Page 6 THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, June 7, 2024 ~ Malden Musings ~ Amerige Park’s Cliff Cioffi By Peter Levine I 50 t is said in “Malden Musings”... Amerige Park’s Cliff CiofEastern Bank Building on Rte. 1S 605 Broadway, #301 * Saugus (781) 233-6844 www.bostonnorthdental.com Dr. Priti Amlani Dr. Bhavisha Patel * Restorative Dentistry * Cosmetic Dentistry * Implant Restoration * Zoom Whitening * Teeth in a Day - All on 6 * Invisalign * CEREC Crowns (Single Visit Crowns) * Root Canal Treatment * Sedation Dentistry ~ Full Mouth Rehabilitation ~ Before After fi – can we talk about his impact on a generation of Maldonians? Without him even knowing it no less!? First off, I kid (yes, kid) about his proclivity for letting the ball fly whenever he got his hands on it (well, almost every time), but let me learn ya, Choff knew better than most how to play the game of hoop. No doubt he took his fair share but most of the time, he was the best player on the court, and you wanted the ball in his hands taking those big shots. He worked hard on and off the court, with his confidence making him a natural born leader. Humble by nature and a charismatic mover and shaker, his impact on our lives – for those lucky enough to know him – has been epic, realized from Devir to Amerige Park for the past five decades, at least. Mentor, argumentative, trendsetter, opinionated, spiritual leader, mishigas and much more, the likes of Choff most likely not to be seen in Malden ever again, whether he realizes it or not. Must be true, you are now reading it in the paper. Did I mention he likes a good argument? Apropos of Cliff, paraphrasing Henry David Thoreau, the way Mr. Big Stuff strutted like a peacock through the first 70+ years: “Life isn’t about finding yourself; it’s about creating yourself. So live the life you imagined.” • My “1985” piece left Denise Russo Wilson with pleasant memories: “Loved reading this. I grew up in Malden and lived on Rockwell Terrace from about 1968 to about 1978. Then moved to Church Street (right by my Parish, St. Joseph’s) then graduated MHS in 1984. I have Pam Hirtle, Peter Levine, Cliff Cioffi, Dorothy Drago Levine, Rose Ann Tomasello and Barbara Levine Scibelli fond memories of Nelson’s Bakery and I remember my 5-yearold self being AWED by the automatic door at the bottom of the ramp as you left. I remember Candyland, the place I got my cheese filled with peanut butter crackers for snack time in kindergarten at the Maplewood School which became Dragon Island for a good while. I STILL get my hair cut by Claudia Cresco who ran the Intersalon with her sister, where Maplewood Drug once was, now her shop is on Eastern Ave. I can’t remember the name of the place that I believe was next to Nelson’s, that was a sub shop, and had a slush machine - all the kids stopped for slush after school. I remember the Five & Dime? Eventually got turned into storage for Sunnyhurst Farms. How about Ferro’s Supermarket? Which I believe was A&P before that. Remember the Maplewood Branch of the Malden Public Library? I LOVED the librarian, Mrs. Schwartz! I think they eventually turned it into a satellite classroom for the Maplewood School. Great memories, thank you so much!” • A very small Malden “slice of life” brought to you by one of Malden’s best friends, Dana Brown. The passing of his beloved dad (Francis) was felt throughout Malden in each and every Ward. Here is but a snippet from his remembrance: “Dad was a schoolteacher in the Malden Public Schools, spending the majority of his career at the C.W. Holmes School where he worked together with my mother for over 25 years. Their commute from Pratt Street to the Holmes School cemented their marriage it seems. In their younger years Dad and Mom operated a summer camp for Malden youth, Camp Pinecrest. Some legendary Maldonians attended or worked at the camp. As co-director dad would drive the bus, make lunches, and serve as a lifeguard. The charge was $5 per week per youngster. Not a single kid was ever denied enrollment based on the money. Not sure if dad ever made money.” “Malden Musings” Musical Pick of the Week: Lazy mid-May Saturday night on the recliner nursing a cold Schweppes Ginger Ale watching the late ’50s TV show “State Trooper” on YouTube TV. ST was an American crime drama set in the American West of the 1950s. It starred Rod Cameron as Lt. Rod Blake, an officer and chief investigator of the Nevada Department of Public Safety. The series aired 104 episodes and was in syndication from 1956 to 1959. If you dig these 1950s crime shows (lots of scenes shot in Vegas and Reno), you will dig this one for sure. Awesome special guests popped up from time to time during the series run, including Malden’s very own Jack Albertson, Amanda (Kitty from “Gunsmoke”) Blake, Frank De Vol, (a very young) Angie Dickinson as well as Michael Landon, Vito Scotti and (of course) Burt Mustin. Anyway, it’s the December 1957 episode “The Dancing Dowager” and the action takes place in Vegas. The plot goes like this... Sheriff Elder spots a beautiful blonde matching the description of a notorious con artist who preys on businessmen throughout the country. Blake goes undercover to gather evidence against the grifter, but his plans hit a snag when one of the woman’s former marks shows MUSINGS| SEE PAGE 20
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