THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – WEDnESDAy, nOVEmbEr 22, 2023 Page 7 ~ The Old Sachem ~ The Sachems in the 1950s T By Bill Stewart he 50s started very well with the football team winning the Exchange Bowl. I’ve written about the 1950 football team that won the Exchange Bowl, beating Brockton with Richie Nicolo as quarterback. The team finished with a record of eight wins and two losses. Also representing Saugus were many girls I knew as twirlers – Marilyn Pottito, Gail Watson and Gretchen Davis. The 1953 football team won the North Shore League. In the Jamboree the Sachems faced a powerful Haverhill team and lost 18-6. The Sachems beat Revere, Lynn Classical, Beverly, Lynn English and Salem. The Sachems lost to Chelsea and tied Marblehead. Among the running backs were Bill MacNeill, Bob Piwowarski, Captain Doug MacNeill and Bill Whittredge. Charlie Lawrence tossed touchdowns to Dave Donaldso and Mel Rice. Rich Salerno was injured in the Chelsea game, returned in the Peabody game and was outstanding again. Bob Belyea and Bob Randazzo were solid on defense. The Sachems ended with six wins, one tie “The Old Sachem,” Bill Stewart (Courtesy photo to The Saugus Advocate by Joanie Allbee) and a single loss. In 1959 the football team had a record of six wins, a tie and a single loss to New Bedford. They defeated Revere, Classical, Beverly, English, Brookline and Peabody. They scored 44 against English, and the Swampscott tie was scoreless. They shut out Classical and Beverly. Jim Kelleher and Dave Mathews were the captains, and the roster included Bob Preziozo, Ralph DeFronzo, Fran Buccheire, Town’s Tree Lighting set for Dec. 1 This year’s Christmas Tree Lighting will be held just a week from Friday – on Dec. 1 from 5 to 8 p.m. in front of Town Hall at 298 Central St. Town Manager Scott C. Crabtree estimates that the Christmas Tree Lighting – one of the town’s most popular events of the year – draws in a crowd of 2,000 to 3,000 people on the first Friday of December. This year’s program will again feature horse-drawn sleigh rides, bounce houses, the trackless train and a petting zoo. But the main event gets underway at 7 p.m., when Santa Claus arrives shortly before the annual Tree Lighting Ceremony. Then he will spend about an hour accommodating a long line of children and grown-ups who want to share a photo opportunity with him. Dick Burt, Jin Samms, Dave Boynton and Gene DeAcetis. Field hockey had a good season in 1960, beating Malden 1-0, lost to North Shore Country Day School 1-12, beat Lynnfield 1-0, tied Stoneham 2-2 and Woburn 1-1, beat Woburn 2-0, lost to Swampscott 4-0, and beat Salem 3-0. They finished with four wins, two losses and two ties. The forwards were Carol Banks, Julie Gavin, Linda Farley, Lorraine Alexander and Regina Cahill. Halfbacks were Eileen Holland, Lucy Cronin and Phyllis Harris; fullbacks were Nancy Shepherd, Annette Boisvert and goalie Nancy Boisvert. The 1953 basketball team had a record of five wins and 11 losses, but was accepted in the Small Schools Tournament. They lost to Christopher Columbus, 49-40, to end the season. Stars on the team were Nat and Bob Diamond, Billy MacNeill, Charlie Lawrence and Bob Piwowarski. The 1960 girls’ basketball team finished with a record of 10 wins and two losses. With so many underclassmen on the late 50s team, the 60s appear to turn the record around. Sounds of Christmas concert december 17 T he North Shore Philharmonic Orchestra will make its traditional visit to Revere on Sunday, December 17 at 4:00 p.m. when Music Director Robert Lehmann conducts the annual Robert A. Marra Memorial “Sounds of Christmas” Concert at St. Anthony’s Church. The concert has been a staple of Revere’s holiday season since 1976. Admission is free to everyone who brings a generous donation of non-perishable food to benefit the Revere Food Pantry. Concert co-chair Robert A. Marra Jr. expressed gratitude to the concert sponsors. “We are grateful for the support of the East Boston Neighborhood Health Center, MassPort, Comcast, Astound Broadband, Action Emergency Services, and of course Bocchino Insurance,” he said. “Co-chair of this concert Dom Bocchino stepped up in 2006 and Bocchino Insurance has been an integral part of this concert ever since.” Marra also noted that Comcast has been involved in the concert going back to 1991. “It’s a wonderful time for everyone, and a time of happiness and generosity,” said Marra. “The Revere Food Pantry does such important work in our community, and the concert gives so many people the chance to help our neighbors.” The concert program will include traditional holiday music and an original holiday-themed narration by a Revere High School student. “The concert bears my father’s name,” said Marra, “and I am sure he’d be so pleased that his beloved North Shore Philharmonic Orchestra carries on this tradition, and that an RHS student has a role in this concert.” Santa addressed the crowd at last year’s tree lighting. (Saugus Advocate file photo by Mark E. Vogler)
8 Publizr Home