Verhovayak Lapja, 1954 (37. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1954 / Verhovay Journal
VOL. XXXVII. JUNE 16, 1954. NUMBER 6. JOHN BENCZE STARTS TOURNAMENT ON ITS WAY National President John Bencze is seen just as he threw the first ball down the alleys to officially open the lltih Annual Verhovay National Ten Pin Bowling Tournament. Bowling is an old-time sport for our National President; in his younger days he was a hard man to beat. His earlier years as a good bowler no doubt contribute to his pride in our program of bowling as Verhovay’s national sports endeavor. We recognized a few of the Branch 296, Springdale, Pa. bowlers just behind Mr. Bencze: Steve Üveges, George Charles and Branch Manager Edward Mattié. OFFICIAL STATEMENT The Rákóczi Aid Association of Bridgeport, Conn., and the Verhovay Fraternal Insurance Association of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania jointly announce that they have reached an agreement to merge. Acting in the best interest of their members, the two societies met to discuss the proposed merger. Each society during the past year delegated three of its board members and two of its national officers to form a Merger Committee. This committee met three times and guided by a true fraternal spirit were able to agree on the proposed merger. The respective Boards of Directors have unanimously accepted the agreement and the age old dream of unity among American-Hungarians comes closer to reality. In all discussions concerning the merger it has been the earnest desire to see that the rights of members and officers be protected and in no way whatsoever infringed upon. The two Associations, representing the oldest Hungarian fraternal societies in America, will hold conventions simultaneously in 1955. Should both conventions adopt the resolution to merge and should the respective Insurance Departments approve, the merger would then become a reality. May 30th, 1954 New York, N.Y. RÁKÓCZI AID ASSOCIATION VERHOVAY FRATERNAL INSURANCE ASSOCIATION Albert Kocsis, President Joseph Vasas, Secretary .Stephen Bencze, Director Ladislaus Fishbein, Director Alexander Moldovany, Director John Bencze. President Coloman Revesz, Secretary Aloysius Falussy, Director Julius Macker, Vice Pres., Director Joseph Turner, Director Verhovay Sports-Fraternal Meeting in New York Spectacular Event Macker-Vizi Membership Drive Highly Fruitful Another truly great occasion in the history of the Verhovay Fraternal Insurance Assication has passed from actuality to memory. It was the 11th Annual National Verhovay Bowling Tournament and 1954 National Verhovay Fellowship Days, this year additionally named Eastern Verhovay Recognition Days. This superlative pageant took place May 29—30 in New York, metropolis of the world where the economic and social strata can be numbered in more laminations than the layers of the famed Hungarian “mokka torta.” It was the 11th Annual National Verhovay Bowling Tournament — for the past so many years the yearly national Verhovay get-together of the members vieing friendlily against one another in their favorite sport— BOWLING. It was 1954 National Verhovay Fellowship Days — by far the supreme social expression of dynamic Verhovay Fratemalism. It was Eastern Verhovay Recognition Days — in special honor of our fine Verhovay brethren in the East, one of the populous areas of our membership. There is a popular radio and television program in which the principal, a sleuth, impatiently asks, when posing questions, for “the facts and nothing but the facts.” We’ll take our cue from him by ceasing the philosophizing and relating the facts anent Verhovay in New York City, May 29—30, 1954. BEFORE THE FORMALITIES They, bowlers, other members and guests, traveled in groups, parties or individually,. by train, bus, private motor cars — even airplanes. Those who chartered conveyances found convenience and the fun of gregariousness. Teams, especially, liked the chartered method of transportation. A Greyhound bus was chartered by a sizeable contingent of Home Office employees and others. (A special article on this particular bus trip appears elsewhere in this issue.) The arrivals were but a trickle at first. Later, however, the Verhovay registration desk in Room “A” on the Ballroom floor, very ably handled by the members of both the National Executive Tournament Committee and the New York General Tournament Committee, while Marge Nemeth, loveable publicity agent of Branch 48 doing yeoman’s service, was faced with a continuous flow of registrants. The New York Convention Bureau aided. By early Friday evening it was like “old home coming” as Verhovayans greeted one another in the lobby of Hotel Commodore, located in Manhattan, the hub of fabulous New York, city of many contrasts. Verhovayans, more literally than figuratively, were taking over one of Gotham’s most beautiful hotels. THE BOWLING To the bowlers themselves the scores tell a far more revealing story than words and descriptions, but, we know, a nutshell account will interest the readers. Of course the complete bowling scores appear in this issue. Promptly at eight thirty the morning of May 29, the first group of Keglers, scheduled to begin the bowling at ten o’clock, left Hotel Commodore for the Freddie Fitzsimmons Bowling Lanes, a big establishment boasting 40 alleys. This bowlers’ paradise • is within seeing distance, or a stone’s throw, of famous Ebbets Field, site of the big league baseball games in Brooklyn, home of ,the proud Dodgers. Ted Gardner, affable owner of the lanes, emphasized that Verhovay was fortunate that its tourney was not taking place during any games at Ebbetts Field, fop at such times the traffic there creates a major problem and would have interfered with the schedules of our chartered buses. It may be mentioned here that the chartered bus service to and from the bowling alleys, for the bowlers and for the spectators, was quite satisfactory, the schedules adhered to fairly well. Not only was this of paramount convenience but the route of the trips, taking from a half hour to forty-five minutes, by coincidence provided the bus riders with some sight-seeing as they headed for their destination through parts of the Bowery, Chinatown and Brooklyn. Returning to the first bus load of keglers, it was quite amusing, if a trifle hard on the sensitive eardrums, to hear the stentorian chitchat and raucous laughter, men and women alike. Oh yes, one of the bowlers, the first to be noted among the many amateur photographers, pictorially recorded the merry bus scene. The tournament and the social program gave all the camera-toting members a field day in their commendable diversion. A few minutes before tournament time, National Auditor John Sabo, Tournament Administrator, called for National President John Bencze to get ready to roll the first ball at Alley 28, this rolling of the first ball being the tournament prerogative of the National President. The official photographer stood at a vantage point to take the pi&ure. At exactly ten and with the recorded playing of the National Anthem over the public address system, the 11th Annual National Verhovay Bowling Tournament was officially opened by Tournament Administrator Sabo, who warmly greeted the assembled bowlers and the many spectators. Next came the welcome words of Director Aloysius C. Falussy of New York City, who thereupon introduced the following speaker. A hearty well-wishing came from the Commissioner of Nationalities • of New York, Michel Cieplinski. who represented the Mayor of New York. Then National President Bencze rolled the first ball — and a second (Continued on page 2)