Pride and Prejudice of Portsmouth Ohio- Thanks Jack Plymale!

Check that a bit, Jack!




I dedicated my Softball book (2003) to the great Wayne Widdig and Dick Bendinelli was in my Excellence in Athletes Book (2004). Many people mentioned Ed Schmidt and Joe Luchi in stories from my books. Ronnie Widdig was a QB at PCC or Notre Dame as well as my neighbor, Pat Tannian. I worked at Williams with Phil Goodman, Dick Entler, and John Bowman (a twin) back in 1951 and 1952 before going into the Army. I am not ashamed to say that these, and your mentions, were all fine people.



I know what you mean about the "fish-eater" prejudices many of us Mound Park park urchins shared . I am so happy about all of the Christian Catholics we protestants share with now. Church wasn't much of a discussion among us back then although I attended Central Christian regularly after a few years at the Baptist Church at Young and Robinson. We probably had atheists in our crowd, but they were largely closeted in those days. I never knew of a 'gay' of the Park crowd and only knew of two or three in the Portsmouth area. There were a lot of protestant friends who hardly ever saw the inside of Portsmouth's churches. That was mandated in mosdt Catholic families.



Nevertheless, you can't imagine how I enjoy your reminiscing about P'Town people of your vintage- fine wine from those years (five to seven years ahead of me). You make me feel so young at my 77 Jack! ;)



Sam





----- Original Message -----

From: Jack H Plymale

To: Sam Kegley

Sent: Wednesday, September 15, 2010 21:35

Subject: Pride and prejudice





Sam, I;ve noticed in reading your books and blogs that there has been little mention of some of the guys who played for central catholic. The fish eaters. I doubt that you have those kinds of prejudices, but I, at one time,I did, as did almost all my friends. There would have been no reason for an old Mound Park urchin to really know many of them and I didn't either

. Dick Diehl was captain of CC in 1944 and was , not only a heck of an athlete., but one of the finest humans I ever knew. He was one of three roomates I had when we were in the Navy at Denison U.. in 1945

... He married one of two girls named Betty Hicks from Portsmouth was president or V.President of the old Ohio Stove Foundry there in Portsmouth until retirement. Betty died young and he spends all his spare time working for the c. Church. Another guy was Rodney Kinskey who, I think and I could be wrong.was captain of the CC team a year earlier. Rods dad owned the Ideal milk co. in Portsmouth. Rod was a heck of a football player, a brilliant student and a highly successful business man out west. Rod was a frat Bro of mine and another nice guy like you don't often meet

.He married one of our cheerleaders. Jeanne Dougherty( we called her froggy because she had such pretty legs) they had nine children out in Wyoming I think. Rod and his brother sold I deal milk Rod and Jeanne went west bought another dairy started up and bought a bunch of convenience store( almost 30 from 7=11 when they went out of business. Rod was in our frat at Ohio State. Was responsible for my being able to vote for Harry Truman the first time. I figured I owed him that because he had the guts to drop the A bomb on Japan. He had a new 1948 Chevy convetrible, Didn't leave Columbus until 5:10 PM and both of us voted in Portsmouth. You know what kind of a basketball player Joe Luchi was. Married Billi Pridmore, classmate of mine. Some tremendous athletes and extremely fine people at Central catholic.. Jack P.( Us old hard shell Baptists have to strain to admit that.)