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Peeking into the past

Cefalo home after rookie season in ‘79

With Jack Smiles

Question: A game reached a height of popularity in 1946 and 1947 in Pittston. It was estimated that 2,000 regular patrons attended “parties’ to play the game which offered cash prizes as high a $500, the equivalent of $4,500, today. One of the largest of these parties was in the old post office building on Water Street. In January of 1947 Pittston City passed an amusement tax of 10 percent on the on the take of the organizations running the games, with five percent for the city and five for the school district.

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Following the Knox Mine Disaster of Jan. 22, 1959, members of the Scranton Press Photographers honored Esther Tinsley, administrator of Pittston Hospital, for her outstanding cooperation during the tragedy. From left, AJ Sandone, Mayor Hanlon, of Scranton, Miss Tinsley, Jack Scannella, and Stephen N. Lukasik.

Photo by Lukasik Studio

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What was the popular game?

30 years ago – 1979

Jimmy Cefalo was on the front page of the January 14 issue in 1979. He was home after his rookie season in the NFL with the Miami Dolphins. He was pictured with PA seventh grader Paula Strubeck signing a cast on her broken right arm. She broke it during rehearsal playing Tiny Tim in a “Christmas Carol” play.

“Cef” shared the front page with a winter weather story and photo. The weather must have been much the same as it is now 20 years ago. The pictured showed kids skating at Fox Hill. From the story: “Are we returning to the Ice Age? People have been asking that question jokingly, but the way this winter’s weather has been going it make us wonder.”

Cefalo participated in a closed circuit TV interview at Pittston Area. The interview was broadcast to all 1200 students.

Nick Ruggerio was in the Spotlight in the January 14 issue in 1979.

A heart surgeon from West Pittston Dr. Ruggerio was the Chief of Cardiology at Wilkes-Barre General Hospital and the founder of the hospital’s cardiac catheterization lab.

Knox Mine Disaster survivor Paul Cawley died in January of 1979, 10 days before the 20th anniversary of the disaster.

There was a story by music writer Don Strubeck about local rock band Southern Comfort. The late Roy “Butch” Mattei was the lead singer. Bill Space and Tony Golya were the guitarists. Kathy Golya was the bassist and Dave Steve was the drummer.

In sports things were different in 1979. Wyoming Are beat Pittston Area in wrestling 60-8. For WA Anthony Heck had a pin in 25 seconds at 105.

It was announced that Philadelphia Phillies catcher Bob Boone was the scheduled speaker at Greater Pittston American Legion baseball team smoker at the Moose Club on January 28.

Angelo DeSanto won the ping pong championship at Pittston Area. Over 60 students entered the tournament. Angelo beat Michael Carroll in the finals.

At the Villa Savoy in Exeter diners could fill up on all the fish n’ chips they could eat for $2.50. Abilene played at the Staircase on January 17. At Mister Donut in Old Forge a deal for 69 cents: coffee, donut and orange juice.

40 years ago – 1969

10 years after the Knox Disaster three survivors were pictured at the shaft they escaped from on the front page of the January 19 issue in 1969. James LaFratte, Albert Smelster and Joseph Stella had been trapped 50 feet below for several hours, before climbing out of the Eagle Shaft.

An old building on Wyoming Avenue in Exeter was demolished this week in 1969. The Dunn Building had been vacant for years and was considered dangerous.

The Pittston Area school district bought a 3M Microfilm Reader-Printer. The machine, the story said, would allow students to make a dry copy of anything in the microfilm library in three seconds.

Thirty-three local sports fans were in Super Bowl in Miami for the famous Joe Namath Super Bowl on January 19 in 1969. They were on a trip sponsored by Deno’s Sports Club in Hughestown. Bob Bartell, the club chairman, planned the trip.

In high school basketball Pittston Area led the Lackawanna League with 4-0 record and Wyoming Area was second at 3-1. This week PA beat Riverside and West Side Tech. Matty LoPresto and Sam Rostock were the top scorers.

Wyoming Area beat Old Forge 63-59. Rich Serino scored 20.

50 years ago – 1959

Four West Pittston soldiers were pictured together on Christmas Day in Korea in the January 18 issue in 1959. Spc4 Robert Oli ver and Pfc. Robert Wheeler drove 100 miles to meet up with Pfc Jack Domobroski and Pfc Sam Palermo in Seoul.

Gene Guarilia, a senior at George Washington University in 1959, was selected to play with a team to tour with the Harlem Globetrotters.

Frank “Smoky” Mroz, who pitched for the Detroit Tigers from 1925-28, was in Duryea 50 years ago speaking to the Mid Valley Old Timers Association. A native of Shamokin he lived in Scranton.

In Exeter the police chief was lobbying for more money. Exeter had three full time patrolmen. Each got only two days off a month. They were on duty 224 hours a month and made $205, less that $1 per hour. The chief got $10 more

A car nearly skidded of the Water Street Bridge. The car knocked down 30 feet of railing. It was pictured with its front end hanging over the edge of the bridge.

In high school basketball Pittston Township beat Hughestown 47-33 and Jenkins Township beat Dupont 56-55 in the East Anthracite League. Dupont protested the game when the Jenkins timer ruled a goal by Dupont’s Ray Tomaszewski, which would have won the game for Dupont, was after time expired

60 years ago – 1949

A story on the front page on January 23 in 1949 said four Pittston women, including the city health officer, got violently ill from food poisoning after eating canned kippered fish at a luncheon at city hall. Two women who did not eat the fish did not get sick so the connection was made. City officials had the store remove the fish from the shelves and return it to the distributor.

Pete Carlesimo, the coach of the Scranton University basketball team, was the humorist at the Avoca high school football banquet. The story said the team “enjoyed quite a ribbing.”

A songwriter from Pittston signed a contract to have his song “Charlene” published. Charles Polit of South Main Street named the song for his daughter.

Exeter high school clinched the first half title in the Valley Basketball league with a 7-0 record. In the last game of the half they beat Wyoming 52-31. Al Lapinsky scored 19. McNeil, Fenner and Klocko scored nine each. For Wyoming Winston scored 18.

Jenkins Township led the East Anthracite League with a 4-0 record. They beat Pittston Township 49-29. Stanley Rusin scored 20 for JT.

Answer: Bingo