Forty Years Ago

“I went to the same high school as —-.” Many readers of this column have had occasion to finish this sentence, yet some of us may be too young to remember the names of these Proviso High School grads who went on to excel in one way or another in their field.

Recipients of the 1968 Proviso Alumnus Achievement Award-all residents of our township-according to a Review article that year were: astronaut Eugene Cernan, class of ’52; stage and recording star Carol (Laria) Lawrence, ’50; and Ray Nitschke, ’54, NFL Hall of Fame middle linebacker with the Green Bay Packers. Cernan was to win even greater fame for being the last human to set foot on the moon-December, 1972. And we would be remiss not to include the late Mike Douglas, Forest Park’s Mike Dowd, a historic figure in 1970s and ’80s network television talk and entertainment shows.

And for what it’s worth, not much, I graduated 12 years behind Sid Caesar. If nothing else, we have Yonkers High School, Yonkers, N.Y., in common.

From the April 26, 1968, Forest Park Review

Thirty Years Ago

Nothing like dipping into someone else’s column, as long it’s deemed research and not plagiarism. Like Jackie Schulz’s April 5, 1978, “Talk of the Town.”

“Last week was a great week for the kids. They had a couple of nice days to give them a taste of summer to come. Diane Huebner had a fine time until Thursday, when she fell and fractured her ankle. … Remember Cindy Lyons and her Cancer Fund Drive. You can still volunteer by calling her. Takes less than an hour to help humanity and the village. … The Forest Park Library will present guest speaker Sandra Hinely. ‘Helping Children Feel Good About Themselves’ is the topic. And it’s probably the most important thing we adults can do for our kids.”

From the April 5, 1978, Forest Park Review

Twenty Years Ago

If nobody understands anybody, why not cut communication between everybody? This seemed to be the sad case with the Altenheim Home and the Forest Park Review. For too long, there was much ado about many doings, mainly misunderstandings, possible sloppy reporting, unclear communication-maybe throw in fear, loathing-and frustration for both parties. All under the head, “Altenheim not talking to Review.”

From the March 25, 1988, Forest Park Review

Ten Years Ago

You might call these malcontent patrons the spitting image of each other. The pair shared not only a surly disposition but a strong disinclination to being arrested. One was collared in a gin mill; the other in a house of donuts.

Marcus Mazakis, 23, of Cicero was refused yet another cup of cheer because he was, in the seasoned eye of the bartender at Kelly’s, wall-eyed, hammered, smoked-call it what you will. Enter the police, after Mazakis first threatened fellow sippers and the barkeep. A tussle ensued, during which the fellow spat upon one of the officers. This simultaneously annoyed the officer and earned Mazakis a charge of one count of battery. (Ptui!)

Meanwhile, Nicholas Pitej, 52, of Stone Park set aside his donut and began yelling at other people at Dunkin’ Donuts at Harlem and Circle. Same thing. Polizai! Much scuffling between arresters and arrestee. Pitej spat. Officer got P.O.’d. Like his counterpart at Kelly’s, he got taken in for spreading moistness and resisting arrest.

Double shots to donuts, they each paid a fine.

From the March 25, 1998, Forest Park Review

Bob wasn’t so much born, as harvested, in a dirt lot in Yonkers, N.Y., in 1932. His family encouraged him to join the Air Force (ours) during the Korean War. There, he fell into the clutches of Barbara Miles. They still have two world-class daughters, Jill and Cara. “Each of the four of us likes the other three of us,” says Bob.