1949 nd 1976: MARTY DEVLIN, SPORTSMAN EXTRAORDINAIRE

GRAPHIC MISSING
Some guys were just like Robert Redford in that great movie, "THE NATURAL." Trenton area sports legends are, and will be part of the Hamilton Library's Local History Collection. Fred Kuser was "Mr. Tennis" back in the day, Eddie Moylan, my wife Judy's cousin Bob Boyd, and the gentleman who is a feature in the 2 articles above. In computing we call it "multi-tasking;" in the sports world it's "multi-talented."

RALPH LUCARELLA said...

HAPPY NEW YEAR TOM....MULTI-TALENTED IS GREAT FOR MARTY DEVLIN AND IT ALSO APPLIES TO MY BROTHER "CHUCK". THEY BOTH PLAYED TOGETHER FOR 3 YEARS ON THE SCHROTHS AND TRENTON HIGH TEAMS. MARTY WENT ON TO BECOME QUITE A TENNIS ADVOCATE WHILE CHUCK WENT ON TO BECOME A HEART SPECIALIST AFTER AN AUTO ACCIDENT CUT SHORT HIS BASEBALL CAREER. THE TRAFFIC DIFFERENCE IS CHUCK PASSED AWAY AT 56 YEARS WHILE MARTY STILL CARRIED ON. MAY GOD BLESS THEM BOTH AND WE'LL REMEMBER THEM ALWAYS.

Sunday, January 01, 2012

Michael said...

Happy New Year Tom; from the MIKE Kuzma, It was I not Mike McNicholl who sent you the note on Felix Nowicki! Started celebrating a little early eh?

I attended Trenton High for just one year with Marty Devlin and Chuck Luccarella. I git to know them both through Andy Greener, another member of the famous 48 Schroth team that took it all in Legion Ball. I got to know Andy while we were both in Jr.4, and I followed him as Goal Keeper for Dave Weisberg's outstanding THS soccer team.
All of the fellows who played on the Schroths in those days were well mannered, outstanding atheletes. Jake Miller would have it no other way.
Marty's brother John was a classmate of mine at THS, and through the years, I interacted with Marty. He began tennis, as an outlet and soon rose to the top nationally due to his being amberdextirous.
All his shots were forehand killer's!!!
You also mentioned one of the all time nice guys I evere met; Bob Boyd. Bob was the consumate gentleman, with the patience of a saint. I met Bob through Edgar Levy who was my tennis partner ( actually he carried me in every match) a close friend and competitor of Bob's. Bob was so kind. He relieved me of the pressure of teaching my girlfriend ( now my wife of neary 50 years) Joan how to play tennis.
What a wonderful guy and so many good memories of him.

If you talk to Fr. Dennis, tell him my nephew Johnny Zuccarelli may be taking the plunge. We can co celebrate the ceremony! LOL

To understand, check my website
www.thecivilservant.com


Happy New year to all.

Mike KUZMA

Sunday, January 01, 2012

Tom Glover said...

SORRY I SWITCHED "MIKES," MIKE. WHEN THOSE COMMENTS COME IN WITH ONLY A SINGLE NAME, I AUTOMATICALLY PLACED FELIX IN THE BURG, AND AS YOU CORRECTLY POINT OUT, CREDITED THE INCORRECT MIKE.
ED LEVY WAS A REGULAR VISITOR TO THE KUSER FARM CLAY COURT. HE GAVE ME AND MY FRIEND DON SLABICKI UNLIMITED PASSES TO THE GREENWOOD THEATER. BOB BOYD WAS INDEED ALL CLASS. VERY QUIET AND SOFT SPOKEN, BUT A HUMBLE AND VERY TALENTED MAN.
TOM

Monday, January 02, 2012

RALPH LUCARELLA said...

HI TOM...I WOULD LIKE TO THANK VERY MUCH TO MIKE KUZMA AND YOU TOM, FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS HOW MUCH WE ALL THOUGHT OF THE YOUNG FELLOWS OF THE 1948 ERA. MIKE MENTIONED ANDY GREENER ALONG WITH MARTY DEVLIN AND MY BROTHER CHUCK LUCARELLA. THEY WERE AMONG THOSE THAT PLAYED ON THE SCHROTHS AND SCHOOL TEAMS. WHAT THEY ACCOMPISHED LATTER MAKES IT SOUND LIKE THOSE DAYS HELPED THEM TO GO ON TO GREATER HEIGHTS. FOR ONE, MY BROTHER CHUCK, AGAINST ALL ODDS, MADE IT THROUGH MEDICAL SCHOOL TO BECOME A HEART SPECIALIST. HE LEARNED TO PLAY THE BASS FIDDLE AT COLLEGE IN ORDER TO EARN A FEW DOLLARS ALONG WITH WORKING IN THE MESS HALL. WHAT I'M TRYING TO EXPRESS IS YOU MUST HAVE A GROUP OF FRIENDS WHO GO BEYOUND THE REGULAR ROUTINE TO SUCCEED. THANKS AGAIN MIKE, YOUR COUSIN CHET KUZMA, IS ALSO INCLUDED.

Monday, January 02, 2012

1924: THE NEW LINCOLN SCHOOL FOR "NEGRO CHILDREN"

Segregation was alive and well back in the roaring 20's. This interesting article along with a very poor copy of an engraving of the school which was located on North Montgomery street in Trenton.

Tom,

Happy New Year.

I like your post on the Lincoln School, later to become Jr. #5. I started Jr. 5 in 1948 and P.J. Hill was Principal.

To read the description from the news article I could picture the inside all over again. The biggest change is that the first floor class rooms had no direct door to the outside.

Noel

1946: COUNT FELIX: A LOCAL LEGEND

Thanks Mike McNicol for correcting me with my statement that Fexlix was involved with "Centanni" in Chambersburg. I have no idea where that idea came from. I have never been to any of his gigs. This ad is from a December 1946 Trenton Times Christmas-New Year page.

Babs said...

Thanks for posting this ad. Count Felix was my talented, fun-loving Uncle Felix. He had his bar on Anderson Street with my Aunt Etta. I never made it there as an adult patron, but enjoyed his musical abilities, pranks and jokes growing up. I wonder if you remember my mother and her two sisters from THS. Evelyn, Ruth, and Etta Davidow?
Tom, thank you for what you do. I work with many historical societies as a book designer for Applewood Books in Carlisle, Massachusetts.

Barbara DaSilva

Friday, December 30, 2011

Many thanks for the interesting insight, Babs. It is much appreciated. Thank you for visiting my blog. I hope you return often. As to the Evelyn, Ruth and Etta Davidow, as a Hamilton High class of 51 alumnus I only recognize the Davidow name.

Tom Glover

mments:

Michael said...

Tom:

Hate to correct such an expert as you, but in the past year, I sent you a post, clarifying the mistake with Felix Nowicki.
He was not with Centanni, that was an Italian bar located a few blocks away behing Merlo Printing
Co. just steps off So. Clinton near Liberty,and behind the old Prior Donuts.
Felix, who I knew well had as his neice says, a "fun" bar at the corner of Woodland, and Anderson. A few blocks from Cent'ani, which if memory serves me means "100 years" in Italian. Typcially said as "Chen Don" when toasting a goomba, or Paisan.
Felix's brother Eddie was an appraiser who worked for me at one time and came from a proud Polish background.
The Davidow's were in the Wallpaper business.

Mike Kuzma

Friday, December 30, 2011

Anonymous said...

My father was a regular with Count Felix and consequently, I accompanied him on many, many occasions. The phone that squirted water in your face, the quarter that was permanently glued to the bar. The "robot" at the front door whose hand would find its way where it didn't belong on an unsuspecting customer. The microphone in the "john." Felix was a phenomenal musician who saw the hilarity of everyday life. He had a theater organ in the middle of the bar he would play at night. My mother sang with him accompanying and my father, who didn't know a note of music was challenged by Felix to play a piano duet. Felix taught him music and my father studied and eventually played with him. I got my start in music because of his mentoring and made a career of it. A very excellent remembrance. Thank you Tom!

Warren Rue

Friday, December 30, 2011

1936: KUSER SCHOOL SAFETY PATROL

Long live the NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL! This article from 1936 lists the students at Kuser School, all now in their mid 80's who were on the "Boys' Patrol' and the "Girl Guard' which I assume is the predecessor to the old Keystone Safety Patrol which is more familiar to those of us who attended Hamilton schools in later years. My oldest brother Len is in the group as are many other familiar names from the Colonial Gardens/Liberty Street area.

1939:NO. OLDEN AVENUE AT THE ASSANPINK CROSSING

Sincere gratitude to loyal visitor Ed Millerick who corrected me. I made a mistake in locating this view, assuming it was looking north when in reality it was North Olden Avenue looking TOWARD East State Street. Thanks, Ed for correcting me. Once again, in keeping with their "fair use" copyright policy, credit for the above photo goes to the Duke University Archives, Maxwell Collection.

Sally Gilman said...

Hi Tom: I recognized North Olden Avenue right away. A few blocks before the bridge, on the left side of the street was, Eagle Bakery -- my father used to take me in there and let me pick out cookies. They were huge and I always got chocolate chip. I can still remember how good they were. The bakery was still there five or so years ago. Thanks again for the memories.

Thursday, December 29, 2011

Michael said...

Tom:

Help an old man with a failing mind out.
The one hundred block of No. Olden Ave. was just north of East State St. the dividing line. This being the case, Lou's tomatoe pies would be ultimately be on the right. How you could see Hetzel field is great, I can only imagine it. As far as the Eagle Bakery, that was on the Corner of No. Olden and Ohio, or Indiana, across the street from The Polish Falcons Hall. Panalyte and Crescent Wire would some day be on the left over the bridge right?
Thanks for any clarification.

Mike

Thursday, December 29, 2011

Trust me, Mike, based on your numerous comments on many of our posts, you don't have a "failing mind!" Open "BING" and key in the North Olden Avenue address. You will see the Assanpink and also what is today identified as Hetzel Field. As to Lou's Tomato Pie place, I am not familiar with it. Sally's reference to the Eagle Bakery was a bit off geographically as it was in the Polish Falcon area of North Olden Avenue. The only place I remember as the location of Panelyte was way over on Enterprise Avenue. As to Crescent Wire, I looked for the structure but I also came up with the "failing mind" syndrome that is so common among us members of "Wrinkle City."

Tom Glover

RALPH LUCARELLA said...

HI TOM.....I PLAYED AT HETZEL FIELD MANY TIMES IN SOCCER AND BASEBALL GAMES AND GOING ON TO CRESENT WIRE, THAT'S WHERE I TRIED TO GET WORK WHEN WALT PARKER WAS DOING THE HIREING. HE WAS THE UMPIRE IN MANY OF MY GAMES AND PRAISED MY PLAY BUT NEVER GAVE ME A SHOT AT A JOB. I'LL NEVER FORGIVE HIM FOR THAT.

Friday, December 30, 2011

Omad said...

Tom, area is familiar to me from when I lived down Olden near Hamilton and walked all over to anything the "gang" thought interesting. Can you give me a little info on the "Bing maps" please. I remember there were old factories over the bridge that were no longer in use (late 40's). We used to climb all over the structures and it is a miracle we didn't get hurt. Nobody ever worried about tetanus shots then.

Friday, December 30, 2011

1935: CHAMBERSBURG: SOUTH BROAD AT DIVISION STREET

No comment except for the beautiful high definition photo that shows a section of Chambersburg as it looked over 75 years ago. TO ENLARGE THIS BEAUTIFUL PHOTO: Right click on the photo, click on OPEN LINK IN A NEW WINDOW, and you will be standing on South Broad Street near Division viewing the minutest details of the neighborhood.

SJBill said...

That panel truck - double parking, going the wrong way? This just cannot happen in the Burg! The third floor of the buiding with the advertisement has been removed during the intervening years. Broad Street was always so very busy with traffic. It made for a good retail district. Totally different these days with all the progress we've made with new highways. Don't I wish I had that Deuce Coupe, with a 327, 350 horse engine. ;-) Paint it red, please.

Thursday, December 29, 2011

1934:"WHAT ARE YOU DOING NEW YEARS'S EVE?"

It was in the very heart of the Great Depression, much like our present state of affairs when poverty was king. This is full page scan of the Trenton Times displaying the ads from the many local area venues who were inviting citizens to come ring in the new year of 1935. These 2 graphics will keep a number of my old Trenton residents busy; there's a lot of examples of downtown Trenton during the 1930's.
DON'T FORGET! RIGHT CLICK ON AN IMAGE, CLICK ON
"OPEN LINK IN A NEW WINDOW"
AND USE THAT MAGNIFYING GLASS!

1 Comment

RALPH LUCARELLA said...

HI TOM...IN 1934 I WAS JUST 14 YEARS OLD BUT I RECALL ALMOST ALL THOSE PLACES WHEN I GOT OLDER AND WE HAD A BALL ON NEW YEARS EVE. THE ITALIAN SPORTSMAN CLUB AND LATTER CEDAR GARDENS RESTAURANT WERE OUR FAVORITES. THOSE WERE THE DAYS. HAPPY NEW YEAR.

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

1934: CHAMBERSBURG LEGEND ANGELO CAMERA OBIT

Angelo Camera was a Chambersburg legend during his lifetime in the city of Trenton. Above is a mini biography of this noted American Italian. Below is a BING map of the home in which he died at 299 Hamilton Avenue. These graphics from the "AMERICAN ITALIAN" folder in the Hamilton Library's Local History Collection, along with the every growing "CHAMBERSBURG" folder will be among the many programs to be featured in one of my upcoming Local History and musical presentations in the
"Hamilton Township Public Library Local History Theater:"
a free series of history and music programs to which the public will be cordially invited. Look for the first program in January 2012.

2011: ROBERT A. JURAN'S "OLD FAMILIAR FACES"

Just a bit of fun for my senior readers who remember those great movies from the 30's and 40's. Above is a Tom Glover reformatted graphic from the cover of Mr. Robert Juran's wonderful book of memories of the character players we all still know and lover. The graphic is a scan of the original book cover with the original yellow panel reading, "OLD FAMILIAR FACES;" the great character actors and actresses of Hollywood's golden era, by Robert A. Juran"

(Published by Movie Memories, Sarasota, FL.")
With only a bit of juxtaposing, I have turned it into the lyrics of that old big band favorite, "I'll Be Seeing You." Each of us in the senior citizen community remember nearly all of the folks shown on the cover of this great volume. Memories are made of this.

2 Comments

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sally.gilman@yahoo.com said...

Oh, Tom: I know almost all the faces. It's always great fun to visit your webpage. I have a new computer with Windows 7 and it's a joy to use.It opens your site so quickly compared with my seven-year-old machine loaded with Windows XP. Happy New Year to you and yours.

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Tom Glover said...

GREAT NEWS, SALLY! I WISH YOU THE BEST OF LUCK WITH YOUR NEW COMPUTER. THANKS FOR BEING SUCH A LOYAL VISITOR. LOVE 'YA; A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU AND YOURS.
XO
TOM

1979: BENNY SNYDER AT ANGELONI'S

He brought the most beautiful music to as during his time leading the Benny Snyder Big Band Orchestra. He was a true gentleman and his band was a real asset to the local community. When he played at the Kuser Farm Park Gazebo during those many summers, the attendance was "SRO" as they say in show business. Unfortunately Benny's health lead to an all too early passing. I miss him still, even as I remember the great music he brought to our community.

1979: ERNIE KOVACS: A TRENTON LEGEND

I will never forget his hilarious TV personality, "Percy Dovetonsils." This man was a genius in bringing real comedy to Trenton first, next New York, then Hollywood and the world. He is herewith being ensconced in the "NOTABLE PERSONS" folder in the Hamilton Township Public Library Local History Collection as well as this blog. His lovely wife Edie suffered a great loss when he died so prematurely in an automobile accident on a rainy night.

RALPH LUCARELLA said...

HI TOM....I'VE BEEN AWAY FOR THE HOLIDAYS AND WOULD LIKE TO WISH EVERYONE A VERY HAPPY AND HEALTHY NEW YEAR. SPEAKING OF ERNIE KOVACS BRINGS BACK MANY MEMORIES OF HIS YOUNGER YEARS. WE WERE BOTH BORN IN 1919 AND WENT THROUGH SCHOOL TOGETHER. HE WAS VERY ACTIVE IN JUNIOR 4 AND TRENTON HIGH AND OF COUIRSE WENT ON TO BECOME ONE OF THE BIG NAMES IN SHOW BUSINESS. MY SISTER LAW WAS HIS BABY SISTER IN THE 1920'S ON GENESEE STREET. I ALSO DELIVERED MAIL TO HIM WHEN HE LIVED IN MERCERVILLE FOR A SHORT WHILE. I RECALL ALL THE PROBLEMS HE HAD IN RAISING HIS CHILDREN WITH HIS FIRST WIFE. HIS DEATH WAS A TERRIBLE ENDING TO A GREAT HOLLYWOOD TIME. BEST REGARDS.

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

GREAT TO HAVE YOU BACK, RALPH, WE MISSED YOU! I HOPE YOU HAD A GREAT HOLIDAY AND ARE READY FOR MORE TRENTON, HAMILTON, AND MERCER COUNTY POSTS COMING IN 2012!

TOM GLOVER

Ca 1924 R.A. DONNELLY

A familiar site to we Trenton old timers. R.A. and F. W. Donnelly were two permanent fixtures in downtown Trenton for many many years. A small portion of the S.S. Kresge's "5 and 10" sign can be seen in the left of the photo.

1 Comment

RALPH LUCARELLA said...

HI TOM....THE DONNELLY NAME TO ALL THE OLD TIMERS SHOULD BE VERY FAMILiAR. WE HAD THE TWO STORES A MAYOR AND GOING WAY BACK A MOVIE ACTRESS NAMED ROSE DONNELLY. BEST REGARDS.

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

2011: HAPPY NEW YEAR!

This will be the year when we reach a half million visitors, new and return. To one and all, I would like to express my gratitude for all who take the time to go visit this blog which was started in 2005 and now has over 7,000 pages. We are entering our 12th year!

1922: THE MERCER AUTOMOBILE COMPANY

Here is a photo of Lawrence Road which would probably be impossible to locate today due to the many changes along that busy roadway. The Mercer Automobile Company was falling on hard times in the early 1920's and would soon go out of business. This photo is so clear one can see small stones along the roadway.

SJBill said...

If the address on the image is correct, the company was just after Darrah Lane on the left headed for Princeton. After our family left the Burg in the mid 60s, we lived very close to that location. We had no knowledge of the plant from the Old Timers that lived up the road. In the early 60s, outside of the residences, the land was all agricultural and woodlands. Today, that's real close to the Rider College campus. Wasn't the Mercer plant located near Whitehead Road - a more industrial setting?

Monday, December 26, 2011

Hi Bill: Yes, the Mercer factory was located across the street from the Thermoid plant on Whitehead Road. The Roller Bearing Company of America took it over in the late 1920's.

Tom Glover

1947: THE HOTEL PENN AND HOTEL LEONARD

Another splendid view of old Trenton. This one across from the Trenton railroad station. The clarity on these R.C. Maxwell photos is incredible. Some are a trifle dark as was this, but a tweak with Photoshop brings forth a photo that will warm the hearts of we Trenton lover. Mercer Cemetery can be seen in the background.

Anonymous said...

As a kid, and having never stayed in one, a hotel was an exciting place or at least what from what I had seen in the old Hollywood movies it was. I remember asking Dad in the early 50's if we could stay in the Hotel Penn? He painted a picture of n'er-do wells, shady characters and hoodlums "on the lam" as being the clientele. I wanted to go in at least for a sandwich but got hustled up the street to that luncheonette across from The YMCA.

Ed Millerick

Saturday, December 24, 2011

Michael said...

Ed:
Your Dad was very charitable with his description of these two hotels.
If you remember the buses from Ft. Dix unloaded all those poor lonely soldiers from Ft. Dix right in front of these two hotels.
Of course there were always plenty of women the majority of which were not so young or pretty.
My first job with the City of Trenton in 1959 was as a Health Inspector. My assignment took me into hotels and rooming houses.
Having inspected these two, I can confirm what your Dad had told you.

Merry Christmas

Mike Kuzma

Saturday, December 24, 2011

1939: PEOPLES' BREWING COMPANY

I was only 6 when this beautiful photo was taken. I tried to picture it as I remember it back in the mid 40's and 50's, and the Mercer Beverage Company being across the street confused me. I always envisioned that old brewery as being on the very corner of Lalor and Lamberton Street and across the street the Delaware River. I don't remember the "dog leg" curve on Lamberton Street and I leave it to my knowledgeable South Trenton resident visitors to expand on their memories of this historic Trenton landmark. Correct me if I am in error, but we are in the middle of Lamberton Street looking toward Lalor Street.

SJBill said...

Correct, Sir, the middle of Lamberton. If you were a bit more to the right, you should see the corner of Lalor St. The brewery changed a bit over time. There was a roof added to the loading dock on the right for a little shelter and there were changes (from damage) on the river side. This answers a question I've had about Mercer Beverages - definitely a brewed malt beverage rather than a soft drink. Since the pic was taken six years after the repeal of Prohibition, what was the product during those "dark years"?

Saturday, December 24, 2011

1941:LAUBLE'S BAR, LIBERTY STREET

Fred Lauble lived on Cummings Avenue. His bar can be seen in the photo. It was located between Washington and Hewitt Streets in the 900 block.

SJBill said...

There a few items that are dear to the memory in this image.

Clothes lines - we all had them. Some were made of braided cotton and had pullies on each end so you could load them from a second story window, but the cotton stretched under load. Ours was made of metal wire. The metal wire ones didn't stretch, but to be wiped clean of black deposits before you hung the clothes to dry. Wet clothes even dried in the Winter when it was below freezing.

The National Coal Company building was a long thin strip of buildings consisting of different bins. The coal in each bin was sorted by size - pea coal being the finest.

Was it Vroom St. on the corner? I cannot remember the name of the cemetery, but it was very small in size, only about one block long and wide.

A classmate from Junior Four through THS and Rider College lived next to the Krueger sign - Diana Wood.

I also remember Krueger Beer, though. Pretty bad stuff. ;-)

Friday, December 23, 2011

1915 and 1935: SO. BROAD AND MARKET AREA

This is a photo taken from the middle of So. Broad Street. I erroneously said that Sacred Heart Church is on the other side, thinking that it was in the same row of buildings in the 300 block. However, the correction from Mike Kuzma below advises that the photo is in the 400 block of So. Broad Street, out of the "Green-Mar" business area.

Michael said...

Tom:

This photo is in fact looking south on Broad St. But it is the 400 block, one block south of Sacred Heart Church and the south side of the main line of the Pennsylvania railroad, and beyond where Center St. splits off at Sacred Heart Church. That is in fact The American Steel & Wire Shop building of US Steel.
The tall building just before it was the Hamilton Hotel. I worked for American Steel & Wire, and the brick building is where the Trenton Sports Arena now sits. I remember many of these merchants as a little kid in this neighborhood.
Another great job. Thanks

Mike Kuzma