et al.: SU'S Who Sl!'s Wbo People and their exploits
group record for the triple-jump, bounding 34 feet, 3 inches. A retired cross country and track coach, Lukens now travels to com pete in local, national, and interna tional meets, practicing his secret to happiness: "Just keep busy." The Return of Delmore Schwartz When Robert Phillips '60, '62 began compiling and editing Letters ofD elmore Schwartz six years ago, he thought of it as a labor of love. When the book was published last fall, Phillips doubted it would Delmore Schwartz receive much attention, but today he is reeling from the renewed in The book has prompted the terest that Letters has spawned in University of Chicago to reprint One of SU's most visible graduates, CBS sportscaster Dick Stockton this writer and one-time SU facul Schwartz'sessays, edited by David has won recognition from both the University and Sports Illustrated. ty member. Zucker '64 and the late SU English professor Donald Dike. Farrar, Straus and Giroux is publishing a Play-by-Play Running Again collection of Schwartz's journals, While hopping from game to game Eleven years ago, Edwin Lukens PortraitofDelmore Schwartz. And last season, chronicling basketball '50 began running from his troubles an independent filmmaker is con battles for CBS, Dick Stockton '64 and jumping for joy. sidering making a movie about chalked up some victories of his Then 51, the former SU track star Schwartz's life. own. took up competitive running to con In the meantime, Letters came The veteran sports announcer quer depression after his par out in paperback last month, at the picked up SU's George Arents ents died within months of same time as Successful Love and Pioneer Medal in May, and in June each other. "The only Other Stories, a collection of two received unusual praise from Sports way to combat depres Schwartz novels and eight of his Illustrated. In a critique of CBS's sion is to immerse famous short stories, edited by professional basketball coverage, S/ yourself in work," he Phillips. In addition, Phillips is columnist William Taaffe focused says. " So I began running again." editing a collection of Schwartz's on Stockton, analyzing his 21-year Soon he also took up long humorous essays, Kilroy's Car career. Although he took a few pot jumping, high-jumping, and hurd nival: Comic Writings ofD elmore shots at the sportscaster, Taaffe gave ling, and he has been competing Schwartz. Stockton high scores for turning regularly ever since. In September, Phillips and Schwartz met at SU play-by-play coverage into "some he set the world record for the when the latter was teaching thing approaching an art form." indoor triple jump, at 35 feet, 2 1/2 English and Phillips was a graduate "[Stockton] ... possesses a deep inches. This past August, at 62, assistant. At the time, Schwartz was knowledge ofthe game and a pleas Lukens won five gold medals in a well-established literary figure ant earnestness," Taaffe wrote, track-and-field events at New who was struggling against manic "both of which come through the York's Empire State Games in Buf depressive mood swings, and this tube. He is bright and open and nice falo. Competing in the 60-64 age dark side is what biographers and in a Gee-I-wish-you'd-like-me kind group as a Syracuse Chargers Track associates have focused on until of way." Club member, Lukens placed first now, 22 years after the author's Stockton himself admits he de in the long jump (4.83 meters), the death. veloped this style after first trying triple jump (35 feet, ) 1,4 inches), the Phillips remembers a different a tough-guy, Howard Cosell ap 110 high hurdles (21.1 seconds), the man, however, which Letters proach, which he eventually aban highjump(4 feet, 6 inches), and the reveals. "He was the first, absolute doned because "I didn't want to javelin (120 feet, I inch). larger-than-life genius I ever knew," walk into a room and have people Two years ago, at the National Phillips recalls. "I was in awe of his turn their backs on me." Masters Indoor Championships at At age 62, Edwin Lukens is set conversation and his wit .... I very Evidently, Stockton picked the Lehigh University, in Pennsyl ting world records in track and much wanted to set the record right game plan. vania, Lukens set a national age- field. straight."
26 SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE Published by SURFACE, 1985 1 Syracuse University Magazine, Vol. 2, Iss. 1 [1985], Art. 10
The Edge of Science famous, and money in large Still on the Beat amounts. I think such a limited view Seventeen years past retirement If you read some of the stories in ignores a good deal." age, reporter and editor Berdie Glowing Birds: Stories from the Huyghe has written about strange Schwab Tuttle '25 is still working. Edge ofScience by Patrick Huyghe topics for years, but he is not im In a sense, she's making up for lost '76, you're likely to get mune to being shocked. The weird time. goosebumps. est story he ever covered? " People Shortly after graduation, Tuttle "Killer Amoeba," for instance, biting people," Huyghe says, "is as put her career on hold for almost 30 tells of microscopic monsters that strange as you can get." years, while she " traveled for live in fresh water and feast on the pleasure," married, became a brains of bathers. In " Human mother, and took up showing and Bites," thousands ofo therwise nor Dormmates breeding boxer dogs. mal human beings choose to bite When Debra Grossman '73, Nan Then, in 1954, Tuttle embarked one another. Individuals who si cy Grossman '72, and lhidy Cooke on a journalistic career, working as multaneously dream of something Coleman '72 were preparing to take a cub reporter, women's editor, about which they have no previous on other citizens of southern Mid news editor, and managing editor knowledge is the focus of " Group dlesex County, Mass., last spring for four upstate New York Dreaming." for the local Trivial Pursuit Cham papers- The Canandaigua Daily The goosebumps start multiply pionship, they decided the first Messenger, The Tully Independent, ing, however, when you realize the thing they needed was a good name. The Wellsville Daily Reporter, and Berdie Schwab Tuttle stories are real. For the past six " When we had to come up with The Penn lan Chronicle-Express, years, Huyghe (pronounced a name for the team, we went back where she won first prize in the ing the phone, handling complaints, "Weej") has free-lanced for Omni, to our roots," explains Debra. special issues category of the New producing the Bulletin's monthly Science Digest, Psychology Today, They chose Sadler II, as a tribute York Press Association Better Bosque Farms insert, writing and and The New York Times Magazine, to the SU dormitory floor where the Newspaper Contest. laying out the entire lifestyle sec and even the national radio show All three had become fast friends years Finally, in September 1(}77, while tion, covering the Bosque Farms Things Considered, covering the earlier. Their choice paid off in in her mid-70s, Tuttle retired and village council, courts and police stories that no one else does. glory for all former Sadler residents moved to New Mexico to be near beats, and writing editorials. She is "We live in an age that focuses its everywhere: Grossman, Gross her son. Within one month, she was known as the oldest and possibly the attention on the common, the man, and Coleman-who moved to working for a New Mexico paper. busiest full-time journalist in New everyday, the highly visible," Massachusetts separately after " I was climbing the walls with Mexico, and recently a New Mex Huyghe writes in the introduction graduation and have remained nothing to do," she says. ico high school created a journalism to Glowing Birds. "We are preoc friends ever since-turned back Now, at 82, Tuttle runs the lillen prize in her name. cupied with political power, sex in their challengers and were cia County News-Bulletin's, Los When does she plan to stop? any form, death when it occurs in crowned South Middlesex champs Lunas bureau- taking ads, answer- "When I drop dead." large numbers or among the of trivia. Even though graduation is a decade behind them, keeping in touch with their SU friends has been more than just a trivial pursuit for these grads. "It's funny," Debra says. "When you graduate, you think college is all behind you, and you're going to get on with your life, but it's not like that. But that's just fine. It's very nice to always have that there."
Return Engagement It took awhile, but Warren Angell '29, '33 finally kept his word. When the concert pianist, choral consultant, church music com poser, and conductor last visited Syracuse in 1938, he assured his en thusiastic fans that he would some day return to Syracuse for another concert performance with the Syracuse Symphony. He came back in August to make good on the 47-year-old promise. When the Symphony extended the latest invitation, Angell says, "they actually reminded me that I Patrick Huyghe reports on microscopic monsters, group dreams, and other strange topics. had . . . promised to return some-
NOVEMBER 1985 Tl https://surface.syr.edu/sumagazine/vol2/iss1/10 2 et al.: SU'S Who
This season, Sanford's boat may get better results than ever. Not only have the rowers accepted her, they're also accustomed to female coxswains in general. Last year, three of SU's four coxswains were women, and this year two are. San ford serves as a role model for the other female coxswains. Sanford's advice to her fellow David FitzGerald's AMI coxswains is simple: "Ifyou give an inch, they'll take a mile. You just doubts that they really need much have to put your foot down and say help. 'no, we' redoing it this way.' If some "Their sports school is complete one gives you a hard time, tell them ly geared to the Olympic pipeline;' to shut up.'' he says. "Many of the performances I saw were just a step below world Sports Oriented class." Last year, China walked away with 36 medals at the Los Angeles Friend of Music Olympic Games. Apparently dis Its name, AMI, is French for satisfied with this impressive "friend," and it could one day be a record, however, the country is call friend to the disabled. AMI- an ing on experts from around the acronym for Articulated Musical world to help its athletes excel even Instrument- is a digital electronic more. instrument that can be played by One expert who answered the call anyone, even someone with severe is Luke LaPorta '48, SU's director ly limited hand and wrist move of development for central New ment. AMI's versatility, however, York and chairman of the board of doesn't end there. Equipped with a International Little League. Before synthesizer, AMI can simulate the joining SU, LaPorta spent 31 years sounds of five stringed instruments, developing sports programs and the banjo, cello, violin, mandolin training techniques as a physical and guitar. education teacher and athletic AMI's creator, David Fitz director. An organizer of Little Gerald '85, a graduate of the Col League in New York state, he went lege of Visual and Performing Arts' Shawn Sanford has learned to put her foot down. on to become a founder and direc industrial design program, en tor of the Empire State Games. dowed the instrument with prism day and play another concert, but During his 12-day stay in China shaped switches that can be just imagine taking them up on the Woman at the Helm this summer, LaPorta shared ideas strummed, plucked, or picked. In invitation 47 years later. That must When Shawn Sanford '87 joined on how to improve coaching skills addition, AMI's neck rotates in be some kind of record!" the SU crew team in 1983 as its first and create progressive, organized three directions and adjusts to con It's easy to see how the promise female coxswain, she faced some training programs for sports. form to the player's body. could have slipped Angell's mind. strong resistance- literally. One of Although his advice was eagerly AMI was judged the best student In addition to teaching and becom her male teammates tried to push absorbed, and LaPorta continues to design project in the country and ing dean ofthe College ofFine Arts her out of the boat. send his hosts inforrpation, he won the 1985 Industrial Design Ex- at Oklahoma Baptist University Sanford persisted, however, get (OBU), he has published 250 an ting tough when necessary while thems, solos, cantatas, instrumen still fulfilling her crucial role: tal compositions, and piano ar establishing and maintaining a rangements. Angell often collabo unified crew. rated with his wife, the late Evalyn "One of the things I like best J. Wells Angell '33, who wrote about crewing is that the team is so lyrics for much of his music. close," Sanford says. " You have A specialist in church music, eight guys who have to be rowing Angell retired from OBU in 1973 to at the exact same time. They have take up a full-time career giving to be together." concerts and conducting choral Evidently, she's doing something clinics and workshops. Known as right. The daughter of SU crew "Mr. Music" ofthe Southern Bap coach William Sanford, Shawn's tist Convention, he says his work second varsity eights boat won the takes him "from Oregon to Intercollegiate Rowing Association Florida." Regatta last year and competed in And, every 47 years or so, to the prestigious Henley races in Syracuse. England. International Little League Chairman Luke LaPorta spreads the word.
28 SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE Published by SURFACE, 1985 3 Syracuse University Magazine, Vol. 2, Iss. 1 [1985], Art. 10
After graduation, Treadup charged time he sets the competition back off to China as a YMCA missionary 5 to 12 yards, he is also setting and his fiancee, Emily Kean '04, Easter Seals forward-by at least joined him there the next year. $10,000. The couple's missionary work The Tim Green Sack Fund, soon turned to social concerns. fo rmed over the summer, has Lectures on science and literacy businesses such as Miller Brewing programs were needed more than and Price Chopper pledging a set the word ofGod. But when Tread up sum for every sack Green executes. created a successful literacy pro For instance, Price Chopper has gram, he ended up in a Japanese in pledged $200 per sack. With ternment camp. businesses signing up regularly for Despite their adventurous life, the fund, Easter Seals expects it to the Treadups are not remembered reap at least $10,000 by season's by S U alumni. Why? Because they end. Proceeds will go to Camp never really existed. Their story, Goodwill, the Easter Seals summer however, might sound familiar to camp for disabled children, which Elliott Portnoy confers with Senator Robert Byrd in Washington. some: It is based, in part, on the Green visited last summer. lives of two real-life graduates, "When I went out there," Green cellence Award from the Industrial of the 55 most influential interest Roscoe Hersey '05, and Grace recalls, "I felt really bad for these Designers Society of America. groups, the handbook lists and Baird Hersey '04. kids. Most are in wheelchairs and FitzGerald, who now works for describes the votes each group used Roscoe and Grace's son, author some are missing limbs. I was really Theta Resources in San Francisco, to build its ratings; legislation these John Hersey, drew on his parents' upset. And yet, they seemed to be is taking out a patent on AMI and votes affected; the positions the lives, and the lives of other mis having as good a time as you or I did investigating ways to mass produce groups took on the votes; and trend sionaries to create Treadup and at summer camp, so I thought I'd his creation. analyses showing the groups' politi Kean as the protagonists in his latest like to do something for Camp ''I'm going all-out to have it pro cal leanings, which are not always novel, The Call. At one time, Goodwill." duced," says FitzGerald, an ac indicated by their names. Hersey wondered whether the dif This isn't the only cause Green complished musician himself. "I "This is more information than ficult lives of his parents had been has taken on. To date, the Univer want to make the experience of senators have ever had," says Port worth living. Reading the novel, sity's Rhodes Scholarship can playing an instrument as pleasur noy. Studying the handbook, one understands why. The answer didate and likely consensus All able as possible." senators can see problems or errors Hersey comes up with is a resound American has lent a hand to Cystic with ratings and the political in ing "yes." Fibrosis, the March of Dimes, Public Interest terests which the ratings can serve. Muscular Dystrophy, and the With the handbook under his Sack-a-Thon American Red Cross. In addition, Last spring, Elliott Portnoy '86 belt, Portnoy, who is SU's he's been a spokesman for local went to Washington eager to learn 1986-1987 Marshall Scholarship Whenever SU football star Tim anti-DWI campaigns. something substantive about how candidate, is now writing his honors Green '86 sacks an opposing How long will he keep this up? the political world works. By the thesis on the influence of the cur quarterback this fall, SU fans have "As long as people want me," end of his internship with the rent ratings system. After yearning good reason to cheer. At the same Green says. "As long as I can help." Democratic Policy Committee for "substantive work," Portnoy's (DPC), Portnoy was ready to teach in deep. Democratic senators a thing or two. "But I love it," he says. "I'm hav At DPC, Portnoy was asked to log ing fun." interest-group ratings of senators into a computer. He thought he would be bored. Instead, he was The Novel Alumnus fascinated . In 1899, David Treadup came to "Interest groups," Portnoy says, SU to "make his mark," failed, "can select votes that make their dropped out, and returned in 1902. friends in the Senate look good and That winter, a speaker at an SU their enemies look bad." revival meeting made an indelible Several hundred public interest impression on him. groups, representing everyone ".. . I heard him speak three quiet from senior citzens to business sentences which changed my life," leaders, exist today, and many send Treadup later wrote. "'Rejoice, 0 their ratings reports to their con young man, in thy youth. Remem stituents and the media. The results ber now thy Creator in the days of can be damaging at worst, confus thy youth. For many are called, but ing at best. To help Democratic few are chosen."' senators shed light on their ratings, The words inspired Treadup. The Portnoy compiled a 398-page depression and doubt that had report and profiles of their in caused his failures fell away and dividual ratings, which the DPC, Treadup became a campus lead headed by Senator Robert Byrd, has er- a star sculler under crew coach distributed to the senators. James A. TenEyck and president Analyzing the 1983-1984 ratings of the University's YMCA chapter. Tim Green and Alex Popoff, Cystic Fibrosis poster child for 1985
NOVEMBER 1985 29 https://surface.syr.edu/sumagazine/vol2/iss1/10 4