Verhovayak Lapja, 1943. január-június (26. évfolyam, 1-25. szám)
1943-03-11 / 10. szám
Page 2 VERHOVAY SPORTSMEN of BRANCH 164 ------------------ CHICAGO, ILLINOIS -----------------——---------------------------—Verhovayak Lapja March 11, 1943 Dearborn chatter Years ago, in the good old peace days, all I had to do was record the sport activities oi Branch 164 and also record our social gatherings which were always on the merry side oi life. Now, a war for all peoples’ freedom and equality, has changed very many things in life and, naturally, it has influenced this girl reporter. It is a very duty for me to say a last farewall to Bill Toth, one of our Chicago Hungarian American heroes of the New Guinia battlefront. While not a member of ours, he was well liked by the old sportsmen of 164. He and his team where out most gallant opponents on the sport field. Bill Toth and our own Frank Feifar were not only friends, but “buddies” from the time, many months ago, a big transport left the U. S. shores. They drilled together in Australia for the battlefront, they fought together against the Japs but faith took Bill Toth away from us forever. We will miss you, Bill Toth, when the lights go on again all over the world and when our boys throw their deadly weapons away and fight again the American way on the battle field of sports. As I am informed, Bill Toth, in your childhood days, you once belonged to 164 and to show our most sincere respect and sympathy to your family, we fly our Verhovay flag at halfmast. May you Rest in Peace. At home, death took one of our best bowlers away from us late in January. We mourn Branch 164 member, John Csonka Sr., the good fellow, the sportsman, the man who would never give up. Our bowlers and our members in general, will remember John Csonka for years to come. A nearly fatal accident put Andy Janovich, captain of our old bowling team, in the hospital for many weeks to come. Andy fell three stories down at work and only his fighting spirit kept him alive. We know and hope that the near future will bring Andy back to us well, as we have many big things in store for him; things only Andy knows and will do for the sportsmen of Branch 164. The Army has called a few more of our members into service. Joe Ardella is with the Coast Guard somewhere up north. Arthur Irocky entered the Air Corps and the Army claimed Emery Kalman. This, perhaps,' is a good time to tell many of my friends that my kid brother, Steve Kutska, started his Army life, last month, on his nineteenth birthday. May the best of luck stay with you boys. LETTERS FROM OUR LADS A delayed V-mail letter is in front of me and I’d like to quote a few lines: “Dear Members, Thank you for the package. I centainly appreciate " your thoughfulness. The cookies really hit the spot. Everything was swell. Am looking forward to the day I can see you all again. Especially those Hungarian Dances. Sorry I can’t mention anything about this place or even the weather, so you can see there is nothing to write about. And Old Lodge Member, signed JULIUS S. JONES”. That letter came from the Fostmaster in New York. I also received a letter from Theodore Feifar who is with the Army Air Force. The letter is written in Hungarian and I will not quote from it at this time. Atlantic City, New Jersey is the place our next letter originated. “Dear Marge, Weel, I finally have time to write you a letter. Everything is very nice and the Atlantic Ocean is only a block away. I really did not expect to get in this branch of the service but here I am in the Air Corps. Will you be kind enough to thank the Verhovay for their gift which I appreciate. Yours truly, signed: Pvt. ARTHUR R. IROCKY” A post card is here from a young man we all used to know as “Matt”. While not a Verhovay member, he played two seasons with our softball team. Matt is in a War Training School in Walla Walla, Washington and wishes me to say “Hello” to the gang for him. VISITORS Some of us had the pleasure meeting Member James Kolozy home on furlough. At present, James is stationed at South Plains Army Fly Field in Lubbock, Texas, and has received his Glider Diploma. Bfondie Balogh, now Mrs. Leiner, came home to visit her folks from Maryland. Some of these days, I will mail Blondie my phone number, which I, and we all hope, she will use on her next visit home. I don't know how but Steve Tarnoczy always manages to jump home for a few days. Corporal Tarnoczy’s latest jump was made from the state of Virginia, and that’s some jump. I’m looking forward with interest to Frankie Kantor’s furlough, which will take place sometime in March unless the War Department decides differently. In my last article I bid goodbye to Ernie Kunstadt Jr. A week or two later, I had the pleasure of running a very successful Baby Shower for his wife, my pal, Ollie Kunstadt. Now, I have the pleasure of announcing to all my readers, the birth of Ernest the Third, a strong and husky lad. Ernie Jr., the new dad, is at Maxwell Field, Alabama and is one of the proudest future aviators in Uncle Sam’s Army. He didn’t have a chance to see the little noismaker, as he affectionately calls him, but several well-taken pictures made by our own Joe Irocky, temporarily must suffice his curiosity about his son. There is just one incident in the youngest Kunstadt’s life I’d like to mention. Two days after the baby’s birth a letter of congratulations arrived to the young mother signed by all members of Ernie’s company with enough money enclosed to buy Ernest Ill’s first War Bond. I have another announcement to make about a new baby to be born in the near future to a young lady whom I will just call “Blondie”. She was a member of our ladies bowling team that beat the famous South Bend bowling team. Her husband is classified in 1-A and is waiting for his call any day now. ACTIVITIES We had many activities with War Bond sales in the near past. The Victory Counsel organized by some of our Northside Hungarian societies had a Bond rally with a supper connected and attended by many of our members. The supper netted over $5,000.00 in Bonds. The War Bond Concert run by the Hungarian Group of the Chicago Cook County War Savings Clujj netted nearly $200,000.00 in Bonds. Branches 96, 164 and 342 took very active part in the success of the concert. Incidentally, I am informed, the results of both rallies were credited to the Hungarian Committee. ^ The Valentine Dance by Branch 96 was attended by a group 'of our members headed by our Entertainment Chairman Zävatkay, who also officially represented Branch 164 at the Bowlers Dance of Branch 342. As for us, our next social gathering will be the first Friday on May, 7th, in the form of a Card and Bunco Party. You will hear more about this in the next issue. Members with birthdays in March and April celebrated their birthdays at our regular March meeting. Entertainment Chairman Zavatkay has asked me to urge all our members to join the Social Club of our Branch. For further information, see Mike Zavatkay at the next meeting. Our Income Tax must be paid this month, but let’s pay it with a smile, and keep right on buying War Stamps and Bonds. Just me, MARGARET STANGRET, Publicity Agent, 1427 So. Sawyer Ave. Chicago, 111.---------------v---------------WRONG IDEA An enthusiastic supporter of the local football team arrived at the ground one day and saw a load of bricks there. He approached the club secretary and asked: “Wouldn’t half-b ricks have been better?” “Half-bricks?” replied the secretary. “We couldn’t build a pavilion with halfbricks.” “Oh, are they for a pavilion. I thought they were for the referee.” This above all: to thine own self be true, And it must follow, as the night the day, Thou canst not then be false to any man. Shakespeare March, the first month of spring, rushed in like a lion, and from the looks of things, cold weather is here to stay, indefinitely. The February meeting of Branch 429, was indeed a great success and very interesting, thanks to all the members present. John Fisher, our president, suggested that we have a jack-pot, whereby members would buy tickets and at the close of the meeting, a drawing would be held, winner getting half of the amount in the jack-pot, and the branch keeping the other half. In this way we would be adding to our treasury. All the members thought this a good idea, so it was put into effect, and much to our surprise, we raised the unbelievable sum of $5.75. Ethel Koy was the lucky person, who walked off with the prize. After the meeting, a card party was held, and this, too, was very successful, so successful in fact, that some of the members didnt even want to go home, after it was all over with. A swell time was had by all, and we are looking forward to many more Verhovay meetings. Many thanks to Mrs. Genny Fisher and Mrs. Jolán Lucas, for donating the prizes for the card party. A Farewell Party, was given Helen Zakar, our WAAC to be, by the Girls Bowling team, which consists of Ethel Koy, Mary Raffee, Mrs. Jolán Lucas, Helen Kastura and yours truly, and I must say, we really did the town. We started off by having dinner at the Russian Bear, where we had caviar, borsch and Russian Cream, (not to mention the roast chicken and duck we devoured), and where we listened to soft balalaika music. During the course of the meal, Helen was presented with a beautiful corsage of red, white and blue. After dinner the girls decided they’d like to go and listen to some good Hungarian hallgatós, so to the Hungarian Village, it was for us. Listening to the music, brought back many pleasant and unforgettable memories of the days (I should say nights) I spent in Budapest, for it was there that I really learned to appreciate Hungarian music. Many were the nights, the group would go into the garden at the Metropole, and spend hours just listening to the music. “Csak egy kis lány” seemed to be the favorite of all, Number 1 on our hit parade. But now we don’t even dare to think of what’s going on there, in Hungary. We all have beautiful memories of our sojourn in Hungary, and that is something they can’t take from us. But to continue on, while at the Hungarian Village, we noticed a very distinguished looking woman, sitting across from us, so we asked our waiter, who she was, and he replied that she was the Countess Rozanska, so we even rubbed elbows (so to speak) with royalty, that evening. We finally ended up at George’s Coney Island, and that was the end of a perfect evening. Helen left, last month, from the Union Station, and I was there to see her off. Parting, in this case was deep sorrow, because Helen is a dear friend of mine, but I am proud of her, and am looking forward to the day when she will again, be with us. “FLASHES” Mr. and Mrs. A1 Bercheny announce the birth of a son, Anthony; Mr. and Mrs. Ronald McGee (Cecilia Herman) are also the proud parents of a baby boy. Congratulations to them! May Kuritar, spent a weekend, visiting friends and relatives in Richmond, Indiana. Mary Raffee, went East last week, stopping off at Scranton, Pa. to visit her uncle and friends, and continuing on to New York City, where she plans to spend a few days. WELCOME — Mary and Julius Szalay into our branch. Hope to see you soon at one of our meetings. I leave a thought with you, remember the boy in uniform, and let’s do our utmost to keep up their morale, write often, and buy bonds and stamps. Until next month, I remain, Fraternally, MARIE GALLOVICH. THE MAIL-BOX Station Hospital Camp Wolters, Texas February 9, 1942 Mrs. JOLÁN LUCAS 2522 Carson St. Detroit, Mich. Dear Jolán: Received your very short note of the 1st, and was surprised to hear from you. I was wondering if you folks had forgotten I existed by this time. Well, my army career was a very short lived one, its now practically at an end. They discovered that I had faulty vision, so they confined me to the hospital on Jan. 27th, to have this corrected. However, much to my regret, this was impossible — so I am forced to accept the next most radical alternative — a discharge. I’ve argued strongly against it, but the findings of the medical officers were too great an obstacle, so I’m admitting defeat. I appeared before the discharge board last week, so it’s only a matter of weeks and I’ll once again be a civilian. I can say that I received the best training offered by any branch of the service; so it wasn’t exactly time wasted. I’ve turned in all my clothes and equipment; so as soon as my papers come through, I can take off. I can’t help but feel regret, but I guess I’ll just have to take it on the chin. Till we meet again, Sincerely yours, A Disgusted Soldier ANDY BOONIE.
