Page 6 THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, April 8, 2022 Malden Today, Tomorrow and Yesterday – MHS Alumni Hall of Fame 2022 Michael Goldman (left) is shown during the Blizzard of 1978 with then-Governor Mike Dukakis. (Courtesy Photo) Law Offices of Terrence W. Kennedy 512 Broadway, Everett • Criminal Defense • Personal Injury • Medical Malpractice Tel: (617) 387-9809 Cell: (617) 308-8178 twkennedylaw@gmail.com By Peter F. Levine O n April 29, at 6 p.m., the Malden High School Alumni Association will be inducting into its Hall of Fame eight outstanding Malden High School graduates. They walked the same halls as you and me, had lunch at the same greasy spoons in the Square as you and me (Brigham’s, Jack in the Box, Signor Pizza) and probably studied at the same library across the street from the high school as we did, but it appears they studied a lot harder than us (insert smiley face). With that said, the Alumni Association requests your presence at Anthony’s of Malden to honor your amazing classmates. Please contact Camille Colantuoni at 781-632-1646 or email cmc5767@aol.com for ticket information. If you would like to place an advertisement in the program book, please feel free to contact Len Iovino at 781321-3568 or email him at lvi_ mps@yahoo.com or John Froio at 781-321-0339 or email him at jfroio38@verizon.net. I always felt that the Malden High School Alumni Hall of Fame was long overdue – that perhaps a disproportionate amount of attention was placed on the many fi ne athletes as opposed to the academics that have walked the celebrated halls of MHS. The Alumni Association does the (deity of your choice) work. They’ve toiled long and hard to create a space where all the math nerds, all the English wonks and all the talented brainiacs could be recognized for the hard work they’ve put into their scholastic life/personal careers. There are eight inductees this year. The committee did not have to search very far for worthy candidates. By the looks of this year’s inductees, they hit a buzzer-beater with no time left on the clock in game 7. A couple I know personally. A couple I don’t. Truth be told, I nominated Norman (Greenbaum) and Michael (Goldman). I know, those two were no-brainers, but inquisitive readers might be wondering aloud how on earth these two MHS superstar graduates didn’t make it in the inaugural class. Ronny (Cox) and Albert (Spadafora), frankly speaking, left me speechless. Don’t get me wrong. Not that I don’t think that they are Hall of Fame worthy – they are – but because they both fl y so low under the radar, never drawing attention to themselves. Well, maybe Ronny draws a little attention to himself but certainly not Albert (insert smiley face). Both have been in the Peter F. Levine Hall of Fame for like, forever; Ronny since about 1972 when he introduced himself to the young Devir Park ruffi ans as an Outreach worker as part of the Y Extension. His saintly presence and new-age hippie sense of himself endeared him even to the most grizzled Bandstand occupier of the time. I have called Albert a friend since about 1978. We would sit at the old bar at Anthony’s and watch his young son Craig run roughshod, like a bat out of hell, through the barroom. We’d also order up plates full of his brother Neal’s famous sausage and steak tip dinners and drink Miller High Lifes until closing time (or until Franny called and told Albert to get the expletive deleted home). It was during that time that I saw how generous, how thoughtful, how philanthropic Albert was (and a whole heck of a lot of fun to hang out with) – simultaneously disciplining young Craig, trying to corral Neal in, and entertaining a room full of his best and closest friends/barfl ies (insert yet another smiley face) – oh yeah, and keeping his saint MALDEN: TODAY| SEE PAGE 16
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