SAN FRANCISCO BASEBALL

OLD TIMERS ASSOCIATION

(Established 1941)

“FROM THE DUGOUT”

January 2018 Edition
_______________________________
Officers Directors
Lou Landini (President/Editor) Bill DeMattei Mike Bagdon
Jim Jarvis (Vice President) Dave Longa Frank Brady
Ken Mooney (Treasurer) Paul Varni Nick Poppin
Donald Basso (Secretary) Bob Rizzo Cliff Righetti
Gary B ader (Membership Chairman) Bob Mitchell Bill Angel
Joe Marino (Sgt. At Arms) Rich Murphy Rich Ford (Golf)
Bob Fife (Immediate Past President) Leo Martinez (Health & Welfare)

Editor’s Column
Well, here we are welcoming the New Year. It seems like just a couple of weeks ago
we were getting ready for the year 2000, when in fact it has been 18 years since that
momentous year arrived. 2017 was a crazy and unsettling year! The political
landscape changed in a most unexpected way and that resulted in ongoing turmoil
with no real end in sight. Terrorism continued to rear its ugly head throughout the
world and here in the United States. Mother Nature got into the act with massive
hurricanes and flooding in Houston, Florida and Puerto Rico with terrible loss of life
and homes. We here in the Bay Area, and in particular in Sonoma and Napa Counties,
experienced the horror of uncontrolled wild fires that killed a large number of people
and destroyed vast amounts of homes and property. And then Southern California
suffered a strikingly similar fate with huge wild fires in San Diego, Los Angeles,
Orange, Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties.
So how do we handle all this? Sports!! The Great Escape!! We reveled in the
Warriors’ second NBA Championship in three years! We fretted over a dismal season
by the Giants, and are wondering if the Front Office is doing enough to plug the holes
that led to 98 losses in 2017. And an unusual and totally unexpected bright spot has
showed up with the late season resurgence of the 49’ers, who were stinking out the
joint at 1-10 before winning their last 5 games in a row with new QB Jimmy
Garappolo, acquired at mid-season from New England. This is the stuff that keeps us
sane, that gives us a welcome diversion from the 0-2 sliders in the dirt that Life can
throw at us, that lets us rejuvenate and recover from the Hard Knocks. Thank you,
Sports!!!
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 Kathy’s Fund----Old Timers vs Alzheimer’s
Guys, Kathy’s Fund remains in full force, and this battle against Alzheimer’s really
got ramped up at the December dinner meeting. We collected a whopping $350.00 in
cash!! As you know, a donation can is kept at the table where Nick Poppin and Bob
Mitchell sell raffle tickets each month, and when Nick and Bob stop selling tickets,
Bob counts the Kathy’s Fund donations, and this sum is again counted in Bob’s
presence by your editorial staff and a signed receipt is prepared by Bob and your
editor. As Bob was counting the December donations, among the other bills was a
$100 bill placed anonymously and with incredible generosity by one of our members.
To whoever dropped that C-Note, we thank you so very much.
The story gets better!! A short while later, Brother Old Timer Grant Becker (a former
and fantastic team mate of your editor) walked up and handed your editor yet
another $100 bill, and he was followed by his friend with a crisp $20 bill in hand.
Now, I know Grant, and he’s gonna be mad at me for naming him, but Grant, I can’t
let you go unrecognized. And to Mr. Anonymous, I wish I could name you too!
This brings our donations to $3027 since we started this campaign in August 2016.
Each and every dollar we send off to the Alzheimer’s Association will make a
difference. To all you contributors, the Alzheimer’s Association sends its
appreciation. And those Old Timers whose lives have been so terribly altered by this
brutal disease repeatedly extend their thanks to all who contribute toward the
ultimate victory over Alzheimer’s.
Get Your Newsletter by E-Mail
We are building quite a list of monthly e-mail subscribers at a tremendous saving to
the SFBOTA. Our present estimate is at approximately $2200 per year. So we would
urge those members who have e-mail to sign up by sending me a message at
INSPLFL225@HOTMAIL.COM and we’ll add you to the e-mail distribution list.
Special Notes Department
On January 13, Legendary Old Timer Ernie Golding will celebrate both his 90th
birthday and 68th Wedding Anniversary. Ernie’s absolutely wonderful wife Barbara is
one of the kindest, sweetest people in the world, and she and Ernie are a fantastic
couple. Congratulations to Barbara and Ernie from all of us Old Timers!!
And Brother Old Timer Leo Martinez, who leads the SF Firefighters’ Toy Program’s
magnificent effort each year to provide Christmas gifts to underprivileged kids, would
like to thank the Old Timers Membership and The Friends of Marino Pieretti for an
outpouring of generosity in toys and monetary donations. Leo, we thank you and
your fellow Toy Program members for all your hard work and caring.
Also, we extend a special note of congratulations to Brother Old Timer Nick Shihadeh
for his induction into the San Francisco Police Officers Association Hall of Fame,
along with retired San Francisco PD Commander Ray Canepa, a legendary baseball
star and devoted friend to so many of us Old Timers. This was an honor richly
deserved by both of these outstanding gentlemen.

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 2018 Membership Dues
Guys, you will be receiving your 2018 Dues Notice in the mail shortly from
Membership Chairman Gary Bader. We ask you to please pay your dues promptly.
Important Dates Department
January 9, 2018---the monthly dinner will once again be at the Irish Cultural Center,
with Happy Hour at 6:00 and dinner at 7:00. It is strongly suspected that the menu
item will be pasta with meat sauce. A poetry reading and ballet demonstration just
might be put on by Brother Old Timer Don Papa if he can find his bifocals and tights.
New Officers and Directors will be sworn in and at this evening.
January 17, 2018---the first monthly Marino Pieretti Group Lunch of 2018 will fire up
and we are assured that it will be at the SSF Elks Club. As is standard operating
procedure, confessions precipitated by alcohol will begin at 11:00 and vittles will be
served at 12:00.
February 13, 2018---the monthly dinner will be held as usual at the Irish Cultural
Center. Intellectual Discussion Hour starts at 6:00 PM and dinner will be served at
7:00. The meal will consist of Meat Loaf. Now, keep in mind that Valentine’s Day is
the next day, and don’t think you can avoid doing something nice for your wife by
bringing her some left-over Meat Loaf---that will be tantamount to a suicide attempt
on your part.
February 21, 2018---the monthly gathering of the Marino Pieretti Group will be at
Dominic’s at the Oyster Point Yacht Club, with Verbal Fertilizer Disbursement at
11:00 and the usual fine meal at 12:00.
Special Events Notes---Mark Your Calendars
January 26, 2018---The Annual Bob Lagomarsino Crab Feed, a signature event each
year, will be held once again at the Janet Pomeroy Center. This is a “Don’t Miss It”
caper, so jot this down on your calendar. Billy Jones and his Band of Lunatic Fringe
Chefs put on a tremendous dinner that you really don’t want to miss. And Rich Ford,
A Friend to Those Who Have No Friends, will staff the Hosted Bar. There is a flyer for
this awesome evening in this edition, and we encourage you to send in your checks
to Gary Bader early.
We Need a Recruitment Drive---Repeat Announcement
Honorable Fellow Old Timers, you all know the stark fact that “we ain’t getting any
younger!” So, the SFBOTA is encouraging all you members to start recruiting
friends, relatives, friends of relatives or relatives of friends to join our fabled group.
We are a living history book, but we run the risk of running out of pages. Let’s make
sure this doesn’t happen on our watch!!
Golf News
The 2017 Club Champion, based on scores from Peacock Gap, Sunnyvale and Santa
Teresa, will be announced by Commissioner Rich Ford at the January 5th Golf Dinner.

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 Words of Wisdom
“I was married by a judge. I should have asked for a jury.” ---Groucho Marx
In Memoriam
We in the newsroom are saddened to report the passing of Brother Old Timer Bob
Simi. Bob was a great Old Timer and a true gentleman. We shall miss him.
Let us also take a moment to remember all those who left us in 2017, and to say a
prayer for these wonderful people and for their Families. God Bless You All.
On the Mend
It always makes your news staff very unhappy to report Members who are on the DL
each month. This month’s list: Bob Martinez, Charlie Silvera, Clarence Grider, Don
Collopy, Gerry DeRyan, Lou DeSalvatore and long-time Old Timer Bill McCullough.
Let’s get all these guys back on the field. Recent additions to this list are our
Brother Old Timers Gene Hartje and Mike Maffei, and we hope they are cleared for a
return to the starting line-up soon!
We also wish full and speedy recoveries to Doris Fox and Loretta Canevaro.
Director Bill Angel is still battling a serious illness but holding his own, and
continuing on this list is Jim Dowd, who continues making progress in his comeback
from a serious illness. Friends who would like to visit Jim are reminded to call first
to make sure he is up to receiving well-wishers, and count on seeing him after 1:00
PM.
A reminder: Jim Perry remains on the DL at Laguna Honda Home. Jim is brightened
up by cards and letters addressed to him at Laguna Honda Home, 375 Laguna Honda
Blvd, Building 1 North, Room 133A, San Francisco, Calif. 94116. Jim really
appreciates the devoted support of the SFBOTA.
You Know You’re an Old Timer When…
---you get into heated discussions over pension plans.
---you take a metal detector to the beach.
---you buy a compass for the dashboard of your car.
---the car you bought brand new is now a classic.

It’s Bobbie Mitchell Time Again!!

In their much younger and single days, Bobbie and his famous running mate Nick
Poppin decided to take a road trip back East. As they were driving through Colorado,
they found themselves in the middle of a brutal blizzard. They found a large,
exquisite house so they stopped there to see if they could get out of the blizzard and
spend the night. They were greeted at the door by a stunningly beautiful woman in
her mid-30’s. They made their request for accommodations, and after explaining she
had recently lost her husband, the young widow directed the guys to a two-bedroom
guest house at the back of the property. The next day the weather had cleared, Bob
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and Nick thanked the woman, and they drove off. They returned home about two
weeks later.
Nine months passed, and Nick calls Bobbie and said “Bob, I just got a letter from a
lawyer in Colorado. Did you spend the night with that beautiful woman in Colorado
on the night of that blizzard?” “Uhhhh, yes, I guess I did” said Bob. “And Bob, did
you use my name that night?” “Uhhhh, yes, I guess I did” said Bob as he was
starting to sweat, realizing the significance of 9 months.
“Well, Thank you, Buddy, Old Pal, Loyal Friend! The unfortunate woman was killed in
a car accident and left her entire estate to me! Bob was unable to speak for two solid
months. (Payback can be tough at times.)
Rogues’ Gallery

A student in his last year at

Hannah Boys’ Center in
Sonoma addresses the group
at the December Marino
Pieretti Lunch at Nick’s, as
Dave Longa looks on.

Dave Montano (L) and Manny

Arriguin (R), two dedicated staff
members of Hanna Boys’ Center,
receive their traditional annual
check from the Friends of Marino
Pieretti.

The late Bob Simi, a long-time

member of the Old Timers and a real
gentleman and true friend, left us
much too soon in December.
Godspeed, Bob, we will miss you.

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 Thank You Once Again and Always to Our Loyal Sponsors
DEE MURATORE, MURATORE GENERAL CONTRACTOR & CABINET MAKER
2825 Phelps St, SF 94124; 415-826-1220; www.muratorecorp.com

ROB FIFE, 729 SOLUTIONS

1618 Sullivan Ave, Suite 535, Daly City 94115 650-755-7049

GERI CAMPANA, AL GRAF BAIL BONDS

859 Bryant St, SF 94013 415-431-3333

ERNEST “CHUCK”AYALA, AYALA REAL ESTATE

532 Castro Street, SF 94114 415-861-0704 ecayala@aol.com

ROGER MINHANDO, CHALET BASQUE RESTAURANT

405 No. San Pedro Rd, San Rafael 94901 415-479-1070 chaletbasque@hotmail.com

LOREN A. KERTZ, CHARLES SCHWAB CO.

403 Corte Madera Town Center, Corte Madera 94925 415-945-6408 loren.a.kertz@schwab.com

JOE MARINO, COLUMBUS CAFÉ

562 Green St, SF 94133 415-326-3088

FRANK J. PISA BARBER SHOP

5 Civic Center Lane, Millbrae 94030 650-697-0736

PAUL NAVARRO, LUCETI’S RESTAURANT

109 W. 25th Avenue, San Mateo 94403 650-574-1256 or 650-458-6550 lucetis.com

GREG RIGHETTI, MARIN LOCK & SAFE

808 Third St, San Rafael 94901 415-456-4346 marinlockandsafe@gmail.com

MARK BENEDETTI INSURANCE

199 California Dr, Suite 702,Millbrae 94030 650-697-2044 mbinsuru@hotmail.com

NICK DUTTO, METROPOLITAN ELECTRICAL CONSTRUCTION, INC.

2400 Third St, SF 94107 415-642-3002 ndutto@metroelectric.com

CHUCK GUST, NICK’S SEASHORE RESTAURANT

100 Rockaway Avenue, Pacifica 94044 650-359-3900 www.nicksrestaurant.net

RAY McDONALD, PERSONAL AWARDS CO.

1842 E. 3rd Avenue, San Mateo 94401 650-558-0860 pawards@pacbell.net

TOM LaTORRE, SABELLA & LaTORRE SEAFOOD RESTAURANT

#3 Fisherman’s Wharf, SF 94133 415-673-2824

SAN FRANCISCO FIREFIGHTERS TOY PROGRAM

Leo Martinez, the late Al McCarthy, Vince Tudoni. Rich Blackburn, Skip McKinney, George Schnapp,
Jim McCoy, Art Citron, Dan Jacobsmeyer, Brian Kearney, Ray Molinari

TOM CREEDIN, SCOMA’S RESTAURANT

Pier 47, Fisherman’s Wharf, SF 94133 415-771-4383

MARLENE VOGELSANG, SOCIETY for AMERICAN BASEBALL RESEARCH (SABR)

510-589-8523 mvogelsang@sbcglobal.net

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 THOMAS J. BRANDI, THE BRANDI LAW FIRM
354 Pine St, 3rd Floor, SF 94104 415-989-1800 tjb@brandilaw.com

DAVE LONGA,
THE MARINO PIERETTI GROUP

TERESA MOORE, THE UNITED IRISH CULTURAL CENTER

2700-45th Avenue, SF 94116 415-661-2494 UICCBanquets@yahoo.com

JAR OF GOLD
Fellow Old Timers Jim Jarvis, Bill Difu & Ernie Golding

THE GRIDER FAMILY

RETIRED SAN FRANCISCO FIREFIGHTERS

Nick Cannuli, Bill DeMattei, Mel Canevaro, Jim O’Connor, Don Dennehy, Bob Moser,
Milt Panagotacos, Mike Pera, Jack Bonnici, Roger Bross, Frank Kelly

DANIEL DUGGAN, DUGGAN’S SERRA MORTUARY

500 Westlake Av, Daly City 94014 650-756-4500 dan@duggansserra.com

TABLE 6 (TRUCK)
Hank Sanchez, the late Al McCarthy, Art Citron, Jim O’Connor, Larry Lawson, Jim Dowd, George
Schnapp

ALUMNI of BALBOA HIGH SCHOOL

Emily Powell, Nick Poppin, Bob Mitchell, Gene Hartje and Elliot “Bart” Bartholomew

THE BALL TEAM

The Late Frank Strazzullo, The Late John Alameda, Mike Bagdon, Rich Ford, Con Maloney, Billy Jones,
Art White, Ken Mooney and the late Jerry “Big Sully” Sullivan

THE 1956 BIG 8 CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP BASEBALL TEAM

Bob Bandettini, Glen Buckowitz, Ron Castro, Ken Dito, Russ Fadeef, Roger Ferrari, Lew Flores,
Fred Glosser, Blair LeMire, the Late Legendary John McCarthy, Pete Nielsen, Larry Nissim, Jim
Poppin, Fred Quinn, the late Ray Warman, the Late and Great Frank “Cic” Williams, Victor “Bud”
Williams

ANONYMOUS DONOR
Thanks Old Timers---Your Monthly Newsletter Is A Great Read

WILLIAM DeMATTEI
Fellow Old Timer

ALUMNUS OF MISSION HIGH SCHOOL

Eddie Gutierrez

December Trivia Answers January Trivia Questions

1) 1) Game with fewest 1) What pitcher had the most strikeouts in one
spectators? 4/29/2015, Zero! year? How many? What season?
2) White Sox v Orioles---fear of
riots 2) Who was the first player from Venezuela to
3) 2) Most Abs in a season? Jimmy be inducted into the Hall of Fame? What year?
Rollins, 2007 for the Phillies,
716 at bats