TimesLeader.com

Peeking into the past

August 9

Pittston swimmers, 6-0, tops in 1973

With Judy Minsavage

Question:

The August 1953 edition of the Pittston phone book contained more of one item and less of another making it one ounce lighter than the 1952 edition, what were the items.

1953 - 56 Years Ago

Bell Telephone operators called “Hello Girls” became outdated in August of 1953. The Bell Telephone Building on Charles Street in Pittston had been outfitted with state of the art relay switches which would enable dial users to get their party’s ring in five or six seconds. John Ostrowski of Pittston was set to perform maintenance on the new equipment and Leo Grady, Bell Wire Chief, oversaw installation of the switches.

A small trickling of water at Falling Springs was all that Coxton had left of a water supply severely depleted by a summer drought. Wells were going dry and city residents were finding it increasingly difficult to acquire sources for water delivery. An article written in the Sunday Dispatch maintained, “This is not keeping with the modern trend of living” and called for solutions to this recurring problem.

Gilmartin Park Playground, in operation less that a year, celebrated a successful first season. Many volunteers, businesses, and Pittston residents, held fundraisers in order to gain funds to buy park equipment. Volunteers Nick “Murphy” Bosco, William Conti, Jerry Callaio, Al Lipperini, Joe Quinn, James Lombardo, Frank Bruno, Joe Gagliardi, Corey Gagliardi, Carl and Rocky Roman, William Vitale, Joe Bell, James Garzella, James Orts, Danny Dandrea, Andrew and Dominick LaFratte, Mike Perfetto, Joe Mundenar, and John Bantell worked to help get the park in shape and Michael and Anthony Direnzis performed the block work on a park building. Ninety-one year old Victor Calabello pitched in to dig foundation holes for a swing.

1963 – 46 Years Ago

Chief Joseph Delaney and the Pittston Police Department were heralded, among others, for a raid conducted on the Riverview Drive-in Theatre. A film confiscated proved obscene films were being shown.

Two Pittston mail carriers were heroes while attending the National Association of Letter Carriers Convention in Reading. While walking down the street, George Zapko and Michael Haddock witnessed a two-car collision. Both men attempted to halt the bleeding of two of the victims while awaiting the arrival of an ambulance for transport.

William Medico, president of Medico Industries, and his brothers were also local heroes by offering their company plane to fly a 14-year-old Minooka boy, to Philadelphia. The young man received treatment at the University of Pennsylvania Hospital after suffering severe burns while working at his father’s gas station in Scranton. Ralph Naylor piloted the twin engine Beechcraft.

Leo Vitek of Port Griffith had a visit from two sisters literally. Sister M. Andrene, SSCM and Sister M. Florine, Bernadine Order visited their brother Leo, during August of 1963.

Property values in 1963, as advertised by John P. Sammon, Realtor.

Hughestown – 6 room single aluminum siding and storm windows, garage, basement, lot 49 x 200 - $9,200

Pittston – 7 room single hot water heat, modern kitchen, and bath, garage, lot 56 x 140 - $12,500

West Pittston – 6 room single, full size basement lot 25 x 100 - $3,000

1973 – 36 Years Ago

Members of the Serradifalco Society, Leo Fasciana, Samuel Cometa, James Valenti, Peter Burgio, Sam Lentini, Leo Angelo, Angelo Butera, Michael Capizzi, John DeRosa, Leo Valenti and John Butera finalized arrangements in August 1973, to have a new statue of Our Lady of Sorrows their patron saint, brought to St. Rocco’s Church in replacement of one that was more than 50 years old. In 1914, a group of men, originating from Serradifalco, a small village located on the island of Sicily, formed the society.

Negative expectations regarding a rock concert to benefit the Plane Street Playground sponsored by the Avoca Recreation Committee left organizers short of their anticipated goal. Originally residents had feared large unruly crowds, garbage and traffic bottlenecks which kept attendance at a minimum, and leaving organizers short of their funding goal. The event, held at Veterans Memorial Park, went off without a hitch, or incident. The local band Ralph played to 450 spectators and a total of $1,100 was collected.

The Greater Pittston Swim Club won the championship in the Wyoming Valley Independent Swim League, with a perfect 6-0 record. Outstanding performances by Megan Maguire, Leah Stratton, Colleen and Jennifer Hanlon, Melita McGuire, Jerry Rynkiewicz and boys team co-captains Mike Masulis and Andy Healy, cinched the title.

Back to School Specials:

Harry’s Shoes, N. Main Street, Pittston offered Saddle shoes, bigger and chunkier than every. Two-tone suede and leather combinations. $17.99

Thrift Drug, Pittston Plaza, notebook filler paper 79 cents; zippered gym bag, $1.99; Webster’s dictionary, $1.19; 5-subject theme book, 99 cents.

1983 – 26 Years Ago

Pat Forlenza, chief of physical therapy at Nesbitt Memorial Hospital Health Center in Exeter, was named employee of the month in recognition to his service to the hospital, in August of 1983. Patrick had been employed by the hospital for four years, and was chosen by fellow staff members.

Seton Catholic Varsity Cheerleaders, Mary Kay Luchetti Kelly Donovan, Lisa Severnak, Michelle Oprindick, Kathy Larnerd, Renee Oprindick, Amy Krall, Erin McGlynn, Lynn Marie Grella, Valerie Zigmond, Sandy Connors, Carol Hanczyc, and Nancie Lucas, returned from Philadelphia with first place team honors. The four-day competition was held at LaSalle College. The girls won four first place ribbons for their cheers on two consecutive evenings.

Mike Cefalo’s Greater Pittston boys capped a week of thrilling baseball to win a trip to the Pennsylvania State Playoffs held in Wilkes-Barre in August of 1983. The Greater Pittston American Legion team forced extra innings in the deciding game and went on to win 4-3 over Beech Creek taking the regional title.

Joe Brulo of Brulo’s Market, Hughestown, sold a winning $75,000 lottery ticket to a local resident. “It’s the first one I’ve heard of in this area,” he said. No celebration was planned though; the winner chose to stay anonymous.

Answer:

The 1953 Pittston phone directory contained more names but fewer pages. Prior directories contained three columns of names to a page and weighed 7 ounces; the new directory had four columns to a page and weighed six ounces. Phone listings took up 228 pages, classified sections made up the remaining 72, totaling 300 pages containing 13,000 listings.