Clifton Merchant Magazine - January 2003 by Clifton Merchant Magazine

Opinions by Tom Hawrylko

Our publication is a business which serves a diverse purpose. While much of what we publish is designed to entertain our readers, an important part of our mission is to keep our community informed and provide a forum for public opinion. In that spirit, we have begun a discussion on our city’s future. We remind you, however, that no one individual or organization has a monopoly on ideas for the future of our city. Your comments are always welcomed here. We’re A Mature Suburb For those of you who remember a post-World War II Clifton, and for those of us who care to see a photo of what opportunity looked like circa 1950, turn to the centerfold. Many changes have taken place since that time. Since that photo was taken, generations of Cliftonites have enjoyed prosperity and a superior quality of life. Will the next generation enjoy the same? Barbara Lawrence, executive director of New Jersey Future, a smart growth advocacy group, had this to say about the future of cities like Clifton: “Some of the biggest problems that we’re likely to face in the next 10, 15 years will be in the older suburbs, which have very little fiscal capacity and very little in the way of sophisticated planning and economic development teams that can bring those places back.”

Today, Clifton is a mature suburb. It is undeniable that Clifton now faces many of the same problems that have dragged down the neighboring communities of Passaic, Paterson and Garfield during the past decades. It’s getting awfully crowded in our neighborhoods, on our streets and in our schools. While the values of our homes are at an all time high, our cost of living soars and in many ways our quality of life has decreased. While our government has tried to address issues, more needs to be done. To enhance our quality of life, government, the media and residents need to look beyond the crossroads, much further down the road. We need to focus on a new vision for Clifton, one that balances economic growth while ensuring the highest quality of life. We need well planned Smart Growth.

JANUARY

2003

28 inside…

Development Overview . . . . . . . . . .6 Clifton’s Top Salesman . . . . . . . . . .23 14 Acres Of Smart Growth . . . . . .24

From Cashier To CEO . . . . . . . . . . .28 Hoop Dreams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39 Hard Corps Running . . . . . . . . . . .60 Super Bowl Family Day . . . . . . . . .64 Birthdays & Celebrations . . . . . . . .68

Clifton Merchant Magazine is published monthly at 1288 Main Ave., Downtown Clifton • 973-253-4400

Smart Growth and the Future of Clifton

Look to Trenton For Help

School Renaissance Zones

Governor James E. McGreevey announced an initiative called Smart Growth to tame suburban sprawl and funnel resources to cities and mature suburbs. “While the previous administration focused on the preservation of open space, primarily in rural areas, it did not answer the question of where future growth should be encouraged and accommodated,” McGreevey said in a recent speech. “We want to encourage growth in locations that are already developed and those that have been appropriately targeted for development.” Doesn’t that sound like Clifton? He is proposing achieving Smart Growth in a number of ways: funding mass transit projects, redeveloping brownfields, using community schools to promote redevelopment, preservation of farmland, to name a few. Money is available to fund his vision. The state is developing a package of ‘super incentives’ for developers who are working in smart growth areas and adhering to smart growth principles. It is also tripling the amount of Green Acres funding for downtown parks to make communities more livable. NJ Transit, the State DEP and the NJ Department of Education are among the agencies offering grants, loans and incentives. New ideas are needed. Proposals could incorporate the former Athenia Steel site or a new middle school, to name just two issues facing our city. We’ve already received grants to study traffic issues in town. That’s commendable. But clearly, our city needs to get some new blueprints on the drawing board. For instance, it appears unlikely that developing the Athenia Steel site for senior housing and recreation—now over a decade in the making—will ever become a reality as it is currently proposed. As we said earlier, no one individual or organization has a monopoly on good ideas. We need to rethink this project. Creating the link between our town and Trenton begins at the office of our State Legislators, Assemblymen Eagler and Edwards, and Senator Gill. They and our Congressman, Bill Pascrell, must be our advocates. Building the case for the Clifton cause is the responsibility of our elected municipal and county officials.

What are the long range needs of our schools? How do we address overcrowding in the middle and high schools? How will we pay for these needs? When the State began doling out funds for inner city school construction a few years back, we here in Clifton cried foul. We were too middle class— neither rich enough to fund new construction ourselves nor poor enough to qualify for a share of the financial pie. Politicians in Trenton have since seen the light after districts like Clifton, surrounded by Abbott Districts— communities with poor performing schools operated and financed by the State—documented the need for funding. With construction of the city’s first new school since the 1950’s has begun, $12 million in state monies have thus far been received by Clifton. Now a new round of funding is underway. The state has begun an $8.6 billion rehabilitation and construction program to establish school renaissance zones designed to revitalize neighborhoods surrounding newly constructed schools in targeted districts. The Department of Education is now talking to five unnamed districts to host the first projects. Others are expected to follow. Clifton needs to be on that short list.

January 2003 • Clifton Merchant

Regionalization Does Van Houten Ave. end or begin in Clifton? Does Main Ave. terminate at the last Downtown Clifton sign? Got the idea? Issues don’t begin or end at municipal borders. Yet planning for our communities too often do. That needs to change. It is time for Passaic County Freeholders to take leadership on regional development. Work could start at the Van Houten factory in Passaic (shown below) or on Main Ave. beginning at the Herald and News building. Botany Village is another business district that has and could further benefit from regional planning and leadership. Our cities ned to work more closely to solve common problems.

35 Acres of Opportunity How long will it take to remediate 35 acres of brownfields in the center of our city? Better yet, when will we see a complete plan of action for the Athenia Steel tract, one which offers goals and real dates for completion? Over the past few months, we have chronicled the city’s plans for the former Athenia Steel Plant, located off Clifton Ave. near Paulison Ave., along the NJ Transit line. Since the plant closed in Feb. 1988, various plans have been floated for these 35 acres of opportunity, none of which have materialized. The city’s latest idea is commendable: to build affordable senior citizen housing and additional recreational fields. Despite years of promises by city officials, no work has begun. Are the city’s plans workable? Are contamination issues stopping work from commencing? The property’s owner, National Standard of Niles, Mich., has not yet delivered a remedial action plan to the NJ DEP. Perhaps it is time to rethink this project. Senior citizen housing may be better off in a downtown neighborhood, where there are shops and other nearby resources. Beyond contamination issues, the next dilemma the city faces on this property is access. The only entrance to the tract is a long, narrow driveway off of Clifton Ave., near the railroad trestle, shown in the photo above. Attempting to alleviate that situation, city officials inquired about the availability of the adjacent Parkway Iron property in order to provide access from Route 46. While the company’s owner expressed interest, the asking price was too high, and the city continues to pursue this option with the owner, but at what price? So what are the options? If the city shifted the senior citizen housing to a downtown location, the Athenia Steel site could be either leased or sold for recreation uses.

The Clifton Ice Hockey Booster Club has said developers have offered to develop and operate an ice hockey and skating arena there. And this may sound wacky, but why not work with a developer to create a miniature golf course on the site? Go to any of the privately operated miniature golf courses in the surrounding area and you’ll see lines of customers, just as with the local ice hockey arenas. This type of development could create recreation and ratables. As far as remediation of the site, it is certain it would cost less to remediate the Athenia Steel tract for recreation uses rather than residential.

Preserve Our Farms The Governor recently said: “We need to preserve our farmland to keep our agricultural industry strong and our communities green and open. That means not just preserving land—which we will continue to do—but also working to keep our farmers on the land. Farms are not living museums; they’re working businesses and they need to be economically successful to survive.” Here in Clifton, there are three working farms, and all fall below the acreage sizes for farmland preservation. So why can’t our government officials work with the farmers and the Department of Agriculture to find a way to preserve this land, keep these farms profitable and preserve this open space? Or will we wait to react once developers buy up this land? Farmland preservation remains a McGreevey priority— our legislators must find a way to link this acreage and make this opportunity work for Clifton.

What Do You Think? Send us your opinions on Clifton’s Future.

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eDitor & PublisHer Tom Hawrylko business Manager Cheryl Hawrylko graPHic Designer Fabian M. Calvo Writers Jack DeVries, Joe Torelli, Rob Wahlers, Christopher Sadowski, Devon McKnight, Paula Zecca Clifton Merchant • January 2003

anEconomicEngine By Paula Zecca When looking for examples of Smart Growth in Clifton, consider Styertowne Shopping Center. Sold on Nov. 15, 1999 by the Stier family to JK Management, this retail landmark has undergone a major redevelopment and is now entering its final phase. Over the last few weeks, visitors to the center could not help but notice the demolition of the Bell Telephone building, located on Allwood Rd., facing the lower level of the center. Site work is underway for a 55,000 square foot Acme Supermarket, which will likely change the dynamics of the lower level of the center as A 55,000 square foot Acme will be completed mid year. It replaces the Bell Telephone it will serve as yet another anchor, building, which was constructed in 1952. Below, the renovated 36,000 foot building that once was Astro Bowl and Ashley’s now houses four retailers, including Atlanta bringing thousands of daily visitors. Styertowne’s dining establishments and shop keepers alike will appreciate the new attraction when it is completed late spring or early summer. Plans are in the works “to make the lower level a full-blown shopping center rather than the back of an existing center,” said George Jacobs of JK Management. For instance, when the Acme Supermarket is completed, the lower level parking lot will also be repaved and reconfigured. During the warmer months, more outdoor dining will be added by Taste of Tuscany to give this section of the center a little more ambiance. Redevelopment of the lower level actually began in mid-2000 when AC Moore and Marty Shoes opened in the 35,000 foot building which once housed Astro Bowl and Ashley’s Restaurant. They were followed in Feb. 2001 with the opening of the first New Jersey store of the Atlanta Bread Company, a casual, sit down eatery, which offer soups, sandwiches, salads, gourmet coffees and baked goods. The owners are Clifton natives Juli and Steve Pilione. 24 January 2003 • Clifton Merchant

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In order to accommodate increased traffic flow, look for the addition of a traffic light on Allwood Rd. which will enable exiting cars to make left turns. Separately, Passaic County will also improve Bloomfield Ave. and the Allwood Circle this spring. Founded in 1952 by Albert A Stier, who died in 1965, and managed until the 1999 sale by his son Robert and son-in-law Lester Herrschaft, a former Clifton Councilman, Styertowne is often cited as the first planned suburban strip mall in America. Founder Stier designed the 14 acre, five building center in a streamlined pattern, providing parking for 1,700 cars, a layout which continues to contribute to the center’s success. In addition to the retail stores, there is also a suite of professional offices on the second floor of the main building and hundreds of tenants in the Styertowne Apartments. In 1999, when JK Management purchased the shopping center and 375 apartments in two Clifton complexes, Jacobs asked residents to look for the evolution of this retail landmark.

A mix of locally owned shops and services, such as The Chiropractic Center at Styertowne, which opened on June 15, 2001, contribute to the success of the center. From left: Dr. Joseph Paz, his sister, Dr. Jacqueline Paz, George Jacobs of JK Management and Dr. Louis Schimmel.

“Our goal is to create a consistent series of improvements that taken together—over time—will be big,” Jacobs said in the Jan. 2000 edition of Clifton Merchant Magazine. “Look for an evolution versus a revolution. It will still be Styertowne, but as good as it is, much better. We expect to build on the strengths of the center which are the location, market, tenants and the center’s charm.”

Build on the reputation and strength of the center he and his management team did, adding regional retailers such as the recently arrived Coconuts, Odd Job Trading and AC Moore. “Our Clifton store is consistently one of the top performing stores in our chain,” according to Colleen Adams of AC Moore’s corporate offices. “We’re very pleased to be in Styertowne.”

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“We got off to a great start and our sales have been consistent ever since our opening,” said Juli Pilione of Atlanta Bread. “The public has been very receptive. We’re looking forward to the opening of the Acme and the next stage of development here.” Jacobs said the anticipated midyear opening of the Acme will serve as a catalyst to the center. “Anytime you add the volume of a supermarket to a shopping center it works its way through the whole center,” Jacobs said. “The next two to three years will see some pretty dramatic changes to the supermarket and possibly within that time to Rowe Manse,” he added.

Styertowne founder Albert A. Stier.

Along with the new supermarket, the CVS Pharmacy on the main level will also undergo some major changes, including a drive-thru window which is slated to open at the same time as the supermarket. Jacobs said he would like to dispel any rumors regarding the converting of stores or any plans to knock structures down entirely. “The rumor mill is rampant and there are no plans at this juncture to convert Rowe Manse into Burlington Coat Factory, into a flea market, into a food court or to knock it down,” said Jacobs. “No condos, no hotels are being planned.” After the completion of the supermarket “we will have invested at that point and time about $10 million into the property,” said Jacobs, citing various improvements both cosmetic and under the skin. “We will have repositioned Styertowne as a major retail landmark and we and our merchants will be happy to enjoy that success.” The public has been intrigued by what’s going on at the center. “I think anytime you come into a situation and invest millions of dollars to modernize a shopping center, people are very receptive,” Jacobs said. A positive response has come from various levels of the community. The City of Clifton and its representatives have been easy to work with, according to Jacobs. “We’re delighted. It’s been a great project for us and for Clifton,” he added.

In addition to the shopping center, JK Management also owns and operates 375 apartment units in Clifton—the Styertowne Apartments on Allwood Rd and Maple Gardens on Clifton Ave.

JK Management has no plans to just sit back and enjoy the success of Styertowne Shopping Center. The company, which also manages the Styertowne Apartments and Maple Gardens, continues to make improvements and upgrades to those as well. To date, they have invested more than $1 million in the apartments, including improved landscaping and signage. Garage doors, apartment doors, boiler rooms and hot water tanks have been replaced and basements have been converted into mini storage units for the residents. Roof upgrades are ongoing. “We are plowing back the profits into these properties and going well beyond the profits into new investment,” said Jacobs.

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fromCashiertoCEO By Paula Zecca How does a kid from Clifton become CEO of a leading supermarket chain? By taking a job as a cashier and part-time bookkeeper at the Paulison Ave. Pathmark on August 29, 1969, just as Eileen Scott began her junior year at Pope Paul VI High School. She stayed with the company ever since, making a critical decision a few years later to attend college at nights and work for the supermarket chain full time days. Today, this Clifton native is sitting at the top of the corporate ladder as the CEO of Pathmark stores, where she manages 144 stores which had annual sales of over $4 billion.

Looking back, she credits her family and her early education in Clifton’s Catholic schools with helping her to achieve such high levels of success. So how did this tale begin? The Scott family moved from Jersey City into a brand-new Cape Cod on Brookwood Rd. in the Allwood section in 1955. Scott grew up in an era when there were lots for kids to do. She learned to swim at the Boy’s Club. She played softball from the time she was nine years old through the Clifton girl’s softball program and cheered for the Jr. Mustangs football team.

“I M

Back where it all started: Eileen Scott, at center, with some employees of the Paulison Ave. Pathmark.

28 January 2003 • Clifton Merchant

“I would say there were enough things to do,” Scott recalled. “We kept busy all year long.” During the summer, the Scott children would spend two weeks at day camp. The rest of the summer they were in their backyard aboveground pool. There were plenty of places to play in the neighborhood. “Before the town got built up, our backyard was all woods,” Scott said. “We had a lot of fun.” Growing up in a house with nine siblings, Scott learned early on about competition. She knew she would have to strive to achieve her goals and make sure she set them high. Scott’s parents worked hard to make sure each child graduated from college. Seeing how hard their parents worked made the kids work even harder. “That sparked the work ethic,” Scott said. Her parents, Tom and Margaret, always encouraged their children to be whatever they wanted to be. Today, her brothers and sisters work in

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various professions, from doctor to lawyer to nurse. “We’ve all done quite well professionally,” Scott said. As well as her solid home life, Scott also credits her education with helping her to achieve success. Her days spent at St. Andrew the Apostle Roman Catholic School on Mt. Prospect Ave. and Pope Paul VI prepared her well for college. Not only did Scott attend and graduate from Pope Paul, she was a member of the school’s first graduating class in 1971. This gave Scott and her friends a bit of an advantage in high school and also gave them leadership status. “We were almost like seniors when we started school,” Scott recalled. “We were kind of full of ourselves.” During high school, Scott worked in the Clifton Pathmark as a cashier and bookkeeper but also made time to hang out with friends at Mario’s Restaurant or Rutt’s Hut. Another favorite place for Scott and her friends to hang out in their college days was the old Giuliano’s

Here’s a typical scene at the Scott home on Brookwood Rd. back in the 1960’s.

Pizzeria on Van Houten Ave., which is now known as the Grande Saloon. Perhaps the defining moment in Scott’s career came when she took a year off from William Paterson College to work full-time as a secretary to a district manager in Pathmark. When she went back for her degree a year later she found that the courses she needed were only offered during the day. This began a grueling schedule for Scott that started at 6 am with a series of classes and finished at

about 10 pm with the end of her secretarial shift at Pathmark. Scott knew she wanted a career in business. What she didn’t realize at that time was that her career path would exclusively include Pathmark. When her district manager suggested that Scott should be assessed as a candidate for Assistant Store Manager, new doors started to open. Thinking she lacked the qualifications didn’t stop her from taking the assessment. She passed with flying colors.

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Although it took Scott that extra year to obtain her degree from William Paterson, she came out with more than just a piece of parchment. Scott also had a keen insight into the business world that most college graduates do not. Scott’s on the job training worked out well as she was immediately selected for Pathmark’s Management Training Program upon graduation. Scott then spent the next five years as assistant store manager in the Cedar Grove and Teaneck stores. From assistant store manager, she was offered a corporate position as a buyer in the Dairy and Deli departments. Although she was hesitant, thinking a more sensible promotion would be to store manager, Scott accepted the offer. When Scott made the move to corporate, she thought, “I’d really like to be Vice President one day.” From there, she moved to sales manager for Dairy, Deli and Seafood. She held two other director positions within the company before moving on to Vice President of Sales and Advertising. Upon making her next move to Senior Vice-President of Non-Foods and Pharmacy, Scott came full circle and had been exposed to every merchandising department within Pathmark supermarkets. Scott was fortunate enough to find many mentors to guide her along her journey.

“One thing about Pathmark is we have a formal mentoring program,” Scott remembered “I was fortunate to grow up in the business when there was a lot of focus on equal opportunity.” Although Scott was a trailblazer in the industry, she said her advantage was she came into the industry at a time when women were being given more opportunity and advancement. Yet, when Scott looked around the corporate world, she noticed there were very few women to look up to and model herself after. Not only was Scott lacking the benefit of women mentors she also had strong competitors in the supermarket world, mostly men. That “certainly didn’t discourage me,” Scott said. “If anything it made me work harder to prove myself.” Today, not forgetting her own experiences climbing the corporate ladder, Scott now serves as a mentor to other young women, telling them, “Look beyond tomorrow, think of where you want to be five years from now.” Scott feels too many young people wait for something to come along instead of taking the time to establish their own career path. “You stand a better chance of getting where you want to go if you reach far and try to work toward your goal,” Scott advised. Success at Pathmark certainly did not come easy for Eileen Scott. She did encounter a few roadblocks along

Eileen Scott’s yearbook picture from Pope Paul VI High School in 1971.

the way. “There was a time when I was in a position in the early 80’s and felt stuck.” Scott reflected. “I wasn’t going anywhere.” When an opening became available within the company which went to someone else, Scott found herself at an all-time low. She even thought about pursuing another line of work, even quitting Pathmark. Although she couldn’t see it then, Scott thinks this was a good experience for her. “Everything does happen for a reason,” she said. Like the reason Scott was prepared to take over when the former CEO announced that he was taking a position as President of Starbucks, North America.

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“I knew that I had the qualifications to be the CEO,” Scott said. “The timing was a bit of a surprise.” So, how is she adjusting to her new position? Since the announcement was only made on October 16, 2002, Scott is still adjusting. “It’s been a bit of a whirlwind,” she admitted. She now has 144 stores in four states under her control not to mention a great deal of involvement with the investor community. What doesn’t she like about her new position? “The position doesn’t The Scott family at a recent wedding. allow me to spend as much Looking 10 years down the road however, Eileen Scott time visiting the stores as I’d like,” Scott said. Since this is where she began her journey over 30 years ago, it’s no sur- sees herself pursuing a different goal, one that would focus on nurturing new talent and mentoring the next genprise that she would miss that aspect of the job. eration of business leaders. “I would love to be teaching Where does she see herself in five years? Still running Pathmark, bringing innovation to the stores some business courses on a college campus and passing on some practical experience to others,” Scott said. and setting new goals for herself and the organization.

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Clifton Merchant • January 2003

Russell D. Schneider

Steven M. Rose

Chamber made: The North Jersey Regional Chamber of Commerce, headquartered in Clifton, has named new officers and board members, several of whom are Clifton-associated, either professionally or personally. They include: Robert M. Puleo, a partner in the accounting firm of dorfman abrams Music, named vice chair; Richard deluca, a vice president of the insurance firm Hanson & Ryan, vice chair of government affairs. Board members include John Chirico, gM at liberty lincolnMercury; Patrick F, delora Jr, President of deluxe Cleaners; diane Haines, Community Relations Manager, North Jersey Media group; george H. Jacobs, President of Jacobs enterprises (which recently managed the acquisition and redevelopment of Styertowne Shopping Center and apartments); Joseph la Marco, VP, Trust Company of NJ; Robert g. Paskill, gM of the Upper Montclair Country Club; Steven M. Rose, President, Passaic County Community College; Harvey Schutzbank, VP &

Robert M. Puleo

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CFO, Harve Benard ltd., Vincent M. Ucci, President of The Copy Cat; gary S. Young, Partner, the law firm of Mandelbaum, Salsburg, gold, lazris, discenza & Steinberg, P.C.; Jeffrey T. Cupo, President, Crest Management & development and VP, Cupo Realty; larry Feld, director of Marketing, R.d. Hunter & Co. llP; Russell d. Schneider, owner Schneider’s Flowers; Marie Sieber, a financial planner with Randy Neumann & associates; and george Sous, Regional Public affairs Manager for PSe&g. sales teems: William Paterson University has established the Russ Berrie Institute for Professional Selling at the University. The Institute, to be funded for up to $5 million by the late Russ Berrie, founder of the Oakland-based Russ Berrie & Co. (yes the stuffed toy folks), will develop professional and academic programs for both undergrads and working sales professionals. WPU will soon offer a B.S. degree in professional sales.

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Recycling dollars and Cents: Regardless of the economy and the ebb and flow of the resale markets, Clifton has a strong recycling program in place which reduces our trash volume. “The less garbage we have to haul out of the city,” said Recycling Coordinator al dubois, “the more we save as taxpayers.” Part of Clifton’s success is that the city separates recyclables into 23 different categories. The city’s curbside collection program is also well done. “Separating our recyclables gives us a clean, salable commodity,” he added. Three city based recycling firms also take trash out of the solid waste stream: Parkway Iron and Metal. on Route 46, Zozzaro Brothers, Inc. and Recycled Paperboard of Clifton. The total amount of solid waste recycled by the city is about 55 percent, the same rate for about eight years. this sporting life: Matthew grabowski has been named by governor Jim Mcgreevey to the Board of directors of the New Jersey Sports Hall of Fame. 1216

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Here's a look back Clifton at , circa 1950, city af ofarms on its way to becoming the middle class community for the 20th y. centur While we've tried our best to identify some landmarks, these overlays are approximate.

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By Jack De Vries

Hoop Dreams

Though Clifton is known for its great football teams, along with its champion hockey, soccer, and baseball squads, basketball also plays an important part in the city’s history. The following stories are a few treasures from Clifton’s hoop dreams past. Lace up your high-top Cons, slip on your sweat bands, and read

along.

The Hall of Famer Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, and Dr. J are all members of the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass. So is a player from Clifton, the unstoppable Bennie Borgmann. Though he never played for Clifton High, Borgmann did make the city his home. When Bennie was young, his mother died and his father moved from Haledon to Rhode

In 1920-21, Bennie Borgmann played for the Manhattan Rubber Team, winners of the Daily News Trophy as the ‘lightweight champions’ of Passaic County. From left are coach Magee, Fenlon, Borgmann, Grayson, White, Clapp and an unknown individual.

38 January 2003 • Clifton Merchant

Island—sending his son to live with an aunt In 1961, Clifton’s Bennie Borgmann was in Clifton. Bennie spent much of his time in inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. his new town learning to play basketball at The Streak Nearly School 15. Ended in Clifton By the time he reached high school age, They were known by the well-deserved Borgmann was already playing against top nickname the “Wonder Team.” local semi pro competition, performing in Over 75 years later, the accomplishplaces like Paterson’s Entre Nous court or ments of the Passaic High School basketPassaic’s Kanter’s Auditorium. A 5’8” 160ball squad are still hard to fathom. They pound dynamo with a shoot first, pass later won 159 straight games during a streak that game, Bennie began his pro career after the stretched over five years. 1921 season, agreeing to play for the The Wonder Team beat high school mighty Kingston Colonials for $25 a game. teams, schoolboy all-star squads, prep and For over two decades, Bennie starred for business schools, and more than a few cola host of great teams—including the lege teams. During their streak, they rang Original Celtics—scoring over 25,000 “I could run all day and up 9,472 points—in a game that featured career points. He became one of the most night,” the unstoppable no three pointers, no shot clock, and no Bennie Borgmann said after popular area athletes of the twenties (future his playing days ended. tomahawk jams. comedian Lou Costello often carried The Wonder Team began winning in Benny’s bag into gymnasiums for him), earning up to 1919 with a December victory against Newark Junior $10,000 a basketball season. College, 44-11. A little more than four years later, Speed and endurance were his greatest assets. “I could Passaic got its biggest scare of the streak during game run all day and night,” he said after his playing days ended. No. 113—courtesy of Clifton High School. He was also an excellent shortstop, playing for the Doherty On February 28, 1923, Passaic met Clifton on the floor Silk Sox, a Clifton semi-pro baseball team that often beat of the Paterson Armory before one of the smallest crowds major league teams—including Babe Ruth’s Yankees. He ever to see the Wonder Team play in that building. also played and managed in the minor leagues, and later Many stayed home expecting another rout by Passaic, scouted for many major league teams. who had beaten Clifton a few weeks before by a 67-

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Top row: Coach Harry Collester, Morris Karp, Larry De Mattia, Manager Donald Welenkamp, George Reasor, Principal Walter Nutt. Bottom: Emil Bondinell, Joseph Tarris, Ray Bednarcik, Vincent Chimenti, Art Argauer and mascot Pete Wilhovsky.

29 score for their 103rd straight win. Though the Wonder Team was missing two of its starters, they seemed more than a match for Clifton, jumping out to a 21-4 lead. Then the Maroon and Gray erupted. Paced by

team captain Ray Bednarcik and Joe Tarris, who combined for 26 points, Clifton blazed back into the game. Passaic Herald writer George H. Greenfield described: “Passaic’s morale was completely destroyed,

crushed, and swept away by the onrushing Maroon and Gray cohorts of Coach (Harry) Collester. With visions of a possible victory over the far-famed Wonder Team before their eyes, they made shots they had never

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made before, played a floor game that they never dreamed themselves capable of, and, in general, proceeded to throw a monkey wrench into the Passaic machine.” At halftime, Clifton had closed to a 21-19 score and tied the game at 22 early in the third quarter on a Bednarcik steal and outside shot. The teams played close basketball throughout the second half and, at the start of the fourth quarter, the Wonder Team led, 28-26. Two Mike Hamas foul shots gave Passaic a 30-26 lead, but Clifton’s Larry De Mattia hit for a bucket and Tarris hit two foul shots to tie the score again. The Wonder Team countered with another basket by Hamas, who scored 21 for the game, to pull ahead, 32-30. With time running out, Clifton made one last run. Clutch baskets by Vince Chimenti and another by Tarris, gave the Maroon and Gray a 34-33 lead. The Passaic Daily News wrote: “It was the first time in four years that Passaic was down with one minute left to play.” Here’s where the story gets interesting. Legend says a lot less than one minute was left—probably closer to 10 seconds. In a 2000 interview with the Herald News, Clifton sports historian Harry Murtha said, “Art Argauer (a guard on the Clifton team) told me they were robbed. He said the timekeeper was someone from Passaic and made sure the game last-

The St. Francis Club from St. Cyril’s Church were one of the many local clubs playing at Domyon’s.: Front: John Pavlica, John Pavlik, Bob Adams, and Jim Lotzer. Rear: John Bigos, Dan Petrasek, Lou Pashinsky, Steve Mihalovich and Ed Kostic.

ed until Passaic took the lead.” Though other fans confirm the story, the Passaic newspapers make no mention of the infamous “long clock.” There is also another story (not reported in the game accounts) that Bednarcik missed a lay-up that would have given Clifton the game. In whatever time remained, Hamas got the ball and scored, giving Passaic a one-point lead. Fouled on the play, he stepped to the line and made the shot, just before the final whistle sounded, giving the Wonder Team a 36-34 victory. Passaic had survived—but had the slow hand of a timekeeper helped keep the streak alive? No one knows

for sure. Win No. 113 remains.

Domyon’s Hall Domyon’s Hall plays a prominent role in Clifton’s basketball history. Located on Center St. in the Botany section (now known as Domyon’s Courtside Pub), the tavern features a basketball court in the back that has drawn players from all over North Jersey, beginning in the 1930s. “I loved playing there,” says John Kostisin, a former player and head coach at Clifton High. “The rims were very forgiving and the ball often went in. I made sure my paper route started and ended at Domyon’s so I could go inside and shoot when I was finished. It would cost five cents a half-

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hour to play, a dime for an hour.” Kostisin wasn’t the only one who loved Domyon’s. Besides the many Clifton players, teams from all over the area competed on the court. Stars like Paterson’s Larry Doby and Orange’s Monte and Cal Irvin played at Domyon’s, as did NBA players Bob Davies, Pep Saul, and York Larese. When the court first opened, fans not only got to watch a basketball cozy up in front of your fireplace with a nice bottle of Port and a little

A little slower on the fast break but still quick to visit Domyon’s Courtside Pub just for the memories, from left: Tom Cupo,. Walt Caligaro, John Kostisin, Dan Petrasek (see him in 1947 on the previous page), Joe Scancarella, Tony Glodava and Al Mardirossian jr.

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game, they could dance in front of a live band at halftime and after the game. Players had to put up with the smoke from cigarettes and cigars that ringed the court. “Breathing the air at Domyon’s,” says Kostisin, “conditioned me for playing in places like the Paterson

Armory that were just as smoky.” Bill Domyon, who ran the basketball court for 55 years before selling the business a decade ago, said in a 2001 interview that he enjoyed his business immensely. “I was too busy working to watch the games,” he says, “but I loved meeting the people.

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The 1945-46 Clifton High School Basketball team who went on to be North Jersey Group 1V & Passaic Valley Conference Champions. From left standing, Coach Bednarcik, Van Cleef, Torcivia, Atkinson, Bulyn, Hatala, Dull, Olson, Gall, Corrizzi, Parsons, & Dr. Gerow. Sitting, DeLotto, Wolf, Donall, & Gibnavdi.

I have wonderful memories.”

The “Almost” State Champions Perhaps the greatest Clifton basketball team ever was the 1946 squad that finished with an incredible 22-1 record. After capturing the Passaic Valley Conference championship, the Mustangs only defeat came when they were upset by Newark Central in the state tournament. The loss was especially heartbreaking because Newark Central went on to lose to Thomas Jefferson, a team Clifton had already beaten. “It was overconfidence, as simple as that,” says Ray Van Cleef, the team’s point guard. “We were flat and didn’t come out with fire like we had in other ball games. They surrounded Hal Corizzi, who was our leading scorer, and that put the pressure on Ted Dul and Elmer Gall to score. “At the end, we were stunned. They were a good team,

but we had beaten better teams than Newark Central. It’s hard to explain, but at the end of that game, I felt like I hadn’t even played at all.” Despite their heartbreaking loss, Coach Emil Bednarcik’s boys enjoyed a stellar season. One of their greatest wins was over a powerful Emerson team (22-2) in a state tournament game prior to the Newark Central contest. Down 27-20 at the half, Clifton came back with 6’5” Don Parsons fronting Emerson’s giant center Steinmentz and preventing the ball from entering the post. On offense, Van Cleef orchestrated the Clifton attack, running the Emerson team ragged trying to stop him. Corizzi, the state’s leading scorer that season, paced the team with 24 points as the Mustangs advanced with a 58-50 victory. “Though Hal was only about 6-foot tall,” says

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Van Cleef, “he scored all his points from inside the foul line. The reason was that he couldn’t see very well. Even though we had a big scoreboard, he used to come into the huddle during timeouts and ask, ‘What’s the score?’ We kidded him a lot about that.” The 1946 team continued to make their city proud following graduation. During the 1950 season, the trio of Van Cleef, Corizzi, and Parsons went on to start for Rutgers University, with Parsons scoring over 1,000 career points for the school. “Don was the first to go to Rutgers in 1947,” says Van Cleef, who became a baseball All-American in college. “I joined him in 1948, and when Hal got out of the service, he came to the school. Hal also played football for Rutgers and became an outstanding end.” One who remembers their play at Rutgers was fresh-

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man basketball coach Bob Sterling. “I can’t say enough superlatives about the three of them,” says Sterling. “What an endorsement for Clifton High School they were. Emil (Bednarcik) did a fine job preparing them, and they were all tough competitors. Corizzi was a bull, Parsons was our center, and Van Cleef was the type that would annoy the opposing team—he never stopped. “They were the kind of kids you live to coach, the ones who gave every ounce of effort.”

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ball’s best, Rich Fincken. Fincken helped lead the 1956 Mustangs to a 15-6 mark and gained All-County honors as a junior and a place on the All-Metropolitan, All County, and Group IV All-State teams as a senior. After graduating, he played for Tusculum College in Tennessee where he earned All-Smokey Mountain Conference honors. Fincken later became a high school coach at Hopatcong High School, coaching football for 16 years and basketball for 27 seasons. On the hardwood, he compiled a 394234 career record and his teams won two state championships. He was elected to Sussex Sports Hall of Fame, and the plaque at Skylands Park honors his achievements.

ors while playing in the service.

Hoopin’ in the Age of Aquarius In the sixties, Clifton boasted incredible individual talent as evidenced by the five players selected for the Mustangs All-Century Team by Clifton Merchant Magazine. The Woodstock Generation’s Fab Five— Ken Van Dalen, Dennis Cesar, Al Yuhas, Ed Monks, and Larry Kondra—gave the sixties the most players on the team of any decade. Each was a special player. The 6’4” Van Dalen averaged 16 points a game and was the Mustangs’ top rebounder in 1963, later playing for

Al Yuhas

Not Just Football When you mention winning Clifton basketball teams, Coach Emil Bednarcik’s name comes to mind. But another basketball coach also had an outstanding record. Before becoming Clifton’s head football coach in 1964, Bill Vander Closter led the Mustangs JV basketball team to over 220 wins. Though he led Clifton to five state football titles, Vandy always considered basketball his best sport, earning All-Navy hon-

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Rutgers on the same team as legendary North Carolina State coach Jim Valvano. Cesar, now a doctor in California, averaged 28.6 points a game in 1964, while Yuhas became the school’s first 1,000 point scorer, averaging 21.4 points a game in 1966. He was later selected to The Record’s All-Century Team for Passaic County, the

Mustangs’ lone representative. Monks, now an attorney in Oregon, helped lead the 1967 Mustangs to a 17-6 record, averaging just under 20 points a game. He later played for Columbia University and was a member of the nationally ranked 1969 Ivy League championship team. Kondra, today a physician in California, was also a 1,000-point scorer and averaged over 20 points a game in both his junior and senior years. He earned All-County, AllMetropolitan, and All-State honors and was an Honorable Mention All-American selection as a senior.

The All-Century Team In 2000, Clifton Merchant Magazine asked a panel of Mustangs basketball experts to select the school’s All-Century Basketball Team. Here again are the 15 players who were chosen as “best of the best”: Ed Bednarcik . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1975 Bud Campbell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1975 Dennis Cesar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1964 Hal Corizzi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1946 Ed Monks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1967 Al Yuhas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1966 Ray Van Cleef . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1947 Sam Poulis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1991 Billy DeGraaf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1952 Bill Shaughnessy . . . . . . . . . . . . .1988 Rich Fincken . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1956 Ken Van Dalen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1963 Jerry Manning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1959 Larry Kondra . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1969

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Mustangs Inspiring Mustangs After winning the state championship, the 1966 Clifton football team continued to inspire others—especially basketball players. Football team captain Bob Csuka recalls a game against powerful Lodi when the Bergen County school was trying to gain entrance into the Passaic Valley Conference. “Lodi’s admission into the PVC was something (football) Coach Bill Vander Closter was dead against,” Csuka remembers. “When Lodi came to our gym, their fans hung a sign saying they deserved to be part of the PVC.” Knowing a Lodi victory would bolster their case for joining the PVC, the football team tore down the sign at halftime and charged into the Clifton locker room during Coach Emil Bednarcik’s pep talk. “We showed the players the sign,” Csuka says, “and then ripped it up in front of them. They were so fired up that they ran Lodi off the floor in the second half. At the end of the game, we carried Coach Bednarcik off the floor.”

“But they were worth it,” adds Kostisin. “They were great kids.”

Clifton’s Greatest Opponent He was their greatest rival, and his team brought out the competitive best in the Mustangs. From 1971 to 1975, Passaic Valley’s John Gerdy ruled area courts, becoming Passaic County’s top career scorer with 2,614 points. Though Gerdy put on some great performances against other teams—including a 48-point effort against Rory Sparrow’s Eastside squad—the games he played against Clifton were legendary.

“As a sophomore in 1973,” says then Clifton head coach John Kostisin, “Gerdy came back from mono and still scored 40 against us. I remember running three different guards at him the entire game and not stopping him.” After averaging nearly 25 points as a freshman, Gerdy totaled over 22 points per game as a sophomore, 26 as a junior, and a career high 30.1 during his senior year. A 6’4” guard, the Hornets star scored most of his points from long range. “He’d do things during a game that were so amazing,” says Clifton’s

Stealing Court Time In the early seventies, the Clifton Police got a strange call. Someone had broken into the School 9 gym and the lights were on. When the cops arrived, they found the burglars were the 1969 Mustangs 22-0 JV team, stealing court time. “They got into a little trouble,” laughs their coach, John Kostisin. “Another time, they convinced me that they’d gotten permission to play at the Clifton Boys Club. When I got down there, the court was filled with chairs, and I had to help move them so they could play. To make matters worse, it was snowing outside, and someone slid and knocked the taillight off my car.

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Larry Gibson, a starting forward on the 1975 team, “that I had to remind myself to pay attention and not get distracted. If the 3-point rule had existed, he would have averaged 55 points a game.” By 1975, the Hornets and Mustangs had become a mirror image of the other. To counter Gerdy, Clifton used high-scoring guard Ed Bednarcik. To offset PV’s rugged Mike Suglia, the Mustangs featured the energetic Bud Campbell. Both teams boasted loud, passionate fans. “What I remember about all our games was how the gyms rocked,” remarks Kostisin. “At the end of the games, it was one side or the other singing ‘Good bye, Gerdy’ or ‘Good bye, Clifton.’” Gerdy, now an author and college professor living in Pennsylvania, vividly recalls PV’s battles against Clifton. “Those games were fun,” he says. “The gym was always filled, the

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atmosphere electric, and the teams evenly matched. While everyone competed fiercely, we had great respect for each other.” The Mustangs, who would win the 1975 Northern New Jersey Interscholastic League title, met the Hornets three times that season. Their first battle came during the BobSandri

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Passaic Valley Holiday Tournament on the Hornets’ home floor. Gerdy started off the game cold, watching his long shots clang off the back rim and hearing the Clifton crowd count each miss. Kostisin had Campbell, his long-limbed center, chase Gerdy along the outside. The plan worked until Campbell got into foul trouble. With Campbell on the bench, Gerdy rediscovered his jumper and scored 45 points in PV’s 86-74 victory. In January, over 2,000 loud fans packed the CHS gym and saw the rivalry at its best. Gerdy led PV to a one-point lead with six minutes to play, but the Mustangs fought back. Twice during the final minutes, Clifton’s Rick LaMonica scored on put-backs for crucial points. His efforts, along with Campbell’s 32 points and Bednarcik’s 23, sparked the Mustangs to a 75-72 win. Gerdy had 26 points for the losing Hornets.

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The final meeting between the schools came in February. The game was close into the fourth quarter. Down by six, Clifton fought back with eight-straight points by Bednarcik and Campbell to give the Mustangs a 60-58 lead. But PV refused to lose on its home floor. The Hornets outscored the Mustangs 16-4 through the final minutes for a 76-65 win. Gerdy led PV with 35 points, while Bednarcik topped Clifton with 34. The rivalry was the high point of both teams’ seasons as each lost in the state tournament. Clifton (20-3) bowed to North Bergen, while PV (22-5) was upset by Bayonne.

She Got Game Former Clifton head coach John Kostisin is a keen judge of basketball talent, having seen every great Clifton player since the early forties. During his 1984 basketball clinics for middle school students, the coach knew he was watching a great player—one better than any on the court. However, this athlete would never play for Kostisin on the high school team. The best player on the court that year was a girl—Janet Domino. “She was better than any of the boys,” say Kostisin. “She was a tremendous athlete in both softball and basketball.” Though she stopped beating the boys on the court after the eighth grade, Domino continued to impress Clifton coaches. She played four years for the Lady Mustangs basketball and softball teams, becoming an All-County player on the

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hardwood. Domino was elected to the Clifton High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 1999.

Third in the World In 1993, the best team in the city was probably its smallest. After winning the Division I-A state championship, Clifton’s Biddy Basketball Team journeyed to Abbeyville, La., to compete for the world title. The boys from Clifton did well, finishing third. “The team was organized through the Recreation Department,” says Bob Potts. “George Hayek and I helped put the team together, and they were coached by John Antonucci Sr., whose son John played on the team. Biddy basketball teams compete on 8.5 foot baskets and players cannot be taller than 5’8”. Clifton formed its Biddy team only three weeks before the state tournament. However, because three of the team’s stars—Antonucci Jr., Andre McCormick, and Joe Haro—had played together on the Clifton Boys Club team, the squad quickly jelled. Accompanied by many of the par-

In March, 1993, these 11 and 12 year old Clifton kids became the New Jersey State Biddy League Champions: (kneeling left to right) Erik Dobkowski, Mike Rivera, Andrea McCormick, Omar Caccares-Marzon, Ryan Mikula and Bryan Memen. (Standing) George Hayek (Coordinator), Jesse Smith, John Chestnut, Joey Haro, John Antonucci Sr. (Coach), John Antonucci Jr., Joey Labruzza, Pablo Castro and Henry McCormick (Video Technician)

ents, and Potts, Hayek and Antonucci Sr., the Clifton team won twice in the world tournament before losing to Puerto Rico. “It was a great experience to travel,” says Ryan Mikula, a player on the team. “We were all

from different schools, but we came together. What I remember most was the camaraderie we had.”

Kostisin’s Starting Five

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Though he says he’s “going to get a lot of flack for this,” former coach John Kostisin agreed to provide his all-time starting five for Clifton High. After mentioning great players like Larry Kondra, Bud Campbell, Rich Fincken, Ken Van Dalen, Bill Shaughnessy, Sam Poulis, and “many others,” Kostisin named his all time starting Mustang Five:

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639 Van Houten Ave. Clifton 973-471-9620

50 January 2003 • Clifton Merchant

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Clifton Merchant • January 2003

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52 January 2003 • Clifton Merchant

the 8th Annual martin Luther King Jr. Jazz Festival & dinner is on Jan. 11, from 6 pm to midnight at the Italian-American Co-Op Hall at 282 Parker Ave., Botany Village section of Clifton. The bill features hornmen Leslie Ford and Calvin Hughes, vocalists Loretta Bradley, Jackie Sanders and Cynthia Holiday and Palmer Jenkins’ combo. Tickets are $35 and are available at Record City’s outlets in downtown Passaic and Paterson, or call producer Seifullah Ali Shabazz at 973-4784124. United Jersey Blues Network, a one year old Clifton-based non-profit organization dedicated to supporting the blues and the musicians who live it—and then play it live and on CD— presents an ‘Open Blues Jam’ every Thursday, from 8 to 11:30 pm, at Drumsticks Bar & Grill, 240 Dayton Ave., also in Botany Village. So bring your axe and/or your attitude. And check out www.ujbn.net for other newsy, bluesy happenings, including a Jan. 18 benefit to help send the raucous blues breakers ‘BB & The Stingers’ to an international blues competition in

Memphis. Call 973-340-7672 for info. Clifton Arts Center presents ‘Heartstrings,’ an exhibit featuring 55 artists from the Studio Montclair project. The exhibit runs Jan. 8 through Feb.1. There will also be a reception at which to ‘meet and greet’ with the artists 1 - 4 pm on Jan. 12, and on Jan. 23 from 7 - 9 pm. Some of the artists will also be present for an open ‘Art Forum’ to discuss and explain their work. The display will feature sculpture, photography, prints, fiber art, mixed media and oil based paintings. The theme of ‘Heartstrings’ was specifically chosen for its seasonal connotations. Membership in Studio Montclair isn’t restricted to Montclair, either. Members live and work in several different towns across Essex, Passaic, Hudson and Sussex counties. Call 973-472-5499 for info on the exhibit; for details on the Studio Montclair Project, call 973-243-9443. the checks are in the mail: That’s because the Passaic County Cultural & Heritage Council at Passaic County Community College has just announced the Downtown Clifton Economic Development Group, The

Help send BB & The Stingers to Memphis.

Action Theatre Conservatory, the Clifton Rec Dept. and the Clifton Arts Center are among the 41 grant recipients which share $81,755 in funds. Grants range from $500 to $5000. To be eligible for a grant, an applicant must be a tax-exempt, non-profit Passaic County organization, intend to use the grant for an arts project to take place in Passaic County during the stipulated grant year; and (here comes the hard part) must match every dollar awarded with one dollar of its own. For info on 2004 grants, call the PCCHC at 973-684-5444.

Cornetist Calvin Hughes and Palmer Jenkins’ group perform in the Martin Luther King Jr. Jazz Festival in Clifton on Jan. 11. Clifton Merchant • January 2003

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This Year ,You Can A New Year for many of us ladies means getting toned up. And while the weather outside can be frightful, the atmosphere at Shapes Express Fitness for Women, 729 Van Houten Ave. (entrance on Sipp Ave.) is always delightful. It’s bright and airy here and the equipment is all brand new. Clients are friendly and the staff is helpful. So if your New Year’s resolution includes toning muscles and losing a few pounds, Shapes can help you get it done. Can you spare 30-minutes a day, three times a week to tone up your body this winter? If so, Shapes on Sipp Ave. is the place for you.

Each machine works two major muscle groups at a time, so more calories are burned and many muscle groups are strengthened. The workout is also challenging because it can be varied according to your preferences. Workouts range from 30 second intervals to the more challenging 40 second intervals. Owner Eileen Smith wants each and every client to get the most out of each workout, and to do so comfortably and safely. She does not wish to take money from women who will not benefit from her workout program. “The workout will only be effective if the client comes in at least three times a week,” says Eileen. “If someone wants to work-out only once a week, I refuse to waste her time and take her money if I know it will not produce results.”

Anyone at any fitness level can master the program. It works on a work/rest principle, alternating between hydraulic strength machines and aerobic rest stations in between each machine. A typical workout keeps you moving, making you feel invigorated. You’ll spend about 30 seconds at each station for a total of 30 minutes.

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Visit our new location: 802 Van Houten Ave • 973-473-1997

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Two Stores In Clifton 973-473-1997

802 Van Houten Ave • Clifton Open Sundays

973-473-4999

1103 Main Ave • Downtown Clifton New Location

Our Other Locations: 201.843.8040 201-845-8353

136 Essex St • Rochelle Park Open Sundays

201.391.3333 5 Hawthorne Ave • Park Ridge New Location

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59A E. Ridgewood Ave • Paramus New Location

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614 Pompton Ave • Cedar Grove New Location

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1103 Main Ave • 973-473-4999

56 January 2003 • Clifton Merchant

Auto Expo 2003—the 13th Annual New Jersey Auto Show, will showcase a 1953 Corvette and a 2003 50th Anniversary Edition. Hundreds of other brand new 2003 models will roll into the Meadowlands Exposition Center Jan. 18- 26. The two Corvettes will be displayed side by side, throughout the two week event in a salute to this classic American sports car. The first time the public saw ‘America’s Dream Car’ was in Jan. 1953 at the Motorama display at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City. On June 30, 1953, the Corvette went into full production (each car was built by hand) at the GM facility in Flint, Michigan, where 300 Corvettes were built that year. All 1953 Corvettes were white with a red interior, all had Powerglide automatic transmissions mated to 150 HP, six cylinder engines with three carburetors and dual exhaust. All of the 1953 production were convertibles with black canvas tops, and started with a base price of $3,498. This is the rarest Corvette and it will be displayed at Auto Expo 2003 to illustrate the continuity of 50 years of production. Of the 300 built, about 200 are accounted for today. This fully restored, early original is being shipped to the Garden State direct from The Motor City to be at The New Jersey Auto Show. The estimated value is $170,000. With over 200 cars, trucks, vans and SUV’s representing over 25 manufacturers, Auto Expo 2003 offers the latest in automotive design and technology. The New Jersey Auto Show offers consumers a first glimpse of the 2003 model year, all under one roof, in an exciting, consumer friendly atmosphere. Admission is $8 for adults, kids under 12, $4 and toddlers under 4 get in free. Call 201-223-1000.

The 2003 cars, trucks and vans are always the stars at AUTO EXPO 2003—The New Jersey Auto Show, but there will be plenty of other attractions when the 13th annual Edition of this event opens at the Meadowlands Exposition Center on Jan. 18 and runs through Jan. 26. From a $170,000 vintage Corvette, above, to SpongeBob SquarePants as well as cars from James Bond movies, there is something for all.

Snow cancelled last month’s 27th annual Christmas party for women living at the North Jersey Development Center in Totowa. Santa, however, has been working closely with UNICO District IV, and has agreed to re-schedule the event on Jan 6 at the Brownstone in Paterson. Music is provided pro-bono by John Morano and the Cisco Lane Trio. Photos from last year’s event above, features, above center, chair Michael N. Corradino, and to the right, co-chair Nina Corradino. According to sources at the North Pole, Santa has received lots of direction from helper Rob Giaconia. To support this event, call Mike Corradino at 973-812-0065.

Tricky Tray Western: Get on your cowboy boots and kick up a little dust on behalf of the kids of St. Brendan School. This year’s annual Tricky Tray Auction will have a Wild, Wild West theme. Grab your partner and don’t expect any of the usual fundraising here. The event is at the Wayne Manor on Feb. 2 at 3 pm. Tickets are $25 and includes dinner, raffle tickets and door prizes. Call 973-772-1149. Calling All Cowfolk: Shake off those holiday calories and learn the latest steps and styles in line dancing to country music, thanks to Clifton’s Rec Dept. Classes are ongoing and are held Wednesdays 10-11:30 am (for senior citizens) and Mondays 1011:30 am or Thursdays 5:30-6:30 pm for less ‘seasoned’ folks. A fee of $1 donation per session. Classes are held at the Rec Center at 1232 Main Ave. Details at 973-470-5956. Clifton Merchant • January 2003

St. Andrew’s School will mark its 50th anniversary on Feb. 1. There will be a Mass of Thanksgiving at St. Andrew’s at 5 pm followed by a 7 pm dinner dance at the Wayne Manor. Tickets are $40 per person. For information, call Sr. Margaret Murphy at 973-473-3711. Ground was broken for the new school on March 16, 1952, soon after the opening of St. Andrew’s Boulevard. The school’s cornerstone was laid on Nov. 2, 1952, followed by the arrival of five Presentation sisters, led by the first principal, Sr. Mary Dorothea. Saint Andrew’s opened on Feb. 2, 1953 to 150 students. The first 8th grade graduation took place in June, 1957. That same year an addition began to accommodate the rise in enrollment. Chipping Away: St. Peter’s Haven is sponsoring a Fish & Chips Dinner at the church hall, 380 Clifton Ave., Jan. 18 at 6:30 pm. Tickets are $20 and the battering and frying is by the justlyfamed Thistle Restaurant of Kearny. And the CHS Madrigal Choir will be present to help harmonically with the digestion of all that cholesterol as well. Take-out (or take-away, as they call it in Blighty) is available. Reservations are necessary, so call 973-546-3406. St. Peter’s also needs volunteers the second Saturday of each month at 10:30 am to unload food deliveries. Flank Steak & Flankers: Athenia Veterans Post on Huron Ave. hosts a Beefsteak Dinner to mark Super Bowl XXXVII on Jan. 26 (and if you have to check a calendar for which day of the week that is, you haven’t been on this planet very long, now have you?). There’ll be beer and soda throughout the game, ziti and beefsteak during the half-time ceremonies, which means plenty of time to chow down given how long those interminable half-time ceremonies always last. Tickets are $27; for reservations call 973-778-0931. 58 January 2003 • Clifton Merchant

Jan. 1953: That’s parishioner Mrs. Lackner welcoming St. Andrew’s first principal, Sr. Mary Dorothea, and four other Presentation Sisters to Clifton.

They’ll Play For Beef! The Marching Mustang Band’s 2nd Annual Beefsteak is at the Boys & Girls Club on Jan. 17, 6 pm. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased from bandmembers. Call Ramona Hallick at 973-365-0222 or e-mail her at Mona413@aol.com. The CHS Football Booster Club Awards Brunch is on Jan. 12 at 10 am at the Brownstone in Paterson. Tickets are $30 for non-members and $23 for members. Call Izzy

McDonald at 973-340-8797 for info. St. Philip the Apostle Council No. 11671, Knights of Columbus, is holding a gala Sports Card Show, its first ever, on April 12, at St, Philip School’s auditorium, 797 Valley Rd. They’re seeking sports card, autograph and memorabilia dealers. Call Past Grand Knight Nick Mangone at 973-7852968 (days) or 973-684-1180 (nights) for info and to book your tables. The CHS Softball Teams Fifth Annual Beefsteak, sponsored by the Booster Clubs, is Jan. 24 at 7 pm at the Boys & Girls Club of Clifton. Tickets are $30. Call Mark Woodruff at 973-472-2075 (days) or 973-472-2074 (eves). Spring Training For Sprouts: Clifton Midget League baseball registration is Jan. 11 and 28, Feb. 8 and 12 and Mar. 8. Weekday hours for registration are 7 to 9 pm, Saturdays it’s 10 am to noon. 973-684-0646 for info.

St. Peter’s Haven provides shelter to families in need and serves as a food pantry for the city. It is affiliated with St. Peter’s Episcopal Church on Clifton Ave.

Clifton Merchant Magazine publishes community happenings at no charge. Send your typewritten information along with photos before the 15th of the month prior. Mail to: Tomahawk Promotions, 1288 Main

p/u Hackensack ad from page 27 in Dec 2002 Clifton Mag thanks

Clifton Merchant • January 2003

Hard Corps Running: 78-year-old John F. Cox runs. A lot. A total of 25 marathons (26.2 mile road races) at last count. When he does, it’s often with his four grown children, a son-in-law and a daughter-in-law. While he has logged times in all seven New Jersey Waterfront Marathons, plus two more in Columbus, Ohio, his favorite, by far, is the U.S. Marine Corps Marathon, held annually in Washington, DC. He ran 16 out of the 27 held thus far. Back when he was a young man, John Cox was a Marine on active duty himself, stuck on a hellhole called Okinawa during WWII. There was a lot of running there, too. Mainly for cover. It’s better now. The running is for fun and for the aerobic health benefits. “The family is all involved,” his wife Dorothy, who prefers walking, said, “and we enjoy the opportunity to get together every year

OLD TOYS & TRAINS Jimmy Ferguson 201.942.4498

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with other people we’ve met through running.” That’s John’s daughter Jessie in the picture at left, who this past October ran her third Marine Corps Marathon. His son John is in the other pix. Clearly, the family that plays together runs together. And stays together. When Dorothy and John Cox aren’t running around the nation, you’ll find them many mornings in Foodies, reading the newspapers and sipping some relaxing tea.

Senior Health Partners Board Certified

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60 January 2003 • Clifton Merchant

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Clifton Merchant • January 2003

Your Future Begins @

PCTI PASSAIC COUNTY TECHNICAL INSTITUTE

Adult Division, Adult High School & Trade Extension Programs 45 REINHARDT ROAD • WAYNE Prepare to take the Certified Cisco Associate Exam. Our two semester course costs $695 per semester. and provides 96 hours of training.

Programs: Adult High School: Adult students are able to complete their High School education and receive a High School Diploma. This program is fully approved by the New Jersey Department of Education and the Passaic County Technical Institute Board of Education. FREE to all interested adults. Call (973) 389–4101.

Apprenticeship Program: Carpentry, Electrical, Machine Shop, Plumbing and heating are available.

Passaic County Learning Center: We offer Adult Basic Education, English as a Second Language and courses to earn a GED. For information call (973) 684–0106.

Become a PC Techie with our Computer Repair Course. This 48 hour course will prepare you for the A+ Certification Exam No previous PC Experience required! Tuition is only $695 • Enroll Now!

Licensed Practical Nurse Program: Passaic County Technical Institute also sponsors a year long full–time days Practical Nursing Diploma Program which prepares the student to sit for the New Jersey Board of Nursing Licensed Practical Nursing Exam. Call for brochure... (973) 389-2020. 1228

Evening Trade Courses: • ACCA Refrigerant Handlers Certification • Accounting I & Automated Accounting/ Excel • Administrative Medical Assistant • Adobe Photoshop • Advertising Art and Design • Auto Body I & II • Automotive I & II • Bass Fishing • Blueprint Reading I & II • Cabinet Making • Cisco Academy-CCNA Certification • CNC Lathe, Basic & Advanced • Computer Aided Drafting Basic & Advanced • Computer Keyboarding • Culinary Arts Soup to Nuts • Engineering Drawing • Electricity I & II • Electronics I & II • Firemen’s Licenses: Black Seals, Blue Seal & Red Seal

62 January 2003 • Clifton Merchant

• Food Service • Heating • Home Remodeling & Improv. • House Framing I & II • Housewiring • Industrial Wiring I & II • Interior Design • Intro to the Internet & E-Mail • Intro to PC Hardware • Intro to Computer Programming • Machine Shop I, II, & III • Manicuring • National Electric Code • Nurse Aid • Personal Computer • Plumbing I & II • Plumber’s License Prep • Refrigeration I,II & III • Small Engine Repair • Sign Language • Skin Care • Telecommunications • Welding Basic or Advanced • Word 2000

In-Person

Registration Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday: 6:30 - 9 pm

January 14, 15 & 16

For Info, Call (973) 389-4101

Classes Begin

Jan. 27

The Basement is a new play about the stillunsolved murder in 1980 of Clifton resident James Fusaro, a union business agent who was found murdered in his Passaic office on New Year’s Eve. What gives the play special poignancy, however, is that it’s written by, and stars, his son Darrell James Fusaro Jr., who was only 8 at the time of the slaying. The play concentrates less on the actual mystery of Fusaro’s slaying and more on the emotional havoc it wreaked on his family. The play-

At left, James Fusaro today, above, James with his grandfather and at right, James as a 1980 CHS grad.

wright’s spouse, Lori Fusaro, completes the cast for this special one night only benefit performance, Jan. 18 at Clifton High School. Tickets are $5 general admission, $3 students, $2.50 seniors. Proceeds benefit CHS. Call for info: 973-470-2311. An anonymous discussion forum where visitors can share knowledge, theories or questions regarding the still unsolved murder of James Fusaro is at http://www.darrelljamesfusaro.com/

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Clifton Merchant • January 2003

Clifton Super Bowl Family Join Us For An Alcohol?Free Party At CHS on Jan 26 at

1023

or the seventh year, a group of residents have organized “Super Bowl Family Day” at CHS as an alcohol, tobacco and gambling-free place to watch the game. Admission is just $5 for a family of four or $2 per person. The price includes super sized TV’s, fun and games as well as food and refreshments. Family Day begins at 5 pm at the CHS gym with adult/child non-competitive games. These are easy to do for any age, such as basketball shooting, whiffle ball, football toss and floor hockey. And everyone is a winner.

dr. barry raphael p.a. 1425 broad street, clifton, new jersey 07013 (973) 778-4222, alignmine.com N.J. Specialty # 3684

Everyone likes Amanda’s style. Everyone loves Amanda’s smile.

Can orthodontics do the same for you? 64 January 2003 • Clifton Merchant

Please contribute $100 and join the...

ily

At about the time that the events are completed, it’s time for Super Bowl kick-off which is seen on two big screen television sets in the cafeteria. After kick off, pizza, Sabrett hot dogs, chips, pretzels and soda is served. Open Gym follows with pick up games of volleyball, basketball and soccer while the Super Bowl is played on the big screen tvs. At half time, many return to the cafeteria for lots of awards to be given to participants of the adult/child competitions. Call Clifton Rec’s Debbie Oliver at 973-470-5958 for ticket info, event details or to volunteer. To help fund the Clifton Super Bowl Family Day, send a check for $100 or call Tom Hawrylko at 973-253-4400. All donors will be listed in next month’s ad.

lwood al ay and learn

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Registration Now Underway! • Nursery School • Extended Hours • Pre-K Programs • Classes for 2 1/2, 3 & 4 year olds All Day Kindergarten 2003 Open 7:30am to 6pm

94 Chelsea Rd. • 973 779-4844 Deborah Tucker, Director

Become One of Our 21 Sponsors By Calling Tom Hawrylko At 973-253-4400

n 26 at 5

21 Club Your Support Is Needed! Checks should be made payable to: Clifton Recreation Dept., note: Super Bowl Party Mail to: Clifton Merchant Magazine 1 Passaic-Clifton Chapter of UNICO 1288 Main Ave. Clifton, NJ 07011 2 The Optimist Club of Clifton

3 Council on Compulsive Gambling 4 Clifton FMBA Local 21 5 Michael D. Ostapeck, D.C. 6 The Corbo Family 7 Clifton Rotary Club 8 Clifton Moose Lodge #657 9 Tom Miller 10 11 12 13 14

21 Sponsors are needed!!! Please call Tom Hawrylko 973-253-4400

15 Sponsors will be noted in our ads. 16

Gambling Problem?

17 18 19 20 21

call1?800?Gambler or visit

www.800gambler.org Clifton Merchant • January 2003

C hristmas

downtown clifton

Grand Marshall Ernie Scheidemann, pictured at right, presided over this year’s Downtown Clifton Christmas Parade, which was held along Main Ave. on the afternoon of Dec. 7. The merchants, professionals and other business and property owners

66 January 2003 • Clifton Merchant

who comprise the Downtown Clifton Economic Development Group are proud to work with sponsors and the city to continue this tradition. Many thanks to those who lined the Avenue to cheer on the hundreds of participants who marched.

1303

RECYCLED PAPERBOARD INC. of Clifton One Ackerman Ave • Clifton

Vincent M. Ponte President

Tel: 973-546-0030 • Fax: 973-546-1349

C. Genardi Contracting Inc.Clifton

973-772-8451 R OOFING ¥ SIDING SEAMLESS G UTTERS A DDITIONS

Clifton Merchant • January 2003

celebrations!

Send written notices of your family celebrations by the 15th of the month prior to Clifton Merchant Magazine, 1288 Main Ave. Clifton 07011. We cannot guarantee photos will be used but if you do send pictures, enclose a self addressed stamped envelope along with info on those celebrating. Happy Birthday To... Shaun LaGala . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1/1 Chrissy Cetinich . . . . . . . . . . . . .1/2 Amanda Esposito . . . . . . . . . . .1/2 Kristin Reilly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1/2 Steven Hrina . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1/3 Rosalie Konopinski . . . . . . . . . . .1/3 Emily Zawicki . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1/3 Mohamad Bekheet . . . . . . . . . .1/5 Missy Fierro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1/5 Alexander Ortiz . . . . . . . . . . . . .1/5

Gay Eaclie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1/6 Larry Homsany . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1/8 Emmanuel “E” Ihim . . . . . . . . . .1/8 Joseph Perzely . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1/9 Fatma Bekheet . . . . . . . . . . . .1/10 Ronald Calo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1/10 Richie DeMarco . . . . . . . . . . . .1/10 Katy Sokolik . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1/11 Nicole Unis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1/11 Megan Duffy . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1/12

Open your heart and your home.

Amanda Esposito turns Sweet Sixteen on January 2. Happy Birthday Amanda!

Many children are waiting for very special foster families...

A first class message to Theresa Albanese, one of our subscribers in Las Vegas: Happy Birthday on January 9!

Financial Assistance & Free Training Available

Call toll-free: 1-800-837-9102 N E W

Michael and Connie Zangara wish a Happy Birthday to their great-grandma, Josephine Zangara, who will be 95 years old on January 10.

J E R S E Y

To qualify to be a foster parent, you must be at least 21 years old, have a steady source of income and adequate space in your home.

www.fostercare.com 68 January 2003 • Clifton Merchant

Daisy Colman . . . . . . . . . . . . .1/13 Joe Musleh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1/14 Mark Stuart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1/14 Kyle Santiago . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1/15 Jennifer Montanile . . . . . . . . .1/16 Steve Nikithser Jr. . . . . . . . . . . 1/16 Erin Prendergast . . . . . . . . . . . .1/16 Matthew Soprano . . . . . . . . . .1/16 Selime Tutkun . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1/16 Kim Barilari . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1/18 Erica Pangilinan . . . . . . . . . . . .1/19 Kelly Chartofillis . . . . . . . . . . . .1/19 Lindsay Dueben . . . . . . . . . . . .1/20 Luke Falzo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1/20 (Doggie) Max Ressetar . . . . . .1/20 Dorothy Glinkin . . . . . . . . . . . .1/21 Payton Bogatch . . . . . . . . . . .1/21 Douglas Ciallella . . . . . . . . . . .1/21 Matthew Gorun . . . . . . . . . . . .1/21 Cindy Hawrylko . . . . . . . . . . . .1/22 Daniel Shackil . . . . . . . . . . . . .1/22 Alexander Stransky . . . . . . . . .1/24 Catherine Coloccia . . . . . . . .1/24 Larissa Unis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1/24 Sue Angello . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1/25 Robert Duffy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1/25 Ashley Gagnon . . . . . . . . . . . .1/25 Debbi Koch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1/26 Michelle Nahass . . . . . . . . . . .1/26 Karen Rice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1/26 Nicholas Grippo . . . . . . . . . . . .1/27 Scott Crawford . . . . . . . . . . . .1/28 Robert C. Henn . . . . . . . . . . . .1/28 Stephanie Smith . . . . . . . . . . . .1/28 Laura Kuruc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1/30 Sean Sabo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1/30 Lisa Paitchell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1/31 Jessica Sonn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1/31

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Belated Birthday Greetings to Michael Murolo who turned 6 on December 14.

Coach Joe Vespignani of the varsity boys’ soccer team at Clifton High School is holding winter soccer camps for boys ages 4-14 in cooperation with the Clifton Stallions Soccer Club at elementary schools 13 and 3. Through the Skills and Drills program, players of all skill levels learn fundamental soccer concepts through a structured series of drills and exercises. Camps will be held from January through March. A one-time fee of $65 cover eight sessions; participants receive a T-shirt. Call 973-334-0207 or via email at vespignanisoccer@aol.com.

Clifton’s soccer patron, Nino Lupi, officially opened his state of the art indoor soccer training facility on Penobscot St. this past week. This is where the New Jersey Stallions’ Men’s Pro team and its Women’s Elite squad will practice, both of which are sponsored by Lupi’s firm, Data Delay Devices. From left, Rich Gentile, general manager of the Stallions, and his wife Lisa, Lydia and Nino Lupi and their son Victor.

ts: School Presen St. Brendan’s

TenaFLy PediaTriCS 1135 Broad St., Suite 208 • Clifton • 973-471-8600 Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 am – 5 pm Wednesday 8:30 am – 8:30 pm (for check-ups, too!) Sunday 9 am – 12 noon

Sunday, February 2, 2003 at 3 pm • Doors Open 2 pm Ticket: $25

Dr. Maury Buchalter

Dr. Nancy Mallon

Dr. Robert Jawetz

Dr. David Wisotsky

The Wayne Manor

We welcome new patients in Clifton and our other locations! Tenafly 32 Franklin St 201-569-2400

Fort Lee 301 Bridge Plaza N. 201-592-8787

Paramus 26 Park Place 201-262-1140

S aCred H earT S CHooL

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For more info, call the school at 973.772.1149

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Rt 23 South Wayne, NJ

43 Clifton Ave. Clifton • 973-546-4695 An Outstanding Catholic Education at an Affordable Price Pre-School to 8th Grade • Middle States Accredited

• State Certified Child Care (all year round, 6:30 am- 6 pm) • Full Day Kindergarten • Full Day Pre Kindergarten – Pre-School

• Modern Air Conditioned Facilities • State of the Art Computer Labs • Summer Camp • Hot Lunch Program

Clifton Merchant • January 2003

Correction: In our Dec. 2002 feature on Clifton’s Texas Mustang, George Pasterchick, we mistakenly published the photo of his cousin. The photo below, of the ‘real’ George Pasterchick, was taken at CHS in 1948. Pasterchick, now 72, has been the head football coach of the St. Gerald Royals, a small San Antonio, Texas catholic school, for 31 years.

The late Bob Hammer, his wife Kathy, and their kids, from left, Kelly, Sean and Megan.

The ‘real’ George Pasterchick in 1948.

in Memorium: We join with the entire City of Clifton in mourning the Dec. 20 passing of City Manager Robert P. Hammer, 54, and in extend-

ing our sympathy to Mrs. Hammer and their children. His stewardship over the past seven years was marked by strong leadership and creativity.

‘The secret Is out. This is much more than a pizzeria...’

Fast & Free Delivery

Baby Lou’s

Pizzeria & Restaurant • 755 Van Houten Ave. Clifton • 973.773.5468

+ TAX

Extra Large Pie Chicken Fingers French Fries Garlic Knots (8) 2 Liter Soda

Pick-Up Only. Expires 1/30/03

15OFF 19 %

Dining for 50 Lunch & dinner specials Ask your friends who’ve dined here! 70 January 2003 • Clifton Merchant

YOUR BILL Dine-In Only Expires 1/30/03

99 $

Extra Large 18” Cheese Pie Choice of Mussels or Fried Calamari Garlic Knots (8) 2 Liter Soda Pick-Up Only. Expires 1/30/03

+ TAX

Chicken Fingers Buffalo Wings Mozzarella Sticks French Fries

Pick-Up Only. Expires 1/30/03

99 $ + TAX

95 + TAX

Extra Large Pie Pick-Up Only. Expires 1/30/03