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Yogi Berra
might have said it in the past . . but we
‘44's really believe it! . . .
The ’44 Homecoming
Weekend is without question a major exercise!
. . . Erica and I have been a part of this
gathering for many, many years and we confirm that
It’s a multi-part, two-day orgy, one that always
involves six gatherings - each of the six being
a separate "optional" for the attendee.
Those ’44's who
come in from afar shack up on Friday evening at
a local motel (usually the Best Western), and that
first evening join with several of our Ithaca brethren
and their spouses at a very informal dinner at an
area restaurant . . That’s Step 1.
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Things start slowly and then we "circle the wagons"
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The Best Western's
University Inn is where
we '44 Homecomers
hang our hats mostly |
Dan Morris
and Dotty
meet early a.m in a
Dunkin Donuts to
plan '44 activities |
It
really doesn't matter
where the "Night Before
Restaurant" is - we sip
and sup and just enjoy |
Bob and Alice
Garmezy
and daughter are
Homecoming perennials
as Ithaca residents |
While few
of us shack up
in the Statler during
Homecoming, we enjoy its
lounges and restrooms |
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Step 2 - Fairly bright and early on the Saturday
morning of this GREAT weekend, the ‘44 "Reserved
Parking" signs are placed on some 12-15 parking
spaces on Kite Hill near "Ted’s Tree."
By 10:30 a.m. or thereabouts, our ‘44 cars and
SUV’s are on site and the munchin’ and lunchin’
has yet to begin. We use this initial time to compare
cars, dents, waistlines, and progeny at this first
"How you be?" session.
Everything's
there .. Music, good food, good company!
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"Where is everybody?"
At 9:30 am on game day
there's nary a car or
picnic table to be seen |
The first car arrives!
It's Jeanne Thoren's
Cadillac with the FOOD.
Ann Grady assists |
We bring on the van and
it's 8' x 8' '44 banner
flies high (and has gone
down in high winds) |
Kite Hill entertainment's
not long in forthcoming.
Here a student juggler
tries his very, very best |
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Step 3 - the Class of ’44 Tailgate Party:
No one suffers from a lack of food . . "What’s
to eat?" . . You name it and it’s probably
there . . Turkey, ham, ribs, salads, rolls (sweet
and otherwise) - and all kinds of beverages you can
be sure . . The nice part of this gathering is that
while everyone brings "a little something"
to add to the communal munching - be it Fritos or
Dunkin’ Doughnuts or even turtle soup - rarely
is there a "food overlap" and rarely is
there sufficient space on the two, three, four, or
even five table setup used for all of the food. Whenever
more food is brought in, another table always seems
to pop up from out of nowhere. Sharing this annual
Tailgate hosting are two ’44 Honorary Members
of our class, Ted and Jeanne Thoren,
who have made this kind of activity some kind of an
art form. You have to see it to believe it.
And then ..
then the REAL munchin' and crunchin' begins
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| Dorey and
"Jenks"
Jenkins and Mort and
Lila Savada (seated) are
among the early arrivals |
The Mettlers,
Starrs, &
Ziemans link up early
with Doc Ballard, Dan
Morris, and Dotty |
Lynn and
Jim Chick
enjoy the warm Kite
Hill day with Nancy
and Petter Miller |
Cold day!
Huddling are
Beth and Bill Quinn at
the ends & Dotty and
Jim and Janet Starr |
Perfect weather
and
a great opportunity to
hear an rousing 1-man
trombone concert |
Wine, beer,
soda,
crockpots, baskets,
and grilles make
for great Tailgates |
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Bartender
Ted Thoren
pushes his Silvo
as the Gradys check
out his bar setup |
"Fall
football" finds
threesome Phyllis and
Dick Evans and Art
dressed very lightly |
The view from
the
roped-off Faculty
Parking Lot shows
lots of '44 activity |
Ed Marinaro
visits
'44's Tailgate Party
and towers over the
Ballards and Thorens |
Foursome includes
Ruth Rhynedance, Sig
and Serena Hoffman,
and Bob Ready |
Almost time
to go!
The band's impromptu
"Pep Concert" gives
all a big charge |
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Step 4 is The Game - this one an "optional"
. . Looking back on past contests, we’ve won
some and we’ve lost some . . and we’ve also
shed our clothes and basked in the Crescent in an
Indian Summer sun, or shivered there in an October
chill, or donned raincoats on very rare occasions.
We advance purchase our ’44 group seating ("Thank
you!," Gene Nighman!) ,and miraculously
we’ve wound up in recent years between the 40-yard
lines and midway up the 80-plus rows of the Crescent
- proving there’s something to be said for being
an octogenarian and supporting our Athletic Department
over the years.
The game's
the thing! .. and we win more than we lose!
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A Crescent Crew:
Dan, Mort, Lila (standing
Roy Unger, '43; Dr. Bob
& Cush Phillips (seated) |
Typical opening scene:
The full Big Red Band
lines up on the field and
awaits the team's run-on |
A warm day and Jenks
Jenkins, the Bloses,
Cliff Whitcomb and the
Daukas' swelter a bit |
The playing of the
Star Spangled Banner
brings all of us to our
feet before kickoff |
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The '44 seating
bloc
is located between the
40-yard lines in the
tightly packed stands |
Fridid individualists!
Wearing yellow, white,
red, and blue, who are
the four rooting for? |
A
panoramic photo shows
Harvard on our 6-yard line
and the obstrusive, scene-
blocking press building |
This pair
of '44 rooters
(Fred McNair, MD and
Peg Addicks, CT)
appear quite intense |
At halftime,
the
Big Red Band
entertains the
"Student Side" |
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Gloved and
bundled
up, Leo and Fran
Diamant and a dapper
Joe Driscoll partake |
At halftime,
Ruth and
Hal Rhynedance stretch
while two rows down
Hilda Milton does, too |
Inducted into
Cornell's
Athletic Hall of Fame,
'44's Lou Daukas is cited
at halftime ceremonies |
A montage
shows
this Chris Crooker
family (l) and Petter
and Nancy Miller (r) |
At game's
end the
Freshman run on
the field - Caption?
"Pandemonium!" |
"Last
game photo?"
One of the Big Red
Band marching off
into the sunset |
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Think it’s over at the end of the fourth quarter?
. . No way . . Postgame, there’s Step 5
at which all of the food and drink that wasn’t
consumed at the morning’s Tailgate Party PLUS
add’l wine, cider, beer, soft drinks, cheese
and crackers, dips, and apples await us on the tables
in the Class of ‘44 Memorial Room in nearby
Bartels Hall. These are hand-carried from a nearby
Wegman’s by Gunga Ballard and the rest
of us resident Sherpas . . I assure you: Nothing’s
wasted . . time or food!
Let me explain: These
postgame "Chat and Chomp" gatherings
have been happily hosted over the years by a rotating
quintet of Ithaca ’44's - Bob and Renata
Ballard, Dan Morris, and Erica and
myself . . It’s nice to win The Game,
but win or lose, it’s the partying that keeps
we ’44's young and alive. This particular gathering
- Number five of the six Steps - should
be a "Must attend!" if you’re in the
area on Homecoming Saturday.
Wine, cider,
apples, cheese, and leftovers .. AFTER the game!
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Parking spaces on Kite
Hill are at a premium
and one needs a $10
parking pass to park |
Ater the game, we '44's
cross over from Kite Hill
to Bartels Hall, site of
the '44's Memorial Room |
In a Fall, 1993 photo
the attending '44s
mix and munch in our
then "coach's room" |
We employ the room's
"whiteboards" as a
"Sign In Register" for
attendees after '94 |
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Bill Wheeler,
football
co-captain, and his wife,
Jo, with his just mounted
HOF Introduction photo |
Come June,
1994, we
re-dedicated the room,
installing 18 "jocks" in
our '44 Hall of Fame |
Hosts Renate
and
Bob Ballard sign in
amidst the well-
stocked food tables |
The "beat
goes on."
We continue to sip
and snack after each
Homecoming Game |
Not just for
the boys.
The ladies pose for a
group photo pre-game
(Clean, empty tables!) |
'99: Mid-week.
Our '44
Memorial Room is well
utilized as a Student-
Athlete Study Hall |
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You’d think we’d have had it after so many
head-to-heads together, but there’s still the
Big One - Step 6 ... Hosed down and gussied
up, we gather that last evening at a very informal
cocktail party and dinner . . Not so surprisingly,
while we’ve supped in many restaurants in the
Greater Ithaca Area over the years - and each one
has been a most enjoyable occasion, we’ve sort
of settled on the informality, ambiance, and good
food that have been provided to us at the Ithaca Yacht
Club. It’s definitely a "No rush! Take your
time! Enjoy life!" kind of place and our guys
and gals really have taken to it.
Dinner Saturday
night, the perfect ending to a '44 weekend!
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Enjoying the pasta and
'44 camaraderie at Joe’s
Restaurant are Bunny
and Cal DeGolyer |
Bob & Isabel Gallagher
flank Maryann Pfeifle,
Lou Daukas, and Prez
Dotty at a '44 dinner |
Postgame
'44's are shown
cocktailing at two of the four
tables at Dempseys, a new
'44 haunt in Lansing |
One of five tables at
an '01 Homecoming
Class Dinner at the
Ithaca Yacht Club |
The IYC’s ambiance,
varied menu, and
superb "service"
just can’t be beat |
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In addition to the photos you’ll see on this
page, you’ll find other Tailgate and Memorial
Room photographs elsewhere in this website . .
Please check them out!. . Have I painted a picture
that might entice you to join us at some Homecoming
Weekend in the future - or even just Homecoming’s
Saturday activities? I certainly hope so!
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| Howie
Evans |
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VP, Emeritus, Class of ’44 |
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