BOTQ – Who are Those “Guys”?

Posted on February 22, 2024 by Thebeerchaser

Beerchaser-of-the-Quarter (BOTQ) Update

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 isn’t clipped or shortened. (External photo attribution at the end of the post #)

Followers of Thebeerchaser blog know that I periodically do a post about an individual or group that may or may not have anything to do with bars or beers but has an interesting story and made contributions to society.

Admittedly, I have not related these stories with the frequency I’d have liked in the last two years but hope to remedy that in 2024. I’ve known the majority of the individual “honorees” personally.

The lineup includes war heroes, athletes, media personalities, authors, academicians, civic activists and of course, lawyers. Some are pictured below, and their stories are related in the link over their name – and they are impressive.

Clockwise: The 1967 Oregon State Giant Killer Football Team; former NFL defensive tackle, mountaineer and executive, Craig Hanneman; Portland attorney and television personality, Jack Faust; writer and media personality, Amy Faust; the late author Brian Doyle;

Professional oboist (and my oboe instructor) Kelly Gronli; the late Princeton Professor Emeritus and author, Harry Frankfurt; Jan and Jack McGowan – founders of SOLV; developer and civic activist, Mark Edlen; the late Terry “Spike McKinsey, USMC-retired; Jud Blakely USMC. (#1 – #5)

To see a list of the thirty-five “honorees” from 2011 to 2020, check out the following link:https://thebeerchaser.com/2020/12/13/beerchasers-of-the-quarter-who-what-why/

And Then There’s Jay Waldron

One BOTQ – a colleague of mine for twenty-five years when I worked as the COO at the Schwabe Williamson & Wyatt law firm – is Jay Waldron. As stated in the original 2016 blog post featuring him as Beerchaser-of-the-Quarter, he graduated from the University of Virginia School of Law – one of the Nations’s top five at twenty-nine.

The older than average age was partly because he first completed a master’s degree at the school – but also because of his extracurricular activities which included boxing, playing rugby, teaching 7th-grade English in Appalachia and coaching basketball. (#6 – #8)

Counselor Waldron has contributed his time and served in leadership capacities in many civic and charitable activities, in addition to having a thriving Environmental and Natural Resources law practice.

At age thirty-seven he argued a case at the US Supreme Court and he’s also appeared at the Oregon Supreme Court and the US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

His legal work has earned him recognition multiple times in the “Best Lawyers in America” and as an Oregon Super Lawyer and by the Oregon State Bar for pro bono service.

And he just received another accolade from his peers with the Oregon State Bar’s Environmental and Natural Resources Section 2024 Award. It recognizes an Oregon lawyer for leadership, service and outstanding contributions to environmental and natural resources law.

Carson Bowler, who was Jay’s partner for many years eloquently summed up why Jay was selected:

“For more than 40 years, Jay has been in the middle of some of the most important and consequential environmental matters and cases in Oregon and the Northwest. His superpower has always been to identify the core of a complicated case, and then to communicate that core to whatever audience was listening, be they legislators, judges or clients.

His career resume is astonishing; he’s been (aptly) called a grandfather of environmental law in Oregon, a title that finally befits his life season. But I think his lasting legacy will be the quiet influence he’s had on so many young lawyers who over the years have had the privilege of learning their craft from him.”

In his acceptance speech, Jay spent most of his time thanking his partners, his wife, Karen (see below) and others. Emphasizing the importance of being a well-rounded person, he stated:

“I’m probably the only environmental lawyer in Oregon who wrote a master’s thesis on “The Poetry of Emily Dickinson.”

(His favorite poem is “Because I Could Not Stop For Death.” – a poem that explores the themes of death, time and eternity.) (#9)

Black-white_photograph_of_Emily_Dickinson2

One of Jay’s attributes emphasized at the reception was his dedication to mentoring. And to further elaborate on Jay’s contribution to his own firm, take a look at this summary from his partner, Brien Flanagan, Chair of Schwabe’s Environmental and Natural Resources Practice Group:

“Jay was a guide and an advocate for young lawyers. A genius on developing the theme to win a case or the politics that wins approval from bureaucratic regulators. And Jay was always happy to tell a tale while sharing a brew.” (#10)

Thebeerchaser joins Bowler and Flanagan on his birthday for a brewski

Brien’s reference to Jay’s story telling fits into this narrative quite well, because Jay has a vast storehouse of tales – and a preponderance of them, upon further research, appear to be true.

He is a frequent commenter on the bars and breweries I feature in my blog posts including the Ship Tavern, Jake’s Place, Jake’s Famous Crawfish bar, the Horse Brass Pub and most recently Malachy’s Irish Pub in downtown New York City.

I wrote about Malachy’s in my most recent post “Don’t Jump When You Can Dive – Part III”. Jay’s comment was:

“Was Malachy’s named after Malachy McCourt? He was a full-of-shit Irishman who played rugby and drank with me in NYC in the late 60’s and I also had a pint with his more famous author/brother Frank in McSorleys ,my then favorite NYC bar. Jay”

After researching, my response was:

“You never disappoint me, Counselor. Malachy’s in New York City, was in fact, opened by Malachy McCourt, who was indeed, a rugby player. See this video interview on the 50th anniversary of Fairfield Rugby Club. (#11 – #12)

Since the Topic of Rugby Arose….

I’ll start winding down this post by further exploring Jay’s athletic and related “activities” – chief among these being rugby. In 2017, he was admitted to the US Rugby Hall of Fame.

A 2017 article in the Providence College News (his undergrad alma mater) stated:

“(His contributions span) nearly five decades as a player, coach, TV broadcaster, and ambassador of the sport. He began his rugby career in 1968 as a University of Virginia graduate student, where he received his master’s degree, worked on his Ph.D., and then received his juris doctorate while serving as a player, president, and captain. Waldron played on numerous rugby representative teams and won the university boxing championship.”

Fortunately, when Jay was in the office, he chewed gum instead of glass, but his rugby gigs also included coaching the Portland Pig’s Rugby Club for five years. He announced rugby matches aired on Fox and ESPN in a four-year stint. (13 – #14)

You will have to check out the original blog post for the details, but Jay’s other pursuits give credence to Emily Dickinson’s theme of death:

River Rafting – three trips down the Colorado River and in 1996, he became the first Caucasian to row a “cataraft” through all the rapids of the Great Bend of the Yangtze River in China. Other trips included South America and Canada.

Motorcycle Trips and Racing – Twenty-one different road trips throughout the US have been supplemented by a journey around both South Africa and New Zealand and a trek from Chile to the southern tip of South America. He was also once clocked at 155 mph on his Ducati.

Wild Horse Riding – After a long and serious discussion at a bar with two rugby buddies, they decided to compete in the wild-horse ride competition at the Pendleton Roundup. (#15 – #17)

Death Wish?

Could Jay’s instincts and perhaps latent death wish be tamed? The answer to that question is in the affirmative. In 1966, Jay met his now wife of fifty-five years, Karen, while he was serving as a bouncer at a bar at Horseback Beach in Westport, Mass on the Atlantic Ocean.

“It was a Sunday night and she was not 21, but with that blonde hair and tan, there was no way, I wasn’t going to let her in.” (#18 – #19)

The Next Generation

Karen is also an athlete – both she and Jay have won Multnomah Athletic Club Decathlons in their age groups. And their son, Shane inherited their athletic talent and interest. He played college football at Tufts University as a tight end and long snapper from 1999 through 2002.

Starting as an operations intern in 2002 for the New England Patriots under Coach Bill Belichick, he then began what has become a very impressive coaching resume in college football – Notre Dame and UMass – eventually followed by the NFL including the Patriots, Washington Redskins, Los Angeles Rams and as Offensive Coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks from 2021 to 2023.

Early in 2024, he was named Offensive Coordinator for the Chicago Bears and as stated in an article on ESPN.com: https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/39368486/what-hiring-oc-shane-waldron-mean-bears

“The Chicago Bears know who will be calling offensive plays in 2024, and now they have to figure out which quarterback will be executing them.”

Chicago, with the first draft pick in 2024, is expected to draft former USC quarterback, Caleb Williams and Waldron will be a key figure in deciding whether he or current starter, Justin Fields will be calling signals when the season starts.

Based on the comments of sports commentators and media, don’t be surprised to see the younger Waldron as an NFL head coach in his next job.

Regardless, Karen and Jay Waldron will be making a lot of trips back to Chicago with good tickets at Soldier Field in addition to seeing their two grandchildren.

Odds are that Jay also knows some good Windy City bars which ruggers frequent and they can share stories – many of which will be in accordance with reality. (#20 – #22)

Karen told me that Jay doesn’t like small talk with strangers so I would tell him “Ask if they have a connection with rugby, rafting or motorcycles and the conversation always explodes.”

Well, that will not be necessary on his Chicago visits because one of his best long-term rugby buddies happens to be one Donald H. Haider – another member of the US Rugby Hall of Fame. (And looking at both of these guys made me wonder if the term Renaissance Man and Rugger is really a contradiction in terms.)

Haider, was on the rugby team during undergraduate school at Stanford. He played and coached rugby throughout his adulthood and earned his MA and PhD at Columbia University. He is now a business professor at Northwestern University‘s Kellogg School of Management. The professor has had an amazing career in government, business and academia. (#23)

And does he have ties to the Windy City! According to Wikipedia:

“Haider had worked as an advisor to Richard J. Daley during his mayoralty. Haider also worked as the Chicago city budget director (chief financial officer for the City of Chicago) under Jane Byrne from 1979 until 1980.[1][4][6][10]

In 1987, Haider won the Republican mayoral primary…During the campaign, in a desperate bid for press, Haider rode an elephant (an animal often used to symbolize the Republican Party) down State Street.”

The Weather Mark Tavern is a great rugby sports bar within walking distance of Soldier Field. I can see Waldron and Haider pre-function and post-function at this watering hole and telling tales of past scrums. (Fans cannot leave the Stadium during halftime…..)

Go Bears!

External Photo Attribution

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

#3. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jack_faust.jpg) I, the copyright holder of this work, release this work into the public domain. This applies worldwide. Author: Timlyman.

#4. University of Portland Magazine (https://sites.up.edu/portlandmagazine/brian-doyle/).

#5. Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Harry_Frankfurt_at_2017_ACLS_Annual_Meeting.jpg ) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license. Author: American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) 29 October 2018.

#6 – #8. Courtesy Jay Waldron

#9. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (Black-white photograph of Emily Dickinson2 – Emily Dickinson – Wikipedia) By Unknown author – https://s3.amazonaws.com/amherst-wsg/ED-dag-case-720dpi_big.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. (1846-47).

#10. Schwabe Williamson & Wyatt (https://www.schwabe.com/professional/brien-flanagan/).

#11 – #12. Malachy Irish Pub Website Photo Gallery (https://www.malachysirishpub.com/gallery).

#13. Portland Rugby Club (https://www.portlandrugby.org/about).

#14 – #18. Jay Waldron

#19 – #22. Karen Waldron Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/karen.waldron.12).

#23. Kellog School of Management (Donald Haider – Faculty – Kellogg School of Management (northwestern.edu).

#24. Weather Mark Tavern Facebook Page ()https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=510230207773421&set=a.510230187773423).

#25. Wikimedia Commons (Soldier_Field_S.jpg (4000×2250) (wikimedia.org) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. Author: Sea Cow – 2 July 2022.

Did We Really Do That – Part II – The Tie That Binds…

Posted on November 3, 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 so the narrative is not clipped or shortened.) (External Photo Attribution at the end of the post #1)

In my last post – Part I of this series, I reflected on a past antic by some friends and me when I was in my mid-twenties. It caused me to both laugh and wonder what I (we) were thinking when we undertook it. (In that case it was crashing an Electrical Union Apprentices’ Graduation Ceremony at a high-end motel.)

My crazy dentist and I receiving our motorwinder diplomas.

The next incidents occurred over ten years later when I was married and my wife, Janet, exerted at least some influence to keep me from making a fool of myself. And during these, I was working in legal management, so I also was a bit more restrained.

The Tie That Binds

I left local government in 1979 to work as the Business Manager at the Oregon State Bar – starting three days after Janet and I got engaged at the Top-of-the-Mark Hopkins Hotel in San Francisco.

The Bar was both a public corporation and an arm of the State Judicial Branch – responsible for the Bar Exam, admission and lawyer discipline and ethics for what was then about 7,000 Oregon lawyers. (It’s now over 12,000) (#2)

The Bar also serves as a professional association for attorneys and provides Continuing Legal Education (CLE), an excellent magazine as well as activities and events which are intended to mentor lawyers and improve their practice management.

To help us with the latter function, the Bar was a member of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) ASAE was founded in 1920, is headquartered in Washington DC and has about 42,000 individual members who work at 7,400 diverse organizations ranging from the American Council of Snowmobile Associations, to the American Health Care Association to the Louisville Tourism Bureau. (#3)

Each year, ASAE has an Annual Conference in a major US city:

“The ASAE Annual Meeting & Exposition is where thousands of association professionals and industry partners gather to exchange knowledge, resources, strategies, solutions, and more.

Over three days of learning, growing and finding inspiration, attendees are equipped with a year’s worth of support in their daily responsibilities as leaders in the association industry.”

It was a big deal and proposals for presentations for the 50-minute breakout sessions were to be submitted and screened about nine months before the Conference. In 2024, the event is in Cleveland and in 2025 in LA.

At the Bar, we encouraged managers to get involved in civic and professional activities, so I thought I would propose a session at the Chicago conference in what I think was 1994.

Each of the break-out sessions has about 100 + attendees. I had not presented before that many people (other than a failed effort campaigning for Oregon City High School Student Body President in 1965…)

As a masterstroke, I decided to ask my Oregon State SAE Fraternity brother, Jud Blakely, who lived in Chicago to co-present with me. Jud graduated five years before I did at Oregon State and made his mark as ASOSU Student Body President in 1965. I was going to be somewhat nervous; however, Jud was an accomplished and charismatic speaker.

After graduation, Jud served heroically as a USMC Platoon Leader in Viet Nam for thirteen months and subsequently opened his own very successful consulting firm Jud Blakely, Ltd.

He wrote speeches and publications for CEOs and top corporate executives and coached them how to make presentations. His clients included Shell Oil, Sea First, Rainier Bank and Lonestar Gas.

Every association executive has to present an annual budget to his or her board to adopt, so I would propose a session on “How to Make a Boring Budget Proposal One that Your Board Will Both Enjoy and Approve.”

I called Jud and he agreed and we both acknowledged that we wouldn’t have time to rehearse prior to “launching.” I said I’d draft the outline and do the submission paperwork and Jud said:

“Don, you can do the fundamentals. I’ll be your wingman and periodically chime in with some words of wisdom on presentation tactics and strategy.”

Jud was a high-profile consultant and I knew that one of the reasons he was so successful was his creative and brash approach.

Evidence dated back to his senior year at OSU when Jud and three other OSU seniors went on what was to be a stealth mission and lit the traditional “Rook Bonfire,” the night before the planned lighting ceremony in 1964. (#4)

A Night Early?

In what became OSU historical lore known as “the bonfire incident,” Jud and two of the others got caught and arrested for “Maliciously and willfully starting a fire.”

Fortunately, the Municipal Judge, one Helmut Schreima, could not find that specific provision in the Corvallis Municipal Code and our boys were only charged with “burning without a permit” and fined $15 each (Jud’s beer money for the month but he also had to forfeit his student body office.)

Trial by Fire at OSU

A column from the OSU Daily Barometer (written by Editor, Rich Hansen) expressed sentiments about Jud’s leadership talent and his ability to arouse (?) students:

“….Seldom has the office of President been so alive in campus conversations or has the President’s name been so often repeated. I’m convinced that it has been a long time since OSU has had a president so well suited for the office as Jud Blakely.

Blakely is not only an intellectual and dynamic leader but retains those school-boy qualities that make him a human being – the zeal for school spirit and his subsequent bout with municipal authorities (bonfire incident) is a recent example. He drew enormous criticism and even more teasing for that stunt, but in the end it achieved its goal. It revived spirit and got students participating again.

Nevertheless, for the first time in my memory the student body is excited, or at least aroused, about what’s going on. From the hand-made sign that someone carried to the game reading, ‘Ban Blakely’ to the chants of ‘We want Blakely’……”

I wasn’t sure that our goal was to “arouse” attendees, but I would have an “intellectual and dynamic” wingman by my side to assuage my nerves during the ASAE presentation.

To reinforce that, I knew that even though we didn’t have time to prepare together, I could be confident that Jud would approach this mission with the same vigor and grit that he commanded his platoon in Viet Nam which resulted in two Purple Hearts and the Bronze Star with Combat V while serving with India Co, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines.

The Result

We had a full-house in the large conference room. Fortunately, it was not a late afternoon session, when many attendees, rather than listening to presentations on budget and management topics, would go out drinking at the nearby Chicago bars.

I gave about a fifteen minute introduction and then Jud came up to the stage and the dialogue went something like this.

“Don has given a good introduction on the foundations of a good budget presentation, but you should remember that revenues/expenses and balance sheets aren’t the most stimulating topics for any Board to hear.

As Don stated, you need to have a good strong underlying message or theme that your budget conveys, but for them to absorb and retain that theme you need to get their attention.” (#5)

300721818_5823248777719311_3432285377218039118_n

Now Jud was impeccably dressed in an impressive suit and a fancy silk tie that he had probably purchased at an exclusive shop on Michigan Avenue. He then walked down from the stage into the audience

and

To everyone’s astonishment – including mine – pulled a pair of scissors out of his pocket, cut his tie in half and give the lower part to one of the attendees stating:

“I’m confident that all of you will remember this session and the point I’m making about getting your audience’s attention.”

Well, he did get their attention and then I continued with my presentation with Jud periodically interjecting to emphasize a point or add some of his own thoughts for the remaining thirty minutes including a question and answer period. (One of these was from the woman to whom he gave the lower half of his tie, who asked him if she could keep it.)

Afterwards, we were having a drink(s) in the hotel bar and I said to Jud:

“I’ve always thought you resembled Coach Bobby Knight (see below), but I’m glad you didn’t throw a chair across the room to get their attention.” (#6)

A resemblance to the Coach – especially in later years

I wondered how the audience, which included people such as the CFOs for the American Welding Society or the American Polygraph Association, would react to this “demonstrative gesture” by my wingman.

I was therefore a bit concerned about the participant evaluations which always are collected at the end of each session and subsequently tabulated.

I figured that this was the last time that we would be asked to share our knowledge in this environment. To my surprise (although not Jud’s) we got excellent ratings both for the content and the delivery.

And I learned a few things from that session:

First – A Marine Corp infantry officer – even though he wasn’t a military aviator – could be a superb wingman.

Second – In future presentations, one key to getting your message across and retained is to be bold and innovative in your delivery strategy although it’s probably best to do that without using furniture to convey your point. (My next blog post will give you an example.)

In my 2013 blog post where I named Jud my Beerchaser-of-the-Quarter, I described Jud’s character and routine as:

“He’s an amazing guy. Jud will take a twelve-mile run, break to read a 600-page non-fiction book such as John Maynard Keynes, “The Theory of Money,” then play full-court basketball for three hours before coming home to work.”

(I should have added that Jud was a three-sport athlete in high school, but I had a better elbow jumper….)

In Seaside, Oregon marathon before reading “The Art of War” by Sun Tzu

Jud hasn’t worn a coat and tie for fifteen years. I’m also pleased to report that Jud’s precious granddaughter, Nylah seen in the picture below, has had a profound and positive influence.

Now his daily routine consists of walking three miles (although at a rapid pace) and then coming home and reading Dr. Seuss books (although not One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish which is too political…..) and doing puzzles with Nyla. (#7 – #8)

As we celebrate Veterans’ Day next week, cheers to Jud and to all veterans – especially those who served in combat arenas.

Cheers

External Photo Attribution

#1. Wikimedia Commons (File:Lol question mark.png – Wikimedia Commons) This is a smiley from the Lol collection of high quality PNG smileys licensed under the CCØ license! Feel free to use.

#2. Oregon State Bar Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=476709637799349&set=a.476709641132682).

#3. Wikimedia Commons (File:ASAE logotipo.jpg – Wikimedia Commons). This logo image consists only of simple geometric shapes or text. It does not meet the threshold of originality needed for copyright protection, and is therefore in the public domain. 13 August 2015.

#4. Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?search=large+bonfire&title=Special:MediaSearch&go=Go&type=image) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. Author: Fir0002 – 8 September 2004.

#5. ASAE Annual Conference Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/asaeannual/photos/pb.100064402073724.-2207520000/5823248794385976/?type=3).

#6. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (File:Bob-Knight-Nov-21-07-1.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) This image or file is a work of a U.S. Air Force Airman or employee, taken or made as part of that person’s official duties. As a work of the U.S. federal government, the image or file is in the public domain in the United States. Author: Airman 1st Class Jonathan Steffen – 21 November 2007.

#7. Wikimedia Commons (File:One fish two fish.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. Author: Ethically Yours – 2 January 2014.

#8. Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dr._Seuss_WikiWorld.png) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.5 Generic license. Author: Greg Williams – 14 November 2006.

Dirt and Dust

Posted on July 6, 2023 by Thebeerchaser

I Haven’t Washed my Hands of this Nickname….

Welcome back to Thebeerchaser. If you are seeing this post through an e-mail, please visit the blog by clicking on the title at the top 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 – #2))

I often understandably get questions from followers of this blog on the origin of my nickname. Credit is due to my long-term friend, fraternity brother and Beerchaser-of-the-Quarter, Jud Blakely, for the design of the logo which has the moniker, “Don ‘Dirt’ Williams.”

The story on the derivation of that label can be found in the 2021 blog post under the section entitled “The Origin of Dirt.”

It was not due to a nefarious action, but college fraternity brothers at the SAE house at Oregon State University in 1966. And it has stuck all of these years.

From Dirty Donnie to Dirty to Dirt

And I get a good chuckle when I see examples. For instance, this Rogue Brewery truck we saw on the Oregon Coast and this creatively named hauling company whose truck came rumbling by our house recently.

And, one of my favorite radio personalities is Andy “Dirt” Johnson on Portland radio station 1080 The Fan. Dirt has had a great career in a competitive industry and he’s carried the nickname from an earlier age than I:

“He was an all-league quarterback at Portland’s Cleveland High School, where he picked up the nickname ‘Dirt,’ which has stuck professionally. It came from some inappropriate pictures he drew on an overhead as a Cleveland freshman.” (The Oregonian) (#3)

7NPUQrAT_400x400

From Earth to Earth, Ashes to Ashes, “Dirt to Dust….

Yes, I’ve slightly modified this burial service phrase from the Book of Common Prayer to relate the derivation of my younger brother, Rick’s nickname, when he joined the SAE’s at OSU four years after me. It was logical that he should become known as “Dust.”

And I want to talk about Dust a bit – not only because he had a remarkable career in the US Navy before retiring as a Captain, but because it’s relevant in light of the recent tragic implosion of the Titan submersible.

His career story is conveyed in my blog post when I named him as one of my Beerchasers-of-the-Quarter in 2015. Rick, like me, graduated from Oregon State and was commissioned as an Ensign after four years in the NROTC program.

The photos below show him as a midshipman and at his 1987 wedding (clockwise from left to right: brother-in-law, Dave Booher, Dust, Captain Jim Taylor, Dirt and middle brother, Garry – a West Point graduate)

With wife Mary Jean and two sons, Timothy and Taylor receiving his first Legion of Merit Award from Vice Admiral Herb Brown, Commander of the US Navy Third Fleet in 1997

But to summarize, after graduation and commissioning in 1975, he was off to Naval School Diving and Salvage as a “hardhat” diver, followed by Surface Warfare School.

In his first sea tour on the Navy’s newest ocean engineering platform, submarine rescue ship USS PIGEON (ASR 21), he qualified as a Deep Sea (HeO2) Diving Officer and Surface Warfare Officer. During this tour, he attended Naval School Deep Diving Systems for saturation diving training as a Navy Aquanaut.

In an usual career twist, he went through a challenging interview with the legendary Admiral Hyman Rickover (Father of the Nuclear Navy) (read about it in the post) and attended Nuclear Power School in Orlando and Submarine Warfare School in Groton, Connecticut.

He served two deployments on the USS SEAWOLF (SSN 575) – the oldest operational fast-attack sub in the world. Rick qualified in Submarines and as a Nuclear Propulsion Engineer. (#4 – #7)

After this five-year detour, he took command of the Deep Submergence Vehicle SEA CLIFF (DSV 4), an “inner space ship” built for deep ocean recovery with a crew of fourteen special projects submariners including three officers.

He served almost three years during the SEA CLIFF’s conversion from a 6,500 feet steel-sphere and aluminum frame vehicle, to titanium-rated for 20,000 feet – an extraordinary and accelerated nine-month project – and the deep ocean operations that followed.

Before I relate his amazing experience as captain of the Sea Cliff, Rick’s final command was as skipper of the USS Spadefish (SSN 668 – a Sturgeon Class fast-attack nuclear sub. Dust led two under-ice expeditions to the North Pole during his command of SPADEFISH. She surfaced through the ice “about a dozen times.”

The trips were also “Freedom of Navigation Exercises” to assert US rights of passage in international waters — as the Russians were trying to assert territorial rights in the Arctic Ocean – a situation which is still a critical defense issue today. (#8 – #10)

A Classic 19th Century Novel

Jules Verne’s classic 1869 novel, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea was a fictionalized account inspired by “…a model of the French submarine Plongeur (launched in 1863) figured at the 1867 Exposition Universelle, where Jules Verne examined it.”

“The book was widely acclaimed on its release and remains so: it is regarded as one of the premier adventure novels and one of Verne’s greatest works.”, (Wikipedia) (#11)

I didn’t know until researching this post that:

“The title refers to the distance, not depth, traveled under the various seas: 20,000 metric leagues (80,000 km, over 40,000 nautical miles), nearly twice the circumference of the Earth.” (Wikipedia) (#11 – #12)

20,000 Feet Under the Sea!

Now the book was science fiction and Dust, while skipper of the Sea Cliff, did not encounter a giant squid as did Captain Nemo of the Nautilus.

He did, however, have an incredible adventure in 1985 – and that’s not hyperbole as you can see by reading the article below:

Rick Middie_0002

The key paragraph of this 1985 Oregonian article about the Sea Cliff dive off the coast of Guatemala states:

“Now at 33, Williams sits as the first man to command a deep-sea diving submarine 20,000 feet below the ocean surface. He and his team, which he credits most for the achievement, are known throughout the community for their feat and the United States owns the title of being the first country to master those depths….

When the day finally came (after two years of preparation) Williams and two crew members crowded into the vessel’s main cabin – 6 1/2 feet in diameter and after fourteen hours, mastered the mission.” (#13 – #14)

The most graphic representation I saw to help understand the pressure at those depths was the “squashed cup” you see in the picture below. It was a full size coffee cup tied to a line outside the Sea Cliff on the operation and shows the effects of the pressure at 20,000 feet.

The Titan Submersible (#15)

The Titan implosion was a tragedy and given his experience in the depths, I wanted to get Rick’s perceptions. He was somewhat tight-lipped because of the tragic consequences although he has typically been reticent about his Navy experience.

Part of that is for security purposes and part of that is probably to “repay” me for the transaction we had when I was eight and he was four. I told him that if he gave me a dime, I would give him five pennies. Since he was not into currency at that time, he readily agreed.

And speaking of payback, he did, in a manner of speaking on his First -class Midshipman Summer Cruise in 1973 as recounted in the aforementioned 2015 blog post:

“While Rick was a whiz at math and science, his comprehension of world geography was lacking. While on this 1/C cruise and in port in Singapore, he awoke me with a phone call at 3 AM.

He wanted to borrow $50 for what he characterized as ‘an investment in the future’ – to buy a watch. Although he maintains that he paid it back (…and he later did give me the watch as a gift), it is still carried as an Accounts Receivable on Thebeerchaser’s personal balance sheet.” (#16 – #17)

Recently I started reading Bob Woodward’s book Veil – The Secret Wars of the CIA (1981-1987) Stansfield Turner was transitioning from the position after Reagan was elected. Turner referenced the “SNCP” (Special Navy Control Project) involving high-risk surveillance by US subs on their Soviet counterparts and other Soviet assets.

I asked Dust if had had ever been involved in that and he responded, “

“I can neither confirm nor deny receipt of your email referring to submarine operations. To quote General Schwarzkopf. ‘We do not discuss submarine operations.'”

This facetious response was similar to the retort, “If I told you, I would have to kill you,” that he often gave me when I asked Rick about the games of “chicken” that US subs were having with their Soviet counterparts in the Pacific while he was on active duty.

But I Digress…..

While I didn’t do any meaningful research, my understanding was that one of the issues of controversy with the Titan was its carbon-fiber hull as contrasted with the steel and titanium hulls of Navy and other deep submergence vehicles.

The debris field of the Titan was evidently about 500 meters from the hull of the Titanic which is at a depth of about 13,000 feet. The Sea Cliff dive went to 20,000 feet and their final practice dive was at 15,000.

Rick’s comments were few but meaningful. When I asked him about the lack of certification and rumors of rushed inspection with the Titan, he said that going that deep in the ocean is “inner space.

“The Navy’s rigorous inspections make it “obscenely safe. There is no margin for error or backup plan. The Navy’s approach has been validated.”

He quoted a former Navy Admiral:

“Never begrudge a precaution.” (#18)

640px-Deep_sea_corals,_Wagner_Seamount

And finally he stated:

“I was extremely proud of going to 20,000 feet and particularly proud of returning from 20,000 feet!”

Dust earned his MBA while in the Navy and is now a Senior Fellow in the Center for Public Service at Portland State University, and a doctoral student in Public Affairs and Policy. After working for several defense contractors he founded Oregon Applied Research LLC. – an executive and technical management consultancy and veteran-owned small business.

And Finally….

While Rick and I may have disagreed on the value of coinage and the net present value of investments, we were harmonious during college years in our annual rivalry with Brother Garry, while he attended the US Military Academy at West Point.

Garry’s most articulate response came in the mail one year the week before the Army vs Navy Game.

External Photo Attribution

#1. Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Traffic_signs_buried_in_a_pile_of_dirt,_Molenlaankwartier,_Rotterdam_(2022)_02.jpg) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. Author: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Donald_Trung – 25 September 2022.

#2. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dust_bunnies.jpg) This work has been released into the public domain by its author, Stromcarlson at English Wikipedia. This applies worldwide – 23 January 2016.

#3. Twitter (https://twitter.com/TheDirtJohnson/photo)

#4. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Standard_diving_dress_1.jpg

#5. Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:USS_Pigeon_(ASR-21)_underway_off_Southern_California,_California_(USA),_on_28_July_1976_(6392003).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 – 28 July 1976. This work has been released into the public domain by its author, Mark.murphy at English Wikipedia. This applies worldwide. Author: Mark.murphy.

#6. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyman_G._Rickover#/media/File:Hyman_Rickover_1955.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 – Circa 1955.

#7. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Seawolf_(SSN-575) 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. US Navy – August 1977.

8. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Spadefish_%28SSN-668%29) 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. 1969.

#9. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Insignia_of_SSN-668_Spadefish.PNG) 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.

#10. History Central – (https://www.historycentral.com/navy/Submarine/spadefishII.html) Always cite unless otherwise noted Marc Schulman as author, Publisher is Multieducator Inc and Publication.

#11. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twenty_Thousand_Leagues_Under_the_Seas#/media/File:’Twenty_Thousand_Leagues_Under_the_Sea’_by_Neuville_and_Riou_036.jpg) By Henri Théophile Hildibrand – http://jv.gilead.org.il/rpaul/Vingt%20mille%20lieues%20sous%20les%20mers/, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=23310394.

#12. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twenty_Thousand_Leagues_Under_the_Seas#/media/File:Houghton_FC8_V5946_869ve_-_Verne,_frontispiece.jpg) By Edouard Riou (1833-1900), Alphonse Marie de Neuville (1835-1885), Jules Verne (author) – Houghton Library, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=37326342.

#13. (http://www.navsource.org/archives/08/08354.htm) USN photo courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.

#14. (http://www.navsource.org/archives/08/0835400.jpg) Photo courtesy of Larry Beaver..

#15. Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:OceanGate_Titan_schematic_nevernude.svg) licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. By Mliu92 – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0,

#16. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stansfield_Turner#/media/File:Admiral_Stansfield_Turner,_official_Navy_photo,_1983.JPEG) 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 – 13 June 1983.

# 17. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Woodward#/media/File:DIG13846-168.jpg) 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 under the terms of Title 17, Chapter 1, Section 105 of the US Code – Author: Jay Godwin 2 March 2016…

#18. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Deep_sea_corals,_Wagner_Seamount.jpg) This image is in the public domain because it contains materials that originally came from the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, taken or made as part of an employee’s official duties. 15 September 2017.

Fan the Flame at the Firehouse Pub

Posted on December 23, 2022 by Thebeerchaser

(# External Photo Attribution at the end of the Post). #1

The City of Lake Oswego is a burg of 40,400 about five miles south of Portland, Oregon. It’s an affluent locale surrounding the 405-acre Oswego Lake with a prestigious country club and good schools. The town was founded in 1847 and incorporated as Oswego in 1910. It was the hub of Oregon’s brief iron industry in the late 19th century

The median household income was $108,927 (second in Oregon) compared to $76,554 the comparable statewide figure in 2019. It houses an educated group as 71.4% of the residents have four year degrees. https://www.ci.oswego.or.us/community/demographics (#2 – 3)

Oregon City, where I went to school in junior high and high school was a blue-collar mill town. OCHS (The Pioneers) and Lake Oswego High School were then in the TYV League and we always had a zealous desire to “Sink the Lakers” – kind of an elitist high school mascot and one you couldn’t sink your teeth into like their competitors – Lions, Dragons, Tigers, Grizzlies and, of course, The Cheesemakers (Tillamook).

Counterintuitive?

It therefore seems like having a classic dive bar right in the heart of the LO commercial district – at the intersection of State and A Streets would be out of context. But the wonderful Firehouse Pub is right there and packs them in.

From a conversation with the friendly bartender, Ira, it has a long history although an extensive search of media found no reference, they have no website and their Facebook page has nothing about the origin or annals.

Photo Nov 26 2022, 5 46 29 PM

Ira did say that they were lucky to survive the pandemic and the bar was closed for two years during pandemic events. One other person said that the bar was once named “Cheers” and the owner is a tax accountant who just enjoys owning a dive bar.

By contrast, the Gemini Bar and Grill, owned by Lordean Moran is only one block away around the corner on State Street and is a notable drinking establishment, but much different from the Firehouse.

The Gemini, which I reviewed in Thebeerchaser in 2019, has expansive space for bar and table seating, pool tables and a stage for jazz and other musical gigs. The performers play to sold-out crowds on most weekends.

“Since 1982, The Gemini has been the premier live Music Venue in Lake Oswego.”

2017-10-26 19.04.53

————

The Firehouse Pub has a cozy hole-in-the-wall ambiance. This 2014 Trip Advisor review is apt:

“This place offers a respite from the other establishments in the LO area. One can just cozy up to the bar and order from their wide arrange (sic) of beverages and enjoy some quality time. The décor is, surprisingly, firehouse themed. (Note: Of course, this begs the question, given the name of the establishment, why that surprised her!)

The staff goes above and and beyond to make you feel at home and create new cocktails for you. The food menu is simple and unpretentious. I highly recommend this place to relax.” (#4)

There was one interesting reference in the news media about the bar which went back to 2015:

“A Lake Oswego woman who received a courtesy ride home from police officers last week was arrested after driving her car back to the Firehouse Pub, police said.”

Since the Firehouse does a good job celebrating events ranging from the Super Bowl, to Mardi Gras to the Kentucky Derby, I thought it would be enjoyable to hit the watering hole after the Oregon State vs. Oregon Civil War Game on Saturday November 25th with my friend, Rus Jordan.

Rus Jordan 1967

As is the tradition with other Beerchasing companions I introduce for the first time, some background below on Rus is below and he’s an interesting guy. I first met Rus about five years ago when we were in Bible Study Fellowship (BSF).

I thought it appropriate to celebrate the Civil War Game because Rus was not only a fellow midshipman at Oregon State (one year ahead of me), but a member of the famed Oregon State Giant Killer Football Team in 1967. He was in the Sigma Nu fraternity and I was an SAE and we didn’t know each other in college. In retrospect, given the challenge I had in second-term Calculus, that’s too bad as I would have hired him as a tutor….

Rus is a great example of the guys on that legendary team as described by my fraternity brother and friend for many years, Jud Blakely, a foremost authority on that ribald group:

“The Giant Killers of Oregon State. Epic. Recalled so often––and honored so often––for all the right reasons. You were ‘grace under pressure’ again…and again…and again. You were the Laws of Physics in action again…again…again. You epitomized the marvel of a ‘team.’”

Rus, like the other members of that team I’ve featured in Thebeerchaser including Craig “The Dude Hanneman (1968), Billly “Rabbit” Main, Duane “Thumper” Barton and Gary Barton (1968) – Thumper’s Brother.

They were not only outstanding athletes, but possessed admirable character and integrity. (Photos left to right clockwise below- Jud Blakely, Craig Hanneman, Billy Main and Duane and Gary Barton)

Rus graduated from Beaverton High School in 1965 as a three-sport athlete – football, basketball and track. He played linebacker and fullback and was a member of the Metro-State Shrine Football Game the year he graduated. (I might add that one of Rus’s traits is his modesty – I had to coax this biographical info out of him!)

Like current Beaver Football Coach Jonathan Smith, Rus Jordan was a walk-on at OSU, made the team and earned a tuition scholarship his last two years in college. The Viet Nam War was raging at that time and Rus enrolled in the two-year NROTC program. His teammates, Billy Main and Duane Barton were also in that NROTC class.

Upon graduation in April, 1970 Rus was commissioned as a Navy Ensign and reported to Communications School at Newport, Rhode Island. He subsequently served on the USS Taluga (AO62) based in Long Beach on the West Coast.

The Taluga was a Cimarron-class fleet oiler acquired by the U.S. Navy during World War II. (It’s shown refueling the USS Iwo Jima in the photo below). (#5)

After teaching for a year at Sheldon High School in Eugene where he was also an assistant football coach following his discharge from the Navy in 1972, he went to graduate school at both the University of Oregon and Washington State University in Pullman where he was awarded his Master in Math Education.

Rus then worked for two years at The Navigators – an International Christian non-profit, followed by Multnomah Bible College while concurrently serving as football coach at Portland Christian High School.

He jokes about “fully employing” his degree for the next eleven years as a products plant manager for Georgia Pacific making doors including tasks such as driving a forklift – a job he loved.

But anyone who gets to know Rus, will discern that he has a heart for teaching and natural skills in education. He taught math part-time at Portland Community College for five years while also driving charter buses for Raz Charter and working at a resort in the summer before becoming Vice Principal at Portland Christian High School for four years.

After getting married in 1998, teaching high school math while assistant coaching was his full-time occupation for a combined total of fifteen years at Century High School (5 years) and then Hillsboro High School (10 years).

Rus has some artistic talent and would generally give his class a warm-up problem with an illustration projected on the board. This inspired one of his students to respond with his own illustration:

He returned to PCC as an adjunct prof and still teaches one or two math classes each term. Exploring the internet allowed me to find out some opinions of his students on his teaching ability.

Now anyone who has either viewed one of the Rate Your Professor sites knows that most of the reviews are negative. College kids are too preoccupied to participate unless they have a gripe about the prof and/or want to warn others. I was therefore astounded to see following distribution of the 72 ratings:

Awesome (56) Great (11) Good (2) OK (2) Awful (1)

Rus could provide the standard deviation of these stats, but what’s more interesting is to click on the link above and see the comments – all from 2018-2022 – a few which are shown below:

“Rus was honestly one of the best, if not the best, math professors I’ve encountered. He is very kind-hearted and his teaching is very clear. He always cracks jokes and his way of teaching makes the class easy!”

“I love Mr. Jordan. He is a sweet, caring man who genuinely wants his students to succeed. He’s full of cheesy jokes; he helps take the stressfulness away from math. He is positive and always accessible, willing to come on days he’s not scheduled to. He answers any and all questions without hesitation and his quizzes and homework are great cushions!”

“Rus is an absolutely AMAZING teacher! He’s kind and patient, and genuinely wants to see you succeed. If you get something wrong he’ll tell you why and then give you another way to look at it. His experience really shows in his teaching style. He always tells random, funny little stories, making the whole class laugh. Go out of your way to get Rus!”

(The awful rating was by a guy who flunked his course and not because he didn’t like his sense of humor – or at least he didn’t mention that.)

“Absolutely AMAZING teacher”

Back to The Firehouse

When we decided to meet at the Firehouse after the game, I told Rus to avoid making any cheesy jokes like the student referenced. (You can get beaten up…..) Given the score at the end of the third quarter, we almost decided to skip the fourth and meet earlier, but fortunately waited and saw a memorable Beaver comeback and victory.

The bar was filled – almost all of them Beaver fans based on their attire and conversations. I looked towards a crowd of them, pointed at Rus and said, “Go Beavs! And this guy was even a member of the Giant Killer Football Team.”

A young guy in the group said, “I played football for OSU too – a kicker,” so I got a picture of Rus and Quinn Doan, now a regional sales director for a health-care education firm who graduated from OSU in 1999.

We drank our cheap beers – not too many on tap, but when one can get PBR on tap – that’s fine. They have a limited menu as seen below and the food gets mixed reviews, but it’s fine for a dive bar.

We sat next to a nice guy who was a 1998 University of Washington grad named Mike Strand. He then got an MBA at Carnegie Mellon and is now a technology consultant. Mike is a regular at the bar and agreed to take our picture.

The Firehouse has a nice ambiance, friendly staff and is worth a visit. I’ll close with another good summary from a Yelp review which conveys this well.

“If you are looking for a solid drink and good people in Lake Oswego, you need to go to this place. It’s a dive bar– nothing fancy. But the people you meet here are simply the best. Many neighborhood regulars greet you with a smile and, after you know them, a hug. There are lots of laughs to be had and you can enjoy video poker or a game of pool.

The staff here make sure its homey. After one visit, most of them will remember your name and your favorite beverage….. I heartily recommend it as a chill place in a town that can sometimes be a little cold and hoity-toity.”

Merry Christmas from Thebeerchaser!

External Photo Attribution

#1. Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Patrick-hendry-438303_Flames_in_the_night.jpg) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. Author: Patrick Hendry 6 November 2017.

#2. Wikimedia Commons (File:Lakewood Bay Oswego Lake.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) Llicensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unportedlicense. Author: Esprqii 2 April 2008.

#3. 2014 Winning Photos | City of Lake Oswego

#4. Firehouse Pub Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=543572160920447&set=a.543572120920451)

#5. Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:USS_Taluga_(AO-62).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. Source: US Navy.

Thebeerchaser’s 2018 Annual Report

Posted on January 2, 2019 by Thebeerchaser

The Beerchaser and wife, Janet at historic dive bar, Durty Nelly’s in Boston

Another year of Beerchasing concludes and after over seven years, the count of bars, pubs and breweries visited and reviewed logs in at 286 – with 111 of those in the City of Portland or metro area and the remaining 175 ranging from several in Europe to establishments in Alaska, Hawaii, various regions of the US and all across and down the coast of our wonderful state of Oregon.

Indeed, our retirement travel has expanded the scope of this retirement hobby, which I originally intended to be confined to those in Portland. The chart below was done after an intensive audit of all my posts during the last 7+ years – because when it comes to watering holes – accuracy is important…..

	Portland	Outside Portland	Yearly Total	Composite Total
2018	12	30	42	286
2017	15	27	42	244
2016	14	39	53	202
2015	11	36	47	149
2014	17	17	34	102
2013	13	21	34	68
2012	20	5	25	34
2011	9	0	9	9
	111	175	286

Blog Statistics

As has been the case each year, the number of views and visitors to Thebeerchaser.com has increased. And I beg your indulgence in spouting a few of these statistics – possibly because the habit was ingrained by reviewing the “always stimulating” management and productivity reports produced at a large law firm – Schwabe Williamson & Wyatt – one I was proud to call my work home for twenty-five years.

This year there were over 25,340 views of posts by 18,190 visitors – exceeding the record last year of 24,577 and 18,623.

And I still am surprised at where these visitors view the posts with 86% from the US and another 6% generated collectively from India, Canada, the United Kingdom and Germany. The remaining 8% were people from 128 different countries, many of whom I suspect, Googled the term “Beerchaser” and were probably looking for something different than my bar tour.

The national flag of Lesotho

As usual, this hobby has been educational for me and 2018 was no exception. For example, it took some research to locate where the one view I got from Lesotho emanated – It’s an enclaved country of two million within the border of South Africa.

Note: Now it does not surprise me, but after publishing this post I got a comment from Jay Waldron, Schwabe partner and Beerchaser-of-the-Quarter (March 29, 2016) that he had ridden his motorcycle through Lesotho when he cycled through South Africa. Click on the link above to read about more of his exploits.

2011- 2018 Beerchaser Graph

(Notice the 377% increase in views from 2012 at 6,704 – the first full year – to over 25,000 in 2018.)

The Beerchasing Itinerary in 2018

As you might have noticed from the chart at the beginning of the post, the number of Portland bars at twelve, was one of the lowest counts since this blog was launched in 2011. This was because we traveled more and I had extensive involvement as a volunteer in the development of the Benedictine Brewery at the Mount Angel Abbey.

The Benedictine Brewery and St. Michael Taproom

I’m proud to say that we opened the Brewery and the St. Michael Taproom in September and so far, it has been a great success. It’s one of three breweries owned and operated by monks in the US and came to fruition after six years of planning, fundraising and construction. You should plan to visit the Taproom in 2019.

Portland Area Bars

While the number visited and reviewed was somewhat meager at only twelve, I Beerchased at some distinctive bars and pubs this year ranging from the classic NE Portland dive bar – The Standard to the upscale cocktail bar – Palomar – named Bar-of-the-Year by Oregon Live to a new and wonderful neighborhood pub not to far from my home in West Linn – The Salty Rhino.

Captain Eric (yellow shirt) skipper of the Brew Barge shirt) briefs his crew..

And there was the cruise on the Portland Brew Barge with my former Schwabe colleagues in August.

We also paid our first visit to what has become our new favorite place to eat and have a brewski or cocktail – Wilder Bar/Cafe in Northeast Portland. I included the Benedictine Brewery in Mt. Angel in the Portland area as everybody in the Rose City should make this short trip.

Wilder – A gem in NE

Of course, there were a couple misses – venues to which I would not return. These included the Happy Fortune and Bar 33 – Brooklyn. Read the reviews to determine why Thebeerchaser – who by his own admission – loves almost all saloons and pubs, thought these were not worth your time.

Stop in for a daiquiri at Palomar on SE Division

Name	Location	Type	Date of Post
The Salty Rhino	West Linn	Neighborhood	December
Palomar	SE	Cocktail	December
Bar 33	Sellwood	Neighborhood	September
Benedictine Brewery	Mount Angel	Brewery and Taproom	August
Brew Barge	Downtown (River)	Miscellaneous	August
The Happy Fortune	SW	Miscellaneous	August
The Standard	NE	Dive	June
The Dockside	North	Neighborhood	June
Oaks Bottom Pub	Sellwood	Neighborhood	April
Wilder Bar/Café	NE	Neighborhood	April
Woodsman Tavern *	SE	Neighborhood	February
John’s Market Place	Multnomah Village	Bottle Shop	January

* After seven years, The Woodsman Tavern has now closed and a new site for popular restaurant Tasty N Sons will open in the same quarters.

Bars Outside of Portland

O.H.S.O. Brewery in Scottsdale

We traveled to Arizona for a week in the spring and while Phoenix/Scottsdale is definitely not our favorite urban spot in the US, there were some great breweries and hikes to make it a good trip.

The highlight of our travel in 2018, however, was an eleven day trip to New York City, Maine and Boston. While we love the Northwest, the frenetic and diverse culture of Manhattan; the scenery, including Acadia National Park; the micro-breweries in Maine (ranking third in breweries per capita in the US) and a night in the North End of Boston, made it a vacation to remember.

Overall, we visited thirty bars, pubs and breweries on these two trips.

The District Tap House in the heart of Manhattan’s Garment District

Name	Location	Type	Date of Post
North Mountain Brewing	Phoenix	Brewery and Pub	April
OHSO Brewing	North Scottsdale	Brewery and Pub	April
McFate Brewing	Scottsdale	Brewery and Pub	April
Wren House Brewing	Scottsdale	Brewery and Pub	April
Scottsdale Beer Company	Scottsdale	Brewery and Pub	April
Helton Brewing	Phoenix	Brewery and Pub	April
Mesquite River Brewing	Scottsdale	Brewery and Pub	April
Sun Up Brewing	Scottsdale	Brewery and Pub	February
OHSO Brewing	Phoenix Airport	Taphouse	February
Four Peaks Brewing	Phoenix	Brewery and Pub	February
Goldwater Brewing	Phoenix	Brewery and Pub	February
Two Brothers’ Brewing	Scottsdale	Brewery and Pub	February
Durty Nelly’s Bar	North Boston	Dive Bar	October 30
Shipyard Brewing	Portland, Maine	Brewery and Taproom	October 30
Sebago Brewing	Portland, Maine	Brewpub	October 30
Rising Tide Brewing	Portland, Maine	Brewery and Taproom	October 30
Marshall Wharf Brewing	Belfast, Maine	Brewery and Taproom	October 30
Sea Dog Brewing	Camden, Maine	Brewpub	October 30
Rock Harbor Brewing	Rock Harbor, Maine	Brewery and Taproom	October 30
Atlantic Brewing	Bar Harbor, Maine	Taproom	October 18
Cottage Street Pub	Bar Harbor, Maine	Dive Bar	October 18
Island Bar	Southwest Harbor, Maine	Dive Bar	October 18
Sips	Southwest Harbor, Maine	Cocktail Bar	October 18
Ebenezer’s Pub	Lovell, Maine	Neighborhood	October 9
Standard Gastropub	Bridgton, Maine	Gas Station Bar	October 9
Sea Dog Brewing	South Portland, Maine	Brewpub	October 9
Heartland Brewing	New York City	Brewery and Pub	October 1
District Tap House	New York City	Taphoue	October 1
Mariott Pulse Rooftop Bar	New York City	Hotel Bar	October 1
Mariott Pulse Patio Bar	New York City	Hotel Bar	October 1

Atlantic Brewery in the heart of Bar Harbor, Maine

Beerchasers-of-the-Quarter

How can I rationalize the fact that in 2018, I named only two Beerchasers-of-the-Quarter (BOQ) – a contradiction to the name of the “honor.” Again, maybe it was the travel or prhaps it was involvement in the Benedictine Brewery……..however……

Mark Edlen outside his favorite bar in Portland

I prefer to assert that the gravitas of the two 2018 BOQs is expansive enough to justify naming only two. Portland developer, environmentalist, outdoorsman and civic icon, Mark Edlen, was named in February and it was a pleasure re-engaging with Mark, who I originally met in 1979.

Our law firm was also the beneficiary of his real estate expertise when he served as our commercial realtor for a number of years at Schwabe before he formed Gerding Edlen Development Co. in 1996.

Cyclist and outdoorsman

And I could also maintain with some accuracy, that the second BOQ – the 1967 Oregon State Giant Killer Football Team and it’s de-facto historian, Jud Blakely, if considered as individuals rather than as a group, would garner this designation for a number of years.

Jud, who is an SAE fraternity brother and has been a friend for over fifty years, was one of the early BOQs (September, 2013) based on his remarkable persona and achievements.

Any OSU alum, or for that matter, any Oregonian interested in one of the great historic athletic tales of the State of Oregon, should visit the website below for the complete story. It’s a labor of love by this OSU alum and former OSU Student Body President and I consider it the War and Peace equivalent to sports websites.

http://osu1967giantkillers.com

Blakely receiving his Bronze Star and promotion to captain from the Asst. Comandant of the Marine Corps.

https://thebeerchaser.com/2013/09/16/beerchaser-of-the-quarter-george-m-jud-blakely-iii/

Indeed, the story of the Giant Killers is so compelling, that it will require subsequent Beerchaser posts to complete the story of this unique team and the outstanding individuals.

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

And it was incredibly rewarding to interview or reconnect with some of my long-term friends who were either on the team or associated with the Giant Killer Era including Larry Rich, Craig Hanneman, Chris Wahle, Gary and Duane Barton and Scott Spiegelberg (played football after the Giant Killers and is now Director of OSU Varsity and Alumni Engagement) – but also to meet a number who I didn’t know until researching for the blog post.

The latter includes Billy Main, Steve Preece, Louis Armstrong, Bob Josis, Russ Jordan, and Don Wirth (former Executive Director of the OSU Alumni Association and a trustee of the OSU Foundation.)

Lunch at the Angry Beaver before the 2018 Washington State Football game. L to R (Billy Main, Jud Blakely, Don Williams, Karen and Steve Preece and Bob Gill)

Fear not for I have already identified my next two Beerchasers-of-the-Quarter and will get back on track with some very interesting people in 2019.

Similarly, since I have already visited, but not made a customary second visit and/or written the reviews of another ten Portland area bars and two from a trip to Palm Springs, Thebeerchaser will have no shortage of watering hole stories to relate. If you have a bar, pub or brewery that deserves inclusion, please let me know.

Stay tuned in 2019 for the fascinating story of Portland’s Old Town Brewing…..

And in January, I will also publish the complete (and audited) list of each establishment visited from 2011 to 2018 including the location and the date of TheBeerchaser post for those who want this data base as a resource.

I might even decide to identify a number of my favorite habitats of different types e.g. dive bar, neighborhood, sports, cocktail lounge, etc. during this journey as well as pointing out the few that I would recommend you pass by as they would not enhance your Beerchasing experience in my humble opinion.

Cheers and Happy New Year!

At the covered bridge entrance to Pondicherry Park and the Pinehaven Trail in Bridgton, Maine

Now Edgar Allan Poe was not considered a really positive person based on his personal life including his military career including being purposely court-martialed at West Point, his marriage and his caustic literary reviews and writing on many macabre topics.

That said, it seems appropriate to start the New Year out with one of his poems on the merit of drinking ale. (https://www.goodreads.com/quotes)

Fill with mingled cream and amber,
I will drain that glass again.
Such hilarious visions clamber
Through the chamber of my brain —
Quaintest thoughts — queerest fancies
Come to life and fade away;
What care I how time advances?
I am drinking ale today.

At least he was positive about ale!

Beerchaser of the Quarter – George M. (Jud) Blakely III

Posted on September 16, 2013 by Thebeerchaser

“Each person confronts war and copes with it in his own way… but all of us are bound up in its common tragedy. We feel its futility more keenly because we also sense its damning persistence as a part of the human condition. It is a symbol and a symptom of humanity’s failure to understand itself. (Jud Blakely, 1967)

In 1967, I was going to fraternity house dances, keggers and football games (watching the OSU Giant Killers) – enjoying life at Oregon State University. Most Americans were preoccupied with their own pursuits, while 8,000 miles away in SE Asia, our fellow citizens were serving in the Viet Nam War.

Recent world events and an evening I spent in late August with two gents who I consider to be outstanding citizens and heroes, compelled me to dedicate this post as a small tribute to them almost fifty years later. You can join Thebeerchaser in giving a more tangible salute to Oregon’s other Viet Nam vets by contributing to Viet Nam Veterans of Oregon Living Memorial (VNVOLM) . (see end of this post)

Jud Blakely and Doug Bomarito both served as combat officers in Viet Nam. Jud graduated from OSU in 1965, where he was a member of the SAE fraternity and served as OSU Student Body President. He was then commissioned in the US Marine Corps. Doug was a 1968 Annapolis (US Naval Academy) graduate where he played first base and had the highest batting average on the Academy baseball team.

With 24/7 news feeds, it’s too easy for us to be oblivious to the service of our current military personnel, but Viet Nam was much worse. We not only ignored their sacrifice, but when they returned home, they were often chastised rather than thanked. Let’s look at the service of these two veterans:

Patrol Boat – River

Doug as a Navy Ensign, initially served on a destroyer, but in 1969 volunteered for Patrol Boats River (PBR), which patrolled in the hostile rivers and canals. He served as a patrol officer for a number of PBRs attached to a River Division near the Cambodian border by the Gulf of Thailand. It was, to say the least, hazardous duty.

February 23, 1970, on his 75th combat mission, the boat on which he was directing tactics and another for which he had responsibility, were ambushed by the North Vietnamese. During a severe fire-fight, Doug and two of the crew were wounded and eventually med-evaced to hospitals, but not before Doug completed his mission.

He received the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star with Combat V (The “V” insignia is added to the medal when it is earned for extraordinary heroism or valor in combat situations. – see the end of this post for the specifics on his Bronze Star.) Doug later served as a Navy Officer Recruiting Officer (OIC) for the Northwest and after leaving the service, went to Lewis and Clark Law School and passed the Oregon State Bar exam.

2nd Lt. Jud Blakely

————–

Jud, as a USMC 2nd Lt., spent a toal of 13 months in combat ops in Viet Nam as an infantry platoon leader with India Co., 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines. He received two Purple Hearts and the Bronze Star with Combat V. (See the end of this post for an excerpt from his citation.)

He spent 3 months in the Chu Lai area, along the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) for 2 months, south of Da Nang for 2 months and then in Duc Pho for 3 months and back south of Da Nang for 3 months. His purple hearts were for a punji-stake puncture in his knee and shrapnel wounds in his forehead from a midnight mortar attack during the monsoons on the southern edge of the DMZ.

They both went on to successful careers and have wonderful families. Jud and his wife, Deborah, live in Boise. Doug still practices law in Portland He has been active in numerous civic affairs including serving on the boards of CYO Camp Howard and the Girl Scouts and was the driving force in the development and siting of the VNVO Living Memorial.

Jud formed his own consulting company, Jud Blakely Ltd., and wrote speeches for CEOs and top executives of companies and coached them on how to speak. His clients included Shell Oil, Sea First, Rainier Bank and Lonestar Gas.

He has written two screen plays and designed the new website for the VNVO Living Memorial, which is very close to completion. Jud has done all of the writing that appears on the Memorial site.

The three of us attended the recent Portland State vs. Eastern Oregon College football game in JeldWen Stadium to see Jud’s son, Paul, who is a punter for the EOC football team and was voted 2nd Team All-Conference as a freshman last season. It was then that I realized that in reviewing events from our forty-five year friendship and what I knew about him that Jud deserved special recognition as Thebeerchaser-of-the-Quarter.

The Blakely family after the PSU game (Paul, Deborah, Sarah and Jud)

——————-

When I finish, I’m going to read “The General Theory of Money” by John Maynard Keynes.

I once described Jud in a letter as follows:

“He is an amazing guy. He will take a twelve-mile run, break to read a 600-page non-fiction book, then play full-court basketball for three hours before coming home to work.” (I guess it was probably only ten miles….)

I realized that if Jud’s beer of choice at Price’s Tavern in Corvallis had been Dos Equis instead of Blitz, he might well be appearing in the commercials as The World’s Most Interesting Man. Let’s look at the evidence – presented, in part, below:

ASOSU Student Body President 1964-5

OSU Student Body President – Jud and three other OSU seniors, including All-American and former ABA/NBA basketball player, Jimmy Jarvis, went on what was to be a stealth mission and lit the traditional Rook-Sophomore Bonfire, the night before the lighting ceremony in 1964. Jud and two of the others got caught and arrested for “Maliciously and willfully starting a fire.”

Trial by Fire at OSU

Fortunately, the Municipal Judge, one Helmut Schreima, could not find that specific provision in the Corvallis Municipal Code and our boys were only charged with “burning without a permit” and fined $15 each (Jud’s beer money for the month….) so he could serve in the Marine Corps, but he had to forfeit his student body office.

A column from the OSU Daily Barometer (written by Baro Editor, Rich Hansen) expresses sentiments about his leadership talent and his ability to arouse (?) students: “….Seldom has the office of President been so alive in campus conversations or has the President’s name been so often repeated. I’m convinced that it has been a long time since OSU has had a president so well suited for the office as Jud Blakely.

Nevertheless, for the first time in my memory the student body is excited, or at least aroused, about what’s going on. From the hand-made sign that someone carried to the game reading, ‘Ban Blakely’ to the chants of ‘We want Blakely’……”

As an aside, Jud was a three-sport athlete at Portland’s Sunset High and also played freshman baseball at OSU.

Marine Corps Recruiting Officer – 1970 – A prior Beerchaser post (June 2012) briefly highlighted the ruckus caused on the Portland State College campus, when Jud and USMC Silver Star recipient and now Federal Judge, Ancer Haggerty, were the Marine officer recruiting officers and actively engaged Portland State students in debate about the War.

During this time, he met Major Nelson Olf, who was commissioned in the USMC after graduating from the OSU NROTC program. He was the CO of the USMC Reserve Unit at Swan Island when Jud arrived in Portland.

Jud and Retired USMC Lt. Colonel Nelson Olf

After retiring from the Corps, Nelson managed a business out of Forest Grove and was a professor of business both at PSU and Pacific University. He has contributed substantial sums to a variety of institutions and causes he supports – for instance, he has fully endowed an engineering scholarship at Oregon State. The Navy ROTC obstacle course at OSU is named after him in recognition of his significant gift.

As a Marine officer, Nelson made scores of KIA and WIA notifications during his tenure and Jud went with him on ten or twelve of these casualty calls…..“They were much harder emotionally on me than being in combat.”

————–

Tri-Met – After his military service and before starting his consulting firm, he spent several years as an Asst. to the General Manager of Tri-Met, where Jud was not the typical bureaucrat as evidenced by this excerpt by the late Doug Baker, in this 1972 Oregon Journal Column, “Baker’s Dozen.”

A woman – Esther M. Leibrand – who had tried to get bus service to Boones Ferry Road, wrote the following rhyme to get attention

“ I love Tri-Met, I love Tri-Met

I’d love it even better yet

Out on Boones Ferry Road, you bet.”

Poetry in motion – so to speak….

——————-

Jud answered with his own ryhme and started a poetic dialogue with her that went on for over a year while he worked behind the scenes to make the route a reality:

“We Tri to meet and Tri to meet

The need for folks to save their feet..

So we will try to save your feet a load

And try to reach Boones Ferry Road

Tri-Met’s money won’t grow on trees,

It comes from taxes and fees…”

On the initial run of the new route, “…Riding in the decorated bus was Ms. Leibrand, who was greeted with a special placard at the front of the bus”:

“Here we are Ms. Leibrand

We brought you a Tri-Met bus,

Bring your poetry , climb aboard,

And rondelet with us.”

Basketball Exploits – Jud and I used to play each week at Catlin Gabel School with a bunch of Nike execs. I would taunt him by reminding him that his name spelled backward is “Duj” and kid him that he lost his quick first step because of the war wound to his leg.

He responded by mailing me a note that said:

“Next time we play hoop, I will show you how to go to your left. Then you can go to Portugal, seize power and then be overthrown.”

One time we were trying to dunk the ball at a basketball hoop on the wall at Collins View Grade School (now Riverdale High School) while partaking of our favorite beverage.

Ollie Moreland, a former star college athlete, got over-hyped and severely injured his leg which led to a painful trip to the Emergency Room at Kaiser Sunnyside Hospital where the following dialogue actually occurred:

Blakely: “I think Ollie’s in shock. He’s not communicating. Let us off at the entrance. I’ll take Ollie and the beer in and you meet us.”

Beerchaser: “Do you think it’s okay for us to drink beer in there?”

Blakely: “Shut up and enjoy it. You only live once. I’ll handle it.”

Emergency Room Doc (while chuckling when he sees the beer being consumed): “Looks like your friend’s leg is badly broken. We need to take some X-rays and run some tests. Do you know what medication he’s on?”

Blakely: “Budweiser.”

Night patrol….

Gulf Coast Humanities Consortium (GCHC) – Because he could not gain membership to the Tri-Lateral Commission, when he was huddled in the hurricane shelter under his house in Mobile, Alabama, Jud formed the GCHC with three colleagues in the 1990’s.

Two of them were English professors at the University of South Alabama in Mobile and one was a Catholic priest. They met each month at the Pink Pony Pub in Gulf Coast and drank Rolling Rock Beer, while contemplating weighty issues. The following summarizes their objectives and was part of their recruiting letter to yours truly:

“Here’s the deal: Join up but don’t show up. That’s all there is to it. You never have to ever go to a meeting – NOT EVER. Hey, we don’t want you to. All we want is your name. Oh, and we also want to use your titles, achievements and honors. And we ask for zero in return…..Ah, but you do get – absolutely free – a chance to identify with us as we move in capricious ways to exploit your name, your life’s work, etc.”

Who’s Been Drinking My Budweiser????

I don’t think I ever joined because I was afraid that it might be on my record and keep me from getting a library card or passport, but I did participate by conference call in their book club selection that summer – “Goldillocks and the Three Beers.”

———————

Other Exploits of Note (or not….): Jud and I co-presented at an American Society of Association Executive’s National Conference in Chicago when I worked at the Oregon State Bar in the late ’70’s. Jud was an accomplished speaker but it was my first gig and I was very nervous.

Knot your typical public speaker…..

To loosen up the crowd (and Thebeerchaser..), Jud started the seminar by asking someone in the audience to dare him to cut the silk tie he was wearing in half. A person in the first row promptly complied and to rousing applause, Jud took out a pair of scissors and “performed the surgery.” We received outstanding evaluations……

———————

The Viet Nam Veterans of Oregon Living Memorial

The Portland Viet Nam Veterans’ Living Memorial

58,286 U.S. Armed Forces personnel were killed during the twenty years of the Viet Nam conflict (including those missing in action) which ended in 1975. Approximately 2.6 million Americans served. 153,303 were wounded in action.

As stated in the Oregon Living Memorial:

“803 Oregonians fell during the war in Vietnam from 1959-76…but so long as they are not forgotten, they do not die…and here, we honor the Fallen by remembering them.

We honor, too, the 57,000 Oregonians who answered the call, who served, and who returned to us. This Living Memorial is also no less a loving celebration of them.”

Jud Blakely’s idealism and optimism were tested during his thirteen months in the field in Viet Nam. As he wrote regarding his platoon’s experience in Duc Phổ, in the South Central Coast region of Vietnam: “We fought and fought and never lost…and yet we didn’t win.” It seems that Jud’s narrative eloquently portrays the tragedy of Viet Nam for us as a nation.

He and Doug Bomarito are heroes and the words Jud wrote as part of the eulogy for my best friend in high school, Marine Lance Corporal Gary Kestler, who was killed in Quang Tri Province in Viet Nam in 1968 should be taken to heart by each of us:

One of a “Few Good Men.”

“When you honor the veterans of your county, honor them not only for their commitment and sacrifice on your behalf. Honor them also for their quiet conviction that war is the most sorrowful state of man. And honor them with reverence for the lives they gave to end that sorrow forever.”

And please check out the site at: http://vietnamvetsoforegonmemorial.sitemodify.com/

Then send a donation by check to the Viet Nam Veteran’s of Oregon Memorial Fund (VNVOMF) to honor all of our Viet Nam Veterans. They can be sent to:

Doug Bomarito, Attorney at Law

Past Chairman and President

Vietnam Veterans of Oregon MF

7157 S.W. Beveland Street

Tigard, OR 97223

dmbomarito@dmbpc.com

(503) 223-8285

You can reach Doug at his law practice in Tigard at (503) 223-8285 and Jud’s e-mail in Mobile, Alabama is judblakely@gmail.com

The following is an excerpt from Jud Blakely’s Bronze Star citation:

Receiving his Bronze Star and promotion to Captain from the Asst. Commandant of the USMC

For meritorious service in connection with operations against insurgent communist forces in the Republic of Viet Nam from 4 July 1966 to 1 August 1967.

Through this period 1st Lt. Blakely performed his demanding duties in an exemplary manner while participating in several major combat operations……He displayed exceptional leadership and professional ability in leading his unit against the enemy.

Although painfully wounded on two occasions, he steadfastly remained with his men and, despite his injuries, directed his platoon with skill and determination, inflicting heavy losses on the enemy.

During Operation Desoto, he assumed command of a beleaguered Marine platoon which came under intense enemy fire and sustained several casualties, including the platoon commander.

Disregarding his own safety, he repeatedly exposed himself to the heavy volume of fire to lead the unit against the enemy. Through his heroic and timely actions in the face of great personal danger, 1^st Lt. Blakely inspired his men and provided command continuity at a critical moment.

From Doug Bomarito’s Bronze Star citation:

“For heroic achievement while serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in armed conflict against the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong…on 23 February 1970. Lt. (jg) Bomarito was in charge of a two boat patrol proceeding north on the Giang Thanh River.

As the patrol was rounding a bend in the river, it suddenly came under heavy enemy rocket and automatic weapons fire.

During the ensuing engagement, his boat received one direct rocket hit which wounded him and his crew and started a blazing fire.

As the boat beached, still under enemy fire, he maintained control of the situation and readied his crew for for an assault on the closest enemy position. When the other boat in his patrol came to his assistance, he then directed a devastating air strike on the enemy positions and coordinated the medical evacuation….”

——————-

Jud recently had triple by-pass surgery and is undergoing physical therapy – I’m sure with the same discipline and intensity that has characterized his life since high school and led to the achievements which make him a slam dunk for Beerchaser-of-the-Quarter.

So rather than affirming the sign from Corvallis – “Ban Blakely” – let’s hoist a mug of PBR – since they don’t brew Blitz and longer – and yell, “We want Blakely” and make a toast to all Viet Nam Veterans.

The Cheerful Tortoise – Slow and Steady Wins the Race

Posted on June 12, 2012 by Thebeerchaser

Aesop Was Correct!!

Since the Greek story-teller Aesop, was purportedly a slave, it is doubtful that he conveyed his fable about the tortoise and the hare to Aristotle or Herodotus while hoisting a mug in a fifth century Greek pub.

Aesop’s Legacy

The Cheerful Tortoise Pub (CT) by the Portland State campus, however, has an eclectic mix of PSU students, professors, athletes and OHSU medical students so drinking yarns and tales of yore are prevalent. With its 42 television sets, gobs of sports momentos and historic sponsorship of PSU athletics, the CT was voted the top sports bar by Portland City Search two years in a row. However, it’s far more than just a sports bar as one patron stated:

“One must remember that this place is a college bar that is a sports bar that is a karaoke bar that is a neighborhood dive bar. Most of the time it is chock-full of regulars, but at other times is a raucous mess of barely 21 college student who get stupid after 2 beers.”

Scholarship Support for the Viks….

I was fortunate to be joined by my good friend, former insurance company president and now Director of New Business Development for the PSU Athletic Dept. Dennis Ferguson. All the bartenders know Denny, who is an extrovert and so optimistic that he once started a diet on Thanksgiving Day. He commented on the generosity of owner Amy Nichol and Pat Lockhart (former) whose contributions generate PSU scholarships.

: A TV Spreadsheet to Keep Track

Thursday night is $1 beer and $2 wing night so the probability of seeing out-of-control college kids escalates. Trivia Nights on Mondays are for those who desire a more mundane experience.

Denny, Allison and thebeerchaser logo

While a few of the reviews commented on unfriendly and slow service, our experience was great. Our bartender, Allison, helped educate us about the bar which opened in 1940, and she and fellow bartenders Lana and Brooke were all intelligent, friendly and great looking!

Sports Memorobilia Abounds

The TC has 18 beers on tap — I had a Hamms which is always $2.75 except on $1 beer night. Karoke is on Wednesday – Friday and Saturday.

Distinguishing Characteristics

The History – Although fellow PSU Grads, historian John Terry and former GE College Bowl PSU Captain, Jim Westwood, wax eloquently about the tradition of PSU-area pubs such as Lydia’s, the Chocolate Moose and Birdies, andthebeerchaser remembers some good draft beer after class at Sam’s Hoffbrau (now a McDonalds), none of these survived – and the Cheerful Tortoise is still going strong after 72 years!

It evokes Park Blocks memories for many – whether it is WW II vets taking courses at Vanport Extension Center, Ben Padrow coaching his 1965 College Bowl Team or the outstanding dialogue when masses of students gathered to hear and debate decorated Marine Corps officers and Viet Nam veterans, Lt. Ancer Haggerty (Silver Star and Purple Hearts – now a federal judge) and Cpt. Jud Blakely (Bronze Star and Purple Hearts) when they recruited on campus during the late ’60’s.

: Promoted Dialogue in a “Charged” Environment

: Denny and the Building — Both Historic…..

The Character – There are essentially no windows and the 42 TVs provide the light so it’s very dark yet the big fireplace roaring all year makes it warm and hospitable. One night, you may see a bunch of international students in front of one of the TVs cheering on their favorite soccer team. It’s quirky trademarks such as $1 Beer nights and the $1.99 Breakfast available every day, have a wide following. As Willamette Week’s 2009 Drink Guide, listing their 100 favorite bars, aptly stated:

“The CT packs the benefits of a college sports bar without the vomiting sorority girls and Dave Mathews fans….But on the Bar’s legendary $1 beer nights…there is no escape. Come ready to get drunk– and relive the glory days.”

You don’t have to be a student to enjoy the Cheerful Tortoise – give it a try.

The Cheerful Tortoise 1939 SW Sixth Avenue