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My Pal Sal
There's a guy whose name has popped up intermittently throughout the first year and a month of this On the Sly blog. Sal Righi. Sal was assistant to the Recreation Director in the City of Plattsburgh and a school teacher as many of us were growing up. He was always well-liked by the kids of Plattsburgh.
Instead of commenting directly to the blog, Sal often sends me an e-mail, congratulating me on my latest entry and adding some of his own memories about the subject. I've been saving those and will share some of his comments in a moment.
Sal started working in the Recreation Department in 1955, after John Flynn helped him get the job. He worked under Pete Blumette for many years, and helped create some of the sports programs that we enjoyed, such as the winter basketball programs at Monty Street School and Bailey Avenue School.
When we were kids we all knew Sal and he always had time for friendly conversation with us about sports. When I started teaching in the Plattsburgh City School District in 1970, one of the first to offer me support, along with Dick "Mr. T" Trombly, was Sal Righi, who by then was a veteran teacher. I knew I could go to Sal with questions and he became my friend, and it's a friendship that has lasted nearly forty years.
Sal is a walking history book when it comes to the city of Plattsburgh. Here are a few of his thoughts on recent blogs:
About the recreational basketball program: "... people like the Seymour boys, Bob Rougeau and Joe Tellstone to help me run the program."
About Little League baseball: "... the start of Little League with two fences at OLVA separated by a snow fence. One of my first helpers maintaining the fields was Bobby Brown. Bobby was the older brother of MLD's Jack Brown."
About the Policeman's Field Day each summer: "It started in 1947 with Peter Blumette getting the council to go along with the idea. The police and firemen played softball against the kids who were at the outing. Naturally the officers never won a single game much to the delight of the kids. The officers ran the bases the wrong way, dropped pop flies, booted grounders ....The umpires, like Eddie Johnson, had a strike zone that went from the officers' ankles to the top of their heads. Soda was donated by Coca-Cola, popsicles from Guys' Ice Cream/Fro-Joy's, pies and hot dog rolls from Bouyea's Baking, mustard, relish and catsup from Plattsburgh Grocery and hot dogs by Armour's and later O'Neils. No one could beat Crusher O'Connell when it came to pie eating. He was like a vacuum cleaner when he started on a pie. He would go through the hot dog line three or four times. When he was asked if he'd already been through, he'd say no, even though he had mustard around his mouth."
On places around Plattsburgh: "I spent many hours on the north end with my cousin and Tony Breyette. He lived on Lafayette Street and we spent many hours at the Cozy Cafe on the corner of Elm and Montcalm. One of my favorite haunts was located across from Steltzer's first garage (later run by Leroy Tyndall) on South Catherine Street. I wonder how many of your older bloggers played the pinball machine and had ice cream sodas there... It was called Dicksons, which was located below the sidewalk level."
Swimming the Imperial Pond: "Many times the good sisters (from OLVA) found us at the pond when we skipped school and turned us in to Mr. (John) Flynn. Needless to say, we paid for our little adventure."
Sal retired from the city and from teaching several years ago. He knows that parenting never stops, even though his two own two kids no longer live at home. Sal and his wife Denise are parents of two children, Dino and Ann. They know that being loving parents never ends.
And being a good friend never ends. My pal Sal is quite a guy. With his artistic skills, which many people don't even know about, he probably could have made millions. It was a tradition for Sal to draw a caricature of a retiring teacher from Stafford Middle School and many of those still hang on den walls around Plattsburgh. And, when I was yearbook advisor, Sal's artwork often was on the first page of the SMS Yearbook. He did that as a special favor to me.
My sports den has a few momentos from Sal, including woodcarvings of a "Hole in One" golfball and a walking stick with the head of a cigar-smoking cowboy at the top.
I hope Sal doesn't mind that I've exposed him to the public like this in a blog. But I'm sure many remember him from our younger days in Plattsburgh. I just wanted to let everyone know that he's doing well and enjoying his life in retirement. I'm glad that Sal is one of my best friends!
Comments
Foxy, thanks for the posting on Sal. I couldn't agree more with your sentiments. Sal has always been a class act and I am thrilled to hear that he is doing well. I had the great fortune to have him as a teacher as well as to work with him during summer vacations at the rec. department. He is truly one of a kind. Pease tell him that we wish him well.
Posted by: Paul Champagne | January 16, 2007 11:24 PM
Mr. Righi was one of the best teachers ever. I can remember sitting in that classroom at the Middle School and you would just become mesmerized by his voice, his tales of traveling or chatting on his HAM radio, or just by what he was teaching.
I had the opportunity to work for him a couple of summers at the beach and rec. department. He knew and respected everybody. He actually made manual labor kind of fun. (I’m glad I got that out of my system.)
And, buried somewhere in the archives in my parent’s house, I have one of those coveted caricatures!
Posted by: Kern | January 16, 2007 12:04 PM
Foxy, Just to let you know about Mr. Sal Righi, no matter who you are he gave you a chance. I had the fortune to have him in school and to grow up in the city recreation programs. Have some great memories from school. Mr.Righi, thanks for showing us the right path in life.
Posted by: LB from so platt | January 16, 2007 10:35 AM
you've all said some wonderful things about a wonderful man ... from when I started little league thru high school Sal did it all!! from lining the fields, to filling in the mud holes after a rain delay, fixing the lights.. Sal was always the man on the spot! I agree with "zonebreaker" he should be recognized by the city for all he has done over the years! He's the perfect example of what "north country" people are all about!
Posted by: the carver | January 15, 2007 4:16 PM
Sal Righi is one of the "Prized Jewels" of the City of Plattsburgh. He would blush at the suggestion but for any kid and their parents who grew up in the City of Plattsburgh in the 50's, 60's and even the 70's, Mr. Rec Dept (Sal Righi) was always there. He was not there to further himself but to make sure that the children of this city were having a safe and enjoyable recreational experience. Besides his attention to the recreational aspect of kids' lives he was also a truly outstanding Educator and touched the lives of thousands of children and young adults during his teaching tenure in the City School District. I know recently Rosemary LaMarche won a coveted and well deserved award from the City Board of Education. I think that Sal Righi should be nominated for the same award and I am sure that the Common Council could look back and say, we owe this man something and maybe they too could provide this wonderful person with the recognition the he richly deserves. Maybe The Donald could look into some kind of a Certificate of Meritorious Service. I know that Sal would be embarrassed by all of this but HE RICHLY DESERVES THE RECOGNITION.
Posted by: Zonebreaker | January 15, 2007 8:47 AM
Foxy,
Just a story to tell you about the kind of man Sal Righi is. When I was coaching at MAI way back when. We were playing Ticonderoga at the now Seton soccer field. It was the in the 4th quarter and the score tied. Mike Mannix and Dutch Craumer were broadcasting the game on the radio. The generator broke down and the lights went out. Wins were kinda hard to find and neither Ti nor us wanted a Tie game. So who did I call to see if we could turn the lights on at Bailey Ave. You guessed it. Sal Righi. Sal made arrangements to resume the game with about an hour. We finished the game. I told you wins were hard to come by. We lost 21-20 in overtime. Thanks alot Sal. What a class act Sal Righi is and always will be.
Oh by the way. The pies were mostly blueberry.
Keep up the blogs.
(Foxy's note: Thanks for the great story, Crusher! And, do you still eat blueberry pies today or are you sick of them?)
Posted by: Crusher | January 14, 2007 10:58 PM
Foxy,
I just read your letter about Sal and could relate to much of what you wrote about--Cozy Cafe--Dicksons etc. I knew Sal and Denise. He and my Dad were good friends. It's always nice to see my Dad's name being mentioned after all of these years.
I was just reading the other day an article that you wrote on Dad and OLVA. They went to Malone to play a basketball game and Dad with his team had to be escorted by the State Police to their bus.
I carry the article in my wallet.
Your Dad and my Dad were the best of friends.
Nice to read about people that you knew and still know. That is what is nice about the North Country.
Take care, Kay and Norm
(Foxy's note: Kay, it's great to have you aboard the blog. I hope that you will stop in often. I have mentioned your Dad (John Flynn) many times and, I'm sure, I will in the future. I've also mentioned your brother Bill Flynn and the other Flynns who have impacted my life since I was a kid.)
Posted by: Kay Flynn Votraw | January 14, 2007 10:08 PM
Foxy,
Mr. Righi was the "Rec Department". Mr. Blumette was the top dog but Mr. Righi was in the trenches. He was the go to guy who made sure our summers were the best. With 2 channel TV's, no Internet or electronic games and a bunch of brothers and sisters you had better learn to play outside. With outstanding playgrounds, ball fields and dedicated men like Mr. Righi our lives were great in the 50's and 60's. I never had "Sal" as a teacher, all I heard were the great things my friends said about him. Good job Foxy.
Bullet
Posted by: Bullet | January 14, 2007 5:18 PM
Good job of bringing Sal Righi into the limelight. I have been always in awe of his many artistic talents and his humility when comes to praise of those talents. In addition to these talents, Sal knows how to repair anything around the home. He is quick to lend a hand and/or advice.
I,too, have a carved golf ball and it is a centerpiece of my golf shelf at home.
Sal is always quick to share a story or joke, but unfortunately, may continue ad naseum to its conclusion, but you dare not interrupt because it is really funny.
I've had a few adventures with Sal when we were younger.
Ask him about the time when Sgt. Garcia was in complete charge of the air base.
All in all, if there were anyone out there who hasn't known Sal, you are missing a living "real and good person."
Skip
Posted by: skip zatonski | January 14, 2007 8:30 AM
Ken and I have had the pleasure of being neighbors of Sal and Denise for just shy of 30 years - you simply could not ask for better neighbors. If Sal did not have a tool to fix something, he would invent one. Denise has cooked and shared some of the best food I've ever tasted. They both would do anything for any neighbor in need. Two more wonderful reasons for living in the North Country.
(Foxy's note: Thanks for your usual eloquent thoughts, miss d.)
Posted by: miss d | January 13, 2007 10:08 PM
Foxy, you hit the nail on the head with that tribute to Sal .... I've had coffee with him for a few years, and I agree .... he's a "5 star"..... I'll be home from Florida in about 76 days
Posted by: Long John Silver | January 13, 2007 11:21 AM