Reminisce with Johnny Pesky

Lincoln High School Alumni Association Volume 17, No. 1 Summer 2013 IN THIS ISSUE THE OREGON JOURNAL, TUESDAY, JANUARY 15, 1974 2 LHSAA ‘Slabtowners’ Reminisce With Johnny Pesky Author’s Corner By BILL MULFLUR And he credited Dave Lemma and his Executive Sports Editor wine truck, who used to run a route down LHSAA Annual Vaughn Street and up 18th, and pick up the 3 t was a night to talk about Wade Slabtown kids on their way to Lincoln. Luncheon Williams and not Ted Williams; He talked about Ray Brooks and the LHSAA Endowment I about the Silverton Red Sox and Portland Babes, the Bend Elks and the Fund News not Boston’s. Silverton Red Sox. It was “Slabtown Night” at the annual “We lost a national championship at banquet of the Active and Old Timers Silverton when I dropped a fly ball,” said 4 Bulletin Board Baseball Association. Bubalo, now a successful Portland doctor. News from LHSAA Despite the icy streets, an overflow Pesky played with Don Kirsch, Dick Reunions crowd turned out to hear Johnny Pesky, one Whitman, Bubalo and Roy Helser, among of Slabtown’s greatest, speak. others, on that great semi-pro team out of “It was the sponsors and the coaches Silverton. 5 Kids for Congo who helped us,” said Pesky, who went “I first saw Johnny when he played for First Class Hall of Fame from Kamm Field (now the athletic the opposition in a pickup game at Vaughn In Memoriam field at Lincoln High) to a distinguished Street against Greg’s Orioles (a team formed 10-year career with Boston, Detroit and by L.H. Gregory, retired sports editor of the Washington. Oregonian),” said Williams. 6 FromThe Past “It was the people who sponsored Post “When we had that crew in Legion, we From the Archives Office Pharmacy and other teams in the won six state titles in 11 years and Lindsey Student Excellence Legion and City League who helped us,” won two of the others,” Williams recalled. said Pesky after Marion Reneau, sponsor of Pesky called Lou Sauer “a guy who Who’s on First the Watco team which reached last year’s handled the bat and played ball the way it national Legion finals, was honored. should be played.” He spoke about the great battles Johnny recalled his hockey days. “I knew between Wade Williams’ Lincoln area how to use the butt end of a fungo bat because (Slabtowners from Wallace Park and St. Walt McCartney, the old Buckaroo, taught Patrick’s) and Lindsey Campbell’s Jefferson me what to do with the butt end of a hockey (the Albina area). stick.” The names ticked off…John Bubalo… Del Schroer was called “the best little ball John Leovich…Vern Reynolds…Lee player I ever saw.” Sutton…Moe Jubitz…Joe Erautt. “We had a genuine affection for one “We all grew up around the old Vaughn another,” said Pesky. Street Stadium,” said Pesky. “In the summer And guys like Frank Lolich, the Satalich time you had to be a ball player to be brothers and the Carney boys were there to someone and in the winter time you played attest to that on the River Queen. hockey at Marshall Street Ice Arena.” “We’re all here because we love the game “In today’s gas shortage, Wade couldn’t and I hope I can do it again,” he concluded. n have found enough gas to keep us in school,” said Pesky. “Wade and Dave Wright got us through Lincoln.” “Despite the icy streets, an overflow crowd John Michael Paveskovich turned out to hear Johnny Pesky, one of September 1919 - Slabtown’s greatest, speak.” August 2012 LHSAA Book Title: The Byers Avenue Bunny Elaine (Rosenberg) Cogan, Class Club. Written by Pamela Deane – LHS of 1950. Elaine and her husband, class of 1960 (under Pamela Leonard) Arnold, recently celebrated their 60th Author’s Cornerwedding anniversary and their 37th as Synopsis: Every Monday at exactly twelve partners in the Portland planning and o’clock noon, three things happen in communications consulting firm, Ricochet: the town’s air-raid siren wails, Cogan Owens Cogan. They met the Parsley Café opens its doors for when they were juniors in high business, and Chancey Fetterly steps school…she at Lincoln and he at out on his front porch and scratches his Grant…and were married during crotch. Consistent in its routine, nothing their junior years at Oregon State. of consequence ever befalls this provincial Elaine’s first book,You can Talk to (Almost) Anyone about (Almost) Any- post-war community. But when three girls are thrown thing, a Speaking Guide for Business together against their will, they hatch a scheme to get them out and Professional People, was written in of school a week early and change their lives forever. Tallulah, collaboration with the late Ben Padrow, a much Penny, and Clover are as different from one another as the sour revered speech and communications apple soup is from the sweet butterbean pie Tully’s mother professor at Portland State University. She wrote concocts at the Parsley Café. Tully is feisty and full of spit and her second book, Successful Public Meetings, vinegar; Clover, a privileged snob; and at the request of an editor of the publisher Penny lives a timid existence with her Jossey-Bass, who was acquainted with her train- ing seminars across the country. It is a required alcoholic father on the dodgy end of town. text in many university planning schools and Together this odd little band of misfits popular with anyone planning or running a embark on a journey of trust and cour- public meeting. Her third book, How to age, as well as abuse…and even murder. Survive…and Thrive…as a Planning Bio: Pamela Deane Leonard was Commissioner, contains the helpful advice a classic late bloomer. She grew up in she gives her clients. Portland, graduated from Lincoln She was a weekly columnist for the Oregonian for seven years and the host of a talk show on the now disbanded KGW Radio. High School, partied her way through During that time and until now she has designed and facilitated three years at the University of hundreds of public meetings and coached professional and Oregon, and married and raised two political individuals in public speaking. She has received a spectacular boys before she Distinguished Service Honor Award from the League of Women finally decided maybe this education Voters of Oregon and three national awards for her consulting work. thing could actually be fun and Elaine enrolled at Lincoln fresh from Brooklyn, New York rewarding at the same time. She got and soon became involved in the then Cardinal, now the Cardinal her BS at age forty- nine, her MT Times. This was a time of upheaval at Lincoln as rumors swirled that the school, then on the Park Blocks, would be closed. There at age fifty-five, taught high school was uncertainty about whether or where a new one would be built. English for seventeen years, and is now One of her fondest memories of that time is when the editorial gloriously retired in Vancouver, staff wrote and published an April 1st edition of the newspaper with Washington and doing what she the banner headline, “Lincoln to Close Next Year; Students to be damned well pleases, mostly writing, Disbursed throughout the District.” The article then laughing, and trying to play the piano, methodically listed where students from different geographical areas usually not all at the same time. n of the city would be assigned…Jefferson, Franklin, etc. By placing the date of the publication, April 1st, prominently next to the headline on the front page, Elaine and the other writers were sure people “Lincoln Loyalty Song” would realize it was a prank. They did We’re Loyal to you Lincoln High not think it necessary to inform their We’re Red and We’re White Lincoln High advisor or the principal. Alas, most We’ll back you to stand ‘gainst the best in the Land, readers, including the administration, For we know you have sand, Lincoln High. did not notice that important piece of Rah!!! Rah!!!! Rah!!!! information, and the school office was inundated with angry calls from parents, So smash through that line, Lincoln High the press and others. We’re Backing you all Lincoln High As can be imagined, students also Our Team is our Frame Protector were also extremely upset. The staff were On Boys for we expect a Victory from you reprimanded roundly and printed a retraction soon after. Lincoln High. Rah!! Rah!! But the damage had been done, and the rumor lingered on for some time. n 2 ALUMNI MEMBERSHIP LUNCHEON or 8 years your Alumni 1955, was Emcee; Harris Association has held an annual Matarazzo, class of 1975, luncheon to tell members thank announced the Alumni you, and to share the business, projects and Hall of Fame recipients; accomplishments of our group. What a great Gerry Stickley, class of Time; what a great committee! 1955, handed out LHSAA A big thank you goes to all our alumni Certificate of Appreciation Fand the alumni that worked on this event: to the LHSAA Endowment Diana, Lydia, Carolyn, Kristen, Walt, Fund Scholarship Winners, Gordon, Violet, Martha, Marlyce, Alan, and Peyton Chapman, LHS Marjorie, Leslie, Jessica, David, Grace; all the Principal, updated us on members of the LHS A Cappella Choir, and Lincoln. Ray Johnson, class of 1949, for his beautiful The Alumni Endowment piano music. Fund is 14 years old and is successful because of each and every one “Subway Art” a new art form of of you.

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