The 3rd periodic 340 Club Reunion has been postponed indefinitely

Before there was an Animal House there was a 340 Club; before there was a Dean Wormer there was a Harold "the fuck" Martin; before there was John Blutarsky or a Daniel Simpson Day there was Tim Lutter, Sil Simpson, Dan Joyce, Tim Getzloff, Dick Lichty, Jim Shay, Phil Zangari, Chris Joyce, Dave Petkosh, Mitch Herr, Kenny Giltner, Dean Staherski, Randy Brown, John Emswiler, Sue Krimmell Emswiler and myself; before there were any Delta Tau Chi pledge pins, there were 340 Club cards; before Otis Day & the Knights, the 340 Jukebox; before there were Delta Brothers there were the usual gang of idiots that congregated at 328, 340 (twice) and 338 West King Street in Lancaster, Pennsylvania for a decade beginning in August 1974. This blog is dedicated to those idiots and those times. God bless Kenny, Mitch and Chris; may they rest in peace.

















virtual 340 Club members

Friday, October 30, 2009

Oh yeah ... forgot

I survived my surgery quite well thank you very much. On my late mum's 99th birthday she served as my Guardian Angel and my angioplasty on a lower leg artery worked just fine. Lived to fight another day. Unfortunately, 14 years after my diagnosis ... it will just be the first of a litany of complications of my diabetes. My over/under remains 75 and if I can make it there with both my legs I will have nothing to complain about. - Tee

35



It was thirty-five years ago today (and it has been referred to twice on this blog already) me, Sil, Slick, Dan and Tim lived at 328 West King Street; the predecessor address to 340. We had been roomies for just over two months. Tom Partridge ("Big") lived up the street on the other side of the square on East King. We drank at Luckees, Lauzus, Barn Door, Wheatland Inn, and the Paragon.

It was a Tuesday. about 11 p.m., on West King. It was, Wednesday, October 30th, about 4:00 a.m., in Kinshasa, Zaire. There was a Rumble in the Jungle.

George Foreman (40-0, with 37 KO's including 24 in a row, most recently Ken Norton and Joe Frazier both of whom had beaten Muhammad Ali, among the other KO victims was George Chuvalo who had fought 27 rounds with Ali while remaining upright)

versus

Muhammad Ali (44-2, with 32 KOs who had fought 51 rounds with Frazier and Norton losing as many rounds as he won and never putting either down ... Foreman had floored the two a combined nine times in less than 11 minutes)

I forget the odds but I do remember they were very similar to the odds when the 19-0 Cassius Clay took on the invincible 35-1 Sonny Liston. In that case, the Champ had destroyed the prior champion Floyd Patterson twice both times inside of one round. Like Foreman, Liston was on a big KO string with 13 in 14 fights. His prior four fights lasted only a total of 13 minutes and one was reffed by Zach Clayton who served as the referee that morning in Zaire. Clayton had previously served as the referee in the Walcott-Charles (4th fight).

As the fight approached the people of Zaire adopted Ali and he was clearly the crowd favorite over Foreman. The fight itself was a strategic masterpiece for Ali. His yet unanmed Rope A Dope tactic proved to be a winner in the 85 degree, 93% humidity of the Congo. Ali captured 5 of the first 7 rounds by making Foreman chase him around the ring, "force" him to the ropes, and then wail away at Ali's arms and body with roundhouse/telegraphed punches, topping off that strategy was Ali punctuating each one of those episodes coming off the ropes with a vengance - particularily - in the last seconds of the round to steal the judges opinion. The strategy worked both on the scorepads and on Foreman's stamina. Remeber Foreman had taken Frazier, Joe Roman, and Norton all out in less than three rounds while Ali was going the distance with Frazier, Rudi Lubbers, and Norton.

Meanwhile back on West King Street; myself, roomate Timmy L, and Big were listening to reports on radio. All three of us white boys rooting for Ali. I assume we were drinking; although it was a Tuesday evening. I was a substitute school teacher at the time and did not have to answer the phone. Tim was an executive at a local manufacturing plant. Big may have been unemployed; I forget. If we weren't drinking, as the clock approached midnight in Lancaster; 5 am in Zaire; we soon would be.

The 8th round appeared no different from the previous seven. Foreman pounding away on Ali. Ali making him pay more often now. Foreman's punches more rounder. More pawing. Ali pushing the back of Foreman's neck down taking his pulse in a manner of speaking. Once the pulse was low enough Ali came firing off the ropes landing long, but effective, punches to Foreman's head. The suddeness of the attack added to the force of the blows and Foreman found his way in a spiral to queer street and to the canvas. Nine seconds later it was all over. It may have been a short count but George didn't complain.

Back in Lancaster, me, Tim and Big exploded out onto King Street. "Ali Boomayay!" In record time we were seated in front of the Lauzus Tavern's proprietor Wilhelm Lauzus. Ordering Carlsberg's in clebration and being rewarded not only with the beguiling brew but with tales of how great Max Schmeling had been. Oh what a night 35 years ago. Mr. Lauzus is gone; Ali has Parkinson's (or perhaps Foreman wasn't the dope after all); Big is dead; Timmy is not 100% and I even felt the scalpel earlier this week. The journey continues. God bless us all.

Monday, October 26, 2009

It Tolls for Thee

Check in hospital, out patient hopefully (overnight at worst unless complications) ... angioplasty/stent in a leg artery. My first - 14 years after diagnosis - visible diabetic symptom. Ultimately the lower leg will have to go. Today is necessary to prolong that time. Peace!

340 forever!

Tee

Sunday, October 25, 2009

Catholic High 1969 Reunion

Last night and Friday about 45-55 grads huddled together including me, Tee Knorr, and the Red Fox, Danny Joyce, of 340 Club fame. Also, Clacktu, Chris Joyce, attended the Friday football game with me. So, three 340 residents were in action over the weekend.

Dan produced a stellar PowerPoint on the Class of '69. Here is a link:



http://www.authorstream.com/Presentation/djoyce-223018-lchs-class-1969wav-entertainment-ppt-powerpoint/

Needless to say Dan will be charged with producing next year's 340 Club powerpoint.

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