Let Not The Light Of Freedom Be Extinguished! American Home over 100 years of serving American- Slovenians Vol. 104, No. 38 Amere Ameriška Domovina' SLOVENIAN MORNING NEWSPAPER USPS 024100 ISSN Number 0164-68X Phone:(216)431-0628 AMERIŠKA DOMOVINA, SEPTEMBER 19, 2002 e-mail: ah@buckeyeweb.com 70c Left to right: Ambassador Dr. Karl Bonutti, his wife Hermina Bonutti, and Bishop A. Edward Pevec at retirement dinner at Slovenian National Home in Cleveland on Wednesday, September 4,_____________________ (Photo by TONY GRDINA) Fantje na Vasi Prepares for 25th Anniversary Concert The Slovenian men’s chorus Fantje na Vasi will hold its 25lh annual concert on Saturday, October 5th at the Slovenian National Home, 6417 St. Clair Avenue in Cleveland. Doors will open at 5:30 P-m. and the concert will begin at 7 p.m. A dance and social will follow the performance featuring the Veseli Godci (Happy Musicians). Reserved seating is available by calling Joe Gaser at (440) 951-5126 or Mark Celestina at (216) 486-1973. General admission tickets 'vili also be available at the box office on the evening of the performance. Admission is $10; children 13 and under admitted free. * * * To commemorate the 25th anniversary, a special 4 p.m. Mass will be celebrated by Rev. Joseph Boznar at St. Vitus Church, 6019 Lausche Avenue on Saturday, Oct. 5th. Liturgical music will be provided by Fantje na Vasi. Following the Mass, the doors to the Slovenian National Home will open early and food and refreshments will be available in the Ed Kenik Hall before the concert. Dart Results The Slovenian Dart Open was held on Sunday, September 15 at Slovenska Pristava in Harpersfield, OH. The winners arc: First Place: France Rote and Pavle Sedmak Second Place: Ernie Luzar and Niko Percic Third Place: Matjaž Sedmak and Marko Sedmak Thanks to all who competed! —Edvard Sedmak Director of Tournament Day of Atonement Let us all now humbly bow our heads in contrite prayer to the great God this day, the Day of Atonement. May He forgive us for all of the wrongs committed and to be committed to the end of our days. Hosannah in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. - Monday, Sept. 16 was the Day of Atonement, the holiest day of the Jewish Calendar. -Joseph Zelle Truth is always strong, no matter how weak it looks, and falsehood is alv/ays weak, no matter bow strong it looks.______________________________________________________-Phillips Brooks Danish pastry was created in the 17th century by a French apprentice baker who forgot to add butter to our and tried to hide his mistake by folding lumps of it into the dough. The Danes call it Vienna bread, the rench call it a thousand leaves, the Italians call it folded pastry, and the Germans call it Copenhagener. Kamen Castle Close to Begunje in the higher than the tower we see Gorenjsko region, not far today. The Gothic residence from the main road con- on the lower plateau ap- necting Ljubljana with the pearcd in the 14lh century, Karavanke tunnel and Aus- perhaps in the period when tria, the picturesque ruins of the castle owners were the the Kamen (stone) medieval Counts of Celje, historically castle are located at the en- Slovenia’s only family of trance to a narrow Alpine nobility, the most influential valley. noble family in central The ridge of the Kara- Europe at the transition from vanke in the background, the 14th to the 15th centuries, where the border runs be- It was here that Herman tween Slovenia and Austria, the Third of Celje met his also offers the lovers of end after falling from his “wild” nature a beautiful horse in 1428. vista. The castle saw greater The Kamen castle was reconstruction work after the abandoned in the second half disastrous earthquake of of the 18lh century and since 1551, when the upper tower then it has been falling apart was probably destroyed and - naturally or because the a new one erected in its stones of the castle walls or place, one that was better even entire construction suited to the new style of elements have been used to warfare, repair the close-by The cast construction Kaccnstajn castle or in stage dates back to the 16lh building the new parish century, when both parts of church in Begunje. the castle complex were In 1959, the castle ruins connected into a single were thoroughly investigated structure, and protected from further Today, Kamen castle is deterioration in the ensuing an attractive and interesting 12 years. tourist site and, for the ex- The prevailingly Renais- perts, it remains a rich source sance castle complex arose of research on the protection from a Romanic residence and revitalization of heavily and a defense tower which damaged architectural heri-was at least one or two floors tage. (Photo; S. PUvevski/FA Vitrum) AMfcKlSKA DOMOVINA, StFlbMBtR 19, 2UU2 Please pass over the Pretzel Mass by RUDY FLIS Have you ever been to a “Pretzel Mass?” You ask, “What is a pretzel Mass?” In the magazine AARP Sept.-Oct. issue, on page 20, column 2, third paragraph down, entitled Tulsa, Oklahoma, it reads in part, “Check out the Polka Mass where communion includes a giant pretzel.” When Fr. George Balasko, the “Original Polka Priest” said the first Polka Mass at Holy Rosary Church in Lowellville, Ohio on May 29, 1972, he took the faith of our heritage and the music of our heritage and entwined them in heavenly praise to Jesus Christ, our Savior. The Polka Mass is simple and it is beautiful, and that is the way it must stay. Our beloved Polka Priest, Fr. George Balasko is recovering from an operation and asks for your prayers to aid in his speedy recovery. If you have been to a Polka Mass celebrated by Fr. George, you have seen his sincere love for his God, his church and the Polka Mass, free of misguided deviations, pure in worship. Pray the Polka Mass stays a powerful prayer and does not become a carnival. Mlakar Marches Down Memory Lane by RAY MLAKAR Joke time. A Sunday School Teacher asked her class why Joseph and Mary took Jesus with them to Jerusalem. “They couldn’t find a baby sitter,” a small boy replied. Okay. One more. A woman went to the Post Office to buy stamps for her Christmas cards. “What denomination?” asked the clerk. “My goodness; have we come to this? Well, give me 50 Catholic, 50 Protestant, and 10 agnostic.” Well, here I am back in Karlsruhe, in 1950 and the summer months were just ahead and soon I’d be packing up for the Good Old USA. Over the past months I had been seeing a lot of my close buddies leaving, although we all got to Karlsruhe at the same time, we did have a lot of draftees within our battalion. You would never know except for our service numbers. If you joined the Army on your own like I did you had RA (Regular Army) in front of your service number, and if you were drafted you had USA in front of your assigned service number. Being draftees, they were obligated to serve 18 months and so those guys got to rotate back to the states much sooner. I had some great fellow soldiers who were drafted and one soldier that was a close friend was Francis Monaghan, a nice Irish lad from the state of New Jersey. In fact a lot of the men and officers thought that Mona- han and I were brothers for we did look like twins. A lot of times by mistake they would ask him to go down to the basement to pick up their laundry and Monahan would say, “I am not Mlakar and have nothing to do with Supply.” Monaghan and I spent a lot of time at the USO Club and unfortunately he was one very lonely guy for he really missed home; maybe not home so much but his girl friend “Margie” that he was engaged to. He never took any leave for he wanted to save it in order to get out of the service that much sooner. Whenever I would see him. I’d try to cheer him up and sing, “Margie, I am always thinking of you, Margie.” He’d say, “Ray, stop singing. I miss her enough as it is.” He would moan and say, “Why did Uncle Sam draft me?” “Simple.” 1 would say, “They needed a guy like you to be part of the squad on the 90 MM Guns.” It came time for him to rotate back to the states and we made a couple of trips to town and really got smashed. I’d kid him when we were half loaded and say, “Monaghan, do you want me to sing, ‘Margie I’m always thinking of you, Margie’.” “Please don’t Ray, you sing worse than I do.” Monaghan assured me that he would stay in touch and he did write to me after he got stateside. Some friendships develop over time and you remain friends for life. As time was drawing near for me to rotate back to the states, both senior NCO’s and officers would call me 100 WORDS MORE OR LESS by John Mercina MORE SIGNS OF OLD AGE Do you remember... □ Head lights dimmer switches on the floor? □ Ignition switches on the dashboard? □ Push-button transmission shifter on a car? □ Heaters mounted on the inside of the fire wall? )** Heal ice boxes made of wood with metal lining on the inside? □ Pant leg clips for bicycles without chain guards? □ Soldering irons you heated on charcoal? □ Using hand signals for cars without turn signals? □ Newsreels before the movie? □ Blue flashbulbs? U Hi-fi’s? U American Home Publishing Co blotter (as currently being sold on E-Bay) ? □ Linden tree flower tea that your mom made? □ A real “ink” pen? aside and say, “Ray, you will never get out in August; why not extend your enlistment and stay for another year.” -I’d reply, “What do you mean I am not getting out? August is just a few months away and this cool cat will be sitting on the porch at 13301 Bennington Avenue in Cleveland before long and I’ll remember you guys with a prayer for you when you’re at Grenwohr maneuvers.” The Supply Officer in particular, Lt. Carroll would talk to me every day about reenlisting. He even seen to it that I made Corporal. “Stay, Ray, and next spring we will make you a Sergeant.” “Yeah, in my dreams.” He said, “Ray, remember what I told you. You will never get out in August.” Odd dam, what did this officer mean, trying to tell me I would never get out. Did he know something that I did not? He said, “Ray, we hate to lose guys like yourself for over the year that you have been here without a doubt, you showed me that you are a dedicated soldier.” Well, I tried to be but then I was anxious to get back for I, too, had a girl waiting for me. All I can say in bringing this column to an end is that you can never count on things to happen as you have planned and you cannot count on women either (girls), but the sad part is yet to come. For now 1 am happy and it seems that each night I was at the USO Club or some gust haus in town, saying my good byes to guys I got to know well during our tour in Germany. Frank, the Happy Little Italian Mail Clerk, and I would be rotating back to the USA very shortly. Thank Jim’s Journal By Jim Debevec Last week we said we’d talk about the Wizard of Oz and fiat currency. At first it may not sound exciting, but then again, what Slovenian is not interested in money. “The Wizard of Oz” was originally written as a political allegory. The Tin Woodsman represents the American industrial worker, the Scarecrow the struggling farmer and the Wizard the president, who is powerful only as long as he succeeds in deceiving the people. The story was written in 1900 by Lyman Frank Baum during the collapse of the Populist movement. Midwestern farmers, in alliance with some urban workers, had challenged the banks, railroads, and other economic interests that squeezed farmers through low prices, high freight rates and continued indebtedness. Populist Democrat William Jennings Bryan, a congressman from Nebraska, and a gifted orator, ran for President in 1896. The big issue was gold versus silver. He lost the election and gold remained the coin of realm God that although Frank was a Sergeant, and NCO, he had no say so as to what would be served as meals aboard the ship. Thank you God for you know that I do not care for liver and onions, Italian style or American style. Time to say good night and may the Good Lord bless and watch over you. and the Populists movement collapsed. A few years ago a person could go to the bank with paper money and demand gold in exchange. If you try that today, the bank teller will laugh at you. What the central banks (backed by politicians) have created is fiat money which is legal by law (or fiat) but not backed by gold or silver. It has NO intrinsic value. With fiat money there is no limit as to how much can be created. Six months ago President George W. Bush had imposed tariffs (or taxes) on foreign steel imports. The result has been disastrous (as predicted in this column). Steel prices are way up, and U.S. trade partners are angry at our policy and are retaliating by imposing their own tariffs on U.S. goods. A significant number of United States allies have said they will not back our attack on Iraq. The President’s Economic Aid Lawrence Lindsey says the Iraq War cost may exceed $100 billion, twice as much as Washington was claiming, with few sharing the bill. If we go to war, it will further erode the value of the worthless dollar. The government will print more. Is inflation far behind? Will this help our economic slump? Life in the Refugee Camps by ANTON ŽAKELJ translated and edited by JOHN ŽAKELJ (Continued) Friday, Jan. 25, 1946 Mire left for Spittal -without permission from the authorities. He can’t seem to find any work here in the camp. He lies in bed until 10 or 12, and then he eats and smokes. Sometimes, when things are not going well for him, he’ll sleep for days. Cilka is sometimes angry with me because I keep delaying our wedding. She would like us to start a family. How can we, when we have nothing and our future is so uncertain? Right now, the other refugees from our home village of Ziri are my family. Saturday, Jan. 26,1946 This afternoon, I went to the city to sell the lace we had made, but I sold nothing. Money is short everywhere. Our friends Karl and Janez Vončina got jobs with shoemaker Russheim nearby. They say they are satisfied. Sunday, Jan. 27,1946 I went to Mass at 5 a.m. and 7 a.m., and litanies at 5 p.m. In the afternoon, Mici, Cilka and 1 walked into the city to watch skiers and ice-skaters. The newspapers report constantly growing conflicts between the Americans and British on one side and the Soviet Union on the other side in a conference of foreign ministers in London. I expect we will see another world war starting during the coming year. Monday, Jan. 28,1946 UNRRA is handing out clothes again. Cilka received a coat and towel. Tuesday, Jan. 29,1946 Mire returned to the camp with flour, nails, suitcases and some other things which he obtained through bartering during his travels. He also brought news from our home village: Our church organist, Anton Jobst, together with his wife and child, were deported by the communist authorities in Ziri on Christmas Eve, 1945. All their possessions were taken away. With great difficulty, they made their way through Hungary, to Celovec, in Austria. (A web page published in Ziri in 2001 states that the reasons for their deportation are still unknown. In the early years of the communist government in Yugoslavia, it was not unusual for people to be deported or jailed for vague reasons “crimes against the state.”) Mire also reported that the Gantar brothers (Cilka’s cousins) in Ziri were arrested and their possessions taken. Martinc was shot (we learned later that this report was not true), and Muhovc died. Shoemakers are working again at a number of small shops in Ziri. This morning UNRRA began vaccinating everyone against typhus. In the afternoon, they gave each of us a shirt. The shirts are all the same - gray with collars so large they look like elephant ears. Thursday, Jan. 31,1946 The British delivered enough wood to the camp for 20 new barracks, which will be built by the Ukrainians. Friday, Feb. 1,1946 I sold 200 American cigarettes for 2 shillings each and bought 2 kilos of bread for 12 shillings each. At Kuznik’s, I got an order for us to make bobbin lace - that’s good! Saturday, Feb. 2, 1946 This afternoon Ciika and I walked across the frozen Mura River and then back through the town of Mur-dorf. We read a report in a newspaper about many priests being arrested in Ljubljana - my brother Stanko is among them. Pavel Podobnik says he heard that refugee Lovro Možina was shot when he returned to his home in Slovenia, (that report turned out not to be true.) This evening we had Slovenian pancakes for the first time in this camp. From 8 - 10 p.m., we played “spank the judge” (“biti rihtarja”). Janez Levičar, who was a real judge in Slovenia, got spanked the most. Whenever Levičar bent over and covered his head, we all crowded around him in a circle. Pavle, our largest and strongest man, jumped forward and spanked him, and then quickly jumped back behind the rest of us. Levičar looked up and could not guess who spanked him. Levičar got spanked more than anyone else before he finally guessed right. (To Be Continued) St. Vitus Slovenian School Set to Open St. Vitus Slovenian School will begin its preschool and grade school classes on Saturday, September 21 at 9 a.m. in St. Vitus School on Lausche Avenue in Cleveland. Parents of current students and especially new families are encouraged to attend an introductory meeting with the teachers on Monday evening, Sept. 16 at 7 p.m. in the St. Vitus Social Room where registration for the new school year will take place. Anton Žakelj (age 95) demonstrates the handmade saw which he used to cut wood in the refugee camp 50 years ago. This photo was taken earlier this year. Right now, Mr. Žakelj is busy harvesting his delicious peaches, which he so generously shared with American Home employees.___________________________________________ Mario’s International Program now on WKTX - 830 AM Saturdays - 4 to 5 p.m. PERKIN’S RESTAURANT 22780 Shore Center Dr. Euclid, Ohio 44123 216 - 732-8077 Operated by Joe Foster §TH AWSWIRSM-Y CiLIBiATI©^ Fantje na vasi In Concert Saturday, October 5, 2002 Slovenian National Home 6417 St. Clair Ave. Mass of Thanksgiving at 4:00pm at St. Vitus Church Doors at Slovenian National Home open at 5:30pm; Light Supper and refreshments will be available; Concert begins at 7:00pm For reservations please contact: Mark Celestina (216) 486-1973 or Joe Gaser (440) 951-5126 Admission is $10.00; children age 13 and uhder admitted free of charge. ■ i ' ■" ■ ■■= Tours Cruises Florida Wre here Alaska Shows Condos Europe Hawaii We're eager to Mp you plan your trave/now AND /a the future! EUCLID^fi^ TRAVE#*1 Business of the Year, 2001 22078 Lakeshore Blvd., Euclid, Ohio 44123 216—261-1050, travel@euclldtravel.com AMERIŠKA DOMOVINA, SEPTEMBER 19, 2002 AMERIŠKA DOMOVINA, SEPTEMBER 19, 20C Growing Up Slovenian in Collinwood Pristno Slovenski... NOT!!! by JOE GLINŠEK (Continued from last week) My semi-phonetic spelling has also been critiqued. (Try spelling the capital of Slovenia phonetically enough for a Texan to pronounce it properly.) I know there should be a strehja above the “c” to give it that “ch” sound, but there is none on my keyboard. Strehja -that is a laugh. This ‘roof looks like it would gather water, not shed it. I’ll bet there’s a fancier name for that little V above the ‘c’, ‘s’, and ‘z’. Why is there a silent ‘j’ in this Slovenian word for ‘roof,’ and in so many other words? How often is the second ‘j’ in Ljubljana sounded or heard? I should stop demonstrating my ignorance in these matters, but it’s nice to get letters instead of junk mail. I bravely invite your slings and arrows at 1429 Dogwood Dr., Sarasota, FL 34232. In a scholarly book that 1 read decades ago, it said that Slovenian was the only living language that was virtually unchanged since it began, and if one could step backward in time to about 1200 AD, Slovenians could easily converse. Now that’s Pristno Slovensko! Since Ljubljana has existed as a city under several names during past centuries, it would seem logical to suggest that it is still the seat of the purest form of the language. Would a present-day Gorenc, Dolenc, Notrajnc, or Shtajarc, touring medieval Ljubljana in a donkey cart, have to use sign language to obtain meals and lodging? Another reader pointed out my use of Germanic “slang.” I am aware that the words I used were not in the Slovenski Slovar, but they were the words I heard and used while growing up in my grandfather’s house. He refused to speak “Angleesh, ” and from 1937 when he retired from the railroad until he died in 1953, I heard far more of his speech patterns than those of my working father who was away most of the day. My dad tried to correct what he considered to be my coarse Slovenian, but the little time he could spend with me was no match for my exposure to the language of the streets and a grandfather from Stavcha Vas with only a smidgen of schooling. My first language would be English, and Dad could not mount a crusade to make me fluently bilingual, though he could read, write and speak in three languages. The comments about my Germanic slang reminded me that my father, who was raised and educated in Ljubljana, was required to learn all his school classes in German. Obviously, he had to learn German first, and there was no choice. Since Slovenia was under Germanic or Austrian rule through most of the period between the 7lh Century and World War I, is it any wonder that their language infil- trated ours. Puter, shpejgle, shajba, rozhenkranz, povshter tanc, are words that sound German, even to a child, but were part of the “fractured Slovenian” heard in Collinwood, along with hundreds of other words that are not in any proper Slovenian dictionary. After World War II, there was a mini-migration of Slovenians to America, and a number of families moved into Collinwood. They sounded almost foreign to my ears. They had been properly educated, probably in Slovenia, by Slovenes, and spoke what I assumed to be Pristno Slovensko. Perhaps through the efforts of the Slovenska Shola, the children who attend will preserve the Slovenian language that my father loved. I’m sure he will be smiling as he circles his private cloud. Bogo s Crazy Quiz Bogo Avsec of Canada, sent in this quiz for readers of American Home newspaper. See if you can get more than one right. Answers below: 1) - How long did the Hundred Years War last? 2) - Which country makes Panama hats? 3) - From which animal do we get catgut? 4) - In which month do Russians celebrate the October Revolution? 5) - What is a camel’s hair brush made from? 6) - The Canary Islands in the Pacific are named after what animal? 7) - What was King George Vi’s first name? 8) - What color is a purple finch? 9) - Where are Chinese gooseberries from? 10) - Who is buried in Grant’s tomb? ANSWERS: 1) - The Hundred Years War lasted 116 years. 2) - Ecuador makes Panama hats. 3) - From which animal do we get cat gut? Sheep and horses 4) - Russians celebrate the October Revolution in November 5) - Camel’s hair brush is made from squirrel fur. 6) - The Canary Islands in the Pacific are named after dogs. 7) - King George Vi’s first name was Albert 8) - The purple finch’s color is crimson 9) - Chinese gooseberries come from New Zealand. 10) - Ulysses Grant is buried in Grant’s tomb. i To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe. -Anatole France IVORY CITY PIANO SERVICE Albert J. Koporc, Jr. 27359 Tungsten Rd. Euclid, OH 44132 216-731-9780 Baraga's Corner 8396 Mentor Ave Mentor, Oh 44060 Office: 440-951-2123 Fax: 440-255-4290 fl Realty One www.realtyone.com "The Lucas Team" Roger Lucas v.m. 440-974-7207 Donna Lucas v.m. 440-974-7217 email: r.lucas@realtyone.com d.lucas@realtyone.com Bishop Fenwick and Fr. Baraga arrived at Arbe Cro-che, where the Indians lined the shore waiting for Bishop Fenwick’s blessing. Bishop Fenwick told the Indians he came to install Fr. Baraga as their new missionary. The Indians were filled with happiness. Fr. Baraga was well received by the Indians and Fr. Baraga prayed to God he would be permitted to remain with the natives the rest of his life. ____________________ (Pg. 59, Shepherd of the Wilderness). Enjoy Caramel Apple Flavors In A Simple Pie (NAPS)—The onset of autumn makes many people crave one thing—the caramel apples they enjoyed as kids. Now you can capture the goodness of the apple harvest with a delicious, grown-up twist to that familiar favorite. With drizzles of rich caramel topping and a sprinkling of chopped pecans, Caramel-Nut Apple Pie looks like a dress-up dessert, but it’s simple to prepare. Just start with convenient refrigerated pie crusts and you’re assured the flaky crusts will look and taste like homemade. Serve this perfect apple pie for a Sunday dinner or a week-night gathering for friends. You can find other tasty recipes at www.Pillsbury.com. Caramel-Nut Apple Pie 1 (15-oz.) pkg. Pillsbury' Refrigerated Pie Crusts, softened as directed on package s/4 cup sugar 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 3/f teaspoon cinnamon l/* teaspoon salt % teaspoon nutmeg 1 tablespoon lemon juice, if desired 6 cups (6 medium) thinly sliced, peeled apples Water 1 tablespoon sugar '/i cup caramel ice cream topping 'A cup chopped pecans Heat oven to 425°F. Prepare pie crusts as directed on package for two-crust pie using 9-inch glass pie pan. In large bowl, combine 3A cup sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg; mix well. Add lemon juice and apples; toss gently to mix. Spoon into crust-lined pan. Top with second crust; seal edges and flute. Brush top crust with water and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar. Bake at 425°F for 40 to 45 minutes or until apples are tender and crust is golden brown. To serve, top each slice with 1 tablespoon topping and 1 ‘/a teaspoons pecans. Makes 8 servings. j Mom's Super Relish This is an OLD family favorite, and if we ever have had j roast beef or roast pork sandwiches, this has been a must. If I Mom ever forgets to make it for parties, she hears about it! i Delicious! i Ingredients: Vi small cabbage, shredded (very fine) in food i processor Vi C mayonnaise 3 T prepared horseradish Vz t salt 1/8 t pepper i Directions: Combine all ingredients and chill. Serve with hot roast i beef and roast pork sandwiches. -Kim Ann Kaifesh i ___________ Our Family and Friends Recipes \ LAVRISHA Construction & Repair BUILDING IMPROVEMENT SERVICES 6507 St. Clair Ave. - Cleveland, OH 44103 _________216 / 391-0035______________ __________________j,.-.. ■L;!> ‘ ~ __ Paul J. Hribar 10 Joyce Ann Hribar Attorneys at Law Omni Bldg., Suite 500 27801 Euclid Avenue, near 1-90 Euclid, Ohio 44132 - 261-0200 - fax 261-7334 - Probate, Estate Planning Real Estate, Trusts and General Civil Practice Lawrence Parish Life Fabulous Phil Ponders , Recalling St. (Continued) by JOSEPH T. SNYDER Baseball, Class F, & The Cleveland Indians Baseball was the passion for most youngsters back in the first half of the 20th century in our neighborhood. Our idols were the productive Cleveland Indians who gave us plenty to cheer about prior to WWII. During the war years many of our baseball heroes were off to various battlefields and special services while the 4Fers, castoffs, and veterans populated our national past-time. Starting at about age 10, back in 1946, interest was centered around Bob Feller’s quest for the strikeout record of 346. Sandlot baseball was our forte for most of the neighborhood youth. We had a CYO league with various talented players. However, the Laurentians caught our fancy in the early 1950’s as they were the perennial Class B Champions in Greater Cleveland. They were led by pitchers Doc Turk (now Fr. Damien), Doc Lekan, and Dick “Horse” Jeric. They fielded such luminaries as Cow, Futts, Baldy, Fasso, Bill Zagar, Bill Hrovat, Bemie Cesar, Eddie Globokar, and a number of ringers. They were managed by Billy Turk, who had previously spent some time in the minors in the late forties. Bill Turk and Skeezy Jeric were frequent All-Stars with outstanding Class A teams, which included Bartunek’s, Factory Furniture, Rosen-blum’s, and many other sponsored teams that provided great hardball games that were well worthwhile attending. During the playoffs, it was not rare to see 10 to 20 thousand spectators at Brookside Stadium. Our first glimpse at organized baseball was from Class F. It was understood that we had already spent a few years learning the rules °f the game, how to throw the ball, how to catch, run bases, and not be afraid of hast pitching. Playing catch "'as a daily routine from sPring to fall. We played a game called rounders whereby each Player had to play each position and moved around as a hatter made an out. It is dif-lcult to imagine in the 21st Century that organized youth baseball could be run by two Part-time volunteers, Mr. orestall and his able assis-tant, Jack. These two men streetcar conductors ^ho devoted their mornings elping out the youth at oodhill (now Luke Easter) park. In Class F, they had three divisions. The First Division for the Eighth Graders, the Second Division for the Seventh Graders, and the Third Division for the Fifth and Sixth Graders. Each division was composed of 10 teams. We played twice per week starting at 9 a.m. We had to walk about two miles to the ball park. Each game was given two bats, two gloves, a catcher’s mitt and equipment, a used baseball, and three bases, which were dutifully returned after the game, before noon. To my recollection there was not any supervision, theft, fights, foul language, racial incidents, serious injuries, or missing people. The umpire was chosen from the combatants, either a substitute or a curious onlooker; but never an adult except for the playoffs, when “Powers” showed up. There were no official scorers, uniforms, managers, coaches, statistics, All-Star games, or trophies; just the fun of playing competitive baseball. Our team was the Buddy Rosars, named after one of the Indians catchers. Later we adopted the name A1 Rosens, because he was the powerful rookie third base-man for our Indians. The big rivalry was against the Doby’s, one of the three black teams in our division. They beat us for the park championship in 1947 on a controversial bunt in the bottom of the seventh inning. One day Thurman Tucker of the Indians came to the park and gave us a brief clinic. I don’t remember what he said, but I did mooch a ride from him to my old neighborhood. The Indians played most of their weekday games at League Park on Lexington Avenue near E. 79th Street. The short right field wall seemed very inviting to both right and left handed hitters. Some of the old timers recalled Babe Ruth hitting the ball out of the park and the ball was still rising as it flew over the wall. During the war, foul balls or balls retrieved in the seats were returned to the red, white, and blue barrels for the Armed Forces. But our thrill was to go down to the Cleveland Municipal Stadium to see the Indians, particularly in the late 1940’s and until the debacle of the 1954 World Series. We usually arrived at the stadium about 2 hours before the game to watch batting practice. Sitting in the right field stands, we thought that we had an outside chance of catching a homer or a long foul ball. Once around 1950 I jumped from the stands to pick up a ball hit by Ted Williams. Just as I was scaling the wall, Jerry Kužnik yelled: “Here it comes.” Lo and behold, I caught the foul ball on the second bounce, a liner from William’s bat. I gave one ball to Jerry, my buddy, then savored the other for about two weeks, until we needed one for a game. For some day games, the Indians had a promotion whereby a child under 12, accompanied by an adult could get in “free” with the price of an adult ticket. So we waited for an adult who was about to purchase a ticket to gratuitously accept our offer to accompany him into the stadium. We also had the fortune to use the Kužnik Cafe’s season’s tickets when they were not in use. Sometimes Joey or Nandy would bring us along. In their seats, we could hear all of the professional hecklers even coming from the dugout. During the late forties and up through the late 1950’s, the Indians were the best team in baseball except for those dam Yankees. We witnessed the best pitchers that Cleveland ever assembled with their “Big Four” during that same era. Except for 1948 and 1954, we were ranners-up. I recall the church bells ringing when the Indians won the World Series in 1948. Every kid on the block tried to imitate the stance of Lou Boudreau or Joe Gordon and the idiosyncrasies of their heroes. The windup of Bob Feller or Early Wynn and Bob Lemon were very distinct. Billy Ku-hel, who was a left-handed mute, and a shirt-tail relative of Slovenian Joe Kuhel, did a perfect imitation of Gene Bearden. Gilbert Čolnar could even outdo Satchel Paige. Into each of our minds was the dream of knowing personally one of the celebrity ball players. Al Valencie was an usher during his high school years and was able to get to most of the games early enough to obtain autographs of almost all of the players from the Indians and their opponents during the period of the late forties. Only Oscar Grimes refused to sign one for him. Did he know how to write? That was the mmor amongst the wags around the stadium. Stimburys Accounting Accounting & Income Tax Services 496 E. 200th St.. Euclid, OH 44119- (216)404-0990 Fax (216) 404-0992 taxtime@en.com http://stimburysaccounting.com Enmlled lo Practice Before foe Internal Revenue Setvce Servicing Individuals Corporations i Swan Businesses People want the front of the bus; the back of the church; and center of attention. Somebody once figured that we have 35 million laws trying to enforce 10 commandments. If you can’t be kind, at least have the decency to be vague. The older you get, the tougher it is to lose weight because by then your body and your fat are really good friends. The easiest way to find something lost around the house is to buy a replacement. The sole purpose of a child’s middle name, is so he can tell when he’s really in trouble. If ignorance is bliss, why aren’t more people happy? Everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler. Once over the hill, you pick up speed. I love cooking with wine. Sometimes I even put it in the food. If not for stress, I’d have no energy at all. Everyone has a photographic memory. Some just don’t have film. You don’t stop laughing because you grow old. You grow old because you stop laughing. We cannot change the direction of the wind... but we can adjust our sails. Have an awesome day, and know that someone has thought about you today. --Phil Hrvatin Make the gas company wonder if you’ve moved. Our Freedom 90 gas furnace is one of the most efficient you can buy. Over 90% efficient-compared to around 65% for most older furnaces. You can shrink your monthly gas bill to a fracUon of its former self. And enjoy greater peace of mind, thanks to the Freedom 90 s lifetime limited warranty. So see your American-Standard dealer about the Freedom 90. and give your neighborhood meter reader something to wonder about. PlB STANDARD Built To A Higher Standard GORJANC 944-9444 HtATING V* COOLING A Namr For AH Seasons* 207 Alpha Park Highland Hts, OH 44143 Independent and Catered Living A RETIREMENT COMMUNITY Private garden apartments Housekeeping Planned activities Transportation 24 hr. Emergency Pull Cord Free Laundry Facilities Nutritious Meals No endowment or entrance fee Call us today'for a lunch and lour 25900 Euclid Avenue Euclid, Ohio 44132 261 AMERIŠKA DOMOVINA, SEPTEMBER 19, 2002 ŠKA DOMOVINA, SEPTEMBER 19, .1002 HAPpy News © © © © © Holmes Ave. Hall resounded with Pledge of Allegiance recited with special fervor today (Sept. 11) by 171 “recycled teenagers.” Quite a crowd. We then bowed our heads in silent prayer of remembrance for Alice Opalich, and all victims of last year’s terrorist attack. May they all rest in peace, and God Bless America! Welcome to new members Larry and Mary Aucin, who were finally able to at-^ tend. Hope to see you at all < the meetings. As Jackie Gleason might say: mmhm, we are a GOOD group. The meeting was interrupted to greet Rebecca McFarland from Euclid Public Library, our speaker for the day. And what a speaker. When the lights were turned off for her slide presentation on 1936-1937 Cleveland Centennial Exposition, she didn’t miss a beat: NO NOTES. Her presentation was so engrossing you could hear a pin drop. With our “gabby” crowd, that is quite a feat. What wealth of inventors, innovators, and visionaries Cleveland had to boast of in those days. Of course, some of us were too young to remember much of the Expo; but when Rebecca asked who recalled being there, half the hands went up. And we certainly gave HER a big hand for the wonderful and informative show. Thank you, Rebecca. When the meeting resumed, and various announcements were made, Marion Bocian shared her memories of the Expo: a 7-year-old dressed in “narodna nosa” and singing with the children’s chorus Slavček (Nightingale), and selling bunches of violets at the Yugoslav Pavilion. Lovely memories. Get well wishes go to our sick members Ed Delley, Toni (Antonia) Frydryck, Marge Hudock, Rose Rogers, and Toni Turk. Recover quickly; you are missed. Let our Sunshine Lady Ann Eichler know if you hear of a member who is ill: 216—731-9433, so she can send them a card. We all like to be remembered. Fran Kajfez reports that the trips to Crystal Brook Resort (already underway as you read this) and Belterra Casino are filled. She does have a waiting list in case of cancellations, so contact her, if you are interested. September was a fertile month. We sang Happy Birthday to members too numerous to list. Just have to mention a special “youngster,” our Matt Zabukovec. One could call him the backbone of our club, he’s s-o-o involved and dedicated. No wonder his back hurts. Anyone know of a good chiropractor? Tell Matt. Happy Anniversary was sung to Fran and Matt Kajfez, 48 years; Chuck and Agnes Krivec, 66 years; Evelyn and Mike Pipoly, 32 years (youngsters); Tom and Vida Schied, 43 years; and Carl and Jennie Schultz, 54 years. God bless the happy couples with many more healthy years together. Did you know Evelyn Pipoly was named Woman of the Year by the Italian American Club? How is that for “special?” Husband Mike was chosen as Holmes Ave. Slovenian Home Man of the Year for 2003. Congratulations to both. Our October speaker will be Mary Ann Vogel, spokesperson for Slovenian Cultural Garden. She will enlighten us on progress and needs of the Garden, and answer ALL your questions. There is still time to sign up for November Potluck dinner. All you need for admittance is a dish (per member) big enough to feed 6-8 people. Choices are anything from salad to nuts - NO soup. Mary Blatnik will be glad to sign you up. If you forgot what you’re bringing, she has the list. If cooking just isn’t "‘your thing,” a $5 cash contribution is suggested. That will help defray the cost of meat entree. This is an experiment for the club. If it works (don’t see why not), we’ll do it again. Anyway, don’t miss this meeting. Besides the interesting and varied meal, we’ll be entertained by Doll Calabrese and the Browning Center Dance Team. St. Paul’s church in Euclid at E. 200 St. is having a benefit pancake breakfast on Sunday, Sept. 22, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. The proceeds are intended for a 7-year-old little girl, Joanna Banno, cancer survivor, who is now on dialysis, waiting for a kidney transplant. Your help is deeply appreciated by the family. According to Matt Zabukovec, the Federation of American Slovenian Seniors picnic was a resounding success. A great time was had by all attendees. Some of us had to miss the fun because of a prior trip arrangement. Woulda done better to skip the trip; those slots can be murder. —HAPpy Wanderer Tony’s... [1^ Old World Plaza Barber Shop Haircuts: $6.00 664 E. 185th St. - at Abbey Ave. Cleveland HOURS: 7:30 a.m. 5:30 p.m. M-F 7:30 a.m. 5:00 p.m. Sat. We love the Slovenian people. We want more of them as our customers! Slovenians TL Us American Home Oldest Slovenian newspaper in the world! ARCHITECTURAL GUIDE TO LJUBLJANA r ■ ^his is the first comprehensive review of Ljubljana’s most significant buildings. It intro-JL duces 100 buildings and includes walking tours. The authors are Plečnik expert Andrej Hrausky and Janez Koželj, a professor of architecture. The book includes 289 color photographs in 252 pages. In paperback the price is $48 (ISBN - 961-209-250 8); a special limited edition hard cover version with silver edging is $85 (ISBN -961-209-252-4). This b