Portsmouth guys at Larry's bar OSU ... Thx Nelson B and Blaine!

Sal, I sent you a copy of the 2008 email FYI. Blaine Bierley ,a  PHS classmate
 of ours, proposes writing an article for Frank's 1955 News Letter about Larry's      

including some of the Phi Sigs from Portsmouth  Buddy Burger lived in the same  bldg. across from Larry's.

 

Date: Sun, 28 Dec 2008 15:19:16 GMT

Thanks for your memories Jack.

In 1955-56 I belonged to a somewhat different fraternity on 15th ave. named Phi Sigma Kappa ( long gone ). One of our more "beat" members was a fellow named Dick Dewitt (dec.) Dick introduced some of us ( the Portsmouth Gang) to Larry's Tavern about 1956 and it promptly became our preferred hangout. About 1958 I started tending bar there. I think I worked there until just before I went into the U.S. Navy in 1962.(My memories are some what hazy now). I do remember Dick Purpura, Kenny Payne and "Nazi" Mike Kangalaski playing bridge at the south window table. I usually was at the table by the old wooden walk-in telephone booth playing euchre with so many friends who are now long dead. I remember answering the telephone with the announcement "Grand Central Station" thereby confusing some drunken caller from the North Berg. I remember drinking "Richer,Keener Augustiner" beer with a chemistry grad student, Terry Golden, now PhD I remember answering questions about Larry's being a gay hangout with "Oh yes, but  we don't care". That kept all the yuppies away. It was a watering hole for English and philosophy majors, engineers and chemistry majors from the Woodruff Ave side of the campus.

In 1960 I rented a third floor walk-up across the street from Larry's. It was above a Laundromat (which later on became the Library Bar) in a tenement with wooden balconies on the back side. It had a shared toilet and shower on each floor. We frequently closed Larry's and moved our group across the street to my or someone else's apt. to continue the card game and the party. I remember making pancakes one morning using beer in place of missing milk for the batter. (they were quite good) When I came back from the Navy in 1964 the apartment building was long gone. The university had expanded from Woodruff Ave. to Lane Ave leaving only St. Stevens church and the Newman Center standing. The North Berg parking lot became a hotel called the Ohio Stater Inn. I did have many photographs sent to me while I was in the Navy. But unfortunately they are lost. I stopped going to Larry's because so many of my friends from those days had passed on. Best wishes, Nelson