Bound Volumes, Hometown History
August 10, 2023
110 YEARS AGO
For the previous ten days a number of Oneonta gentlemen have been actively engaged in a movement for the organization of the Oneonta Country Club. At a meeting Thursday evening in the parlors of the City Club, at which were about 25 men perhaps most interested, initial steps were taken for the formation of such a club.
August 1913
90 YEARS AGO
With the dumping of milk growing more prevalent in Otsego County and with many Delaware County milk receiving plants closed or practically cut off from their supplies, this section of the state felt very substantially the milk strike which now grips Central New York. Although disorders on Sunday were not particularly serious, two men were injured in a clash at Wells Bridge. Andrew O’Hara, 50 years old, of Franklin, a striking dairyman who was picketing the plant, was struck over the head with a cudgel when he endeavored to dump milk from another truck arriving at the plant. It is not expected he will suffer any ill effects.
August 1933
70 YEARS AGO
In other parts of the country, it’s baseball, hot rods, or the mamba. Down in the Sixth Ward, there’s a game called Boccia. It’s the craze of West Broadway. Nobody’s sure how it’s spelled. “Who cares,” yelled Bernardino Colone? “Just play, that’s all.” The game, an old Italian import that resembles shuffleboard is played with bowling balls on a horseshoe on a 66-foot-long by 14-foot wide gravel court. Boccio is pronounced “botch” and probably was the inspiration for Rosemary Clooney’s “Botcha Me” song. They used to play Boccio here a long time ago. But smoke from the D&H engines obscured the players from their targets and the game went into limbo. Now, with the diesel engines, Boccio’s come back. Among the regular Boccio players are Samuel Sparaco, Benny Battista, Philip Colone, Harry Parker, Jacob Halter, Rudolph Hoyle, Dorman Ferguson, Alphonse Pizza, Myron Brazley, Glenn Simmons, Andrew Panko and Amos Stimpson.
August 1953
50 YEARS AGO
Women who once reached for their lipstick while their dates paid the restaurant bill might be as likely to reach for their money these days. Not so long ago, the rule was clear—the man invited the woman and paid the way, especially in the initial dating stages. But now dating is becoming more casual, and so are paying habits. The women’s liberation movement, the questioning of traditional social structures that began in the 1960s and the rising cost of an evening on the town have made the difference.
August 1973
40 YEARS AGO
An increased use of volunteers has helped Hartwick College gather $800,000 in contributions to its 1982-1983 annual fund, topping last year’s effort by $100,000. “The increased number of donors and increases in the size of gifts to Hartwick clearly reflect a spirit of confidence in the college and its future,” said Donald E. Brown, Hartwick vice-president for development. “The use of volunteers was probably the single biggest reason for our success.” Volunteer class agents and a phon-a-thon helped bring in $200,000 from alumni contributions alone.
August 1983
30 YEARS AGO
“Famous Contemporary Unitarian Universalists” is the title of a program June Edwards will present on Sunday at the Unitarian Universalist Church at 12 Ford Avenue. Her presentation will focus on present-day Unitarian Universalists and the contributions they are making to the church and to society. Chuck Hudson will present special music selections.
August 1993