What’s in a name?
The Bard of Stratford-on-Avon was never a sports writer, not intentionally, anyway, but there are many times when his words give those in this profession the basis for a column. Like his botanical query of “what’s in a name,” and then answering his own question by noting that a rose by any name would smell just as sweet. (And to think, Professor Burrows felt there were times when I was sleeping in his Shakespeare class at Grove City College).
But the query about what might be in a name also reminds that one of the first and most important lessons a young journalist can learn from a well experienced editor. How many times my first editor would remind me “names make news.”
These thoughts came to mind the last couple of weeks while rooting in the microfilm for notes on our weekly Out of the Past column. And while on that subject, many thanks to you readers for your nice comments on that column. We seem to have awakened a lot of echoes, and your fine comments are greatly appreciated.
While looking over the old stories, so many names came to light, some who were well known, some who were ships passing in the night, but at all times people who had their moment on stage. How many of these names can you recall?
-Basketball game summaries in 1960 listed the officials, something not always done today, but done for every game all those years ago. How many of you remember John Migyanko, Ray Renninger, Ralph Short, Carl Corsi, Bud Roman, Boots Salotti, Jim Leeper, Buzzy Stevenson, Bill Parkinson, Disey (Don’t Forget the E!) Simon who worked so many games with Gene Steratore, Tony Grimaldi, Jim Clutter and Mike Kindamo, Jim Sabers, Hooks Westlund, Eddie Spotts and Art Ruff who teamed together. There are others, but those were the names seen in game summaries for that particular week.
-A story noted that Shaffer’s Boy Club of Uniontown was entered in a Police Boxing Tournament in Steubenville, Ohio. Tommy Shaffer had a big lineup of boxers for the event, headed by Jack Rogers, who was then listed as a 175-pound Senior Novice entry, and who would go on later to have a fine professional career. Joining Rogers in the lineup were Bert Hager, Jimmy White, Frank Crucio, Flea Jones, Joe Draggone, Bob Giachetti, Billy (Tiger) Smith, Mike Hilesman, Porky Craggette and Herk Kefover. Remember them?
-The big question in 1961 was whether the WPIAL could produce another state basketball champion. In the preceding 17 years, the WPIAL had won 10 state “A” titles, Farrell taking five of them. District 1 had three state champs, District 11 two, and two won by Allentown (D-11) in 1946 and 1947 were vacated because of rules violations and no champions are on record for those two years. In the 16 years that a “B” champion was crowned, the WPIAL took eight (plus four seconds), Kutztown three, Irwin four, Wampum two (under the late and great Butler Hennon), and Fountain Hill (D-11), two. For the record, the WPIAL would miss out in 1961, Nanticoke beating Hickory, 56-46, in the finals. But we all remember who won in 1962, don’t we? Uniontown demolished Norristown, 90-57.
-At this time in 1950, the Fayette County Coaches Assn. was planning its annual basketball tournament to be held at Lafayette JHS. Bill Power was chairman, with a committee of Art Ruff and Joe McCune (Connellsville), Nick Bubonovich (North Union), and Park Glass (South Union). A meeting of the FCCA was held to plan the tournament. Coaches listed as attending included:
Uniontown, Power, Max Zane, Abe Everhart, John Kruper, and K.W. Richards; North Union, Bubonovich, Jim Rogers, Steve Polach, and Steve Furin; German Twp., Lou Rozzi, Buck Johnson, Adam Donnelly, and Ray Rifenburg; Connellsville, Ruff, Ed Spotts, McCune, Walter Finn, Ed Spaak; Point Marion, Dave Hornstein and Gene Corum; Redstone, Joe Chadone, Alex Barantovich, and Gus Cardarelli; Georges, John Robbs, Joe Goode, and John Morrow; South Union, Marty Fagler; Brownsville, Andy Sepsi, Chuck Slick, John Simon, Eddie Addis, and Matt Wasko; Masontown, Gene Franks and John Lozar; Dunbar Twp., Paul Urik; St. John’s, Jim (Lash) Nesser; and Union Vocational, P.K. Dills.
How many of these names can you remember?
Jim Kriek is a Herald-Standard correspondent.