By Maurice ‘Mossy’ Martin
With a brisk chill in the air Mission Hill Post 327 members and a hearty group of partisans gathered at Brigham Circle to celebrate our veterans on Nov.11.
Our Post Commander, Col. George Rollins, presided over the terrific event. Councilor Sharon Durkan gave a nice patriotic oration. Sharon, who represents Mission Hill, has several family members who served in the military.
Our famous M.H. Post member Brigadier General Woody Woodhouse was not at the proceedings. Woody was in Germany at a ceremony honoring the Holocaust victims and other World War II-related events. Woody was also among the VIPs who attended the Colts – Falcons NFL game at Olympic Stadium in Berlin.
It was nice seeing our State Rep. Chynah Tyler at the event, and thanks to Maria from Mike’s Donuts for providing the much-needed hot coffee and donuts.
The Holiday Arts and Crafts Show will take place on Dec. 5, 12, and 19 from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. in the lobby at One Brigham Place (next to Stop & Shop).
Neighborhood Housing Services will be sponsoring the Mission Hill Artist Collective, which will be selling unique handcrafted creations, such as sea glass, jewelry, crystals, and small works of visual art, etc.
Thanks to Mairead Murphy for inviting me and my brother, Dan, to a nice lunch last week at The Tavern Around the World in Charlestown. Mairead, whose pretty smiling face can prompt a grin from the grumpy, is my favorite bartender at Brendan Behan’s in J.P. Paul Griffin, who previously tended bar at Flann O’ Brien’s in Mission Hill and is now the manager at The Tavern Around the World. It was good to see him again, too.
Dan Martin and Joe Gillis competed in the Albany Open Handball Tournament at the Colonial Court Club last week. Dan, who is 81, played well but was eliminated in the first round.
At this writing, Gillis, a former Mission Hill Softball League star, and his teammate had advanced to the finals in the doubles competition.
Beloved Walter Earley, a Boston policeman from Mission Hill, was the best local handballer. Walter, a World War 11 veteran, won the 1962 Boston YMCA Handball Championship. A plaque hung on the wall at the Huntington Ave. YMCA for decades commemorating Walter’s win.
Some famous men, including Abraham Lincoln, have partaken in the tough game of handball, then called ‘Fives’ because of the open handed strike. Honest Abe started playing between two vacant brick walls in Springfield, Ill., shortly before the 1860 Republican National Convention.
There is now a dandy photo of the last Killilea Club 1979 championship football team displayed in Mike’s Donuts.
The classic picture was taken at Casey Town Field where Killilea defeated the North End Raiders, 14-12, for the title. I was the left end on the team, and we were staggered early by a long touchdown pass.
We trailed 6-0 seemingly forever until rugged fullback John Breen crossed the goal line in the fourth quarter. Mike Shea caught the two-point conversion from QB Eddie Gillis to give Killilea the lead that we never relinquished.
Jimmy O’Neill, a fine offensive lineman, was the oldest player on the team and now has the distinction of being the only player to play on both the first and last championship teams.
The initial title team in 1966, which yielded zero points, was called the St. Alphonsus Club. The team changed its name in honor of beloved Franny Killilea who was killed in Vietnam in May of 1966.
Mission Hill lost a wonderful woman last month when Susan (Anderson) Flynn unexpectedly passed away. Susan, a homeowner on Hillside Street for many years, loved her neighborhood and her church. I saw Susan infrequently the last few years but when we crossed paths she would always greet me with a hearty embrace. R.I.P. Susan and donations in her memory may be made to Mission Church. .
I was saddened to hear of the passing of John Clarke, who grew up at Alton Court in the Mission Hill project.
John, my 1967 Mission High classmate, was a basketball legend at the Tobin Court Summer Basketball League. Crowds would congregate upon the project roof to get a bird’s eye view of Clarke engaging in roundball battle against the great Johnny White.
John, who lived in Worcester, leaves his wife of 47 years, Rose (Ajoian), and sons Brian Clarke and Michael Clarke.
Donations in John’s memory may be made to the American Cancer Society.
The City of Boston’s annual Enchanted Trolley Tour will arrive at Brigham Circle last Saturday, at 3:45 p.m. It’s a merry way to spring into the season with events, including holiday music, a tree lighting, and a chance to meet Santa Claus.
As a kid I didn’t believe in Santa.
I was a Rebel without a Claus.
Maurice can be reached at mossymartin2@gmail.com