Ann Corley celebrated her 90th birthday Nov. 18, carousing with friends at the Granite Link Golf Club in Quincy. Ann, a spirited woman, is a lifelong Mission Hill resident, who graduated from Mission High in 1945. She is a terrific lady and I enjoy conversing with Ann when I see her after Mass at Mission Church. Ann’s best friend, who she refers to as her “sister” is Ann Murphy.
Ann Murphy, also a Mission Hill woman, was married to the famous professional boxer, the late “Irish” Bob Murphy. Murphy, a middleweight, fought a few times on the nationally televised Friday Night Fights in the 1960s. Seventy-nine-year-old Jim McGonagle, a boxer from the Mission Hill project, remembers Irish Bob as a “great guy.” “When I would work out at the Friend Street Gym (in the North End) Irish Bob would stop by to say hello and give advice,” said McGonagle, while holding court at Mike’s Donuts.
God Bless Elaine Mullin who celebrated her 93rd birthday last week. Elaine is a Mission High School alumna, class of 1943. Being a close friend of the Mullin family, I have wonderful memories of visiting Elaine for a long vacation in 1970 at her Florida home.
Mission Hill headliner, Kevin Schlehuber, was the dinner guest of influential Randy Greenstein last week at the Empire Asian Restaurant in Boston. Greenstein is co-owner of “Big Night Entertainment.” Perhaps something could be brewing for the dapper Schlehuber, a former star basketball player at Mission High, who was a favorite on the reality television show, “Big Brother.”
My friend, Donna Antonios, always looking good, is looking great these days, having shed some poundage. Donna hasn’t been this thin since she hung around the “Ledge,” Mission Hill’s popular drinking site some years back.
Last month, a terrific event was held on “Senior Celtics Day” at Mission Park, featuring former Boston Celtic, Tom “Satch” Sanders and current Celtic player, Aron Baynes. Both were wonderful, mingling with the Mission Hill senior citizens. Also representing the team was Celtics mascot, “Lucky the Leprechaun,” who displayed his agility at the packed Mission Park gymnasium. A tip of the hat to Laura Adams and Roxbury Tenants of Harvard for organizing the affair and thanks to the New England Baptist Hospital for sponsoring the event.
Good luck to Patrick McAlyn, a noble Irishman, who has been living in our fine city for two years but this week he’ll be going back to Ireland. Patrick has been tending bar at Flann O’Brien’s since his arrival. Patrick, a young man who has aspirations of becoming an airplane pilot, has a joyous personality and I’ll miss him.
Flann’s is a fine tavern but for Irish music I walk over the Hill to Brendan Behan’s Pub in Hyde Square. Brendan’s has the Irish music every Saturday and local bartender, Mike Condon, serves drinks with a smile.