Brownsville Time Capsule
Editor’s note: At the request of our readers, we are running previously published versions of the Brownsville Time Capsule. –Brownsville Time Capsule looks back over the years through the archives of the Brownsville Telegraph. —
30 years ago – July 1979
Taxpayers are up in arms in the Brownsville Area School District, and some of them have formed a citizens group whose goal is to fight the 28-mill tax hike approved last week by the school board. About 50 people calling themselves the Concerned Taxpayers met recently at the senior citizens center on Church Street in Brownsville. The assembled citizens contributed $400 to hire an attorney to explore the possibility of taking legal action against the school board for nearly doubling the millage rate from 30 to 58 mills.
Loise White, president of the new group, said that one question the group wants answered is why the school board “was so anxious to pass its budget before the state passed its budget. We are going to engage an attorney to look into the possibility of getting an injunction to prevent the school board from raising taxes,” she said.
Vandals broke into the California Area High School over the weekend and caused extensive damage to the building and its contents. Windows were smashed and classrooms and offices ransacked. A wall safe in the office was damaged but intact, and plate glass windows in the main office were shattered. Vending machines in the hall and in a faculty room were smashed.
“The guidance room was just a shambles,” said one school official. The classroom of athletic director Budd Grebb was entered and school trophies housed there were broken. Total loss is expected to run into the thousands of dollars, according to California police Chief Nelson J. Horner.
Eagles won the championship of the Brownsville Little League with a 14-1 record. Mike Conte, who batted .615 on the season, led the hit parade for Manager Tony Iacconi’s champs.
Other offensive stars for the heavy hitting Eagles squad were Wayne Penn (.586), Mark Kerestine (.566), Ron White (.492), Bob Bevard (.454), Mike Mammarella (.370) and Dave Lane (.357).
In the Fayette Traveling Softball League, Royal and Senoj had little difficulty winning their contests. Royal scored 8 runs in the fifth inning to knock off LaBelle, 17-7, as Manager Luther Harrison’s club won its 25th game against 6 losses.
Bill Rouse collected four hits, “Yunko” Gavala had a double and two singles, and Mark Green and Ralph Polvinale had three singles apiece for the winners.
Senoj picked up its 28th victory against 2 losses, shelling Smock 14-0. Buck Morozek sparked the attack for the Braznell club with a triple and three singles. Carlos Hackett and Chuck Britvich also hit heavily for the winners, while Norman Wible’s pitching shut down the Smock offense.
50 years ago – July 1959
Dr. Robert A. Sphar, 78, of Centerville Borough, a prominent retired Brownsville physician, has died in Presbyterian Hospital, Pittsburgh, where he had been a patient for two weeks. Dr. Sphar had been in Brownsville since 1910, starting his practice in West Brownsville following his graduation from the medical school of the University of Pennsylvania. Previously he had graduated from pharmacy school.
Dr. Sphar served as industrial surgeon for many of the area industries since 1928. He retired from active practice earlier this year and was the guest of honor at a retirement dinner given in February by doctors, nurses and friends.
A 49-star United States flag will be officially raised for the first time on Independence Day this year. Flags with a new star for the state of Alaska will be hoisted over the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. and at Baltimore’s Fort McHenry National Monument, birthplace of the National Anthem. After sunup on Independence Day, Americans everywhere may display the new flag.
Mitch Bailey, head football coach at California High School, has resigned his position following a salary dispute with the school board. Also resigning were two assistant mentors, John Kupets and Robert Dolan. The California school board accepted the resignations after rejecting increased salary requests from the three members of the football coaching staff.
Three other members of the football coaching staff were not affected by the action. They were Jim Underwood, former head mentor who now serves in an advisory capacity; William (Vince) Stapulis, junior high school coach; and Bill Watkins, assistant to Stapulis.
Bailey, a former outstanding end at California State Teachers College, became head coach of the Trojans in 1956. His teams chalked up a 14-14-1 record in three years, compiling a 2-8 record in his first season, a 6-2-1 mark in his second year, and a 6-4 record last season. All three of the coaches who resigned will remain on the California High School faculty.
Redstone High School field has been selected as the site of the Fayette County East-West All-Star football attraction to be played on Wednesday night, Aug. 12. The East-West game was revived this season after the Fayette-Washington County All-Star contest was abandoned.
65 years ago – July 1944
Joseph N. Cooper, 67, proprietor of the Brownsville Hotel, has died. A resident of Brownsville for 41 years, Mr. Cooper operated the Girard Hotel at Market and Broadway for several years before establishing the Brownsville Hotel. He was a member of the Schiller Lodge 345, F. & A. M., Scranton; B.P.O. Elks Lodge 1344, Brownsville; and the congregation O’Have Israel, Brownsville. Surviving are two daughters, Mrs. Leslie Rubin, Brownsville, and Mrs. Edward Grossman, Canton, Ohio, and one son, Herman Cooper, Brownsville.
Brownsville’s annual community picnic at Kennywood Park will be held on Thursday, Aug. 3, 1944. The three local volunteer fire departments will again sponsor the annual outing. Norval Rice heads a hard-working committee as general chairman, with John Sabin in charge of transportation and Chester Bernhagen handling ticket sales.
Ace Brigode and his Virginians, a popular orchestra throughout the country, will play for the afternoon and evening dance sessions in the spacious open-air pavilion. The band features the voice of lovely Betty Day. The Lagoon stage free shows will feature the Paroff Three, a thrilling aerial spectacle performed on tiny ladders 80 feet in the air.
The committee has announced that there will be no special train this year, but regular train service will be available to those attending the picnic.
Joe (Lefty) Ritzo limited the Brownsville Merchants to five hits as the LaBelle Merchants recorded a 3-2 upset victory in a Brownsville Telegraph Baseball League contest at the Woodward Plan stadium. Ralph Lacotta hurled for Brownsville and limited the winners to four hits, but poor support in the field and at the plate sealed Brownsville’s fate.
“Red” Simpson led the attack for Brownsville with a double and single. Richard Hartmann, Charles Drazenovich and Rudy Rode also hit safely for the locals. Connors, Podlogar, Bogovich and Kajfez garnered the four hits for LaBelle. Louis Dreon started on the hill for LaBelle, but Ritzo came on in the second inning when Dreon went a little wild and hit two batters.
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Comments about this column can be directed to Pete Skirchak, Brownsville Editor, at pskirchak@heraldstandard.com.