Bye Bye Phillie

In the late fall of 1983 Phil finally yielded to familial, personal and job responsibilities and moved out of the 340 Club (338 West King Street) and to a house next to the family business where he remains to this day almost 25 years later. This left John & Sue, Sil and me at the 340 as 1983 came to an end.

Death of the Ogre

#74 was taking care of business early in the morning of June 9, 1982 when Phil yelled up from the second floor that I had a phone call. I detached myself from the nubile lass and made way to the second floor telephone. It was my mom; my dad was dead.

I had been at my parents house the night before watching the Los Angeles Lakers defeat the Philadelphia 76ers 114-104 to capture the 81-82 NBA World Championship. It was the last time I was with my father while he was alive. The game ended round 11 or so and I ventured in from their suburban home the three short miles to the 340 Club.

Somewhere between here and there; most likely in response to call from #74 in which she claimed she had an itch that needed scratching; I hooked up with my young lady friend.

Upon receiving the news from my mom, I showered. Took #74 home. Went to work and quickly took leave to arrange for the burial of my pop. My dad was a card carrying member of the 340 Club having paid a dollar for card #80.

Spectacular Opportunity - Sell Program Ads

1/4 page ads in the 340 Club program are available for the low low price of $25 ... this is unbelievable considering perhaps, 52 people may actually read the program ... plus if you sell an ad you will receive a $5 discount off your 340 Club ticket price.

Another opportunity exists to buy a patron line in the program for $10 ... or for $15 you will get a program line and $5 off your 340 Club ticket price.

Contact me NOW!!! papabell@aol.com

Where are They Now: the landlords

Harold "the fuck" Martin - landlord to Timmy (S--foot), Tee, Dan, Sil and Tim (City L)at 328 West King Street ... his worst trait was maintaining the house in a habitable condition ... his best trait was literally telling us we didn't need to pay rent until he put the house in a habitable condition

George Kratzert - beloved landlord at 340 twice and 338 ... fought me personally, in court, after the demise of the clubs but the decsion is lost in the County court records ... invited to the reunion as special guest numero uno ... I've promised him that I've matured

Mrs. Bety Garman - phantom land lord of 342, I believe, who routinely had Mr. Kratzert's ear concerning her version of our antics

I suspect HTF and Mrs. Garman have made aquaintences with their maker but, again, Mr. Kratzert is on the Most Wanted list right after Sil, Slick, RE, Jimmy, and Dean.

Poet Laureate

Its a better world with this legal document not implemented. Tonight's feature is not one of Chris' poems but rather his last will. From 31 years ago I present:

First Draft of My Last Will and Testament

1. All clothes to be sold at rummage, proceeds to Ted & Kookie 50-50
2. Quilt - Sue Dutt
3. Poems - Tee (The WEB - Timmy)
4. Radio - Bob Smallwood
5. Rug - Sil
6. Trash in Room - C.I.A.
7. All of my love through death - Bonnie Parker
8. Car - Thomas THomas
9. Albums - to be held in rememberence of moratoriums
10.Books - Posterity
11.My Dead Body - after cremation - ashes to be spread over Mecca

by Christopher E. Joyce

Where Are They Now? Dave Ream

This is a new feature on the blog. I need reader suggestions, post 340 bios, anecdotes and the like. Tonight's initial submission comes from Coach.

Dave Ream - Dreamo, El Reamo

Dave was a winger on the Chestnut Street Hockey team; brother of Steve "Chip" Ream.
Last known whereabouts was he was living in Pequea with wife and kids. He was running triathlon and appeared to have mellowed. One disclaimer, per Coach, this info is ten years old. His present whereabouts are parts unknown.

I expect Phil, Chip or someone will have an update and we will change this page accordingly.

Circa,Late West King Street Era, (I think)

This was taken at Zangari's South,from left to right its me,wearing the USFL's Tampa Bay Bandit hat,Woody with his signature can of Pabst,Wild Bill Anderson making the devil horns,Doug "The Hammer" Knicely,bane of all radio sports talk shows and Sam "Space" Wickersham,whose eyes reveal all.


This was taken at my parents house as we were obviously enroute to a Halloween Party. Left to right is Woody,me,Cousin Jimmy Z. with Sam in the lower right.

Eels,since we are on the subject

This is undeniable proof that Uncle Don was at the tournament,as he is seen lying next to Terry Groff at the motel. His MIA during the contests are still being investigated

Bobby Rife,on the left was the designated player the Coach sent out to deliver a message to Craig Rice as explained by the Coach of the Year in a previous post. Desi Deeter is on his right.


Coach and team Captain Ron Bilski hold up the Championship Trophy while a slim and trim Jimmy Zangari looks on with Bobby Rife in the background.

The Coach raises his arm in triumph as the "Gilt" hoisted young Jason Zangari on his shoulders.


Coach is indicating what place the Eels of Death finished in the tourny in a celebration at Zangari's South with Keith Musser at a nearby table.

Not Really Curators Corner

338 and 340 stoops are captured together in this picture.














Tonights, Curator's Corner is shamelessly promotional. You want the following things -

2008 340 Club - $20 which guarantees you admission to the June 7th reunion, copy of the souvenier program, attendance at the debut of the 340 PowerPont, free 340 Keg Man button, raffles, dj, special guests and more. Oh yeah and beer.

340 Club Tee Shirt - $10 ... order and pay at reunion but if you e-mail me (papabell@aol.com) with your intent to purchase and size it would be appreciated.

340 Club Survival Button - $3 per; available at reunion

See Phil for tickets, e-mail me sizes of tee shirts, bring cash to reunion for buttons

EELS of Death; From the Coach's view:

From the Coach’s view:

I knew this tournament was going to be something special. From the preplanning, the many fans driving the long distance to Bel Mont, eating a piece of eel before we arrived for “good luck”, and we had our own security group, which of course included T. We had 36 cases of beer just to get there and all of the contraband needed in case we need to stay an extra week or so(list is too long for this blog), and our mascot, Jerry the live Eel.. We had one MIA from security that never made it to the games; Uncle Don. Last seen, I don’t remember!


I remember arriving at the Bel Mont sports arena where the Pittsburg Coach, Mark Madden, met me and said: “Coach; I want to show you something inside”. He took me to a giant trophy case, which was over 6 foot high and at least 5 ft wide, and was completely filled with trophies. In the middle of the case was a space that he had cleared and he told me that was the spot to place the trophy after his team beat the Eels. This seemed to add a personal touch to this tournament, one that motivated me more then any other game or tournament. I wanted to make sure the EELS took it from him.


The Canadians game was perhaps my greatest moment as a coach and the most fun. It was also what I consider to be one of my best coaching jobs. I thought the Canadian team was the best skilled team in the tournament. A team with semi pro hockey players, big, great stick handlers, and they all seemed to understand the game, and made very few positional mistakes. As was stated from a previous story, the Canadians would intentionally make a team wait for them; this makes players edgy waiting especially when the game should have already started. A great psychological factor that I wish I would have thought of. I watched each game they played, while the rest of the EELS players relaxed, tended wounds, or just got rest for the next game. Ok, that’s not true; they were all drinking the 36 cases of beer, which I should have been doing (damn Mark). Our game and some of our players would also be affected by the Canadian ploy of lateness. After our normal warm ups, the players gathered as the clock counted down to less then a minute to start. I noticed that the Canadian team was not even in the arena. I walked outside and saw them all sitting out there, laughing and one said do you think we should go in yet? They saw me and I laughed and said, it won’t really matter. I went inside and immediately went over to the ref and said I want you to make sure they get hit with a double game delay; they are just sitting out there intentionally being late. I went back to the other end of the arena where our team was and Fus came up and said to me; Coach, WTF, what’s going on, we need to get going now! I saw that he was really up tight and knew I had to do something to keep our minds off this psychological ploy. I ordered everyone onto the Canadian blue line, as we stood in a single file all across the line, I told them to start pounding their sticks when the Canadians came inside the rink. I remember Steve Delinger saying to me, “Coach this is going to be embarrassing if we lose”. I told him, don’t worry, we will not lose. As they entered they looked at us, and later I heard one say, these guys are really serious… a smile came to my face, Fus was calm down and their ploy backfired. We had the edge. I again ran over to the ref and said they are 5 minutes late; I want the penalty to be 5. We did get the power play and I immediately changed our starting line to our best scoring personnel and we went after them at a pace I hadn’t seen from the Eels all tournament. I guess I wasn’t the only one that wanted to win. Our fans were great and shouted “USA, USA, USA”. I am not sure who started the USA chant but I would guess T did or he was influential. The entire stands were filled for this game as we were both undefeated. Almost all of the fans were from the USA and chanted the same chant over and over. I felt like this was the Olympics. It was a great feeling.


As mentioned before, Craig Rice had signed up to play for the Eels several weeks before the tournament, with less then half hour from our leaving Lancaster, Craig called and said he wasn’t going to play for us and that he was going to play against us. We were now short a defenseman and ready to leave. This really peed me off and others. Thank goodness Tommy agreed to play and he played one of the best tournaments that I remember him playing. When I saw Rice out on the rink, I ask Bobby Riff to go over and slash Rice and tell him it was from me. Rife, seemed more then willing to carry out his Coach’s order, and I must say he performed quite well. After the slash, Rice looked over at me and I waived and laughed at him. For years, if he seen me at South, he would not look or talk too me. Of course after the game I shook hands with Coach Mark and mentioned he might want to reorganize the trophy case. Thank you Eels of Death.

More recollections in Pics

Pictures help stimulate my memory a tad. Here is the aforementioned Ralph Baker with his game face on agitating the "Coach of the Year". Ralph has the same "all ahead full" mentale whether its playing hockey,listening to his head-banging music or sleeping.





In a May 3rd post, Tee related the story of Woody, Head Coach of the Yalaha Yazz in the short lived Zangari's South APBA Football League, throwing his dice shaker,after a turnover, through one of the front windows of the 340 Club. After the glass shattered, Woody merely said, "I will fix it tomorrow" and continued the game.
He did show up but lacked the necessary tools or know-how to rectify the situation so Cousin George Zangari stepped up and did the dirty work. Here is a pic of George replacing the Yazz damage.





This is now four consecutive posts from me,counting the obligatory Trivia segment although I see Tee has one in "draft form" which will be posted in between my entries. Maybe all my memory cells have not been compromised by my choice of liquid intakes. Just a FYI,I never drank the water at the 340 Club.

Memory or Lack of

Sil and myself have been chided,in a friendly nature I assume, for a lack of recall for any events that transpired during the Clubs triumphant Second Coming. My problem is that the first and second comings all blend into one.. Personally I was amazed at the time frames Tee listed for each "resident's " tenure on West King Street.
To me Tee,Sil and City L. were always my roomies along with Kenny,Chris and Mitch. I have a hard time realizing how short a stay each of the latter three actually lived at the "Club". These facts are compounded by my living with City L. at Manor House Apartments and with Sil at Wabank.
When searching my memory banks for this week's trivia,the second question, which asks what kind of sports equipment was set up in the 340 dining room, I remembered Ralph Baker being a "star" at the "said" contraption. In fact,John "Mick" "Good Bud" Walton had the same setup in his home on Nevin Street in town where Ralph, attending a Chestnut Street party hosted by "Mick",displayed his abilities,but as Ralph is prone to do, over extended himself and crashed through the paneling in "Mick's" rec room. Luckily the 340 Club had no such luxury as paneling, just plaster walls so the damage was minimal when Ralph sprung into action.
SEE, I do have some recall of "stuff" that occured at the Club.

Trivia

There will be some trivia questions posed at the reunion in June. To help you prep for such an event from time to time questions will be posed here in the Blog so you can revive some old memories and rev up your response time. To that end here are a few questions:

THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS:
97)How many West King Street "residents" tended bar at Zangari's South ?

98)At 340 II what type of sports equipment was permantley set up in the dining room ?

99)What 340 member had the sobriquet of "Wong Lee" ? ?




Last Weeks Q & A's
94) Who was George H. Kratzert’s lawyer? Hint: In 1976 he signed the petition to reinstate Lenny Lane as the Wheatland Inn’s piano player.
Michael Bull

95) What pair of good friends of the 340 lived at 342 under the landlordship of noise complainer Mrs. Betty Garman?
Dave Williams and Jeff Preston

96) What is the name of the restaurant now located at the former site of the Foresters Club?
La Costena

338 W.King Street

The 338 Club to the left of the 340 as seen earlier this year



Another pic of the 338


My most vivid memory of the "move" from 340 to 338 was Tee merely throwing all his belongings from one roof to another making it an easier transition than the rest of us who had to go down the 340 stairs and up the 338 steps. Of course being fairly young yet we were not burdened by bedroom furniture. Tee and I, and maybe Sil, only owned mattreses instead of a real bed complete with box springs and bed posts. This made a nomadic life style less rigorous whenever we moved.
Although the 340 was legendary the 338 Club had one feature that the former sorely lacked. There was a first floor bathroom an asset that was quite useful since our bladders always seemed to be in need of relief of certain potables.
I had my usual 2nd floor suite overlooking the bustling West King traffic/shenanigans with Tee on the 3rd floor.John and Sue in one room and Sil in the other.
My two favorite "events" of the 338 are of course the "Summit Bowl", so called by Woody (with Tee trying to verify that name) and the visit by some of the Red Rose City's finest which resulted in a noise ordinance citation. Woody says he has some pics of the so called Summit Bowl but has yet been unable to electronically post them. Both of these "happenings" will be covered in future posts.

Moving Day

Christopher Columbus discovered Amerika in 1492. I – I think it was me – discovered the 328 Club in 1974. As we wore out our welcome there; Sil, serendipitously, discovered the 340 Club. Him & I made the short move six doors up West King Street in August 1975. We had to evacuate the 340 in November 1978.

After giving the block time to recover Phil, Randy, John and I landed in what became known as “the second coming” in February/March 1981. After a couple of years, Mr. Kratzert – owner of both 340 and 338 – desired that we move from one to the other. Thus, breaking the record of moving only six doors away by only moving next door. Today, I think, Phil is going to post for the first time – not counting mandatory by weekly trivia assignments – since March 17th (not counting his May 3rd reprint on the Eels) concerning that move. I expect to do so also later in the day today. Phil (and Sil) just doesn’t remember much more about 340 than he already has shared. Not sure what caused the memory lapse. I know it couldn’t have been the beer; I’m blaming the water since Sil’s memory of that period also seems obliterated. More to follow.

We moved from 340 to 338 effective April 1, 1983.

The Golden Age of M TV

Summit

There are three National Drinking Days in the Unites States. Do you know them?

They are all in the winter. First, New Year’s Eve. Then, Super Bowl Sunday. Lastly, my birthday.
I suppose, in the case of my birthday, it might be Saint Patrick’s Day that we celebrate. We know they are National Drinking Days because when they fall on Sundays the Commonwealth permits full alcohol sales and in lent, if St Pat’s falls on a Friday you can eat meat. The establishment, typically, discourages abusive drinking (Wikipedia – see MADD, SADD, or fad) but on these three days they seem to go out of their way to encourage it (Irish Car Bombs, free cab rides home).The pertinent issue here is winter. The 340 Club was devoted to multiple season drinking.

After all, we coulda had our reunion in the winter.

And so it was in the summer of ’83, the last summer on King Street, that the 340 Club decided to create a 23 foot Italian Hoagie and celebrate the Philadelphia Stars magnificent season in the nascent United States Football League. Several of us went down to Philly to see some regular season games. The Stars were a great collection of Sean Landeta, Sam Mills, and fellow All-Time All-USFL stalwarts Kelvin Bryant, Irv Eatman, Bart Oates, William Fuller, and Pete Kugler, They were the Green Bay Packers of the USFL losing that first “Summit” Bowl before capturing the second two. The opponents in the inaugural title match were the Michigan Panthers led by the stirring pass/catch combo of Bobby Hebert and Anthony Carter.

The 340 Club chefs, led by Jimmy Zangari and Sam Wickersham, prepared a magnificent work of art in the form of a Philly Hoagie that stretched over two roms in the Club. Beer was the other ingredient. It is my memory that Leo R was gone from the hallowed Halls of 340 when Philly captured its 2nd MAJOR title of 1983.

1st USFL Summit Bowl (Woody insists this is what it was called, perhaps by us; I have yet to document such appellation)
July 17, 1983
Michigan Panthers 24
Philadelphia Stars 22

"THIS IS US!"

No offense Leo but …

Other than drinking our beer, eating Sam’s cheeseburgers, welching on debts and hanging on, maybe, a day or two too long the item that I will forever remember Leo (at 340) for was his catch phrase “This is Us!” It usually was in the context of the Philadelphia 76ers going “fo, fi, fo” on their way to their 2nd NBA title. As we watched the Sixers in the 340 living room everytime the Sixers rallied and streaked Leo would utter his phrase “this US!” I remember the key Sunday games versus the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers … in the May 22 opener the Sixers won by 6 which gave us Laker (read anti-Philly) fans hope. The expected stolen game never came as the Sixers won on Thursday by 10. Still, the following Sunday, May 29th, would provide the now homestanding Lakers with the spark to sweep the Sixers to come back to Philly in June up 3-2. Didn’t happen … that second Sunday found Moses, Dr. J, Mo, Andrew, Lloyd Free, Bobby and Billy the Kid beating the Lakers in Jack Kent Cooke’s fabulous Forum by 17 points. I think Leo uttered his phrase 8 times on the 22nd and another 17 times on the 29th. The final game, Tuesday, May 31st, was a formality – Philly 115, LA 107.

From the Poet Laureate

The 340 Club's Poet Laureate - Chris, Black Fox, Clactu - who lived on West King Street for all to brief a period in 1977 left behind a poetic legacy that is shared weejkly every Wednesday right here; further he is still producing new works and will recite his newest for all of us at the June 7th reunion. We are heading down the stretch now and here is what you can look forward to right here over the next three weeeks, after tonight, first the young Black Fox' Last Will, then his newest work written this year and lastly a barrage of vintage 1977 poetry fixated on Rock's Queen herself Bonnie Parker. So, sit back and enjoy. Here is tonight's entry:

Untitled by Christopher E. Joyce

And in the last night there was a dream
In the dream were three beings, all order, all taller, and all more firmly entrenched

Upon the uprooting they all spoke, one here, one there but in aware of everywhere
and one approaching a state on the periphery of everywhere

Their words were fumbled and could only make sense in music
There composite makes eyes spark of wishful works of wisdom, and Let it Be

Good Morning Mr. & Mrs. North & South Vietnam and all the Ships at Sea

There was an interloper at 340 West King Street in the late spring of 1983. He was a young man who went to Lancaster Catholic with me, Dan and R.E. and who certainly knew Phil & Sil by reputation if nothing else. He bumped into me in Harrisburg late the previous year and having stuffed my phone number into my pocket; in a time of need he decided to use it. He was in between jobs and seemingly on the way somewhere out of state. Before he could leave though he needed a place to stay to get his act together. Thus, Leo R. Smith came to the 340 Club.

Leo had graduated from Catholic High in June 1969 and opted to serve his country as a Marine grunt in Vietnam. If memory serves he achieved the rank of Lance Corporal and his field of duty was in an area that Leo loved – radio broadcasting. He was active in the radio broadcasting club in high school and his hero was a certain Howard Cosell. In Vietnam, Leo was a disc jockey not all that dissimilar from Adrian Kronauer (he of Good Morning Vietnam fame). Leo’s patented call was based not on Kronauer but rather a spin on Walther Winchell’s WWII cry of Good Morning Mr. & Mrs. North & South America and all the ships at sea, here’s the news … In Leo’s case it got him disciplined because unlike the Amerika’s his North & South neighbors were the combatants not allies.

I know Leo served his country honorably. My most vivid memory of Leo during his service period occurred on the evening of December 31, 1969. The great New Year’s Eve Party at Bucher’s. In my memory it was the night I met Sil & Phil (I know it was at Bucher’s where I met them; I’m not 100% sure it was that night); it definitely was a watershed night for all of us. The 60s were over. Our innocence was lost. We were drinking – just learning to drink and therefore not just drinking beer but Ripple, Thunderbird, Orange Drivers, Cherry vodka, Southern Comfort, and experimenting with the same cigarettes as Mick.

Tim Bucher’s mom made sure us young boys – we were 18 – did not drink and drive in a way that many, today, would frown upon. She made sure we did our drinking under adult supervision – hers – and, further, that we did not drive home if unsteady. Assisting her on that night was her oldest boy, like Leo a Vietnam vet, Tom Bucher, perhaps 8 years older than us. Maybe 26. An Air Force Major; perhaps a wartime full bird. I dunno.

I do know that with such chaperones – Mrs. B & Tom – it was, while stupendous, a relatively well-behaved party. Me and my future hitchhiking partner Joe Riley arrived early with no intention of leaving before the first day of the new year was half over. We were both packing pints of booze in the Malcolm position; where Alex Haley taught us the Malcolm X packed his heat.

Among the many highlights of this manhood dispensing event was one involving our servicemen. Leo retreated to the backyard for a quick piss and perhaps a bit of a smoke. Tom spying went out after to watch over him, bring him back to the nest, and just maintain order. “Leo get in here” barked the 26 year old airman. To which the young Marine responded: “I’m Lance Corporal Leo R. Smith, I’ll come in when I’m ready.”

At that point the man of the house bellowed back: “Colonel Tom Bucher … get in that house Corporal.” It was the first time that Leo had heard Tom’s rank so articulated and the young jarhead, with tail between his legs, darted in to the house and the party continued.

That wasn’t the last time that I saw Leo until his whirlwind stay on West King Street over 13 years later but it was one of them. While I had it soft, got my degree, relatively cushy job, splitting expenses four ways, and partying to my heart’s content; Leo had it pretty rough … there aren’t a lot of opportunities in broadcasting and life had not treated him kindly. His last job had been as a cabdriver and most of his friends held mortgages on what little Leo had to show. It was under those circumstances that Leo came a knockin’ on the 340 door.

Curator's Corner

Tee's only hockey trophy ...



for sevice on security detail and public relations on the Eels of Death

TRIVIA

There will be some trivia questions posed at the reunion in June. To help you prep for such an event from time to time questions will be posed here in the Blog so you can revive some old memories and rev up your response time. To that end here are a few questions:

THIS WEEK's QUESIONS:
94) Who was George H. Kratzert’s lawyer? Hint: In 1976 he signed the petition to reinstate Lenny Lane as the Wheatland Inn’s piano player.
95) What pair of good friends of the 340 lived at 342 under the landlordship of noise complainer Mrs. Betty Garman?
96) What is the name of the restaurant now located at the former site of the Foresters Club?

LAST WEEK's QUESTIONS:
91)What jersey number did Kenny Giltner wear when playing for the Chestnut Street Hockey Club? Kenny wore #35

92)What did Bonnie Parker's lead guitarist,Richie Scarlett,often use in lieu of a pick for some guitar riffs during their Stones medley? Richie would take one of Billy from Philly's drumsticks and use it instead of a pick. It would get all "chewed" up sliding up and down the neck of the guitar. He would then toss it into the crowd ... I once got one but I can't find it.

93)How much did it cost you for two hard boiled eggs at Soldner's Tavern,down the street from the 340 Club? They were two for a quarter.

1982

1982
JAN – 1st Periodical 340 Club Reunion
FEB – Valentine’s Bash
MAR – Sheryl’s Birthday Party
APR –Falklands War Began, excellent TV removed from US involvement
MAY – Gato del Sol wins the Derby
JUN – Equal Rights Amendment fails, John Hinckley not guilty due to insanity
JUL – Intell poll declares 340 Club, third most popular nightclub in Lancaster County
AUG – absolutely nothing happened in the world
SEP – Princess Grace, dead, 52
OCT –Eels reign supreme
NOV – Phil was raped; Andropov ascended in USSR
DEC - Santa Claus, as always, treated the 340 Club resdienets and members very well
DEC – same five – Tee, Phil, John, Sue and Sil spent entire year at 340; the most stable year in Club history

1982 was in the book
President Ronnie Raygunz
Governor Dick Thornburgh
Mayor Art Morris
CPI – 96.5
U.R. –9.7%
Life exp – 74.5
Violent crime – 56.0
World Population –
U.S. Population – 231.6M
Best Picture Oscar – Chariots of Fire
Ted’s # 99

NCAA BK –
Indy 500 –
NBA – Lakers beat Sixers in 6; the Sixers owe us a bunch; debt will be paid soon
NHL – Islanders sweep Canucks
MLB – Cards beat Wallbangers in 7
Horse of Year –
Hvwt Champ –
NCAA F – no champion declared
NFL (1/83) -

The truth; Thunderbird Motor Lodge:

I read the article from T of our stay at the Thunderbird motor lodge (published 3/26/08) in which T lists 3 of the 5 that were staying in this room watched the trashing of the desk and reassembly (Chuck Daily and I were the other 2 at that time). T said in his story that I, Coach, had nothing to do with it. As I read your apology, reparation, and felt your “grief” to Phil and to the motel, I feel it is necessary to shed some truth and help you understand your statement “I still do not know why I did it”. Perhaps this may help:

We were all kicked back on the beds, consuming mass qty of beer and contraband, and we were all really peed off at the lack of performance by Chestnut Street. I recall cursing to you and Chuck about the game and the way “we” played. I grabbed my pants belt and swung it as hard as I could above my head and smashed the light and broke the bulb, causing a loud noise and some pyrotechnics. The glass was splattered all over the bed. You leaped up and started yelling and smashed the desk. Chuck then decided to help as I smiled, and watched one of the best trashing to a desk that I have seen, and of course, I had nothing to do with it...

I Got My MTV

First, one more reminder - HeBe GeeBees tonight - Shamrock Cafe, 9:30

Now, back to Music Television, I think these speak for themselves



Martha



Nina



PROMO

The List: 1982

86 I met this young lady at Zembie's in Harrisburg where I used to hold court on baseball trivia throughout the 80s. It was a great bar with the world's 3rd greatest bartender (behind Phil, mt roomie of Zangari South fame) and John the Bartender (also from Harrisburg who used to work the Cornet back in those days). I still have #86' phone number forever preserved in a book of baseball trivia.

87 A spectacular show band, The Gentleman & their Ladies, used to play the Library at Lancaster's Brunswick. #87 was their lead singer and she turned my nose the first night I heard her sing. A few weeks later I followed the act to Harrisburg where she was playing at the Marriott. Later, I went as far as Springfield, MA, to see her perform. I took Randy along on that trip.

88 #34 introduced me to this young lady. She was interesting. She referred to Whites as wickers and blacks as Blickers.

89 Another Harrisburger, pulled her out of the VIP, the greatest pick-up bar ever in Central PA. Later, #89 served the country in Desert Storm. She remains a neighbor of mine and is happily with the same man she was living with when we were a number. I must note that this young lady got more out of me in one day than anyone I have known before or since. If ya know what I mean.

90 As Phil already noted, the Eels were a spectacular hockey team that played together one time, one time only. Not only did "we" perform spectacularly in the rink but from the moment we commandeered the motel sign - changing "Welcome Elks Convention" to "Welcome Eels" - till we left Armstrong County we terrorized the countryside. One bar we went to turned out to be hosting a wedding party - the Pendleton's - and after triumphing in Saturday's contests we were in a festive mood. Well, I blended in nicely with the Pendleton's and pulled #90 away from that party and back to the motel. Me and roomy took turns sleeping in a car (or outside) while the other entertained their respective "dates."

91 Somehow I was spending more time in Harrisburg; six years before I began to work there and 15 years before I moved there. 86, 87, 89 were met in the burg. 62 was from the burg but I pulled her off an AMTRAK in Lancaster. 91was a hot little number from Brooklyn who I met on the dance floor under the pool at the downtown Holiday Inn. She came to the 340 on a couple of occasions.

92 was a rare example of someone who worked with me. She was as crazy as any woman that I have ever been with. She simply hated white folks and particularly white men. There were times when she would hardly speak to me or give me the time of day yet she would come to the third floor with me. No explain lust I suppose.

93 was a friend of my sister and perhaps the last white woman I was ever with

94 Another Harrisburger, another VIP score. A Buddhist upon whose altar I spilt some red wine. We’re still friends.

95 … known to Phil simply as “The Bulimic”. A couple of stories come to mind; one time she enjoyed stimulating me with her oral skills as I drove home from an Anita Ward concert in York. Another time I actually passed her next gentleman caller as I sheepishly snuck down her front steps.

96 see Love Quadrangle, Welcome to the Virtual 340 Club, May 6, 7:44 pm

97 I answered her personal ad in Philadelphia Magazine … she was very well to do and had a beautiful condominium in King-of-Prussia. After experiencing her, I never was able to eat peanut butter or honey the same way.

98 Other than vaguely remembering her … and seeing her name of Phil’s final list … I have no memory of her.

99 One of Randy’s ex’s … another white girl … surely this is the last.

From the Poet Laureate

Trivia by Christopher E. Joyce, the poet laureate of the 340 Club

Within a wall of heat and hurt, and wondering aloud ---
Does ignorance and decadence throughout the world abound
Does everything compete within themselves to break the strain
Of knowing or not knowing if they will come again.

Does everything that has an end also have a beginning
At which point there is no creation that begins its dimming
Like a flame that last and last and finally goes out
To never spark again anew of this there must be doubt

To understand the sense of death one must feel dead while living
To all the traits of men of whom cannot pursue loves giving
If there is a spirit within us as of now it is unknown
And pity those who try and find it by themselves alone
------------------------------------------------------------
Love is - being able to feel good with someone because they feel good.

If it's May 7th

June 7^th is only a month away … see Phil for tickets

Who is that Hebe?

Hebe is the cupbearer to the gods and the personification of youth ... the popular, local, Lancaster based rock band Hebe GeeBees is named after this Greek Goddess.

Come impress Randy on Friday with your knowledge of Greek Mythology.

May 9, 2008, Friday, The Shamrock Cafe, 9:30 p.m. ... be there!!!

Love Quadrangle

I met #76 some night in 1981, at the Library, not the Lancaster County Public Library, but the night club by that name in the Brunswick Hotel, not the real Brunswick but the one built a decade before. She was with a couple of girl friends and she stood out wearing a white outfit which contrasted nicely with her deep chocolate complexion. Further, at 6 foot she stood out in any crowd. I took her home that night, politely dropped her off, and followed up with flowers the next day. She had a little piece of my heart and more than a piece of my lust. Before long we were an item. Turned out height ran in her family as her brother was an 11-time all-star in the ABA/NBA. He had dueled Bill Walton for the NCAA basketball championship and now, at 7’ 2”, was a Chicago Bull. #76 and I had three separate spells. In the middle one she actually lived at the 340 Club for maybe a month.

In mid-1982, I had heard about a stunningly beautiful woman who worked personnel at a local manufacturing plant. Subsequently, and totally by chance, I bumped into a high school classmate of mine who happened to work at that plant. So I pumped her for information and found (the personnel woman who turned out to be) #87 to be single and seemingly acceptable. So, I designed a job application for me to apply for a job (more accurately, for a date) and submitted via my friend to her. In a few days she gave me a call and we dated on and off until she ran off with some rich Atlanta businessperson a few years later.

On November 9, 1982, #76 and I attended a charity event at Baltimore’s Convention Center. The event was put on by Sugar Ray Leonard and many boxing dignitaries were in attendance including Muhammad Ali, Howard Cosell, and Marvin Hagler. I was quite thrilled when Muhammad Ali called my date, #76, by name and we went over and made small talk with the greatest. Sugar Ray retired, for the first time, that night which left Marvin Hagler dumbfounded, poorer and still looking for respect. I want home that night feeling very respected.

Later that week, on Friday the 12th, I took #76, who was living with me at the 340, to watch the Alexis Arguello-Aaron Pryor fight on HBO at a buddy’s house. It turned out she was for the Hawk while I was for the classy Nicaraguan. It was a classic fight and the group of us were heavily engaged in the bout. It ended badly for the classy fighter as Aaron Pryor pummeled him before referee Stanley Christodoulou mercifully stopped it in the 14th round Well, something happened during the fight – likely at the end – to cause me to use the B-word referencing #76. Well, hell hath no fury. Let me give you same advice – don’t ever call a Black woman a bitch. Let me clarify further; don’t ever call a 6-foot tall Black woman a biotch.

Several nights later as we lay in bed on the 3rd floor of the 340 Club in the middle of a not too pleasant discussion as push came to shove she pretty much said “let’s get it on”. Unfortunately she was sounding more like Muhammad Ali than Marvin Gaye. Thankfully, at 3 am, the phone rang and I took the liberty of excusing myself to go answer it. As luck would have it, it was #87 in the throes of deep lust. Now, I had a choice – go upstairs and continue heading down the road towards a melee or make up an excuse and head up the road to #87’s home.

I’m neither a fighter nor a dummy so before I knew it I was on the road heading to Marietta to do what young men do. Rumble young man rumble. Upon my return #76 and I lived together for only a short while longer and our relationship came to an end (for the 2nd time). All things considered it coulda been worse. Unbeknownst to me it was just a little worse.

I just knew that she cheated on me (as if it is possible to “cheat” on someone who unabashedly left you in the middle of the night for a romp with another). Every day for the next week or so I’d call Phil at his job as bartender/confessor at Zangari’s South and he & I would speculate as to who she did it with. Was it Scotty Sports Sunday? Was it Jose? Was it Brian of Sleepy Hollow? I knew it was someone I just didn’t know who.

Finally it came to me and when confronted he immediately confirmed it and it was no big deal. Here is what happened. When I chose to go visit #87 that night, #76 made her own choice. I lived on the top floor, in the 340 Club penthouse, at the top of the stairway to heaven (or so I liked to think). Just under me on two lay poor unsuspecting Phil. Remember what I said about hell hath no fury. Well, out the door I went to visit my chocolate au lait paramour. I’m not sure how long she lay there but #76 was a full blooded female and she was not about to take that lying down (no pun intended). She got up out of my bed as I had done and escaped into the arms of another man. Down the stairs she went and into Phil’s room. Phil sometimes describes it as “rape”. I know it happened rape or otherwise because Phil told me she had the biggest tongue he ever encountered after she almost choked him with a kiss. That description of her anatomy was entirely accurate.

So ended another chapter in 340 lore.

Kenny,Kenny,Kenny,Kenny,Kenny

Kenny, Kenny, Kenny, Kenny, Kenny

This was my greeting to Kenny each time we met, said rapidly. I spent a couple of decades of my life with Kenny and although there should be many stories that I should be able to tell, I only remember a few. Kenny always made me laugh and his stories and comments would never bore you. As it was said in the 60’s, if you remember the 60’s, you probably didn’t live the 60’s. For Kenny and I, that also applied to the 70’s, 80’s, and the 90’s.

Teamsters Story

One Saturday morning, as I walked in the door from partying, I get a call from Kenny, extremely paranoid. This was unusual although a slight paranoia was normal whenever one uses the “ lady”. Kenny yells, “Coach, they have me surrounded at my house. They are going to kill me!” After 15 minutes trying to tell Kenny that he was just extremely paranoid and he needed to stop partying (easier said then done, I can assure you), he insisted for me to come. He told me of the story when he was driving truck a day before and as an independent driver he got in an argument with several teamsters at a truck stop. He said he was zoomed up and was telling them how bad their union was, Jimmy Hoffa, and what the teamsters has done to destroy our country. He said after he left, several got on the cb and threaten to kill him. He told me that one tried to push him off the road! Kenny persisted, and begged me to help me; a plead I felt I had to support. He told me to come “packing” and make sure they didn’t see me coming to the house or they would also kill me. Of course, I didn’t believe him but wanted to support him, but just in case, I decided to pack. He told me to park down the street, keep low to ground, and come thru the neighbors yard, following the bushes that separated their houses and then “crawl” from the bushes to his back door. He would be watching for me and told me to promise to do exactly what he asked. He again repeated to bring plenty of heat and to bring a shotgun. As a good friend and knowing that this was a level of paranoid I had not seen from Kenny, I did exactly what he said to do. Imagine, at 10 am on a Sat morning, sneaking down a sidewalk carrying two revolvers, a shotgun, and full ammo, cutting thru the neighbor’s lawn, and almost “crawling”, well bending down, to his back door. I wasn’t sure why but I was becoming paranoid. Perhaps it was that I was thinking what would I tell the neighbor, or trying to tell the police why I was “crawling” on the ground headed to Kenny’s house with full arsenal, not to mention, what if there really was a trucker or two that may be out there trying to threaten Kenny. I remember finally making it to the back door and Kenny open it and said, Coach, how many of “them” did you see out there?” I said “none”! We started partying, well Kenny watch out the window. I laughed at him and told him there was no one out there. He asked me for a gun but I refused to let him have one. After 24 hours of partying, I found myself looking out the windows waiting for the teamsters to kill us………

Curator's Corner

SHAM ROCKS

This Friday night, one night, one night only, Lancaster’s newest sensation - direct from their well-received performance last week at the American Bar & Grill – the Hebe GeeBees featuring Josh Pfarr and living legend, the Randallion Cat Randy Brown. First set at 9:30. No Cover. The Shamrock Cafe, Chestnut Street, Lancaster, PA

I plan on being there ... hope to see you there.

Betwixt & Between

This post is from Don "Coach" Kuhns who is still trying to figure out how to post.

Betwixt and Between Restaurant
One of the 340 club members fine cuisine stops after closing hours

Located ½ block from 340 club,
Seating capacity; 12 people Average # of people at 2:30 am; 25-30
Kitchen utensils; 2 frying pans
Kitchen equipment; 1 gas stove,
Amenities: early morning dining, drunken people watching

Be prepared for one Lancaster’s city chic restaurants converted from a 1 room apt . The cuisine includes burgers, bacon and eggs. This is as elegant as any restaurant in town at 3am. Unique feature is the personal one on one service with the chef, as he prepares your meal only.(Two pans may have something to do with this special service). Be prepared, however, to wait for 1 or more hours for your meal.

Note: Due to the total number of people that exceed the one room capacity, it is important to know how you will get your meal. The chef will call out the order. You must confirm it by raising you hand and proceed to pick it up. The meal is prepaid during the ordering process.

How to beat the one-hour waiting lines:

One early morning after Dave Ream (Dreamo) and I closed the South, we took off up Queen Street on motorcycles. As usual, we are racing toward the square around 100 mph when we saw one police car blocking the intersection at the monuments. I headed left side over the sidewalk and Dreamo did the same on the right side. The one officer was waving at us, but I don’t think it was meant in a cordial way. By the time we got to Orange Street, several cruisers were headed our way, and we flew up Orange. Dreamo and I split and I escaped and later ditched my bike at the church near the 340 club. To my surprise, no one was at the 340! I think this was a first that I recall no one there at 3am on a Saturday night. I then remembered our after drinking cuisine, and headed down to Betwixt and Between. As I got to the front door, Dreamo pulled up on his bike, dropped it behind the green garbage container next to Betwixt. We walked in laughing of our venture and noticed the 20 + drunks all standing waiting for their order. I heard the chef say; “who ordered two eggs with bacon?”, Dreamo raised his hand and grabbed the plate and said, that would be me……..

Trivia

There will be some trivia questions posed at the reunion in June. To help you prep for such an event from time to time questions will be posed here in the Blog so you can revive some old memories and rev up your response time. To that end here are a few questions:

THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS:
91)What jersey number did Kenny Giltner wear when playing for the Chestnut Street Hockey Club ?

92)What did Bonnie Parker's lead guitarist,Richie Scarlett,often use in lieu of a pick for some guitar riffs during their Stones medley ?

93)How much did it cost you for two hard boiled eggs at Soldern's Tavern,down the street from the 340 Club ?

LAST WEEK'S Q & A
True or False
85 Someone actually retained his virginity after living at 340
TRUE, PRIVACY LAWS PROHIBIT ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION

86 Someone who left 340 with seemingly all his faculties later became a street person
TRUE, SYLVESTER THE CAT LEFT WITH JOHN & SUE BUT NEVER ADJUSTED TO DOMESTIC LIFE AND LAFAYETTE STREET

87 Harold Martin is still alive
FALSE, I THINK (per Tee)

88 George H. Kratzert graduated from Mountville H.S., prior to Hempfield being consolidated.
FALSE, GEORGE IS A BLUE STREAK

89 According to the composite (1981-82) Intelligencer Journal poll, the 340 Club was the 5th most popular nightclub in Lancaster County
FALSE, WE WERE THE 3RD FAVORITE NIGHTCLUB AFTER THE VILLAGE AND THE OLD COLONY

90 Mr. Kratzert owns Lancaster Storage even to this very day
TRUE

Eels of Death

On October 2nd and 3rd,1982,a street hockey team composed mostly of 340 Clubbers descended upon the Bel Mont Sports Arena in Kittanning,Pennsylvania to play in a tournament with at least 36 cases of beer in tow according to Sports Information Director, Young Ted Knorr.
The team was called the "Eels of Death" with the mascot being a very real eel by the name of Jerry. Coach Don Kuhns took his charges and with some skillful manipulating aided by assistants Kenny Giltner and Woody Kleinhaus orchestrated a masterful tournament victory which included wins over a highly rated Canadian team and in the finals a team comprised of some Pittsburgh all-stars and Lancaster players that did not meet the Eel standards.

The team did not arrive home until late Sunday night and with work looming the next day a proper celebration could not be scheduled.

The 340 Club however had a vacancy of shenanigans the following weekend so a party was planned. Here are some pics from the gala event.


Kenny doing his thing and the Coach on his left.

Art Moshos,Coach,Sybil Z and Bobby Rife.

Bill Anderson and Tim Stoltzfus.

Alana and Karen on the Stairway to Heaven.

Kimmy and Terry Groff

Marty Hornberger

Phil and Kimmy.


Marty,Fus and Art.


Phil and Karen.

Desi at rest.

Woody,Johnny Johnson and Wild Bill Anderson

Woody and Bill.

Lancaster Pretty Ladies

In 1982, with the Zangari South APBA Baseball League enjoying its 5th season, Phil set up a Zangari South APBA Football League. Unlike the ZSABL which is currently in its 31st season, the ZSAFL lasted less than two years. Its only complete season – 1982 – proved to be rather zany.

Opening night produced an instant classic that portended a strange upcoming schedule. In the inaugural encounter, Sam Wickersham’s aptly named Cape Canaveral Space Cadets took on the Yalaha Yazz coached by Woody Kleinhaus. It couldn’t have been a greater clash or a worse game as Mike Haynes 3rd quarter tackle of Franco Harris in the end zone provided the Cadets with the games only points in a 2-0 win. The second contest found my Lancaster Pretty Ladies squad defeating Mick Walton’s Quebec City Quackers 40-20 in a game that served as a precursor of the only ZSAFL Super Bowl much later. Other interesting showdowns included the Brother Bowl(s) which found George Zangari’s Marakesh X-Press splitting two (41-24, 28-35) with his brother Jimmy’s Avondale Schrooms. A second Pretty Lady-Quacker showdown produced a closer score, 30-21, but the same result. Another showdown for my team came when the Ladies lost to my roomie, Phil’s Los Lobos de Arecibo, 24-17 in a game in which I lost the turnover battle 5 to zero. Not all games were classics but many were stirring such as the battle of street hockey defenseman – Woody and Mick – that occurred when the Yazz held the Quackers to a late 25 yard FG enroot to a 25-24 victory.

The regular season ended and four teams qualified for the playoffs. The only two winning records in the West: Lancaster (8-2) and Quebec City (6-4). Meanwhile a log jam – a three-way tie – in the East necessitated a look at the bylaws. Steve Graybill’s Jersey Js with a 6-4 record was eliminated by rulebook leaving the Marakesh X-Press (6-4) and Los Lobos (6-4)to move on.

In the first semi, played at Zangari South, Jan Stenerud’s 42 FG put Phil ahead 33-17 with 4:41 in the 3rd. At that point the Pretty Ladies “d” stood up and the offense had just enough with Nic Lowrey’s 29 FG with under a minute to go providing the 34-33 margin. The opposite bracket produced a third QCQ v Lancaster game, when the Quackers held on to a 37-31 win over M-kesh.

The Super Bowl was played at the 340 Club bar among typical pandemonium which gave me a sense of confidence. Games at 340 were usually wilder (not that games at the bar were ever tame) than elsewhere. One time the Yazz coach tossed a dice shaker through a window necessitating a replacement job by the X-press coach. The Pretty Lady fans had their signs out posing for the TV cameras and the fans were not disappointed by the Lancaster performance. Three first quarter TDs plus another score, a FG, gave the Fair Sex a 24-0 lead and an even greater sense of confidence. Never in doubt, the 41-24 triumph was my 3rd win over Mick and captured the 1st and only ZSAFL title.

NOTE: In 1992, when Billy Groff managed my Pittsburgh Crawfords to the ZSABL title, I became the only person to have both ZSABL and ZSAFL trophies in their den. Thank you Billy!

From the Mighty 340 Club Juke Box

The Golden Age of Music Television

By special request, here are two from the golden age of M TV:

If you were an M TV fan, you remember this one:


Apology, I could not find the video version.


Thank you Lynne for the request!

“a certain local residence”

On July 2, 1981 Dave Sturm published the results of the Intell Journal’s initial music maker’s poll which, of course, included the question: What is Lancaster County’s Best Nightclub? In that first poll, it was the suburban Old Colony with 9 (19%) nipping the City’s Village (8/17%). David K’s (6/13%) and the rustic Pequea Inn (5/10%) were next. As mentioned on this Blog earlier the 340 Club (4/8%) finished 5th which we spun as the 2nd most popular nightclub in the City!

Now, on May 20, 1982, it was time for the second such electoral contest. Again it was the young Sturm drawing the assignment. In ’81, 84 persons voted with only 48 bothering on the nightclub question. Now, in its second year fully 148 persons expressed an opinion with 84 noting their best nightclub choice. Further, complicating the 340 Club’s path to glory was the obvious ballot stuffing campaign carried out by the Village. Also working against the Club was the fact that our own rock start – the Randallion, Randy Brown, had gone AWOL. I forget where coulda been jail, coulda been the West Coast but he did leave the 340 after a short residential stay the previous August (was it the M TV?). In any case Randy aka Randall Stoltzfus had drawn some attention in the poll the prior year and may have caused 2 or 3 of the Club’s five votes.

Nonetheless, on the eve of a big McMorial Day weekend at the 340, when the polls closed it was a triumphant moment for the 340 Club. Sturm reported it thusly:

Lancaster County’s best nightclub: The Village polled 39 (46%) votes and beat last year’s winner, the Old Colony, which got eight (8/10%) this year. Also in the running were “a certain local residence”, the 340 Club (7/), David K’s and the Swan Hotel (5 each), the Lancaster Dispensing Company, Tom Paine’s Back Room, the Oaks and the Carpenter’s Inn (3 each), and the Pequea Inn, East of Eden, and “my living room” with two each.



Taken in composite, the 1981-82 Intelligencer Journal Music Maker polls rated Lancaster County’s Best Nightclubs as follows:

The Village Nite Club 47 (37%)
The Old Colony 17 (13%)
340 Club 11 (9%)
David K’s 11 (9%)
Pequea Inn 7
Lancaster Dispensing Company 6
Swan Hotel 5
Tom Paine’s Back Room 5
Carpenter’s Inn 3
The Oaks 3

This Date In 340 Club History

May 1, 1981 - known unabashedly as "May Day" ... another big party occurred on West King ... me and Phil, Randy, and John were just beginning our 3rd month of the Second Coming ... the juke box was starting its 2nd month ... M TV was still 90 days away ... come Sunday morning there was a $16.30 in the juke box

Heebee Jeebeez

Randy Brown, longtime 340 Club member and resident in 1981, brings his band – the HeeBee JeeBeez - to the American Bar & Grill this Saturday, May 3rd, and to The Shamrock, next Friday May 9th. I intend to make The Shamrock Show. The Heebee Jeebeez of course host an open mike night every week at the new bar in the old Zimmerman’s Restaurant at the corner of Queen & Orange. All three of those venues have no cover. Now, if you wait till June 7th to see the Randallion Cat that will cost you … as you likely know Randy is the DJ at the 2nd periodical 340 Club Reunion but there is a cover charge that evening. $20, pay Phil, in advance please.

Jack Canan, 66, Chief Planner City of Lancaster

While living at the 340 Club, I worked from October 1976 through the end of the second coming at Lancaster's City Hall. My supervisor was Norm Grinager (still at City Hall!). Norm's boss was John McCamant (rumored to be attending the 340 Club reunion next month). John's boss was Jack Canan. They are all three great men. Jack passed this week. John & Jack are in the Bar Room Athlete Hall of Fame (Dart Tossing Wing), as well as being first class beer drinkers, and joke tellers. They honed their storytelling to such a point where either one could shout out a number as in #7 or #45 and the other would break out laughing as they new which joke they would be referring to. I had the pleasure of going fishing with Jack on two occasions. At least that's what he called it "fishing". We went out in a boat in the Susquehanna River and drank beer all day.

Jack Morgan Canan of Rock Hall, Maryland died on April 28, 2008 at University of Maryland Hospital in Baltimore, MD. He was 66.

He was born in Lancaster, PA on June 13, 1941 the son of the late Harry F. and Janet Medlar Canan. He graduated from McCaskey High School class of 1959 and Millersville State College in 1964.

On November 26, 1962 he married S. Louise Emmerich. Mr. Canan worked for the City of Lancaster from April 1960 starting as a planner; he worked his way up to Chief Planner, and was Director of the Department of Housing and Community Development when he left in January of 1990. Mr. Canan worked under Mayors Coe, Monaghan, Scott, Wohlsen, and Morris. He played key roles in many major projects during his employment with the city, among them was the establishment of the City's Historic District; the Walnut/ Chestnut Street extensions to Route 30; the TOPICS Program, which converted a number of City streets to one-way travel; the South Duke Street Lancaster Neighborhood Center; the Southern Market project, transforming the historic market house to offices for the Chamber of Commerce, Visitors Center, and City; the development of Park City Center, Lancaster County's largest regional shopping mall, located within the City of Lancaster; and the establishment of the City's tax abatement program for building renovations, commonly known as LERTA. Mr. Canan was a partner in the consulting firm of McCamant & Canan from 1991 until 1992, he moved to Kent County, Maryland in 1994.

In Kent County, he worked with the County Government for 11 years beginning in 1994 serving on numerous boards and commissions including being a founding member of the Local Management Board. He served as the Interim Economic Development Director and played an active role in the development of the Upper Shore Transit Development Plan. Mr. Canan was responsible for the creation and promotion of the County's Housing Improvement Plan which was responsible for improving the living conditions for over 100 families in Kent County. Most of all, Mr. Canan will be remembered for his unmitigated enthusiasm for providing frank advise to the County Commissioners, State Agencies, and local volunteer boards. He retired in July 1995 from Kent County Government and will also be remembered as an individual who cared deeply for Kent County and its citizens.

His interests were fishing, reading, computer games, chess, and most of all his family especially his grandchildren.

In addition to his wife he is survived by a son: Jack F. Canan and his wife Annette of Winchester, VA, a daughter: Lori A. Gray of Rock Hall, MD, grandchildren: Ann Marie Moss and Allan C. Moss of Sudlersville, MD, Kobey A. Lewis of Rock Hall, MD, and Maria C. Canan of Winchester, VA, great grandchildren: Mariah A. Alexander, Andrew Alexander, and Zacharey A. Moss.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, May 3, 2008 at 2:00 PM at Fellows, Helfenbein, and Newnam Funeral Home 130 Speer Road Chestertown, MD where relatives and friends may call two hours prior to the service (12-2). Interment will be private. In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to the Kidney Foundation 1107 Kenilworth Drive Suite 202 Baltimore, MD 21204. Arrangements by Fellows, Helfenbein, and Newnam Funeral Home Chestertown, MD www.fhnfuneralhome.com

(If it is Wednesday it must be time for) From the Poet Laureate

Thoughts and feelings racing through the mind,
Gradually they merge and either cause a revelation,
Or an explosion.
Musical lyrics open new channels of thought,
With convincing melodies to carry the messages,
Voices in the sky.
They are an expression that creates a look into an open ended channel that has countless programs.
After the music always comes silence; but to understand the silence more than the music means you are in a new channel, which has no programs but is endless.

Christopher E. Joyce

340 Club Reunion Interim Fiscal Report

I know you know this but I want to reiterate here … the virtual 340 Club and the Reunion are a labor of love … they are to the degree possible, at our middle age, about Beer & Rock ‘n Roll (i.e. what used to be drugs, sex, and rock ‘n roll) …. However there is a little matter of dollars and cents that will help carry out this affair and carry it out until the future when Sil & John are the only two standing. To that end, here is the current fiscal state:

 

CURRENT

Tickets Sold      13

Guests              3 (Mayor Morris, Father Hahn accepted)

Attendees         16

Cost                 $1,300

Deficit              $400

 

EXPECTED

Tickets Sold      50 (Phil’s guess)

Guests              9 (Mayor Morris, Father Hahn accepted; G.H.Kratzert, Dave Sturm, Bot Roda invited)

Attendees         59

Cost                 $1,900

Surplus             $3 (invested in 2009 340 Club Reunion)

 

If you know of a business that has a connection to the 340 Club and might want to purchase a quarter page ad in the program … sell one for $25 and you will receive a $5 discount off your ticket. Just let Phil or I know.

340 Club Residential Roster

In order to help you keep track. The following 16 individuals lived at the 340 Club:

The 328 Club, landlord Harold Martin, was founded on September 21, 1974.
Tim Lutter (9/74-5/75)
Tee Knorr (9/74-8/74)
Dan Joyce (9/74-5/75)
Sil Simpson (9/74-8/75)
Tim Getzloff (9/74-8/75)
Dick Lichty (special guest)

The 340 Club, landlord George H. Kratzert, was discovered in early August 1975
Sil Simpson (8/75-5/78)
Tee Knorr (8/75-9/78)
Jimmy Shay (8/75-10/76)
Phil Zangari(10/75-11/78)
Chris Joyce (1/77-6/77)
Dave Petkosh (10/77-1/78)
Mitch Herr (3/78-8/78)
Kenny Giltner (5/78-7/78)
Dean Staherski (11/78)

The evacuation of the 340 Club ocurred in late Fall 1978.

The second coming of the 340 Club happened in late February 1981
Tee Knorr (2/81-3/83)
Phil Zangari (2/81-3/83)
Randy Brown (2/81-8/81)
John Emswiler (2/81-3/83)
Sue Krimmel Emswiler (5/81?-3/83)
Sil Simpson (9/81-3/83)

The Final Days, now at the 338 Club also a G.H. Kratzert property, began in April 1983
Tee Knorr (4/83-6/84)
Phil Zangari (4/83-11/83)
John Emswiler (4/83-2/84)
Sue Krimmel Emswiler (4/83-2/84)
Sil Simpson (4/83-6/84)

The final evacuation, by helicopter, off the 338 Club roof took place on June 30, 1984 ending an almost ten year occupation of the 300 block of West King Street by the forces of good clean fun. It is no embellishment to say times have never been the same since. UNTIL NOW ...

The virtual 340 Club opened on December 4, 1977.

The emboldened names are expected to attend the reunion. Others still possible. In addition about 50 or so other assorted nuts are expected.

Welcome Coach!

and then there were seven ...

Don "Coach" Kuhns becomes the 7th member of the virtual Club, and most distant being in California, and the first to represent the heart and soul of the Club, representing the usual gang of idiots, the teaming masses. For the 16 of us who lived there it was one type of experience but for the hundreds who partied there it was a different experience and no less important. In fact, I have always felt more important ... it was guys like Coach, Woody, Sam, George, Super Sports Scotty, Jose, Jimmy, Marty, JJ, ZSABLers, Chestnut Street players, Biker Rober(t), Rify, Tex, Brian, the Bonnie Parker Band, Batman, Robin, 94 patrons at last call of the Village, not too mention Sybil, Sheryl and weekend warriorettes such as Beth Ann, Sissy, Suzanne, Tracy, Diana, Dawn, Rozy, various strippers, bartenders and maids, and on and on.

Coach is the first to represent those 340 Club members. Welcome, welcome. We look forward to your posts and to seeing you in June!

Welcome Dave!

Dave Petkosh lived at the 340 Club from late summer 1977 through the turn of the next year; holding down the room at the top of the stairs in between the tenures of Chris Joyce and Mitch Herr. As you hopefully have noticed DaveP has now become the 6th member, counting the Keg Man, of the virtual 340 Club. I expect Don "Coach" Kuhns to sign up in the very near future and hopefully John & Sue Emswiler will figure it out shortly also. The more the merrier.

I look forward to reading Dave and Don's remembrances and/or commentary. If anyone is interested in posting herein simply ask me, Phil or the 340 Club Keg Man if you ever find him when he is coherent.

Scotty & Tee at the Movies

Naturally, being a Stones fan, I wanted to see their movie “Lets Spend the Night Together” documenting their 1981 tour. So one day shortly after it appeared in Lancaster, at one of those North Queen Street relatively short-lived (particularly when compared with the marvelous Boyd, Capitol, and Grand) movie houses – the Pacific Twin, I think, Scotty Myers, longstanding and as active as any 340 Club member, and I walked to the theatre stopping at Johnny’s to get a good price on a couple of six packs of Pabst Blue Ribbon beer. I mean we were going to a Stones concert. The theatre folks were lucky we didn’t bring reefer and lawn chairs and a food spread. It was a rock ‘n roll show.

Not to cause an undue commotion we sat in the very back row. Not too long after that a young couple made a similar choice in an almost empty theatre. The key word being choice … I mean the theatre was theirs to pick from and they sit two rows in front of us – a longhair and a guy in a Stones t-shirt with a new bright red M TV jacket draped over the seat. Both of us with a feet propped up or over the seats directly behind them and, yet, and it’s a free country, they pick those seats. Hey, hey, please, please, get offa my cloud. Well, as I recall that tour opened with “Under My Thumb” and as Mick started into the chorus we popped our first 16 pounders and commenced to rock. “Yeah, Mick!”, “Rock ‘n Roll”, “THREE FORTY!” we may have shouted. This was a rock concert.

Soon, the male (sic) half of the couple got up and came back with the law. Well, with an usher. Scotty and I were given a choice. Put away the beer or leave. Well, we put away the last few oh zees of the first cans and retired the remaining ten cans until after the show and enjoyed, as best one can in classroom-like conditions, an excellent film of a rock concert. For the life of me I can’t understand why that couple was even there since they certainly had no idea of what a rock concert was. They must have been foreign film fans cuz the idea of “Its only Rock ‘n Roll (but I like it)” was clearly foreign to them.

Scotty and I let them alone, enjoyed the flic and retired to 340 to consume those warm Pabst pounders but we liked it!!!

Breaking News - Tee Shirts

While the deal has not been finalized negotiations are underway with a member of the 340 Club family to provide new and improved 340 Club tee shirts for sale at the reunion. Here are the details:

White Tee Shirts, with Black Drawings of the 340 Club Keg Man
Sizes: S. M, L, XL, 2XL, 3XL, 4XL, 5XL
Cost: $10 each

Please order now & often. Let Phil, I, or this Blog know.

Curator's Corner: Cards, Buttons (2)

The 340 Club cards are in and at Phil’s. Call him, drop by or visit the 7th Ward G Club. Purchase soon. He only has 47 left.








The button prototypes have been produced and will be available at the reunion.

This one is free to the first 49 who purchase tickets:




This one will be available for $3 or 2 for $5













Still under construction is the souvenir program, the PowerPoint presentation and the archival displays. Also the record list is being developed; please submit requests to this site. Thank you.

Trivia: 85-90

There will be some trivia questions posed at the reunion in June. To help you prep for such an event from time to time questions will be posed here in the Blog so you can revive some old memories and rev up your response time. To that end here are a few questions:

This Week’s 340 Club Trivia Questions:
SOME TRUE & FALSE QUESTIONS FOR YA
85 Someone actually retained his virginity after living at 340
86 Someone who left 340 with seemingly all his faculties later became a street person
87 Harold the fuck Martin is still alive
88 George H. Kratzert graduated from Mountville H.S., prior to Hempfield being consolidated.
89 According to the composite (1981-82) Intelligencer Journal poll, the 340 Club was the 5th most popular nightclub in Lancaster County
90 Mr. Kratzert owns Lancaster Storage even to this very day

Last Week’s Q & A's
82) On the back of the original 340 membership card, how much money did it say you would need, with the card, to get a cup of coffee at McCrory's? 39 cents

83) Phil worked in the bar/restaurant business most of his life but who was he employed by when he entered the 340 realm in October, 1975 until August, 1977? Royster Chemical Farm Products

84) What did Sil use to "cook" a Slim Jim, back before he was vegan, at one of the early APBA conventions in Philly? a Butane lighter