Verhovayak Lapja, 1954 (37. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)

1954 / Verhovay Journal

June 16, 1954.

The center of the ballroom was free of any obstacles, ready immediately for the entertainment to follow. WELCOME VERHOVAY signs were clearly visible. The Tournament Album, attractively done by Mrs. Julius Fodor, who publishes the Verhovay Journal and Verhovayak Lapja, had been placed on all the tables.

One of Bartal’s members sang several better numbers during the dinner. His rendition of “My Secret Love” brought an applause as audibly effective as a thunderclap. Mi. Bartal introduced a surprise female singer. She too was roundly applauded.

Thrilling sight as the diners enjoyed their food was the sudden dimming of all the lights, followed by a subdued continuous play ©f lighting producing a polka dot effect, the equally sudden lighting of the extra, size letters VFIA, high on the wall behind the musicians, and a kind of very clever cake walk ©Í many waiters carrying the dessert in illuminated containers.

Dinner over, Toastmaster I bos introduced Vice President Dr. Andrew Kovács, Chairman of the National Executive Tournament Committee. Dr. Kovács, reading the letter of Mayor Robert F. Wagner of New York, unable to be present because of a previous commitment, commented on the kind open house greeting of the Mayor to the Verhovaynas. The Vice President added his own wish for a happy week end to all.

Then the toastmaster introduced a director of the American Hungarian Federation.

At this point we wish to inform the readers that the overall introductions were made so fast, in order to keep the after dinner program brief, that a chronological order is hardly possible. All the introductions will be group-listed later in this article. Human error and not human design will be indictable if any names are omitted from among the many introductions.

Now the other toastmaster, Director Falussv, relieved Mr. Ibos. Toastmaster Falussy then introduced National President John Bencze. The popular Verhovay head expressed his personal satisfaction over the grand turnout of members in New York, and followed this by an inspiring message to his listeners.

Next Director Falussy called upon all the bowlers to rise for a bow. They did. The ovation was tremendous.

Speaking as' the personal representative of the Mayor, Commissioner James J. O’Brien recalled the many fine services of the Hungarians in New York, added a top compliment when he said: “We have one regret and that is that there are not more Hungarians here” (meaning in New York). MANY THANKS Commissioner.

Next introduction was the officers of the Rákóczi Aid Association. They were applauded roundly.

National Secretary Coloman Révész stepped forward to give a report on the Macker-Vizi New Membership Campaign, which came to a close with these Memorial Day ■week end festivities. The drive terminated most pleasingly with • two and one quarter million dollars in new certificates. Lion’s share of the credit for this huge success goes to our worthy field force and the branch managers, with due attention to the obvious fact that Vice President Julius Macker and Director Louis Vizi, in lending their names to the drive, imbued the campaign with their drawing and magnetic personal(Continued on page 8)

Verhovay Sports-Fraternal Meeting in New York Spectacular Event

(Continued from page 1) ball — to the vigorous applause of all.

Now came the last minute instructions to the teams from the Tournament Secretary, Ralph “Pop” Dillinger, very likeable man and one of Pittsburgh’s leading bowling experts.

10:12. Crash! Thud! Crash! as all the competing teams simultaneously speeded their balls down thq alleys. It was team against team, straining for strikes. This kind of terrific sports enthusiasm went on all day. As teams finished and other team?, arrived, the din of their reporting and predicting rivaled the roar of a 21-gun salute.

The score keepers—bless them for thei^i.a>'d work—sat in an anteroom. A windowed partition gave them a good view of the alleys to glance at the bowlers when they could.

When the second group of teams arrived, the house was so filled with spectators, Verhovayans and strangers, that an atmosphere of sardines in the can prevailed.

The uniforms of the bowlers, particularly when the going and coming teams greeted one another, presented a kind of Verhovay rainbow.

Director Albert Ibos, another New York City member of the Board of Directors and president of Branch 48, addressed the second wave of bowlers.

As a follow-up to the National President, little Andrew Konkoly, Jr., just 8, a Verhovay member of

course, and a sanctioned bowler, rolled the first ball of the second series, and rolled a good one at that ( to shame many of us oldsters!.

Now the collectiye fury - and thunder of many balls rushing and crushing the defenseless pins resounded through the air.

A dollar for, every picture taken this first bowling day by the Kodak enthusiasts would have netted the receiver a tidy sum, and the flashes of the cameras reminded one of those intriguing tiny creatures of God called fireflies, usually named lightning bugs by children.

The last bus leaving the Fitzsimmons Bowling Lanes that day of the team events reached Hotel Commodore at 4:18, giving ample time for its passengers to ready themselves for the Victory Dinner at six.

An interesting incident, instigated by the bowlers themselves, occurred as that last bus headed for the headquarters hotel through Brooklyn The bus stopped for a slow-changing traffic light at a corner where a group of young Brooklynites, nob one of them over fifteen, was playing Brooklyn’s favorite sports — baseball. Well, a few of our merry but indiscreet bowlers began taunting the) youngsters about the Dodgers — they’re Brooklyn’s big leaguers — and about their rape of the King’s English. With hate in their eyes, these boys began cussing and threatening-. They pelted the vehicle with stones and anything else that was

available for assaulting the bus.

MORAL: Don’t taunt the Brooklynites about their Dodgers lest your foolhardiness be regretted.

Singles and doubles was the bowling curriculum for Sunday. The playing concluded in the early evening.

Since in substance the Sunday story would be similar in detail to Saturday’s events, we say no more except that our Verhovay bowlers plunge rambunctiously into the team events but play the singles and doubles in quiet concentration.

THE VICTORY DINNER

The doors to the beautiful and spacious Grand Ballroom were open at six o’clock.

At 6:15 the officers of the Verhovay Fraternal Insurance Association and the officers of the Rákóczi Aid Association, with their wives and other fanyly members, marched in to the musical greeting of Jeno Bartal.

The two New York City Verhovay Djrectors, Aloysius C. Falussy and Albert Ibos, alternated as toastmasters of the evening-. Both gentlemen did a very praise-worthy job and fulfilled the promise of keeping the speaking program reasonably short, an achievement indeed.

First toastmaster was Director Ibos, beginning the program by greeting in the name of the New York General Tournament Committee the assembled Verhovayans and their guests. He followed by calling upon all to rise for the National Anthem.

Rev. Emery Slezak, Pastor of St. Stephen’s Roman Catholic Church, delivered the invocation.

Now was served the sumptuous dinner as Jeno Bartal and his famous orchestra supplemented with their musical cheer.

The seating arrangements were fine and there was no crowding.

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Verhovay Journal

BALLROOM SCENE AT NIGHT OF BUDAPEST DANCE

The crowded ballroom is pictured above factually only half of the ballrem is shown) as it looked during the night of Budapest Dance. Never have we Verhovayans had such a large crowd and never have we had a finer orchestra. Jeno Bartal’s music of every type satisfied every one of the over one thousand members and guests at this dance. Please note the electrically-lighted letters VFIA just above the stage. These letters “came to life" just as the ballroom lights were dimmed, when followed a parade of approximately 100 waiters doing a cake walk with illuminated trays which held delicious strawberry ice cream. Tears were shed, the occasion being so deeply touching.