Roooooooooody

Rudy Valentino, Hamburg, Germany, 2009

Whaddid U do last FRIDAY!

I wish I did but I didn't either but ...

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Fellas/Gal

I want to wish all of you and your family & friends a blessed 2009. I miss all of you and think of you often as I await someone to come switch kegs. This one's been empty since June. Tee tells me we are going to do it again in November. I hope so but I don't want to wait that long for a beer.

Respectfully,

The 340 Club Kegman

BPB Alert

Bonnie Parker says: "I will be playing bass & doing some classic rock with "Whitefire" Saturday November 29th @ Sundance ... see press release below..It will be alot of fun and it's for an excellent cause ... See you all there!!"

On Saturday, November 29, 2008, Long Island club legends “White Fire” (70’s Classic Rock featuring special guest Bonnie Parker) and “Vixen” (70’s & 80’s New Wave – not to be confused with the all-female band of the same name) will be reuniting for a “one-time-only” benefit concert at the brand new “Frank Cariola’s Sundance” rock club located in Rocky Point. The show is entitled the “Natalie Ciappa ‘Not My Child’ benefit concert. Natalie Ciappa was the 18-year-old from Massapequa who tragically died from a heroin overdose this past summer. She was also the daughter of Vic Ciappa, White Fire’s drummer. The proceeds from the show will be donated to a fund being created in Natalie’s name that will be used to bring attention to the prevalence of the heroin problem on Long Island, including seeking new legislation on the issue both locally and nationally. Tickets will be $15 and will be sold at the door the night of the show (no advance sales), so be sure to get there early. Doors will open at 8 p.m. For further information and directions, please go to www. sundancerocks.com. Please come out to support this great cause!

from today's Sunday Patriot News

The Sharks at Gullifty's

Saturday, October 25th
Ticket info: www.gulliftys.net
Must be 21. Doors open at 9 pm.

I will be in AC with Beverly during the day so my attendance is doubtful. We are scheduled back at 7:30. A quick nap, shit, shower & a shave and I could make Guliffty's by 9:30 or so. I suppose I should be listed as doubtful.

Richie Scarlet at B.B. King's on Times Square, last Friday, October 10th; if you missed it ... his band will be at The Chance in Poughkeepsie, NY on December 6th. Me and Randy wouldn't need too much encouragement to make the trip. 340 Forever!!!

More Crazee

Mitch Herr
Maple Farm Nursing Center
604 Oak Street
Akron, Pennsylvania 17501
(717) 859 1191, ask for Mitch

I stopped by the MFNC today on my home from a speaking engagement in Downington. Mitch was enjoying a pleasant afternoon nap. After he greshened up we retreated to the garden where he had a smoke (or three)and we talked. It was a great time. I met several roomies and they were all fine people. Mitch proved to be an astute observer of the political scene being for Barack Obama but a little much of a sheep on his Kennedy assasination history believing - as does 85% of the kountry - in a conspiracy. In any case, whatever you beliefs - write him, call him or visit. He'd love to see you. All blessings upon you.

Poet Laureate

Trouble Sleeping by Christopher E. Joyce, 1993

Running all night til the sun kicks in
Running from nothing just hoping to win
Hoping to come away with a prize
And standing to lose nothing but your pride.

If you mess up your lines they can take you away
So don't pay attention to what they may say
Trust and follow that voice in your heart
Like any actor in a play you you have to play that part

Those two-faced phonies with the holes in their souls
They don't mean a thing they're just ill fated foes
Don't believe them when they say that we're all the same
Just screw 'em - and best them at their own game.

Crazy Mitch

I hadn’t seen Mitch in ages until Easter Saturday this year when I saw him at the Sharks show at The Village. It was just like old times; as soon as I hit the door I heard his unmistakable voice shouting “Crazzzee”! There he was bigger than life. A drink in one hand; a cigarette in the other; chicks on both sides of him and Ralphie Baker crouched in front of him conversing a mile a minute. It coulda been 1978.

Except it wasn’t.

It was March 22, 2008. Mitch, diabetic like me, was in a wheelchair and minus both a leg and a kidney. He is doing pretty well though; he’s got round the clock nurses only a buzzer away. He can smoke when he wants and, although he knows his limit, can have a beer every now and then. He has 119 roomies though hopefully neither Phil nor I for a while. Although we are coming Crazy!!!

If any of you want to stop by and see him or write or call here are his particulars:

Mitch Herr
Maple Farm Nursing Center
604 Oak Street
Akron, Pennsylvania 17501
(717) 859 1191, ask for Mitch

I just got off the phone with him and he sez hello and to have one on him!!!

Rock On

Here is a copy of a MySpace correspondence between me and someone puporting to be Bonnie Parker:
From: BONNIE PARKER.. Block User
Delete From Friends
myspace.com/bonnieparkernyc
Date: Aug 7, 2008 9:51 PM Flag as Spam or Report Abuse [?]
Help: Flag
Message If you get a message that is spam (someone trying to sell you something, get you to look at their profile, or redirect you to another website), click the ‘Spam’ button to notify us. If the email is not spam, but is abusive in nature (cyberbullying, inappropriate content, or another matter), click on ‘Abuse’. You can then let us know what type of abuse the message is. Thanks for your help in moderating MySpace Mail! Subject:
RE: There's Gonna Be a 340 Tomorrow
Body:

Rock on dudes!!!
xo,
BP

----------------- Original Message -----------------
From: Ted
Date: Aug 7, 2008 12:05 AM
Subject: There's Gonna be a 340 tommorow

Naaah, not till November 2009 ... Mitch lives!!! and still rocks ... Jump & Shout! Crazee Tee

Poker Night

A couple of 328 Club vets joined four other members of Lancaster Catholic’s Class of ’69 in a hotly contested game of poker yesterday. I hosted. Here are the players and the facts and figures:

Tee Knorr, 328- 340-338 Club
Dan Joyce, 328 Club
Joe Riley
Tim Bucher
John Kunkle
Keith Costello

As host, I provided beer, pizza, chips, pretzels at a cost of $82.60 (Beer Centre $49.00, Mercado’s Pizza $33.60).

Here are some results:
Iron City beat Yuengling Lager, 19 cans drunk to 15… 14 (29%) beers remained.
Plain Pizza nipped Pepperoni 12 slices ate to 10 … two (8%) slices remained.
Barack Obama won our straw poll by a 4-2 margin.
We played 5 card draw, seven card stud, pass the trash, dumb and dumber, hemmeroids, 1492, some of the games were high-low splits, high spade splits and one even combined a high-low split with a high spade split.
Joe appeared to be the big winner … I held my own with a $6.50 profit.

We all look forward to the next game … likely in the fall. I’ve now played three straight games and regret having missed many years worth of the fun. The game has met, at least annually, since 1967.

Richie Scarlet

July 4th! Don't you wish it was 1974-84, pick a year

I wouldn't be feeling guilty about it being 2:00 and not having accomplished anything ... I'd be on the 3rd floor listening to the City wake up and perhaps obscuring those sounds with rock n roll ... a Friday fourth would have meant there was a party last night ... as it was 2:00 Kenny had probably already scaled my stairs and went out the window to the roof ... certainly by now Marty and/or Woody and/or Sam and/or Sports Sunday and/or Jose and/or Coach or more would be bringing in cases or quarts in to the 340 and drinking and cajoling on the porch.

That was then this is now... Dick called last night and apologized for not making the reunion ... he was under the weather ... say a prayer for him ... he is a private type of guy so I have little more to say ... on a humorous side he pledged to visit this site no more ... he did not appreciate being outed as a frequent visitor to the virtual Club ... said in the future he would sneak in at his son's PC.

If anyone is attending any Barnstormer games let me know; I'm all for attending

340

It's been very quiet here at the Virtual 340 Club but the Karma from the Club is still prevalent wherever you go. I work part-time at the Engleside Beverage Mart. Its a beer distributor so 340 members coming in to make a purchase should not surprise anyone.

Today is the 2nd of July and being a former Civil War re-enactor I wore a tee shirt commemorating that battle of 145 years ago,that occurred on the first three days of July,1863.
Now I have to restock the beer cooler as one of my duties and I learned early on to wear something to protect me from the cold. What better selection could I have made but the new denim shirt with the 340 Club embroidered over the pocket which most former Club residents purchased at the reunion. Its summer so I don't have to button up the new shirt, its long sleeves afford enough covering to keep the chill away.
Well I came out of the cooler with it still on and began loading up my "wagon" with another load of beer. As I neared the cooler a customer came in with three empty half-barrels. He looked at me and said, "Where did you get the shirt ?". I didn't recognize him but having received comments about my Civil War attire before I said,"You mean the Gettysburg shirt ?". He said ,"No, the 340 Shirt". I tried to explain the Club's concept but he interrupted with, "You mean Phil Zangari and the guys". Mentioning my name first of course fueled my "ego" and then my Boss Lady told him who I was. He stuck out his hand and said,"Ted Troop". He had a beard and I told him I would have never recognized him and he said the same about me which deflated my earlier euphoria of my being synonymous with the Club. I didn't bring up the desk-trashing incident in Leominster that has been chronicled earlier on this Blog by Tee and Coach. Ted did say he was not "quite" twenty-one years old yet when he imbibed with us. He must have had a fake ID because I am sure no one could have gotten past our tight security we implemented at all Club functions.

On the same note, as I was entering Superpetz to buy some dog food, none other than former 340 member/Chestnut Street Hockey Player Pat Snyder came out. As we shook hands he said, "I heard you had a reunion". He apologized for not attending as he and his family were out of town.

All signs point to the next 340 get-together as being the social event of the Millenium.

Two more pics from Coach

Woody,Brian S. and Jack D.



The "Randallion" doing his thing, sans a zoom lens.

Coach's Photographic Contributions

The Coach of the Year,every year, Don Kuhns,has sent in these three pics from the Re-Union. He said he has two more. He would have taken more but he realized he had to put his beer down to focus the camera and thought better of it.




Here is Cindy Lou,Sybil and Paula enjoying the party.





Paula and Jack Daily.




Paula,Brian Smith,Jack D.,Ralph B.Jimmy Z., and Chuck Daily.

The Sign of Four (1890)

"Eliminate all other factors, and the one which remains must be the truth." – Sherlock Holmes

 

I packed the 340 Club archives away in their box last Saturday and took them out to the vicinity of my car (or placed them in my trunk). I then took Chris home (perhaps, for some reason taking the box out and leaving it on that parking lot; maybe Chris has it. I’ll check.). I then returned to the hotel with Beverly (while there was no reason to take the box out of my car; perhaps I did. However, neither the Parking Authority nor the Hotel’s lost & found’s are aware of it.) The following morning I drove home to Harrisburg and unloaded my car. A few hours later I noticed that the box was not among the items in my home. (Again, perhaps I left it in my parking lot in downtown Harrisburg and some knucklehead took it). Alas, the box and its contents are gone. Lost forever.

 

Unless, we eliminate the other factors. I remember packing it. Grabes saw me pack it. I took it out of the Knights (this is verified by the Knights not having it). I loaded most items in my trunk. The last item I brought out was the tub of artifacts. Then I took Chris home, went to the hotel and went home. I had no need to remove the artifacts from my car – and I did not (this is verified by the Brunswick & Parking Authority). I came home and unpacked. The artifacts were missing.

 

Therefore, once all the other possibilities are eliminated!!! The artifacts never made it to my trunk. I did, as I remember and as Grabes saw, pack the artifacts in the plastic tub and I did take them out to my car. Where I was distracted by the Hound of the Baskerville’s (more accurately JJ’s nice puppy). I placed the tub on the ground and, as I am apt to do, went over to pet the pooch. While encouraging JJ to say hello to Beverly. I slammed the trunk lid and hopped into my car leaving the precious 340 Club artifacts right there on the Knights of Columbus parking lot. I trust they are now in the possession of one Johnny Johnson or young Phil Zangari or some other 340 Clubber. If not, wind and rain have taken their toll and they may be on the way to the Chesapeake Bay.

 

Bottom-line is while it would be interesting, funny and whatnot for the missing artifacts to make a miraculous appearance at the November 2009 reunion and while I don’t believe I’ve any need for them in the interim; there are three overriding issues:

 

1. it would be nice if those two or three Bonnie Parker photos could be scanned in and uploaded to the blog, and;
2. of more immediate concern to me at the moment I really could use that plastic tub for several upcoming Negro League baseball exhibits, and;
3. I could sleep better at night knowing where my archives are for sure

 

So, please return. Thanks. Elementary my dear Watson!

Flash Back - 1978

The "Greatest Day in Rock & Roll History", June 17th,1978 has been well chronicled on this Blog. What transpired on the eve of this day is not widely know. The Chestnut Street Hockey Club had their first Annual Semi-Formal. Most if not all the attendees were either residents/members/guests of the 340 Club.
The party raged until the early morning hours of the next day making the trip to JFK Stadium in Philly for the Stones and Foreigner and then the trek to Summers Point,New Jersey to see the Bonnie Parker Band even more impressive.




To view the above pics in a slideshow format click on the link below.



1978 Chestnut Street Semi-Formal

Typical but Tragic

The archival exhibit on display at the 2nd periodic 340 Club Reunion is missing. I thought I took it to my car and placed it in the trunk and unloaded it in Harrisburg. However, obviously I did not. The Knights say it is not there. Perhaps I removed it from the Knights but left in the parking lot? I don't know why I would have unloaded it to bring into the hotel and don't think I did but I will check. The next flashpoint is my parking lot in downtown Harrisburg. Or could it be in my house. Keep your ears open. Thanks

Punishment Deferred

My punishment was delayed for five years. As the fiscal year turned, July 1, I found myself as Phil's roomie again on Seymour Street. There I completed my 15 year run in a frat house staying at Seymour until the death of my mother in September 1989 when I had to undergo my punishment, punishment it was though; I had to move into my families home. Just like Phil it was my first experience on my own, other than briefly at the Outpost of Humanity in between roomies. While I didn't suffer back problems I did have to deal with ghosts and not having a bar within a decent walking distance. There is no comparision between City life and suburban living. My decade in Quaker Hills, Lancaster County, was the worst decade of my life. I was more isolated (with friends only three miles away) than I have been in my new City (where I had to start from scratch)for the past decade.

Sil's punishment was of a different sort; it took him a while but he took a wife. (I trust the reader recognizes my poor attempt at humor; Sil was very lucky in that regard. No punishment there. He married a young lady that he met at the 328 Club.)Sadly, what Phil and I refer to as punishments are very light compared to others who left the 340. Life has been very good to me - my health (despite diabetes) is relatively good, my job has been steady and retirement is on the radar screen, I have a daughter, and a good woman. Others have not been so lucky ... I am blessed and grateful; Praise the Lord!