January Jammin…….

Posted on January 20, 2025 by Thebeerchaser

Welcome to Thebeerchaser. If you’re seeing this post through an e-mail, please visit the blog by clicking on the title above to see all of the photos and so the narrative is not clipped or shortened. (External photo attribution at the end of the post #1)

Happy New Year (and) Birthday!

Now I’m not trying to start the year off on a negative tone, but I thought this observation from my file collection reeked with wisdom:

“Denny’s has a slogan, ‘If it’s your birthday, the meal is on us.’ If you’re in Denny’s and it’s your birthday, the chances are excellent that your life sucks!”

Bar Profitability (#2)

I recently read a short article by a guy (probably an Economics major at an SEC school) that stated, “After pouring one shot of liquor, the income from the rest of the bottle is pure profit….” He should try telling that to one of the hundreds (or thousands) of bar owners who have gone out of business since the pandemic.

To lend credence in refuting this idiot’s assertion, I came across the following which itemizes the actual cost of a martini in five cities. https://vinepair.com/articles/martini-cost-breakdown/ For context, I mentioned martinis in my last post about the great bar – The Holy Ghost in Portland, Oregon – where we had martinis which cost $14 each.

The article gives the price for the patron at classy bars in five US cities – New York City $20, Charleston $14, Los Angeles $16, Phoenix $15 and Chicago $16. (#3)

More overhead than just the gin and olive!

It then gives an overhead calculation for each city. To illustrate, let’s just take the operating costs for the Chicago martini at the classy Club Lucky with the price of $16.

Ingredients: $3.23
Labor: $4.64
Mortgage: $0.86
Food: $4.16
Supplies: $0.49
Miscellaneous costs: $0.93
Total Cost: $14.31
Profit: $1.69 (#4)

So, for the guys who slowly nurse their drinks over conversation about the plight of the Chicago Bears, it takes a lot of customers to keep this establishment afloat.

A poignant quote about economists is from John Kenneth Galbraith:

“Economics is extremely useful as a form of employment for economists.” (#5)

But if you want to know about economic viability, I advise that listening to a financial expert rather than some guy who probably played linebacker at the University of Alabama is wise.

College Memories and the King of Cool

Followers of this blog may remember a number of posts where I’ve related fond memories of my SAE fraternity days at Oregon State University. The bonds established during those four years have continued over more than fifty years (gads, am I that old…?).

Whether it was learning how to study (which I largely ignored in high school) by having mandatory study tables from 7 to 10 each night as a freshman (unless achieving over a 3.0 GPA), we learned about accountability as a “rook” by getting up each morning at 6:30 AM with members of our class when we cleaned the heads or helped cook breakfast.

We learned to adapt by slumbering in one of four twenty-five bed sleeping porches. The lessons ingrained were not imparted in classes in Western Civ or Intro to Sociology.

And there were lasting memories such as football games including the incredible upset over the #1 rated USC Trojans led by OJ Simpson in 1967 – the year of the OSU Giant Killers.

We can’t forget concerts by entertainers such as Three-Dog Night, Petula Clark and Lou Rawls, house dances with pre-functions, the Inter-fraternity Sing, intramural championships and the Civil War game. Comraderie with my fellow NROTC midshipmen and even second-term Calculus (not!) are part of the recollection. (#6 – #7)

I even learned from my room-head when I was a freshman that it was cool to blow your nose in a dirty undershirt (he maintained that no-one would ever know) – a practice I sustained for years until the first time I tried it after getting married. Janet informed me that if I ever did that again, I would do all the family’s laundry forever.

And these friendships have been sustained throughout the years including some great Beerchasing events, attending football games in Corvallis and sadly, memorial services including the last two years for SAE Brothers Duane “Thumper” Barton and Charlie “Buck” Adams where we serenaded the departed bros with the SAE song.

Now, some might say, “Dirt (that was my college nickname), you are living in the past;” however, I would remind them of Helen Keller’s statement:

“So long as the memory of certain beloved friends lives in my heart, I shall say that life is good.”

Now as an example, take my fraternity brother, Craig (The Dude) Hanneman (a former Beerchaser-of-the-Quarter, who I first met when he came to the SAE house as a freshman on a football scholarship in 1967. He was involved in football and I in NROTC and with the normal college schedules, we didn’t get to know each other well until winter term of 1968.

Each class slept on sleeping porches with bunks – and we also had four-person study rooms with a desk and closet for each guy. There was a bench-couch and table at the end under a window where we put the hi-fi so we could play vinyl tunes.

We were assigned these rooms each term by the House Manager and Hanneman was the youngster in the room and I was one class ahead as a sophomore. I knew he was a guy (with a rural background) from Turner which I originally thought was a truck-stop somewhere in Eastern Oregon or Idaho.

My 33LPs were of popular groups like the Four Seasons, the Mamas and Papas and The Temptations. I assumed Craig would favor country-western icons like George Jones or Merle Haggard, but on the first days I came back from class, he was playing Dean Martin.

When I questioned him, he pointed out that Dino was known as “The King of Cool” and maintained that I too would learn to love him. Well, that didn’t prove to be the case, except for one song, which I played over and over while we both sang along – Thirty More Miles to San Diego…(#8)

The King of Cool

I subsequently learned that the song was track 10 on the album “Happiness is Dean Martin” – a title that didn’t comport with my perceptions. That said, I also liked the song “Open Up the Door – Let the Good Times In” which we adopted as our motto in Room 2 although it had a negative impact on our GPAs.

I also pointed out to Craig that thirty miles north of San Diego – besides being the location of Legoland – was a drive of 16 hours or 989 miles from Corvallis, so the likelihood of us having a beer there rather than Price’s Tavern in downtown Corvallis was minimal.

While his taste in music was questionable, I immediately learned that the Hanneman’s sense of humor was robust. As I mentioned above, freshman (rooks) at the house could garner demerits from the House Manager for missing or showing up to morning work or study tables late.

Upper classmen told us that these demerits would be recorded on our college transcripts and could keep us from getting a job or into grad school and eventually heaven.

I still have in my files, the most cherished demerit from those years that was authored by Craig Hanneman during an all-house work party to get the house in shape for homecoming weekend. It speaks for itself.

Joel McDonald, the House Manager, was a wonderful guy and after college became a minister. We were glad to know that this demerit didn’t keep him for gaining admission to seminary…..

None of us knew at that time that Dude would go on to become an All-American defensive tackle and then play for the NFL – first with the Pittsburgh Steeler’s including the playoff game with the Immaculate Reception – which has a Craig Hanneman element in itself https://www.steelers.com/news/a-mistake-that-turned-out-to-be-immaculate

Or upon retirement from the NFL because of injury, own and manage a 200-acre farm and forest operation for seven years before being elected County Commissioner of Polk County, Oregon in 1985.

He followed with a career as a corporate executive at Willamette Industries, Weyerhaeuser and at the Oregon Foresty Industry Council for a combined twenty-two years. Now, I will probably be admonished for the preceding by my old friend because he’s very modest and tries to avoid accolades, but he was also a great family man.

And while his career achievements are admirable, what endears him to his friends is his sense of adventure and expanding his horizons – that and his loyalty to friends. Dude and his football teammates ran with the bulls in Pamplona (picture below) has ridden his Harley thousands of miles on road trips on multiple continents and rafted serious rivers.

Oh yeah, there was also his summit of Mount Everest in 2012 – one of the Seven Summits which he completed in 2019. In fact, he is one of the few members of the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame to be inducted for two sports – football and mountain climbing.

I stay in touch with Dude and we have periodic Beerchasings – with the SAEs including the one below from the Gemini pub in Lake Oswego.

And, of course, Dino and our favorite song comes up. For example, this e-mail after I congratulated him on the Mount Everest climb:

“Okay, I’ll admit it, all those late-night sessions playing “flinchies” (that’s another story…..) really hardened me up to climb Everest! And to prove some things never change, you’ll be pleased to know I had plenty of Dean Martin tunes on my iPod Nano to help drown out the noisy wind at night.”

Flash Forward

On the afternoon of October 31, 2024, I was trying to figure out how to surreptitiously transfer to my desk drawer, some of the Snickers candy bars we had for youngsters coming to our house on Halloween.

While I was in my office trying to keep Janet from seeing my clandestine depletion of what I thought was detrimental to youngsters’ dental health, a text popped up on my phone with the following two photos:

I was aware from an e-mail two days before from Dude telling me that he was departing on an adventure that would take him through Southern California and stating:

“Dirt, I’m driving through San Diego tomorrow night….and leaving tugged a tad at my heart thinking of the good memories of our time in Room 2 listening to Dean Martin and only thirty miles to go. If I see a road sign that says SD thirty miles, trust me, I’m taking a picture.”

Well, the picture on the above left is not of a road sign, but of Craig’s GPS, which caused him to bring up the golden oldie on the right. Go figure!

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=sjrVIU1u1LU

With my elevated mood, I was much more generous with the candy that night than usual.

Cheers and Happy New Year (#9)

External Photo Attribution

#1. Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Birthday_cake.jpg) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. Author: Fir0002.

#2.Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bright-Field_Lighting.jpg) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license. Author: Kyle May – 17 November 2007.

#3. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dry_Martini-2.jpg) This work has been released into the public domain by its author. This applies worldwide. Author: Dry_Martini.jpg: Original uploader was Hayford Peirce at en.wikipedia. 8 September 2009.

#4. USARestuarants.info (https://cdn.usarestaurants.info/assets/uploads/c9924fee793df3d25760cdeea8a7102c_-united-states-illinois-cook-county-chicago-691299-club-luckyhtm.jpg)

#5. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dollar_sign_capitalism_logo.svg) This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication. Author: OwcaGierka – 13 November 2022.

#6. Albany Democrat Herald (https://democratherald.com/news/local/anniversary-of-the-giant-killers-famed-osu-team-beat-usc/article_b8be0757-0fcb-5091-a984-72075eb7d5ca.html)

#7. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Memorial_Union_at_Oregon_State_University.jpg) I, the copyright holder of this work, release this work into the public domain. This applies worldwide. Author: user:Owen – May 2005.

#8. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dean_Martin_-_publicity.JPG) This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published in the United States between 1930 and 1977, inclusive, without a copyright notice. Source: Original studio publicity photo of Dean Martin for the film Bells Are Ringing (1960).

#9. Image courtesy of Pam Williams.

The A and L Sports Pub — A Sporting Chance?

Posted on October 30, 2024 by Thebeerchaser

Welcome back to Thebeerchaser. If you are seeing this post through an e-mail, please click on the title to bring up the post so the narrative isn’t clipped or shortened. (External photo attribution at the end of the post #1)

During my thirteen years of Beerchasing where I’ve visited and reviewed over 400 bars and breweries, I’ve presented followers with photos and stories of only four sports bars. I’m just not really enamored with them and they seem somewhat stereotypical.

There are scads of big screen TV’s, trophies and sports memorabilia – a lot of it somewhat tacky – and often boisterous regulars wearing their team jerseys.

I cherish the conversations I’ve had in most of my bar/brewery visits, but sports bar patrons are often immersed in pro or college games and understandably are not eager to engage. Fortunately, I’ve had great Beerchasing companions at the four sports bars shown below – so I didn’t need to meet new people.

Claudia’s Sports Pub and Grill (2012) – a classic that closed in 2023 after sixty-five years. It’s now named Suki’s and unfortunately “…a karaoke bar with sports.” (Yeah right…)

The Marathon Taverna (2014) – a boring pseudo sports bar – our visit was saved by great conversations with Beerchaser-of-the-Quarter, Jack Faust and his son, Charlie.

The Independent (2017) – a decent sports bar on SW Broadway in the heart of Portland where we had a robust group including the Faust clan.

The Angry Beaver Bar and Grill in Corvallis (2020) – this great watering hole in the heart of Corvallis was visited before an Oregon State vs. Washington State football game.

Our group included 1967 OSU Giant Killer starters, Billy Main and Steve Preece with his wife, plus the late Dr. Bob Gill along with my fraternity brother and friend of over 50 years, Jud Blakely. (#2)

Why the A and L Sports Pub?

Since I asserted above that I’m not a fan of sports bars, why would I chose the A and L when there are so many other good bars and breweries on my list to visit in the future?

My selection of the bar was based on my recent discovery of classic dive bar, Angelo’s thanks to a connection with Darren Zayman – a part-time bartender.

Both bars are owned by Angelo and Leonor Markantonatos, (thus, the A and L…) who opened Angelo’s in 1996, and before that owned the Vern. Four generations of the family and they have been a fixture in the Portland bar scene for decades.

Darren, first worked at the A and L after talking Angelo into hiring “a guy with absolutely no bar or restaurant experience with a novel sales approach” discussed in my post on Angelo’s. You should visit Angelo’s located in the Barmuda Triangle District on SE Hawthorne.

Darren Zayman (Daz) and Angelo’s regular, Paul

Daz suggested I raise a mug at the A and L, so I did a little research and discovered a peripheral item of interest on the bar in a Willamette Week article dated 2/15/23:

“But the Markantonatoses owe more than $25,000 in property taxes. In a brief phone conversation, Angelo, 91, said he gave the bar to his son, also named Angelo, 57. Angelo the elder says he’s dying, so we didn’t push him for details.

We’d love to talk to Angelo the younger about the tax issue, but he didn’t call us back. Nor did they respond to a message on their hyperactive Facebook page. The bar employee said her boss was ‘scarce’ and ‘hard to pin down.’

Two signs of compliance: The Markantonatos family made a property tax payment of $10,000 on Nov. 15, and another for $4,500 on Feb. 8.”

Beerchasing Companions

Photo Oct 16 2024, 6 15 26 PM

Since I wasn’t focused on meeting new people, I chose two of my favorite Beerchasers to join me – Jim Westwood and Bernie Stea – both lawyers. The last time the three of us had raised a mug together was in 2020 at the Rose City Book Pub. (#3 – #4)

Those who follow this blog, know about Jim Westwood and his amazing background ranging from the Portland State College GE College Bowl, to a stint as a TV weatherman, to service in Navy Intelligence (where he learned Thai) to his distinguished career as an Oregon appellate lawyer.

But Bernie has an incredible background as well.

His Beerchasing exploits besides the Rose City Book Pub were at NEPO 42 and Zarz (gone but not forgotten) both in 2017. We tried for another at the Slow Bar in Portland, but it never happened.

While I was patiently waiting for him while downing an IPA, he called asking where I was, to which I replied, the Slow Bar (on Portland’s east side). He then somewhat sheepishly informed me that he was sitting in the Low Bar (permanently closed after the pandemic) in downtown Vancouver.

In order to salvage his pride, I didn’t remind him that I sent him a link to Slow Bar the day before confirming our lunch appointment. (#5)

My first encounter with Bernie was in 1980, when as the Oregon State Bar’s Financial Manager, I had to question him as the Director of Continuing Legal Education about his CLE department budget. He showed up for the interrogation with his Osborne laptop computer with the budget laid out on a SuperCalc spreadsheet. (Even then, he was an early-adopter of technology.)

As I “attacked” his figures we started a friendly rivalry which entertained Bar staff when we “replicated” the dialogue at all-staff meetings. It became a well-received staged production in the tradition of Jane Curtain and Dan Akroyd on Saturday Night Live.

After Bernie would make a mock eloquent plea as to why his budget should be increased, my reply was:

“Bernie, you ignorant slut!” (#6 – #7)

https://www.bing.com/videos/riverview/relatedvideo?q=jane+you+ignorant+slut&mid=5ACAC950C589B99D5F685ACAC950C589B99D5F68&FO

In 2017 when he didn’t show up at Slow Bar, I commented to Bernie that he must have used the “Maps Application” on his Osborne. Bernie, however, is one of the smartest and most versatile people I’ve had the privilege to call a friend.

His undergrad days were at the University of Maryland, where he had a double major in Journalism and Engineering (who’s ever heard of that combination….) and then graduation at Maryland’s Francis King Carey School of Law.

He was a member of the distinguished scholastic society Order of the Coif and Law Review, and then worked as a law clerk at the Maryland Court of Appeals. Bernie has repeatedly distinguished himself (other than with his misguided budget presentations)

After jobs at the Oregon State Bar and Portland State University, Bernie has spent the last twenty-five years as a technology guru – helping law firms, start-ups and corporate clients on all facets of electronically stored information, particularly in the context of litigation and investigatory matters and on the legal responsibilities associated with electronic evidence collection, review and production.

And concurrently – for about twelve years – he and his wife – former Portland radio newswoman and anchor, Debb Janes – were managing real estate brokers specializing in family estates on acreage, and multi-generational homes in SW Washington. (#8)

Perhaps that education and experience should give me pause when labeling Bernie an “ignorant slut…” (But probably not….)

But I Digress – Back to the A and L

Now it’s a little bit perplexing why Willamette Week labeled the A and L as a “beloved sports bar,” since they have never featured it in their Annual Best Bar Guide. I guess, however, that a watering hole that for the 2023 Super Bowl offered an “all-you-eat spaghetti and meat sauce with French bread and salad for $15” and is a Pittsburgh Steelers bar will attract a fond following.

And although the exterior is somewhat off-putting, the social media reviews are consistently positive. These three are typical:

“The A&L Burger was de-lish and the fries were on point. Friendly service and great food! We’ll be back soon.” Yelp 3/16/24

“Great people, great service, great drinks, great prices, and 6-10 dart boards set up at a time! What more could you ask for. Also have pool and video lotto.” Yelp 12/26/22

“…..The inside is like night and day from the outside. The place is roomy, has more than a dozen TVs, a whole darts room that is legit, Oregon Lottery, and one of the best cheesesteaks I’ve had in Portland (I’m from Jersey and my wife is from N Philly). The staff has always been nice to me even though I’m not a regular.” Yelp 2/11/23

Photo Oct 16 2024, 4 58 49 PM

The A and L, with its very expansive space, seemed a bit sterile, although it has a great juke box. But to be fair, that’s probably because there were just a handful of patrons on a Wednesday afternoon.

Contrast that with the description on a Sunday morning in 2018 – typical, I assume, during any NFL Sunday:

“First and foremost, they open early on Steeler Sundays, due to the time difference….so we thought we would ‘arrive early’ by getting to the bar at 9:30 am. It was PACKED with Steeler fans already at that point. More than half of this very large sports bar is dedicated to the Steelers and their fans.” Yelp 10/9/18

As a non-lawyer, but one who worked with them for almost forty years, I could share stories with these two counselors who both worked at large competitor firms (Miller Nash and Stoel Rives with my Schwabe Williamson.

It was only when these two intellectual behemoths started waxing eloquent about the rule against perpetuities and how complexity theory understands law as an emergent, self-organizing system that I focused on my $3.50 pint of draft PBR and began thinking of my next dive bar to explore….

Elevated intellects, but still personable!

Cheers

External Photo Attribution

#1. A and L Sports Pub Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=482321133382404&set=a.482321090049075).

#2. Angry Beaver Bar Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=556247892702280&set=a.556247869368949).

#3. Linked-in – Bernie Stea (https://www.linkedin.com/in/bernardstea/).

#4. Linked-in – Jim Westwood (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim-westwood-60881a2b6/).

#5. USArestuarants.info. (Low Bar | 809 Washington St, Vancouver, WA 98660, USA).

#6. Oregon State Bar Twitter ((1) Oregon State Bar (@OregonStateBar) / X)

#7. Wikimedia Commons (File:Osborne 1 open.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license. Author: Bilby – 8 August 2010.

#8 Debb Janes Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10226418497269717&set=pb.1262110102.-2207520000&type=3).

Did We Really Do That – College Antics…..

Posted on December 5, 2023 by Thebeerchaser

Welcome back to Thebeerchaser. If you are seeing this post through an e-mail, please visit the blog by clicking on the title above to see all of the photos and the video at the end of the post and so the narrative is not clipped or shortened. (External photo attribution at the end of the post. (#1 – #2)

In several of my recent posts – in a fit of nostalgia – I’ve looked back at some of the crazy antics in which my friends and I participated when I was younger:

The first was in the mid ’70’s, when on a golf outing to Tumwater, Washington, our foursome “crashed” an electrician union’s graduation ceremony. https://thebeerchaser.com/2023/10/26/did-we-really-do-that-part-i/

My crazy dentist and I receiving our motorwinder diplomas.

The second, somewhat “out-of-the-box” undertaking occurred in 1984 at the American Society of Association Executives Annual Conference in Chicago.

That’s when my fraternity brother and friend of now over 50 years, Jud Blakely and I co-presented at a session that took all those attending by surprise. https://thebeerchaser.com/2023/11/03/did-we-really-do-that-part-ii-the-tie-that-binds/

“Sloe” Down – You Move Too Fast…

Perhaps because of the rather tragic demise of the PAC-12 Athletic Conference, I felt compelled to share a college memory during the years of the OSU Giant Killers.

We lived in a sheltered environment for four years while trying to figure out what we were going to do when our draft deferments ended or we had to face reality in the working world.

It was a time filled with wonderful and unforgettable campus memories such as the one below which involved the Class of 1970 at the Oregon State SAE Fraternity. (#3)

Oregon Alpha Chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon

One of the great memories from college days in the late 1960’s is the concerts – held in Gill Coliseum where the Beavers played basketball. The acoustics were not great, but we didn’t care. Most of the time, these were part of a campus celebration such as Homecoming or Moms’/Dads’ weekend and sold out. (#4)

Gill Coliseum the campus of Oregon State University in Corvallis.

For example, during just my sophomore and junior year, we saw Harry Belafonte, The Association, Petula Clark, The Doors and The Righteous Brothers. (From left – clockwise below) (#5 – #9)

But the concert evoking the most vivid memory for me was in 1968 when three-time Grammy-winner, Lou Rawls, was the solo performer. Rawls’ jazz and blues albums were best sellers and his 1966 album “Live!” was certified gold, but the concert surprisingly did not sell out.

The event was held during “The Sophomore Cotillion” (That’s something you wouldn’t have in this era!) on a dreary winter weekend after a home football game. Perhaps it was the weather and the fact that most OSU students were not jazz aficionados, but his concert was not that well attended.

That said, all of us who experienced it were absolutely thrilled with his performance. (#10)

Our sophomore class from the SAE house rented a room at the Town House Motor Inn in “downtown” Corvallis for pre-functioning and post-functioning – we weren’t yet twenty-one and couldn’t go to a venue that served alcohol.

(The motel is now the Hotel Corvallis and you can still get a discounted standard room with a king-bed for $97 if not on a weekend with a home athletic contest.) And it gets pretty good reviews on Trip Advisor…..

Rick Gaffney, one of the SAEs from our class, was the Cotillion Manager and had responsibility for all of the events that weekend including the Rawls concert.

While chatting with Lou Rawls immediately after the concert, he invited the singer to our party at the motel, never thinking he’d actually come. (Rick in the present is shown below) (#11 – #12)

But to our great surprise, the singer was staying at the same motel and when he knocked on the door of our room, we invited him in and offered him a beer. He casually asked if we had any “hard stuff.”

The only bottles in our inventory were Olympia and Blitz Beers – both of which were big in the Northwest – especially on campus. (And in Oregon, Coors was not available, but that’s another story….. (#13.)

An historic Oly label

We reluctantly admitted, however, that we did have a bottle of Sloe Gin, which made Rawls guffaw. Yes, it was that “red liqueur” made with gin and drupes – a small fruit relative of the plum.

Sloe gin has a staggering alcohol content between 15 and 30 percent ABV! He opted for a beer. (#14 – #15)

The OSU Football team the year before was known as the “Giant Killers” and beat a No. 1 Ranked USC Trojan team led by running back O.J. Simpson by a score of 3 to 0 in Corvallis. The 1967 team also beat No. 2 ranked Purdue and tied No. 2 ranked UCLA.

OSU was a formidable opponent in 1968, as well, and ended with 7–3 record overall and 5–1 in the Pacific-8 Conference (Pac-8). Their final ranking in the AP Poll was fifteenth. (#16)

The Giant Killers in 1967

And the legacy will live on long after the demise of the PAC 12.

The Giant Killers in 2017

The SAE’s had eleven players on those teams and two of the starters – both defensive backs – were in our class and attended the party with their dates. Larry Rich and Don Whitney did not drink that night but both had encounters with Lou Rawls.

The funniest was Don Whitney, as related by SAE, Keith “Sweeney” Swensen, a first-hand witness to the incident:

“I remember the look on Whit’ ’s face when he came out of the bathroom singing a Lou Rawls’ song only to walk right into Lou Rawls, himself. He turned bright red but then Lou complimented him on his singing.

After that, I don’t think Don said a word for the next 10 minutes. He just sat there with a shit-eatin’ grin on his face.” (#18 – #19)

Don, a Pendleton native, after a long and valiant battle with pancreatic cancer, passed away in 2012. https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/gazettetimes/name/donald-whitney-obituary?id=13558684

Larry Rich and his date, Mariellen were there (they celebrated their 53rd wedding anniversary last year) and Larry remembers Rawls sporting a fabulous, large diamond-studded ring with the initials “LR.”

Rich said that he told the singer if he ever got tired of the ring, he would be glad to buy it “at the right price!” (#20)

Larry and Mariellen are both retired and live in Lincoln City, Oregon on the Central Oregon Coast. (A picture of Larry and Mariellen with Janet, my wife about three years ago is shown below.)

Janet Williams, Mariellen and Larry

The Next Chapter

Flash forward about ten years and Rick Gaffney, after completing his service in the US Navy, was working as the Beach Captain at Kona Village Resort in Kona.

One morning he was raking the sand and comedian Dom DeLuise walked up behind him kidding him about how his college degree had prepared him for his job. (#21)

Another morning, Lou Rawls walked up to Rick’s beach shack. He was visiting with actress Brenda Vaccaro. (#22)

Rick, somewhat sheepishly, reintroduced himself and reminded the singer of the Sophomore Cotillion concert he performed at Oregon State in 1968.

Rawls first replied, “Well, it’s all kind of a blur. I was on the road so many nights.” But then, he looked Gaffney right in the eye and said, “Wait a minute.! Sloe Gin — All you guys had was Sloe Gin.” They both had a good laugh.

Gaffney is now the President of Rick Gaffney & Associates on the Big Island of Hawaii. His firm specializes in ocean recreation business development and marketing as well as marine eco-tourism resort planning and management and boat and yacht outfitting plus Pacific voyage planning. (#23)

The music world was saddened by Lou Rawls’ death at the age of seventy-two in 2006. In 2021, he was posthumously inducted into the Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame.

None of us at that post-concert gathering will ever forget that interaction with the famed singer who was also a nice guy. Similarly, I would suggest that none of us ever drank Sloe Gin again…. (#24)

“All you guys had was Sloe Gin!”

Cheers

External Photo Attribution

#1. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (File:Memorial Union at Oregon State University.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) I, the copyright holder of this work, release this work into the public domain. This applies worldwide. Author: user:Owen May 2005.

#2. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (File:Weatherford Hall Oregon State University Greg Keene.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. Author: Gregkeene – 17 January 2009.

#3. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (File:Gill Coliseum entrance.JPG – Wikimedia Commons) The copyright holder of this work, release this work into the public domain. This applies worldwide. Author: M.O. Stevens May 2008.

#4. Oregon State SAE Website (Sigma Alpha Epsilon Oregon Alpha | Oregon State (saeoregonstate.com)

#5. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (File:Harry Belafonte 1970 (cropped).tif – Wikimedia Commons) Public domain / Arquivo Nacional Collection – Agosto de 1970.

#6. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (File:Petula clark 1965.jpg – Wikimedia Commons ) This work is in the public domain in the United States. Author: Tullio Piacentini / Federico Zanni – 1965.

#7. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (File:The Association 1966.png – Wikimedia Commons) This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published in the United States between 1928 and 1977, inclusive, without a copyright notice. Author: KRLA Beat – 1966.

#8. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (File:The Doors 1968.JPG – Wikimedia Commons) the public domain in the United States because it was published in the United States between 1928 and 1977, inclusive, without a copyright notice. Author: Agency for the Performing Arts (APA) – 1966.

#9. Wikimedia Commons (File:TheRighteousBrothersperformingKBF.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) No known copyright restrictions; “There are no known copyright restrictions on this image. Photo courtesy Orange County Archives. Author and date unknown.

#10. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (File:President Ronald Reagan meeting with Lou Rawls in the Oval Offiice (cropped).jpg – Wikimedia Commons) This work is in the public domain in the United States because it is a work prepared by an officer or employee of the United States Government as part of that person’s official duties.. Series: Reagan White House Photographs, 1/20/1981 – 1/20/1989. 3 December 1984.

#11. (https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotels-g51817-Corvallis_Oregon-Hotels.html).

#12. Rick Gaffney Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/rick.gaffney.73).

#13. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olympia_Brewing_Company#/media/File:Olympia_Beer_label_1914.jpg) This media file is in the public domain in the United States. This applies to U.S. works where the copyright has expired, often because its first publication occurred prior to January 1, 1928, and if not then due to lack of notice or renewal. Author: Olympia Brewing Company.

#14. Wikimedia Commons (File:Hand Made Sloe Gin.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. Author: Smifff – 9 December 2022.

#15. Wikimedia Commons (File:Sloe berry.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license. Author: Stephanie Watson – 13 September 2007.

#16. Corvallis Gazette Times (https://gazettetimes.com/albany/entertainment/movies/giant-killers-tells-the-story-of-the-1967-beavers-football-team/article_573b5c1e-523d-5669-888e-06d484aab93f.html)

#17. Oregon State University Athletic Department (https://osubeavers.com/news/2017/11/27/football-giant-killers-the-legend-50-years-later).

#18. – #20. Courtesy of Jud Blakely.

#21. Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dom_Deluise_Allan_Warren.jpg) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. Author: Allan Warren – 1975.

#22. Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lou_rawls_edit.png) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. Author: MiliHell – 20 April 2014.

#23. Rick Gaffney Facebook Page ((6) https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10159998291059698&set=ecnf.1477435070Facebook.

#24. Wikimedia Commons (File:Hand Made Sloe Gin.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. Author: Smifff – 9 December 2022.

Fall Fulminations

Posted on November 24, 2023 by Thebeerchaser

Ongoing conflicts around the globe – 2021

(Welcome back to Thebeerchaser. If you are seeing this post through an e-mail, please visit the blog by clicking on the title above to see all of the photos and the video at the end of the post and so the narrative is not clipped or shortened. (External photo attribution at the end of the post. #1)

“Fulmination” is defined as “a vehement objection or protest.“ Normally, autumn is my favorite time of year – football, beautiful weather and spirit of optimism and community before the winter rains in the Northwest.

Yet with the state of global events, US politics, earthquakes and climate disasters and it seems – every headline – one wants to scream in protest, especially for the terrible conditions faced by the citizens in Israel, Palestine and the Ukraine to name just a few.

So remembering that a blog about bars and breweries seems trite and maybe inappropriate in light of this turmoil, I offer my fervent prayers for all affected by these issues and will try distracting with some light-hearted topics.

Although fall is rapidly fading away and the holidays are imminent, here are a few issues I want to address – in some cases to gripe and others to offer thanks and share my appreciation.

But First…..

While this is a blog about bars and breweries and the meanderings of my cranium, it behooves me to offer this word of caution as we enter the holiday season.

So take the advice of a slogan in the front of one of my favorite dive bars – Lumpy’s Landing in Dundee, Oregon: (#2 – #3)

Lumpys2

An Apparent Incongruity?

After back fusion surgery in 2022, I underwent very good physical therapy at Advance Sports and Spine Therapy in Wilsonville, Oregon for several months. Everything was then fine until this September, when in preparation for our forthcoming move, I pulled some tires out of our crawl space and messed up something.

So I returned and my Physical Therapist, Jeff Cox, did his usual good job of getting me “back” to where I was before I got stupid! As I was waiting in the reception area before my final visit, I was glancing at a brochure entitled, “What You Can Do to Prevent Falls.”

It was a sunny, autumn day and I looked up and saw the following poster by the reception window and laughingly said to the wonderful receptionist, “Joselyn, do you really think that sign is appropriate for a Physical Therapy Clinic?”

Photo Nov 02 2023, 9 16 16 AM

Joselyn, shook her head and replied, “Don, you’re the first person who has ever asked that question.” Jeff overheard the dialogue as he came out to get me, smiled and said, “Well, maybe that is a good business development strategy!”

And Speaking of Falls……

Those following this blog since its inception in 2011 know that I’m an Oregon State University grad (Class of ’70) and love Beaver Athletics. It’s interesting – especially during football season since my wife, Janet, is a University of Oregon Duck and my older daughter, Lisa, and her husband are both of Husky ilk – he a third-generation University of Washington grad.

My Fall Fulminations are heightened as I am appalled and saddened with the “Fall” of the PAC 12 Athletic Conference. Known as the Conference of Champions, it has won more NCAA national championships in team sports than any other conference in history. (#4)

It’s moniker is now the PAC 2, since all the schools other than Oregon State and Washington State have abandoned it for other Power 5 Conferences. Fortunately, the two schools were granted a preliminary injunction in Washington State Superior Court.

The judge ruled that they were now the sole voting members of the Pac-12’s governing board and granted full control of the Conference’ assets and how its revenue for the 2023-24 school year will be divided. That decision is temporarily held in abeyance as the Washington Supreme Court issued a temporary stay of the preliminary injunction last week.

I’m not unduly bitter about the decision of the other schools, but disgusted that this demise could have been delayed or more likely never occurred if the PAC 12 Board of Governors (University Presidents) had instead, exerted reasonable control over former Commissioner Larry Scott who commenced his tenure in July, 2009.

But they sat placidly by and totally acquiesced until they fired him in 2020 as he overspent, including shifting the Pac-12 offices into a multi-story building in San Francisco that cost conference members a total of $92 million in rent over 11 years – a rate significantly higher than that of other Power 5 conference headquarters. The staffing organization he left behind was in a shambles.

Our boy Larry was new to college athletics except for being captain of the Harvard Tennis Team in 1986. Before coming to the Pac 12, he was the CEO of the Women’s Tennis Association.

His gamble to form the independent Pac-12 Network, which failed to gain distribution nationally and in assorted cable markets was his worst mistake. All this while they paid him an exorbitant salary. According to Awful Announcing.com:

“Scott’s compensation varied over time, starting at $1.9 million annually but reaching more than $4 million by his fifth year and more than $5 million by his ninth year…..” (#4 – #5)

His successor, George Kliavkoff, who like Scott, had no college sports experience, failed to remedy the problems and muffed TV negotiations which dealt the final blow. (#7)

But I Digress – Let’s Celebrate the Beaver History!

Oregon Historical Society Exhibit

My fondness for Beaver Teams was “kicked off” in my sophomore year when I watched what would become known as the fabled 1967 Oregon State Giant Killers knock off an OJ Simpson led USC Trojan Team – rated number one in the nation – on a dreary 1967 fall day in Corvallis.

I paid tribute to them in this post: https://thebeerchaser.com/2018/05/20/the-1967-osu-giant-killers-beerchasers-of-the-quarter-part-i/ (#8)

gkwebsitewelcomeheader

My OSU classmates will never forget that day and the inspirational Beaver record that year under iconic Coach Dee Andros (the Great Pumpkin) was historic.

I was fortunate to live in the Oregon State SAE fraternity with eleven members of that team. (Larry Rich, Don Whitney, Roger Cantlon, Duane Barton, Jess Lewis, Jim Blackford, Don Welch, Chris Wahle, Clyde Smith and Jim Scheele.)

And the Beav’s positive history with USC continued over the years (albeit a bit exaggerated in comparison to 1967) by The Oregonian when the banner headline on the September 26, 2008 Sports Page shouted “Giant Killers III.”

This was after the Beavers beat No. 1 rated USC 27 to 21 at Reser Stadium. The accompanying article also asserted that Giant Killers II was the October 28, 2006 game in Corvallis when OSU beat the third-rated Trojans 33 to 31.

I was at that game thirty-nine years after the Beavs toppled the No 1 Trojans the first time). (#9 – #10) https://www.oregonlive.com/behindbeaversbeat/2008/09/the_giant_killers_times_3.html

The Huskies

Unfortunately, my efforts to prove to my daughter and son-in-law, Jamie, that the Beavs are superior to the Huskies have been far less productive – both at Reser Stadium and Husky Stadium. (Note the score in the picture below when we attended at Reser.)

The gridiron facility was completely renovated from 2011-13, with Jamie’s Dad, Jon Magnusson and his team from the Magnusson Klemencic firm doing the structural engineering work. (They were also key players in the 2023 renovation of Reser.)

The Civil War

The “Civil War” – the 127th meeting of the Ducks and the Beavers played today, may be the last time this rivalry game is played. Next year is somewhat doubtful as the only potential date would involve a Duck buyout of Boise State.

As stated at the beginning of a wonderful book by the five-time winner of the Oregon Sportswriter of the Year Award, Kerry Eggers entitled, The Civil War Rivalry – Oregon vs Oregon State:

“Thirty-five years after Oregon reached statehood and fewer than 30 years after the end of the Great War between the Union and Confederate States, the University of Oregon and Oregon Agricultural College (OAC) met on the gridiron on a sawdust field in front of 500 curious observers….The Farmers beat the Lemon-Yellows 16 to 0…that cold, wet November day in 1894.”

This historic rivalry – one of college football’s oldest – has provided many hours of great banter in the family, at the law firm where I worked and with friends across the country. (#11 – #12)

And Finally

As I fulminate on the probable loss – or at least the diminution – of this great tradition, I’ll leave you with my favorite Civil War joke and hope the 16th-rated Beavs pull off the upset over the No. 6 Quackers later today. (#13)

Happy Holidays!

10874_1037318829623529_4694361351467837585_n

Albert Einstein arrives at a party in Eugene and introduces himself to to the first person he sees and asks, “What is your IQ,” to which the man answers, “241.” “Wonderful,” says Albert, ” We will discuss the Grand Unification Theory and the mysteries of the universe.”

Next, he introduces himself to a woman and inquires, “What is your IQ,” to which the woman replies, ” 207.” “That’s great,” said the physicist, “We can discuss politics and the scientific implications of world affairs. We’ll have much to discuss.”

He approaches a third person and asks, “What is your IQ,” to which the guy holding a beer, answers, “51.” Einstein ponders this for a micro-second and says, “Go Ducks!” (#9)

External Photo Attribution

#1. Wikimedia Commons (File:Ongoing conflicts around the world in 2021.svg – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. Author: wikimedia 9 July 2021.

#2. Lumpy’s Landing Facebook Page (Facebook).

#3. Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Thinkinag_woman.jpg) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license. Author: Xuan Zheng – 11 October 2009.

#4. Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4b/Pac12logo.png) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. Author: Ryanishungry – 9 October 2022.

#5. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tennis_racket_-_The_Noun_Project.svg) The person who associated a work with this deed has dedicated the work to the public domain by waiving all of their rights to the work worldwide under copyright law. James Keuning – 18 December 2017.

#6. Linked In site for George KIiavkoff) (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kliavkoff/overlay/photo/).

#7. Oregon Historical Society.

#8 – #10. Jud Blakely (https://vimeo.com/1552809)

#11. Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:BennyBeaverPhoto.jpg) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license. Author: Flickr user “VRC Jeremy” – 2 March 2008.

*12. Wikimedia Commons (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Oregon_Duck#/media/File:The_Oregon_Duck_.jpg) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license. Author: Ray Terrill – 19 November 2011.

#13. (https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/11962755238966344/) Fernanda Gomes saved to Christmas – http://pbs.twimg.com)

Harvey Duane “Thumper” Barton – Beerchaser of the Quarter

Posted on September 23, 2022 by Thebeerchaser

(Welcome back to Thebeerchaser. If you are seeing this post through an e-mail, please visit the blog by clicking on the title above to see all of the photos and so the narrative is not clipped or shortened.)

While in college at Oregon State University from 1966-1971, I had the good fortune to live with about 75 guys in the Sigma Alpha Epsilon house which was about 1/2 mile from campus. The popularity of the Greek system on US campuses, ebbs and flows, but at that time, fraternities and sororities were strong.

SAE beaver logooooo

Not only were they an opportunity for enhanced social interaction, but one which imparted adherence to academic discipline – study tables for freshman (Rooks) from 7 to 10 each weeknight – and a routine which helped one succeed in college life initially.

For example, Rooks also got up each weekday morning and did chores at 6:30 AM. These ranged from sanitizing the communal bathrooms to vacuuming and cleaning the house. They also served as waiters and kitchen help each weekday night at dinner.

I established lifetime friendships during those years.. Three of my fraternity brothers were the Barton boys from Baker, Oregon. Duane – class of ’69, Gary (71) and Ronnie (73). They were from a great Eastern Oregon family.

All those who knew him, mourned Duane’s passing from Alzheimer’s on May 14, 2020 at the age of 72. Because of COVID, his Celebration-of-Life was postponed until this August. As stated in his obituary:

“His love for life, Faith in Christ and heart for people was ever present. He was never too busy to stop and encourage others. His impact has left an imprint on our hearts forever; he will be deeply missed.”

Periodically in this blog, I name a Beerchaser-of-the-Quarter (BOQ). During my career and in retirement, I have met (or read about) many fascinating and wonderful people with compelling stories and notable exploits and accomplishments. Those I’ve featured may or may not have anything to do with bars or beer. I’ve known most of them personally.

This disparate group comprises academicians, athletes, authors, clerics, consultants, developers, environmentalists, friends/family, media personalities, military veterans, musicians…..well you get the idea.

The late Duane Barton is my newest BOQ and joins two of his former Beaver football teammates who’ve received that “honor” – Craig (The Dude) Hanneman (8/12) and Billy (Rabbit) Main (5/20) in addition to the legendary 1967 Oregon State Giant Killer Football Team as an entity. (5/18). (To read these posts, click on the links above.)

Renaissance Man?

The SAE’s were involved on campus, to say the least. We had athletes from all sports (ten were members of the Giant Killer Team), student leaders, ROTC guys from the three military branches, honor students and musicians, etc. – a talented group of individuals.

I suggest, however, that Duane Barton was the epitome of the well-rounded college student. Now you may laugh at the analogy, but during his life, he could be considered a contemporary Renaissance Man! Let’s define that term:

“Embodying a basic tenet of Renaissance humanism that humans are limitless in their capacity for development, the concept led to the notion that people should embrace all knowledge and develop their capacities as fully as possible.

This is expressed in the term Renaissance man, often applied to the gifted people of that age who sought to develop their abilities in all areas of accomplishment: intellectual, artistic, social, physical, and spiritual.” (Wikipedia)

Founding Father, Benjamin Franklin would fit in this category. Now comparing Thumper Barton to Ben Franklin may seem like a stretch. Duane didn’t sign the Declaration of Independence, isn’t credited with any inventions such as bifocals or the lightning rod, didn’t publish a newspaper, wasn’t a freemason nor did he serve as a University President……

However

Ben Franklin did not play the accordion, guitar and piano, nor letter in football, basketball and baseball in high school and go on to be a skilled college football running back who also punched holes in defensive lines for Earthquake Bill Enyart.

Ben didn’t meet his future wife while coaching Powder Puff Football (although Franklin did sport a pretty cool powdered wig at times).

The Founding Father didn’t have a wonderful tenor voice which garnered a lead in the Baker High School production of Oklahoma and finally, Franklin, never landed a Navy fighter jet on an aircraft carrier at night in rough seas off Japan or serve as an instructor for other Navy aviators.

Both of them were recognized for their superb humor – Franklin mixed cynicism with optimism and stay tuned below for examples of Duane’s mirth.. The bottom line is that both were remarkable men who made significant contributions in a wide variety of pursuits, were admired both for their achievements and relationships with others and left a lasting legacy.

A Note on the Accordion!

One of the great stories his brother, Gary, told at the Celebration was Duane learning to play a wicked version of “Lady of Spain” Perhaps, he became fascinated with this tune while watching the Lawrence Welk Show (It was the theme song of Myron Floren, the accordionist on the show), but everyone there loved the story.

One has to ask, “Did Duane learn to play the accordion to impress the girls at Baker Union High or for the purpose of culturally enhancing his own life (although maybe not those around him…..)?” Fortunately, he abandoned this hobby in college or at least only resumed it on academic breaks at home.

Faith and Family

Duane’s faith in Christ was a critical part of his value system as was his family. Jan and Duane were married for fifty years and had two beautiful daughters (Kylee and Jamie) who I had the privilege of meeting at the Celebration.

As might be expected, both inherited their parents’ athletic abilities and were elite soccer players. Kylee went to University if Portland on a full scholarship. She played for the U16 and U 20 National Teams Jamie went to Willamette University and was inducted into the Hall of Fame at Willamette in 2010.

Both young women have successful careers – Kylee has worked at Nike for seventeen years and is a Global Strategic Product Management Leader, while Jamie is a Vice Principal for an international school. After Kylee entered college, Jan had a successful 17-year career as a realtor with Windemere.

Jan asked me to say a few words at the Celebration of Life. They are inserted below with some pictures that help convey Duane’s personality and amazing life experience:

“I was privileged to know Duane through both the SAE house and the Navy ROTC program. Duane and his good friend and football teammate, Billy Main were both in NROTC – one year ahead of me.

Shortly after Duane passed away, I talked on the phone with Billy about the 1967 OSU Giant Killer Team. We both reminisced about Thumper – Duane’s nickname. Coincidentally, Billy’s nickname was “Rabbit.”

Here are a few of Billy’s comments because they are memorable

Duane Barton was the back-up fullback to Bill Enyart in 1967 and 1968. He knew Buff well – they were roommates when the team traveled. Thumper was physically very different:

Enyart was 6 feet 4 inches – 235 pounds —- Duane was 5 feet 8 inches – 210 pounds.

Duane was one of the great players from eastern Oregon that were part of that Giant Killer team. He was a skilled and proficient runner and blocker — the purest essence of the spirit and ethos of those teams…Had Buff gotten injured, we would lose very little. He was loved and respected by all of his teammates.”

Let’s talk about Naval Aviation and the Airlines

Being selected for Naval Aviation was a real honor for a midshipman. Both Duane and Billy learned to fly in college at the Corvallis airport and went to flight school at Pensacola after commissioning. Rabbit reminisced and said:

“We were also in the Navy summer camps in LA and Pensacola. We were together on Aircraft Carriers: the USS Randolph and USS Lexington.

USS Lexington (CV-2) leaving San Diego, California #3

During that summer in Pensacola and when we had a few days leave, Thumper had a bright idea. He suggested that we jump a freight train and just see where it was going. Duane always pushed to try something new. (Fortunately, Billy talked him out of this plan).

Duane was a skilled pilot but Thumper had an outrageous sense of humor. He was constantly pinching your ass when you weren’t looking – then he would laugh like hell.”

After commissioning and flight school in 1969, he served in the Vietnam War as a Navy pilot. Flying planes was always a dream of his, so he was then thrilled to continue that work as a commercial pilot for Continental.

In 1985 he began a career with Alaska Airlines, which lasted until his final flight in June of 2007; he had a respected and distinguished career. He was also very involved with Airline Pilots’ Association International for 30 years.

And at the SAE house, the Barton boys were active and appreciated. Not only were they standout athletes on our intramural teams, but also talented vocalists—-although Duane had a much better voice than Gary…..

The SAE’s won the men’s competition in OSU Interfraternity Sing in 1968 and placed second in 1967. It was a big event on campus every year and the Bartons were a key factor in the both victories (along with our white slacks……).

Duane and Gary are standing next to each other in the lower right. (Thebeerchaser is upper row third from left and Danny Riley – stay tuned below – is fifth from the left in the upper row).

Given my propensity to save (hoard) items, I still have the vinyl LP’s from both years and you can hear our winning number “Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor” (Rather timely wouldn’t you think….) and hear the Bartons’ dulcet tones. (If there is not an arrow on the photo below, click on it to play the video).

As I knew he would, Billy Main flew up for the Celebration of Life in Portland and ten of Thumper’s fraternity brothers were there as well – obviously all still retained their youthful looks and demeanors.

Finally, let’s talk about nicknames.

Some of you, are probably asking about the derivation of the moniker, “Thumper.” Gary offered this explanation:

“The Thumper nickname came from the Disney movie Bambi. There was a cute little cottontail named Thumper living in Bambi’s forest. Among the burly football jocks at OSU, Duane was like their Thumper – both in size and perhaps even more so in personality.

That said, he gave one a memorable ‘thump’ when he hit you on the football field….”

Thumper: “Hey Rabbit (Billy), I’ll take out the linebacker and you go off tackle.” #4

At the SAE house almost everyone had a nickname. You know Duane’s. Gary Barton was known as “Golden Boy” – I think he got that name from his hair color although Gary always thought it was because of his accomplishments. But that’s a story for another time……

There was also “Foghead,” “The Dude,” “Cheater,” “Buns” and some that can’t be repeated in mixed company. My nickname was “Dirt” and when my younger brother pledged the house several years later, he became known as “Dust.” Those nicknames – in many cases – stuck for the rest of one’s life. I’ll close with an example:

Scene — Portland International Airport (PDX)

In 2007, my law firm was having merger discussions with a Seattle firm. I was flying to Seattle each week and one weekday morning I was seated in the Alaska Airlines waiting area for my 6:30 AM flight.

I looked at the couch across from me about four seats down and saw a pilot in his uniform waiting to catch a hop to Seattle. I was pretty sure that it was Duane; however, I hadn’t seen him in more than 20 years. His hair was white and he had a mustache.

Taking a cautious approach I said in a very low voice, “Thumper?” Well, the lady sitting next to me was horrified…..But Duane turned abruptly towards me, got a big grin and said enthusiastically:

“Dirt!”.

We had a great conversation.

The Celebration was a wonderful and healing time for reminiscing and I enjoyed meeting Jan, Kylee and Jamie. And it was a real treat seeing Gary again and hearing his heartfelt and eloquent tribute to Duane.

A Naval Aviation Family

And speaking of tributes, I want to close with recognizing another SAE who was also in NROTC and my best friend in college.

Foghead and Dirt ready to drive to San Diego for summer Midshipman cruise during college.

Dan (Foghead) Riley also took his commission in Naval Aviation and was a legacy member of an outstanding family of Navy pilots – Mike (’59), Dave (’63), Steve (’69) and then Danny (’71). All were NROTC at OSU except Dave who was a US Naval Academy grad. Dan, like Duane Barton, left us too soon and passed away from a long illness in 1997.

It’s ironic and funny how Dan got his nickname at the SAE house in light of the fact that he subsequently landed many times on aircraft carriers – obviously this task takes a clear head!

At the SAE house, there was a week-long initiation to become a member- usually in the spring of the sophomore year, if one made the required GPA. “Hell Week” did not involve any physical hazing but there was a lot of good-natured psychological grief for the prospective members and “assignments” – some of which were essentially impossible to carry out, but for which there was grief it not accomplished.

One of mine which still brings a laugh – I was supposed to surreptitiously place a unit of hay on the study room desk of the House President, Ronnie “Root Beer” (he didn’t drink) Holloway. I talked a kid in the neighborhood of the SAE house to let me borrow his Radio Flyer wagon.

I took it to the OSU sheep barns (we were an aggie school…) – about 3/4 mile from the house and told one of the workers that I was doing a science project and needed a unit of hay which I would pay for. He laughed and gave it to me.

I pulled the wagon and hay through the back streets to return to the house and waited until everyone was at dinner and Dan Riley helped me get it up to the second floor on the desk. Root Beer was astonished when he came in.

The “birth” of Fog Head – On the first night of Hell Week, they lined us up single file at attention in the hall (about fifteen of us) after dinner. The upperclassmen were all puffing on cigars and the smoke was so thick, it probably could have held up the ceiling. We were all nervous and not wanting to screw up as they lectured us about how we didn’t live up to SAE standards, were flakes, etc.

One senior – a big guy who played football came up, puffed his cigar and stuck his head in Dan’s face and said, “Riley, this probably doesn’t mean anything to you does it?” With all the yelling Dan didn’t hear him so figuring he had a 50/50 chance to be correct, he replied “No Sir!”

All the upperclassmen then laughed uproariously and one of them yelled, “Come on, Riley. Get your head out of the fog!”

Perhaps that night in 1967, in some small way, prepared Dan for a scenario like that below that he may have faced on one of his Navy air patrols! #7

US_Navy_101105-N-5684M-121_The_aircraft_carrier_USS_Ronald_Reagan_(CVN_76)_maneuvers_through_fog_in_the_Pacific_Ocean

I’ll finish with this tribute to the Navy aviators mentioned above – Duane, Billy, Danny, Steve, Mike and Dave. The song is by the OSU Chapter of the Sigma Chi Fraternity – winners of the 1967 OSU Interfraternity Council Sing. #8 (If there is not an arrow on the photo below, click on it to play the video).

Cheers

External Photo Attribution

#1. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Benjamin_Franklin_1767.jpg) This work is in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author’s life plus 100 years or fewer. Source: The White House Historical Association.

#2. Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:A_convertor_free-bass_piano-accordion_and_a_Russian_bayan.jpg) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. Author: Henry Doktorski 30 September 2008.

#3. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:USS_Lexington_(CV-2)_leaving_San_Diego_on_14_October_1941_(80-G-416362).jpg) This file is a work of a sailor or employee of the U.S. Navy, taken or made as part of that person’s official duties. As a work of the U.S. federal government, it is in the public domain in the United States. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/en:Naval_History_and_Heritage_Command

#4. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Thumper_Bambi_Screenshot.png) This work is in the public domain because it was published in the United States between 1927 and 1963, and although there may or may not have been a copyright notice, the copyright was not renewed. Source: The Walt Disney Company 1942.

#5. Radio Flyer Wagon – https://www.amazon.com/Radio-Flyer-Classic-Red-Wagon/dp/B00000IS6G/ref)

#6. Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hatzir_in_dalton(2).JPG) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. Author: קרלוס הגדול4 May 2013.

#7. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (http://File:US Navy 101105-N-5684M-121) The aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) maneuvers through fog in the Pacific Ocean.jpg – A work of a sailor or employee of the U.S. Navy, taken or made as part of that person’s official duties. As a work of the U.S. federal government, it is in the public domain in the United States. 5 November 2010.

#8.

Tucker William (Billy) Main – Beerchaser of the Quarter

Posted on May 11, 2020 by Thebeerchaser

The 1967 Oregon State Beaver Giant Killer Player Recognition Awardees – “Brothers and Timeless”

Rest in Peace – Duane “Thumper” Barton

After the initial publication I am adding to this post. I am saddened to report that my fraternity brother and member of the 1967 Beaver Giant Killer Team, Duane “Thumper” Barton, passed away at the age of 73 on May 14th from Alzheimers Disease.

Duane played fullback and his brother, Gary, later played quarterback for the Beavers. They were star multi-sport athletes at Baker High School and both graduated from OSU as did their younger brother, Ronnie. Duane was enrolled in the Navy ROTC program and flew for the Navy after commissioning and then had a career as a pilot for Alaska Airlines.

Gary and Duane, besides being great athletes, had wonderful voices and were key members of the SAE team that won or placed highly in the annual Inter-fraternity Council Sing for several years.

Duane and Gary – first row – second and third from right at the IFC sing.

Gary stated that memorials for Duane can be made on behalf of the National Alzheimer’s Association.

Our newest Beerchaser-of-the-Quarter, Billy Main, was not only a football teammate, but both were enrolled in the aviation division of NROTC and got their private pilot licenses while in college.

Billy (Rabbit) wrote this this tribute to “Thumper” yesterday and it eloquently conveys why Duane was loved by his teammates.

Duane Barton was the back-up fullback to Bill Enyart in 1967 and 1968. He knew Buff well in that they were roommates when the team traveled.

He was physically very different: Enyart was 6’4, 235 Duane was 5’8 and 210. Duane came from Baker, Oregon and was one of the great players from eastern Oregon that were part of that GK team

He was nicknamed “Thumper” ‘…..the provenance of that nickname is unknown

Duane was the purest essence of the spirit and ethos of those teams…TEAM

He was a skilled and proficient runner and blocker, and had Buff gotten injured, we lost very little. Absent Bill Enyart, Duane was a solid replacement in the backfield. Under different circumstances, he would have probably had a more extensive football career. He was loved and respected by all of his teammates.

My real friendship with Thumper was grounded in the US Navy ROTC Flight Program in which we were both enrolled. As I remember, there were the only 3 members of the GK team roster in the Navy at that time. (Rus Jordan was the other.)

Duane and I learned to fly together at the Corvallis airport. We also were in the summer Navy summer camps in Los Angles and Pensacola. We were together on Aircraft Carriers that summer: the USS Randolph and the USS Lexington.

During that summer in Pensacola and when we had a few days leave, Thumper suggested we jump a freight train and see where it was going. He was always pushing to try something new. (I talked him out of it)

USS Lexington (CV-2)

He was a skilled pilot and eventually flew on active duty, followed by a career with Alaska Airines. Thumper had an outrageous sense of humor and was constantly pinching your ass when you weren’t looking, then laughing like hell. RIP, Thumper

Gary Barton gave this account of how Duane got his nickname:

“The Thumper nickname came from the Disney movie Bambi. If you recall there was a cute little cottontail named Thumper living in Bambi’s forest. Among the burly football jocks at OSU, Duane was like their Thumper, both in size and perhaps even more so in personality. (However, he also gave one a memorable ‘thump’ when he hit you on the football field….)

******

Some readers might ask, “Why don’t you stick to the bar and brewery reviews on your blog and what’s this Beerchaser-of-the-Quarter?” The response – pretty easy. I have loved writing about the history, bartenders, regulars and distinguishing characteristics of each of the 375 watering holes I’ve visited and reviewed since starting Thebeerchaser in August, 2011.

The memories cheer me up during this lockdown and make me yearn for the safe reopening of these establishments. And all of them deserve and need our patronage and support. That said, another joy derived from this hobby is telling the story of some remarkable individuals or groups – most of whom I’ve known personally or met through this blog.

Attorney Jack Faust

These former Beerchasers-of-the-Quarter, besides their memorable stories, have contributed to society through their heroism, athletic achievements, civic work, dedication to their careers or otherwise. All of them possess either a great sense of humor or noteworthy personal traits that have made them or would make them great Beerchasing companions.

Rugger, Rafter, Rider and Lawyer, Jay Waldron

I’ve highlighted my former law firm colleagues like Jack Faust and Jay Waldron.

The Godfather – Dwight Jaynes

Then there’s NW media personalities such as Amy Faust and Dwight (The Godfather Jaynes) and SOLV co-directors Jack and Jan McGowan.

The list also includes military veterans with exemplary service to their country like the late Col. Terry McKinsey (USMC Ret.), Viet Nam era heroes such as Doug Bomarito, Steve Lawrence and Jud Blakely and my brother Capt. Rick Williams (USN Ret.).

The late Retired Colonel Terry “Spike” McKinsey

There’s even the legendary crew of the USS Constitution for their 1798 War Cruise and for you Seinfeld fans, don’t forget the “celebrated” corporate tycoon, Art Vandelay.

Art Vandelay – A Legend in Latex….

Click on the links over the names to see the individual stories noted here or on the tab “Beerchasers-of-the-Quarter” right below the blog header above.

2020’s Second Quarter “Honoree”

The newest BOQ has something in common with one of the former – Craig – The Dude – Hanneman. Both were Pac Eight Football stars for the Oregon State Beavers under legendary coach, Dee Andros.

The Dude – on the right during the Everest climb

The Dude achieved new heights in 2012, when he became the first former NFL or NBA player to successfully scale Mt. Everest.

Since in 1967, freshmen did not play on the varsity, Craig was on the Rook Team while Billy Main was a key figure in the renowned OSU Giant Killers team – one of the most fabled stories in the annals of NCAA Football history.

As an OSU sophomore, I had the thrill of seeing the Beavs beat an OJ Simpson – led USC Team 3 to 0 when the Trojans were rated No. 1 in the nation.

Bye – Bye, OJ…

But that was only a small part of the overall narrative – notice the moniker is Killers rather than the singular.

The full story can be seen by either reading my blog post in which I paid tribute to that team’s achievements

https://thebeerchaser.com/2018/05/20/the-1967-osu-giant-killers-beerchasers-of-the-quarter-part-i/

Or you can read another former OSU alum and Beerchaser-of-the-Quarter, the aforementioned, Jud Blakely, who put together a wonderful website which would make any sports historian tip his or her hat.

The picture at the left is Blakely receiving his 1967 promotion to Captain and the Bronze Star for valor in Viet Nam from General Garretson, Deputy Commandant of USMC and on the right is Col. Bronars’, Jud’s CO during his first six months in Vietnam..

https://www.oregonst67giantkillers.com/

“Tucker William (Billy)”

Billy Main made his mark at Oregon State through his athletic achievements and his other activities. He also had a very successful career in the hospitality industry (which started as a “swamper” or night-time janitor at the Beaver Hut – a legendary watering hole for OSU students.) But how did he get to Corvallis from his roots outside San Francisco in Lafayette, California?

Billy was named after his Uncle Bill who played for the Cal Golden Bears and went to the 1948 Rose Bowl under College Hall of Fame Coach Pappy Waldorf. His dad also played football for Cal. Waldorf coached at Cal from 1947 through 1956.

Legendary Coach Pappy Waldorf

The 1946 team of his predecessor went 2 and 7 and Waldorf’s first year, the Golden Bears compiled a 9 and 1 and lost only to USC. The next two years, his teams went to the Rose Bowl and although losing both times, the turnaround was remarkable.

Memorial Stadium at University of California

He started the tradition of commenting on the game and complimenting the crowd for their support after every home game in the balcony over the northwest gate of the stadium. He continued this tradition through his last home game in 1956.

Billy was an excellent high school athlete playing basketball and football and for the first seventeen years of his life, there was no doubt in his mind that his college home and athletics would be at Berkeley.

“I played basketball like I did football,” Billy told me. “I was always the first guy to foul out, but they always had me guard the other team’s best player.”

His desire was to go to Cal when he graduated from Del Valle High School in Walnut Creek in 1965, and Jim “Truck” Cullom the Offensive Line Coach recruited him. Cullom had played football at Cal and remembered Billy’s dad and uncle.

However, the Cal Athletic Dept. advised him to go to junior college first because his grades didn’t meet the standard. (Actually, he met the criteria for an exception, but Cal. messed it up – something they undoubtedly bemoaned from 1967-69.) His dad told him to look at other college options, so he made a trip up to Pullman to check out Washington State.

Coach Paul Valenti

Fortunately for the Oregon State Beavers:

“Main’s basketball coach, Doug Pederson was a friend of Oregon State Basketball Coach, Paul Valenti, that contact got the Beavers in the door.” (They both played basketball for OSU in 1942) (The Civil War Rivalry by Kerry Eggers. Page 237.)

Assistant Football Coach Sam Boghosian showed up at one of Billy’s basketball practices. “I saw this fierce looking guy looking at me practice from across the gym,” Billy said.

A visit in the gym from Assistant OSU Coach Sam Boghosian

Dee Andros had been an Assistant Football Coach at Cal and started his tenure as Head Football Coach at Oregon State in 1965, where he became known as “The Great Pumpkin.” (He was 5’10 and weighed over 300 pounds.)

Boghosian came to the Main’s house to recruit him for the Beavers. Billy then took a Greyhound Bus up to Corvallis. “Wayne Valley, a tackle on the team showed me around campus and I really liked it.”

A great read by Kerry Eggers

Another quote from Kerry Eggers, wonderful book The Civil War Rivalry demonstrates the respect and love Andros’ players had for their coach.

(Eggers, an OSU alum, was a columnist in Portland for 45-years, is the author of six books and a five-time winner of the Oregon Sportswriter of the Year Award. Any OSU or U of O fan should read this book!)

“‘I sat down with the Great Pumpkin, and it was one of those moments,’ recalled Main…..’We chatted about my pop who was on a destroyer in World War II.’ Dee said, ‘Billy we want you to come to Oregon State. I committed on the spot. The Pumpkin had a special gift. He inspired us in that it is difficult to define. It was magic.'” (Page 237)

Main was red-shirted for the 1966 season – with a November birthday, he was young and they wanted him to use the extra season to “bulk-up” and help the scout team scrimmage against the Varsity during practice. Billy also explained:

“I was a sophomore and was red-shirted because of Bob Grim, from Red Bluff, maybe Oregon States greatest wingback, my mentor, and a spectacular athlete and role model.”

Bob Grim – mentor and role model

But the year of the Giant Killers in 1967 has to be the most memorable. Quarterback Steve Preece and Billy were fraternity brothers and best friends at the Phi Gamma Delta (Fiji) house, but the entire team was an extremely close knit group.

Fox and Rabbit – Fiji Fraternity house at OSU

According to Preece, “Dee convinced us that we’d only win if we were a group playing as one…Everybody believed it.” (Eggers – The Civil War Rivalry – Page 195)

The option – Preece and Main – frat bros and teammates..

That team attitude was deeply ingrained and made a lifelong impression. In one of the last e-mails we exchanged for my research for this post.

Ingrained a Team Attitude

Billy wrote:

“Don, please make sure you focus on my other teammates as we go forward. I remain to this day, in awe of many of them; Jesse (Lewis), Dude (Hanneman), Preece, Foote, Vanderbundt, Houser, Didion…the list goes on and on.”

(Note: This request is honored if you view my past post about The Giant Killers and will be the case as future posts on Thebeerchaser will continue the story of the Beavers of that era. That said, this post is primarily about Billy Main and you will understand why as you continue reading.)

Jud Blakely – At Dee Andros’ parents’ gravesite in Oklahoma in 2005

Based on his extensive knowledge of the Giant Killer Team, I asked Jud Blakely to write a few paragraphs about Billy and the team.

Jud first met Main in 2003 when Blakely was considering writing a screen play on the Giant Killers and he used Billy as a resource. A long-time friendship developed which continues as evidenced by our trip to Corvallis in 2018.

“Okay, so, Bill Main…who entered this world listed as Tucker W. Main…and…you guessed it; the W. stands for “William. Then William made the predictable journey to being ‘Bill’ before it made the slightly less predictable journey to being “Billy”…and Billy Main is how Tucker’s vintage pals know him and address him.

By “vintage pals,” I mean legends in their own right such as Steve Preece, Jon Sandstrom, Mike Foote, Tom Greerty, Jess Lewis, Gary Houser, Louis Armstrong, Bobby Mayes, Mel Easley, and the Rest-In-Peace squad of Bill Enyart, Roger Cantlon, Donnie Summers, John Didion, etc. Thing is, though, they mostly called him “Rabbit”…and (mostly) they had nicknames, too…

…and so, Preece was “Fox”…Cantlon was “Deer”…Sandstrom was “Grape Eyes”…Bill Enyart was always “Buff” and never “Earthquake,” and on and on. This was the nature of OSU’s 1967 Giant-Killer football team that caught lightning in a bottle…the fabled and legendary squad on which Billy “Rabbit” Main electrified fans as a star wingback when he was but 18 years old.

(Billy got the name “Rabbit” and Preece got the nicknames “Fox” from their fraternity brother Jeff Wissler.)

Blakely continues about his friendship with Main:

“Bottom line—I’m blessed to be one of Billy Main’s 14 thousand-2 hundred (and 52) friends…

but

I’m estimating here because the count goes up every week. When it comes to friendship, Billy Main is, like, nearly the size of a South-Pacific atoll that morphed into a nation. The reason he’s so rich in friends? It’s as simple as hearing, ‘Hey, I’m thinkin’ about you. ‘How are you?'”

(Note: I asked my friend of fifty years, Blakely to write a short paragraph or two to use in the posts about Billy. You will see from this post and the next that’s comparable to asking him to read and summarize a magazine article resulting in him sending a synopsis of Winston Churchill’s six-volume The Second World War. What he wrote was eloquent and with feeling, but when I kidded him about the length, he responded, “Once I got going, I was too lazy to stop.”)

Janet Williams and Larry and Mariellen Rich in 2019. They celebrated their 50th anniversary in 2019

I was the beneficiary of friendship and living with eleven of the members of the team during the Giant Killer era in the SAE House at OSU. They included my 1970 classmates, defensive back starters, Larry Rich and Don Whitney.

Other SAE’s footballers during those years were Craig Hanneman, Jim Scheele, Chris Wahle, Clyde Smith, Don Welch, Jim Blackford, Roger Cantlon and Gary and Duane Barton. They were not only great athletes but outstanding individuals.

Oregon Alpha Chapter of SAE in 1967

Billy’s solid family roots which were a key to his character can be demonstrated by this story on radio broadcasts while he played for OSU. He told me:

“They didn’t broadcast OSU games in Lafayette, so my Pop and mom drove up I-5 to Etna, California (near Weed) several times each season . Pops went into the radio station which didn’t carry the games either and asked the manager, ‘Where’s your tower?’ It was up in the Siskiyou Mountains near the Oregon/California border. They drove up high enough to get the KEX broadcast from Portland and had picnic lunches while they listened to the game.”

At 5′ 11″ and weighing 188 pounds when he was a freshman, Billy was not a big guy compared to his many, if not most of his teammates, but he had a reputation for being a fierce competitor. (“I was born in November so was always smaller than my teammates in school which helped shape my attitude.”)

One of Main’s eight catches against the Huskies.

In the Andros Power T Offense, he was a running back and wide receiver who was named to the Coaches’ Second Pac-8 Second Team. Notwithstanding his size, he was also a skilled blocking back for his fullback Buffalo Bill Enyart.

A true utility man, Main even was the holder for field goals and extra points for part of the 1968 season.

He became holder, when safety Larry Rich was converted to the kicker after the regular kicker, Mike Haggard was injured. Starting in the Washington game, this newly initiated duo went 5 for 5 in PAT’s in the Beaver victory.

Newly converted holder and kicker, Rich and Mains

Kerry Eggers relates an incident in his book during the 1968 Civil War game with Oregon to show Rabbit’s toughness. The Beavs won that home game 41 to 14 at Parker Stadium.

In the Civil War the year before at Autzen, the Giant Killers, who were nationally ranked, had to make a fourth quarter comeback to beat the Ducks who went into the game with a 2 and 8 record. Billy Main said of the ’68 game:

“‘We’d remembered what happened (in the Civil War) the year before when we had our heads up our ass and almost lost. Everybody was ready before the game. You could feel it….’

Fox calling a play

Oregon was poised to “take out” Preece on Oregon State’s patented option play. Preece had broken a shoulder the previous season, and opponents that year took shots at it. Early in the game, U of O defensive end, Dennis Gassner cold-cocked him. Main saw it.

“Billy told me, ‘Run that play again,'” Preece recalled. “I ran it again and Main goes flying by me and hits (Gassner) so hard I thought he was going to kill him. He’s standing over him screaming, ‘Don’t touch my quarterback again.” (Civil War Rivalry – Page 196)

Eggers: Award-winning reporter and author (and OSU alum…)

Given the scenario above, one has to chuckle at Billy’s description of his demeanor in the continuing description of this incident in Kerry Eggers’s book:

“’We had a slight altercation,’ Main acknowledged. ‘I was uncharacteristically agitated – I was more of a lover than a fighter (emphasis supplied) – and Gassner was pushing because Fox (Preece) has the marginal shoulder.

It came close to shoving with lots of mouth. I was ready for a dust-up. But we were seriously restricted by the Pumpkin’s code of behavior – no fighting, just do your job.”

Main – the portrait of a Lover – not a Fighter….!

So Beerchaser followers, you have the first part of the Tucker W. Main story. Stay tuned for the next post and the story of Rabbit’s naval service, return to Corvallis and subsequent career and family life. You can see it at:

https://thebeerchaser.com/2020/05/25/the-oregon-state-giant-killers-and-billy-main-part-ii/

Giant Killer Duane Barton

Beerchasing in Corvallis – Part 1

Posted on April 15, 2020 by Thebeerchaser

As I stated in my last post on Thebeerchaser blog, with all Oregon and Washington watering holes closed except for takeout, I ‘m going to “catch up” on some great bars and breweries that I visited in the last few years, but just didn’t write up because of my formidable Beerchasing agenda……

And what better place to start then two trips to Corvallis, Oregon – home of my undergraduate alma mater – Oregon State University. The next Beerchaser-of-the-Quarter will also be introduced to Beerchaser followers in the following post and is part of an OSU legend.

Ariel view of the Memorial Union and the Quad

As a precursor, I can state that OSU was a wonderful place to live and learn for four years. Although some refer to OSU as simply an aggie school, it has nationally recognized programs in Ocean Sciences, Engineering and Forestry.

It was also one of the first colleges in the country to initiate a Fermentation Science degree in 1996, which still ranks among the best in the country – certainly dear to the heart of Thebeerchaser. It comprises about 50% of the students who are pursuing a degree in Food Science and Technology.

West Coast IPA has been one of the fastest growing styles of craft beer and “the hop that launched this revolution was an Oregon-grown variety called Cascade, developed at Oregon State University by the USDA hop breeding program.”

Fermentation Science at OSU

The two Beerchaser posts on Corvallis will be on ventures back to my undergrad stomping grounds:

In October, 2018: I accompanied my fraternity brother and former Beerchaser-of-the-Quarter, Jud Blakely and his friend, Dr. Bob Gill when we drove down to see the Beavers play the Washington State Cougars.

If you click on the link above you will also see the compelling story of my friend of 50 + years, Jud, ranging from his time – albeit abbreviated – as OSU Student Body President, to his heroic service during the Viet Nam War and beyond.

Dr. Bob Gill, Jud Blakely and Billy Main

Thanks to the generosity of former Beaver Giant Killer, Billy Main, who played running back on that fabled 1967 team, we also had 50-yard line complimentary tickets and attended a reception for alumni in which new Coach Jonathan Smith appeared about an hour before the game for a ten-minute inspirational briefing.

Coach Smith inspiring the alums right before the game with WSU

Indeed, Billy Main epitomized that Giant Killer football team which is one of the great sports stories – not only in Oregon, but in American college football lore. For those who want to know more about that legendary team check out my own post:

https://thebeerchaser.com/2018/05/20/the-1967-osu-giant-killers-beerchasers-of-the-quarter-part-i/

Or for the most comprehensive and impressive chronology and documentation, check out the aforementioned, Jud Blakely’s website. It is a labor of love by this OSU alum and I consider it the War and Peace equivalent of sports websites: https://www.oregonst67giantkillers.com/

I knew Billy as a fellow NROTC midshipman – one class ahead of mine. His college football and subsequent professional career in the hospitality industry are stories that deserve to be told and are inspiring as you will learn in the next post.

On the first trip back – also in October one year earlier – I was privileged to be the overnight guests of former Schwabe Williamson & Wyatt law firm colleague, Brian (Brain) King and his wife, Nancy.

Brian was an environmental litigator in the corporate sector and then with two large law firms. Nancy King – also a lawyer – after her career in private practice – served as a professor at both Willamette University College of Law and in the Oregon State School of Business.

Gracious hosts in 2017 – Brian and Nancy King at the Block 15 Brewery

Before his retirement in 2016, he “anchored” Schwabe’s one-person Corvallis office. In the second post on Corvallis, you will learn more about Brian’s notable legal career and why I credit him as a primary inspiration for starting this blog in 2011. Nancy also retired in 2016 although she taught during the summer at Aarhus University in Denmark in 2017.

Why Would One Go to College in Corvallis?

NROTC Class of 1970 at OSU

Not to belabor the point, but Corvallis is not only a wonderful community, but an ideal college town. Now perhaps, I was slightly parochial in 1966, but as a recipient of the NROTC scholarship, I had the option to attend any of the fifty or so US universities that offered that program (and to which I could get admitted which, of course, narrowed the list quite a bit….)

College recruitment and selection is a lot different these days (maybe not going forward) but I only visited OSU, loved the campus and also the opportunity to pledge the SAE fraternity.

Oregon State SAE House at 29th and Harrison

Corvallis has a population of 59,000 – 85 miles south of Portland, it was founded in 1845 and has the motto “Enhancing Community Livability.” (We earnestly tried to live up to this standard while we were students….)

In doing some research for this post, I did find one interesting statistic (and perspective) from a real estate blog: (https://www.estately.com/blog/2016/06/15-things-you-should-know-before-moving-to-corvallis-oregon/

“Corvallis has the lowest percentage of children of any of the 20 largest cities in Oregon. This is great news for those of you don’t enjoy the sounds of screaming children while dining out, seeing a movie, riding public transport, meditating in the park, or playing video games at an arcade. On the other hand, if you have small children the city might feel a little devoid of other youngsters.”

Now during my college years (1966-70), there were no breweries and just a few notable bars – classics if you will including the SAE’s favorite – Price’s Tavern. Also Don’s Den and The Peacock Bar and Grill. The Peacock and it’s iconic rooftop pavilion – “The Top of the Cock” – is the only one surviving to this day.

Corvallis now offers a great variety of bars – including nine sports bars, breweries , distilleries and even a meadery to suit just about anyone’s preference. In fact, the Corvallis Visitors’ Bureau offers a brochure entitled the Mid-Valley-Sip Trip listing seventeen establishments – all within the City limits.

On my two trips, I hit the following:

2018: The Angry Beaver

2017: Block 15 Brewing, Caves, Squirrels, Cloud and Kelly’s, Flat Tail Brewing and The Peacock

What you Should Know about Bob Gill

The trip to Corvallis was the first time I met Dr. Bob Gill – who attended and played football at both OSU and then Portland State after starring at Jefferson High School his senior season in 1953. He was selected for the Shrine All-Star game and got a scholarship to OSU.

All-star Quarterback

He was a successful Portland dentist for many years. But like many of Jud’s friends (other than Thebeerchaser), Bob also has an outstanding Oregon legacy as both an athlete and in the annals of athletics for the State of Oregon.

Click on the link to read his full bio when he was inducted into the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame in 2019 along with two former Beaver Basketball players from the ’80’s Mark Radford and Ray Blume.

Among his achievements to garner this honor:

Bob’s research led to the publication of “It’s in Their Blood,” a history and legacies of 53 Oregon football coaches.
As a historian, Bob successfully nominated Tommy Prothro, Neil Lomax and Ad Rutschman into the National Football Foundation College Hall of Fame. For 14 years, he presented the “Walk of Champions” award to champion high school coaches.

In 1998, Bob Gill provided the early leadership to return the North-South All-Star Football Game to Portland establishing the Les Schwab Bowl.
In 2010, Bob offered to write the story of Oregon and NFL legend, Mel Renfro. After 5 years of research and writing, he authored the biography “Mel Renfro: Forever A Cowboy.”

And from spending a day with him, I can also state that he an amazingly humble and classy gentleman.

When we got to Corvallis, we had lunch at the Angry Beaver Grill where we met Billy and were also joined by Giant Killer Quarterback, Steve Preece and his wife, Karen.

After college, Steve played in the NFL for nine seasons – as a defensive back and his last year, in 1977, he started for the Seattle Seahawks. After football, he has been a successful Portland commercial real estate broker and developer and is a member of the Beavers’ radio broadcasting crew.

From left – Billy Main, Jud Blakely, Don Williams, Karen Preece, Steve Preece, Dr. Bob Gill

The Angry Beaver Grill is a bastion of Oregon State sports history, co-owned by former Beaver football running back Randy Holmes (#31) who averaged 3.7 yards per carry during his four years at OSU. Randy was a great host to our group and is a wonderful story teller.

Holmes – an expert in the kitchen

He was also known for catching a 12-yard touchdown pass from Beav quarterback, Ed Singler to make the score 28-14 against Fresno State in the 1981 season. The Beavers after being behind 28 to 0 in the first half, won 31 to 28 and ended a 14 game losing streak.

According to Wikipedia, “With the win, Oregon State had set the record for the biggest comeback (28 points) in major college football history at that time.”

And the Angry Beaver is a great venue – especially on game day although according to the OSU student newspaper – The Barometer – it was the best live music venue in Corvallis in 2020.

The Angry Beaver Reuben

For lunch we had burgers and their outstanding Reuben sandwich, but Randy made his mark for years as a chef and according to a 2/2/18 story in the Corvallis Gazette Times

“………..resurrected a bit of Corvallis’ culinary history with the Angry Beaver, which opened in January 2018. For more than a decade, Holmes was the chef at The Gables, which was known as Corvallis’ premier restaurant for years before it closed.

‘I literally made the croutons and chicken bisque soup every day,’ Holmes said. Angry Beaver chef Mike Adams also worked at the Gables. Naturally, that signature chicken bisque soup with croutons is featured on the menu, as is a prime rib with Danish whipped potatoes special on Friday nights, and that also was a Gables’ staple.”

Retired Coach Jimmy Anderson

After lunch, Jud wanted to stop by former OSU Head Basketball Coach, Jimmy Anderson’s (from 1989-95) house. Jimmy was coach of the freshman basketball team in 1961 and Jud got cut in the final round of tryouts.

They ended up playing together on the Truax Oilers AAU team and have maintained a friendship since. (Of course, Jud told Jimmy he made the wrong decision by cutting him.)

The Beavs on their way to the locker room before the game.

Then we moved on to Reser Stadium for the early evening game. However, Billy insisted that we be his guests at the Alumni Reception – and it was in the beautiful quarters above the north endzone. Bob, Jud and I joined about 150 people and soon realized that they were all former OSU athletes and their guests.

And among them were a number of former Pac (8-10-12) all stars and a both current and former pro-athletes – which made me feel a little out-of-place although my size when compared to most of them meant that my presence was not conspicuous.

Scott Barnes OSU AD

We heard the great talk by Coach Jon Smith and then affable OSU Athletic Director, Scott Barnes, closed the affair and understandably started making the rounds shaking hands with those who attended. He stuck out his hand to me and said, “Thanks for coming back.” Given the presence of all the other athletes, I almost could not resist responding to his greeting with “Don Williams, SAE Intramural Basketball 1966 – 70.”

Well, although it was a pretty good game for three quarters, Oregon State lost 56 – 37. In retrospect, sitting there in a crowded stadium on a lovely fall night even when your team loses, seems like a wonderful future scenario.

Go Beavs!!

And although the Angry Beaver Grill is now closed during the pandemic, when bars and restaurants reopen, be sure to stop in and say “hello” to Randy and his friendly and effective staff. You will enjoy the great atmosphere, the good tap list and the great food.

Thebeerchaser

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Tag Archives: 1967 Oregon State Giant Killer football team

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