Remembrances

From “Baseball Bob” Molee

Absolutely loved the site you put together about Irvington. Thank you very much.

Allow me to share some of my rememberences.

My name is Bob Molee, Class of '76. My family moved to Irvington from Newark in 1967 when I was about 9 years old. I attended Berkeley Terrace, Florence Ave, and Myrtle Junior High. So by the time I got to Frank H. Morrell, I had alot of friends. I played on the Irvington Little League...2 years on the minor league Braves, and 2 years on the major league Dodgers. Thanks to my Dad and all of our practices on the baseball field, I turned out to be a pretty good little ballplayer. He was quite proud when I made the All Star teams.

Remember some of the fields we used to play at? Orange park, Irvington park, Parkway park, and the "holy grail" of fields, LITTLE LEAGUE FIELD? Oh my God !!!!!! That was like playing at Yankee Stadium !!!!  The dugouts, the advertisements on the outfield fences, the electronic scoreboard, the announcer’s booth above the snack bar, the stands for our family and friends to enjoy watching their ballplayers. The beautifully cut grass of the infield and outfield. The soft infield dirt that could never cut you up if you dove for a ball, almost like playing on Nestles Quik powder !!!!!  After the game it was our duty to go beneath the stands and collect the wrappers and trash for garbage. And I remember I was honored one time to help the man take down the American flag in center field.

Finally, I recall our Little League parade, opening day in late April. Our teams would walk from Town Hall along Union Avenue to Chancellor field (where Little League Field was). After some festivities, a game would be played and the season would begin. My oh my what precious memories.
                       
Today, you can see the field from the Parkway. Now, it is all neglected and disgusting. But in my minds eye, I am 12 years old playing shortstop on that perfectly manicured field, the sunshine is warm, I can smell the hot dogs cooking in the snack bar, our families are cheering for us, a great little ballplayer named Mike Ahearn is up at bat, and there's nowhere else in the world I'd rather be.

I loved walking to Irvington Center with my friend Roy Miller (who is now a successful Broadway producer). We loved going to the Dairy Queen to get our "black and white" milkshakes, or to the Harvest House for a hamburger, or to Cards Galore to buy a card for our parents, or Lofts to buy chocolates for Mom. We had our choice of 3 movie theaters to see the latest film (The Castle, The Sanford, or The Chancellor). I asked Dad about the ART movie theater and its' latest flick titled "I AM CURIOUS YELLOW"......he told me that it was for a different kind of audience, whatever THAT meant....

We used to walk with our sleds across town to "HOSPITAL HILL" to go sleigh riding in the shadow of Irvington General Hospital. The problem was, no matter how hard it snowed, we STILL had to go to school. We hardly EVER got a snow emergency day.....EVER !!!!!!!!

But my favorite place to go, once a week, after I got my allowance, was Tommys Record Shop. I remember the smell of incense and the music he would play. He had a great selection of albums. Tommy had long hair and a beard, and the other guys who worked there had long hair, including one who had green and pink hair color. I thought they were the coolest guys around. And even though I was a kid, they always treated me kindly. I never had a customer service issue with those guys. I have managed to hold on to many original record albums (fossils today), and most of them were either bought at Tommys or won at a record stand in Seaside. I will never part with them.

I attended Irvington High from September '72 to June '76. Wonderful years they were. In 1974, I was in the senior musical "OLIVER" . As a sophomore, I remember how impressed I was with the guy who played the lead character Fagin. Whatever became of Tom McCourt? I had such a great experience during that show. Being directed by Gary Reece and Roger Lionhardt taught me so much, and truly inspired me to want to be an actor. Two years later when I was a senior, it was a pleasure and an HONOR to be directed once again by Mr. Reece and Mr. Lionhardt in my senior musical, "Guys and Dolls". With musical director Joseph Kaspriskie, what an unforgettable and life-changing experience that was for me and, I'm sure, most of that cast....Nicely Nicely indeed !!!!!!!

Thank you for allowing me to share some special times. Angie, Juan, Wayne, Ted, Billy, Yasmin, Dennis, Donna, Cathy, Diane and the rest, if you're out there, God bless you all.

Bob Molee
 

From Gloria McMinn

Yes, I always say to people how fortunate I was to live in a community of diversified nationalities, although densely populated we all shared our time together and got along so well.

We were so blessed in that small town of many.  I truly feel God had his blessings upon us in our hometown.  Not many people have had the  closeness of God's hands on them as we had with our hometown people. Yes, we were blessed.  

In 1979 Gloria lost her husband. And in 1980 she was relocating to Florida & was given a send-off party. She wrote this to the Irvington Herald:

One of the greatest things which makes Irvington so dear to my heart are the terrific people it can boast about.
 
I want to thank everybody for their gifts and their attendance in saying goodbye to me at a recent surprise party at Sgt. Dan DeLucia’s home. It was fantastic. 
 
May the people of Irvington continue to grow in love and respect for one another. I do know that “care and concern for people”.... and for your community is where’s it’s at. 
 
So as I prepare to move to Florida, farewell to all who have enriched my life. It’s been joyous and blessed. May we continue to grow in strength and brotherhood wherever we travel.
 
Gloria McMinn