Hot Ice

Hey Jesse,

I watched highlights of the Pens victory last night. (Missed the game because I had to be at a jazz gig.) At the (Paris) Great Canadian Bar we'll watch the final. Over here it airs live from 1 am till 5.

I attended a few Penguin games in the late 70's, early 80's. The era of mass bloodshed. The open secret back then: Pen's owners, the Dibartolo family, Youngstown mobsters, laundering money into legitimate enterprises. I took you to the Arena. The game was tedious. Lemieux was double teamed. It was the fans who put on a show. An elderly couple sitting behind us. Granny screams, "Kill him. Knock his head off ". Gramps: "Club the son-of-a-bitch".

Better action than Chilly Billy Cardille narrating Channel 11, Saturday night Ring Side Wrestling show featuring numbers bookey,Vaudevillian referee, Izzy Moidel of the Lower Hill. We chanced to be kid fans in the time of a rare, true skilled, federation champion, East Liberty's immigrant hero, Bruno Samartino. Bruno and his younger brother, Antonio, thrilled us kids as we were allowed to watch, we flocked, as they worked out true gymnastics forms in the gym of the Shadyside Boys' Club. Bruno and his brother briefly lived in my notorious, wonderful society, Pierce Street. Both immigrated to Pierce Street in 1960, working, laying concrete. Bruno's brother had a habit of leaving his 1956 blue Chevy Comanche pick-up truck unlocked over night, sometimes with the keys in the ignition. He parked it in the alley, Tay Way. After midnight me and playmate Louie Conti would hop in the truck, turn on the Delco A M and bounce up 'n down to Motown hits broadcast on KQV on the late night Hal Murray show. On one such late night, raining- cats-'n- dogs, Antonio caught us in the act. We nearly shit ourselves in fear. "Tony" opened the door. In a soft, gentle tone of voice, showing a slight grin, he said, "It's O.K., don't be a scared. I no mad at a you boys. I did a the same in my village. But please, no more, huh". We never did it again.

Like Roberto Clemente, Willie Stargell and Mario Lemieux, Bruno Samartino dignified a sport, was indeed a champion. He opened his heart to Pittsburgh, gifting us something to crow about, when in those days, our neighborhood, the city and the region was looked upon as the armpit of the north, Piksburg, Western Pennsyltucky.

My fondest memory of Bruno? A hot, humid, early evening of a dog day in August. It must have been six o'clock because our moms, on schedule, yelling from the row house porches, calling us inside for dinner. We spotted Bruno walking down the street, tired and dirty after eight hours of laying concrete. He wore a sleeveless tee, soaked and stained with sweat and two-in-one mix. A gang of us danced around him. Paul Cody asked, "Bruno, how many of us can you lift at one time". Before he could get a word out we all clamored,:"Please Bruno, lift us up, please, please, please". One of the moms yelled out " Leave that man alone. Behave yourselves." Bruno smiled away a sigh. As the littler tykes wrapped onto his thighs, he lifted six of us, on his bull shoulders, in his mighty howitzer arms. Chub boat Stevie Lowenberg hanging from his neck.The man's soft brown eyes, boyish smile, so careful not to drop us. For a change, we could tell everybody in the world what happened - no exaggeration. We bragged about it for years. Some folks didn't believe our fantastic story. Still don't. Shame, nobody had a camera. Pen 'n paper for his autograph. That's alright.

Flyers defense man Battleship Kelly, in a pregame interview: " We play tough hockey. If I happen to injure Lemieux that's his fault". He would injure Lemieux with a horrific behind-the-back assault. Plus, the Arena organist played stupid jingles to keep the fans from complete boredom. At 10 years old you were not impressed.

In '86 I watched team Russia take the ice against the Flyers, It was sports diplomacy, a special tour aimed at easing President Reagan's urge to nuke the Soviet Union. They would nuke us in return. Super Bombs. In less than one minute the Russian coach pulled his team off the ice, into the locker room, because Kelly and company came out fouling with the first face off. Back then,most NHL players couldn't skate as good as the Europeans. So, I nixed the NHL as it degenerated into 3 period brawls. I followed international teams, Czechoslovakia, Sweden, Finland, Russia,Canada. and yes, the Lemieux led Pens. Mario was the Pens! He skated through major injuries for 17 seasons. Class! Things did change finally. The turn came in 1980 with the under dog U.S. Olympic team beating a better Russian team for the gold.

I hope it's a Pennsylvania derby. I'd love to see the Pens knock out the Flyers. Crosby, Malkin, Malone... Fleury and the defense! They're fit to take the cup. Lemieux's gotta be so happy.Following the Pens fend off their rivals: Hot Ice. Now that's Hockey!

When you come to Paris, your little brother Marius wants the 3 of us to see a Paris pro team soccer match. He's never forgotten when you took him to a Pirate's game. And the Buccos won! The young son, little brother, will be so happy, proud to host his big brother, his dad. He'll surely tell us a lot about soccer, his team, Paris St. Germain. You can recount the Penguins winning the Stanley Cup. Me, I'm gonna brag on Bruno.