1948

When Robert "Bo" Bartley, a transfer from Bates, arrived on campus in November 1945 as a member of the Navy Dart- mouth V-12 Unit, he had visions of football stardom in his head. Now a resident of Newark, Delaware (a suburb of Baltimore), he wrote in December 2000 about his football experiences at Dartmouth as follows:

"While Xmas shopping this morning, I noticed Football in Baltimore by Ted Patterson, published by Johns Hopkins. It deals with Baltimore's pro teams. Jon Jenkins is mentioned on page 90. He may also have been on a bubble gum card. You may wonder why I would have looked for Jon Jenkins when I saw it was a story about Baltimore and not Dartmouth. Here's why: In November 1945 I was transferred to Dartmouth. Three of my Worcester, Massachusetts, contemporaries were on the football squad, Herb Wik, Lefty Grunditz and Ike Lee. In the spring of '46 I participated in spring practice. What dreams I had of football fame were terminated in a scrimmage that ended up with a trip to Dick's House, a three-day stay, thanks to Jonathan Jenkins, who stretched me out but good, and Ed O'Brien, a tough halfback, who tattooed my chest with his cleats. Fast forward about three to four years: I was at the Naval Academy but no longer playing football at the varsity or junior level. We played battalion football, an intramural game in a park near the stadium. The Baltimore pro level had its practice at the same park. Lo and behold who did I see striding through our area with his teammate but Jonathan Jenkins. Unfortunately I wasn't able to break out of formation and greet him with a resounding wa-hoo-wa! But it always makes me think that my collision with Jonathan proved that I was not going to make my future playing football. He did me a great service and never knew it."

After graduation from the academy, Bo spent, a full 20-year stint with the Air Force.

I don't usually pass on sad news like this, but sometimes we need to pause and remember what life is about. There was a great loss recently in the entertainment world. Larry LaPrise, the Detroit native who wrote the song The HokeyPokey, died last week at 83. It was especially difficult for the family. They had trouble placing him in the casket. They'd put his right leg in and...well,you know the rest....

I am sorry to report to you that Wendell Grifith of Darien, Connecticut, and a business associate of Dave Auld, died on January 17,2001, in Darien. He was predeceased by his wife, Barbara.

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