1949

When you think about 49ers who have been elected to the Hall of Fame in their chosen field, mostly you're talking about ice. First there was Dick Desmond in the hockey Hall of Fame and then Mike McGean in the figureskating Hall. Real champions. Now raise a glass (hold the ice) for distaff '49er VirginiaO'Brien, Dick O'Brien's widow. Back in June she was inducted into the Harness Hall of Fame at Saratoga, N.Y. Although she never drove a sulky in an actual race, for more than 30 years Virginia has been a hands-on, highprofile star in Saratoga's harness community. For 20 years she was in the press box at Saratoga Raceway, earning the sobriquet "Ambassador of Good Will." In 1989 she was named "Horsewoman of the Year" by the Saratoga chapter of the United States Harness Writers Association. (Sometimes this writer feels as though he's in harness.) Along

the way Virginia added "tour guide" to her titles, enchanting adults and children with her knowledge of the barns and the backstretch. After retiring from the raceway a few years ago, and following Dick's death three years ago, Virginia was called back to become director of Saratoga's Harness Hall of Fame, which annually inducts a couple of horses and a couple of guys. Now it's Virginia in the winner's circle!

If you're reading this on schedule, in mid- to late-September, there's still time to squeeze in a personal appearance at this fall's mini, October 4-6. Just give our minir reunion chairman a call at (802) 649-2100. That way you can get your class news firsthand, and" maybe signal your interest in attending our too-rapidly approaching 50th. Many of you, incidentally, have returned the reunion yearbook questionnaire that ran in Skip Ungar's newsletter; if, however, it's still in your in box, please send it back post haste—or FedEx, or whatever. Be advised that there will be another mini at the Grenelefe resort in Florida next March, long after the hurricane season is over. If you like to plan short-term, call the number above for details.

Bollie and Nancy Bollenbach are, on the other hand, long-term planners and have already inquired about the actual dates of our 50th. Well, the bureaucracy hasn't formally published that information yet, but the 50th always coincides with graduation weekend, which always occurs on the second weekend in June. Accordingly, that means June 11-13, 1999. You could pencil it in.

Bollie's inquiry came from Mexico, Ajijic to be specific, where he and Nancy have lived for 24 years and where they find life "pretty durn good." Yes, prostate surgery (his), a bad back (his), and arthritis (hers) have cut into their tennis, but not their travel—an annual three-month hegira that takes them to Boston and Salt Lake City— and points in between. In each city they do historical research "in our eternal quest for ancestors." Now send me some news before you become someone's ancestor.

RR #1, Box 215 A, Fairlee VT 05045;

Slade Gorton '49 "awarded," p.58