"Bomber Memories"
December 4, 5, 6, 7 & 8, 1998
December 4, 1998
Joan Eckert Sullens (51)
Being from Ralph Myrick's class of 1951, can't help but wonder if there are any of us "old timers" left. Jim Grow [51], Richard Gibson [51], Bob Harmon [51], Maggie Masters [51], Sally Stone [51], Bill Wilkins [51] - all were good buddies.
Does anyone remember Sportlets, the toy and hobby store that was right next to the Spudnut Shop? The Spudnut Shop has enlarged and moved into the area that housed Sportlets. That store was my first job and I loved it. It was so much fun working there prior to Christmas. We all wore Santa hats and had a great time. Our boss, John Castle, was a railroad buff. He built a beautiful set for HO gauge trains and everyone loved watching.
Joan
Dick & Lynn Hinson
Epler (52)
Re: Black and White 1955 Ford Crown Victorias
We've been following with some interest the notes about 1955 Ford Crown Victorias in Richland. As someone mentioned, there weren't that many of them around. As it turns out, we are responsible for bringing one of the Crown Vics to Richland. It was a Black and White with Smitty mufflers (nice mellow sound).
We bought Vicky in Texas, our first new car, when I graduated from the Aviation Cadet (USAF) Corps in May 1955. As a graduation present, Lynn had the Smitty mufflers installed. We drove it to my next duty assignment in Sewart AFB, TN, where I flew C-119 Flying Boxcars for almost two years. Then in 1957, I was transferred to Molesworth RAF Station in England and I had to make a decision. The Air Force would either pay for moving our new Spartan 45' (8' wide) trailer back to the Tri-Cities, or pay for my wife to accompany me to England. Sounds like a simple decision, but I still didn't have enough money to move the thing, and I couldn't afford to sell it. Besides, we wanted to keep that trailer for use after the Air Force to go to college somewhere.
So, in 1957, I went to England by myself, and Lynn stayed in the Tri-Cities. Near the end of '57, I bought a new Volkswagen through the PX, which we thought would be more economical for going to school. But that meant selling Vicky. So Lynn sold our beloved Vicky to a Richland family whose name she can't remember now. Later, we heard that the boy wrecked the car. Lynn thinks it was on the Pasco bridge.
So I don't know if our Vicky was involved in Arlene's spectacular crash or not ... but it could have been. At that point in time, we weren't in the Tri-Cities ....we were in Pullman at WSC.
Dick & Lynn Hinson Epler
Bob Loper (Lefty Roohr)
('60)
To Mark DeVoss (67): One more time for the Crown Victoria - did it have triple deuce carburetors? That's what made it fly!!! Let me know if its the same one.
Rob Teats (70)
It was good to hear Grant Ranlett (69) mention "underground." If I remember correctly, Grant published his own underground newspaper that was called "The Goods." In those days, high school administrators didn't think too much for first amendment rights of students and they did not want an underground newspaper to be distributed on campus. This did not prevent Grant from sneaking copies and passing them out in the hallways. On one occasion, the vice Principal saw some students passing out this "hot" journal of student radicalism and confiscated them. I spoke up and said he had no right to do that. The next thing I knew I was in the office with both vice principal and principal hearing a lecture on how "tricky Dick" was not acceptable language to be included in a respectable publication and therefore could not be allowed on school property. On a further occasion, the police were called to confiscate the underground newspaper "The Goods," because it was a source of "outside agitation." The way I remember it, Grant's newspaper was a great achievement of journalism.
Grant, do you still have any copies, I would love to see one?
Rob Teats
December 5, 1998
Jack Gardiner (61)
For all you Tri City Brave fans out there. Another guy who played for them during the early to mid 50's was Terry Carroll. I believe he was a infielder.
Jack Gardiner
Bob Rector (62)
Subject: Oh, now I remember!
Gee this is fun. Yea, no one would fess up about Lew Loyd until I stupidly accused Gail Cyphers. Hum, maybe Gail stole the car. Ok, Lew, where are you?
And Paul Whatz-his-name (Southworth?) in his dad's Kaiser... we were playing follow the leader and went down the "road" next to Carmichael Hill and took out the power steering. Never heard how Paul explained that to his dad.
Yes, Yes, Dean Hoff... I had forgotten the name of Don Steele, the DJ with a brain. (at least that is what I thought at the time) He was always poking fun at the religious beliefs of the other DJ. I felt that this guy had guts, along with his brain. All I had was this stupid grin, which I wear to this day.
And whatever happened to Bob Mitchell ('62)? Together, we boldly suggested to the administration, at a student council meeting, to allow pop machines on campus. Wow, Tom Lyda turned redder than a Wenatchee Delicious, and after the meeting he angrily explained to Bob Rector and Bob Mitchell, that we should keep our ^&%$# noses out of administration business and stick to student business at hand. Damn I remember his face every time I go to a basketball game and walk past those beautiful pop machines!!
Robert or Bob, Rector
Frank (Mac) Quinlan
(62)
I've put off writing as long as I could, but the talk about Lew Lloyd's black Crown Victoria finally got the best of me. David Waggoner (62) lived next door to Lew, so if he is out there, he might have the best information about what happened. I used to live down the block from Lew and one of the times I was home I remember seeing the infamous car with weeds growing up around it. This was probably about '72 or '73. So Mark, I guess there were at least two black Crown Victories.
A while back someone wrote that they thought that they were probably the first Hispanic family in the area. In '53 I was in the 3rd grade at Jefferson and one of my friends was Israel Padraza. His family either owned or operated a Mexican restaurant in West Richland.
When I was in the 4th grade I remember a new 5th grade teacher who had a red turtle back '47 Ford with laker pipes, loud exhaust and flipper hub caps. I was impressed that a teacher! would have a car like that. The teacher was L. Holland St. John. He was my 5th grade teacher the following year, but he had sold the car by then. The year after that he went off to Chief Jo to teach Speech.
Sandstorms (real ones) The worst sand storm I remember was in about '57 or '58. David Waggoner and I had ridden our bikes out Davidson to the gravel pit north of Newcomer. During this time there wasn't anything north of Newcomer other than cherry and apricot orchards. When the storm hit the dust was so bad we couldn't see anything so we were afraid to move. We were literally sand blasted for about 1/2 hour. When we got home it took forever to get the sand out of everywhere.
Dumb things. We used to sleep overnight out on the first island. Once the sun would go down the water would usually turn to glass. This was always the best time to ski, so we would ski by moon light. The scary part was having the boat find you after you fell down.
Riding Academy. The e-mails about going horseback riding sure brought back memories. Does anyone remember the lady's name who taught riding lessons in the middle fifties? I think her name was something like Mrs. Linderoff or something like that.
Jo Miles (64)
For Larry Brunelle (67) re: Hanford Class Action Lawsuit
The Yakima Herald Republic reported 8-26-98 "Judge Tosses Out Most Claims of Downwinders" Federal Judge Alan McDonald dismissed most of the about 4,500 plaintiffs suing former contractors at the nuclear reservation over radiation releases they claim harmed their health. He said that scientific evidence of radiation injury is too complex for a jury to determine. A jury's consideration of such matters could lead to "an erroneous conclusion that exposure to Hanford emissions was a cause in fact of an individual's disease."
The ruling does allow a handful of cases to proceed to trial, including those of some plaintiffs with thyroid cancer. The disease has been directly linked to exposure to iodine-131, the most predominant radioactive isotope released from Hanford's plutonium-processing plants.
McDonald's ruling dismissed all cases of iodine-131 exposure after 1960.
Attorney Tom Foulds of Seattle who represents some of the plaintiffs said he would appeal.
Jo Miles
Ron Sledge (65)
Basketball: Just thinking back on the players during my time in school I get flashes of Ray Stein (64) out jumping the 6' 11" Ted Wierman from Yakima; the year Rod Brewer (65) played part of the year left handed due to a broken arm and it didn't slow down his scoring that much; Thea Wallace (63) with the flattest arc in basketball history, most of the time it looked like his shots were below the rim; the great fast break where the ball never hit the floor; the full court press starting in the first quarter and continuing throughout most of the game; Fred Milton (66), looking more like an offensive tackle than a basketball player until the game started and his displays of speed and grace on the court, Jim House (63) tenacity in close under the basket.
Hunting: Does anyone remember Tom Norton (?) dressed in his all white coveralls laying out on the second or third island in the snow shooting ducks? He just let them drift down stream until he was done then picked them up on his way home. Garret Meador (65), the quickest chuckar hunter alive. We could be road hunting and Garret would hear some chuckers, stop the famous blue truck and be up a 500 foot hill before the rest of us could load our guns. Pulling the tail feathers out of hen pheasants and tell mom they were sage hens. My brother Dave (69), always shooting three times at everything. I think his gun was a full automatic and he couldn't let off the trigger quick enough. One of his first pheasants shot at about 15 feet coming down in a puff of feathers. No meat could be salvaged from that one.
Ron
Patty Eckert Weyers
(68)
Does anyone remember I believe it was in the 50's, a bus service for traveling around town? Back then it was an event to get to go 'shopping in Uptown' and we dressed up in good clothes and gloves and hats and got to catch a bus close to our house on Van Giesen (1108) and ride to the Uptown or Downtown area's. What ever was the reason that stopped? Anyone want to inform me on more details. I was a young girl, but I do recall it faintly and I wasn't over 10 yrs old. But later in my early teens there was no such memories of it?!
This is a sad confession for me to make, but in all my first 36 years living in the Richland and the Tri Cities areas, I never once experienced the 'high' of sledding down that hill, sad but true, but I still wouldn't mind if the opportunity ever arises as its been like a life long dream to do it and I'll be 49 years old two days after Christmas! Is it ever to late for that sort of thing?!!!! I remember only the hill at Christ the King.
Rich Crigler (70)
Quiz in the 12/3/98 Alumni Sandstorm
1. Where did the term "submarine races" come from?
2. Who burnt their library card by the flag pole in '68
3. How many R houses are there in Richland?
4. Richland has four of the top ten all time state basketball tourney scoring leaders. Who are they and what place?
ANSWERS:
1. Two Bombers were parked on the boat ramp at Howard Amon - they parked the car down the ramp a ways to avoid parking lot headlights - too busy to notice the car's movement and stop it - they began the first submarine race - names? I believe they were from the class of '68
2. David (tank) Roberts [68]
3. 146
4. BOYS:
#1.Mike Neill (75) - Career State Tourney points: 296;
#3.Norris Brown (57) - Career State Tourney points: 215;
#8.John Meyers (58) - Career State Tourney points: 184 GIRLS:
#9. Shari Biggs ~~ what year did she graduate and how many points?
December 6, 1998
Marilyn Peddicord
Whitley (53)
A few days ago Norma Loescher Boswell [53] sent me a picture of my dad and two other supervisors from the post office. It would have been taken in the 50's. She had asked if I would like to have this nice momento of my father. When I opened the envelope I began to giggle. My father was a man of only 5'8". He was the Postmaster, but in the center of the threesome was Floyd Hutchins, the assistant postmaster, a man of 6' 2" or so, with an incredible sense of humor. In the picture he appeared to be a few inches shorter than my father and the other person, Earl Jones also a shorter person. Floyd was, standing in a hole, everyone was grinning broadly. Norma reminded me that there was great humor among our elders. In fact, Earl Jones, one of the original Richland residents, the rural route carrier and by the 50's a postal supervisor kept a goat staked in his front yard, never believing in mowing grass. His house was at the corner of Lee Blvd. and Jadwin where a bank is now situated.
Marilyn
Grover Shegrud (56)
Subject: submarine races!
We were going to the submarine races as early as 1955 ** just an excuse to get a girl to go to an isolated place by the river and park**. I remember a place by the Yakima south of the CAP base and a place just north of the last houses on the Columbia. But we also had no qualms about using flat top in Kennewick. In fact the sand dunes just west of Richland where the cemetery is now was just as good.
Grover Shegrud
Rick Baker (58)
In response to Vic Hubbard's "Where I Was When JFK Was Killed", I was working at "D" area as a Utility Operator. We were on our lunch break when it was announced over the PA system. Everyone just sat there in shock. I remember that we went to a skeleton crew the next day to allow as many folks as possible to have the day off.
Rich Baker
Steve Carson (58)
Rich Crigler (70) We were watching the sub races in 1956. We watched them on the Columbia and the Yakima and on one special night on the Snake. Good memories on the State Tourney. Norris Brown (57) and John Meyers (58-deceased) played on the greatest ever Bomber Basketball Teams in 56-58
Steve Carson (58)
Mick Hemphill (66)
Kathy Rathjen (66); I believe wearing red on Thursday meant you were "gay", not happy, but light in the loafers. I think we called it "being fruity" back in those days. Good to see you on line, too. I still remember one of the prettiest girls from Lewis and Clark.
Hunting in the Tri Cities were some of the best times I can remember. Shot my first jack rabbit where houses are by the flume near the "Y", my first pheasant near Mike Murray's old house across the Yakima from Richland, and sluiced my first duck (crippled mallard) behind the old CAP airport... couldn't eat it, but it was a pretty green head. As we got older a group of us 66ers used to hunt the blocks in Pasco; Mike Murray, John Cole, Ron Griswold, and Ken Fortune. One unforgettable trip a farmer asked us to help rid him of some Bantey chickens that had overrun his barnyard. He would not let us shoot them (smart man), so we had to catch them by hand or club or pitch-fork. During the great chicken round up; Mike Murray sighted in on one and threw a metal capped fence post at the poor thing, and missed. The post cleared a ditch bank and smacked John Cole in the head as he was walking. John and chicken survived, but John got the worst end of that deal. I think we bagged 30 or so that day, and I took three live ones home. They kept the bugs down around the place for a year or so, until the neighbors got tired of the rooster crowing every morning.
Micky Hemphill
Grant Ranlett (69)
Subject: Underground papers
THE GOODS, that infamous underground newspaper, was written and published with the help Ray Nelson (70) and Janice Hutchinson (70). We wrote about the Vietnam War, farm laborer's rights, the peace movement, the Chicago 7 Trial, and other timely issues. I think I actually may have some old issues lying around.
THE GOODS was the second paper that I published. Remember THE NITRO EXPRESS? Dave Alden (69), Steve Lewis (69), Bob Bacon (69), and Sylvia Griffin (69) co-wrote and produced this one hit wonder. Bob Bacon was walking through Col-Hi one afternoon distributing the papers when he was stopped by a teacher. Apparently Bob had no right to do this. Also there was some questionable language in the paper. So all copies of THE NITRO EXPRESS were confiscated and the police called to the scene.
Larry Upson of the ACLU contacted me and interviewed me about this matter of constitutional rights. Should not I have the right to publish and distribute a newspaper? Are students denied this right?
Fred G. Ranlett
December 7, 1998
Norma Loescher Boswell
(53)
To Marilyn Peddicord Whitley (53): Thanks for sharing the humor about your Dad, Floyd Hutchins (who lowered his stature by standing in a hole) and Earl Jones (who used his goat as a lawn mower). You gave my memory a welcome boost!
To Cinnamon Bear Lovers: Those tapes with daily before-Christmas episodes of Paddy O'Cinnamon were played on our radio before Christmas every year when I was a child, and I loved them. They probably began soon after World War II. Does anyone know for sure?
Jim Hamilton (63)
All of this talk about the Best of the Bomber Basketball players bring back all kinds of names and memories.
Before the '58 team, there was Gene Conley, Jack Sinderson, and Chuck Curtis. But without a doubt, the most famous Bomber basketball player has to be from the Gold Medal Class of 63. No not, Theartis of the flat "J", Jim House of the right cross, or Pook who always played with one arm in the air ("foul on number 13"). Ron Richards and Chuck Gardiner would have been great, but were never really given a chance.
But the most "Famous Bomber" has to be Darrel Renz, and he made history without ever taking a shot, making a pass, or boxing out.
Deedee Willox Loiseau
(64)
To Marilyn Peddicord Whitley (53) who asked what Cinnamon Bear was: It was a daily radio program at Christmas, 26 episodes. It is about twins Judy and Jimmy who are trying to find the silver star that goes on top of their Christmas tree. In the attic, they meet Paddy O'Cinnamon who takes them to Maybeland; every day they have another adventure in the quest for their star until finally on Christmas Eve, they wake up in the attic with the star.
I don't know what years they were aired, but I have a friend who is class of '53 who listened to them in Yakima, WA and I am class of '64 and listened in Richland. They really are fun!
Deedee Willox Loiseau
December 8, 1998
Lee Johnson (54)
Bomber alert: Many of you know that the Marlin Photography Studio has gone out of business. And has turned over their portrait negatives to the Columbia River Exhibition of History Science and Technology (CREHST) The negatives go back to 1953 with a few from 1950, 51 and 52. All the negatives have been cataloged by family name. There are a some loose prints available and are on display. The prints are not cataloged so, have to be identified by sight. If you or anyone in your family ever had their picture taken at the Marlin Studio then chances are good you can retrieve the negatives. CREHST will sell you the negatives for $20.00 and if you spot a picture in the display you can buy it for $2.00.
The CREHST Museum is located at 95 Lee Blvd., Richland. It is the building that overlooks the tennis courts at Howard Amon Park. 943-9000
Lee Johnson
Millie Finch Gregg (54)
To: Patty Eckert Weyers (68) - I think if you have a life-long dream of sledding Carmichael Hill - go for it girl (as my grandaughter would say!) You are as old as you think. Your body might suffer later, but what a fun thing to do! Let us know if you succeed!!!!
To: Members of the Class of '54 - Do any of you remember the day when we were Srs, and we basically "skipped" school and went to Pasco (I remember riding the city bus) for a football game????
Millie Finch Gregg
Ken Heminger (56)
Does anyone remember a teacher named "Miss Rootness" (The spelling may be off but it sounds like I spelled it.) from the late 40's early 50's. I remember I had her for the 5th grade but can't remember which school, I think it was Spalding. If someone should remember her it would fill a gap in the old memory,
Ken Heminger
Jack Grouell (61)
Richland Bomber Alumni: We have been expressing lots of Richland memories. Obviously we all feel that growing up in Richland was a unique experience in many ways. I have been thinking that the Richland we knew is changing and disappearing and with it some of the "look and feel" of what made it unique. Would it be a worthwhile to preserve a bit of the historic past as a tribute to those who made Richland a part of history?
What I have in mind would be acquiring an original government house and restoring it to the condition it would have been at the end of WW II, VJ Day. Not just the house, but the yard and all of the furniture, appliances, clothes in the closet, maybe even a pre-war car with bald tires sitting in the driveway. Make it look like a WW II Richland family was still living there. What do YOU think?
Jack Grouell
Mari Eckert Leahy (65)
Thinking about the past made me recall fondly, the memories of walking to the Arctic Circle after early Mass each (or rather, many) Sunday mornings with my sister, Patti. Those fries we bought just tasted EXTRA good those mornings. Or going to the old Mayfair store on Thayer Dr. (corner of Thayer and Williams) to buy shoestring potatoes in the can. On the rare occasion that we went straight home, it was French Toast time with loads of maple syrup! Gosh, am getting hungry just REMEMBERING all that good stuff!!! Patti mentioned in the Sandstorm the other day that Richland had a bus system for a short time, back in our school days. I had actually forgotten about it, but again, the memory resurfaced upon reading her letter, and I recall using it on rare occasions, but mostly I recall, walking everywhere that I wanted to go, no matter where in Richland it was (once or twice even went as far as Kennewick). Christmas time while growing up was the greatest. Everyone so friendly and not afraid to smile and say hi or Merry Christmas. On Saturday mornings the cartoons and double feature we got to go to at the Uptown theater, the cost only a receipt from any of the stores in the Uptown! Can actually recall my brother Bob reading the titles for me and wishing I could read them myself. So proud of myself when I was finally able to do so. Santa's workshop upstairs at Newberry's - how exciting that was!! Bought Mom a pair of red high heels and a red purse, one Christmas, at the Bon Marche and they put a gold sticker on it with the letters - BM. Wasn't sure I cared for those letters, in that order, on Mom's packages! Sledding down Carmichael Hill or the backside of Chief Jo. Great fun. Hooky bobbing behind the cars that cooperated. Afraid I could go on and on, but best quit before this becomes a book ------- even if it would be a BEST SELLER.
Dan Henry (68)
I remember the riding academy very well. I spent many days there. My brother had a horse but wouldn't let me ride it by myself. So I spent every dollar I got renting horses. Some horses were so barn sour that you would not get a hundred yards out the back before they would turn around and return whether you wanted to or not. I finally found a mare named Bambi that was worth the money. She was really a good horse for a kid. I didn't get my first horse til I was 18. My sister Sharon co-signed for me to by her. The riding academy was also where a lot of the girls hung out. Worked for me. Thanks Sharon.
Daniel Henry
Rick Polk (70)
Since the subject of best of the Bomber Basketball players has cropped up, I feel the need to throw in my two bits.
With all due respect to Jim Hamilton (63), Ray Stein (64) had to be the best all-around B-ball player to wear the Green & Gold. I grew up watching Bomber basketball, having 2 older sisters (Myrna-64 and Marsha-67) rant & rave about the Bombers.
I can remember watching Ray Stein play ball for RHS and was amazed even then, at what he could do on the court. One image of Ray still stands out to this day. Ray was driving down the middle of the court. At about the top of the key, a defender slid across in front of Ray's path. Well, Ray simply jumped, twisted his lower body in mid-air and laid in a finger roll lay-in over the top of this poor guy. I mean, the waist band of Ray's shorts were even with the top of this guys head.
We may now see "Air Jordan", but during the '63-'64 Bomber basketball season, Richland High had "Air Ray". [check out these pictures of "Air Ray"
http://members.wbs.net/homepages/r/i/c/richlandbombers/AirRay-63State.jpg
http://members.wbs.net/homepages/r/i/c/richlandbombers/AirRay-64State.jpg
At the same time though, how can we single out one individual as the "best" from the Richland Bombers' rich basketball tradition. RHS was fortunate and still is, to have so many outstanding athletes - both male and female. But Ray Stein was one of the best ever.
Holly Chamberlain (76)
Speaking of Marcus Whitman, Rob Teats' comments about student newspapers being confiscated, reminded me of an incident in which I was involved in 5th grade. A friend of mine, Geri Monson, came to school one morning indignantly reporting that her sister and the rest of the third graders were on their way to Toppenish that day by school bus for a field trip to a sugar beet plant. Well. We were outraged. When WE were in third grade, we only got to go to the Richland post office on a field trip, and that was on foot. Somehow, a bunch of us got it in our heads that what we needed was a petition declaring that fifth graders should get to go on more field trips. I can't remember how we knew about petitions as a form of democratic expression, but that was the tool we chose with which to air our grievances.
I think the petition was written primarily by me (at any rate, I ended up taking the rap for it) and was duly circulated among all the fifth grade classrooms. It got a tremendous number of signatures -- lots of support for more field trips! -- before unfortunately being confiscated by Mr. Morrow as it was being too prominently passed around his class. He was not particularly upset, as I recall, but was just responding to the fact that something was happening during class time that was not, shall we say, part of the curriculum. My teacher, Mrs. Fischer, hit the roof, however. (I remember that Mrs. Sagerser was none too happy, either). Mrs. Fischer literally stomped around the classroom yelling and waving her hands, saying that we had done a terrible thing and that Mrs. Wellman (the principal) would be REALLY upset.
After ranting about sedition for awhile, she finally calmed down enough to ask who had perpetrated this awful crime. Reluctantly, and in great fear, I, who had never previously been accused of doing anything particularly awful during my mild-mannered Library Club-type career at Marcus, raised my hand and confessed shakily that I had written the petition. The rest of the class was sent out to recess while I was sent to the principal's office. Mrs. Wellman wasn't in at the time, so I took advantage of the opportunity to inform my teacher that I was sick and had to go home. Mrs. Fischer said, and I quote, "Now, I haven't said anything that upset you, have I?" Weasel that I was, and desperate to get out of there, I said, "no," and departed to the waiting arms of my mother, who had sympathetically come to pick me up from school, and who was surprised when I weepingly informed her that I was now a criminal.
The next day, I did indeed have to go see the principal - my first (and last) time in the Inner Sanctum. Mrs. Wellman, a wonderful person, was completely rational and understanding, discussed the lack of field trips in some depth, and suggested that the petition should go to the student council. The fifth grade's contribution to the democratic process was duly delivered to the student council, which discussed it but never acted upon it. Now, THERE'S a lesson on democracy.
