CLASS OF 1964 | 2018 | ISSUE 2
It’s finally May and I’m in a new recliner in my condo here in historic Savannah. We have a lot back in central Florida with a park-model RV, where we plan to spend a little less of our time than in Georgia.
My wife, Becky, and I just returned from an auto trip made up to Wesleyan, and satisfying my wife’s bucket list stopping over in Niagara Falls on a circuitous route home.
The reason for going to Wes was to be present for the addition of Steve Humphrey ’63 to the Wesleyan Baseball Wall of Fame. I had caught each of his pitching games in 1963 and 1964. I didn’t make it in previous years, when Peter Sipples (shortstop), Phil Rockwell ’65 (pitcher), and Jeff Hopkins ’66 (pitcher and hitter) were added to the wall. Unfortunately, Steve didn’t make the occasion, but he sent a letter to Jim Dresser ’63 to read on his behalf. He was honored and acknowledged his catcher, Teddy Manos, who never had a passed ball, Paul Brands (first base), Lou D’Ambrosio (second base), and Peter Sipples along with Roy Fazendeiro ’65 at third base. We won the Little Three Championship in 1963 and 1964 and were invited to the NCAA northeast region playoffs both years, but Wesleyan turned the invitation down. These days Wesleyan teams are motivated to qualify for postseason action.
I didn’t know most of the people at the reception and dinner, but I easily bonded with the Wesleyan baseballers from the late 1950s classes. There was Dave Darling ’59 and Tom Young ’59, both having been added to the wall in recent years. William Bixby ’56 was at our table, who was one of six added to the wall this year.
I’m sorry to add the news that Richard “Chip” Smith Jr. passed away recently, and it was a personal loss for me as we were fraternity brothers. He was an excellent student in his years at Wesleyan, and his life of political activism started with his participation in campus activities.
Charles Allen Crum also passed away earlier this year. This news was sent to me by his children, Elissa and Townsend, and their sentiment and information reflected their love and respect for their dad. He graduated from Cornell Law School, spent his career in NYC, and upon retiring to Ithaca, N.Y., was donating his time and knowledge to his community. His children will miss his humor, wit, and presence, which is a quite a testimony for this good, kind, and gentle Wesleyan alumnus.
On a positive note, I received communication from Mike Angelini, who was “amazed at the passing of so many years, and the richness and the number of memories of those four short years.” He and wife Marie live happily in Worcester, Mass., where he is an active trial lawyer and a contributor to his community. He summed up his life as being a very lucky guy.
I look forward to our next Reunion in 2019. I had fun getting together with the class of 1959 and how we shared similar memories of our alma mater. I had fun getting to know the baseball players from that class and realized we played the game with wooden bats. For many decades college baseball has used metal or composite bats.
TED MANOS, M.D. | ted_manos@yahoo.com