v5-1--The Best Of All Possible Worlds

Candide, ou l'Optimisme

Nov 02, 2024

The Ridgewood Maroon Vol. 5… No. 1

Saturday, November 2, 2024

“Bringing us all to a place we don't want to lose."

Observer: The Best Of All Possible Worlds
Macky’s New York: At Peace With The Lone Wolf
William Peay: Tales From The Wood…
RHS Athletic Hall Of Fame: 2024 RHS Athletic Hall Of Fame Inductees Banquet
Project Arrow: Creating An Online Home For RHS Arrow Yearbooks
Mark Porro: A Cup Of Tea On The Commode
M + A NYC: Mighty Are We As One
James Stroker: Hope Coach
Jim Schoneman: Rock Hound
Siobhan Crann Winograd: Around The Village
Kathy & Ross Petras: You’re Saying It Wrong

Observer

The Best Of All Possible Worlds

It’s grand we have biennial events like the RHS Athletic Hall Of Fame Induction Banquet. The 2024 Inductees Banquet was held last weekend at the Brick House in Wyckoff, NJ. The Brick House is known by locals as the Restaurant of the RHS Athletic Hall Of Fame. Not so much for the number of events the RHS HOF holds, but more for the durable significance which surrounds and abounds at these affairs. Athletic organizations in the 20th Century held “Beefstakes” to celebrate annual accomplishments. In the 21st Century we celebrate our high achievers in person and on the Internet.

I can unashamedly say, these gatherings are moments when young and old are gathered as they ought to: to discuss sports, swap stories (Lies), and argue over who was the Greatest Of All Time (GOAT).

I have strong opinions on who is the RHS GOAT. I have read all the biographies included in the RHS Athletic Hall Of Fame annals chronicled on RHS HOFer, Michael Culver’s web site. Though I include one additional factor in my determination: whether or not I graced the same baseball field with them. This I can say about two RHS HOFers: Amy Lyons + Chuck Johnson.

The day Amy Lyons came on the baseball field at Willard she was most certainly the only girl. She had a good glove, meaning she had strength in her throwing arm, could catch balls, and she didn’t make stupid mistakes from not knowing the rules. This all made Amy standout.

When Amy came on the stage at Willard, Chuck Johnson owned the baseball field. He later made many other fields his own, but Willard was his first. At Willard he learned how-to project his ideas without taking anybody for granted.

A prime example, Chuck liked to play nine people to a team in baseball. If more than this number of players showed up he let people know his preferred rule of the field. As best I can recall, this rule lasted over the next twenty years at the Sunday afternoon games and was a fine legacy.

Fortunately, the abundance in numbers from Baby Boom ended and a time came to fix the old field at Willard. The notorious drainage problems exacerbated by the annual run-off from July & August rain storms, produced a slick type of mud seen on creek bottoms. It was known as the “Creek Mud” and it was perilous to walk in and worse to try and catch a baseball on the run or on the fly.

For the sake of this tale I’d love to say that Chuck was nicknamed “Creek Mud” for having slipped in Center field during a baseball game, but that never happened. This moniker was bestowed upon another who ventured out into this Field of Dreams. Chuck was too observant to allow this fate to befall him.

In the final analysis Chuck is my GOAT.

Macky’s New York

Matthew Cortellesi Photography

October 12, 2024 - Charleston, SC

At Peace With The Lone Wolf

That's my childhood friend Chris - he and I have seen many sunrises together but none more beautiful than the one today - I'm happy to say the lone wolf is finally at peace.

Shot on Isle of Palms Beach looking east.

Time 7:30am

William Peay

Tales From The Wood…

Steel Wheels Tavern, formerly Smith Bros. Formerly the Plaza formerly the Piccadilly.

RHS Athletic Hall Of Fame

2024 RHS Athletic Hall Of Fame Inductees Banquet

Visit the RHS Athletic Hall of Fame

1.) Tricia Piotrowski RHS class of 1996. Inducted for her accomplishments as a gymnast at RHS and head coach of the RHS gymnastics team 2003-2006. Presenter is Jeff Yearing ( RHS HOF inductee class of 2018) RHSAHOF Co Chair RHS class of 1966.

2.) Tyler Rhoten RHS class of 2002.Inducted for his outstanding accomplishments in football and basketball at RHS and an outstanding basketball career ( 3 time All American ) at Trinity College. Presenter is Jon Vandevander RHS class of 2005.

3.) Kelci Smesko RHS class of 2012.Inducted for her outstanding accomplishments in basketball and lacrosse at RHS as well as her outstanding lacrosse career at Duke University. Presenter is Sam Cermack RHS class of 1977.

4.) Brett Sowers RHS class of 1994. Inducted for his outstanding accomplishments in lacrosse at RHS and Brown University ( All American).Presenter is Tom Thurston RHSAHOF Co Chair RHS class of 1977.

5.) Lynne Collazo RHS class of 1989 inducted for her outstanding accomplishments in cross country and track at RHS and the University of Tennessee. Her presenter is retired RHS track coach and HOF inductee (class of 2016) Jacob Brown.

6.) Chuck Johnson RHS class of 1970.Inducted for his accomplishments as the Head Football coach at RHS 1984-2019 and 2021-2022. Presenters were Greg Johnson and Jim Stroker. Picture shows Coach Johnson with RHSAHOF Co Chairs Tom Thurston and Jeff Yearing.

Digital Printing for the RHS Hall of Fame provided by Tim Boucher, RHS 1988