CIGAR BOX BULLETIN

Volume 53, No. 23 October 5, 2005

Pres. BRIAN FORROW jingle-jangled and we all rose to attention only to discover it was another dreaded two-dollar day. After the booing subsided, LEON FREEMAN led us in the pledge; JIM SANTORA pounded the upright as CHUCK STANDARD, flush with a new shipment of calendars, led the weekly songfest with The Star-Spangled Banner, Smiles and Yankee Doodle. Rec. Sec. FRED BROOKS, the favorite reader of all CBB editors, reminded us of last week (which many of us had forgotten) and recounted a list of PC terms for the fair sex (if your wife asks, say you forgot). Corr.Sec. BILL DYNAN read an unstamped card from ROGER PISANI and told a joke about faith-based gasoline sources.

ANNOUNCEMENTS: CARL STONE read the treasurer's report which was mercifully free of details. SAM MARASSO invited table hosts to sign up for the November 9 dinner. ERF PORTER, aka The Mad Hatter, surveyed us again on purchase intentions for caps and shirts since most had forgotten what they voted for last time. ERIC KNUTSEN needs a few good salesmen to help distribute the Historical Society's book on "Building Greenwich." RICH LIMBACHER needs a few helpers with the Cigar Box next week. President FORROW announced that the memorial service for BUD HALL will be at Christ Church at 4pm October 6th.

RETURNEES: LARRY SCHMITZ, Switzerland and Austria, JOHN SEEL, LA, MIKE HANNIGAN, lost on the Cape Of Cod for 3 1/2 months, HARRY TWITCHELL, The Netherlands and the UK.

COMMITTEE REPORTS: Visiting: LOU CHIAPETTA had a heart-valve replaced and is doing ok according to CHUCK (the Calendar) STANDARD. Program: SAM MARASSO told us that CHUCK ( Him Again!) STANDARD will intro today's speaker, James Bradley, author, and next week PETER MCSPADDEN will present Susan Ross of FCCF ( you have to attend to find out what that is). In two weeks, E.Pendleton James will talk on White House Staffing. Membership: DOUG TAYLOR, after recounting a senior moment in a parking lot, which never affects RMA members, said there was 157 of us today, 153 members, two candidates, BOB WARD and ARNOLD STANCEL and two guests, JOHN KEENE/PHIL HAHN and HAN CHIANG/TIM NOLAN. Then we all sang Happy Birthday to: PETE JACKSON,84, DICK CUTLER,76, GERRY MAYFIELD, 70, MILT MERZ,75, DICK HERMANCE, 77, PETE MCSPADDEN, 75, RAY SLOAN,79, ROBERT BRUGO, 77, and ROGER PIERCE, 76. Best wishes from us all. Special Events: TOM HEALY gave an abbreviated version of the trip from Hell ( actually to West Point) and said that Fjord Fisheries will no longer be our bus provider. The Channel 13 trip is cancelled for lack of interest; see below for the rest. Volunteer: No stats available as of this writing. Maybe next week?

PLAYTIME: Bridge: PETE JACKSON said total high scorers for the 11 week summer session were KURT SCHAFFIR 16610, HUGO GRUENDEL 16550 and DICK CASE 4550. Bowling: LINN GRIM said the Rip Van Winkle Lanes are much better than the old venue, including automated scoring, which reduces totals for the "creative" bowlers. DOM DEPASQUALE had 150 and LINN had 160 honest points. Golf: BOB JOHNSON said low gross scores were DICK BARTHOLOMEW, 83, REID MCINTYRE, 85, and JACK MINOR, 91. DICK BARTHOLOMEW was nearest the 7 pin and JACK MINOR had the longest drive on 17. Low nets will be announced next week with the HARRY STRAMIELLO Memorial winner. (And will whoever took the 15 pin please report to the Principal's office). Tennis: BILL ZBORAY said BILL OSGOOD is at it again on Court No.1, winning with 15 games, while BILL himself won on Court No.2 with 16 and FRANK LEE and JACK SWEGER tied on 3 with 13.

TODAY'S PROGRAM: James Bradley, author of "Flags of Our Fathers" and "Fly Boys," gave a stimulating, well-delivered talk about his father, who was one of the Iwo Jima group raising the flag on Mt. Suribachi in the world-famous photograph from 1945. He recounted stories he uncovered about the battle for that bloody island, in which his father participated, but would never talk about. Stories he had to uncover from other survivors and their families and letters found in his house after his father died. His second book recounts the events on a neighboring island where the Japanese beheaded eight captured US airmen. A survivor of that battle was George H W Bush. Bradley is now researching a third book on China, focusing on the Hunan area where US planes landed after flying the "hump." His take is that we had all better learn Chinese because that's where the future lies.

Martin Grayson, Ink-Stained Wretch

SPECIAL EVENTS
Open to all members, their ladies, candidates and guests.
Note:Tx xchnged via the BB after events are sold out.
 

10 Dec.,Sat., Bost Pops Hol. Conc.,Arena at Harbr Yds,7:30pm,U-Drive,$60pp,sld out.

9-20 Aug. 2006, Russian River Cruise between Moscow and St.Petersburg. Details: FRANK FLORES 698-3060.

NEXT WEEK

Susan Ross, FCCF