School Board should empower its chairperson to cast one ballot in favor of moving Bill Haubrich, The Current (as opposed to Bill Haubrich, The Elder and Bill Haubrich, The Younger) into the recently vacated director of athletics position at Concord High. I defy anyone to give me a better choice. Save the taxpayers the expense of advertising and say the Board the interviewing time.
*************************
Bill Whitmore will be missed. There aren't many people who have graced Our Town with as much dignity, professionalism, and organization. Our athletic programs have been in good hands.
*************************
Walked into Border's the other day to use one of my Christmas gift certificates on Roger Halberstam's book on Bill Belichek. But wouldn't you know it, staring me right in the face was John Feinstein's latest book, Last Dance, an inside look at what is now known as March Madness. With 30% off, to boot. Couldn't have thought of anything better to prep me for the upcoming weeks of college basketball. And despite what the New York Times says, it was a good read.
Friday, February 03, 2006
Quotes and other wordly items
"Greatness necessarily attracts debunkers." - John Updike speaking of the Boston Red Sox fans' attitude towards Ted Williams in Updike's article, Hub Fans Bid Kid Adieu, The New Yorker, 1960. Last home game: September 28, 1960. Attendance: 10,454.
The Real Wonder Lick Quiz
People of Concord, past and present, and fellow Parkmates wherever you are, here you go…a White’s Park/City of Concord quiz. I recognize that some of these will be Sooooo Concord that some of you folks who have been here for, oh 20 years or so, might not have the answers, but follow along and you might pick up some Concord history. I
Name the former Parks and Recreation director who people did not like?
Donald Sinn.
Several answers came in for Jack Penny and some even answered John Keach. The key here was that the person WAS NOT liked. Don Sinn was mean. Mr. Penny was a very nice man and had a long career with the State of New Hampshire’s Rec and Parks Department. As for John Keach, don’t ever step on to a field or court at Memorial Field without thanking him for his vision and foresight. Except for a couple of swimming pools being refurbished, a Monkey Around Playground or two being erected, and the renovations at Heights Playground – now called Keach Park - nothing much has happened in these parts since John left us.
What was Bill Greeley’s dog’s name? Bonnie.
What was the name of the bottled drink that the Kallechey Family produced in their warehouse on Montgomery Street? Whistle.
What type of soda was it? Orange
What is the real name of Phonsie Ceriello? Alphonse…one of the finest athletes Concord has ever seen. Used to skate by the hours on the frozen pond at White’s. During the summer he’d be the designated pitcher for all the kids in the park.
What was Don Mead’s nickname? Ducky. CHS grad and former high school basketball coach (Penacook High and Alvirne High) Mead might very well be the funniest guy ever to come out of the Park. Swore that he’d change his skin color if he thought he could get a major college coaching job.
What was Eddie Bazunk’s real name? Edward Knowles. Please don’t ever forget that Eddie did far more for us, in terms of field maintenance, than any of us ever did for him.
What was the ice cream man’s name at White’s and other parks? (maybe too easy, but you need one) Dan, Dan the Ice Cream Man (Dan Cusano). Not to be confused with his perverted nephew Phil who dished out something more despicable than snow cones.
Name the starting lineup for the 1951 Concord LL All-Star team. (Believe me you’ll know a lot them). P: Bobby Hansen; C: Rocky Vezina; 1B: Jim Desmarais; 2B: Jerry Gearan; SS Joe Hargen; 3B: George Boucher; OF: Jim Muldowney, Denny MacDonald, missing one; Coaches: Delly Callahan, Bill Slattery, SR. I think we’re missing one here but you get the gist. These are some pretty classy names in the history of Concord sports.
What current prominent Concord attorney broke his jaw playing flag (or touch) football at White’s Park in the 60s? Mike Callahan. Skip Hardiman says he played in the game which is no small surprise as Skip may hold the city record for most touch football games played, career. Skip was a passing genius in touch football. He had intricate passing routes for everyone, diagrammed on the palm of his hand or in the dirt with a twig. Funny how a talented CHS football lineman could be a most talented touch football QB. Wonder if Coach Martin ever knew?
Who was the sweatiest guy playing hoops at White’s? Lots of answers, but the Unknown Question Guy says Larry Houle.
What was Reynolds Prince’s nickname? Pecker. There must be a story here somewhere.
Who replaced Jim Ceriello as director at the Boys Club? Herbie Norton
Who was Beulah at Duck Island at White’s? Apparently an easy prey to lecherous young lads at White’s Park. One answer came in that Beulah must have changed her name to Tina P in the late 50s/early 60s. Then another answer came back in saying Beulah must have changed her name to Tina P in the mid 60s. The irony here is that the Tina Ps are different people…honestly.
Who lost his eye in an explosion at the Circle (Lover’s Lane) at White’s? Charlie Fletcher
Who was Geek? Steve Lillios although I thought he was called Zeke the Greek, and no matter what Steve Latham says, he always traveled on his post moves around the basket.
What did John and Teddy Gray have in common? Brothers, Charles Street residents, Marine Corp vets. Son of the infamous Red Gray.
What made Rock Greeley famous at the White’s Park swimming pool? The rumor goes, Rock supposedly drove an automobile into the White’s Park pool before the pool was fenced in.
Did Sal Falzone ever play sports? Not that anyone remembers. Although a couple made smart aleck remarks about hanging around Junior Mattice and the YMCA.
What was Fig Newton’s first name and where did he live? There were several versions of Fig Newton, but the one we’re looking for – Dick – played a little basketball for CHS and lived on the corner of North Main and Pearl.
What was the name of the fellow who ran the counter at the Y and always had a cigarette hanging from the corner of his mouth? Milton
What Church League team won the most championships in the 50's and 60's in hoop? St. Paul’s and St. Peter’s.
Who was the first football player from Concord to play in the Shrine Football Game? The series began in 1954. Joe Hart, St.John's in l954, Joe Shields in l955 along with Dick Bartlett
Name the three best catchers to come out of Concord in the 50's and 60's? Joe Shields, Larry (Bugga) West and Jim Watson.
Name the five top pitchers to ever play in the Sunset League? Don Steenbeke, Jim Shaw, Bob Wheeler, Bob Hanson, Don Soderstrom, Tom Destefano, Floyd Bernier, Bobby Hurst, Bob Batchelder (I know, that’s more than 5. I’m just sharing some of the answers.)
Who was the manager of the Hooz's Red Sox Sunset League baseball team? Irving (“You gotta hurry, Al”) Edelstein.
What was Don Soderstrom's nickname? Sodie, Soggie, or “million dollar arm, two cent head”
What was Alvah Longley's nickname? In the sports world it was Boonie, but around the railroad and truck yards it was Junior because Alvah T. Senior, the moving guy, was Boonie.
Name the four little league teams that were established in 1949, the first year of Concord Little League. Kiwanis, Eagles, VFW, Auto Dealers (there may be some arguments here).
Who said when a player let a ball go through his legs "What are you doing, picking dasies?" Delly Callahan.
Who was Whites Park's most famous Harry? I’m picking Barlow from the Rumford Street Barlows.
What White Park standard bearer was know for throwing rocks at the basketball players if he was not picked on a team? The one and only Leslie Childs (a/k/a The Mad Defacator).
Name two police officers who coached youth teams in the city in the 50's and the 60's? Hap Simpson, Herb Norton, Andy Martell.
What was "Tarzan" Healey's first name? John.
What was the name of the west end ice hockey team that played their games on Sunday afternoons behind Sacred Heart Church? Shamrocks.
What was the name of the movie theatre on Pleasant St.? Star.
What was Muggsy Mulligan’s real first name and where did he live? We’re accepting Beacon Street Tom, but I guess every Mulligan who ever lived went by Muggsy.
Who was Giggie? (Rick LaBontee)
When playing HR Derby from second base at the Little League field, what was a home run to right which amounts to hitting the ball onto White Street in the air? An out
Who was faster Louie Shepard, Jim Labbe or Speedy Harriman? Not sure, but Speedy Harriman was pretty damned fast when he chased us up the street because we chucked some green apples into his convertible when he drove by.
Who scored the only touchdown for the 1962 CHS football team? Sad, but true. Wayne Heath. (CHS ’64) scored the one and only touchdown for the Tide that year. Needless to say, they lost every game.
Who scored the first basket at the new CHS gym in 1962? Billy Degnan drilled a 18 foot shot from the right side.
What was Dickie Krueger’s high school girl friend’s name? Dottie Osborne.
At whose house did the cops stop first when checking out trouble at White’s Park? Trouble at the Park? Go to Mike Matthews house on White Street and work from there.
What was the name of the semipro basketball team in Concord in the late 50s and early 60s? The Concord Olympians. Superb basketball played at the Green Street gym.
Whose house was torn down to make a parking lot for the Green Street Community Center? Freddy Walker.
What are the names of the two most prominent quarry swimming holes? New England and ???
True or false: Bill Greeley played in the Sunset League. True. Towards the end of each season, the United Life team would let Bill pinch hit.
What is Arab (Yah-Yah) Labnon’s real first name? Richard
Who gave Jim Watson the nickname Promaker? Charlie Bowler
Who ran the Midget Football League at White’s for many years? Dave Sayward
What happened at the YMCA on Saturday afternoons after the football games in the fall? Perhaps a bit hokey by today’s standards, but a dance.
What downtown restaurant served a tainted éclair? The Puritan
What was the name of the ice cream joint in McKee Square? Do Drop Inn
What local legend was known for his cry of “Yowa, yowsa, yowsa” to motorists passing by in the South End? Kenny Casey
What family has lived on the most sides of White’s Park (that would be White Street, Beacon Street, High Street and Washington Street)? DiNapolis
What was Robert Diversi’s nickname? Squirrel
What did Clark Billings drive? A Jeep
What was Clark Billings’ nickname? Troll
What sport did Bobby Hurst compete in on television? Candlepin bowling
What Concord radio sportscaster was famous for using the line “up and around the rim” every time a shot was taken? Bob Lauze
Which Brochu coached Bishop Brady hockey? (The answer “Red” does not get credit.) Leonard
Where did CHS hockey player Rusty (God) Martin go to college? Dartmouth
What long-time Concord carpet layer is the father-in-law to the daughter of a Cy Young Award winner? Ray-Ray Dyment’s son married the daughter of Dr. Jim Lonborg (yah, THAT Jim Lonborg)
You all passed!
Name the former Parks and Recreation director who people did not like?
Donald Sinn.
Several answers came in for Jack Penny and some even answered John Keach. The key here was that the person WAS NOT liked. Don Sinn was mean. Mr. Penny was a very nice man and had a long career with the State of New Hampshire’s Rec and Parks Department. As for John Keach, don’t ever step on to a field or court at Memorial Field without thanking him for his vision and foresight. Except for a couple of swimming pools being refurbished, a Monkey Around Playground or two being erected, and the renovations at Heights Playground – now called Keach Park - nothing much has happened in these parts since John left us.
What was Bill Greeley’s dog’s name? Bonnie.
What was the name of the bottled drink that the Kallechey Family produced in their warehouse on Montgomery Street? Whistle.
What type of soda was it? Orange
What is the real name of Phonsie Ceriello? Alphonse…one of the finest athletes Concord has ever seen. Used to skate by the hours on the frozen pond at White’s. During the summer he’d be the designated pitcher for all the kids in the park.
What was Don Mead’s nickname? Ducky. CHS grad and former high school basketball coach (Penacook High and Alvirne High) Mead might very well be the funniest guy ever to come out of the Park. Swore that he’d change his skin color if he thought he could get a major college coaching job.
What was Eddie Bazunk’s real name? Edward Knowles. Please don’t ever forget that Eddie did far more for us, in terms of field maintenance, than any of us ever did for him.
What was the ice cream man’s name at White’s and other parks? (maybe too easy, but you need one) Dan, Dan the Ice Cream Man (Dan Cusano). Not to be confused with his perverted nephew Phil who dished out something more despicable than snow cones.
Name the starting lineup for the 1951 Concord LL All-Star team. (Believe me you’ll know a lot them). P: Bobby Hansen; C: Rocky Vezina; 1B: Jim Desmarais; 2B: Jerry Gearan; SS Joe Hargen; 3B: George Boucher; OF: Jim Muldowney, Denny MacDonald, missing one; Coaches: Delly Callahan, Bill Slattery, SR. I think we’re missing one here but you get the gist. These are some pretty classy names in the history of Concord sports.
What current prominent Concord attorney broke his jaw playing flag (or touch) football at White’s Park in the 60s? Mike Callahan. Skip Hardiman says he played in the game which is no small surprise as Skip may hold the city record for most touch football games played, career. Skip was a passing genius in touch football. He had intricate passing routes for everyone, diagrammed on the palm of his hand or in the dirt with a twig. Funny how a talented CHS football lineman could be a most talented touch football QB. Wonder if Coach Martin ever knew?
Who was the sweatiest guy playing hoops at White’s? Lots of answers, but the Unknown Question Guy says Larry Houle.
What was Reynolds Prince’s nickname? Pecker. There must be a story here somewhere.
Who replaced Jim Ceriello as director at the Boys Club? Herbie Norton
Who was Beulah at Duck Island at White’s? Apparently an easy prey to lecherous young lads at White’s Park. One answer came in that Beulah must have changed her name to Tina P in the late 50s/early 60s. Then another answer came back in saying Beulah must have changed her name to Tina P in the mid 60s. The irony here is that the Tina Ps are different people…honestly.
Who lost his eye in an explosion at the Circle (Lover’s Lane) at White’s? Charlie Fletcher
Who was Geek? Steve Lillios although I thought he was called Zeke the Greek, and no matter what Steve Latham says, he always traveled on his post moves around the basket.
What did John and Teddy Gray have in common? Brothers, Charles Street residents, Marine Corp vets. Son of the infamous Red Gray.
What made Rock Greeley famous at the White’s Park swimming pool? The rumor goes, Rock supposedly drove an automobile into the White’s Park pool before the pool was fenced in.
Did Sal Falzone ever play sports? Not that anyone remembers. Although a couple made smart aleck remarks about hanging around Junior Mattice and the YMCA.
What was Fig Newton’s first name and where did he live? There were several versions of Fig Newton, but the one we’re looking for – Dick – played a little basketball for CHS and lived on the corner of North Main and Pearl.
What was the name of the fellow who ran the counter at the Y and always had a cigarette hanging from the corner of his mouth? Milton
What Church League team won the most championships in the 50's and 60's in hoop? St. Paul’s and St. Peter’s.
Who was the first football player from Concord to play in the Shrine Football Game? The series began in 1954. Joe Hart, St.John's in l954, Joe Shields in l955 along with Dick Bartlett
Name the three best catchers to come out of Concord in the 50's and 60's? Joe Shields, Larry (Bugga) West and Jim Watson.
Name the five top pitchers to ever play in the Sunset League? Don Steenbeke, Jim Shaw, Bob Wheeler, Bob Hanson, Don Soderstrom, Tom Destefano, Floyd Bernier, Bobby Hurst, Bob Batchelder (I know, that’s more than 5. I’m just sharing some of the answers.)
Who was the manager of the Hooz's Red Sox Sunset League baseball team? Irving (“You gotta hurry, Al”) Edelstein.
What was Don Soderstrom's nickname? Sodie, Soggie, or “million dollar arm, two cent head”
What was Alvah Longley's nickname? In the sports world it was Boonie, but around the railroad and truck yards it was Junior because Alvah T. Senior, the moving guy, was Boonie.
Name the four little league teams that were established in 1949, the first year of Concord Little League. Kiwanis, Eagles, VFW, Auto Dealers (there may be some arguments here).
Who said when a player let a ball go through his legs "What are you doing, picking dasies?" Delly Callahan.
Who was Whites Park's most famous Harry? I’m picking Barlow from the Rumford Street Barlows.
What White Park standard bearer was know for throwing rocks at the basketball players if he was not picked on a team? The one and only Leslie Childs (a/k/a The Mad Defacator).
Name two police officers who coached youth teams in the city in the 50's and the 60's? Hap Simpson, Herb Norton, Andy Martell.
What was "Tarzan" Healey's first name? John.
What was the name of the west end ice hockey team that played their games on Sunday afternoons behind Sacred Heart Church? Shamrocks.
What was the name of the movie theatre on Pleasant St.? Star.
What was Muggsy Mulligan’s real first name and where did he live? We’re accepting Beacon Street Tom, but I guess every Mulligan who ever lived went by Muggsy.
Who was Giggie? (Rick LaBontee)
When playing HR Derby from second base at the Little League field, what was a home run to right which amounts to hitting the ball onto White Street in the air? An out
Who was faster Louie Shepard, Jim Labbe or Speedy Harriman? Not sure, but Speedy Harriman was pretty damned fast when he chased us up the street because we chucked some green apples into his convertible when he drove by.
Who scored the only touchdown for the 1962 CHS football team? Sad, but true. Wayne Heath. (CHS ’64) scored the one and only touchdown for the Tide that year. Needless to say, they lost every game.
Who scored the first basket at the new CHS gym in 1962? Billy Degnan drilled a 18 foot shot from the right side.
What was Dickie Krueger’s high school girl friend’s name? Dottie Osborne.
At whose house did the cops stop first when checking out trouble at White’s Park? Trouble at the Park? Go to Mike Matthews house on White Street and work from there.
What was the name of the semipro basketball team in Concord in the late 50s and early 60s? The Concord Olympians. Superb basketball played at the Green Street gym.
Whose house was torn down to make a parking lot for the Green Street Community Center? Freddy Walker.
What are the names of the two most prominent quarry swimming holes? New England and ???
True or false: Bill Greeley played in the Sunset League. True. Towards the end of each season, the United Life team would let Bill pinch hit.
What is Arab (Yah-Yah) Labnon’s real first name? Richard
Who gave Jim Watson the nickname Promaker? Charlie Bowler
Who ran the Midget Football League at White’s for many years? Dave Sayward
What happened at the YMCA on Saturday afternoons after the football games in the fall? Perhaps a bit hokey by today’s standards, but a dance.
What downtown restaurant served a tainted éclair? The Puritan
What was the name of the ice cream joint in McKee Square? Do Drop Inn
What local legend was known for his cry of “Yowa, yowsa, yowsa” to motorists passing by in the South End? Kenny Casey
What family has lived on the most sides of White’s Park (that would be White Street, Beacon Street, High Street and Washington Street)? DiNapolis
What was Robert Diversi’s nickname? Squirrel
What did Clark Billings drive? A Jeep
What was Clark Billings’ nickname? Troll
What sport did Bobby Hurst compete in on television? Candlepin bowling
What Concord radio sportscaster was famous for using the line “up and around the rim” every time a shot was taken? Bob Lauze
Which Brochu coached Bishop Brady hockey? (The answer “Red” does not get credit.) Leonard
Where did CHS hockey player Rusty (God) Martin go to college? Dartmouth
What long-time Concord carpet layer is the father-in-law to the daughter of a Cy Young Award winner? Ray-Ray Dyment’s son married the daughter of Dr. Jim Lonborg (yah, THAT Jim Lonborg)
You all passed!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)