Rotary Log for meeting of August 31, 2017
By Everett Eaton
Photos by Craig Taylor
President Ben opened the meeting promptly at 12:15. Peter Grace recited the four way test.
In honor of our esteemed guest, Mort Schmidt led us in “Take me out to the Ball Game.”(Boy, I hope no one was recording that effort…) Senor John Rice led us in the invocation.
CLUB ANNOUNCEMENTS
Rotary will be organizing donations for Hurricane Harvey victims in Houston. More to follow.
…Last Sunday, Father Allen’s ashes were interred in the churchyard at St. John’s. President Ben represented the club. Gordon passed away just before Christmas…This week’s speaker is T.C. Cummings, a Navy Seal. Walter won the 50/50 raffle for $74.
VISITORS
Susan Gold introduced her husband Alan Gold. Jane Cummings was the guest of Pat Cummings
Leo Gagnon brought Don Evans.
Finally, Past President James invited his daughter Natalie, who should be an honorary Rotarian.
FINES
Neal Ouellette tried to fine all golf playing Rotarians for John Pratt’s hole in one Last week. He should also have fined Eric Weinrieb for wearing those shorts…
GUEST SPEAKER…Remembering 1967
Former Red Sox All Star Shortstop Rico Petrocelli entertained us with his memories of the summer of ’67. Dubbed the Impossible Dream Team, the Sox went from last to first that year, winning their first pennant since 1946. And it happened in a heart-stopping three-team race that went down to the last game of the season. Unfortunately, the Bob Gibson-led St. Louis Cardinals prevailed in an equally exciting World Series.
Rico played his entire career for the Red Sox, hitting 40 homers one year. That feat stood as a record for shortstops for many years. He was a defensive star, as well, playing in both the 1967 and 1975 World Series.
He said that the excitement in ‘67 was much like 2004 when the Sox won their first World Series.
Similar to the current Sox, there were many young guns that had just come up from the minors. Prior to ’67, the team was poor with “horrible pitching,” according to Rico.
The Impossible Dream Year was also the birth of the modern Red Sox era. In the year’s leading up to the surprise pennant run, the club routinely drew less than 10,000 fans per game. Last place was far more familiar to Sox fans than championships. But as the summer of ’67 wore on, tickets became nearly impossible to come by. That novel fact forced some fans (this editor included) to drive to Yankee Stadium to see the team.
Rico, a Nashua Rotarian, has a great self-deprecating sense of humor. But he also didn’t miss an opportunity to poke fun at teammates or fellow competitors. Bill (Spaceman)Lee, Luis (El senor) Tiant and Dick (Dr. Strangeglove) Stuart were all the brunt of his good natured jokes. One can only assume that his quick wit and humor was a huge asset in the Red Sox club house.
Rico stayed after the meeting to sign and sell copies of his book “Tales from the Dugout, 1967 Red
Sox”.
Respectfully submitted, your dutiful Scribe du jour
Everett Eaton
