“A gentleman is a man who can play the bagpipes but doesn’t.”
– Dan Neil
Our “classroom” of famous former classmates is growing.
Judy Schoonover, of Grovetown adds two from their youth in Quincy, Illinois. one is Bob Havenfirst chair trombonist of the old Lawrence Welk Orchestra.
She said he’s featured often and can be seen in reruns of the popular show from years ago.
He also released his own record albums.
Judy also added another close friend – Elvin “El” Tappe (rhymes with “happy”), a former major league catcher with the Chicago Cubs.
He could catch but wasn’t a great hitter. In fact, he’s never hit a home run in the big leagues. However, he knew the sport and in the early 1960s managed the Chicago team and also served as a scout.
His claim to baseball fame convinced Chicago owner Phil Wrigley to let the Cubs be run by a “college” of coaches. Basically, the team’s games would be managed through a rotation of its coaches.
It was innovative but unsuccessful.
Linda Adams, from Augusta, shares two former classmates from Aiken High. The late Thomas W Weeks was a judge and a member of the State College Board of Trustees. Hank Leiferman was a news correspondent for United Press International and Newsweek and a regular contributor to The New York Times Magazine. He wrote the book on which “Norma Rae,” the Oscar-winning film starring Sally Field, was based.
YOUR MAIL: Steve Blackmon, from Washington, Georgia sent a nice letter from Southern Manor.
Jim and Pat Bible send a postcard from Hawaii and “wish you were here.” They visit their brother on the “Big Island”.
Justin L Pamplin sends a postcard from New Orleans before embarking on a cruise on Norwegian Breakaway.
Norman Taylor and Margaret Jewett Taylorvon Evans, sent a map from Iceland (the land of difficult spelling) where they saw:
- Numerous waterfalls including Gulfoss…
- The black sand of Reynisfjara beach.
- Dyrholaey Lighthouse
- the northern lights
- The sixth largest steam power plant in the world.
- geyers
- Hallgrimskirkja Church.
closer home, sandra and Shirley from Augusta pass a long map of Lake Hartwell.
TODAY JOKE: Farmer McDonald’s barn burned down, so his wife, Mildred, called the insurance company.
“We insured this barn for $50,000,” she told the agent. “I want my money.”
“Wait a minute,” said the agent. “Your policy doesn’t work that way. An independent appraiser will come out and assess the damage and value of the insured property and then we will provide you with a new barn of similar value.”
There was a pause, and then Mildred said, “If it works like this, I want to cancel my husband’s life insurance.”
Bill Kirby has been reporting, photographing and commenting on life in Augusta and Georgia for 45 years.
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