HOMETOWN HISTORY, August 9, 2013

125 Years Ago
The Local News: Work has commenced upon the piers for the new iron bridge across the Susquehanna at this place. The bridge will be straightened by carrying the south end several feet beyond the present abutment. The completion of the structure will be a cause of congratulation to south side property owners.
The street car line now awaits the cars only, three of which have been ordered and notice of shipment was received some days since. The First Baptist Sunday School, we learn, will celebrate the opening of the road with a “grand excursion,” at which lots of fun is promised.
August 1888

100 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. Reports were made by a committee which has been considering feasible locations, and by a second committee which has been ascertaining the sentiment among men of the city most likely to be interested in such a project. The committee upon sites is composed of H.H. Buckley, George R. Baird, Hon. Chas. Smith, and W.W. Capron. Sites considered by the committee are the farms of J.S. Bull at Oneonta Plains, C.E. Heald and Edward Young at Emmons, Cliffside of J.G. Hoyt on Goodyear Lake, Otsego Park near Laurens, the John Moffat property on Lower Chestnut and of the Wilcox Brothers on River Street. The Bull farm is considered about the right distance from the city. The grounds are suitable for a nine-hole golf course, at a minimum expense, with land available for a full 18-hole course later, if desired. Upon the bluff between the buildings of Mr. Bull and the grove is an attractive site for a club house with grounds adjoining for tennis courts.
August 1913

80 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

60 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

40 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

30 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

20 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. Edwards is a professor emeritus at SUCO.
August 1993