TACO Revisited

Lefty Lefever

The "Human Race",sponsored by JJ (left),with Spyder Hahn in the lead and Fred Kendall (Second from right)..

NOTE:All participants had to hold a cup of beer during the duration of the race

Johnny "J.J" Johnson, who has t-shirts from Taco # 2 thru Taco # 17 provided these pics. JJ has lots more and promised to assemble them in some organized fashion soon. Perhaps Lefty Lefever and him can create a "Sister Blog" to the Virtual 340 Club and we can link them together. TACO is a "legend" in itself much like our W.King Street days and though both residents and members of the 328-340-338 Clubs attended these events the connection is only transient.

The 340 Club Bear

(This picture, taken today, is of the 340 Club Bear demonstrating his technique for landing on his back.)








In 1982, a horde of returnees from three days of celebrating the annual rebirth of the earth descended on the 340 Club on a McMorial Day afternoon and they were joined hy the usual gang of idiots that were somehow drawn to the Club. At 4:00 silence, nobody home but me sleeping of the drunk in my 3rd floor penthouse when all of a sudden there were scores of folks in the house screaming "THREE FORTY!" or "TACO!" at the top of their lungs in increasingly maniacal tones. Then the Juke Box would kick in with the Gilt putting 20 or so quarters into it – They’re Coming to Take Me Away, hah hah hee hee or the Eve of Destruction (it was that) or In 1814 We Took a Little Trip. Madness reigned. I distinctly remember Flounder, a visitor from Faber College, standing across the street rubbing his hands together saying “Boy, is this great!”

It was no wonder then that the bear stirred. I know I shoulda stopped him but I was in no condition to do so or to resist the moment. When the large stuffed bear shook me I had no choice but to get up and see what it wanted. It was a 4’ or 4’6” golden stuffed teddy bear with a shit eatin’ grin on its face and mischief in its eyes. It wanted to party. The bear was born in Millersville circa 1973 so it was a good ten years old and shoulda known better but perhaps it never received proper parenting because before the sun went down the bear found itself outside on the ledge of the third floor of the 340. Posturing itself out there until it was noticed by neighbors and stragglers coming to the 340. Soon word spread inside the house and individuals – heavily inebriated by the sum of the weekend’s treats - were now pouring out of the 340 and peering upwards towards the bear. I will leave the rest of the story, I hope, to be told by the bear himself as interviewed by Daniel, a stuffed tiger puppet. Currently, Da Bear is now 34 years old (which is 34 years in human years) and Daniel is 52 years old:






(Daniel interviewing the Bear)









DANIEL: How are you doing today? I assume you are much excited as we enter 2008 with a 340 Club reunion upcomimg.

DA BEAR: Oh yes it was my idea. Mine and the 340 Keg Man.

DANIEL: Hmmmm … if you say so. Well, you know what I want to talk about. That jump you did back in Lancaster. When was that?

DA BEAR: Oh that … I believe it was on McMorial Day, perhaps in ’82 or ’83. I was just a young cub.

DANIEL: For those who do not know, could you describe what went on that day?

DA BEAR: Well, for one thing I was left alone all weekend like a latchkey kid. No one appeared to be concerned whether I lived or died. Tee comes home on Monday, McMorial Day, and immediately goes to sleep – in the middle of the day for cryin’ out loud – leaving me in the annex in the middle of that mess. As you know Daniel since you were often at the bottom of a pile also; that annex could – even in the context of the 340 Club – be construed as a real mess.

DANIEL: You got that right; our owner was a slob

DA BEAR: Was? … but I digress …. Well all of sudden the quiet was broken by the slamming of the door and soon there was a “340” going on downstairs and still Tee slept. I went into his room and jumped on him several times but he hardly stirred. I was getting in one of those moods and I didn’t know what to do.

DANIEL: So you just had to go out the window? Seems reasonable.

DA BEAR: Yeah, it was all I could think of … next thing you know those neighbors across the street saw me … you know the ones that called the Mayor the time Tee was streaking on West King? … and they were pointing up at me … then the Club emptied and everyone was out on the sidewalks on both sides of the street and I think Tee woke up about then.

DANIEL: So then you jumped?

DA BEAR: No … actually I was going to crawl back into the bedroom when everyone – led by that Giltner boy – began to jump & shout screaming “Jump, Jump, Jump, Jump.”

DANIEL: So then you jumped?

DA BEAR: Yeah … I suppose … I actually did not jump but rather just sort of rolled into a somersault … two rotations before landing perfectly on my amply padded back on the sidewalk. I received a very nice round of applause for my effort and we all went back into the 340 and continued partying. It was really no big deal but people still ask me about it.

DANIEL: Well thanks 340 Club Bear for sharing your story and I look forward to seeing you at the Knights of Columbus on June 7th.

DA BEAR: You’re welcome Daniel. I would not miss this one for the world and I’m very glad the Knights is only a two story structure.

Happy New Year from the 340 Club

Happy New Year and God Bless to all readers of this blog as well as to all whose parents won’t let them read it and those who, somehow, are unaware of it. The 340 Club wishes a blessed and safe holiday season for all of you. We hope to see you at the reunion next year.

IMPORTANT DATES FOR 2008
December 31, 2007 New Year’s Eve
February 14, 2008 Valentine’s Day
February 29, 2008 Sadie Hawkins Day
March 17, 2008 Saint Patrick’s Day
April, 2008 Opening Days
June 6, 2008 340 Club at the Lancaster Barnstormers
June 7, 2008 340 Club Reunion

Trivia Questions 14-16

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:
14.For what event did the 338 Club assemble the largest submarine sandwich,orchestrated by Jimmy Zangari, in W.King Street history ?

15. How did Woody K. and others solve the dilemna of returning from the kitchen with enough beers for everybody ?

16.Who did the freshly showered young Ted Knorr call after stepping in some puppy pooh outside the 340 bathroom ?


LAST WEEK'S Q & A
11. Who won the only Zangari South APBA football League Super Bowl (played at the 340 Club bar)? Young Ted Knorr's Lancaster Pretty Ladies defeated John "Mick" Walton's Quebec City Quackers 41-24

12. What first name was shared by two 328 Club members? Tim Getzloff and Tim Lutter

13. Who launched the fireworks on July 4th from the roof of the 338 Club ? Kenny Giltner (RIP)

More TACO

As Phil mentioned, The Annual Celebration Of Life And Rebirth Of The Earth Festival was some affair. Over 100 (peaking at maybe 200?) Lancaster County merry makers gathered over a hundred miles from home (the only site I remember was near Greencastle about 102 miles from the 340 Club) engaging in loud, raucous, bacchanal. I’m hoping Johnny Johnson or George Zangari (or others) – 340 Club members – who are more stooped in the tradition, history and origins of TACO might send some comments to this blog regarding TACO background and their experiences. I remember Johnny as an affable host whether at TACO or his home and George as the consummate gap filler in whatever needed to be done be it at 340 or on the road.

For me, TACO was just another drunk (albeit a major one). There was no one at TACO less prepared for the wild than me. I’d drive up to TACO late in the afternoon of Saturday and pull my car up as close as possible to the campsite and that would be my spot, my tent, my car. I would then partake of copious quantities of beer, dogs, burgers, salads, chips, pretzels, shots of booze and more beer. Sampling the contraband (nice word Phil) and taking in the scene. Then round midnight or late retreat to my tent (i.e. my car) and wake up when either noise or heat or some slob opening my fucking door whichever came first occurred. Sundays at TACO (Fridays, Saturdays and Mondays too for the true believers) were an ordeal that began with a nice breakfast and perhaps some Wild Turkey certainly more contraband and then beer. It can be pretty swarm on McMorial Day weekend and drinking all day (God help you if, unlike me, you had drank all day Friday and Saturday) under those conditions can be a difficult assignment. Although, it would be nice to have such an assignment today. All day there would be music in many campsites, Frisbees, and puppies abounding. Delicious aromas in the air; have I mentioned contraband. Late in the afternoon it would be a retreat to my car or the back of a pickup for a siesta of sorts although sleeping during the day was dangerous particularly if one fell out at a strange campsite. You could be wearing or not wearing strange things and substances and may well have been the brunt of some sophomoric humor while you napped. It is my recollection that there was some sort of Sunday services in the most informal fashion with unordained ministers. When the sun went down the tempo picked up and reached feverish pitch around the campfire. I remember being jealous of the guys with the guitars and the abs. It was a nice combination to have in the company of the lovely TACO damsels.

Monday morning was a chore rising. This time, for me at least, it was a breakfast devoid of the most popular libations and then off home. For others, it was more drinking and the tearing down of a camp. It is my memory that I would get back to the 340 – this would have occurred in 82 or 83 – and get another nap in before a caravan of merrymakers – both TACO attendees and the usual gang of idiots – descended on the 340 to wrap up the McMorial affair. On one of these occasions I could not stop my big stuffed bear from partying, perhaps, just a little too much but that is another post.

TACO

On the left is me making breakfast,preparing for my future career choice..On the right is Chris Lake.
Tee is in the bed of the pick-up apparently barking instructions to me,Chris L.,Cindy Lou and Wayne with Tracy Rebman in the lower left.
Here me and Chris are solving world problems or at least trying to figure out who we can get to refill our cooler.
Tracy and Lori Rankin showing us that alcohol doesn't affect them.
Relaxing after a hard day of partying.

TACO
The Annual Celebration of life and rebirth of the Earth Festival or simply TACO as it was known was held every Memorial Day weekend for years.. I have no idea where or when these pics are from. Taco's were labeled simply as Taco 1,Taco 2 etc..This must have been Taco 15 or close to it.

They were usually held at least a two hour drive from Lancaster to discourage people from commuting to the event as if anybody was capable of driving within a few minutes of arrival. It was a "hippy" type atmosphere with beer,contraband and charcoal grills at each campsite. 340 members made numerous appearances at these gatherings. As one made their rounds through the various sites you usually greeted each other with a nod of the head and said "Taco".

Dogs with hankerchiefs around their necks abounded and visited each camp until they were rewarded with whatever was on the grill. There was a communal spirit which sadly did not continue when we returned to the real world. At TACO everyone was more than happy to top off your mug with some liquid refreshment without even being asked or offer you a burger or hotdog.

There was a huge bonfire held every saturday at TACO with a bottle of Ouzo being passed around and the throng would chant,"Ouzo,Ouzo",stretching out the word to sound reminiscent of the changing of the guards in the movie,Wizard of OZ where they chanted "Oreo" or something similar. Now and then a TACO would be disappointing in terms of attendance or location but for the most part it was full of great memories.

The Sixth Stone, the Fifth Beatle

Billy Preston, singer/organist extraordinaire, was known as the 5th Beatle and also known as the 6th Stone ... well, when the 328 Club was formed in late summer '74 five of us moved in ... another, while not a resident, was a factor both in planning and after the move ... R.E. Lichty, Tricky Dick. Hence, the subject line of this post.

Dick and I were somewhat inseperable at the time and when he got married a short while later I was in the wedding as an usher. Dick & I had a love/hate relationship in that when others turned against him I batted .500 (i.e. I joined the others as often as I stood with Dick) as opposed to the 1.000 he would of had me bat.

One day I must have done something to particularily frustrate R.E. "What to do, what to do" raced through Dicky's mind. He found himself in my bedroom in the middle of the workday knowing full well that I was in a classroom somewhere in the City as a substitute teacher. "What can I do to get Ted's goat?" We were 23 and had few possesions of value for him to pilfer; vandalizing my walls would blend in rather than stand out. "Hmmmmm". For reasons Dick still doesn't know today he chose to steal all of my - UNDERWEAR. He simply loaded up a trash bag with (both?) all my utrous and disappeared into the day. Him and Lori (his wife to be or perhaps wife) lived around the corner on Orange.

The next day I dutifully make my way down the front stairs, up the back stairs, shit, shower and shave and return, down the back stairs, up the front stairs only to find as I endeavor to get dressed that I have no clean underwear. I forget whether my solution was to put on the day before's drawers or to go without but I was, after looking everywear in the room, pissed after I figured it was foul play. I'm not sure when Dicky fessed up or if I had to buy a new undergarment wardrobe. It was one of Dicky's weaker practical jokes, in my opinion; however ol' R.E. remembers it pretty well to this day so, obviously, he was able to get whatever satisfaction he sought out of it.

Like his father before him, Dick was the consummate practical joker. Some would say he did not know where the line was and, I must admit, that opinion would be correct maybe 50% of the time (did I mention that I batted .500). I remember Dick stealing the Columbia School District Superintnedent's hat, calling the 340 Club once fairly sucessfully posing as an irate husband - a 6'5", 285 lb former NFL player irate husband - to scare my roomie (I won't give that story away as Phil may post it later), obtaining entrance into the most exclusive private clubs - often with me in tow - or clubs. Dick simply knew no boundaries and he had the gift of gab. Again, that characteristic came from his dad ... both Dick and his dad were very sucessful salesmen in their day jobs.

For his being there in '74, for his friendship - then and now, for his bold practical jokes, for his steadfastness in his life experience Dick is honored here with 340 Club Card #9 (issued to him in 1981 and ratified here).

Zangari's South

Purchased in August,1977 by my dad,John "Pop" Zangari , this was another of the West King Street denizens favorite haunts. Several alumni of the Clubs made appearances here as bartenders, Dan Joyce,Sil Simpson,Dean Staherski and myself. The pics above give no indication of what transpired inside. Passing through these doors were musical stalwarts;The Bonnie Parker Band,The Sharks,Eddie Rivers,the Down and Out Band and Lefty Lefever; Civil War re-enacting units, the 7th Tennessee,Company B,the 30th Pennsylvania,Company E, as well as a group from England; legendary hockey teams such as Chestnut Street and The Eels of Death,Leah Mellinger, IFBA Junior Welterweight boxing champion and a host of others. It was also the base of operations for many years for the Zangari's South APBA Baseball League (ZSABL). Hopefully more pictures depicting the antics and adventures inside will be posted when available.

Miscellaneous

As you know we are putting the 340 Club back together now and forever. The 2008 reunion is scheduled for June 7, 2008 at 7:00 p.m. at the Knights of Columbus. I hope to see all of you there. The 2009, 2010 etc. reunions and other 340 Club promotions hinge on the success of this initial endeavor. So, be there.

In the meantime please reply to this post by leaving a comment (or sending me an e-mail) as I need to know if we are reaching more than the six persons that I know read this blog faithfully. Whether six or sixty read this blog we will be communicating soon (before 2/7) via snail mail to push attendance. So, reply; let me know you are there. It is more fun blogging to twenty than six.Leave a comment here OR send me an e-mail to the340club@aol.com.

Also, if you have any pictures of yourself, others, or the era or - sweet Jesus, Mary & Joseph - the 340 Club itself please scan them into a jpg format and send to me at the340club@aol.com. I will give away no secrets but will make an interesting powerpoint.

Lastly do not hesitate to purchase tickets early ... $20 per person; send cash, check or money order to Tee Knorr, 309 Fox Ridge Court, Harrisburg, PA 17102. The 340 Club piggy bank currently has $130 in it. We need another $1400 or so for a 60 person party. A 100 person bash will cost another $2200! Beer costs more than gasoline ... we should be occupying Germany not Iraq.

C9

Cassidy's Tavern

When things were slow on West King Street,one of our favorite "watering holes" was Cassidy's Tavern. From left to right is 340 resident Kenny Giltner,Cindy Lou Leiby (seated),her future husband Wayne Rankin behind her, an unidentified patron,me,Charmaine Williams and Ron Metzger.

From The Poet Laureate

Strange Bedfellows by Christopher Joyce

The new day dawns and your heart begins to stir,
Words of love linger on and you don't forget her,
You know the time again will comean she won't forget you,
You've no need to care about what you've set about to do.

With your love you've come to realize there more than yourself
You take your malice and jealousy and cast them on a shelf
You join as one and then you find we are all as we are one,
With no need to hurry or worry as you find time has come undone.

Within her eyes you see nothing,
No sign of emotional debris,
But what you feel is as something,
That you'd dream could never be.

Where there is one within a pain,
Real happiness you will find there,
Should two as one alone adore,
As lovers why not three or four.

If two is one why isn't four,
The same as one except for more,
If this love is pure and true,
Would this be something bad to do

fyi:
Clactu's poetry appears every Wednesday.
340 Juke Box Classics every Friday.
340 Club trivia every Sunday.

Merry Christmas from Bonnie Parker

Crazy Tee

Have a wild Christmas & a wicked New Year!!!

xo,
TANG

(Actually she sent the e-card to all her "friends" signed up to her myspace page. Further, it is Tang's page not Bonnie's. Bonnie is a member - one of the two lead memebers - of TANG. You can access Tang's myspace page which is linked to this one. )

Letter to Howard

December 24, 2007

The Howard Stern Show
c/o Tracey Millman
Sirius Satellite Radio
1221 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020

Dear Howard,

As a longtime fan, I would be remiss if I did not invite you to attend the upcoming 340 Club reunion. It will rekindle a lot of memories from the period 1974-84, the heyday of the Club. I do not recall if you ever attended a party there or not but I am sure that you would remember if you did. Well, maybe not.

The reunion is scheduled for Saturday, June 7, 2007, at 7:00 at the Knights of Columbus in Lancaster, PA. A full table costs $160 or individual tickets at $20 each. Robin’s ticket, of course, is on me as I am an even bigger fan of hers than I am of you. Patron ads are available at $10 and quarter page ads are $25. Perhaps I could interest you in a full page ad for the reasonable price (considering the exposure of up to 160 people seeing it) is $100. As King of All-Media you certainly understand the multiplicative nature of such advertising. The check should be written to “Ted Knorr”.

If you want I could mention your radio show on the 340 Club blog and potentially another 23 or so people could see it there. Here is a link to our blog so you can see for yourself the kind of place the 340 Club was: http://340club.blogspot.com/

Thanks in advance for your consideration in this regard; I hope to see you at the bash.

Respectfully,

Tee Knorr
309 Fox Ridge Court
Harrisburg, PA 17102
(717)-238-5151 0r BET 51 squared
The340Club@aol.com .

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas .. best wishes for the Christmas holydays and holidays to 340 Club members, past, present and future. See you in June.

Trivia Questions 11-13

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:

11. Who won the only Zangari South APBA football League Super Bowl (played at the 340 Club bar)?
12. What first name was shared by two 328 Club members?
13. Who launced the fireworks on July 4th from the roof of the 338 Club ?

LAST WEEK'S Q & A
6. What was the name of the cat who resided at the 340 ? Sylvester
7. What bar hosted an APBA Baseball tournament in October 1983? Bill Harris' Royal House
8. Who won that tournament? Mike McCauley with the 1975 Cincinnati Reds
9. What was the most popular brand of beer at the 340 Club? Serena Kirchner had the local distribution rights. Pabst Blue Ribbon
10. Within $1.00, how much was the 340 Juke Boxes largest daily take? $20.40

C5

300 Block West King Street, 12/13/07

You are looking at a Weather.com satellite photo of the neighborhood. The picture is laid out as you would expect with north at the top and east on the right. Thus the north side of West KIng Street, the odd numbers is on the upper portion of the picture. Left to right, west to east, one finds Buch's Drug Store, the DiEugenio's, the neighbors, the BatCave (home of who else? - Batman & Robin), the old lady's big house (last ocuppied by Jeff Wibberly), after an alley, the forester's and Lou's Grocery. On the south side (even numbers), 342 (owned by frequent complaintent, Mrs. Betty Garman and home of Dave & Jeffie), 340-338, the landlord's business, 328, Sleepy Hollow, Dr. Schreder's and the laundramat. The Rendevous was one block to the east in the 200 block; while the Lauzus was two blocks to the west in the 500 block.

Harold T.F. Martin, Esquire - Landlord, 328 Club

The 328 Club landlord was a scuzy, past his prime, lawyer with a reputation of being a slumlord. His office was in the 100 or maybe the 200 block of East King (approximately 5 or 6 blocks from the property that I - and the gang - was eyeing.) I might have been alone or perhaps City L (Tim Getzloff) was with me. I/we were greeted by an elderly women, ostensibly the secretary, who escorted me/us into a cluttered office full of books, papers, files, papers, books, files and dust. After a few moments a bespeckled 'younger than her but more than twice my 23 years' man entered the room and sat behind his mess at his desk. He was eying me/us up and i/we were doing the same. After an exchange of pleasantries, a few questions from him, a few assurances sought by us, he presented a lease which I/we promptly signed. I do not recall the amount but my guess would be $200 per month. I don't remember what I paid that day but my guess would be $400 including security deposit. I would only see him and pay him one more time in the year that I was his tenant.

As I said earlier, me, Sil Simpson, Danny Joyce, and the two Tims - Getzloff & Lutter - moved into the 328 Club and immediately proceeded to have the time of our lives. Splitting rent, utilities, and the like five ways made for some extra cash even at a substitute teacher's pay rate ($39 per day). The fact that the place was a dump didn't effect our love for the freedom but it certainly made it difficult to walk the rent check those six blocks down King Street. So ... we didn't.

We didn't in September; we didn't in October; we didn't in November. We were having a great time. Beer. Women within reach (but, in my case, not conquered) and good clean fun. The 328 Club was always an adventure. With five of us in the house all drawing some sort of income - even City L who was still a student - but not in a career path or too far down a career path there was always someone to go for a beer.

We had a dog - Champ; a black lab/shepherd and a cat - Hoppity Hooper and, despite our noisy habits, great neighbors a man and his 85 year old mom. Bars, corner stores, movie houses, cars, the rents only three miles away for washing clothes and a meal in a pinch, it was great and then ...

One night when what seems in my memory all of us were sitting around the vent in the living room floor on a late fall night all of suddent in our midst, like the Lord in the upper room, was Harold "the fuck' Martin, our landlord. Bummer, bummer.

Mr. Martin was calm but wanted his rent check. We discussed things. The lack of a bannister on the stairway. It was an obvious code violation so we both had cards to play. Especially after Mr. Martin realized that Sil's pop was not only also a barrister; but a very well respected one. Details are hazy but Mr. Martin left that night with less than the three or four months rent that we owed him and not without promising to make repairs before we were to pay him again. He didn't. We didn't. I don't believe I ever saw him again. Sil did. City L did. But thats a story for another day when the next summer's sun was ruling the sky.

Bargain Matinees

Living within walking distance of North Queen Street made it easy to attend a lot of movies. Frequently, we would go to the bargain matinees at the Eric in the Brunswick and at the other theater in the 200 block of North Queen. 

I remember a large gang assembling at the 328 and walking down to see the opening of Roller Ball one afternoon. I think Tee may have quit a job to go to the movie. The movie was a disappointment, but it was a good afternoon.

My favorite double feature of all time was Zardoz and Phantom Of The Paradise. 

Bring back the Bargain Matinee, please. 

City L and Wrestling

City L apparently had a rather deprived childhood because when he arrived on West King Street, he had never watched real wrestling. I remember him enjoying the antics of the great Buggsy McGraw, and saying that it was the first time he had ever watched wrestling. 

We may not have done much for the betterment of mankind on West King Street, but creating a wrestling fan is certainly a way to improve a person's life. 

From the Poet Laureate

Teeth by Christopher Joyce

Come five years what will be different?
How about prices and life for a starter
What thing would be different for the good of the nation?
Will it still be Jimmy Carter?



fyi - I just hung up with Chris Joyce himself and he selected the particular song - Let It Be.

Dismounted Cavalry to the Rescue

One Sunday afternoon around 5:00 we decided to dine at our favorite restaurant,the Rendezvous. The close proximity of this eating establishment had made the 340 kitchen obsolete except of course for Sil.
There might have been 10-12 of us and for various reasons we dallied around long enough that Tee and Woody decided they could not wait and went to the "Vous" themselves. A few minutes later the 340 phone rang and whoever answered it quickly slammed the receiver down and announced,"Woody is in a fight".
We rushed out of the club en masse and charged ala a cavalry unit down West King Street. The sidewalks were covered in ice left by a recent storm but the group advanced un-deterred, Louie Wickersham, a big burly fellow, leading the way. He slipped several times as did most of us but nobody wiped out. Sitting in the parking lot on the corner of W.King and N.Mulberry was a patrol car belonging to Lancaster's finest. What he thought when he saw a dozen guys running full tilt toward the Rendezvous we will never know because he did not investigate.
We burst into the eatery and saw Woody and Tee calmly dining on their cheesesteaks with sly grins on their faces.We asked Woody why he called and he said,"I just wanted to see how long it would take you to get here".
Seeing there was no trouble we joined them for dinner.

October 30, 1974

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.

September 15, 1974

The music speaks for itself ... a legendary concert at Lock Haven State College ... Rush and Kiss on their maiden tours and a five guitar finale of Blue Oyster Cult's ME262. Myself, future 340 Club resident Dave Petkosh and solid rocker Dave Harnish made this trip.

Origins

Tricky resigned just about the same time that I was looking for my initial housing outside of the bedroom I was raised in ... after college, I had hitchhiked across the country and back but other than that 70 day trip had not yet drifted far from the nest ... I was a commuter during my four years (yeah, I know ... what was the rush, Getzloff took five or so years and Kenneff -hope the dirt isn't scanning the Blogs - is still working on his baccalaureate) so it was about time ... I scoured the papers and found several nice (meaning five or so bedrooms and some large common areas) possible abodes in the City of Lancaster. One place, on West King Street, stood out, it was big, cavernous, had a little yard, and was conveniently located only three blocks from the town center and near bars, corner stores, and my employment (I was a substitute school teacher for the School District of Lancaster). I sought counsel in my buds regarding sharing room & board and found six others of like mind. High school classmates Dan Joyce & Dick Lichty; Millersville State College buddies Tim Lutter and Tim Getzloff (also a high school friend one year behind me), and two old men Sil Simpson and Geoff Renshaw (actually they, along with Tim Lutter, were one year older than me, Dan & Dick with Tim G being a year younger). All of us (or our proxies) met one night at Geoff's to seal the deal. Geoff wished us luck and Dick was in love and not ready to commit to an obvious zany venture so the other five, after discussing finances, nuances, and the common good, cast lots for room selection rights. Tim Lutter drew #1 and took a 2nd floor suite once removed from the street. I drew #2 and took the room, right in front of him, on King Street. I suspect Dan & Sil were next and not knowing the inefficiencies of the heating system took the two rooms on the 3rd floor. Last, I assume (this is a mix between memory, assumptions and fill in the blanks), Tim Getzloff took the curious undefined space between Timmy L's room and the rear. The bathroom was in the rear meaning all four of us - all but City L/Tim G - had to go down the front stairs and up the back stairs to the bathroom. It was into this house - 328 West King Street - that the Iggle first landed. Before there was a 340 there was a 328 Club. Long live rock.




Phil says the 340 Club was beer and music ... well through the internet we have figured out half of the equation ... now can somebody bring me a beer.

121212

(Philip please help me get off this jag ... I know I should leave the poetry to Clack ... I need to give him a computer - I will give him a computer ... Randy too ... help)

Music can be judged by how far ahead of its time it is/was. For example, Satisfaction by The Rolling Stones which debuted in the mid-sixties is still fresh, raw, and meaningful today. There are countless examples of rock standards older or newer than that however as I was experimenting tonight I found only one group whose song were further ahead of their time than December 12, 2012. I don't pretend to know what it means ... I don claim it has anything to do with the Mayan Calendar or anything of the sort. What I do know is this; these are the only two songs that I can find that are so far ahead of the time - from a purely measured scientific basis, of course - so as to be relevant after 12/12/12.

Never mind the Bollocks, here are the songs -







I know I said two but there appears to be more and Phil didn't help yet ... Randy?

Warning; Rock Lyrics Can Be Dangerous

Nothing to post today cept to celebrate that YouTube is more than pornography (and soft porn at that, dammit). Beginning with yesterday's reverse cover of a Bonnie Parker concert and continuing until I run out of songs (and, after all, it ain't 1984 anymore this is the internet) I will post a YouTube (or Yahoo) video of a song that appeared on the mighty 340 Juke Box or was covered by The Bonnie Parker Band or symbolized the era of the 340 Club. Unfortunately for you folks in the censored world (i.e. DCED where I work) you need to look up these classics on your own since our firewalls do not all such to penetrate ... in any case and without any further ay doo, punching C1 and M7, here are a couple of Tex-Mex classics dedicated to my co-worker Ashley Gunn who celebrated a birthday just last week on the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe:

The Greatest Day in Rock - Part Two

Bonnie Parker, Rudy Valentino and an unidentified wormer at Dunes Till Dawn , June 18, 1978.













After the Stones the gang (joined by others who did not attend the Stones concert) pushed on the the Jersey shore to more beer, a good meal, little if any sleep and then finally after midnight a club called Dunes Till Dawn. This was an all-nite club that featured the best rock n' roll on the east coast. On this particular morning that feature was The Bonnie Parker Band. The unknown wormer in the above photo is, of course, me and it is my recollection that my life was saved (from those Jersey bouncers) by Kenny Giltner, 340 Club, and Bonnie Parker, herself, who alerted two burly gorillas that I was cool and that the worm was a staple of the act, at least when the band played The Village in Lancaster. Below is a repesentative Bonnie Parker setlist:

Mean Old Queen of Rock n Roll (original)
Do Ya Wanna Touch - covering Joan Jett & the Blackhearts
Do Ya - ELO
Gimmee Shelter/Let's Spend the Night Together/Brown Sugar
Tobacco Road - Nashville Teens
All Coked Up (original)
All Day and All of the Night/You Really Got Me
I Just Wanna Make Love to You - Foghat
Lookin’ for a true love - J. Giels Band
Tie Your Mother Down - Queen
Rock n Roll - Led Zeppelin

The Greatest Day in Rock - Part One

The morning of June 17, 1978 (the greatest day in rock) broke gloriously on West King Street. The previous night's bash had ended only a few hours prior when Bobby Soder's van pulled up to load up with beer, booze, contraband, chicks, and the gang. To the best of my memory I rode with Bobby, his lady Pam, Wayne and Cindi Lou, Chris Lake and maybe Crazee Mitch (although he likely was with The Bonnie Parker Band as a roadie). Another vehicle contained Phil, Woody, Jimmy Z, Sybil and Kenny. I believe Mike Heller made the trip. (PHIL PLEASE CORRECT, ADD OR WHATEVER VIA COMMENTS. THIS POST WILL EVOLVE AS OTHERS ASSIST MY MEMORY).

The destination that day, that wekend was two fold:

1. JFK Stadium, Philadelphia - Rolling Stones
2. Dunes Till Dawn, Margate, NJ - The Bonnie Parker Band

First, Philly. The Stones at the time consisted of Ronnie Wood, Bill Wyman, Charlie Watts, Keith Richards and Mick Jagger. Mick was a little under the weather and the show lacked the usual energy but few in the crowd and none of us noticed:

Here is the setlist from that show:

Let It Rock
All Down the Line
Honky Tonk Women
Starfucker
When the Whip Comes Down
Miss You
Just My Imagination
Respectable
Beast of Burden
Respectable
Far Away Eyes
Love in Vain
Shattered
Satisfaction
Happy
Sweet Little Sixteen
Brown Sugar
Jumping Jack Flash

Prior to the Stones we slept through Peter Tosh and half of us slept through Foreigner.

Heating The 328 Club

Primitive is the best word to describe the "system". It consisted of a furnace in the basement and One (1) heating duct - a large opening in the center of the living room. The theory that heat rises is correct. Unfortunately, heat doesn't spread out horizontally very well, and it doesn't go up stairwells either. To reach my room, the heat would have had to gu up two sets of stairs, then make a hard right turn. It didn't. 

So, the living room was basically the only warm spot in the house. Space heaters were the only invention that made habitation of the third floor, occupied by the Red Fox (front) and me (back) possible.  

Our beloved cat at 340 was Hoppity Hooper. 

Interview with a 340 "Casualty"

Despite all the antics during our decade on W.King Street, only two incidents resulted in any major injuries to the best of my recollection. Our next door neighbor,"Biker Bob" swung a glass beer mug at a fellow partyer, breaking a woman's jaw if memory serves me correct. The particulars of that event are very hazy for me and better left for a future post by someone who has a clearer recall of that night.
The other injury was to George Reed. I had an opportunity to talk to George this morning at the 7th Ward Club.
Phil: Hi George !
George: How's Phil ?
Phil: Great !
Phil: How many times were you at the 340 Club ?
George: Not sure. I think only once.
Phil: Can you describe the sequence of events leading up to the dart incident ?
George: There was a dart game going on in the kitchen.
Phil: Was it a party ?
George: Yea. I ducked behind the fridge waiting for the darts to be thrown before I got another beer.
Phil: Then what happened ?
George: I thought they were done shooting so I stuck my head up and WHAM the last dart stuck in my head.
Phil: Where exactly did the dart hit you ?
George: In my forehead,right between my eyes.
Phil: Was it in pretty deep ?
George: Deep enough. I remember it hurt like hell.
Phil: Who threw it ?
George: My cousin,John Wickersham.
Phil: I can recall you coming into the living room with this dart protruding from your head.
George: John was more upset than me..I wanted to just pull it out.
Phil: I remember we told you not to and urged you to go to the ER.
George: Yea, so John took me to the hospital.
Phil: Which one ?
George: St. Joe's
Phil: What did the ER doctors say ?
George: They laughed.
Phil: What kind of treatment did you receive ?
George: Don't remember..I know I got a tetanus shot.
Phil: Did they X-ray ?
George: Don't remember that either,if they did all they would find would be air (laughing)
Phil: Did you come back to the party ?
George: Of course...Now that I think of it I might have been to the 340 Club a couple of other times.
Phil: Any other recollections of that night ?
George: That was many moons ago. I don't remember.
Phil: Are you considering coming to the re-union. I can assure you there will be no dart boards.
George: I just might.
Phil: Ok,thanks for taking time to chat.
George: Your welcome.

Trivia Questions 6-10

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:
6. What was the name of the cat who resided at the 340 ?
7. What bar hosted an APBA Baseball tournament in October 1983?
8. Who won that tournament?
9. What was the most popular brand of beer at the 340 Club? Serena Kirchner had the local distribution rights.
10. Within $1.00, how much was the 340 Juke Boxes largest daily take?

LAST WEEK'S Q & A

1. What was the name of the dog that lived at the 328 Club? Champ
2. Who was the only 340 visitor to ever get a dart embedded in his head? PHIL, PLEASE LEAVE THIS ANSWER AND ANY DETAILS AS A COMMENT TO THIS POST SINCE I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER
3. What was the final monthly rent level at the 338 when the second coming came to an end? $300
4. What was the name of the church that allowed 340 residents to use their parking lot (except Sundays of course)? Grace Evangelical
5. Which 340 Club member was known to run in 100 mile races? John Emswiler

From the Poet Laureate

A Written Wish by Chris Joyce, 340 Club, Jan-Jun 1977

Free interaction without discord.
Silence.
Followed by a new math of base 9.
Ommitting the 6's - Visions.
Before the silence, Helter Skelter?
... No, Charlie stole the handle.
The train will continue unimpeded into the silence of the storm.
Many will remain behind.
With a chance to get aboard the next train?
Who knows,
who is to determine other than the passengers and the conductor who collects the ticket.
---- Casey Jones had better watch that speed.

"Since the United States Government declares this man to be Santa Claus, this court will not dispute it. Case dismissed."

In the 1947 holiday classic, Miracle on 34^th Street, the defense attorney endeavors to prove that his client – a nice old man with whiskers, Kris Kringle – is the one AND only Santa Claus. He receives fortuitous help in that regard when the post office – the United States Post Office, a branch of the Federal Government - delivers oodles of mail to the courthouse where Kringle is on trial. After a few legal motions, Judge Henry X. Harper delivers the title line to this post.

In 1981-82, in a lesser but just as significant manner the Intelligencer Journal (to be discussed in greater detail in a future post) granted quite the imprimatur on the 340 Club when, based on the composite votes of the general public over a two year period, they declared the 340 Club to be the 3^rd most popular night club in Lancaster County behind only The Village and The Old Colony.

Now, in 2007, after over two decades of darkness as the 340 Club emerges for what will be the Third Coming in whatever final form it takes, the world’s largest search engine (that bears repeating – the World’s Largest and Most Popular Search Engine) – Google – recognizes the 340 Club as the one and only and most significant of any organization, group or collection of misfits in the world by that name. Try it yourself, simply go to Google and do a search on “340 Club”. No need to say 340 Club Lancaster PA or provide any additional detail. Simply type in the numbers and letters: 3 4 0 C L U B … and voila, at the top of the hit list, comes 340 Club. [NOTE: to be honest, the 340 Club is coming up 6^th on the generic Google but #1 if you use Google Blogs thereby limiting your search to Blogs only]

We’re baaaaaaack.

A Stranger In The Living Room

It was a summer Saturday, nearly noon. In the aftermath of a frenzied Friday night, a curious sight remained in our living room. A young male was asleep in a chair. No one had any idea of who he was, so I figured that it was time to get rid of him. With help (I believe from Mr. Getzloff) we picked up the chair and carried it out to King Street. When the traffic light gave us a brief opening, we placed the chair in the lane of traffic closer to the club, with the sleeping stranger still in it. 

Unfortunately, just as we placed the chair on the ground, he awakened, thereby ruining a potentially great photo op for the Sunday News. And he actually had the audacity to curse at us. 

To the best of my knowledge, the sleeping stranger never returned to the 340, but the memories of a great story that almost was will live forever.

Sil 

Jam Session at the 340

The planning of this gala event has brought back floods of memories. One of my favorites occured on one Saturday afternoon. There was a party at the 340 Club, no particular reason that I can recall,as if we ever needed one.
340 resident Randy Brown,local musical legend,had stored amplifyers,guitars,drums and assorted other equipment for his band, "The Thunderin Herd" in the basement of the Club.
For some reason four of us,Randy,Kenny Giltner,Tex Peffer and myself found our way down there at the same time..Tex started playing the drums,Randy picked up a bass ,I started hitting a few chords on an electric guitar and Kenny grabbed a microphone.
Soon we all got into rhythm and Kenny started ad libbing song lyrics. We played for what seemed like hours,oblivious to any of the upstairs party people who ventured down for the jam,although I vaguely remember seeing Club member Tim "Fus"Stoltzfus enjoying the music.
When we finally stopped and went upstairs to re-new our partying, Fus came over to me and said,"You guys really sounded good", a compliment to me for sure as the only guitar playing I did was alone in the comfort of my own bedroom. Fus then said,"Look at your fingers",I glanced down and saw all of the digits on my right hand were bleeding. Apparently I had broken my guitar pick or dropped it but didn't want to break up the tempo we had going so I continued playing..Sadly we will not be able to "Put the band back together" as both Tex and Kenny have gone on to the Big Club (RIP)

Ed Cameron, 340 Club Card #103-81

There many stories of the 340; so many in fact that neither Phil nor I know them all. Here is one that just turned up and it is a doozy:

In working on The True Story of the 340 Club I was reviewing the names of cardholders from 1981 with Phil when we came across one Ed Cameron. It turned out that neither one of us had ever heard of him. After some sleuthing Phil came up with this gem.

It turned out that an Ed Cameron was a member of the 7th Ward Republican Club where Phil works. Further, Mike Kendig, the Pabst salesman, and a friend of Cameron’s said that back in the early eighties Ed lived at 602 West King Street above the Lauzus Hotel. He also said Ed did not have a license so he often walked down West King to the Legion, the Forester’s, and Johnny’s Tavern. So, it would be logical that this Ed Cameron was the Ed Cameron who had Card #103-81.

Phil: “I assumed he must have walked by and saw a party at the 340 and came in. Well, one day Ed comes into the Club and I asked him about the 340 Club. He claimed to have never heard of it. I explained his name on the roster as cardholder #103-81. He asked again where it was at and after I told him he said:”You mean where Randy Brown lived”. Bingo! It turns out he went to school with Randy and one day saw him on the front steps. He said he stopped several times but mostly in the day. He doesn’t remember attending any parties. However, he did say that the 340 Club was partly to blame for him going to jail. He was working his way home when after a few too many he ran into Randy on the 340 stoop. Randy convinced him to have ‘one more’. So they went back down to Johnny's Tavern. The next thing Ed remembers is he is being awoken by a uniformed fireman. Still inebriated he is horrified at being rescued in the burning Lauzus. However he realizes the fireman is screaming at him not saving him. ‘What are you doing here?’ screamed the fireman. Ed asked where he was. ‘Your in the firehouse you idiot’. He was in the fire station up King Street (between 340 and 602), sleeping in one of the bunk beds. Apparently, after leaving Randy back at the 340 stoop, he stumbled in to the station unnoticed and crawled in an awaiting, warm, comfortable cot. They took him to jail for a few hours.”

Ed is looking forward to the reunion on June 7th and I look forward to meeting him! :)

From the Poet Laureate

The Temple of 340 by Chris Joyce, 340 Club, January-June 1977

Words are spinning in and out,
Constructing unpatterned dreams,
Dissolution, unremembered reasonings,
Foots the basis for future schemes.

Thoughts unguarded in conversation,
Provide in retrospect,
A self servfing glimpse of hysteria
And a loss or gain of respect.

The accumulation of unfounded mania,
Rebounding from the Egg Man and Mr. City,
Provide extensions unimagined
By those of whom need pity.

Looking out for all who glitter,
And converting all the fools,
It is not a matter of decision,
We are all only Allah's tools.

The county judge,
Held a grudge,
Such forever more
For The Temple of 340.

Official 1983-1984 Membership Card

Chris "Clactu" Joyce's Membership Card

Roll Call (continued)

When responding to the roll call - thanks Mike!!! Please leave your contact info -address (optional), phone (optional), fax (optional), cell phone (optional), e-mail (MANDATORY) .. what is your e-mail address Mr. Hauck?

Others please respond to the roll call by leaving a comment with your name and e-mail address.

Thank uuu!

Lauzus Hotel, Wilhelm Lauzus, Proprietor

Lew Bryson attended Franklin & Marshall graduating circa 1983. He is a beer connoisseur (not to be mistaken with most of us although I don't mean to be all inclusive here - I, for one, am no connoisseur) and maintains an excellent blog on the subject. Here are two links to his Blog and an additional article. All three reference the great tavern man - Wilhelm Lauzus. Lew's descriptions of not only Mr. Lauzus but the beer choices and behind the bar classics (remember the Blind Robins?) will provide a cheer to your heart. Happy reading.

Two blog articles on Wilhelm:

http://lewbryson.blogspot.com/2007/11/session-music-and-memory.html

http://www.beveragebusiness.com/bbcontent/art98/bryson0507.html

and one more without link

by Lew Bryson

I've run into a lot of 20-somethings recently who are telling me all about
the great beers they've found. "We had a keg party, man, 12 halves of Sam
Adams and 6 cases of Sheaf Stout, it ruled!" or "This place had fifty taps,
and they were great, no crap on tap." They tell me about the trips they've
made to Europe, New England, Colorado, California, and the great mecca, the
Pacific Northwest.

No offense, but what do these youngsters know about beer? They've never
known anything but shelves full of the best of European beers, American
craftbrews, some exotic Asians. It's so easy, you can pick up a six-pack
anywhere, you can read about great beers in the local paper. It wasn't
always that way.

I started drinking good beer back in 1981. I was 22, a senior at Franklin &
Marshall College, and I really did know everything. My medieval history
professor decided to straighten me out. Doc Thibault took me to the Lauzus
Hotel, a classic beer palace. This elegantly down-at-heels relic of a bar
was built inside the former Rieker Star brewery in Lancaster, PA, a town
once known as America's 'Munich on the Conestoga.' H.L. Mencken spoke well
of Lancaster's beers, which made me proud to be a local boy.

I arrived ahead of the good professor and checked the place out. I was a bar
novice, and didn't even realize it. I drank Rolling Rock and Stroh's in
places with lots of lights and neons, bars with carpet on the floor. This
place had a pressed-tin ceiling, a mosaic floor, and a huge backbar,
cluttered with memorabilia, beer signs, liquors I didn't recognize, and
about a dozen salecards hanging from the backbar offering everything from
Alka-Seltzer to packs of salted herring (which were called, for reasons
unknown to me still, Blind Robins). I was taken aback, but as I looked
around I felt more relaxed.

Opposite the bar itself was a long bank of glass-fronted coolers,
fluorescent lights and all, and they were full of more kinds of beer than I
had ever seen, more beers than I thought could exist, scads of beer, swamps
of beer. . . There were about 125 beers in those coolers, and in 1981, it
seemed like a vast unexplored continent. And what did I do, Columbus in the
Caribbean, ready to discover new lands and peoples? Why, I grabbed a bottle
of Stroh's and beat a retreat to the bar.

A huge, bald, gentle-faced man took the Stroh's pounder in his hand, opened
it for me, and took my money. This was Wilhelm Lauzus, a man I would grow to
respect and adore, a man who I genuinely mourned at his funeral some 7 years
later. Wilhelm had come to Lancaster from West Germany in 1964, a World War
II naval veteran, an antiaircraft gunner on the Prinz Eugen, the heavy
cruiser which broke out into the Atlantic with the Bismarck. Wilhelm was to
be my first guide to the world of beer.

But it was my professor who started me down the path. He finally showed up,
laughing at my discomfiture, and immediately displayed shock at my choice of
beer. Then he did the simple thing that would change my life like nothing
else ever has. He grabbed a bottle of Altenmünster from the cooler, slapped
the Stroh's out of my hand and stuck the big fat German swingtop bottle in
it.

"There.You're at Lauzus, you have to drink something good," he said.

I popped the swingtop, and took a hearty swig. Damn! This was totally
different from anything I had ever had to drink. There was a depth of flavor
that was immediately obvious to even my inexperienced tongue, a full body
and a sharp sting that I would someday learn to classify as hop bitterness.

And there is all the difference between my malty epiphany and those of today's whippersnappers. In 1981 there was nothing to tell me what I was tasting. There were no books by Michael Jackson. There were no Charlie Papazian homebrewing books. There were no beer geeks to show me the way. There was no Celebrator, no Ale Street News, no Malt Advocate, no Internet newsgroups, no local homebrew shop. The only source of information was brewery tours at places like Anheuser-Busch or maybe one of the regional brewers. Sierra Nevada had only been open three months, Anchor only doing serious ground-breaking stuff for eight years, and neither was anywhere near the East Coast yet.

I was drinking good beer in a vacuum. It would remain so for years. I
remember the joy I felt when I discovered the Brickskellar quite by
accident. I was visiting my old college roommate and happened to mention
that I had begun drinking unusual beers. "Oh, you'll have to go this place
around the corner," he said. "It's got a lot of beer." So after dinner we
walked down to the Brick, and I had my first Anchor Steam. I believe even in
those days the Brick had over 400 beers, but there was still no easy source
of reference on what was good, or even what the different kinds of beer
were. I knew four: stout, pale ale, pilsner, and everything else. With that
tiny scrap of knowledge I was already ahead of 99% of the American
population.

Things changed, of course. By 1987 I had moved to California and found
brewpubs. I started writing a beer journal one night in the Front Street
Pub, in Santa Cruz. I got Jackson's books, I got Papazian's book, I started
homebrewing. I was finding a whole new set of friends, other people who
understood about malt and hops and the strange discovery that Budweiser
tasted like slightly buttery dishwater. That shook me. Realizing that I did
not care to drink beers like Bud ever again required some deep shifts in my
thought patterns.

I look back on those days and shudder. But I miss the thrill of discovery,
the joy of finding a new oasis. I can't remember the last time I was excited
by the discovery of a beer bar or brewpub. Perhaps it was two years ago, the
Country Inn, Krumsville, NY, back in the Catskills and miles from anywhere,
but pouring Paulaner Hefe on tap and 400+ bottles.

Am I bored? NO! Jaded? NEVER! Because the life of beer has entered a whole
new stage in the U.S. The revolution has become established, and like the
progression of wine culture in this country, we can never go back to the way
it was. There are closings in the future as the industry tightens its belt
and begins to compete more fiercely, but we have reached a new standard. It
is now time to solidify our position, and to begin to enjoy the fruits of
our labor. There are cities and towns in America where you can walk from
brewpub to beer bar to restaurant and have ten great beers, none of them the
same. Let's go get some.

Roll Call

Please leave a comment and ID your self. I'm trying to get a feel for who might attend this reunion. Simply click on the line under the post that tells how many comments there are. Just leave a comment, leave name and whether or not you think you can attend on June 7th. Thanks,

Archaeological Find

I had started the process of reducing 420 45s down to 80. It was easy - although some great songs were left behind - to pare down to 280 and, not too difficult, although still greater music was left behind, to reduce the list of records to 187. It was at that level that I consulted with Phil from the perspective of which groups should make the final 80 songs. In doing that exercise I noticed that few Beatles and no Rolling Stones records were in the pile of 420. I realized that I had stored many records somewhere else.

Well, after sifting through much stuff today I found the Rolling Stones records. Turned out there were 24 singles dating back to Time is On My Side and including most of their big hits of the sixties. Given there simply is no room in an 80 record set for more than three Stones slots filling those three will be difficult. 187 + 24 = 211. If that was the end of the problem it would not be so remarkable; however, in addition the Stones records, ten more Beatle records were located, and 50 more various singles from The Sharks, The Blame, The Shaynes and Cream, The Surfaris, Wayne Fontana, Janis Joplin, the immortal ! (Question Mark) & the Mysterians and others were found. So, the total catalogue is now approximately 500 and the yet eliminated pile is back to 270. I intend on presenting a representative 80 at the June 7th affair.

In its 18 month or so period of viability the 340 Juke Box was a representative icon of the West King Street lifestyle. difficult as it is; that lifestyle will be represented and on display on June 7th.

IMPORTANT! – Date Changed

The 340 Club Reunion has been moved and pretty much firmed up. It will now be Saturday, June 7th, at the Knights of Columbus from 7 to 11 p.m. The $20 ticket will include a cold buffet, free beer, a cash bar, DJ spinning the familiar sounds of the 340 juke box, souvenir program, 340 club cards, and buttons. Tee Shirts and additional button styles will also be available for sale. There likely will be raffles, trivia contest, a couple of guest speakers, and maybe CDs with Juke Box music for sale. It is certain to be the social event of the year … no, the millennium to date. Although if successful it should be an annual event on the Lancaster social scene. #$)!

Also, and this is a low key pitch here but … there are three ways you can help make sure this affair is a success and a low stress event for me & Phil. They are as follows:

1) purchase your ticket early.
2) Be a patron and contribute $10 … just $10 to the cause. You will be honored at the event and commemorated in perpetuity in the souvenir program
3) Have your company or employer take out an ad in the souvenir program for $25

In any of the above cases the appropriate payment can be made to Phil Zangari (48 Seymour Street, Lancaster, PA 17603) or Tee Knorr (309 Fox Ridge Court, Harrisburg, PA 17102)

Trivia Questions 1-5

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:

1. What was the name of the dog that lived at the 328 Club?
2. Who was the only 340 visitor to ever get a dart embedded in his head?
3. What was the final monthly rent level at the 338 when the second coming came to an end?
4. What was the name of the church that allowed 340 residents to use their parking lot (except Sundays of course)?
5. Which 340 Club member was known to run in 100 mile races?

Technicality

This is a techicality or a cop out or cheating but I did not want to spoil the beauty of the previous post which consists of an untitled, uncaptioned photo but it does need annotating. So, I used a second post to do so. The picture is taken in the late summer of 82 (or 83, heck it could be 81). It is from a Bonnie Parker Picnic at Buchmiller Park in Lancaster.

front row l to r:
Tim (City L, Slick) Getzloff, 328 Club 8/74-8/75, 340 Club, 5/77-8/78
Ted (Tee) Knorr, 328 Club 8/74-8/75, 340 Club 8/75-9/78, 2/81-4/83, 338 Club 4/83-6/64

back row l to r:
Phil (Captain) Zangari, 340 Club 10/75-11/78, 2/81-4/83, 338 Club 4/83-11/83
Mitch (Crazee) Herr, 340 Club 3/78-8/78
Ken (The Gilt) Giltner, 340 Club 5/78-7/78

It was a great picnic, the band, the 340, the groupies, the roadies, and the usual gang of idiots.

Picnic @ Buchmiller

Champ

Champ belonged to me and City L (Tim Getzloff) at the 328 Club. He is shown in the backyard in these pictures taken by Club member Dan Joyce.

Date Minder

Remember the original Fan Appreciation Day, the juke box, the worm, crazee, quarter kegs & half barrels, Zangari's pizza, Bonnie Parker, The Gong Show, air baths, Barrells (for cryin' out loud), Leroy, Champ, the noise ordinance, George Ashby, the Bavarian Beer Festival, the late Gene Segro, the Punk Rock APBA Football League, porch parties, WRESTLEMANIA, Lenny Lane, Cassidy's Tavern, Chestnut Street Street Hockey Team, Randall Stoltzfus, Mrs. Betty Garman, real MTV, Dunes till Dawn, the list, Eeels of Death, the walk, the USFL Super Bowl, stacked TVs, back to back to back couches, Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, and so much more.

It is all still there and we are going there … not back but forward! 340! Forever!

June 8, 2008
7:00 p.m. 340 Club Night at Lancaster Barnstormers - $27 game & picnic ticket

June 7th
9:00 a.m. Early Bird Golf Outing
12:00 p.m. Ladies Shopping Excursion
1:00 p.m. 340 Club Day at Dutch Wonderland
7:00 p.m. 340 Club Reunion - $20 cold buffet, free beer, cash bar, 340 Club cards, buttons, souvenir program … Tee shirts available for sale ... The 340 Club Traveling Museum ... plus all of the music from the 340 Jukebox!!!

NOTE: Events highlighted in red are actually expected to happen.

book excerpt

(As we are all discovering) the 340 Club is not some man made structure existing along the time-space continuum but rather a God given state of mind where one can go for a cold beer whenever the spirit moves you. I’ve been going there often, daily, since last month when Phil & I decided, before all of us get too far down that all too real continuum, to hold a 340 Club reunion.

--- excerpted from the upcoming non-fiction novel: The True Story of the 340 Club by Tee Knorr

Jason

Sybil Zangari is Phil's sister. Her son, Jason (center, in the white), was born on November 19, 1978. Jason, not a stranger to the 340, is shown here with some friends on the infamous 340 stoop. Later, the Gilt had a birthday party for Jason at the 340 at which, the then four year old, was the only kid at the affair.

Knights of Columbus to the rescue

Yesterday was a dissapointment when a local tavern quoted prices that would have made this reunion cost prohibitive (at $37 a ticket) to many of the former denizens of the 340. Today, however, word was received from those defenders of the faith - the Knights of Columbus - that they could host this affair and provide, space, beer, a cold buffett; while we brought a DJ, music and party favors; at a reasonable price - $20. While it turns out the place is booked on June 14th that did not deter. We will simply take a step back, examine their offer, and take a backup position on June 14th while confirming a later date and see where the chips fall.

Welcome to the 340 Club

Lancaster, Pennsylvania ... the seventies, downtown, 340 West King Street, three blocks from Penn Square - the city's center - a three story house inhabited by five virile young men. Sex, beer, rock n roll. As the landlord described it: "extreme disorganized and general misconduct."

This blog seeks your assistance in planning a commemoration, a reunion if you will, a celebration of the 340 Club. Accordingly, this is your blog. As a former resident, 340 Club cardholder, or someone who lived in the Red Rose City in the 70s who has fond memories of late nights and/or early mornings at the 340 please feel free to make your thoughts, suggestions, and ideas known as this bash is planned. Visit this blog often. It is a tool to promote, coordinate, communicate, facilitate and plan a celebration that commemorates, celebrates, touts, and reminisces about the 340 Club. The gathering is tentatively scheduled for June 6th and 7th, 2008, in Lancaster, PA. Presently and tentatively, the weekend shapes up as follows:

June 6, 2008 - $27 will get you a game ticket and a picnic ticket to an Atlantic Baseball League contest between the York Revolution and the Lancaster Barnstormers at Clipper Stadium. Prior and during the game there will be a two-hour, all you can eat, buffet picnic at Coors Light Picnic Pavilion featuring: BBQ Chicken, Grilled Hamburgers, Kunzler Hot Dogs, Deli Salad, Baked Beans, Corn on the Cob, Potato Chips, Cookies and Assorted Fountain Sodas. Unfortunately the beer will need to be purchased separately. After the game I feel confident that the gang will retreat to a local pub to continue quaffing the golden beverage.

June 7, 2008 - an evolving bash that at that will be put on at cost (likely, $20) that will feature beer (free), munchies, DJ, and more. In addition there will be features and specialties that the 340 Club was known for. It is this event for which this Blog seeks your input. What do you see as a 2008 340 Club Party? In an ideal world, we would rent 340 West King Street in Lancaster and convene sometime around 2 am on Saturday morning with everyone bringing enough beer and munchies to get us through to daybreak when we would break for a bit until gathering again that afternoon when we would watch sports on TV and nap to prepare for doing it again Saturday night. Alas, due to many factors this is not possible so we need to find a place and plan a realistic resemblance of such a party.

To that extent please help us out with both party ideas as well as sharing your reminiscences of the 340 Club.