THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, December 29, 2023 ~ Malden Musings ~ Page 3 Malden 1972 By Peter Levine I t is said in “Malden Musings”... Malden Musings Redux – Malden 1972. (It was so good the fi rst time around, why not a second?): • The 43rd annual Saint Rocco Feast was held at Devir Park on one of the three nights; fi reworks were held on Bruce Field, men played “morta,” drank wine and wore white tank tops. • The women of Edgeworth still had big hair. • King Neptune on Highland Ave. had the best seafood this side of Revere Beach and employed half the youth of Edgeworth, including all the Santo brothers. • Malden is still reeling, one year later, from the tragic deaths of Beebe Jr. High School ninth-graders Al Owens and John Surrette. • The beloved but dilapidated red brick “Bandstand” stood in the middle of Devir Park, shelter from the rain and a cool spot in the summer. Also, a good place to drink beer and play whist. Tended to lovingly by John Monte, who had a good sense of humor, wore the same green baseball cap all summer and had a son Richie who graduated MHS in 1973. • The Malden City Council conspired to demolish the Bandstand in 1972; Mayor Kelliher vetoed it in early 1973. • We continued to play whist on the Bandstand with Annette, Bethie, Rose Ann and Patti for the next fi ve years. • The “saucy sub” was born at the Big A! • Best pompadours in the city – the two brothers that owned the Big A! • Walter Kelliher was entrenched as Mayor but was being challenged by more progressive minded candidates, such as Councilor-at-Large Amelia Miclette. She will announce her candidacy for Mayor in 1973. • Arguably some of the best young baseball players in the city are Steve Carpenter, Bobby Harrison, Francis “Buddy” DeMontier, Mike Carey, Gerry Robbins, Bobby Foley, Russell Hall, Joe Levine, Richie Hannon, Greg Lucey, Gary Twyman and Mike Plumbidis. • Walter ruled Mike’s Cafe with an iron fi st. The rules were fast and fi rm; if your money wasn’t green, you did not get served. • Bobby “Nip” DiSerio was very good at whist. • Local State Legislators elected in ’72: Reps Ed Markey, James Conway and John Brennan. • Al’s Pool Room upstairs on Pleasant Street was where all the cool guys (and a few scary ones) hung out. • The Centre Methodist Church ter to the Red Sox for Sparky Lyle; the Yawkey curse doesn’t end for another 32 years. • Bobby Crowley hung out at Al’s Pool Room, had outstanding vocals and wore killer clothes. (Bobby was very cool!) • Franny Molis, Ronny Cox, Allan Wynne, Paul O’Toole and Brian Cox were saving the youth of Malden park by park as part of the Acid Outreach Group. And were, most likely, underpaid. • Pot was smoked – everywhere The 1972 Malden High School baseball team at Devir Park – Bandstand in background. at 7 Washington St. burns down. • Top 40 radio is ruled by Don McLean’s “American Pie.” (We were not quite sure what the song was about, but we knew all the words). • Lovers were listening to “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” by Roberta Flack. • Hippies and cool kids were listening to “Layla” by Derek & the Dominos. • The really cool kids (like Bobby Hench and David Surette) were listening to The Kinks. • Forestdale’s Mike Upham loved to belt out Elvis Presley’s “Burning Love.” • At the Carnival at Brother Gilbert Stadium, you could see “human oddities” (not to be confused with the “carnies” that worked the event) clash with your Medford neighbors, have your picture taken with your friends and have it placed on a 3" round pinback (which I still proudly possess to this day) and eat (the original) Anna’s Fried Dough! • If you were of age you could walk across the street and have a cold Ballantine Ale with Bill and Lucy Marinelli, owners of the old Stadium Cafe (pre-Billy Settemio). • Lucy passed away at the ripe old age of 94. • Mikey Powers was starting his stellar hockey career at Boston College in ’72. • Florence Street resident Albert DiSalvo is doing time at Walpole State Prison as the “Boston Strangler” – will be found dead in his cell the following year. • DiSalvo would stop by the West End Bar & Grille on Pleasant Street for a cold one on occasion. • A 172-unit elderly project is in the works for the corner of Fellsway East and Pleasant Street; George (Grimes), Charlie (Femino), Buddy (LeRoux) and the rest of the Vista Street boys are not happy about this. • Mahalia Jackson passed away in January. • Roberto Clemente in December. • The Yankees trade Danny Ca– by everybody. Mostly in large circles, with Devir Park being Pot Central. • Norman Greenbaum turns 30 and is rapidly on his way to the land of “One Hit Wonders.” • Munich. Bloody Sunday. Watergate. • Arguably some of the best MUSINGS| SEE PAGE 5
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