Dart Mythology
Legends in place and person, still more athletes
The Streamliner
The Streamliner (we called it the Greaseliner) [April] was known for its Salisbury steak: ground up chuck served with fried onions, mashed potatoes, and lots of white bread. The owner's reported melancholy was no doubt due to the student cashier's favoritism to his fraternity brothers whose meal tickets he'd punch over and over till they were limp from use.
But the most educational diner was the Hanover Diner, which served a Spartan menu that included a pint of ale and hearts of lettuce smothered in French dressing for half a buck. It had a long serving bar from which the varmint kills in the kitchen were observed. We named this diner "the Pit." When Armpit Annie reached across to serve the inside seat at a booth, the name made sense instantly.
HEALDSBURG, CALIFORNIA
No one, and I mean absolutely no one, ever called it the "Streamliner." It was the "Greaseliner"; the name was so fixed, no one, on hearing it, registered the original attempt at humor. Several of Hanover's eateries were known by nicknames. The Indian Bowl was the "Bowel," and the Hanover Diner was known universally as the "Pit." Hal's served beer (though I remember nothing surreptitious about it) but so did the Pit—where blue collar Hanover ate, and drank nickel beers. Its Dartmouth clientele consisted mainly of Dekes, one or two ADs, and a Zete—a crew that made a point of being unprep.
ENFIELD, NEW HAMPSHIRE
Good Sports & Fellows
I sped to your article on skiers Robinson and Viele ["A Passion for Speed," March] not because I knew them, but because I know their fathers. Win Robinson '60 and I went to Deerfield together and turned out for lacrosse at Dartmouth. Win always had a wonderful grin on his face, a joke or two, and nothing but kindness for everybody. I met Jim Viele 15 years later. He taught me the rudiments of fly fishing; amazed me with calf muscles bigger than Jake Crouthamel '60's; and enthralled us with stories about his friend Ned Gillette '67. What a treat to read about the successes of their sons.
MEDINA, WASHINGTON
It was heartwarming for this alum upon returning from the '98 Winter Olympics to open the March issue and find his daughter (Elizabeth '87) looking up from the page at him. The "big story" that those in the media were looking for was right in front of them. They were craving a Kneecapping incident but got the Olympics instead. And they couldn't make a story of the athletes testing themselves against the other world-class athletes.
This aspect of the athletic story is much harder to tell than that of some sordid incident, but the Alumni Magazine has conveyed the tale of Dartmouth athletics well. If I were CBS I would sign up the magazine staff and give them carte blanche to tell the story that will come from Sydney.
LYME, NEW HAMPSHIRE
Karen Wetterhahn
Karen Wetterhahn's love of science was so contagious that I remained at Dartmouth for a year after completing my senior thesis in order to continue my work. I am now pursuing my Ph.D. in biophysical chemistry at Stanford. Although I mourn Karen's death, I know that I was blessed to have known her. She was a brilliant and vivacious woman, a passionate teacher, a talented scientist, a well-respected researcher, a pioneer female administrator, but above all she was a mentor and an inspiration to so many young people like myself. She continues to be my role model.
PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA
Tattooed
You showed poor judgment when you printed the letter about tattoos from Dr. Lan MacKinnon '45 [January]. In his letter I read an implicit comparison between Dartmouth women and prostitutes. In a year supposed to celebrate 25 years of women at Dartmouth it is unconscionable that the Alumni Magazine should propagate what I consider to be the College's most shameful legacy.
JAMAICA PLAIN, MASSACHUSETTS
Jewish at Dartmouth
James O. Freedman has apparently stated that Dartmouth "had an ignoble history in the 1930s and '40s of anti-Semitism." As a student at Dartmouth, I have not one memory of anti-Semitism, either in word or in deed. I was never even made aware that other students on campus were Jewish.
HOLLYWOOD, MARYLAND
The facts as stated in John Monagan's letter ["Jews at Dartmouth," April] appear to be carefully researched, and I concur that the class of '33 shows diversity. I feel he is to be corrected, however, in stating that football captain, Bill Hoffman, was a Jew. My husband did take pride in being elected to the Jewish All-America team, but was unable to accept this honor since it was one he felt he did not deserve.
WESTFIELD, NEW JERSEY
Regarding "Jews at Dartmouth," when I applied for admission to the class of 1954, one of the requirements for all applicants was the submission of a profile photograph accompanying the application form. Would someone please explain why the school insisted on a profile photo instead of a full face?
DALLAS, TEXAS
More Pitches
When Grantland Rice interviewed "Fat" Spears at Minnesota and said, "I suppose that Bronco Nagurski was the greatest player you ever coached?" Fat replied: "No, he wasn't. Jim Robertson ['20] of Dartmouth
was. He could do it all—quarter-back, drop kick, run, pass, and tackle." Then there was "Special Delivery" Al Marsters '30, all-America, a shifty, talented improviser especially dangerous in the open field, who also could pass and punt. Deserving of mention are Eddie "Death" Dooley '26 and perhaps the greatest of Dartmouth's athletes—Lawrence Whitney '15, track star, fallback, and captain of one of Cavanaugh's great teams of the teens—and Frank himself, the Iron Major, who holds the best winning percentage of any Dartmouth coach.
PORTLAND, MAINE
I was disappointed not to see at least an honorable mention nod for my dad, Harold "Chief" Wonson '40. Chief was a nine-letter winner, in cross-country, indoor track, and baseball. He was one of four Dartmouth men who paced Glenn Cunningham to a world record mile in Hanover in March of 1938. In 1939 Chief helped pace John Borican to world records in the 800 meters and half mile. As a sophomore, in a 4-3 victory over Brown, Chief not only hit a game-winning two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth (a shot veteran coach Jeff Tesreau called the longest ever hit in Hanover), he also made the final putout at second base—on the first triple play ever recorded in Hanover.
ROANOKE, VIRGINIA
In October 1990, the lightweight crew team sent an eight to the Head of the Charles that came in second. Not bad considering a collegiate crew has not won the lightweight eights race since the 1970s, before the race became the popular event it is today.
CAPTAIN, LIGHTWEIGHT CREW MATSON@EROLS.COM
It was heartening to read that Dartmouth is still filled with varsity and intramural athletes ["Playing the Game," March], and that students are more interested in participating than in spectating
Maybe it's just nostalgia, but I hope that today's students are afforded the same opportunities that sports provided for me: confidence in physical abilities, camaraderie, and lifelong friends. As coach Julie Dayton says, "there's a whole lot to be proud of in being termed a jock school."
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA
Woody Klein '51 never really defines what makes a great athlete. My definition includes coordination, gracefulness, speed or quickness, and the ability to play almost any sport well. Rudy LaRusso '59 was a terrific Ivy League basketball player and enjoyed an excellent NBA career, but, by my definition, he was hardly the best Dartmouth athlete of the 1950s. In fact, he was not even the best athlete on the basketball team. At least four of my classmates on those 1958 and 1959 teams, Bryant Barnes '60, Chuck Kaufman '60, Walt Sosnowski '60, and Gary Vandeweghe '60, were better.
HANOVER CENTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE GOODMLAN@SOVER.NET
Dogs Clamantis in Deserto
When I attended Dartmouth, in the early thirties, I was acquainted with a large, friendly "working" dog who was "on the job" daily, Monday through Friday, in front of the administration building. He reported for work at 8 a.m., left for lunch at 12 noon, and returned at 1 p.m. for the afternoon shift. He left his job, to return to his home, I presumed, when the administration building closed. His job? Chasing cars! His regular work schedule? His master worked in the administration building!
Oh, what unusual powers of observation we Dartmouth students have.
WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA
Doctor Benton and I are, of course, deeply offended by your insensitive treatment of us in the April issue ["Dart-Myths"]. He resents being called a myth and considers his Elixir of Eternal Life nothing to sneeze at. I reject the pejorative "this pup" label. I am a beagle of literary note: author of Sit Freeor Die and The New Hampshire Primer. The Doctor and I invite you to meet us on Moosilauke at dawn on the Fourth of July. Come over to the top of the Slide Brook slide, and we'll discuss "mythology."
BENTON, NEW HAMPSHIRE
Hillman Gold
The words "Gold Medals" ["Dr. Wheelock's Journal," April] brought to mind an event which occurred in Hanover last summer. The family of Harry Hillman coach of track and field at Dartmouth from 1910 to 1945, donated to the College the three gold medals he won at the 1904 Olympics. Director of athletics Dick Jaeger is making plans to display the medals in the gymnasium lobby.
BETHESDA, MARYLAND
Slesnick
I read with some sadness the recent obituary for Professor William Slesnick [March]. While I never took a course from Dr. Slesnick, I remember him as an imposing and occasionally terrifying figure throughout my freshman year. It was said that he memorized the freshman book and could address all his students byname on the first day of class. I can't swear to the truth of that, but when I finally met and spoke with him, he did indeed know my name and also that I came from Canada! We may sometimes have been alarmed by his manner, but I never heard anyone deny that he was a good teacher, a fine scholar, and a note-worthy character around Dartmouth. I will remember him.
WINNIPEG, MANITOBA HULTIN@CC.UMANITOBA.CA
Sailing with Mr. Allen
Arthur E. Allen '32 [October] taught far more than sailing and racing. He taught us pride, team spirit, leadership, dedication, and most of all, responsibility for our own actions. He reminded us that we represented Dartmouth and were expected to show good sportsmanship and show good seamanship.
When several of us went to the Naval Academy to compete in the McMillan Cup, Mr. Allen sent us off with these words. "I know you'll sail the best you can, and there will be tough competition. Whether you win the McMillan Cup or not, I expect you will, of course, win the Judge's Trophy for best seamanship and yacht maintenance. We did not win the sailing race that year, but we did bring home the Judge's Trophy, just as Mr. Allen expected us to.
BARNARDSVILLE, NEW JERSEY
The Bare Facts
The April issue mentions that Steve Largay '93 was "the first person at Dartmouth to do full frontal nudity on stage." He may have been the first in the Moore Theater, but not at Dartmouth. I believe that title is held by Mark Arnott '72 in his portrayal of Father Urbain Granditer in the Dartmouth Players production of The Devils in 1974. I know about the nudity because I was teaching at Lebanon High School and had brought 14 students to see the play. It was presented in the round, and we were less than ten feet from the actors at all times. I was mortified, the students were thrilled, and we all swore an oath not to tell their parents what they had seen.
WILLIAMS/WTSON THEATER COLLECTION BAKER LIBRARY HANOVER, NEW HAMPSHIRE
Dept. of Corrections
Our distinguished new surgeon general, Dr. David Satcher, is misnamed Dr. "John" Satcherin "Dr. Wheelock's Journal" [April], It is good to know that he spoke to a crowded audience at 105 Dartmouth Hall.
DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA
Donald de Jongh Cutter '45, along with nine other '45s and at least 116 Dartmouth alumni, was a proud member of the 10th Mountain Division in World War 11. In his obituary [March], this renowned unit appeared as the "19th Mountain Division." In deference to those who were lost, the record should put it straight.
NEW LONDON, NEW HAMPSHIRE
Editor's Note: Two photographs in the Aprilissue were incorrectly credited. The photo ofDonner Pass Cabin was photographed byDavid Metsky '85. The credit for the oldStreamliner diner photo should have read:American Diner Museum, Providence, R.I.
