1949

Who can President Dickey following the Great Issues lecture with questions, watching our championship hockey team in an arena cooled by the North winds, the battle between Ed Leede and Bob Cousy on the basketball floor, or dancing to Count Bassie and Vaughn Monroe at the Gym on Green Key Weekend? Just a little look back for this "Unabashed Nostalgia" issue of DAM.

Thanks to Nellie Abrahamsen, I received an article on David Van Tassel. Nellie reported he is still working hard as an Optometrist, treating patients in the greater Cleveland area, and expects to continue for some time. Dave's Dad, in his 87th year, is still an avid hunter so Nellie thinks there is still plenty of time in the future for leisure activities. The article she sent relates that David, who also teaches at Case Western University, was one of five academic professionals to receive a national humanities award from Vice President Quayle. He was awarded the Charles Frankel Prize for bringing knowledge and appreciation of history to large audiences. He also is an author, editor, and founder of an Ohio teachers competition that has grown to a national event. His award was organized by the National Endowment for the Humanities. He received an engraved medal and a $5000 monetary award. Dave has taught at Case Western since 1969 and became Chairman of the History Department in 1987. Well done, Dave.

John Simpson also has the best of two worlds, as he winters in Arizona and lives in Pittsburgh the rest of the year. JohnnySweetland is still working and living in Duxbury, Mass., but spends some of the winter at his place on Longboat Key, Sarasota.

Stu Sayre is still trying to organize his retirement, still living in N.J., but spending more time in his place on Cape Cod.

Jim Zafris found a way to put travel time to and from work to good use as he used tapes on how to speak Spanish and then spent three weeks in Spain using his skills.

Punchy Thomas reported that there were not too many '49ers at the Harvard game this year since probably most spent all their money on the mini-reunion (the Yale game), but he did know that both Ray Truncelito and JoeSullivan had the fun of seeing Harvard lose. What a great season we had on the gridiron.

I talked with Joe Derry in Miami, and he reports he is semi retired and gets to his old hometown, Philadelphia, occasionally but that is as far North as it gets.

Since settling in my new Florida residence, I have found another '49er here: Stu Silver, who retired from general surgery in 1987 to a home on Bird Key, with a 34-foot sloop in his backyard dock. Between sailing, volunteer work for the Opera and Ballet, and doctoring at a free clinic in Sarasota, his days are full.

Bruce B. Crawford, 3413 Highlands Bridge Road, Sarasota, FL 34235