59 Tomorrow

Would love for you to buy me a Green Beer on Restaraunt Row in Harrisburg ... thats 2nd Street for those who don't know ... the only other 340 Clubber I expect is Randy Brown cuz he is still in his twenties.

Question For A Piano Man

Charlie

I seen you in Wildwood back in the 70s; Charlie Prose will tickle your toes days.

Question - do you remember a heavy footed piano player from that era who lived in the Lancaster-Coatesville area from 1975-80 moving from bar to bar singing and telling jokes by the name of Lenny Lane? If so, did you know him well? Any stories? As I recall he knew you. Any idea where he might be? Anything would be helpful and appreciated.

Thanks,

Ted Knorr
Lancaster, PA

ITINERARY: 39th Annual St. Pat's Pub Crawl

HARRISBURG, PA, March 17th
1:00 Garrason’s – private lunch
2:00 The Tap Room , on N. 3 Street, Hbg, below Reilly
2:30 Wanda’s, next door,
2:45 Al’s, round the corner, cheap dates available here
3:00 Shady McGrady’s
3:40 Midtown
4:20 Firehouse
5:00 Pep Grille, dinner
6:00 Molly Brannigan’s
McGrath’s
Ceolta’s
Quarters
Garrason’s
Mercados – quick beer, last stop
HMAC – if open
9:00 HOME - accomodations available

Son of Juke

I purchased an AMI RoweStar R-93 Juke Box yesterday for $750. It replaces the old Rockola that Phil and I bought years ago at the 340 Club. I spent the last two evenings loading 100 records (and six CDs) on it. I thought I'd share the initial 100 records with you as they will likely give you very pleasant memories of great nights and weekend afternoons in the age right before the dawn of M TV when the mighty 340 Juke reigned supreme.

Here tis':

100 Start Me Up/No Use In Crying
101 Go Now - The Moody Blues
102 She Loves You - The Beatles
103 I Want to Hold your Hand/I Saw Her Standing There - The Beatles
104 Batman Theme - Link Wray & the Raymen
105 Time is on My Side/Congratulations
106 Happy Together - The Turtles
107 I Got You (I Feel Good) - James Brown & the Famous Flames
108 Leader of the Pack - The Shangri-Las
109 You Tell Me Girl - The Shaynes
110 Satisfaction/The Under Assistant West Coast Promotion Man
111 Soul Finger - The Bar-Kays
112 When a Man Loves a Woman - Percy Sledge
113 Nobody But Me - The Human Beinz
114 Judy in Disguise (with glasses) - John Fred & the Playboy Band
115 Get Off My Cloud/I’m Free
116 They’re Coming to take me Away, Ha-Haaa - Napoleon XIV
117 Maggie May/Reason to Believe - Rod Stewart
118 For What It’s Worth (Stop, Hey What’s That Sound) - The Buffalo Springfield
119 Eve of Destruction - Barry McGuire
120 19th Nervous Breakdown/Sad Day
121 Dance to the Music - Sly & The Family Stone
122 Fire - The Crazy World of Arthur Brown
123 Me & Bobby McGee/Half Moon - Janis Joplin
124 Tighten Up Archie Bell & the Drells
125 Ruby Tuesday/Let’s Spend the Night Together
126 OHIO/Find the Cost of Freedom … Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young … Atlantic
130 Rock and Roll - Led Zeppelin, which by the way is 3:40 long!
128 No More Mister Nice Guy - Alice Cooper
129 Brown Sugar/Bitch - The Rolling Stones
130 Paint It Black/STUPID GIRL
131 Sweet Emotion - Aerosmith
132 Takin’ Care of Business - Bachman-Turner Overdrive
133 Jailbreak - Thin Lizzy
134 Freedom of Choice - Devo
135 Street Fighting Man/No Expectations
136 Magic Man - Heart
137 Gimmee Some Lovin’/She Caught the Katy - Blues Brothers
138 Bette Davis Eyes - Kim Carnes
139 Jenny Take a Ride - Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels
140 Honky Tonk Women/You Can’t Always Get What You Want
141 Stop in the Name of Love - The Supremes
142 Come Sail Away - Styx
143 We are Champions/We will Rock You - Queen
144 Hang on Sloopy - The McCoys
145 We Love You/Dandelion
146 (I know) I’m Losing You - Rare Earth
147 Lets Get Lost On A Country Road - The Kit Kats
148 Peace of Mind - The Magnificent Men
149 Elevator Shoes - The Blame
150 Tumbling Dice/Sweet Black Angel
151 96 Tears - ! (Question Mark) & the Mysterians
152 The House of the Rising Sun - The Animals
153 ABC - The Jackson 5
154 Good Lovin’ - The Young Rascals
155 Happy/All Down the Line
156 Double Shot (of my Baby’s Love) - Swingin’ Medallions
157 Shake a Tail Feather - James & Bobby Purify
158 Mustang Sally - Wilson Pickett
159 Hanky Panky - Tommy James & the Shondells
160 Angie/Silver Train
161 I Heard It Through The Grapevine - Marvin Gaye
162 Soul Man - Sam & Dave
163 Wild Thing - The Troggs
164 All Day and All of the Night - The Kinks
165 It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll (but I like it)/Through the Lonely Nights
166 I Can’t Help Myself - The Four Tops
167 Mr. Lonely - Bobby Vinton
168 A Lover’s Concerto - The Toys
169 Wooly Bully - Sam the Sham (and the Pharaohs)
170 Out of Time/Jiving Sister Fanny
171 Police on my Back - The Clash
172 Ballroom Blitz - The Sweet
173 Release Me (and let me love again) - Englebert Humperdink
174 Cool Jerk - The Capitols
175 Hot Stuff/Fool to Cry
176 Sweet Soul Medley - The Magnificent Men
177 Do Wah Diddy Diddy - Manfred Man
178 Turning Japanese - The Vapors
179 You Can’t Hurry Love - The Supremes
180 Beast of Burden/When the Whip Comes Down
181 Light My Fire - The Doors
182 Just Like Me - Creedence Clearwater Revival
184 The Dock of the Bay - Otis Redding
185 Emotional Rescue/Down in the Hole
186 I am a Rock - Simon & Garfunkel
187 Right Back Where We Started From - Maxine Nightengale
188 The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin’ Groovy) - Harpers Bizarre
189 Downtown - Petula Clark
190 Dancing in the Streets/Instrumental Version Mick Jagger/David Bowie
191 Peggy Sue - Buddy Holly % the Crickets
192 Wipe Out - The Safaris
193 Who Wouldn’t Love to Be Loved - Central Park
194 Delaware - Perry Como
195 Mixed Emotions/Fancy Man Blues
196 Yellow Submarine/Eleanor Rigby - The Beatles
197 Day Tripper/We Can Work It Out - The Beatles
198 Day for Decision - Johnny Sea
199 Black is Black - Los Bravos

Please don't come to Harrisburg without visiting Son of Juke.

96 Tears by ? and The Mysterians

Too many teardrops for one heart to be cryin'
Too many teardrops for one heart to carry on
You're way on top now
Since you left me
You're always laughin'
Way down at me
But watch out now
I'm gonna get there
We'll be together
For just a little while
And then I'm gonna put you
Way down here
And you'll start cryin'
Ninety-six tears
Cry
Cry

And when the sun comes up
I'll be on top
You'll be way down there
Lookin' up
And I might wave
Come up here
But I don't see you
Wavin' now
I'm way down here
Wonderin' how
I'm gonna get you
But I know now
I'll just cry, cry, I'll just cry

Too many teardrops for one heart to be cryin'
Too many teardrops for one heart
To carry on
You're gonna cry ninety-six tears
You're gonna cry ninety-six tears
You're gonna cry cry, cry, cry, now
You're gonna cry cry, cry, cry
Ninety-six tears c'mon and lemme hear you cry, now
Ninety-six tears (whoo!) I wanna hear you cry
Night and day, yeah, all night long
Uh-ninety-six tears cry cry cry
C'mon baby, let me hear you cry now, all night long
Uh-ninety-six tears! Yeah! C'mon now
Uh-ninety-six tears!

[fade]

340 Club at the Game

The mighty Crusaders of Lancaster Catholic High School are in the State Finals this weekend versus Greensburg Central Catholic at Hershey. Unfortunately I will be in NYC.

Two weeks ago I was in Shamokin in a windy, snow shower providing Karma to the boys along with gritty Jack Booth, who has been on the Catholic High sidelines since '65 (only stat man Sam Paone has been there longer), and the youngster Ron Boas.

Last weekend a classic gathering took place with 340 Clubbers myself, Chris Joyce, Booth, Boas, Lance Curtis, Tommy Discavage, Timmy Bucher, Kevin McCaskey, as well as Kenny Riley, Paul Nicklaus, and Todd Emswiler (nephew of 340 resident John Emswiler). It is likely Sil was in attendance but he was in another section.

A good time was had by all; especially the Crusaders who found a way to gain revenge over West Catholic by a 23-21 in a game in which they committed no penalties, dropped no fumbles, tossed no picks, and gathered no yellow linen; no penalties and won by two.

Meanwhile, in the stands the conversation was about Phil, and Champ, and the Red Fox, Lenny Lane (after all we were in Coatesville) and Randy Brown and pastimes on King Street.

Despite Stellar Pigskin Matchups

I have watched 12 hours so far (it debuted last night at 8) of the 25th annual Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame Concert. It is a four hour show; meaning I've watched it twice in its entirety plus four additional hours. Now, I've slept 5 and worked 8 and watched 12 hours of the special. I suppose I need to get a life; the week before last I watched about 20 hours of the ten hour History Channel special WWII in HD. If I had an HD TV it would make a little more sense. In my defense these have been excellent, groundbreaking TV shows. It isn't called a vast wasteland for no reason and these two shows have been exceptions. Now, if you didn't see the concert - this is what you missed.

Tom Hanks doing a soft spit on rock n roll history. I'd have preferred Chuck D or even a retro Dylan dropping cue cards but it set the stage for the venerable and old, 74 year old Jerry Lee Lewis' lid lifter Great Balls of Fire. At the end of this seminal, pre-dinosaur rocker, he managed to kick his stool and toss it without getting hurt.

Next was CSN and friends Jackson Browne, a reformed drunk chic whose name escapes me - izzit Bonnie Waite or something like that, Rait??? I dunno way to soft she should stay sober in Williamsport. James Taylor who delivered a stellar Love the One Your With (backed by Stephen Stills guitar), CSN without Y isn't quite the full deck but as a warmup they weren't bad.

They yielded to Stevie Wonder and guests Smokey Robinson, John Legend (featured On Demand but limited in the debut package), Sting, B.B. King and Jeff Beck. Perhaps the highlight is Stevie fighting genuine tears in his Michael Jackson tribute.

On to Paul Simon for some NY roots music. He did his " Call me Al" which featured a full, talented and well displayed band. Simon then brought out Little Anthony & the Imperials followed by Dion DeMucci (the king of NY streets), and then Crosby & Nash to sing Here Comes the Sun "for George." Then ... the necessary, requisite, pairing with Art Garfunkel ... three songs - Sounds of Silence, The Boxer and Bridge over Troubled Waters.

Aretha's turn - some gospel, soul, r & b, joined by Annie Lennox, later Jeff Beck. No respect. wtf.

Metallica ... who I have held a grudge against since they dissed Mick once as too old to rock n' roll. Well, no more. After one of their songs they brought out (in the wrong order IMHO) - Lou Reed (Sweet Jane on the TV, White Light/White Heat perhaps on the DVD), Ozzy (Iron Man), and Ray Davies (All Day and All of the Night). For me the Reed bit was the highlight up to the moment. It was the one where I shook the neighbors (the neighborhood?). Metallica finished with Enter Sandman as pictures of an entering put to sleeper - Mariano Rivera - crawled across the background.

I'm missing an act ... hmm. Time to quit but lets do one more. U2 - with Bruce & Patti Smith on their song - albeit separately styled Because the Night. Then, my highlight for the evening. They did a Stones cover - Gimmee Shelter with Will I Am & Fergie. As the first few chords were hit the crowd began to buzz and eventually roar. It was Mick. Seemingly coming out of the audience at the front of the stage. The 66 year band fronter enjoined the song with as much enthusiasm as ever ... another tour? I doubted it but he can carry the geezers - Watts, Richards; and, if necessary Jeff Beck can spell the drunk. In any case it was a good rendition and a highlight. Time for bed. It looks like it will be the aforementioned Mr. Beck putting me too sleep if thats possible as it is his time in the show. I'm approaching 12 hours (i.e. 80% of my non-sleeping, non-working time of the past 28).

Sorta puts me in mind of the time the mighty 340 Club Juke Box earned $21 bucks in one day. The math - 3 songs for a quarter, 3 minutes to a song - indicated that the juke box had operated for 13 or so hours (or about 70% of that days waking hours). I suppose Mr. Kratzert heard about that day. Speaking of Mr. Kratzert; he is alive and well and managing (or owning) a hotel in East Hempfield Township. Good Night Phil.

Happy Thanksgiving!

God bless all of us!

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.

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

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.

10/30/74 Reprised

THIS POST ORIGINALLY APPEARED IN DECEMBER 2007. IT IS RERPRISED IN HONOR OF THE THREE OF US. MAY TOM REST IN PEACE.

Glued to the radio, myself, Tim Lutter and Tom Partridge listened intently as Muhammad Ali painted his masterpiece - Rumble in the Jungle - in the wee hours of the morning in Kinshasa, Zaire. Immediately after Pennsylvania State Athletic Commission Chairman (ya learn somethin' every day here folks!) Zack Clayton counted big George Foreman out the three of us were out the door and up West King Street to celebrate with some Carlsbergs at the Lauzus Hotel.

Tom Partridge, 59

Sad loss in local football officiating community

Tom Partridge, a longtime area football official, died on Saturday just one day after working as an official in Friday's Parkland-Easton game in Orefield. He also worked Thursday's Lehighton-Panther Valley game. According to one of his officiating colleagues, Partridge's tradition was to work as an umpire at the annual Easton-P'burg Thanksgiving game. His son, Joe, was an outstanding running back at Freedom and more recently at East Stroudsburg University.Partridge died of an apparent heart attack. Look for his age in the official obituary, but Tom was believed to be in his upper 50s.From all accounts, he was a good, hard-working, dedicated guy who loved being a part of the local sports scene. Sadly, we take a lot of these people for granted. Officials are a big part of the game, too, and though they may get a gripe here or there, they do a great job for the most part. District 11 officials generally aren't appreciated until they're compared to other districts and states.
Certainly, his loss came as a shock to the tight-knit family of area officials and the extended football family. One night, a guy is up and down the field doing what he loved to do. The next day, he's gone. Partridge will be missed by his officiating family and the local sports community as a whole.

Our sympathies and prayers go out to his family and friends.

Big ...... dead at 59

Northwestern athletic director Jason Zimmerman has sent out a league-wide e-mail suggesting schools observe a moment of silence at their games on Friday night and Saturday afternoon in honor longtime football official Tom Partridge, who died over the weekend at age 59.

"Many of you remember Tom as one of our outstanding football umpires and Tom also worked our league and District 11 Track & Field Meets," Zimmerman wrote. "I would like to recommend that we hold a moment of silence after the National Anthem at our Varsity Football Games this coming weekend. There is no need to respond, but figure this is the least we could do to honor a man who has dedicated much of his life to high school football. The Lehigh Valley Conference will also be participating in this acknowledgement."

Zim's right on target with this recommendation. People like this who form the fabric of scholastic sports should be recognized when they leave us and to almost the day that he died, Partridge was a very important part of the high school football scene throughout the region.

Sometimes names don't resonate as well as faces. When I saw Partridge's picture in today's paper, his loss hit home even more because while I knew the name, I knew the face much better and this was a guy who enjoyed what he was doing and was always enthusiastic, always happy to be doing his job. I've attended several football officials banquets over the years [always held in November right before Thanksgiving], and remember Partridge at those banquets as being a true character, full of life, full of fun.

It has been said often in the past few days, but we'll say it again: What a sad loss. He will be missed.

1000 words

Some good thoughts, memories, vibes and pix

No One ... gets outta heya alive

If I knew I was going to live this long I'da taken better care of myself --- the Mick

Kenny, Mitch gone all too soon ... all of us slowed; a couple of cases of prostate cancer among the 340 brethern; a bad ticker on a rowdy boy; a six month sentence for the immortal weather reporter; and now -

Billy from Philly, dead, throat cancer in Philadelphia
Sam Lugar, hospitalized, latter stage lung cancer

God save the Queen! God bless us all!

Postponement

OK .. I guess I won't have any real fun in 2009. But I can wait.

Fox

Happy Birthday Philip! T Minus One & Kounting

and happy 58th to Dicky!!!