By Maurice ‘Mossy’ Martin
The annual Mission Hill Veterans Post Golf Fundraiser will be held Saturday, Sept. 20 (please note: the wrong date was published in last month’s column), at Norwood Country Club.
For $125 per guest, a terrific dinner will be served after playing the 18 holes. A $500 gift card will be awarded for a hole in one on any par three hole and $15,000 for a hole in one on the seventh hole.
For more information, contact Commander, Col. George Rollins at 703-209-2124, or to make a donation, make a check to Mission Hill Post 327 and mail to Col. George Rollins, 15 Kelley Road, Wilmington, MA, 01887.
Happy birthday (Aug. 11 ) to Jose Diaz, a terrific Boston Policeman out of District 2 who likes to stop in Mike’s Donuts for his coffee and a hearty hello to the boys.
Eight years ago Jose made headlines for an unusual arrest when he was working in South Boston. Jose entered Dunkin’ Donuts at Andrew Square seconds after an armed robber ordered the workers to empty the cash register. Jose heard the commotion and quickly corralled the hoodlum.
Paul Thorton, from Mission Hill passed away June 26, following a courageous battle with cancer. Paul, upon graduating from Mission High in 1968 served in the U.S. Army.
Paul was soft spoken, and I never heard him say a bad word about anyone. He leaves his loving wife Patricia (Cardillo) and their son Matthew.
In his younger years, Paul loved softball, and he was the player-coach for the Mission Hill Post team in the M.H. Softball League. Paul was a cagey right fielder, and after the games, I enjoyed bellying up with him for a few thirst quenching beers at the Post to rehash the games. He was such a nice man.
Donations in Paul’s memory may be made to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
I was reminiscing with a few friends recently about the fun days of the Mission Hill Softball League. We chatted about the Owl’s Nest pitcher, Danny Murphy, who during one game utilized the unconventional strategy of talking to the softball after each batter.
Danny was a favorite of the McLaughlin Park fans. He took the cue from zany Detroit Tigers pitcher Mark ‘The Bird’ Fydrich who, at that time in 1976, was having a spectacular rookie season and would talk to the baseball while strutting around the pitcher’s mound.
Incidentally, McLaughlin Park is named after Lt. Joe D. McLaughlin, a hero who lost his life in World War II. Joe lived on Calumet Street and graduated in 1936 from Mission High, where he was a great football player.
Joe was so revered as a young man that the little kids waited for him to carry his helmet after football practice. McLaughlin later graduated from Boston College, after which he joined the Navy. Lt. McLaughlin served on a PT boat and died in action.
McLaughlin Park was constructed in 1931 and named in honor of this great man in 1950.
Happy birthday (Aug. 3) to Mary Ann Nelson, executive director of Mission Hill Health Movement.
Mary Ann, whose office is at 1534 Tremont St., is a busy woman who helps run our Farmers Market and she also organizes the Mission Hill Health Fairs, among her many chores.
Frank Baker, an at-large candidate for Boston City Council, hosted a compelling meet and greet gathering at Mike’s Donuts last week. Frank’s emphasis was on constituent services, and several Mission Hill business owners spoke about their concerns.
Baker, a lifetime Bostonian, previously was a District City Councilor who represented Dorchester and parts of South Boston.
Father Philip Dabney also joined our discussion, and he and candidate Baker exchanged some pleasantries.
I love chatting with Father Dabney and after the politics I complimented him on his last writing in the Sunday Basilica Bulletin.
Father Dabney quoted Mark Twain who never turned a page of the New Testament. Said Twain: “That is one of those books you hope everybody else reads.”
Frank Baker will be at The Laughing Monk (Brigham Circle) for another meet-and-greet session Aug. 6.
Happy birthday (Aug. 18) to Jim McGonagle, a former Mission Hill boxing great. Jim, who grew up in the project at Tobin Court, had dozens of fights at the Boston Garden and the old Boston Arena.
At age 87 Jim still looks fit as a fiddle.
Maurice can be reached at [email protected].