SIR WESTGATE BRANCH 125

May 2019

SIR Mission Statement State President Ed Benson Reg 4 Director Patrick O’Keefe The mission of SIR is to improve the lives of our members Area 11 Governor Robert Grandey through fun activities and events, while making friends for life. BRANCH EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

3rd Tuesday of each month Big SIR Roger Danielson Three Flames Restaurant Little SIR Don Rosenbaum Secretary Dave Hedrick 1547 Meridian Ave., San Jose CA 95125 Asst. Secty. Dave Butt Executive Committee Meeting 10:30 a.m. Treasurer Frank Gire Fellowship Hour 11 a.m. Lunch at 12 noon Asst. Treas. Terry Drobny Directors John Figini Ray Gilcrest Paul Piligian Ken Rose Paul Schwabe Cliff Yamaoka

Branch Advisors Ed Metevia Larry Peck Chuck Waggoner

Big SIR Message Golf Chairman Jerry Davis

NEWSLETTER CREDITS You may have heard that illness will probably prevent me from conducting the May Editor & Layout Michael Cronk meeting, but I am sure that Don Rosenbaum will have the meeting running smoothly. Member Database Chuck Waggoner Merit Database John Figini We had an impressive speaker for April and the May speaker is one that I particularly Photography Jerry Oliver John Figini wanted to hear. Mark Purdy was the head sports reporter for the San Jose Mercury Bernie Seefeldt News for many years. As such, he covered some big sporting events here in the Bay Area. He is sure to have some great stories to share.

The state organization has noted that there are very few things that a SIR branch BR 125 WEBSITE CREDITS requires of its members. The four most important things are: Webmaster John Figini Asst. Webmaster Jim Smith 1. Be a sociable guy. 2. Participate in SIR activities. The main website can be found at: 3. Help run the organization by volunteering, especially when asked. www.SIRBranch125.org 4. Bring a guest to introduce them to the joys of SIR and thereby perpetuate SIR. A new link is also available to view I think our branch does quite well in all of these steps, but we must be vigilant about and print individual photos in the SIR the last. We always need new members! 125 Photo Gallery. Just click on:

www.sirbranch125.org/gallery.htm Thanks to John Figini, we have a new feature on our branch website. It is a Google map showing where all of our members live. It identifies each member only by his SIR number so no personal information is disclosed. Members can look up their SIR SIR Happenings neighbors using the roster. We hope that it will be an aid in setting up ride pools for golf, lunches and other activities. If you haven’t visited our web site, do it; it’s got a lot The latest edition of SIR Happenings of good stuff: www.SIRbranch125.org. can always be found at:

http://sirinc.org/sirhappenings/

Roger Danielson, Big SIR

www.SIRBranch125.org

BRANCH 125 WINS 1ST PLACE MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT APR AT AREA TOURNAMENT 2019 Frank Gire, Treasurer

BEGINNING BALANCE $2,536 GENERAL CUSTODIAL TOTAL RECEIPTS 108 0 108 DISBURSEMENTS 279 321 600 MONTHLY -171 -321 -492 CHANGE ENDING BALANCE $2,044

MEMBERSHIP ACTIVE 187 INACTIVE 0 The March monthly Area Golf Tournament was WAIT LIST 0 played at Spring Hills and the Branch 125 team of Henry Melin, Grant Beech and Earl Schmieding LAST MEETING MEMBERS 104 won 1st place – winning $40. That’s Dave Brown GUESTS 3 photo bombing the winners. Be part of the action! VISITORS 1 Sign up for the monthly area tournaments. TOTAL 108

SIR Players of the Month MAY BIRTHDAYS BOCCE NEWS April 2019 Nam e Hcp Score Date Over/ Course Bob Nelson May 3 Index Under “Par” Paul Schwabe May 9 John Spring John Ciaccio May 10 A Roberts 15.4 74 4/24 -9 Valley Joe Isaacson May 10

Lloyd Los Rammer Ramirez. May 10 B McDade 18.4 73 4/3 -9 Lagos Bill Brecheen May 13 Alex Canada May 18 Dave - Coyote C Anderson 21.2 91 4/10 2 Creek V Cliff Burdin May 21 Bill Baker May 25 Join the fun Monday Larry Spring Mike Quint May 28 mornings (10 a.m. sharp) at D Barwacz 25.1 86 4/24 -6 Valley Alan Wieteska May 28 Campo de Bocce, 565 Larry Coyote Michael Cronk May 29 University Ave., Los Gatos. E Peck 34.6 99 4/10 09 Creek V Bob Lopes May 30 Everyone is welcome and Charles Nieto May 31 the cost is just $8. Cliff Yamaoka May 31

PLAYERS OF THE MONTH APRIL BIRTHDAY

WINNER

Receiving free sleeves of balls and the widely-acclaimed and highly-coveted title of Golfer of the Month at the April Luncheon meeting were, left to right, Jim Light, Dennis Carelli and Elmer Pasquinelli.

Harry “HairBear” Coulter

SIR Westgate Branch 125 MAY 2019 Page 2

GOLF LEADERBOARD Presented by George Bassi, Pat Doran & Terry Drobny

APRIL 3, 2019 LOS LAGOS --TWO BEST BALL

1st Place Al Mistretta, John Thompson, Lloyd McDade, Dave Anderson (BD) 106 2nd Place Bob Fowler, Grant Beech, Dale Momii, Blaine Bowman (BD) 113 3rd Place Jerry Davis, Peter Morrone, Bob Lopes, Terry Drobny 115 4th Place Dave Butt, Roger Hughes, Charlie Hanson, John Roberts 116 Tie Dean Colman, Dennis Carelli, John Ciaccio, Butch King 116 Tie Ron Handley, Larry Peck, Ronald Cook, Charles Nieto 116 Closest to the Pin #3 (1 shot) Bob Fowler #7 (1 shot) Dave Anderson #5 (1 shot) Larry Peck #16 (1 shot) John Ciaccio

APRIL 10, 2019 COYOTE CREEK VALLEY --TWO BEST BALL

1st Place Gene Plevyak, Paul Piligian, Henry Melin, Daryl Jones 120 2nd Place Dean Colman, John Thompson, Charlie Hanson, Daryl Jones (BD) 123 3rd Place Bob Tragni, Ray Gilcrest, Harold Schmidt, Ron Cook (BD) 127 4th Place Vince Endter, Al Mistretta, Steve Pinn, Dave Anderson (BD) 131 Closest to the Pin #7 (1 shot) Ken Rose #13 (1 shot) Steve Pinn #11 (2 shot) Vince Endter #17 (1 shot) Henry Myers

APRIL 17, 2019 LAS POSITAS -- COLOR BALL

1st Place Bob Tragni, Ray Gilcrest, Alan Wieteska, Steve Pinn 112 2nd Place Vince Endter, Bob Fowler, Earl Schmieding, Grant Beech 117 3rd Place Dave Butt, Dean Colman, John Thompson, Gerry O’Connell 121 Tie Dan Bezinaw, Bob McCord, Dale Momii, Alex Canada 121 Tie John Ciaccio, Bill Croxton, Larry Barwacz, Frank Gire (BD) 121 Closest to the Pin #4 (2 shot) Mike Patterson #11 (1 shot) Bob Fraka Jr. #8 (1 shot) Ray Gilcrest #15 (2 shot) Dave Brown

APRIL 24, 2019 SPRING VALLEY --TWO BEST BALL

1st Place Dale Momii, John Ciaccio, Jon Goldsworthy, Dave Brown (BD) 135 2nd Place Bill Croxton, Larry Barwacz, Charlie Hanson, Jack Weber 138 3rd Place Kevin Kavanaugh, Alan Wieteska, Harold Schmidt, Fred Souza 143 Tie Paul Piligian, Henry Melin, Bob Norbutas, Daryl Jones 143 Closest to the Pin #2 (1 shot) Mike Tanda #11 (2 shot) John Roberts -- Birdie! #4 (1 shot) Bob Tragni #16 (2 shot) Paul Piligian

SIR Westgate Branch 125 MAY 2019 Page 3

JUNE DATE NIGHT BASEBALL TRIP The next Date Night is scheduled for 5 p.m. Tuesday, June OPPORTUNITIES 25, at Mandarin Gourmet Restaurant, 5560 Santa Teresa Branch 125 will make its annual visit to see the Blvd., San Jose. Cost is $35 per person and must be paid in San Francisco Giants on Thursday, May 23 at advance at the May or June Luncheon meetings. Menu Oracle Park. Game time is 12:45 p.m. and the includes egg roll, chicken salad, won ton soup, Szechauan opponent is the Atlanta Braves. Ticket cost is $15. pork, chicken with honey walnuts, tangerine beef, Peking Make your reservation by contacting Steve Pinn prawns, mixed vegetables, Mandarin chow mein, steamed at [email protected] or 408-997-2791. rice and a fortune cook. Contact Jim Fouse for details at [email protected]. SIR Day at the Oakland A’s will be on Sunday, Aug. 25 against the SF Giants. Seats will be in CHESS CLUB REPORT Section 106 (shaded) and cost $52. Deadline for If you are interested in chess, contact Frank Gire at ticket purchase is June 1. Send a check payable to [email protected] or 408-674-3110. Once we have our Lee Moy and a self-addressed stamped envelope group of players, we will the plan the logistics of playing to Lee Moy, 127 N. Helm Ave., Clovis CA 93612. some games. All levels of experience are welcome. For more information, contact Lee Moy at 559-709-9851 or [email protected]. Frank Gire, Chess Club Reporter Four upcoming SIR Area 11 all-branch San Jose TRAVEL WITH SIR Giants games are scheduled: Friday May 17 – vs Lake Elsinore Friday June 14 – vs Visalia Brochures are now available for two new trips scheduled for Friday July 19 – vs Rancho Cucamonga 2020. Mark Twain’s Mississippi, a river cruise from St. Louis Friday August 16 – vs Inland Empire to Minneapolis, is set for Aug. 9-17, 2020. Ports of call for the American Queen include Hannibal MO, Clinton IA, First pitch for all four games is 7 p.m. at San Jose Dubuque IA, La Crosse WI and Red Wing MN. For Municipal Stadium. Tickets are $10 each, which information contact John Pletch 408-274-2992 or Mike includes post game fireworks, and can be reserved Console 408-246-1080. by contacting Steve Pinn (see contact info above).

Celebrate the start of 2020 in New Orleans with a trip Dec. BOWLING REPORT 30, 2019-Jan. 3, 2020. You will stay at the Astor Crown Plaza in New Orleans and explore the French Quarter, the Oak Alley Plantation and your choice of spending a day at the World War II Museum and Bayou Swamp tour or the New Orleans School of Cooking and Mardi Gras World. For information contact Joe Salamida 408-767-2838 or Archie Arkady 408-253-3956.

The winter bowling season is finished in two Twelve more trips are scheduled for 2019, and six weeks. Our two teams are tied in the middle of the additional trips for 2020 are in process. pack in 7th place for the quarter. For the year, the

Pocket Rockets finished won 49.5 points and the Happy Travels Turkey Vultures winning 50 points, so both teams Alan Patmore, Travel Chairman will get significant prize money.

IMPORTANT MESSAGE ABOUT ALL OFF-SITE The summer bowling season starts on June 3. It is EVENTS & ACTIVITIES NON-RESPONSIBILITY CLAUSE: All tours and other activities arranged for a 13-week session with 13 or 14 teams. We bowl Sons in Retirement Inc. through its Branches and committees are for the at 4th Street Bowl in San Jose, 10:30 a.m. until convenience and pleasure of members and guests who desire to participate. about 1 p.m. every Monday. The cost is $16 per However, Sons in Retirement Inc. and its Branches do no assume any week plus a league membership fee. About half of responsibility for the well-being or safety of the participants or passengers or their property in any matters pertaining to said tours and other the $16 goes into a prize fund that is paid out at activities. Members and their guests participate at their own risk and the end of the season. If you are interested in should not expect to hold Sons in Retirement Inc. or any of its Branches bowling with a fun group, show up on May 27 or responsible in any way. email me at [email protected]

Chuck Waggoner, Bowling Reporter

SIR Westgate MAY 2019 Page 4

CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS Mon., May 8, 13, 20 Bocce at Campo de Bocce. No sign up required.

Fri., May 17 SIR Region 11 at San Jose Giants. Advance ticket purchase required. Contact [email protected] to check on availability

Tue., May 21 May Luncheon meeting at Three Flames Restaurant.

Thur., May 23 Branch 125 annual trip to SF Giants. Advance ticket purchase required. Contact [email protected] to check on availability.

Mon., June 3 Summer Bowling League begins at 4th Street Bowl. No sign up required for first day.

Mon., June 3, 10, 17, 24 Bocce at Campo de Bocce. No sign up required.

Fri., June 14 SIR Region 11 at San Jose Giants. Advance ticket purchase required. Contact [email protected] to check on availability

Tue., June 18 June Luncheon meeting at Three Flames Restaurant.

Tue., June 25 Date Night at Mandarin Gourmet Restaurant. Advance purchase required.

Mon., July 1, 8, 16, 22, 29 Bocce at Campo de Bocce. No sign up required.

Tue., July 16 Annual Branch 125 Co-ed Golf Tournament at Blackberry Farm. Sign up required.

Tue., July 16 Annual Branch 125 BBQ at Santa Clara Elks Lodge. Sign up required.

Fri., July 19 SIR Region 11 at San Jose Giants. Advance ticket purchase required. Contact [email protected] to check on availability

Mon., Aug. 5, 12, 19, 26 Bocce at Campo de Bocce. No sign up required.

Fri., Aug. 16 SIR Region 11 at San Jose Giants. Advance ticket purchase required. Contact [email protected] to check on availability

Tue., Aug. 20 August Luncheon meeting at Three Flames Restaurant.

Sun., Aug. 25 SIR Day at Oakland A’s. Advance ticket purchase required. Contact [email protected] to check on availability.

SPEAKER NEWS Former Mercury News sports columnist Mark Purdy will be the speaker at the May 21 Luncheon meeting. During his career he covered 13 Olympic Games and more than 30 Super Bowls. He will speak on “My Four Decades of Sportswriting in San Jose and Beyond: How I Managed To Name McCovey Cove, Play Golf With Neil Armstrong, Eat Lunch With Muhammad Ali And Come Face-To-Face With Fidel Castro (Although Not All On The Same Day).”

At right is photo of April Luncheon meeting speaker Bradley Davis, President of West Valley College, receiving a Branch 125 coffee mug from Gene Plevyak, program chairman.

SIR Westgate MAY 2019 Page 5

1996 GOLF MEMORY FROM PAUL PILIGIAN

For many years, the Western Intercollegiate Championships have been held at Pasatiempo Golf Course in Santa Cruz. The event brings together golfers from 20-25 colleges throughout the U.S. for a 3-day tournament.

The first day practice round pairs two collegians with two Pasatiempo club members. Over the years, I was privileged to play with many golfers who went on to star on the PGA circuit, including Tiger Woods when he was a sophomore at Stanford University.

Tiger didn’t win the individual trophy, but Stanford won the team championship. Right after the closing presentations, Tiger left for Augusta and the first of his Masters appearances. He qualified by virtue of winning the U.S. Amateur L to R, Conrad Ray (now the coach of Stanford’s golf team), earlier that year. Paul Piligian, and an up-and-coming collegiate golfer named Tiger Woods smile after a memorable round of golf.

SIR Westgate MAY 2019 Page 6