1960 – 59 YEARS AGO
Throughout the summer, many parks in Greater Pittston served as a place for youngsters to spend the days with supervised activities and contests. Gilmartin Park was closing for the summer and a delegation from John D. Stark American Legion consisting of Robert Scott, Stark Post Commander and a color guard formed by the legionnaires presented a 50-star flag to Fred Gubitoso of the Gilmartin Park Association. The 50-star flag was ordered by President Dwight D. Eisenhower on Aug. 21, 1959 and was officially adopted in July 1960. It is the longest-used version of the U.S. flag.
Playing at the Moonlite Drive-in in West Wyoming was “Battle of Outer Space” and “Twelve to the Moon.” At the Midway, “Pretty Boy Floyd” and “Hercules Unchained” was showing. Everyone was awaiting the weekend screening of Alfred Hitchcock’s “Psycho” which was billed as the year’s biggest screen sensation, breaking all records. Although some revues were not as complimentary, the public loved the film and it was reissued to theaters in 1965.
The Exeter School District issued a census be taken of all school-age children. After the completion of the census, board officials discovered several hundred people had escaped payment of their taxes and, in some instances, non-payment had been overlooked for many years. Notices were sent to those who appeared on the delinquencies list.
1962 – 57 YEARS AGO
The Cubs reigned as the 1962 champions of the Jenkins Township Little League by beating the Cards in a special playoff game. The Cards won the first half and the Cubs the second. In the playoff, Jim Norris tossed a four-hitter and hit a two-run homer. Members of the Cubs team were Bob Vodzack, Paul Higdon, Earl Jones, Billy Miller, Jack Miller, Bernie Vodzack, Mark Evans, Carl Tomashunas, Mike Sell, Don Eustice, Art Pupa, Andy Kasisky, Steve Mudlock and Joe Tracy. James Eustice was the manager of the team with Henry Sell acting as co-manager.
1965 – 54 YEARS AGO
Jenkins Township Hose Company was set to hold its annual picnic at May Park in Port Griffith. Sharleen Hopkins, Regina Tischler, Patricia Tigue, Janet Barnousky, Ellen Gilroy and Catherine Donahue were vying for the title of Fire Queen. Firefighting units of the region participated in an opening day parade. It would be the first time in 39 years a firemen’s parade was held in Jenkins Township.
1969 – 50 YEARS AGO
Top Ten Songs of 1969:
1. “Sugar, Sugar” — The Archies
2. “Aquarius / Let the Sunshine In: — The Fifth Dimension
3. “I Can’t Get Next to You” — The Temptations
4. “Honky Tonk Women” — The Rolling Stones
5. “Everyday People” — Sly and The Family Stone
6. “Dizzy” — Tommy Roe
7. “Hot Fun In the Summertime” — Sly and The Family Stone
8. “(It Looks Like) I’ll Never Fall In Love Again” — Tom Jones
9. “Build Me Up Buttercup” — The Foundations
10. “Crimson and Clover” — Tommy James and The Shondells
1971 – 48 YEARS AGO
Fifty feet of land purchased by the Pittston Area School District from George Bone, owner of Bone Stadium, extended into the property occupied by the Riverview Drive-In. Discovery of the discrepancy caused a temporary halt to the construction of the new middle school. A ticket booth on the land in question posed the problem. Owners of the outdoor theater agreed to move the booth towards Main Street. The Riverview site was in the process of being purchased by the Pittston Housing Authority. The final showing at the Riverview was on Sept. 11, 1971.
As St. John’s baseball team took the Catholic Baseball League championship in 1971, it was reported it was the team’s “first diamond championship in two decades.” Some disagreed, so a check of prior Dispatch publications discovered the team had taken the CBL title in 1964 and 1965 under coach John “Bozo” Connors. Pitchers Tom Poplaski and Gordan Chodnicki contributed to the successful seasons and star hitters for the team were Carl Brezak, Eddie Romanko, Jim Gubbiotti, Mike Shaughnessy, Mike Loftus.
1975 – 44 YEARS AGO
Doris Melvin, Ernie Silviano, Marie Silviano, Charles LaGrue Dorothy LaGrue, Sam DeMark, Catherine DeMark, Paul Melvin, Jean and Vince Wachs, Helen Saber, Bob Brown, Bob and Jean Linskey and Chuck and Joan Taylor, members of Pittston’s Modern Western Square Dancing Club the Swing-Alongs, were planning to hold two open dances in September. The club was hoping to create interest in the American folk dance and add to its membership. Lloyd Shaw established Modern Western square dance during the 1930s and 1940s. Modern Western is a standardized dance, differing from traditional, which has many variations.
1979 – 40 YEARS AGO
In 1979, 14-year-old Joe Latona, of Pittston, an experienced rider of broncs and bulls traveled the East Coast rodeo circuit, winning competitions that earned him the title of Junior Champion of the American Rodeo Association. He, along with horseback riders Colleen Kraynak, of Harding, and Carol Kraynak, of West Wyoming, spent many hours at horse stables and riding courses owned by Colleen’s father Thomas located just off Route 92. Latona had been injured many times in competition, but remained steadfast in achieving his goal of becoming a rodeo professional. Carol Kraynak’s specialty was barrel racing. In 1978, her cousin Colleen Kraynak won the state championship in pole bending in the finals of the state horse show. The 2019 Pennsylvania State 4-H Horse Show will be held Oct. 25-27 at the Farm Show Complex and Expo Center in Harrisburg.
1981 – 38 YEARS AGO
The first firemen’s softball tournament sponsored by West Pittston Hose Company #1 and Pittston Hose Company was scheduled to be played at the Fourth Ward Park. Instrumental in organizing the event were Jim Rooney, Jamie Smith, Stanley Piontek and Jerry Armitage.
King’s College was relying on the athletic talents of three Pittston Area graduates to lead their various sports teams. Mary Kay Boos, graduate of Seton Catholic, was named captain of the women’s basketball team. George Aldrich, a product of Pittston Area High School, was named captain of the varsity basketball team. King’s wrestling team would be captained by Dan McGuire, also of Pittston Area. John Dorish, director of King’s athletics stated, “We are pleased to have so many fine athletes from the Pittston region representing King’s College this year.”
1985 – 34 YEARS AGO
Sandy LaFoca cinched the Jenkins Township Open Golf Tournament championship in 1985, beating out other top competitors Steve Russin, Dr. Leo Oakchunas, Lionel Lorance, Jack Stencik, Joe Weiskerger, Steve Russin, Len Podrasky, Bill Mudlock, Mike Muroski and Al Melone. The Jenkins Township Recreation Board sponsored the tournament for current and former Jenkins Township residents and guests.
Michael S. Romanczuk, Pittston Township, received an award certificate from the Tobyhanna Army Depot for his suggestion to purchase a machine that recycled waste paint thinner into a useful solvent. Prior to money saving on-site recycling processors, plants contracted with management companies to haul waste off-site for recycling at great expense.
The Pittston Lions Club celebrated its 40th anniversary with a dinner party held at the Gramercy Restaurant. Honored at the event were past officers Joseph Rogo, Richard Shields, Louis Marmo, Russ Arnone, John Hood, Al Antonella and Mike McLean.
THIS DAY IN HISTORY
1862 — Union and Confederate troops skirmish at Waterloo Bridge, Virginia, during the Second Bull Run Campaign.
1916 — The National Park Service is established as part of the Department of the Interior.
1941 — British and Soviet forces enter Iran, opening a route to supply the Soviet Union.
1944 — Paris is liberated from German occupation by Free French Forces under General Jacques LeClerc.
1950 — President Harry Truman orders the U.S. Army to seize control of the nation’s railroads to avert a strike.
1989 — NASA scientists receive stunning photographs of Neptune and its moons from Voyager 2.
BORN THIS DAY
1918 — Leonard Bernstein, conductor, composer and pianist
1919 — George C. Wallace, governor of Alabama and presidential candidate
1930 — Sean Connery, Scottish actor famous for playing the character James Bond in the Ian Fleming movie series
1949 — Gene Simmons, singer, songwriter, member of the band Kiss, one of the top-selling bands of all time
1954 — Elvis Costello, Grammy Award–winning singer, songwriter (“Watching the Detectives”)
