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The Chatham Press | June 2026

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A monthly paper about the people, places and things that make Chatham and the surrounding towns so special

JUNE 2026

854CountyRoute9 GHENT, NY

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A message from the publisher

‘Take it easy until next summer?’ Not for Mac-Haydn Theatre staff

Relief when the season ends? Not at all. The conclusion of one season almost immediately brings the beginning of the next.

24/7/365

This month, we revisit the Class of 2002

Chatham High

Top row, L-R, Joyce deMoose, Carl Mathews and Patti Campbell, David Acciani and Bethany Block. Center: David Gitto and Stephen Scannell. Middle row: Fulvio Ferrero; senior class officers President Joyce Hatch, Secretary Kathy Butt, Treasurer Joanne Hatch, Vice-President Jim Klingler; Jacqueline Stall and Beth Gabel. Bottom row: Carol Quirino, Larry Jewett, Debbie Tuczinski, John O’Neil.

PRESS 2025_v1.qxp_Layout 1 5/21/25 3:52PM Page 26

Fetch the good hiking boots

It was the Easter/spring break in 1976 that we decided to challenge the Appalachian Trail. Three students were dropped off with me in Wind Gap, Pennsylvania. We were to be picked up a week later at the Bear Mountain Bridge by the Hudson River in New York. The trail distance was 127 miles. We would climb 21,620 feet and descend 22,440 feet during that trek.

‘Panoramimosity’
‘Trail magic’

1974wasoneofthelastyearsaChathamteamutilizedtheColumbiaCountyFairgroundsinfieldasanathleticvenue–thePantherfootballteam.Butfromthe mid-1800sandupuntilthelateforties,thegroundsandsurroundinghalf-miletrackwere thelocalsports’venues.

Fairgrounds Athletics at the

Above:Theoutfieldfence withtheFairHousein thebackground.

Right,the1907Chatham team.Thefieldisatthe rearrightofthepicture. Abumpyfieldmade slidingandfielding groundersachallenge. Lookslikehe’ssafe!

“Itwaslumpy,hilly,withpatchesofgrassand occasionallyyou’dgettackledinaspotwhere therewasglassontheground,”saidChatham standoutfootballathleteJohnKrahamwho wasafreshmanonthevarsitythatplayedatthe ChathamFairgroundsin1974becausethefield atthehighschoolwasnotcompleted.Toour knowledge,thatwasoneofthelasttimesthe infieldgrasswasusedforsports.

Fromthemid-1800swhenthefairgrounds werecreated,untilaround1949whenafootballfield,baseballdiamondandcindertrack were constructedattheoldhighschoolon WoodbridgeAvenue,manyakidandadult playedfootballorbaseballthere–highschool teams,townteams,county allstars,andthe NewYorkCentralRailroadBaseballLeague. ThegroundswerethesiteofChathamHigh Schooltrackandfieldcampaignsinthatinfield andontheformerhalfmileracetracksurroundingit,normallyusedfortrottersand pacersstabledat thefairgrounds.Thesitehada baseballdiamond,stands,andoutfieldfenceas seeninthepictureatleft.

Baseball

Accordingtoearlynewspaperaccounts,the fieldwashometosome“exceptionallygood semi-probaseballteams,especiallytheHarlem DivisionteamofChathamwhichgaveagood accountofitselfintheNewYorkCentralRailroadleagueintheearly20s.”Theteamwenton towintheNYCRRworldseriesinBuffaloone year.

Besidessomeofthemorefamousnamed baseballplayersliketheVosburghbrothers, GeorgeDuggan,PepSmith,BartHover,Ike HarveyandLeoBroderick,oneguywhosawa lotofactionatthegroundswasfamedumpire JohnnyMallon,abaggagemanontheHarlem DivisionoftheNYCentralRailroadthatused torundownHudsonAvenuehereintoNew YorkCity.AccordingtoCliffHodge,acolumnistwritingfortheChathamCourier,one blistering-hotSundayafternoongame(they mostalwaysplayedonSunday)wasmemorable.Mrs.SueMallon,anardentbaseballfan andoutspokencriticofherhusband’sumping performancewhenindicated,hadcomealong toagamesittinginashadedareaofthefairgrounds.OnthisoccasionshethoughtJohnny hadmissedacoupleofcalls.

“WhenJohnny relaxedbetweeninnings,he saunteredbackforawordwiththespousethat turnedouttobeamistake.Itwasnotawelcomeword.‘Johnny,’shedeclared,‘yousure havemissedsomebeautstoday.’Johnnywasas warmashiscriticandhisresponsecame quickly:”‘Mrs.Mallon,ifIcouldcall‘emfrom backhereintheshadeaswellasouttherein thatsun,I’dbebackheresittingbesideyou.’ Endofconversation.”

In1920,theChathamBaseballCluboftheNewYorkCentralRailroadLeaguelinedupatthefairgroundsdiamondforthisphoto,from left:Co-managerLeeCarey,BerlinKelly,BartHover,ArtWalker,GeorgeDuggan,LeoBroderick,ReubenWilliams,PepSmith,IkeHarvey,TomLundy,GeorgeVosburgh,andLeftyWagner.Thesquadplayedsemi-proteamsinNewYorkandNewEngland drawinghundredsoffanstogamesatthefairgrounds.

Abiggame

FollowingWorldWarII,baseballblossomed atthefairgrounds.Onememorablegame wasbetweenarchrivalStuyvesantFallsand Chatham’sPost42AmericanLegionsquad, eachreadytolayclaimtotheleaguechampionship–October12,1947.OnthisSunday 2,500fansshoweduptowatchStuyvesant’sBill FennehahnhurlfortheStuyvesantnine.The gamewastiedat3-3inthebottomofthe ninth.RoyBlass,Chathamoutfielder,drewa walkandtheLegion’sstalwartcatcherJoe BroskyplantedoneofFennehahn’sfastballs ontotheracetrack.

Trackrecords

Today,Chathamtrackfansthinknewcomers holdalltherecords.Somedo.Butbackin 1928,theteamaboveattheright,runningon

fairgroundtrackdirt,setsomeimpressive timesfortheera.OnMay17,1928the“Annual SectionFourmeetwasheldattheChatham Fairgroundsinaninchormoreofmud.AlbanyHighwonwith65points,Lansing-burgh secondandChathamthird, followedbyTrossssy,Hudson,Cobleskill,Cohoes,HoosickFalls,WaterfordandWatervliet,” accordingtoanarticleintheChatham Courier.

“JackSmith(calledChatham’sCharliePaddock,anOlympian)wonthe220in23 secondsflat,andalthoughpushedbyAlbany’s Pierson,scoredagaininthe100withatime of.10.1,Smith’srecordinthe220in.23wasa fullsecondbetterthantheoldrecord.”

Asacomparison,in1928,PercyWilliamsof Canada,wonOlympicgoldin21.8.inthe200 meters,shorterthanthe220.220yardsequals

Above,left:This1925entrantintherailroadleaguethat playedatthefairgroundsincluded,seated,lefttoright:LaVerneHarvey,JohnnyBergeron,BabeBemers,BerlinKelly,and BartHover.Standing:HarrySmith,LeoBroderick,JoeNeidle,PepSmith,JimBroderick,ArtWalkerandManagerC. DaytonLaPointe.MooreAvenuehomescanbeseenbehind theteam.

TheCHS1928trackteambelowthegrandstand.

Left:AnearlyChathamfootballteamatthefairgrounds,circa 1896.Thetallfellowbehindthequarterbackholdingtheball, FloydBuckley,wentontobeaBroadwayandmovieactor afterfightingintheSpanishAmericanWar.

201.168meters.The100record was10.8,alsoby Williams.Chatham’sSmithwasslatedtorunat thestatemeetatCornellonMay31andwas toutedasacontenderforafirstplaceinthe100 butpulledatendonataqualifyingmeetinTroy atRPI.Chatham’sSmithwastherealdealand whoknowswhatmighthavebeen.Thereisscant informationaboutfurthersuccesses.

CliffWilder,whowouldruna2:07inthestate meetatCornellafew weekslater,didthe880in thesectionmeetinthemudat2:13.3.Wilderran secondmostofthewaybutcomingintothefinal stretchpulledawaytowinby15feet,accordingto theCourier.

Otherlocalsonthe1928teamwereHubie Goodfellow, RickMoran,WashburnLeggett, FrankMaxon,GrovesandKendall.GeorgeBeach, inlateryearsanotedrealtor,wasfourthinthe shotput. •

Smiles Are Free: A Tribute to My Dad

“When I think about my dad, I don’t think about somebody perfect. I think about somebody who tried. Somebody who showed up. Somebody who spent most of his life helping people in one way or another.”

Growing Up with Dad

The Fishing Derby Tradition

Losing Mom Changed Everything Still His Only Daughter Everybody Knows Bill

Cornhole, Cutting Boards, and the Grinch

What I Took from Him

Black Rock Cut

What’s a forsaken railroad line to do except welcome hikers, bikers, and kids to explore its mysteries?

Heading out

CELEBRATE A LIFE IN A FILM!

Ask a simple

question

… and you just might learn a whole lot of history.

Somewhere around here

Hidden treasure

TidBits

Modern Dolls
Hover retires

Remembering6thgrade

WriterJesseDeGroodttakesatripbackintimetohissixthgradeclass.Thestoriesandthenamesarefamiliar: Costigan,Williams,Block,Demars,Keller,Havlik,Schrader,VanAlstyne,Curcio,Baker,French,Gitto,VanDeusen, Coolidge,Orsano,Broderick,Kittle,Gabel,Wilbur,Mantell,Espositio,Berninger,Johnson,Bervy,Johnson,andKraham.

Mrs. Kraham’s sixth grade class would go on to form part of the 1976 graduating class.The stories and the names are familiar: Costigan, Williams, Block, Demars, Keller, Havlik, Schrader, VanAlstyne, Curcio, Baker, French, Gitto, Van Deusen, Coolidge, Orsano, Broderick, Kittle, Gabel, Wilbur, Mantell, Espositio, Berninger, Johnson, Bervy, Johnson, and Kraham.

Mylifelongbuddy,MikeDemars,andIwere maybeinterestedinoneortwootherthings thansportsduringtheyearsof1969-70, althoughit’shardtosaywhatthosethings mightbe,whenwewerenodoubtbusydrivingour6thgradeteacher,Mrs.JaneKraham, completelynutsintheheadwithboystuff. ButIsuspectshewasprettysneaky,nodoubt teachingusthingscompletelyunbeknownst tous–themarkofagreatteacher!

Booklearnin’aside,shewasalsoafantastic teacherofthislifething.Atrecessonefine sunnyday,abunchofusweretossingaround asoftball,preparingforwhatpassedforour schoolOlympics,whenafewmiscreants beganteasingoneofourweak-armedclassmatesforhisinabilitytohurlitveryfar.Out ofno-where,Mrs.Krahamappearedonthe scene,andsaid,“Whenyouallsignprofessionalcontracts,then cometalktomeabouthow greatyouare.”Andsheleft,messagesent, pointmade.

Cathchingupwithclassmates

Irecentlycaughtupwithafewofmyexclassmatestoaskthemacouplequestions: Wherehaslifeledyousince6thgrade,and whatdoyourememberaboutouryearwith Mrs.Kraham?Okay,Mike(who’sincluded here)andIhaveeachexpandedourinterests beyondbatsandballs,orhowourLittle LeagueAll-Starteamwasgoingtodo,and foratleastsomeofthat,wesurelyhaveMrs. Krahamtothank.

BarbaraMantellFiero

Mrs.Krahamwasoneofmyfavoriteteachers. Shealwayshadasmile.Evenifyoudidsomethingbad(notthatIdid),shewouldtalk toyouwithoutyelling.Shecalledmyfriend, Louanne Orsano,andItheBobbseytwins. Shewasacreativeteacher–whenwewere doingasocialstudiesprojectshehadher daughterin-lawcometoourclassroomand wemadeSpanishriceandchicken.Ithought thatwascool.Welearnedmorethanjustour ABC’s.IalwayslikedlivinginChathamthat isprobablywhyIneverhadthedesiretoleave. IhavebeenmarriedtoRichFierofor37years, andwemadeourhomehere.I’vebeenworkingattheChathamCentralSchoolfor27 years.Ireallyenjoythekids.Yougettoknow themandwhattheylikeandwhattheydon’t.

NedraWilburCafarella

ImovedtoLasVegasNVin1993.In2008, Imarriedmywonderfulhusband,Pasquale V.CafarellaSr.,withtwostepchildren,Ashley TorresandPasqualeV.CafarellaJr.,andone granddaughter,AdalynTorres.Welivein GoldenValleyAZ,aftermovingfromLas Vegasone-and-a-halfyearsago.Mypassionis ridingdirtbikes–Iwillracemyfirstracein October.I’vebeenapublishedpoeteight timesintheInternationalLibraryofPoetry, andhadacareerinthebankingandmortgage industryforthelast30-plusyears.Ienjoythe outdoorsandallkindsofanimalsandnature. IlovedMrs.Krahamasmy6thgradeteacher.

KimCostigan

FollowinginMrs.Kraham’sfootstepswould beahopeofmine.Forthepast33yearsIhave beenanelementaryschoolteacherwith28 ofthoseyearsspentlocallyattheMED.Mrs. KrahamleftprettygoodshoestofollowandI hopetoonedaycomeclosetothestandard sheset.Mrs.KrahamistheonlyteacherwhoI rememberthatreadchapterbookstousafter lunch.The IslandoftheBlueDolphins wasmy favoriteandleftanimpressiononme.Perhaps

Toprow:Mrs.Kraham,GeraldFrench,JesseDeGroodt,GayleSchrader,PaulCurcio,JohnBaker,DavidVanDeusen,DavidGitto,Steve Coolidge.Middlerow:LouannOrsano,DianeBroderick,PamKittle,BethGabel,BethanyBlock,JillBervy,NedraWilbur,BarbaraMantell. Bottomrow:KimCostigan,GaryWilliams,BrendaEsposito,BrianBerninger,PerryVanAlstyne,RichardBroderick,MichelleHavlik, BobKeller.Floor:MikeDemars,KevinJohnson.

thisiswheremyloveforadventurecamefrom. TherewasalsoKraham’sColumnwrittenand publishedbyourclass–hmm,wasthisyour start,Jesse?Mrs.Kraham,thankyoufornot onlyteachingusbutmostofallencouraging thepotentialweeachhadtocomeshining through.

BrianBerninger

HellotoeveryonefromLosAngeles.Hearing fromJessereallymademestopandreflecton whathashappenedsinceMrs.Kraham’ssixth gradeclass.Aftergraduatingfrom Chatham Highin’76,IattendedAlbanyCollegeof Pharmacyandwasgraduatedfromtherein 1981.OnceIreceivedmyNYRPhLicensein September1981IrelocatedtoWappingers Falls,NYtocontinueworkingwithCVS/ Pharmacy,whereIhadbeenworkingsince 1975asaclerk,cashier,pharmacyinternand assistantstoremanagerasaregisteredpharmacist.In1990IwaspromotedtoaDistrict PharmacySupervisorandworkedthroughout Westchester,Rockland,DutchessandPutnam counties.In2000westartedopeningstoresin ManhattanandIwasinchargeofthatarea alongwiththeWestchesterandFairfield Connecticutmarkets.In2007CVSbought alargedrugstorechaininCaliforniaandI relocatedtoPasadena,whereIcontinueto workforCVSandamresponsibleforthe SouthLosAngelesmarket.Inadditionto mycareerdevelopmentsIamtheproudfather oftwochildren.

MikeDemars

MywifeLizaandIliveinColonieinanew houseweboughtayearago.Welovetoplay golfatMillRoadAcresinLatham.Ihavebeen aNYSemployeesince’96.Iamcurrently withtheOfficeofITServicesandamtheIT Managerforthehumanservicescallcenterin Schenectady.Aftertwofailedkneesurgeries,I hadtogiveupbowlingafewyearsago.Prior

tothat,Ibowledinmanyscratchtournaments inthearea,makingtheTVfinalsonthree occasions.IalsobowledinnationaltournamentsinCorpusChristi,TXandBaton Rouge,LA.Mysparetimeisspentplaying guitarinourbasement/studio/mancave.

BrendaEspositoHaynor

Wherearetheynow?Forme,thequestion wouldreallybewherewouldwehavebeen withoutMrs.Kraham? Imovedtothisarea whenIwasgoinginto6thgrade.Astheblessingonmylifewouldhaveit,theschoolsystem putmeinMrs.Kraham’sclass.Beingarather shyindividual,Iwasn’tsurehowIwasgoing tomakeitinthisnewschool.AndthenI foundoutthatherclassputoutaweekly schoolnewspaper–Kraham’sColumns.I aboutpanickedatthemerethoughtofhaving tobea“reporter”andrememberthinking of100differentwaystonotdothatjob. Reportingwouldrequiretalkingtopeople Ididn’tknow–perishthethought.Shemust haveseenthat,becauseshemademeaproofreader.Wow,IcouldactuallyusetheskillIhad acquiredbybeingsuchanavidreader!Ihave beenapersonalsecretary,aco-ownerofa printlayoutanddesigncompany,andalso currentlyatrainerandconsultantfora CRM softwareandbillingsprogramforthe Macintosh.MyhusbandandIpastorachurch andhavethreechildrenandfourgrandchildren.BecauseofMrs.Krahamencouragingus toreachforexcellence,Istillcan’treadanythingwithout“proofing”it.Thatsearchfor excellencehasnowpasseddownthroughtwo moregenerationsofmyfamily.Thankyou, Mrs.Kraham!

Magicdust

Thesedays,Mrs.Kraham,now89,resides atthePaynHomeinChatham,hermind asactiveasever,andthemagicdustshe sprinkledasateacherlivingon.

Baseball lessons equal life lessons

Hall of Fame Coach Scott Steltz teaches not only baseball, but the game of life.

A re ection of life

‘Amazing coach’

honor roll CHS 2025-26 3nd quarter

GRADE 9 HONOR ROLL

GRADE 9 HIGH HONOR ROLL

GRADE 10 HIGH HONOR ROLL

GRADE 11 HIGH HONOR ROLL

GRADE 10 HONOR ROLL

GRADE 11 HONOR ROLL

GRADE 12 HONOR ROLL

GRADE 12 HIGH HONOR ROLL

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