New Chapter Bulletin Board
Note the new chapter bulletin board which first appeared at the March 3Oth meeting. Also note that at this first appearance it was mostly blank. This is your bulletin board - both to read and post! If you have items of general interest to the membership, feel free to bring them in and post for all to read. Postings do not have to be strictly barbershop. And don't forget to check out the board at break!
Mystery Flight
Editor Note - This is a re-print of an article from the October 1962 Pittsburgh Chapter Pitch-Burgher, written by, then Editor, Lou Sisk. It provides some interesting insight to barbershop activities 42 years ago [now we can 't get more than 12 guys to an after-glow]. I have copied this article verbatim, with no editorializing. My thanks to Bob Brandl for sending me this article from his history files.
Ninety-one barbershoppers from Dundalk, Maryland; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Livingston, New Jersey; and other points east, boarded a TWA Jet for the mystery flight from Philly to Pittsburgh on September 14th. Much to our surprise, the destination remained a mystery to nearly all aboard until they landed. After a greeting by President Larry Autenreith and a goodly group of motorcade drivers, our "foreign intruders" were hustled out to the cafeteria to be fed by Joe Giarrusso and his "Tummy Pleasers" (better known as the FOR FUN FOUR).
Meanwhile, back at the Penn-Sheraton Ranch, a crowd of 250 (members, area barbershoppers and other guests) was humming around buzzing a few in waitful anxiety. Delayed by a slight mixup between the police escort and motorcade leader "Wrong Way" Autenreith, the honored guests finally arrived to a screaming ovation at 10:15 PM.
From that point on, it was bedlam as the sixteen wonderful quartets and our Buccannaires Chorus were pulled out of Emcee Tom O'Malley's #10 hat. This should give you an idea of what you missed if you weren't there: PENNSMEN of Philadelphia; FREE LANCERS and SOLIDAIRES from Dundalk; MAIN STREET FOUR, Livingston, New Jersey; DELCO AIRES and DEL CHORDS from Delco Chapter; DIAMOND STATESMEN, Wilmington, Delaware; COLONIALS, East Liverpool, Ohio; BON AIRES, Butler; SHORT TONES and HI LO TONES, Beaver Valley and our own PITTSBURGHERS, TOWN & COUNTRY FOUR, WESTINGHOUSE QUARTET, NORTH CHORDS and FOR FUN FOUR. That's a man-sized lineup! It was after 1:00 AM before the PITTSBURGHERS put the icing on the cake and led the group back to the refreshment stand. Some time after 2:00 AM our friends from the Mid-Atlantic District followed their three pilots back to Greater Pittsburgh Airport, leaving a group of Pittsburghers limp from an unforgettable evening of harmony and fellowship.
Also left behind was the ICBM (Inter-Chapter Barbershop Missile) which was presented to President Larry Autenreith by the chairman of the Mystery Flight, Ray Rauenzahn. This missile has really traveled quite a bit and now it's our turn to make a visit and keep it moving.
Scores of members deserve our thanks for the success of this great day. Our best to all who helped, but most of all to Program Vice President, Ed Esposito. With only a few weeks notice, Ed was without a flaw in his organization of all the committees. Hats off to Ed Esposito!
I make a point of taking a tape recorder to every chorus rehearsal. My section leader thumps my back and the chorus director beams his approval. The batteries died six months ago.
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