Frederick J. Nachman
In my younger days, when restaurants, hotels and various establishments featured personalized ashtrays for smoking patrons, I swiped as many as I could. My mother, aleha ha-shalom, soon assisted my efforts, both snatching ashtrays across the U.S and Europe and putting my loot in her bag.
Our efforts yielded at least two medium-sized plastic receptacles, filled to the top with all forms of plastic, glass and ceramic treasures. A few were arrayed around the house for decorative purposes. The move from a house on the North Shore to a condominium on Lake Shore Drive caused the deaccessioning, so to speak, of items including baseball cards, the Pittsburgh Pirates commemorative Louisville Slugger from the 1960 World Series (don’t know where they went) and ashtrays. I kept a few, two of which seemingly transcend the holding of cigarette ashes and butts.
I attended Camp Nebagamon in Lake Nebagamon, Wisconsin, from 1959 to 1964. The town of about 350 people (now about 1,120) included the Lake Nebagamon Auditorium, the summer home of the Tamburitzins, the oldest multicultural song-and dance troupe in the United States; Dairy Queen; Whitey’s, a food stand known for the Whitey Burger; two bars, a laundromat; and Robutz, a lunch counter and “Gifts & Sundries” establishment.
Campers were issued Camp Nebagamon checks, with a spending limit of 30 cents (about $4.00 today) per check. Dairy Queen, Whitey’s and Robutz accepted the checks, which we used on Tuesdays – Cruisier Days – when regular camp activities were suspended. During my last year, we were permitted to go into town (3 block walk) at night. A milkshake was 30 cents, which also bought a pocketful of candy. I’ve displayed the ashtray some 60 years later on Nebagamon Zoom call sessions.
My first trip to New York City without family was in April 1968 with two Lehigh University classmates, a seeming initiation into adulthood. What a weekend it was! My first game at Yankee Stadium – Denny McLain blanked the Yankees for his second win of his 31-win season – and first bar hops, as the drinking age in New York State was 18. Our post-game stop was Lindy’s, the emporium at Broadway and W. 51st Street known for its cheesecake. Seated at the bar, we watched the bartender pour the two beers on tap, Michelob (a premium beer back then) and Rheingold, following orders shouted by passing waiters.
Before long, we noticed the bartender would fill a Michelob order about two-thirds full of Rheingold, then top it off with Michelob. Loudly pointing this out only garnered a snarl from the bartender, who continued with his shenanigans. The previous night had been spent knocking back 15-cent tap beers at a dive bar in Rye, watching Jimmy Ellis defeat Jerry Quarry in the final elimination round to fill the vacant WBA Heavyweight title.
Two pieces of plastics, some of the best days of my life!
