The Oval we remember..............

This or















This!

Jo, Norbert, Chrissy

More Friends......

Jimmy
Bobby,Ronnie,Marty
Chinky
Bobby Bert
John Fitz

Oval Pics from Ed

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Merry Christmas to all of my friends from the Oval.

All the best,

Glenn B

Here son, let an "old" pro show you how it's done

My son calls it "shotgunning" a can of beer. I said, like the good mother I am...."You mean "shooting" a can of beer?" He goes on to tell me how to do it. I took the can opener, held up the can and said "you mean like this?" and I showed the boy how it's done. The race was off and I'm proud to say the old lady beat the youngin hands down. The old girl still had it in her. And her son found some new respect for his Mom that day:)

Schaefer Girls

The official "Schaefer Season "started on April 16. There was a reason why, but I cant remember. I was in charge of keeping the pull rings that year. (That's when they actually pulled off the can) I linked them together and kept them behind the door in my room. By the end of the season.(Sept 16th) I had at least 10-12 strands from ceiling to floor. I seem to remember there were 900 but it seems now it must have been more. That's 150 6 packs. Although the 16 oz was the can of choice. When I married and moved to CT, the tabs came with me. I kept them in a bag for many years. Then I heard The Lyons Club was collecting old aluminum tabs to buy wheelchairs for the handicap. So I made an executive decision on the girls behalf by donating my prized possession that held the memory of that endless summer . I knew the girls would be proud. . I figure we bought at least one super duper turbo charged chrome wheeled wheelchair with all those tabs. I hope so.

http://www.oldtimeradiofans.com/old_radio_commercials/Schaefer_Beer.mp3

picture: 1974 Deb, Jo, Karen & Dee Upstate NY near Dee's parents trailer. Rhinebeck, NY

My Beer Was Rheingold The Dry Beer...

...oh no it wasn't because if I ever would have said that Rheingold was better than Schaefer I would have gotten clobbered by a raving swarm of young maidens known as the Schaefer Girls. I seem to remember getting badly bruised just once when I decided to kid them about it, believe me once was all it took to keep me on the praises of Schaefer.

Well here is one for them, or should I say here is six for them just like in a 6 pack. Yep those are original Schaefer coasters from the 1964-65 World's Fair in New York. If you click on the pic it should get big enough for you to be able to read the obverse side and see the date 1964-65 just to the right of the picture of the fair.

Now I will readily admit, these coastsers, though yellowed by age, have stood up a lot better than I have over all those years. You see they stayed nice and thin, and me - well I got plumper, rounder, grayer, achier and grumpier. Still though, I get to enjoy the effects of a nice cold one now and again even though I am more of an ale man nowadays. All those coasters could ever do was soak up spilled suds. So for me it is still just another day in Paradise, and for those coasters - well it is just another day getting older.

Now as for those Schaefer girls, I am willing to bet that they all might like to get there hands on these coasters - and that could be arranged. Hmm, how to do this without it seeming like I am a dirty old man trying to take advantage of them. Don't get me wrong, I figure that would be fun but I suppose I should be nice and just have some sort of a contest with the coasters going to the winner. Now for the contest, what should it be?

Okay - in which brewery did my Uncle Steve (really my godfather) work and from which he sometimes supplied me with a case of beer now and again? Try to remember there were a few breweries left in NY back then but only one was really the best. Yep, that was a hint.

Now if you were one of the original Schaefer girls (or at least another gal who hung out with them) from Farmer's Oval, and you think you know the answer, just leave an answer in the comments section. I'll let this run until December 31, and I''ll then announce the winner on January 1. If more than one guess is right I'll pick a winner randomly from those who guessed right; if there are no correct guesses then I'll randomly pick from among those who sent in an answer; if no one leaves an answer, then they will go to my Schaefer Girl of choice.

Jo, I am depending on you to be fair and let some of the other Schaefer girls know about this!

By the way, if the Schaefer Girls ever all get together someplace at once, I have a few other rather special items I would be willing to let them use for the day if they promise to be careful; and who knows - if they get me drunk enough I may just give them each one until I run out of em. Don't get any ideas of trying to make off with em, as you can see they are guarded well!

Yes the glasses are also from the 1964-65 World's Fair in New York, and while they predate the legal drinking age of all of the Schaefer girls, there is a chance that each and everyone of the SGs drank from glasses just like that back in the early to mid 70s. I remember that I did anyhow.

Funny I also recall having 6 of them, but when I looked in the cabinet there were only 4 left. I have no clue what happened to the other two, my guess is that someone reaching to the top shelf for a glass knocked one or two out the the cabinet and all that is left of the missing two are glass shards. Oh well, I still have 4 of them. Now if only I had some real Schaefer with which to fill em, and then of which to empty em.

All the best,

Glenn B

VAUGHN IN HIS PRIME

Charlie Vaughn way back when. The back of the slide said April 1978, so I am guessing this was late winter or early spring 78.

See what happens when you don't take care of your slides the right way, or were all those little spots and swiggles something that followed Charlie around like his aura?

He was agood guy down deep inside, and a better friend.

All the best,

Glenn B

the "Annoying" drummer boy !

"Babes - Hey Bartley stop with your BS'ing us again"

But Dennis and Steve both came running out of the tent when they heard those girls I had just told em about giggle. We were at some campground in CT (I think) and it was in the fall way back when. Heck just look at the expression of anticipation on their faces. They didn't even know I was taking a picture, and why would they bother looking at me. As it turned out the girls just passed on by.

Note the canvass tent with pipe as a frame, and note those cots inside with a paper shopping bag on one. We had a kerosene heater too, all thanks I think to Dennis. We were Lumberjacks seasoned campers indeed - no sleeping on the cold ground in a rinky-dink pup tent if we could help it.

I wish I had a video of the frog I had caught the day before. It was cold as ice in a stream near the campsite. I never saw a frog out when it was that cold so I took it into the tent to warm it up. As I opened the flap of the tent I said something like look at the new friend I found. I remember the other two were in there sleeping, and as Steve woke up and looked over at the frog it jumped onto Dennis' face. Dennis opened an eye, then both, then opened them more really - really wide and then started to gasp for air as he jumped up and flailed around trying to get it off of him. It was like he was doing the Funky Alfonso because I had put some yellow snow on his face. Well, the whole tent wound up coming down on top of us. We had one hell of a laugh after that once we realized Dennis was not dying from an Asthma attack with all that gasping. Maybe that is why they at first doubted me when I told them about the babes the next day.

All the best,

Glenn B

Still my partner in crime....

You got to roll me.....call me a tumblin dice. You can be my partner in crime....

It was a good plan...the day the Hot Rocks album was released we played hookey from high school....ran to Myrtle Ave to buy it, bought a few quarts of Schaefer and was headed to my room to savor the moment ......until I heard my mother screaming across Fresh Pond Road.... Jo----anne is that you??????And what do you have in that brown bag???

Ah ..we lived to see Graduation Day..This picture was taken the day we graduated from Grover Cleveland....that night we went to see The Stones at The Garden....Thanks for coming to our party, Mick.

Jo and Nancy June 25, 1975

Tribute to all those who have gone ahead..,

once upon a time...in our wildest dreams

Once the world was new

Our bodies felt the morning dew

That greets the brand new day

We couldn't tear ourselves away

I wonder if you care

I wonder if you still remember

Once upon a timeIn your wildest dreams

when we get old .... and we all do !!!

A time you never can or shall erase ............

Jo's Graduation Party - Pellagrini's June 1975

It seems to me a crime that we should age

These fragile times should never slip us by

A time you never can or shall erase

As friends together watch their childhood fly

Sadly, Mr Como has passed away.

Having seen him so many times walking Myrtle Avenue or sitting on his front steps, Mr Como always had a smile and warm greeting for me. He was a good man.

To all those we cant find, cant reach, cant forget...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSyRFLlYnWI

The other JoAnne.

Who would believe you were a beauty indeed

When the days get shorter and the nights get long

Lie awake when the rain comes

Nobody will know, when you're old

When you're old, nobody will know

that you was a beauty, a sweet sweet beauty

A sweet sweet beauty, but stone stone cold

Hell, I'll remember, and so will anyone else who sees this pic at least know that she was a beauty indeed!

All the best,

Glenn B

For A Very Dear Friend From Way Back

Jo,

If it wasn't me who wrote that letter all those years ago, you can bet that back then I had wanted to write one to you.



Now go do what I told you to do.

Always your friend,
Bart

Puppies, all the girls loved puppies...

...and the little fella in these pics was no exception. I don't remember his name, or where he came from, or when this was, except it was at another picnic at the Forest Park Bandshell. In the first shot I can just imagine Tina saying something like: "How come I don't get to hold him?" or maybe something like: "No way Dominic, you are not going to barbecue him." Now that I think of it - was that Dom's hand just coming into the shot on the left side as if to grab that furry little tender morsel? Nah, even he would not have thought of grilling a puppy - would he have?


Now in that second pic, I don't know what either Angie or patty were saying or thinking as patty hugged that puppy, but I sure know what I was wishing for when I took the pic and that was just one smile for me like that from her. Lucky little fella - wasn't he.

Oh well, enough reminiscing for me for tonight, I've got work tomorrow and another almost insomnia laden night ahead of me, but I had best try to get some sleep. Even if I stay awake all night and don't have one pleasant dream, I'll still be able to fill my head with sweet memories of all the beautiful young ladies I knew way back then, and maybe with some thoughts of cute puppies too.

All the best,
Glenn B

Mike Como

To live in the hearts of those you leave behind is not to die.....................

Been walking my mind to an easy time my back turned towards the sun

Lord knows when the cold wind blows it'll turn your head around

Well, there's hours of time on the telephone line to talk about things to come

Sweet dreams and flying machines in pieces on the ground

I've seen fire and I've seen rain I've seen sunny days that I thought would never end

I've seen lonely times when I could not find a friend

But I always thought that I'd see you again.......

Trouble In Camelot

Jo: "A Budweisser...how the heck can you be drinking a Budweisser in front of me! Now throw that thing right out and go grab a Schaeffer pronto."

Mike: Believe me babe, I was so bombed already I didn't realize what it was. Smitty handed it to me. He was probably just trying to get me in trouble.

Jo: Oh alright, I'll forgive you this time...where is that Smitty fella anyhow!

All was well again in Camelot, or at least in Forest Park at the bandshell picnic. Well at least for Mike, I can't comment on what was about to befall Schmidtlapts.

All the best,

Glenn B

HE's GONE:

Rat in a drain ditch, caught on a limb

You know better, but I know him

Like I told you, like I said

Steal your face right off your head

And now he's gone, Now he's gone,

Lord he's gone, He's gone

Like a steam locomotive rolling down the track

He's gone, gone, and nothing's gonna bring him back

He's gone

Nine mile skid on a ten mile ride

Hot as a pistol but cool inside
Cat on a tin roof, dogs in a pile

Nothing left to do but smile, smile, smile

Going where the wind don't blow so strange

Maybe off on some high cold mountain range

Lost one round but the price wasn't anything

A knife in the back and more of the same

Same old - Rat in a drain ditch, caught on a limb

You know better, but I know him

Like I told you, like I said

Steal your face right off your head

Ooh, nothing's gonna bring him back

Ooh, nothing's gonna bring him back

Ooh, nothing's gonna bring him back

(Grateful Dead- - He's Gone)

Well as can be seen by the second pic, the face right off of your head was not all that Charlie would try to steal - a quick peek and a pair of bloomers were right up there on the list.

All the best,

Glenn B

The Gambler

Well friends, come along on another trip to those glorious days of yesteryear in the wayback machine and let me take you to a land beyond time.

Yep those are betting windows in the background. I think this was at Belmont Park (Racetrack) some time back. The shady looking character wearing the shades is Kevin B, and sadly that was not a wad of his winnings under his left arm.

I just saw Kevin yesterday and I have to say that the years have treated him well indeed.

All the best,

Glenn B

Turk, unknown middle man and timmy otoole

Carl, Tim, Larry and Allison

those were the days my friend.., we thought they'd never end....

1974, can you name them ?