A Good Jolly

“A good jolly is worth what you pay for it.” George Ade

Ray Boomhower’s “Indiana Originals” contains a chapter on Hoosier’s “warm-hearted satirist” George Ade, mentor to both acerbic Jean Shepherd and fantasist Kurt Vonnegut.  Following in the footsteps of Mark Twain, Ade wrote humorous columns and books about everyday Americans.  His “Fables in Song” bore a resemblance to Shepherd’s semi-fictional tales of the Calumet Regional and certain characters that appear in Vonnegut’s novels.  Like Progressive urban reformer Jacob A, Riis, Ade’s writing career began as a beat reporter for a big city newspaper, in his case the Chicago Morning News.Riis’s big break was scoring a scoop covering a New York City fire.  Ade was the first reporter on the scene following an explosion on the steamer Tioga on the Chicago River on July 11, 1890, caused by naphtha vapor and resulting in at least 26 deaths. 

Boomhower referenced Jazz Age songwriter Hoagland “Hoagy” Carmichael’s autobiography “Sometimes I Wonder,” the first line of Carmichael’s classic “Stardust.”  Born in Bloomington, Carmichael was named for a circus troupe that stayed at his parents’ home during his mother Lida’s pregnancy.  Lida, whom Hoagy was much closer to than his dad, an electrician, played the piano at home in preparation for dances on the campus of Indiana University as well as at local movie houses.  Carmicael’s mentors included black pianist Reginald DuValle and Bix Beiderbecke (he named a son Hoagy Bix).  In “Indiana Avenue and Beyond,” a history of jazz in Indiana, DuValle’s son, Reginald Jr., recalled that when Hoagy was a young aspiring jazz pianist, he’d sit on their front porch in Indianapolis and listen to his father practicing until he was finally invited in to take lessons. From DuValle Hoagie learned how to improvise and play stride. In turn, once he became famous, Hoagy he would frequently visit the DuValle family when passing through Indianapolis.Carmichael’s repertoire of popular standards included “Up the Lazy River,” “Georgia on My Mind,” “Heart and Soul,” and “The Nearness of You.” He died at age 82 in Rancho Mirage, California.

 son Hoagy Bix with Annie Lennox

At duplicate bridge in Chesterton Charlie Halberstadt and I finished in first place with 62.5 percent, earning each of us .90 of a master point.  Our best hand came when Charlie overcalled a Club by bidding one Diamond.  The opponent to my right bid a Spade, and I passed, having just six points but six Hearts to the Ace Queen.  When Charlie bid 2 Hearts, I jumped to 4 Hearts, causing Charlie to exclaim, “I woke him up.”  He made the bid on the nose, and we were the only pair to be in game. Charlie asked Dottie Hart for the recipe for her snickerdoodle cookies, only he butchered the four-syllable name, causing a caustic rejoinder from the cool octogenarian.  

 John and Karen Fieldhouse in 2016

Next day at Banta Center Charlie and I finished third, scoring 55 percent sitting north-south in a six-table match.  I told John Fieldhouse, who was a chemist for Firestone Tire and Rubber Company in Akron, Ohio, that my father had been an industrial chemist for Penn Salt (later Pennwalt Corporation) in Easton, Pennsylvania before being transferred to the company’s Philadelphia executive office.  Like Vic, John had been expected to comply to a strict dress code, even to an extent of wearing white shirt and tie under a lab coat.  Firestone frowned on employee behavior that might reflect badly on the company, similar to the situation with Vic, who even wore the requisite monogrammed polo shirt on the golf course of Manufactures’ Country Club in Fort Washington, PA.  Both traveled often for work, in John’s case to Prescott, Arkansas.  One time his travel agent booked him on a flight to Prescott, Arizona.  A chlorine expert, Vic often went to Paducah, Kentucky. Both secured valuable patents for their respective companies.

 Manufacturers' Golf and County Club clubhouse

Elton John and family, 2015

While the film biopic “Rocketman” had great production numbers, it mostly concentrated on the reasons for Elton John’s admitted drug, alcohol, and sex addiction – a result, according to the screenplay, of feeling unloved and ashamed of his homosexuality, augmented by the temptations and insecurities endemic to his profession. The triumphant final number, “I’m Still Standing,” follows the singer’s long stint in rehab going to group therapy and precedes mention that Elton has been drug and alcohol free for 28 years, happily married to Canadian filmmaker David Furnish, and the father of two boys, Zachary and Elijah, born to a surrogate.

The U.S. women’s soccer team slaughtered Thailand 13-0, including a half-dozen goals in the waning minutes, celebrating each like it was the winning shot, jumping on each other’s backs and shimmying on the sidelines – the wretched excess creating an international backlash.  The rout reminded me of Phil’s soccer team beating Lew Wallace by a similar score, only the boys acted more maturely rather than rubbing it in.  Phil took exception to my original characterization of the women’s behavior as disgusting, pointing out that rules prevent more than two substitutions and a World Cup goal is more momentous than a high school feat.

The White Sox raised eyebrows by distributing commemorative t-shirts to celebrate the fortieth anniversary of the Disco Demolition riot that took place between games of a doubleheader, causing the nightcap to be forfeited due to fan hooliganism.  Among other things, some hard rock purists tossed albums like frisbees at Tiger players and dug up sod as souvenirs, rendering the field unplayable. 

The St. Louis Blues won their first ever Stanley Cup upsetting the favored Boston Bruins, who dominated the first period only to find themselves down 2-0 after 20 minutes.  A day later, the Toronto Raptors won their first NBA title over defending champ Golden State after both Kevin Durant and Trey Thompson were badly injured attempting to play hurt.  All in all, plenty of grist for the sports talk radio mill.  For a true fan, nothing beats that first championship.  I still recall where I was when Bobby Clarke and the Flyers beat the Bruins in 1974, the Phillies won the World Series in 1980, and the Cubs in 2016.

 Charlotte Cushman

In the “New Books” section of Chesterton library I discovered the “young people edition” of Michael Bronski’s “A Queer History of the United States.”  According toTime, what mainly got expunged were graphic photos and written depictions of sex acts.   For example, sodomy was defined not in terms of oral stimulation or anal penetration but as intercourse of some sort between two people of the same sex – misleading since fellatio and cunnilingus performed between males and females were also criminalized under sodomy laws. In a chapter titled “Nineteenth-Century Romantic Friendships: BFFs or Friends with Benefits?” the author leaves the posed question unanswered, concluding that such relationships may or may not have included sex, we have no way of knowing in most cases.  He examines George Washington’s relationship with General Lafayette to demonstrate that an intimate bond need not be a a “queer” one, consummated sexually.

Bronski’s chapter on acclaimed mid-19th century tragic actress Charlotte Cushman, titled “American Idol, Lover of Women,” leaves no doubt that the thespian was a practicing lesbian. Cushman’s lovers included African-American Sallie Mercer, British journalist Matilda Mary Hays, sculptor Emma Stebbins, and paramour Emma Crowe, to whom she wrote:

 Ah, what delirium is in the memory. Every nerve in me thrills as I look back and feel you in my arms, held to my breast so closely, so entirely mine in every sense as I was yours. Ah, my very sweet, very precious, full, full of ecstasy.

Bronski leaves out intimate details of orifices explored and erogenous zones aroused, but each relationship was stormy, filled with agony as well as sexual climax, but long-lasting despite not being monogamous.  At Charlotte’s death bed, Bronski writes, were Emma Stebbins, Emma Crowe, nephew Edward, and Sallie Mercer.

Charlotte Cushman, friends with President Abraham Lincoln and rich and powerful cosmopolitan New Yorkers of her day, had a fondness for men’s attire and often played male roles, such as Romeo in the Shakespeare’s romantic tragedy “Romeo and Juliet.”  She was most famous for her role as ambitious Lady Macbeth, who, like Romeo, took her own life.  After Cushman’s death of pneumonia in 1876 at age 59, Reverend W.H.H. Murray delivered this eulogy: “She was a Samson and Ruth in one. In her the strength of the masculine and the tenderness of the feminine nature were blended.  She seemed to stand complete in nature, with the finest qualities of either sex.”  As Hoosier humorist George Ade would have put it, she had a gay old time and plenty of good jollies for which she must have deemed the price paid worth it.

 Charlotte Cushman as Meg in "Merrilees"

George Ade wrote: “After being turned down by numerous publishers, he had decided to write for posterity.”  I self-publish my musings and write primarily for posterity.  For an end-of-the-week “good jolly” I might smoke out, watched a couple episodes of “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” and put on “Living Mirage,” the new Head and the Heart CD found in the library’s “New Acquisitions” section. Missed Connection” contains these lines:

Don't tell me I lost a step
Criss-crossed in the wrong direction

Phil also discovered the new Head and the Heart album and likes the track titled “Running Through Hell.”  It begins:

Well you know those times
When you feel like there's a sign there on your back
Says I don't mind if ya kick me
Seems like everybody has

The song advises:

If you're going through Hell
Keep on going, don't slow down
If you're scared, don't show it
You might get out

         Before the devil even knows you're there

Dave is sore from participating in a softball doubleheader, subbing for a team he used to play on. He wondered at what age I retired (56 was the answer, but I spent my later career on the mound). Dave went four for four in the opener and made a diving stop of a ground ball but was spent by the second game and may have pulled a hamstring.  It was at Hidden Lake, the same field in Merrillville where I pulled a “hammy” at his age attempting to break up a double-play on a hard-hit grounder to short. I recovered and played for several more seasons on a team put together by Dave and Kevin Horn.

On the cover of Timeis Bernie Sanders, whom Toni has not forgiven for challenging Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination in 2016. There are articles on “Late Show” starring Emma Thompson and the appearance of Meryl Streep in the second season of the HBO series “Little Big Lies.” The role of a passive-aggressive mother-in-law was tailor-made for Streep.

Life Goes On

“Life goes on, finding new strength, even in the midst of difficulties.” Pope Francis, message to the prisoners at Santa Cruz la Sierra, Bolivia

From federal prison in Terre Haute George Van Til sent a copy of “The Serving Brother,” the Catholic newsletter for inmates.  He wrote: “My fingers are freezing today.  The heat and hot water have been out for almost 24 hours.  Cold!  Damp!  Grim!” I plan to visit George, who has no business being incarcerated, again in March if he has not been transferred to a halfway house by then.

Kevin and Tina Horn invited our entire family to their Shorewood Forest house for a Holiday party featuring Mexican food from Leroy’s Hot Stiff that Dave picked up beforehand.  In high school Kevin was a big fan of Dave’s band LINT.  When he started a baseball team a quarter-century ago, he asked me to pitch; we won a championship shortly before I retired, and Kevin caught a high fly ball for the final out.  David and I were on a championship bowling team at Camelot Lanes with Kevin, his dad and brother Tom. Son Kaiden is on Bowling for Donuts with James.  Grandchildren Anthony and Tori had such a good time with the Horn teens that they all went ice-skating in Valpo the next day.

Robert Blaszkiewicz, who recently was hired to put together Chicago Tribune websites, gave out CDs of his 20 favorite songs of 2015, including numbers by Aussies Courtney Barnett (“Debbie Downer”), Dick Diver (“Year in Pictures”), and Tame Impala (“The Less I Know the Better”).  Robert wrote” “For me, it’s been a challenging year, full of change.  In that spirit, the overriding theme of this collection is resilience and relationships.  I’m lucky to have good friends, family, and a wife (*Carrie) and son (Max) who always keep music in my heart.”

In a Christmas note former colleague Paul Kern mentioned that he and Julie will be driving to Sacramento, California in January, near where son Colin is doing a post-doc at UC Davis. Paul wrote: “We are going to detour down to Sanderson, Texas, a remote place where I lived in the late 1940s.  Then we plan to spend a couple days in the Big Bend National Park.  Julie somewhat morbidly calls this ‘our last great adventure.’”

cartoon by Gary Varvel

From Montana former student Terry Helton wrote: “I make it a point not to watch the so-called GOP (Grand Old Pricks) debates because I can’t afford to get angry.  They aren’t worth elevating my blood pressure.”  Smart move.

We had Christmas on December 26 so we could have everyone together after other family obligations, including a cat (Luna) and two dogs (Rembrandt and Jerry).  Daughter-in-law Beth brought lasagna, came with her brother Jimmy and his wife Erica and daughter, and gave me a flannel shirt for Christmas, which came in handy.  Most of the gang saw “Star Wars” and Phil and I took in a thrilling overtime game between East Chicago Central and Merrillville that David announced and at which Becca sang the National Anthem.  We celebrated Anthony’s eighteenth birthday at Applebee’s and at Toni’s urging shared anecdotes.  Mine dealt with taking Anthony to California ten years ago where he went fishing and played wiffleball with cousin Bobby.

I watched my share of football over the holidays and found a couple good movies on HBO, “The Curse of the Jade Scorpion” (2001), directed by Woody Allen, and “Broken Flowers” (2005) starring Bill Murray.  In “Indiana’s 200” were interesting essays on Hoosier composers Cole Porter and Hoagland “Hoagy” Carmichael.  Cole (his mother’s maiden name) wrote “Night and Day” and “I’ve Got You Under my Skin.  Carmichael, most famous for “Stardust,” was named for a circus troupe in Bloomington in 1899 when he was born.  In his autobiography “The Stardust Road” Carmichael recalled “the circuses coming to town, the flour sacks we collected from boarding houses and sold to the local grocer for a cent each; the quarry holes where we used to swim; and the kindly neighbors who suffered us with never a reproachful word except when we smoked corn silks in their privies.”

In ”The Best American Sports Writing of 2015” Jeremy Collins wrote about my favorite Cub pitcher Greg “Mad Dog” Maddux, who after winning the Cy Young award in 1992 signed with Atlanta and went on to a Hall of Fame career. An avid Atlanta Braves fan, Collins was in the stands when Maddux, 19-2 in the regular season, hurled a shutout against Cleveland in the opening game of the 1995 World Series, which the Braves went on to win.  In 2004 Maddux returned to the Cubs for three seasons.  Known as “The Professor,” he had pinpoint control, was a perennial Gold Glove recipient, and was a fierce competitor who reminded me of my all-time favorite Robin Roberts of the Phillies during the 1950s.  In April 2005 Maddux defeated Roger Clemons for his 306th victory, the first time in 113 years that two National league 300-game winners faced off. Collins ran into Maddux when behind the counter at Barnes and Noble.  His hero was purchasing Golf Digest, a travelers guide to Tuscany, and two Dr. Seuss books for his kids.  Collins said to him, “You’ve mastered your craft.  Your flame burns clear and bright.”  Maddux said, “Cool” and added: “Thanks.”  Collins wrote: “That’s what I should have said.”

Dolly Millender with Merrillville middle school student; below, Coach Claude Taliaferro

The city of Gary lost two legends, historian Dharathula “Dolly” Millender, 95, on Christmas morning and Claude Taliaferro, 85, on New Year’s Eve.  Jerry Davich called Millender a “keeper of history.”  A Hatcher supporter while serving on the City Council, she started the Gary Symphony Orchestra (after the previous one moved to Merrillville) and the Gary Historical and Cultural Society.  A believer in diversity, she solicited white ethnic leaders as members.  Like me, she moved here at the beginning of her professional career (in her case, as a librarian) and made Gary recording Gary’s history her primary life’s work.  She was a sweetheart and will be sorely missed.  Claude Taliaferro, whose brother George was the first black athlete drafted by an NFL team after starring at IU during the 1940s, coached Gary Roosevelt football teams for 20 years beginning in 1971.  Former NFL linebacker Blaine Smith recalled that Taliaferro “gave us discipline and the desire to want everything to be picture perfect.”  Former Michigan star Erik Campbell told Times reporter Steve Hanlon: “He was a father figure to a lot of the players.  He took care of them.”

Game Weekend photos by Charlie Halberstadt

Telestration contestants; below, Jef and Jordan Halberstadt

I spent four days, starting on New Year’s Eve, at the fortieth annual Halberstadt Game Weekend.  Robin is in poor health but insisted that the event go forward and seemed to thrive on being with family and friends.  Both she and Jef, as well as son Charles and daughter Sheridan, were students of mine; I’ve been attending the annual event since the early 1980s.  John Hohner arrived wearing a “Halberstadt Game Weekend 1985” t-shirt that I had made; when he introduced himself and wife Candy to a young person, he added, “Like Uncle Buck.”  Unfortunately, the woman had never heard of comedian John Candy or the movie.  Evan and Patti Davis arrived from Fort Wayne, and we tested a railroad game Evan is developing.  In Werewolf I drew the card “Virginia Woolf,” whose lover dies also if she does.  I shined in Amun Re and Acquire (which we taught Brady Wade’s friends Austin and Ben), held my own in Wizards and Seven Wonders, and stunk in Telestration, where I drew things passed on to me or guessed others’ drawings.   The person to my left thought my superhero resembled a flying duck and my pelican a penguin.  I liked best the social games and stayed out of marathon contests such a History of the World.