Tag Archives: Kerry Eggers

Let’s Talk Turkey – at Hubers

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Many people in Portland, say a visit to Huber’s Cafe – the City’s oldest bar – should be scheduled during Thanksgiving week. (External photo attribution at the end of the post #1)

Huber’s, famous for its turkey, however, is a great place to have a drink or combine that with a lunch or dinner any time during the year. 

“Established in 1879, Huber’s is Portland’s oldest restaurant. If you visited us in the 1890s, you’d have seen patrons conversing with a drink in one hand and a turkey sandwich in the other. Over 100 years later, we’re still known for our turkey. Along with our traditional turkey dinner, you can expect majestic decor that’s reminiscent of another time.” (Huber’s website)

And that was the case in late January when our walking group had drinks and a wonderful dinner at this historic Portland bistro.  Our walking group consists of nine of us who periodically take a several-mile “hike” and then hit a bar or brewery to eat and drink afterwards. 

During the bad weather, we still call it “our walking group” but skip the stroll. Since this was a fowl weather day…we decided that Hubers was a good option.

Oh, the History….

I stated “oldest bar“ above because it was founded as the Bureau Saloon in 1879.

Entering Huber’s is an historic encounter, in itself:

“Located in Portland’s historic Pioneer Building, Huber’s contains arched stained-glass skylights, mahogany paneling and terrazzo flooring. Original fixtures such as spittoons, overhead lights, a pewter wine stand, and cash registers, fans, and operable clocks made of brass still remain, reminders of its rich history.”  Wikipedia (#2)

Although Huber’s has operated in four different Portland locations, it’s occupied the present space since 1910. Notwithstanding its loyal clientele, the pandemic hit Huber’s with the same intensity that competitor establishments faced.

Take this excerpt from a November 2020 story in the Oregonian entitled, “Huber’s Cafe – Portland’s oldest restaurant imperiled by COVID 19 freeze“. It ends with a quote from James Louie, the co-owner:

“Founded in 1879, the city’s oldest restaurant has survived WWI, the Spanish Flu pandemic, the Great Depression, WWII, the Great Recession and the months of protests that have shuttered many of the surrounding businesses….

‘Huber’s could be history in six months or so. Our lease is up in July 2021. We’ll have to decide by this spring whether to renew it.'”

Jim and David Louie, co-owners (Kerry Eggers.com) (#3)

Fortunately, it weathered the storm and appears to be doing well.  We were there on a late Tuesday afternoon and by the time we left, the spacious dining room and bar were packed.  That said, the hospitality sector still struggles after the pandemic, especially in Portland.

“‘Sales are improving,’ James says. ‘We’re still not profitable. Even though sales are higher, so are our costs. Products have gone way up. Labor prices have gone up. It is harder to get staffing. We had to raise wages in order to attract employees.’ ” (Kerryeggers.com)

Given it’s long and captivating history with the same family, there are numerous news and related media accounts about Huber’s, however, I would suggest that the most comprehensive and interesting is by Kerry Eggers.

Kerry is a wonderful writer and also one of my favorite Oregon State Beavers – graduating with honors in 1975 after serving as sports editor, managing editor and editor of the school newspaper, The Daily Barometer.

The column is engrossing and you should read it:

“Huber’s is more than just a restaurant — it’s a Portland institution.”

Before I continue with Huber’s, a few more words about Kerry and why you should follow his column – not only for insightful sport stories, but the human-interest narratives. 

Don’t overlook his ten print books including my favorite: Civil War Rivalry – Oregon vs. Oregon State. (#4 – #5)

“Kerry Eggers has been writing sports for Portland newspapers since 1975. He worked for the Oregon Journal from 1975-82, at The Oregonian from 1982-2000 and at the Portland Tribune from 2001-2020.

Eggers is a six-time National Sports Media Association’s Oregon Sportswriter of the Year, winning in 1981, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2011 and 2018.” (Kerry.eggers.com)

Below are just a few tidbits from Kerry’s column that I found fascinating. It’s a compelling story not only about a family institution, but Portland’s history.

Co-owners Jim and David are the great nephews of Jim Louie who Frank Huber hired in 1891.  Jim Louie had arrived in Portland ten years, earlier, at age eleven as a stowaway on a clipper ship from China.

“When Prohibition hit in 1920, Huber’s nearly closed its doors. But a delegation of Portland citizens urged Jim and Augusta to stay in business by selling the slices of turkey it had previously been serving for free, and the landlord offered easement on rent.

The establishment was converted to a restaurant, with roast turkey as the house specialty, but also expanding the menu to include ham, steaks, veal, lamb chops, pork chops and seafood. During Prohibition, it also operated as a speakeasy, covertly serving Manhattans in coffee cups.”

Spanish Coffee – The Signature Drink (#6)

84139256_3004219106297358_401361154758148096_n

“Since 1975, the signature item at Huber’s has been the Spanish coffee. For several years, the waiter theatrically pouring the drinks to customers was James Louie. The Huber’s name is now synonymous with the Spanish coffee flaming drink and James’ name is synonymous with its popularity. 

…That’s giving me too much glory,” says James, who got the idea when eating dinner with wife Helen — they were dating at the time — at the Fernwood Inn in Milwaukie. They were served a Spanish coffee tableside, featuring rum and Kahlua and topped off with whipping cream.”

“Before long, Huber’s was being called the ‘Buena Vista of the North,’ referencing San Francisco’s Buena Vista Cafe, the birthplace of Irish coffee in the U.S.”

“James says Huber’s has sold as many as 600 Spanish coffees in one day. The average, he says, is about 250 daily….Because of the Spanish coffee’s popularity, Huber’s is the largest user of Kahlua in the state of Oregon, and one of the largest in the U.S.”

And don’t forget to check out the photo of a 1941 menu in Kerry’s column. The “$1.25 Dinner Special” included:

  • Oyster, shrimp, crab or fruit cocktail salad
  • Soup or Salad
  • A choice of five entree’s
  • Vegetables and potatoes
  • Dessert
  • Coffee, tea or buttermilk

I assume although it wasn’t customary at the time, you would want to do a 20% tip which would be a quarter!

Our Experience

Connor, (photo above) orchestrated the Spanish Coffee ritual at our table. He was excellent and the drink was well worth the $14.50 cost (+ a tip for Connor, of course…) 

This description from Willamette Week may be a bit hyperbolic, but it still scrupulously portrays the experience:

“As blue flames swirl in the bottom of each glass, rising to lick its lip, the vested bartender rotates the glasses around each other with a sort of belly dancer’s shimmy. It’s impossible to look away from the flame—pepped up by nutmeg and unaffected by the Kahlua and coffee poured from great heights.

The coffee snakes its way into the glass from as high as three feet above its rim—never spilling even a drop, and never dousing the eternal flame—while the bartender turns, sways and swirls.

By the time the fresh-whipped cream finally blankets the fire, you already feel a little drunk. And that’s before tasting the smoothest, most satisfying Spanish coffee in town.”

And Don’t Forget

While Hubers is known for its turkey, it has other menu items – all worth trying, most notably ham and coleslaw, but you can’t go wrong with anything on the menu from hamburgers to its Reuben or clam chowder or the Shrimp Louie. And the prices are very reasonable. (#7- #8)

After eating an outstanding barbecue turkey sandwich and coleslaw for just under $20, I was well pleased.  And why not stick to one of their turkey dishes such as the hot-turkey sandwich, turkey enchiladas, turkey pot pie or just a drumstick with mashed potatoes (and gravy…) (#9)

Support our Portland Restaurants and Bars

I mentioned above that Huber’s, is recovering, although not abounding in earnings, however, one needs only to travel 1.1 miles away to see a long-term and signature Portland waterfront restaurant – opened in the early 1990’s – now closing permanently. 

Portland’s economy is still racking up casualties. According to a March 29th Oregon Live article:

“Neighbors and regulars first heard the news Wednesday, learning from longtime employees that they had been given five-days notice before (McCormick and Schmick’s Harborside at the Marina) imminent closure.” (It’s the last M & S establishment in Portland)  (#10 – #11)

And this is not just a typical hospitality sector closure we’ve come to expect – especially in Portland. This one is noteworthy for those who follow Portland’s rich beer history. 

As noted by Jeff Alworth’s well-known and respected blog Beervana:

“We learned today that a Portland institution was closing down: McCormick and Schmick’s RiverPlace restaurant. It was once the toast of the town, featuring the best view in the city. It was also the home of Full Sail’s Portland outpost, an important formative location in creating Portland’s beer scene.

The closure of McCormick and Schmick’s is melancholy on its own terms—it was once a piece of Portland’s culinary character. Full Sail was no less a part of the city’s beer character. It was a great place, and John really helped elevate Portland beer.  RIP”

Cheers and Happy April

External Photo Attribution

#1.  Wikimedia Commons (File:Turkey dinner.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. Author: Mark Miller – 1 January 2014.

#2.  Huber’s Facebook page (Huber’s Cafe | Facebook).

#3. Kerry Egger’s.com (Huber’s is more than just a restaurant — it’s a Portland institution — Kerry Eggers).

#4. National Sports Media Association (2019 Awards Banquet | National Sports Media Association).

#5.  Annie Bloom’s Bookstore Website (Kerry Eggers presents Jail Blazers | Annie Bloom’s Books (annieblooms.com).

#6.  Spanish  Coffee ((2) Huber’s Cafe | Facebook).

#7 – #9. Huber’s Café Website (Huber’s – Downtown Portland, Portland, OR (hubers.com).

#10 – #11.   McCormick and Smick’s Harborside Restaurant (McCormick & Schmick’s Harborside at the Marina | Facebook).

Dual Tributes and Farewells

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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 is at the end of the post.)  

Claudia’s Sports Bar and Grill – We’ll never forget you! 

I’ve filled you in previously on some noted bars and breweries that have closed – most pandemic related – but I’m heartsick since Claudia’s poured it’s last pint on October 9th.

Claudia 2

Sarah, my server in 2012 with the former Beerchaser logo

As reported by noted NW journalist and author, Kerry Eggers in his 10/15/23 column:

“Claudia’s Sports Pub closed its doors after 65 years in business. Claudia’s, on Southeast Hawthorne Blvd., was the city’s original sports bar, established in 1958 by restaurateur Gene Spathas.

It remained a family-owned business, taken over by Gene’s youngest son, Marty, who ran the place for the last 35 years.”

I have been in many sports bars and pubs – not only in Portland – but across the country.  None had the historical ambiance and interesting regulars one encountered at Claudia’s. 

The bar was named after Gene Spathas’ first wife. As I stated in my 2012 blog post:

“According to Gene’s Washington High School classmate and SAE fraternity brother at OSU, Oregon City attorney, (and my family’s attorney since the 1960’s) Don Bowerman, ‘Gene was a gifted businessman and Claudia Mickelson was an intelligent, classy and beautiful lady.'”

Upon reflection, naming a bar after a wife named ‘Mildred’ or ‘Gertrude’ would not be a good thing regardless of her attributes. Claudia was different.

The  Annual Willamette Week Bar Guide has always been a valuable resource for my Beerchasing research and this excerpt from 2011 was no exception:

“Claudia’s is the best sports bar in Portland…..Every year it seems like more new, hip sports bars open, but at the end of the day, there’s only one place I want to go when the game is really close.”

claudia-trophy-case

And the trophy case was unforgettable.  Claudia’s’ was like a mini-Oregon Sports Hall of Fame.  The gigantic trophy case, in what was the poker room, was stuffed with hardware from the victorious AAU Basketball and other sponsored teams which were a hallmark of the pub for decades.

You can also see basketballs signed by John Wooden and legendary announcer, Dick Vitale.

The Basketball Team

The sports bar was known for it legendary Claudia’s AAU basketball teams, which had numerous former college hoop stars and Portland Trailblazer alums including Greg Smith, Dale Schlueter, LaRue Martin, Leroy Ellis, Jim Barnett, Phil Lumpkin, Cincy Powell.

Don’t forget Steve and Nick Jones, Frank-the-Flake Peters, Steve Pauly, Jimmy Jarvis, Ray Blume and Mark Radford (the last five, all former Oregon State stars.)  (#1)

claudias-dale-herron2

Dale Herron – No. 34 – Coach Spitznagel – Back right

And a key factor for the team’s success was it’s coach – Walt Spitznagel – labeled “a character” by everyone who knew him.  “Spitz” coached the team for twenty-three years:

“Spitznagel’s career included stints working as a longshoreman, as a pari-mutuel clerk at Multnomah Kennel Club and operating a grocery store. But his avocation was coaching….

Spitznagel’s credentials are shiny. Under his direction, Claudia’s won 14 city league (Portland Basketball Association) championships, eight state AAU titles and one Northwest Regional crown… (Kerry Eggers Column 9/28/22)

He was an incredible recruiter and gifted in handling the egos of multiple stars competing for playing time.

Dale Herron – A Notable Athlete and Coach

I reviewed Claudia’s in a 2012 blog post entitled, “Claudia’s Sports Pub and Grill – Oh the History!!.  I have a special affinity for the bar because my dad and our lawyer were friends and fraternity brothers of the late owner, Gene Spathas. 

In addition, my high school basketball coach at Oregon City in 1966, Dale Herron, who starred at the University of Oregon, played for Claudia’s (see photo above). 

Coach Herron, who passed away late in 2022, led the Ducks in scoring in 1959 and was inducted into the University of Oregon Hall of Fame in 1997. 

As a testament to his athletic prowess, after his basketball eligibility ended, he accepted a one-year football scholarship and played in the 1960 Liberty Bowl. (#2 – #3)

When he was in his mid-twenties, he coached us to the OC’s first TYV League Basketball Championship in twenty-one years in 1966.  He pushed us hard, but he and his Assistant Coach, Dick Arbuckle, were great motivators and made the most of the talent they had.

Arbuckle (photo below) was also a 1960 U of O grad and football letterman and coached varsity football at OCHS besides being the JV Basketball Coach. He had an outstanding career in high school and college coaching. (#4 – #6)

(#7) TYV Tropy

I remember seeing Claudia’s iconic coach, Walt Spitznagel at our high school games and at the 1966 Oregon State High School Basketball Tournament – where he did not pay to gain admission.  As Kerry Eggers stated:

“…..we should mention Spitznagel’s propensity for landing free tickets to sporting events. There may never have been a bigger freeloader at Blazer games in Memorial Coliseum, or anywhere else.”

As an aside, Kerry Eggers is a six-time the National Sports Media Association’s Oregon Sportswriter of the Year, winning in 1981, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2011 and 2018. 

I heard the same sentiments from another prominent Oregon sportswriter and broadcaster recently who told the story of how Spitznagel fabricated a press pass at a professional playoff series to gain admission.

Dale Herron After Athletics

Coach Herron had a remarkable career in both athletics and secondary education as a coach and principal and was known for mentoring students with great skill and compassion. (#8 – #10)

I reached out to one of my OCHS teammates, John Davidson (#30!) for some recollections as I knew he was close to Dale Herron .

(John was a much better basketball player, but I had a quicker first step to the hoop.)  Notice the cool Chuck Taylor Converse All-star Black High-tops we wore. (#11)

OCHS Basketball (4)

Thebeerchaser (left) and John Davidson (#30)!

And as evidence of Dale Herron’s influence, John, who is now retired, had a long and very successful career as a teacher, coach and school principal – similar to his mentor! 

He offered me this quote on the impact of Dale Herron:

“We all have people in our lives who are very influential.  At the top of my list is Dale Herron because of his kindness, guidance, leadership and for being an amazing role model. 

He was an inspirational basketball coach who went above and beyond in helping me in many ways.  Mr. Herron guided me to his Junior College (Grays Harbor).  I shudder to think what my life would be like without his influence. 

I’m sure that I am one of many that had the great fortune to have Dale Herron  in their lives.”

And he also mentioned Spitz:

“He would always yell at refs and call them ‘Stripes.’  I knew Spitz well as we worked on the Portland waterfront for years as checkers for Longshoremen.” (#12 – #13)
John shares my drink of choice – gin martini – up with olives

In Closing

Gene’s son, Martin announced on social media:

“’It has been a privilege to be a part of the community all these years,’ Spathas wrote. ‘While this difficult decision marks the end of an era, the spirit of Claudia’s will live on in Portland lore. The stories, bonds, and history made within these walls will never be forgotten.'”

And I will close with this thought – one that hit me initially, but had to modify slightly after some more research. Not only is it distressing to see Claudia’s closing, but a 10/11 Oregon Live headline announced:

“Wild’ Portland karaoke bar set to replace 65-year-old Claudia’s.” 

The hallowed space at Claudia’s, which was a favorite bar for athletes, coaches, announcers, sportswriters, referees, fans and Walt Spitznagel, will now primarily host intoxicated bad singers.

This seems simply incompatible with the legacy of the bar.  

That said, the 2009 Willamette Week Bar Guide did reveal that there is some history with sing-along at the bar:

“When all the (athletic) contests are concluded…how do they keep the beer-sodden spectators in their seats….?  Claudia’s, the dowager of Portland sports pubs has devised a resourceful solution: 

After the last out, the bar switches to karaoke, projecting lyrics onto its largest screen.  It’s an ingenious idea, not least because it allows crestfallen fans the chance to constructively vent. 

Claudia’s needn’t worry:  It continues to pack ‘em in with high def TVs, cheap pints and its claim to fame – high-backed green captain’s chairs lining the bar.”

I don’t think Claudia’s followed that practice for very long and notwithstanding this history, I cannot envision athletes such as those mentioned above belting off-key versions of some of the Top 45 Karaoke songs such as “I Will Survive”, “Dancing Queen”, Billy Joel’s “Piano Man” and “Sweet Caroline”. (#14)

The Piano Man

And to give some additional context, can you imagine now 73-year old, 6’11” – 208 pound – former Trailblazer, Larue Martin,  crooning Taylor Swift’s “Shake it Off?’

I stay out too late
Got nothing in my brain
That’s what people say
That’s what people say
I go on too many dates……

Now John Davidson owes me a steak dinner and onion rings at Portland’s famous Ringside Steakhouse on his next trip up from California.  After finishing martinis and dinner, we will head to Suki’s Bar and Grill in Claudia’s former space. 

One of John’s best games in high school was against the Tillamook Cheesemakers – I think he had a triple-double.  To acknowledge this memory, I’ll get up on the stage and give an off tune rendition of “I Will Remember You.”

Cheers!

External Photo Attribution

#1. Claudia’s Sports Bar and Grill Trophy Case

#2 – #3.  Dale Herron Obituary (https://funeralalternatives.org/tribute/details/305447/Dale-Herron/obituary.html)

#4. – #6  The Oregon City Elevator – High School Newspaper for OCHS

#7.  The Oregon City Enterprise Courier

#8. – #10. Dale Herron Obituary (https://funeralalternatives.org/tribute/details/305447/Dale-Herron/obituary.html)

#11. Oregon City Enterprise Courier 

#12. 1966 Oregon City High School Yearbook

#13.  Courtesy of John Davidson!

#14. Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:BillyJoel2016MSG.jpg) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.  Author: slgckgc – 15 April 2016.

#15.  Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:LaRue_Martin.png)  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:  Unknown – 1973.

November Nuances – Be Careful of Your Terms

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(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)

On Saturday, November 25th the Oregon State Beavers will host the nationally-ranked University of Oregon Ducks at Reser Field in Corvallis for this legendary gridiron contest – known until 2020 as “The Civil War.” 

(See Thebeerchaser post entitled “History, Semantics, Sensitivity and Common Sense”  regarding my emphatic sentiments about this change.)

As stated at the beginning of a wonderful book by the six-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.”

Politically Incorrect Ribaldry

While acknowledging – although not agreeing – with the view of those who advocated the name change, I’m also not in favor of the milque toast and staid options offered in lieu since 2020 – primarily The Platypus Bowl and The Oregon Classic – the moniker for the last three games.

I think sportswriter and media expert, John Canzano, has the best idea:

” ‘The game formerly known as the Civil War.’ That’s what I’m calling it until they re-name the thing. Our long-standing state rivalry. Two winning teams and a lot at stake.”

Canzano in his most recent column hits the nail on the head in his second column this week on this controversy.

“Meanwhile, it’s been almost 30 months since that joint announcement. UO and OSU have had plenty of time to figure out this rivalry naming business. They’ve left us a mess. It’s time to stop puttering around and name the Beavers-Ducks rivalry.
On that note, I’ll bet most of you still call it “The Civil War.” (#3 – #5)

 

I should disclaim that I graduated from OSU in April, 1971 and my wife of 42 years, Janet, is a 1976 Oregon graduate.  Our older daughter, Lisa, and her husband, Jamie, are both University of Washington Huskies – he a third generation “Dawg.” 

Janet reminds me that Lisa turned down a full academic ride to the U of O and we paid out-of-state tuition because I told her she could go to UW if she was admitted to the Honors College.

I respond that because of my foresight (rather than the rationale being my distaste for the Quackers), we have a wonderful son-in-law (and his family) and two granddaughters and a new grand-puppy who we treasure 

Two Husky alums and family

College Years

I was fortunate to live with twelve of the members of the football 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. 

Craig “The Dude” Hanneman – class of ’71, was profiled as a Beerchaser-of-the-Quarter in 2012.  Other SAE’s footballers during those years were Jim Scheele, Chris Wahle, Clyde Smith, Don Welch, Jim Blackford, Jess Lewis, Roger Cantlon, and Gary and Duane Barton.  

(From left clockwise – OSU SAE’s 1967, Jess Lewis, Capt. Jud Blakely, Dirt and The Dude, Duane Barton)

And the Giant Killer years for us on campus were wonderful – not only from a football perspective, but as a time in our lives that would never be replicated – essentially insulated, carefree and, for the most part, absent adult responsibilities.

And the impact Dee Andros “The Great Pumpkin” had on his players was a foundation for that team and one which shaped their character for the rest of their lives as well as establishing lasting bonds.  https://thebeerchaser.com/2018/05/20/the-1967-osu-giant-killers-beerchasers-of-the-quarter-part-i/

Years Later – Coach Andros with Jossis, Freeburn, Dippel and Hanneman

Post Graduation

After college and the Navy, my employer was Clackamas County for seven years.  I worked closely with County Counsel who were my legal advisors when I worked in the Elections Department and then for the County Commissioners.  I was about the only OSU grad, since most of the lawyers went to the University of Oregon for undergrad or law school or both.

Each year I had a bet on the Oregon vs OSU game with the late Mike Montgomery, who was the Chief Deputy DA.   The loser had to wear a tie to work and buy the winner lunch the Monday after the game and be the brunt of sarcastic comments from co-workers.   I still have Mike’s tie – probably because I was the one who usually had to wear it……

For the last twenty-five years of my career, I worked in an outstanding large Northwest Regional law firm (Schwabe Williamson & Wyatt) and two of our five offices were in Portland and Seattle. 

Since both UW and U of O have law schools, the Washington Husky vs Duck rivalry was almost as heated and perhaps more so than OSU vs Oregon.   

The Schwabe firm had a great culture and an organizational sense of humor was part of it. The week before the Civil War game, electronic missives about important cases and issues at the firm would be actively supplemented by multiple All-Firm e-mails with jokes about the Beavs and the Ducks.

2018-06-06 15.33.32

While the Ivy League law grads who didn’t send similar barbs about the Princeton vs. Harvard game weren’t always amused, most of the firm enjoyed this tradition. The majority of the barbs  could be sent by a fan of either school, but since OSU was an aggie school, many were based on images of country or “hill folk”.

While a lot of them would now be considered politically incorrect, they were done without malice and in the spirit of good fun.  I’ll finish with a sampling.

Q – What did the Beaver say while swimming when he crashed into a concrete wall?     

A – Dam!  (#6)

Q – What’s the best thing to come out of Eugene?

A – Interstate 5. (#7)

A Beaver alum came home and found his house on fire. He rushed next door, telephoned the fire department and shouted, “Hurry over here. My house is on fire!”

“OK,” replied the firefighter. “How do we get there?” “Shucks,” says the OSU alum, “Don’t you still have those big red trucks?”  (#8)

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)

Q – What do they call 100 John Deere tractors circling a McDonalds in Corvallis.

A – Oregon State Prom Night.  (#10)

An Oregon State Trooper pulls over a Prius in Eugene driven by an Oregon alum and asks, “Got any ID?”

The Duck replies, “About what?”  (#11)

An Oregon grad, a Cal grad, and an Oregon State grad are waiting to be executed by firing squad. The Oregon grad is first, and as he is waiting to be executed, he
yells, “Earthquake!”

The firing squad panics and runs away, allowing the Oregon grad to jump over the wall and escape.

The Cal grad is next, and as he is waiting to be executed, he yells, “Flood!”

The firing squad again panics and runs away, so the Cal grad also jumps over the wall and escapes.

The Oregon State grad is last.  As he is waiting to be executed, he remembers what the other two had done, so he yells, “Fire!”  (#12)

Fire! — Oh Wait?

Two Oregon football players in their dorm rooms were going crazy with excitement as they just completed a jigsaw puzzle in just under one year.

When asked why they were so ecstatic they showed the jigsaw puzzle box where it said 3-6 years and they exclaimed, “We completed it in one-third that time.” (#13)

 And finally, to end on a “neutral field,” of sorts:

A guy in a bar leans over to the guy next to him during the week of the Apple Cup and asks, “Wanna hear a Husky joke?” The guy replies, “Before you tell that joke, besides being 6’2″ and weighing 240, I’m a UW graduate.”

“The guy next to me is 6’5′ 225 and played linebacker under legendary Husky Coach Jim Owens”

“The woman next to him is a UW Grad, a karate black belt and currently coaches at the University.”

Now, do you still want to tell that Husky joke?”

The first guy says, “No, not if I’m going to have to explain it three times….”

In Conclusion

Enjoy “The Civil War Game” or whatever college contest you either attend or watch – and do it with friends regardless of their alma mater. (Some of you might even want to take in the World Cup)…but Go Beavs!

External Photo Attribution

#1.  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.

*2.  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.

#3.  Oregon Historical Society. 

#4. Public Domain -Wikimedia Commons ((https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Platypus-sketch.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.  Author: John Gould – 1864.

#5.  Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pacific_black_duck_P1090215.jpg. Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.  Author:  John Robert McPherson 1 January, 2015.

#6.  (Picture of Dam) Wikimedia Common (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:RappbodeLufts.JPG) The copyright holder of this work allows anyone to use it for any purpose including unrestricted redistribution, commercial use, and modification.  Author:  Hahnenkleer  30 October 2013.

#7.  Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:I-5.svg)   his file is in the public domain because it comes from the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, sign number M1-1. Made to the specifications of the 2004 edition of Standard Highway Signs  16 MY 2007.

#8.  Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:LFB_Pump_Ladder.jpg)  This work has been released into the public domain by its author, Jackus2008 at English Wikipedia. This applies worldwide. 22 November 2007.

#9.  Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Albert_Einstein_Head.jpg)  This image is available from the United States Library of Congress‘s Prints and Photographs division under the digital ID cph.3b46036. 1947.

#10.  Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:John_Deere_8200.jpg)  Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported, 2.5 Generic, 2.0 Generic and 1.0 Generic license.  Author:  Reise Reise 30 July 2009.

#11.  Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:North_Carolina_State_Trooper_on_I-85.jpg)  Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported, 2.5 Generic, 2.0 Generic and 1.0 Generic license.  Author:  Ildar Sagdejev (Specious)  13 March 2008.

#12. Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Up_In_Flames_(18897711).jpeg)  Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.  Author:  Arun Agrawal  9 September 2012.

#13.   Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jigsaw_puzzle_in_progress.jpg) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.  Author: Balise42  10 February 2022.

Summer Cheer(s)

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(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.)

As fall approaches, take a look at two topics which I think you will enjoy:

First – An update on a former Beerchaser-of-the-Quarter

and

Secondly – Both a celebration of the fourth birthday of the Benedictine Brewery and St. Michael Taproom at the Mount Angel Abbey and a recollection of the “foundation” of that inspired enterprise back in 2017

*****

Godfather…..!

When one sees or hears the term above, the image usually crossing the mind is either a pizza or for Baby Boomers, Marlin Brando in his unforgettable role of Don Vito Corleone in the three-time Academy Award winning film The Godfather (1972) uttering his memorable threat:

“I’m gonna make him an offer he can’t refuse!”

(# External Photo Attribution at the end of the Post – #1 and #2 above)

For those in the Northwest who have an interest in sports and have followed their teams and related issues in the print and broadcast media, the name Dwight Jaynes comes to mind.  Dwight for many years has been known professionally as “The Godfather.”  And for good reason. 

In 2010 he was inducted into the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame and has been named Oregon Sportswriter of the Year five separate times. In 2013, he was named Sportscaster of the Year  – the first person in Oregon to win both awards.

Linked in

The Godfather  #3

He’s also co-authored two books, The Long Hot Winter: A Year in the Life of the Portland Trail Blazers (1992)  with former Blazer coach Rick Adelman and Against the World: A Behind the Scenes Look at the Portland Trail Blazers’ Chase for the NBA Championship (1992) with fellow journalist Kerry Eggers. (#4 – #5)

He had been working for Comcast SportsNet Northwest and not regularly on the air since 2011, when the trio of Dwight, Chad Doing and former Trail Blazer, Antonio Harvey hosted a talk show on radio station 99.5 The Game.

Dwight and I have periodic lunches and at one in July, he seemed energized and told me that “Something is in the Works”.  He then added that if he revealed anything, he’d have to shoot me. The Godfather had that Brando look of malice in his eyes when he mumbled this utterance, so I did not press him further. 

 (As an aside, we ate at the McMenamins’ Wilsonville Old Church – a nice establishment that I will cover in a future post.)  

The next day, it was announced that Dwight and Chad would be back together (“Chad & Dwight Ride Again In Rip City” from 3 – 6 PM each weekday on Rip City Radio 620. #6

Now, admittedly I’m biased, because I named Dwight as one of my Beerchasers-of-the-Quarter in 2016 and I love his historical grasp of NW Sports. 

Chad Doing also has a great radio background including a stint as a sports radio host in San Francisco as well as an interesting history including working as an Alaska Airlines flight attendant for three years.   He’s worked his way up in the radio profession and seems to be a genuine nice-guy with a broad knowledge of sports – especially the Trail Blazers.

“Doing, who lived 27 years in the Pacific Northwest before moving south, came up through the radio ranks in the Portland market, starting by doing high school football for Vancouver’s KVAN. From there, he got an internship with KFXX, at the time the market’s lone all-sports station, and moved up to board operator, then to reading sports updates.

In 2008, when a second all-sports station, KXTG, opened, he moved over, first as a behind-the-scene guy, then just four weeks in, taking over on-air on the morning show, along with Gavin Dawson and, later, Dwight Jaynes.”  (Oregon Live 3/24/15)

You should check them out at https://ripcityradio.iheart.com/featured/travis-demers/  These guys complement each other really well and they cover a broad range of topics. 

On the first few shows Dwight talked about meeting both Bill Russell and Vince Scully, they reminisced about Portland wrestling and had good discussion about recent Blazer issues such as the potential sale and the unwise decision to have Blazer TV broadcasters call the games remotely rather than traveling with the team.

Note:  About one week afterwards, the Blazers reversed this decision:

“Team president Dewayne Hankins joined Portland’s Rip City Radio 620 to discuss the decision with hosts Chad Doing and Dwight Jaynes on Monday. And during the interview, Hankins quickly acknowledged the Trail Blazers heard the backlash and responded accordingly.”   (Awful Announcing.com)

The Godfather is also known for the integrity of his written and spoken opinions through the years and taking deserved shots at Management when it’s deserved, be it that of the Blazers, written or broadcast media execs, referees, etc.

Chad and Dwight are more focused on sports then the rambling and almost irrelevant babble on their Portland competitor in the same timeslot.  

Happy Birthday to the Benedictine Brewery – Thanks be to Father God!

I’m proud to be part of the history of this wonderful Brewery on the grounds of the Mount Angel Abbey and one of only three Benedictine breweries owned and operated by monks in the US.  The Brewery and Taproom under the guidance of Head Brewer, Fr. Martin Grassel has thrived even during the pandemic and Fr. Martin and his trainees brew a robust group of beers. (#8 -14)

I still remember the wonderful community gathering (about 125 monks, priests, seminarians, Abbey staff and volunteers from the Mount Angel community) at the structure raising on a cloudy and cold November 11 2017, when we started the morning with a cement slab.  

By the end of the day, there was a structural frame with six bents ( two-dimensional transverse rigid frames and the building blocks that define the overall shape and character of a structure) using 14,000 board feet of Douglas Fir timber harvested from the Abbey tree farm. 

That day was also the occasion of the first prayer in the Benedictine Brewery and Taproom – held at noon before we ate and in lieu of the standard noon-day prayer in the wonderful Abbey chapel.  Fr. Vincent Trujillo, O.S.B., the Prior of the Abbey,  led the service which was “uplifting” – very consistent with the theme that day!  (#15 -19)

The monks sang and were joined by the other participants. Before getting back to work, we feasted on a spread of delicious barbecued chicken, baked beans, potato salad and green salad – all of which boosted the energy and spirits of the workers. (If the videos, don’t have arrows to start them, click your mouse in the center of the photos)

As stated in my Beerchaser post entitled: “The Benedictine Brewery – Beam Me Up”:

“There were 305 pieces of wood that were joined for the structure.  Besides the 14,000 for the structural components, another 11,000 board feet of lumber was used for the siding  and the tongue and grove boards for the top of the structure.  It will also be used for the actual bar in the Taproom.  It took seven truckloads of logs for the Brewery and Taproom and additional load that went in exchange to the plywood mill.  

Besides the source of the wood, there was another unusual aspect of the construction process:

The timber was harvested, cut, dried, milled using mortise and tenon joinery, which is secured with wooden pegs — an age-old traditional craft — and prepared for a seamless, no-hammer, no-saw construction.”  http://www.capitalpress.com/Orchards/20171113/unique-brewery-raising-at-abbey

The volunteers that day know that their labor would be “captured” in the structure for its duration based on the fact that all were encouraged to sign the pegs that secured the bents before they were put in place.  Thebeerchaser eagerly participated.

It was a truly remarkable day of spirited and spiritual effort by the entire Community and portended the success of what has become a NW regional destination spot with a devoted constituency for Fr. Martin’s beers.

As you will see from the video below in which the largest timber section – 80 feet in length, requiring forty workers was raised, Jonathan Orpin, the President of New Energy – the contractor for the structure raising – was the equivalent of land-based coxswain for his “crew” team.  His enthusiasm and energy was inspiring to all present.

Fall is one of the best times to visit the St. Michael Taproom surrounded by the Abbey’s hop fields. 

Try what has become one of the most popular brews – Hairshirt IPA ( 7.1 ABV | IBUs 56).  As one reviewer in the site “On Tap” stated, “I feel so penitent while drinking this.”

Although the Brewery’s website countered this on Father’s Day stating:

“This Father’s Day, why buy dad another tie when you could buy him a hairshirt? Taking its name from a garment worn as an act of penance, Hairshirt IPA is now available for the first time for sale in bottles, and drinking it is hardly a penitential experience.”

So let me indulge you.   Cheers and here’s to guilt-free drinking!  #20 -21)

External Photo Attribution

#1. Wikimedia Commons:   (http://File:Godfathers Pizza – Hillsboro, Oregon.JPG -) Wikimedia Commons icensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported, 2.5 Generic, 2.0 Generic and 1.0 Generic license. Author: M.O. Stevens 8 September 2012

#2.  Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marlon_Brando#/media/File:Marlon_Brando_publicity_for_One-Eyed_Jacks.png)  By None visible/Paramount Pictures – Publicity photo for the film One-Eyed Jacks (1961), Public Domain.

#3.  Linked-in (https://www.linkedin.com/in/dwight-jaynes-68956b6a/overlay/photo/)

#4.  (https://www.amazon.com/Against-World-Behind-Scenes-Championship/dp/0915611678/ref=sr_1_1?crid=GJB72IUBR6L&keywords=against+the+world+dwight+jaynes&qid)

#5.  (https://www.amazon.com/Long-Hot-Winter-Portland-Blazers/dp/0671748521/ref=sr_1_1?crid)

#6.  Dwight Jaynes Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=10160255999956894&set=basw.Abpv_1MIIzZM8NJkopm-)

#7.  Linked-in (https://www.linkedin.com/in/chad-doing-35477868/)

#8 – 14.  Benedictine Brewery Website and Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/BenedictineBrewery)

#15 – 17.  Benedictine Brewery Website (https://www.benedictinebrewery.com/) Courtesy Brother Lorenzo.

#18. New Energy Works Website (https://newenergyworks.com/)

#19 Benedictine Brewery Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/BenedictineBrewery/photos/a.168624736681758/)

#20 Wikipedia Commons (http://(Ivan the Terrible’s cilice 02 by shakko – Cilice – Wikipedia)  By shakko – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=16218870.  Llicensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.

Tucker William (Billy) Main – Beerchaser of the Quarter

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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