1950 – 69 YEARS AGO
While it was Avoca’s first year as part of Little League baseball, the group was getting plenty of recognition as league president Bob Borthwick was honored by receiving chairmanship of the Northeastern Pennsylvania Little League Tournament playoffs. The Avoca league operated with four teams, Pop’s Roller Rink managed by Dick Williams; Roberts Service Station, led by Mike Sokolowski; Coffee’s 5 & 10, with Joe Kaspriskie; and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1488, with Joe Hobbs as manager. Members of the All Star club that were set to take part in the playoffs were Tony Rinaldi, Joe Larnerd, Gerry Roginsky, Ray Lokuta, Pat O’Brien, Pete Ryczak, Tom Clifford, Henry O’Hop, Alfred Lis, Bill Holkien, ed Sokolowski, Francis Hadduck, Leroy Welter, Bob Sworen, Ronald Exter, Joe Vols, Bill Dorish and George Boone.
The Sunday Dispatch Inquiring Photographer asked, “Do you think a husband and wife should take separate vacations?” James Hennigan, of Pittston, answered, “Yes, they should vacation separately, so the husband can have a lot of fun and the wife can have her fun. The husband can go out wolfing and the wife can, too.” James Padglick, Pittston, added, “No, I think it’s the time of year when they’d have the best opportunity to spend time together. Neither of them would be grouchy and, therefore, they would have an enjoyable time together.” Henry Connors, of Pittsto,n stated, “Positively, it would be nice for them to once in a while see how the other half of the world lives. When they get back, they would appreciate each other more. When the husband comes home, the wife won’t want to lose him. She’ll probably start cooking better in order to keep him.”
1967 – 52 YEARS AGO
Major Eleanor Carey, of Avoca, returned home after a year serving as the head nurse of a surgical ward at the 12th US Air Force Hospital at Cam Ranh Bay, South Vietnam. A 12-year veteran, Carey expected she would return to Vietnam on a voluntary basis, stating, “It’s a good life for a nurse and an important one.” After graduating St. John’s High School and Mercy Hospital School of Nursing in Wilkes-Barre, she received her commission from the Air Force in 1955. She volunteered for service in Vietnam in June 1966. According to www. airforcemedicine.af.mi, “The Air Force assigned the first female nurses to Vietnam in February 1966, many to Cam Ranh Bay. Female flight nurses began flying aeromedical evacuation missions over Vietnam in 1967, providing care to wounded service members during transport.”
1969 – 50 YEARS AGO
A gas explosion that destroyed a personal care home owned by Mr. and Mrs. Robert Winters left many Harding and Falls residents nervous. Four people were killed and seven injured in the explosion and Bureau of Mines and Gas and Water Company principals were concerned about the 1,440 pounds of pressure recorded in the natural gas underground reservoir prior to the explosion. Carmen Maffei represented the owners of the Winters’ home at a meeting held at Harding Elementary School.
The Sunday Dispatch Inquiring Photographer asked residents, “The first contingent of troops was withdrawn from Vietnam; do you think this is the beginning of the end of the war?” Vince Musto, of Pittston, answered, “I doubt if the withdrawal is significant; there has been no progress at the Paris peace talks.” Mike Ristagno, of Pittston, stated, “The troop withdrawal proves our desire for peace, but we must strive for a peace with honor.” Jack Murman, of Pittston, said, “Our withdrawal will probably prompt the enemy to step up operations even more.” Sarge Giambra, of Pittston, answered, “We have tried a number of movements toward peace; I believe that this plea will also fall on deaf ears.” From May to December 1969, armed forces in Vietnam were reduced by 69,000 men and women. The war raged on for another four years. The Paris peace accord was signed on Jan. 27, 1973, with the fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975.
1979 – 40 YEARS AGO
In 1979, the Wyoming Observer ceased publication. The Pittston Gazette, Pittston Review, Exeter Echo, Pittston Sentinel and the Thursday and Sunday Wyoming Observer were among several independent newspapers published locally, some dating back to the 1800s. The prediction at the time was that large newspaper chains would purchase many more of the small independent papers. According to the Library of Congress website, the Osterhout Free Library in Wilkes-Barre has Wyoming Observer issues dated from 1972-1979. The Bishop Memorial Library, 49 S. Franklin St. in Wilkes-Barre, has the Pittston Gazette on Microfilm dated from 1867-1900.
Girls gymnastics was a sport growing. This was the first year the Pittston YMCA girls gymnastics team competed in the Northeastern Pennsylvania Intermediate Gymnastics Competition, taking the team title. Sherry Warunek, Terry Warunek, Amie Mathers, Heidi Remsky, Karen Kraynak, Carol Vischansky, Pam Uporsky, Lisa Goyne, Nadine Pribula, Karen Garman, Peggy Yankovich and Kathy Riley took top honors in four areas — floor exercise, vaulting, balance beam, uneven and parallel bars. According to www.olympic.org, women gymnasts were first included in the 1928 games in Amsterdam. But only performed as an artistic event. By 1952, a program with seven events was added. The Soviet Union usually dominated the event. In 1984, Mary Lou Retton became the first American female gymnast to win the individual all-around gold medal at the Olympics. She won five total medals that year, the only Olympic Games in which she participated.
1989 – 30 YEAS AGO
July 1989 marked the 50th anniversary of the founding of Little League Baseball. Pittston’s Little League President Bill Leppert recalled his meeting with Little League founder Carl E. Stotz in Williamsport in 1952. Stotz related stories of the early beginnings of the league to Leppert. Stotz started the league in Williamsport in 1939 with 30 boys playing in a three-team league. In 1951, Leppert, a Pittston policeman, started the Pittston Little League. From a few volunteers and meager funds, the Pittston Little League is still going strong. Pittston City Little League officers are Jeff Ross, president; Mike Skutack, vice-president; Alyson Ross, treasurer; Michelle Giamber, secretary; Susan Smith, co-player agent; Cyndi Valeski, co-player agent
1999 – 20 YEARS AGO
Kristen Corridoni, Megan Biduck, Lauren Burgio, Brittany Gregor, Meghan Walsh, Janelle Jesekiewicz and Amy Parry, members of the Pittston Stoners U11 “Attitude” soccer team traveled to the Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey to see the starting game of the Women’s World Cup Soccer Championship. The US team with stars Mia Hamm and Michelle Akres beat Denmark, 2-0. The US team went on to win the 1999 championship by beating China in Pasadena California. It was the most attended women’s sports event in history with 90,185 fans. This year’s win by the women’s soccer team gives team USA a record four Women’s World Cup championship wins.
Members of the Wyoming Area Alumni Association Ursula Burke, Jake Sobeski, Lou Ciampi, Paul Marranca, Joe Tedesco, Joe Casarella, Toni Valenti, Jean Smith and Gene Thomas unveiled the new Wyoming Area School District scoreboard, erected during stadium renovations. The scoreboard was equipped with a message center to display advertising and various plays of the game.
THIS DAY IN HISTORY
1798 — The Sedition Act is passed by the U.S. Congress.
1933 — Nazi Germany promulgates the Law for the Protection of Hereditary Health — the beginning of the Euthanasia program.
1938 — Howard Hughes and crew set a new world record for an around-the-world flight.
1945 — American battleships and cruisers bombard the Japanese home islands for the first time.
1964 — The United States sends 600 more troops to Vietnam.
BORN ON THIS DAY
1858 — Emmeline Pankhurst, founder of the Women’s Social and Political Union
1860 — Owen Wister, novelist (“The Virginian”)
1903 — Irving Stone, biographical novelist
1904 — Isaac Singer, Polish-born American writer
1912 — Woodrow Wilson “Woody” Guthrie, American folk singer
1913 — Gerald Ford, 38th President of the United States (1974-1977)
