Rotary Spoke 11 21 16

Posted by Steve Kirkland on Nov 21, 2016
 

Richard Johnson Curator of The Sports Museum Speaks at the Annual Lexington/Burlington Rotary Joint Meeting Celebrating the Annual Thanksgiving Day HS Football Rivalry Between the Two Towns.

Richard A. Johnson has served as Curator of The Sports Museum since 1982. He has also authored or co-authored nine books including: "The American Game; Baseball. Ethnicity, and The American Dream (editor), "The Boston Braves," "A Century of Boston Sports," "Red Sox Century," "DiMaggio, An Illustrated Life," "The Twentieth Century Baseball Chronicle," "Players of Cooperstown," "Young at Heart, The Story of Johnny Kelley," and "Ted Williams, A Portrait in Words and Pictures." The latter title was selected as one of the "noteworthy books of 1991" by the New York Times Book Review. At present Johnson is working on a comprehensive history of the New York Yankees entitled "Yankees Century" to be published by Houghton Mifflin in 2002. 

Johnson graduated from Lawrence Academy in 1974 where he was awarded the Headmasters Prize and was an All New England Prep cross country runner for two years. During his years at Bates College ('78) Johnson worked in Kildare Ireland for the Irish Georgian Society and later for the Print Department of the Boston Public Library where he served as an intern. Following college Johnson completed the Publishing Institute at the University of Denver and later worked for both the Worcester Evening Gazette and Houghton Mifflin Publishers before joining The Sports Museum as its first employee. 

With The Sports Museum, Johnson has mounted exhibits on topics as diverse as: "Women in Sports, Insights from Her Past," "Boston's Braves 1876-1952," "Fenway Park, From Duffy's Cliff to the Green Monster," "The World Cup" (in collaboration with The British Council) among many others. He has also served as a consultant to many projects and clients including The Boston Celtics, WGBH, ESPN, The Boston Museum of Science among others. 

 
 
 
The annual pre-Thanksgiving Day Joint Meeting of the Burlington and Lexington Rotary Clubs took place at the Lexington Golf Club.  The first snow of the season had fallen earlier that morning.  Traces of snow were everywhere on the cold and windy Monday before Thanksgiving.  It was an exceptional luncheon fare this day: "Colonel" Patty's fried chicken, tender cooked ribs, mashed potatoes, coleslaw, mac and cheese, cold cut assortment, a green salad and fruit.  The official attendance today as given by Secretary Jullianne was 15 Lexington Rotarians, 43 guests, and 1 guest speaker for a total of 59.  In attendance were 6 Lexington High School students and 15 Burlington High School students.  The pledge was led by PP Dominic.  One verse of America was led by Charlie V.  The invocation was given by PP Don Sherman. 
 
President Susan opened the floor for fines and happy dollars.  PP Don M. gave happy dollars for the excellent meal prepared by Patty and her crew.  PP Dan B. gave happy dollars for the successful cash raffle last Friday night.  In the cash raffle, 300 tickets are sold for $100 each raising $30,000. During the raffle, $14,000 in prizes are given out.  It costs about $1,000 to run the dinner event, leaving about $15,000 to fund Rotary scholarships and other community endeavours.  PP Dan B. individually thanked each of the donors to the bucket raffle, also run that evening - too many to list here (although they included Kirkland and Shaw).  Michelle G, chair of the committee, could not be present, but she and her whole committee were thanked for a job well done.  PP Dan B proposed a fine for all Rotary members that didn't make it to the cash raffle.  See Sergeant-of-Arms Don M. for payment.  Sergeant-of-Arms Don M. decided that all adult guests should pay a dollar for the door prize raffle, and only students would be eligible for the prizes.  PP Dan B picked the numbers 976, 916 and 913.  All prizes went to Burlington students sitting at the same table.  The prizes were in envelopes and must have been good, because the winners shrieked with glee.
 
The main event, as tradition dictates, was the introduction of the coaches and captains of the two friendly rival football teams.  Burlington Athletic Director Shawn Hart introduced Burlington's Superintendent, Dr. Eric Conti, who introduced BHS Principal, Mark Sullivan, who introduced the Head Football Coach, George Balian.  He introduced his team captains; the cheerleading coach introduced her three captains; and the Assistant Band Director introduced her drum major, junior drum major and dance squad leader.  Burlington High School's Marching Band is a serious organization which has competed at State and National levels.  The Lexington Superintendent, Dr. Mary Czjakowski, sent her regrets due to illness.  LHS Director of Athletics, Naomi Martin, introduced Coach George Peterson.  Coach Peterson introduced his captains.  The Cheerleading coach introduced her two captains.  The LHS band leaders did not come. 
 
Although Lexington's football team had a better record than Burlington this year, the Lexington coach gave a directive to both teams, telling them that the most important thing is to know that you played your best, have fun, give it your all, and - win or lose - go home and love your family.
 
Alan A. introduced the keynote speaker of the day, his friend, Richard Johnson.  He has been the Curator of the New England Sports Museum since 1982.  Alan says Richard knows EVERYTHING ABOUT SPORTS.  The New England Sports Museum is located on the 5th and 6th floors of the TD Garden, where there are many sports artifacts, items and memorabilia as well as a sports library.  After a hearty welcome, Mr. Johnson wished both teams well.  He talked about how Boston is the greatest sports town in the world.  It's very competitive, with great reporting and media coverage.  It has a very diverse sports history.  He mentioned such great Boston sports heroes as: John L. Sullivan, Cy Young, Bill Russell, Bobby Orr, and Gene Connolly.  He told of how Ben Franklin used to challenge others to swim races in the Boston Harbor.  The Boston Americans baseball team won the very first World Series in 1903.  Boston had the first NHL franchise in 1924.  He told many tales, up to Reggie Lewis and even more recent.  Alan A. is right: he knows EVERYTHING ABOUT SPORTS.
 
Just before the meeting adjourned, Charlie V. took home the 50/50 raffle prize.
 
That's all.  See you at the game Thanksgiving Day, 10:00 a.m.. in Lexington.
 
- SCK
(Thanks, Charlie.  I'm good for a long time now.)