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Allen, Betty March 17, 1930 –
Opera Singer (Born Campbell, OH)
Ms. Allen's mother died when she was 12 and she went into foster care. She attended both South High School and Rayen High School, where she graduated in 1944.She sang in choirs but her talent was not recognized until she attended Central State University on a language scholarship. One of her professors was an operatic tenor and encouraged her to do postgraduate studies at the Hartford School of Music. Conductor Leonard Bernstein chose her to sing his Jeremiah symphony at Tanglewood in 1951 and she later won the Marian Anderson Award and a Whitney fellowship. She has performed with every major U.S. orchestra and all over the world, hailed for her beautiful mezzo-soprano voice. Her interest in inner-city youth led her to become director of the Harlem School of the Arts in 1979. Today she is President Emeritus of their Board of Directors and on the board of many cultural institutions in New York City. ( Current Biography 1990; Vindicator 10-16-1960, 2-5-1977; New York Times 8-19-1973 D-13, New York Amsterdam News 4-12-2001)
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Allen, Edward Joseph November 13, 1907 – January 6, 1990
Chief of Police (Born Erie, PA; resident of Mahoning County)
Youngstown Mayor Charles P. Henderson appointed FBI officer Edward J. Allen as Youngstown police chief in 1948. Within 6 years, he had cleared the city of ties to organized crime by cleaning up the Youngstown Police Department; cracking down on gambling and prostitution; severing ties between local politicians and gangsters; and closing the Jungle Inn in Hubbard, “one of the biggest gambling dens in the Midwest”. In November 1950, he was featured in the Reader's Digest article “They Busted the Rackets in Youngstown.” In 1953, he left Youngstown to become director of enforcement for the Ohio Department of Liquor Control. From 1955 to 1972 he was police chief of Santa Ana, CA. After abortion was legalized in 1973, he was arrested twice for taking part in anti-abortion demonstrations. He wrote Merchants of Menace – The Mafia: A Study of Organized Crime in 1962. ( Vindicator 4-17-85, 1-12-90; http://www.fas.org/irp/congress/1990_cr/h901125-tribute.htm
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Ames, Leon Kessling “Red” August 2, 1882 – October 8, 1936
Baseball Player (Born Warren, OH)
Mr. Ames pitched for 17 seasons, including the 1905, 1911 and 1912 World Series. He played for the New York Giants (1903-1913), the Cincinnati Reds (1913-1915), the St. Louis Cardinals (1915-1919), and the Philadelphia Phillies (1919).
( Total Baseball, Business Journal Mid-January 2000)
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Arroyo, Harry 1957 -
Boxer (Born Youngstown, OH)
A graduate of South High School, Mr. Arroyo began amateur boxing at age 13 and won 8 regional Golden Glove titles. As a professional, he won 7 Golden Glove titles. He became the International Boxing Federation Lightweight champion by defeating Charlie “Choo Choo” Brown in 1984. He successfully defended his title in several bouts only to lose it a year later to Jimmy Paul. He is now involved with the Boxing Ministry whose aim is to bring Christianity to boxers. ( Vindicator 4-16-1984, 2-20-1987, 2-19-2000, 5-12-2002; http://tainobox.com/fighters/article/153_0_5_0_M/ )
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Babich, Bob May 5, 1947 –
Football Player (Born Youngstown, OH)
Mr. Babich attended Campbell Memorial High School. Playing at Miami University of Ohio, he was named All-American and “won the Butkus Award as the nation's top collegiate linebacker.” He played for the San Diego Chargers (1969-1972) and the Cleveland Browns (1973-1978), but was forced to retire due to injuries.
(Total Football II, Vindicator 5-26-98, Full Tilt to the NFL: Steel Valley Heroes by Ron Rotunno)
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Baker, Floyd October 10, 1916 – November 16, 2004
Baseball Player (Born Luray, VA; resident of Mahoning County)
Mr. Baker was the starting shortstop with the newly formed farm team, the Youngstown Browns, in 1939 when he met his wife, Anne. Making Youngstown his home base, he played for the St. Louis Browns (1943-1944, 1944 World Series), the Chicago White Sox (1945-1951), the Washington Senators (1952-1953), the Boston Red Sox (1953-1954), and the Philadelphia Phillies (1954-1955). After his retirement, he was a scout and coach for the Minnesota Twins. ( Total Baseball , Vindicator 2-16-1998, 11-17-2004)
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Bedell, Chester December 6, 1826 – September 1, 1908
Atheist (Born Sandystone, NJ; resident of Mahoning County)
Mr. Bedell professed that there was no God. Before his death he remarked “if there be a God or any truth in the Bible let my body be inhabited with snakes.” Since his burial, the family gravesite in North Benton, OH has reportedly been infested with snakes and there is now a bronze memorial at the gravesite. ( Vindicator 9-2-1908, http://dunamai.com/articles/atheist/tract_snakes_in_grave.htm)
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Beede, Dwight “Dike” January 23, 1903 – December 13, 1972
Football Coach (Born Youngstown, OH)
Coach Beede was the first football coach in Youngstown State University history. He started the football program in 1938, had his first undefeated season in 1941, and remained the football coach for 35 years. He is credited with creating the penalty flag now used at all football games. Unable to distinguish between the horn used for penalties and the whistle used to stop the play, he asked his wife, Irma, to sew squares of red and white cloth together. With a lead sinker for weight, the first penalty flags were tossed in Youngstown on October 17, 1941 at the Youngstown College-Oklahoma City game. Official Jack McPhee kept his flag and used it at the Ohio State-Iowa game after which the Big Ten adopted it. The NFL began using penalty flags in 1948. In 1957, he was named “Small College Coach of the Year” and “Ohio Tree Farmer of the Year”. He was inducted into the Helms Foundation Coaches Hall of Fame in 1966. Forced into mandatory retirement at age 70, he accidentally drowned a month later when he fell into the Little Beaver Creek, which ran through his Columbiana farm property. ( Vindicator 4-24-1982, http://www.ysupenguins.net/football/beede.html , Ohio Magazine 12-1985, http://www.ysupenguins.net/football/pflag.html )
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Bell, Robert “Kool” October 8, 1950 –
Bell, Ronald November 1, 1951 –
Musicians (Born Youngstown, OH)
The Bells lived in Youngstown until 1961, when the family moved to New Jersey. In 1964, Kool formed a rock group with his brother and friends, which became known as Kool and the Gang in 1969. Kool was the leader and bass player, while Ronald played the tenor saxophone and produced their first albums. They had three gold singles, but found their “funk” music fading in popularity as the disco craze started. A new band member and lead singer, J. T. Taylor, helped to change their sound and the group churned out hit records, including the widely popular Ladies Night , Too Hot , and Celebration . The group won a Grammy in 1979 for Open Season , when the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack on which it was included won Album of the Year. They were named Best Soul Group at the American Music Awards in 1981, 1983, 1984 and 1987. ( Contemporary Musicians , Rock Stars Encyclopedia , Vindicator 11-30-86)
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Benkner, Charlotte November 16, 1889 – May 14, 2004
World's Oldest Person (Born in Germany; resident of Mahoning County)
Mrs. Benkner was born in Germany and moved with her family to New York at age 6. She and her husband, Karl, were married for 56 years and had no children. After living in Tucson, she and her sister, Matilda O'Hare, moved to Glenellen Senior Suites and Villas-Lakeside, a retirement home in North Lima, OH. Her sister passed away in January 2004 at the age of 99. The Guinness Book of Records recognized Mrs. Benkner as the oldest person in the world on November 13, 2003. However, a woman from Puerto Rico offered proof that bumped her to second oldest on April 22, 2004. She died at the age of 114 and is buried in Peekskill, New York. ( Vindicator 5-16-2004)
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Bennard, George February 4, 1873 – October 10, 1958
Minister/Composer (Born Youngstown, OH)
Mr. Bennard is author and composer of the hymn The Old Rugged Cross. A 20-foot “old rugged cross” stands beside the lake in Lake Park Cemetery in Bennard's memory. He is buried in Reed City, MI. ( Vindicator 2-22-59)
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Biggers, Earl Derr August 26, 1884 – April 5, 1933
Author (Born Warren, OH)
Mr. Biggers attended Warren High School and was creator and editor-in-chief of the school's first magazine, The Cauldron . He is better known as the creator of the fictional detective Charlie Chan. His first Charlie Chan novel, The House Without A Key , was serialized in the Saturday Evening Post in 1925. He went on to write five more Charlie Chan novels, which were adapted for feature films, television, an animated series, and a comic book. ( Contemporary Authors 153, Vindicator 4-5-36)
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Bilon , Michael Patrick (Pat) August 29, 1947 - January 27, 1983
Actor (Born Youngstown, OH)
Mr. Bilon played the alien E.T. in E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial and played the part of “Little Pat” in Under the Rainbow . He was the smallest person in the Under the Rainbow cast, standing 2 feet 10 inches tall. ( www.imdb.com , Vindicator 1-27-83)
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Blaney, Dave October 24, 1962 –
NASCAR Driver (Born Hartford, OH)
Mr. Blaney was the 1995 World of Outlaws champion. After four years in the Busch Series, he joined the Winston Cup circuit in 1999, where he drove Jasper Engines No. 77 Ford Taurus until 2003. He drove the No. 23 Bill Davis Dodge and, in 2004, briefly drove Richard Childress Racing No. 30 AOL Chevy. In 2005, he started driving No. 7 Jack Daniels Chevrolet, also for Childress. He returned to Bill Davis Racing in 2006, driving the No. 22 Dodge. He won the first pole of his career on February 21, 2003 at Rockingham and his second at the Nextel Open in Concord, NC on May 21, 2004. He and his father, Lou, became co-owners of the Sharon Speedway in 2002. He also owns a sprint car team on the O'Reilly World of Outlaws series. He currently lives in North Carolina. ( NASCAR Encyclopedia; Vindicator 1-17-2002, 5-18-2003, 6-3-2003, 6-24-2004, 8-21-2004, 12-24-2005; www.daveblaney.com )
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Bodine, Bill 1950 -
Songwriter (Born Youngstown, OH)
Mr. Bodine attended Wilson High School and Youngstown State University's Dana School of Music. In 1992 he won a Grammy for Best Contemporary Jazz Performance for co-writing Sassy , which appeared on the Manhattan Transfer album The Offbeat of Avenues . A bass player, he has toured with Cher, Joan Armatrading, Sergio Mendez, Van Morrision, and Frank Sinatra among others. He was Olivia Newton John's personal bass player and appeared on the Grease soundtrack. He wrote songs for Laura Branigan and Glen Frey, and has written and produced music for hundreds of television commercials. He was musical director for the television show Star Search and composed the theme songs for Judge Judy and America's Most Wanted . ( Jambar 1-16-87; Vindicator 2-20-92, 5-1-94, 3-5-2000, 1-7-2001; http://www.brainchildreunion.com/bandbios/bios-billbodine.html )
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Browner, Ross March 22, 1954 –
Football Player (Born Warren, OH)
Mr. Browner attended the Western Reserve Academy in Hudson, OH before going to Notre Dame University (1974-1978). In his senior year, Notre Dame won the Cotton Bowl to become national champions and he won the 1978 Lombardi College Lineman of the Year award. He was a first round draft pick for the Cincinnati Bengals in 1978, where he remained until 1986. He also played for the Green Bay Packers (1987). ( Total Football II , Vindicator 1-20-78)
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Burchfield, Charles E April 9, 1893 – January 11, 1967
Painter (Born Ashtabula Harbor, OH; resident of Salem, OH)
Mr. Burchfield's family moved to Salem when he was five, soon after the death of his father. He graduated from Salem High School in 1911 as class valedictorian. From 1912-1916 he attended the Cleveland School of Art and he began painting his signature watercolor landscapes in 1915. After serving as a camouflage artist during World War I, he settled in Buffalo, NY. He made a living designing wallpaper but was able to devote himself to painting when he acquired a dealer in 1929. In 1956, he was named Best U.S. Watercolorist by Time magazine. The Burchfield Homestead Society ( http://www.salemohio.com/burchfield/ ) has preserved his childhood home in Salem as the Burchfield Homestead Museum, which has been recognized by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. He also inspired the creation of the Burchfield-Penney Art Center ( http://www.burchfield-penney.org/ ) at Buffalo State College, which focuses on his work and that of other artists associated with western New York. ( Vindicator 1-11-67, 12-11-83, 12-14-2002)
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Burns, George Henry January 31, 1893 – January 7, 1978
Baseball Player (Born Niles, OH)
“Tioga George” played first base for 16 years in the American League. He had a career batting average of .307 and was named the league's MVP in 1926. He played for the Detroit Tigers (1914–1917), the Philadelphia A's (1918– 1920, 1929, 1929 World Series), the Cleveland Indians (1920–1921, 1924–1928, 1920 World Series), the Boston Red Sox (1922– 1923), and the New York Yankees (1928). He batted in the winning run for Cleveland in the 6 th game of the 1920 World Series, which Cleveland won. He had an unassisted triple play against Cleveland in 1923 and was with the Philadelphia A's when they won the 1929 World Series. After his major league career, he was a baseball manager and became a deputy sheriff in Seattle. ( Vindicator 3-16-1986, New York Times 1-8-1978, The Baseball Encyclopedia)
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Burt, Harry B. Sr. August 9, 1875 – May 8, 1926
Good Humor Inventor (Born Cortland, OH; resident of Mahoning County)
In 1920, Youngstown candy maker Harry Burt invented a new product: chocolate covered ice cream on a stick. Mr. Burt named his confection the Good Humor and promoted it by sending out a fleet of 12 chauffer-driven trucks, outfitted with bells, which became the first Good Humor trucks and Good Humor Men. He received a patent for his idea and sold franchises before his death in 1926. Harry Burt Jr. closed the family store, Burt's Confectionary, in 1929 when he moved the manufacturing plant to Brooklyn. The Good Humor fleet was so popular it inspired a 1950 movie called The Good Humor Man starring Jack Carson. Direct selling by Good Humor trucks ended in 1976 due in part to the oil crisis. Breyers Ice Cream now owns the Good Humor brand name. ( Vindicator 5-10-26, 6-7-92, 4-23-95, 7-4-99; Metro Eye 7-94; http://www.icecreamusa.com/goodhumor/know.asp )
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Burton, Pomeroy Sir August 21, 1869 – October 15, 1947
Businessman (Born Beaver, PA; resident of Mahoning County)
Born in Pennsylvania, Sir Burton's family moved to Nebraska to homestead in 1873. His father became a friend of William F. Cody, known as Buffalo Bill, whose cabin was nearby. The family moved back to Pennsylvania before coming to Youngstown in 1880. His father started a weekly newspaper and Roy worked there when not in school. Graduating from Rayen High School, he went to New York in 1885 and became either managing or news editor for the Brooklyn Eagle , the New York American , the Evening Journal , and the New York World . Lord Northcliffe lured him to London to manage several newspapers, and Burton bought the Daily Mail in 1913. With war approaching, he made speeches in America urging support of the British and, at Prime Minister Lloyd George's request, became a British citizen in 1914. He worked for the British government after the war, trying to improve relations with the United States. King George V knighted him in 1923. At one time, he owned the Salem News , the East Liverpool Evening Review , the Canton Repository , and the Alliance Review . ( Vindicator 7-18-37, 8-6-76; New York Times 10-16-1947)
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Cafaro, William M. May 23, 1913 – April 22, 1998
Businessman (Born Youngstown, OH)
Mr. Cafaro was a pioneer in the shopping center industry and a noted philanthropist. He started dealing in commercial real estate in the 1940's and established William Cafaro and Associates, which later became the Cafaro Company. Cafaro built strip malls (McGuffey Plaza, Lincoln Knolls Plaza) in the 1950's, and built enclosed malls (Eastwood Mall) in the 1960's in several states. Cafaro started developing the Southern Park Mall with the Edward J. DeBartolo Corp. but was bought out of the project. Mall openings continued through the 1980's, and William Cafaro's children, Anthony M., John J., and Flora joined the company. In the 1990's, the Eastwood Mall complex was expanded, including the building of an adjacent minor league baseball stadium for the Mahoning Valley Scrappers. The Cafaro Co. has consistently been among the top ten U.S. real estate developers, having developed over seventy commercial properties. Due to Mr. Cafaro's generosity, Youngstown State University was able to build Cafaro House, an honors dormitory. Youngstown Osteopathic Hospital was originally named the Cafaro Memorial Hospital and he received a lifetime achievement award for humanitarian service from the National Italian American Foundation. (Y– Cafaro, William M. & Associates folder, Vindicator 4-23-1998, New York Times 4-25-98)
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Calbreath , William H. July 29, 1850 - May 26,1944
Advertising Icon (Born Detroit, MI; resident of Mahoning County)
Mr. Calbreath, a local resident, was reputed to be the inspiration and original model for the image that appears on Cream of Wheat cereal boxes and advertising. He is buried at Belmont Park Cemetery. ( Telegram 7-1-1927, Vindicator 5-27-1944)
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Campana, Al February 25, 1926 –
Football Player (Born Hubbard, OH)
Mr. Campana attended Hubbard High School and Youngstown College. After serving in the Navy for three years during World War II, he played for the Chicago Bears (1950-1952) and the Chicago Cardinals (1953). He was named team MVP in 1950. Retiring from football, he became a teacher at Struthers High School. ( Total Football II, Vindicator 3-28-82)
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Cavanaugh, Matt October 27, 1956 –
Football Player (Born Youngstown, OH)
Mr. Cavanaugh attended Chaney High School and was quarterback at the University of Pittsburgh (1974-1978, 1976 National Champions). He was named MVP of the 1976 Sugar Bowl. After college, he played for the New England Patriots (1978 –1982), the San Francisco 49ers (1983-1985, 1985 Super Bowl), the Philadelphia Eagles (1986-1989), and the New York Giants (1990-1991, 1990 Super Bowl). In 1993 he started his coaching career at the University of Pittsburgh. He coached quarterbacks for the Arizona Cardinals (1994-1995) and the 49ers (1996) and was offensive coordinator for the Chicago Bears (1997-1998) and for the Baltimore Ravens (1999-2004, 2001 Super Bowl). He is now offensive coordinator for the University of Pittsburgh. ( Total Football II ; http://www.pittsburghpanthers.com/sports/football/bio.asp?PLAYER_ID=2809 ; Vindicator 1-23-2001, 1-27-2001)
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Clarke , John H. (Hessin) September 18, 1857 – March 22, 1945
Justice (Born Lisbon, OH; resident of Mahoning County)
Justice Clarke moved to Youngstown in 1878 to open his own corporate law firm. He was part owner of the Vindicator and served on the Board of Trustees of the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County. President Wilson appointed him to a federal judgeship in northern Ohio and two years later nominated him for the Supreme Court. He was a U.S. Supreme Court Justice from 1916-1922, where he promoted the break up of monopolies and the rights of workers. He resigned from the court to pursue American membership in the League of Nations and other activities related to world peace. In his will, he left the Youngstown library $100,000 for the purchase of books.( Ohio Almanac , The Supreme Court Justices, Y – Clarke, John H . folder)
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Columbus, Chris September 10, 1958 –
Director/Writer/Producer (Born Spangler, PA; resident of Champion, OH)
Mr. Columbus attended John F. Kennedy High School in Warren and went on to study filmmaking at New York University. The first script he sold was Reckless , which was rewritten by others and made into a film in 1984. He wrote the scripts for Gremlins , The Goonies , and Young Sherlock Holmes . His directorial debut was the 1987 film Adventures in Babysitting , followed by Heartbreak Hotel , which he also wrote. His 1993 film, Mrs. Doubtfire , won a Golden Globe Award for Best Film (Musical or Comedy). He directed many other films, including Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets , and has produced all of the Harry Potter movies as well. ( www.imdb.com , Current Biography 2001, Vindicator 11-30-86)
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Crosman, Henrietta Foster September 2, 1861 – October 31, 1944
Actress (Born Wheeling, WV; resident of Mahoning County)
Ms. Crosman's mother, Mary Wick Crosman, was born in Youngstown and the family eventually settled here. She was named after her maternal grandmother, a sister of composer Stephen Foster. When she was a baby, her family named Henrietta St. for her but the name has since been changed to North Ave. She performed in Youngstown theaters until she won her first New York stage part in The White Slave in 1883 and she had a string of successes in comedy roles starting with Mistress Nell in 1900. She acted in two or three plays each season, toured, and appeared in vaudeville before adding silent films to her repertoire beginning in 1914. Her first talking-picture role was the Royal Family of Broadway (1930). Her last film was Personal Property (1937) starring Jean Harlow, after which she returned to the theater for a few years before retiring. ( Vindicator 11-1-1944, Who Was Who on Screen 3 rd ed., Notable American Women 1607-1950 , They Had Faces Then )
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Csonka, Larry December 25, 1946 -
Football Player (Born Stow, OH; resident of Columbiana County)
Mr. Csonka attended Stow High School and was an All-American at Syracuse University (1964-1968). He was the first round draft pick of the Miami Dolphins, contributing to their appearance in three Super Bowls (1971,1972, 1973). He was named the MVP of Super Bowl VIII (1973). He played for Miami (1968-1974), the World Football League's Memphis Southmen (1975), the New York Giants (1976-1978), and again for the Dolphins in 1979. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987 in his second year of eligibility. He lives part time on his farm in Lisbon, OH where he has opened the Csonka Sports Complex. ( Total Football II , http://www.larrycsonka.com , http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.jsp?player_id=50 )
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Cummings, Jim 1953 -
Voice Artist (Born Youngstown, OH)
Mr. Cummings attended Ursuline High School and went to work at Youngstown Sheet & Tube for a short time after graduating. He did odd jobs in New Orleans before settling in Anaheim, California. He gave voices to Winnie-the-Pooh and Tigger in the animated television series The New Adventures of Winnie-the-Pooh , for which he won two Emmys. He continued his vocal work in such feature films as Pooh's Grand Adventure and The Tigger Movie . He can also be heard in Road to El Dorado , Aladdin , The Lion King , and Shrek and he's the voice of Cat on the Nickelodeon television series Catdog . ( www.imdb.com , Vindicator 2-10-2000, 6-4-2000)
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Dabney, Stephanie 1958 –
Ballet Dancer (Born Philadelphia, PA; resident of Liberty, OH)
Ms. Dabney's family moved to Youngstown when she was 2. At age 4, her mother enrolled her at the Youngstown Academy and from 1970 to 1975 she danced with the Ballet Western Reserve. The founder and director of the Dance Theatre of Harlem, Arthur Mitchell, discovered her when she attended his master class. She was invited to New York, where she became an apprentice at the age of 16. Accepted into the company in 1977, she became a principal dancer and was noted for her performance as Firebird in the ballet of the same name. Her performance was broadcast on television as part of Kennedy Center Tonight . She has performed all over the world with the troupe and was part of the wedding performances for Prince Charles and Lady Diana, the 1981 Reagan inaugural, and the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. ( Vindicator 2-7-82, 5-6-82, 4-3-86, 6-7-87; Youngstown Business Journal Mid-April 1986; Dance Magazine 12-2000)
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Darrow, Clarence April 18, 1857 – March 13, 1938
Lawyer (Born Kinsman, OH)
Mr. Darrow lived in the Kinsman octagon house from ages 7 to 21. He was admitted to the Ohio Bar in 1878, after which he practiced law in Kinsman, Andover and Ashtabula, OH. In 1887 he moved to Chicago, where his reputation grew until he was one of the most famous lawyers in the country. Two of his most important cases were the murder trial of Leopold and Loeb and the Scopes “Monkey Trial”, which was the basis for the movie Inherit the Wind . His boyhood home is now on the National Register of Historic Places. ( http://ohiobio.org/darrow.htm , Vindicator 4-22-2001)
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DeBartolo, Edward J. May 17, 1909 – December 19, 1994
Businessman (Born Youngstown, OH)
Mr. DeBartolo was a pioneer in the shopping center industry. He started building houses in 1937 and by 1944 had founded the Edward J. DeBartolo Corp. He began constructing shopping centers in the 1950's, with the Boardman Plaza being one of the first. A plaza in Austintown was added in 1959, which is also when he bought his first horseracing track, Thistledown, near Cleveland. In 1968, he and William M. Cafaro started to develop the Southern Park Mall, but DeBartolo bought him out. He purchased a controlling interest in the San Francisco 49ers professional football team in 1970. One of his most significant honors was awarded in 1981, when he received the Order of Merit from the Italian government. In the 1990's, the company had financial difficulties because it built malls without bank financing and loaned money to Robert Campeau for his attempted takeover of the Federated Department Stores. In 1993, a combination of 51 malls and 11 shopping plazas went public as DeBartolo Realty Corporation in order to pay off debt. Edward J. DeBartolo died in 1994 and the company was divided between his children, Edward J. DeBartolo, Jr. and Denise DeBartolo York. (Y- DeBartolo, Edward J. Corp. folder, Y- DeBartolo, Edward J. Family folder, New York Times 12-20-94)
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DeMain, John January 11, 1944 –
Conductor (Born Youngstown, OH)
Graduating from Cardinal Mooney High School, Mr. DeMain won a scholarship to the Julliard School of Music. He was, at age 14, musical director for the Youngstown Playhouse and, as an adult, a piano soloist at the Youngstown Symphony. In 1972, he won the Julius Rudel award to be an apprentice conductor at the New York City Opera. Three years later he became director of the Texas Opera Theater, the touring division of the Houston Grand Opera. His recording of Porgy and Bess , which opened in Houston and went to Broadway, won him a Grammy for Best Opera Recording in 1977. He became principal conductor and music director in Houston, where he debuted Bernstein's A Quiet Place and Adam's Nixon in China . He was also music director of Opera Omaha and principal conductor of the Chautauqua Opera among others. ( Vindicator 4-2-1972, 6-4-2000; New Grove Dictionary of Opera ; Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music )
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DiPiero, Bob March 3, 1951 –
Songwriter (Born Liberty, OH)
Mr. DiPiero attended Liberty High School and Youngstown State University's Dana School of Music. He has written over 13 chart-topping country music songs such as American Made sung by the Oak Ridge Boys, Take Me As I Am sung by Faith Hill, Little Rock and Till You Love Me sung by Reba McEntire, and Worlds Apart co-written and sung by Vince Gill. In his career, he has singly or jointly written over 1,000 songs. He was once married to country singer Pam Tillis, with whom he toured as a guitarist. In 2001, he released his first solo CD titled Laugh . ( Vindicator 3-5-2000, 8-2-2001, 12-30-2001)
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Dotson, Bill 1948 –
Portrait Artist (Born Youngstown, OH)
Mr. Dotson attended Rayen High School. Before he could be sent to Vietnam with his fellow Marines, he was injured in a car accident. He could not speak and his body cast prevented him from moving anything but his right hand and then only in a figure eight motion. Communicating by writing, he also started doodling, which developed his drawing technique. After recuperating, he worked at Youngstown Sheet and Tube and General Motor's Lordstown plant. His first commissioned portrait was in 1973. He has become famous for his pen and ink drawings of sports figures and celebrities, including Pope John Paul II, Paul Newman, Michael Jordan, Frank Sinatra, and Luciano Pavarotti. ( Vindicator 8-26-86, 11-2-87, 2-14-88, 5-24-95; http://www.butlerart.com/Web_Shows/Black_Artist/dotson_bio.htm )
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Dravecky, Dave February 14, 1956 -
Baseball Pitcher (Born Boardman, OH)
Mr. Dravecky played for Boardman High School, Youngstown State University, the Pittsburgh Pirates (1979-1981), the San Diego Padres (1982-1987, 1984 World Series) and the San Francisco Giants (1987-1989). Cancer was found in his left (pitching) arm in 1988. Ten months after surgery on that arm, he was pitching again for the Giants. Five days after his return, however, his arm snapped as he threw a pitch. The fracture healed and he was considering another comeback when his arm was broken again as the Giants converged to celebrate winning the 1989 National League pennant game. His left arm and shoulder were amputated because of cancer in 1991. He is now an author and lecturer. ( Total Baseball , Cleveland Plain Dealer 6-20-91)
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Evans, William G. “Billy” February 10, 1884 – January 23, 1956
Baseball Umpire/Executive (Born Miami, FL; resident of Mahoning County)
Mr. Evans was a sportswriter for the Youngstown Vindicator in 1903 when the umpire for a baseball game did not appear. He umpired the game and did such a good job that he was soon umpiring regularly. In 1906, the American League made him the youngest major league umpire ever at the age of 22. “For 20 years… he was the best umpire in the American League.” He became general manager of the Cleveland Indians (1927-1935), farm team director for the Boston Red Sox (1938-1940), general manager of the Cleveland Rams football team (1941-1942), president of baseball's Southern League (1942-1946), and club vice-president and general manager of the Detroit Tigers (1946-1951). In 1973, he became the only person from Youngstown inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. ( Vindicator 3-4-73, Business Journal Mid-January 2000, Baseball: The Biographical Encyclopedia )
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Firestone, Harvey S. December 20, 1868 – February 7, 1938
Businessman (Born Columbiana, OH)
Mr. Firestone graduated from Columbiana High School in 1887. He worked in the buggy industry before starting a tire company, which he sold before starting the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company in Akron, OH in 1900. The company developed the pneumatic tire for the Ford Model T, non-skid treads, tractor and truck tires, and the balloon tire. The first practical tractor tires were developed at the testing center created at his Columbiana home. Firestone became one of the “big five” in rubber, along with Goodyear, Goodrich, US Rubber and Fisk. When a monopoly of natural rubber suppliers threatened supplies, Firestone partnered with Henry Ford to create rubber plantations in Liberia. In 1984, the original Firestone Homestead and farm buildings were moved to Greenfield Village, part of the Henry Ford Museum, in Dearborn, MI. The Harvey S. Firestone Park in Columbiana was named for him and he is buried there. His great grandson, Andrew Firestone, was featured on the television reality series The Bachelor . ( Chamber Biographical Dictionary ; Encyclopedia of World Biography ; Harvey Firestone: Free Man of Enterprise )
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Fisher, Max July 15, 1908 – March 3, 2005
Philanthropist (Born Pittsburgh, PA; resident of Salem, OH)
Mr. Fisher was raised in Salem, OH and graduated from Salem High School in 1926. He went to Ohio State University on a football scholarship. He used his degree in business administration to turn his father's oil reclamation business in Detroit into Speedway, one of the largest gas stations chains in the Midwest. He sold his business and invested the profits to create his fortune, which he used for philanthropy and diplomacy. He has advised U.S. presidents and Israeli prime ministers and is the subject of the book Quiet Diplomat by Peter Golden. He founded the National Jewish Coalition and has served as advisor or board member of a dozen corporations, including Comerica and Sotheby's. He funded scholarships at Salem High School and donated $20 million to the OSU College of Business, which is now named after him. At the time of his death, his fortune was estimated at $775 million. ( Lisbon Morning Journal 3-4-2005, http://fisher.osu.edu/about/the-max-fisher-story )
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Flynn, Joe November 8, 1924 - July 19, 1974
Actor (Born Youngstown, OH)
Born and raised in Youngstown, Mr. Flynn had numerous roles on stage and television, including a television sitcom called Yer Old Buddy . He entered the race for a seat in the Ohio House of Representatives in 1952 but was defeated. Returning to acting, he first movie role was in Rear Window . Although he appeared in over 25 films, he is best known for his portrayal of Captain Wallace B. Binghamton on the McHale's Navy television series, which ran from 1962 to 1966. ( Vindicator 7-20-74)
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Foster, Stan April 16, 1960 –
Actor (Born Youngstown, OH)
Mr. Foster attended South High School and Ohio State University, where he quit pre-law to become an actor. He appeared in the films Wildcats , Project X , and Action Jackson . He portrayed Sgt. Marvin Johnson on the television series Tour of Duty , which aired from 1987 to 1990. He was also producer and screenwriter for the movies Tara and Woman Thou Art Loosed . ( http://www.page-creations.net/stan.html , Vindicator 3-31-87, 6-7-87, 3-11-88)
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Foster, Stephen Collins July 4, 1826 – January 13, 1864
Composer (Family ties in Mahoning County)
Author and composer of such popular songs as Oh, Susanna , Camptown Races , Swanee River , and My Old Kentucky Home , Mr. Foster often visited his aunt, Mary Foster Struthers, when he was a boy. Mrs. Struthers was the wife of John Struthers, founder of Struthers, OH. ( A Heritage to Share , American Songwriters )
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Freed, Alan December 15, 1922 – January 20, 1965
Disc Jockey (Born Johnstown, PA; resident of Salem, OH)
Mr. Freed was the first “disc jockey” and producer of rock and roll concerts and is credited with coining the term “rock and roll”. He began his career in radio at WKST in New Castle, PA and also worked at WKBN in Youngstown, WIBE in Philadelphia, WAKR in Akron, and WKEL and WJW in Cleveland. He was known for playing songs by the original black artists, which proved so popular that he promoted integrated concert bills at his Moondog Balls in Cleveland. He moved to WINS in New York in 1954, where he was the most popular disc jockey in the country and promoted such stars as Buddy Holly, Fats Domino and Jerry Lee Lewis. In 1963, he was convicted of accepting payola. In 1964, he was charged with income tax evasion but died before he could stand trial. ( Rock Who's Who , The Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll, Vindicator 9-26-96)
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Glass Harp
Keaggy, Phil March 23, 1951 – (Born Youngstown, OH)
Pecchio, Dan (Born Youngstown, OH)
Sferra, John (Born Howland, OH)
Glass Harp was formed in 1968 while Keaggy and Sferra were still in high school. They released three albums and were the opening act for such groups as Traffic, Yes, The Kinks, Alice Cooper and Ted Nugent. Keaggy, on Musician Magazine 's list of “top guitarists of the 20 th century”, left the band for a successful solo career in contemporary Christian music. Sferra also went solo and backed Keaggy on some of his later work. Pecchio played bass with the Michael Stanley Band. The band reunites for local concerts and teamed up with the Youngstown Symphony Orchestra for a recorded concert in 2000. ( Business Journal Mid-October 2000, Vindicator 10-22-2000, Encyclopedia of Contemporary Christian Music, Contemporary Musicians )
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Goldston, Ralph February 25, 1929 –
Football Player (Born Campbell, OH)
Mr. Goldston attended Campbell Memorial High School, played at Indiana University for a year, and then transferred to Youngstown College. He was the first African-American player with the Philadelphia Eagles when he made the team in 1952. After spending 1953 in the military, he returned to the Eagles for the 1954 and 1955 seasons. He played for the Canadian Football League's Hamilton Tiger Cats (1956-1964) and Montreal Alouettes (1965), and then coached for Harvard University, the University of Colorado and the Chicago Bears. He was also a scout for the New York Giants, New York Jets, New England Patriots, and the Seattle Seahawks. ( Total Football II; http://www.campbell.k12.oh.us/Alumni/HallOfFame/Hof/1stClass/ralphgoldston.htm , Vindicator 7-9-75, 3-16-78, 10-16-98)
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Grohl, Dave January 14, 1969 –
Musician (Born Warren, OH)
Mr. Grohl was born in Warren and lived in Niles until age 4. His father, a journalist, moved them to Columbus where he worked on Senator Taft's campaign. The family eventually settled in Alexandria, VA. In 1990, Dave became the drummer and background vocalist for the grunge rock band Nirvana, where he remained until the suicide of lead singer Kurt Cobain in 1994. Later that year, he recorded a solo album where he played virtually everything on it. Not wanting to start a solo career, he formed a new band to support the album with himself as lead singer and guitarist. The band and the album were called Foo Fighters. Mr. Grohl has won five Grammy awards, one with Nirvana and four with Foo Fighters.
http://www.answers.com/topic/dave-grohl , http://www.fooarchive.com/features/clevelanddealer03.htm
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Hall, Gus October 8, 1910 – October 13, 2000
Union Leader/Communist (Born Virginia, MN; resident of Mahoning County)
Mr. Hall was an active member of the Steel Workers Organizing Committee of the CIO, and was involved in the Little Steel Strike of 1937. He resigned to become more involved with the Communist Party, running unsuccessfully for Youngstown city council and for Ohio governor on the Communist ticket. He became General Secretary of the American Communist Party in 1950 and was imprisoned for five and a half years for “conspiring to teach and advocate the violent overthrow of the U.S. government.” He ran for the U.S. presidency on the Communist ticket in 1972, 1976, 1980, and 1984. ( Current Biography 1973, 2001)
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Hamilton, Edmond Moore October 21, 1904 - February 1, 1977
Author (Born Youngstown, OH)
As one of the earliest writers of science fiction, Mr. Hamilton introduced the concepts of programmed robots, intergalactic travel, galactic civilizations, cosmic radiation, and the Earth being controlled or destroyed by outer space aliens. He was the creator of what is now called “space opera”. In 1967, he was elected to the First Fandom Science Fiction Hall of Fame. He was the brother of local newspaper columnist Esther Hamilton. ( Vindicator 2-2-77, Contemporary Authors NR84)
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Hamilton, Esther August 8, 1897 – May 9, 1989
Journalist (Born New Castle, PA; resident of Mahoning County)
In 1921, Miss Hamilton joined the staff of the Youngstown Telegram where she earned her reputation covering big trials and getting exclusive interviews. When the Vindicator bought out the Telegram in 1935, Miss Hamilton moved her Around Town column to the Vindicator. She retired to Florida in 1970, but continued her Sunday Around Town column until November of 1987. Her brother was science fiction writer Edmond Moore Hamilton. ( Vindicator 5-9-89, 5-10-89)
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Hartman, Elizabeth December 23, 1943 - June 10, 1987
Actress (Born Youngstown, OH)
Ms. Hartman made her motion picture acting debut in the 1965 film A Patch of Blue with Sidney Poitier. Her performance as the blind girl, Selina D'Arcy, earned her a Golden Globe award and an Academy Award nomination. She appeared in The Group , You're A Big Boy Now , The Fixer , The Beguiled , Walking Tall, and Full Moon High. She was also the voice of Mrs. Brisby in The Secret of NIMH . Suffering from depression, she committed suicide by jumping out of her fifth-floor Pittsburgh apartment window. ( Vindicator 6-11-87, www.imdb.com )
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Henke, Shirl 1943 -
Romance Writer (Born St. Louis, MO; resident of Mahoning County)
Ms. Henke came to Youngstown in 1970 when her husband got a teaching job at Youngstown State University. She also taught at the university before quitting to become a full-time writer. Her first novel, Golden Lady , published in 1986, won the Romantic Times Best New Western Author award. She writes with collaborator Carol Reynard and now lives in Adrian, MI. ( Vindicator 2-7-87, http://www.shirlhenke.com/ )
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Hirschbeck, John September 7, 1954 –
Baseball Umpire (Born Bridgeport, CT; resident of Mahoning County)
Mr. Hirschbeck and his brother, Mark, are the only brothers ever to be umpires in major league baseball. John started out as an umpire in the Florida State League. While working for the Puerto Rico Winter League he met his future wife, Denise, a native of Poland, OH, where they settled. He worked his way up to the majors, the American League, in 1984. He umpired the 1989 All-Star game and the 1995 World Series. On September 27, 1996, he called a third strike on the Baltimore Orioles' Roberto Alomar at a game in Toronto. They argued and Alomar spat in his face causing a national incident. It was made worse by Alomar's claim that Hirschbeck's judgment had suffered since the loss of his oldest son, John Drew, to a rare disorder, adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD). Alomar apologized and has since become a generous donor to ALD research. In 1999, the Major League Umpires Association told the umpires to resign as a negotiation ploy. Hirschbeck and others fought it and formed a new union, the World Umpires Association, which was recognized in 2000. Hirschbeck was elected president, a position that he still holds. Another son, Michael, also has ALD and his wife and two daughters are carriers. They have formed the John Hirschbeck Memorial Fund in memory of their son. ( Vindicator 11-4-1986, 3-2-2000, 5-16-2000; http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/team/mlb_team_umpires_bio.jsp?id=2450 , New York Times 12-24-2004)
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Holtz, Lou January 6, 1937 –
Football Coach (Born Follansbee, WV; resident of East Liverpool, OH)
Mr. Holtz graduated from East Liverpool High School and Kent State University, playing football at both. He is the only coach in NCAA football to reach bowl games with six different schools and to lead four different schools to rank within the top 20. He started his coaching career at William and Mary, and then moved on to North Carolina State. After a brief stint with the New York Jets, he coached at the University of Arkansas and the University of Minnesota. He then rebuilt the Notre Dame football team, winning the 1988 National Championship, and stayed for 11 years. He became a television commentator after he retired in 1995, but returned to coaching in 1999, leading the University of South Carolina to bowl victories. In 2000, both Football News and American Football Coach Quarterly named him National Coach of the Year. The Lou Holtz/Upper Ohio Valley Hall of Fame in East Liverpool is named in his honor. ( Vindicator 1-14-1998, 7-7-1998;
http://uscsports.collegesports.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/holtz_lou00.html
http://www.louholtzhalloffame.com/honorees/98/index.htm )
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Human Beinz
Formed in Youngstown, this rock group was comprised of Richard Belley, Ting Markulin, Mel Pachuta, and Mike Tatman. Originally named The Human Beings, they found their name changed by their record company, Capitol Records, after they signed in 1967. They scored a top ten hit in 1968 with Nobody But Me , a song originally recorded by the Isley Brothers. They released two albums: their debut album titled Nobody But Me and a follow-up album titled Evolution
http://www.artistdirect.com/music/artist/bio/0,,446386,00.html?artist=Human+Beinz
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Huntington, Samuel October 4, 1765 – June 8, 1817
Governor of Ohio (Born Coventry, CT; resident of Youngstown, OH)
Mr. Huntington was the third governor of Ohio. He settled briefly in Youngstown (1801) before moving to the Cleveland area.( http://www.ohiohistory.org/onlinedoc/ohgovernment/governors/huntingt.html )
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Jaworski , Ronald March 23, 1951 -
Football Player (Born Lackawanna, NY; resident of Mahoning County)
Mr. Jaworski was quarterback for Youngstown State University (1969-1972), played with the Los Angeles Rams (1973-76), the Philadelphia Eagles (1977-86, 1980 Super Bowl), the Miami Dolphins (1987-88), and the Kansas City Chiefs (1989). He is now a football analyst and motivational speaker. ( Total Football II , When the Clock Runs Out by Bill Lyon, http://www.speakingofsports.com/speakers/Jaworski.htm )
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Jenkins, (William) Paul July 12, 1923 –
Painter (Born Kansas City, MO; resident of Struthers, OH)
Mr. Jenkins graduated from Struthers High School and served in the U.S. Navy Air Corps (1943-1945). He studied art in New York City after the war and became an independent artist in 1953. The first exhibitions of his work were in Paris and Frankfurt in 1954. He is known for his abstract expressionist painting style, which has won him many awards, including a Life Achievement Award from the Butler Institute of American Art (1997). A film, The Ivory Knife: Paul Jenkins at Work , was made while he painted from 1964 to 1966. His works are displayed at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Guggenheim Museum in New York, and the Tate Gallery in London among others. Andy Warhol painted his portrait in 1979. ( Vindicator 4-27-58, Dictionary of American Art , Contemporary Artists )
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Jones, Nathaniel R. May 13, 1926-
Judge (Born Youngstown, OH)
Judge Jones grew up on Court Street in Smoky Hollow. After serving in the Air Force during World War II, he earned his law degree from Youngstown State University. A civil rights attorney, he was executive director of the Youngstown's Fair Employment Practices Commission and the Mayor's Human Relations Commission from 1956 to 1959. In 1961, Attorney General Robert Kennedy appointed him Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio in Cleveland, the first African-American to hold that position. In 1967, President Johnson named him Assistant General Counsel to the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders, also known as the Kerner Commission. He was general counsel of the NAACP from 1969 until President Carter appointed him judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit in 1979. He retired in 2002 and joined the Cincinnati law firm of Blank Rome LLP, where he specializes in litigation and dispute resolution. On May 5, 2003, the Nathaniel R. Jones Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in Youngstown was named in his honor, making him the fourth African American to have a federal building named for him. ( http://www.blankrome.com/Newsevents/Press/jonesn0402.asp , Vindicator 11-9-01, 4-13-2003, 5-6-2003)
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Karlis, Rich May 23, 1959 –
Football player (Born Salem, OH)
Mr. Karlis attended Salem High School and played one season for the University of Cincinnati as a kicker. He was the only one of 75 kickers the Denver Broncos picked up at a free agent tryout camp. He played for the Broncos from 1982 to 1988 and was responsible for getting them into the Super Bowl with an overtime field goal against the Cleveland Browns in 1987. During the Super Bowl, he missed two early field goal attempts and the Broncos lost to the New York Giants. The Broncos also went to the 1988 Super Bowl, again losing, before he was traded to the Minnesota Vikings. He played there only one season, but on November 5,1989 he became one of the few men who have kicked 7 successful field goals in a single game. Since he always kicked barefoot and could not donate his shoe, a plaster cast was made of his kicking foot to commemorate the event. After the 1990 season with the Detroit Lions, he became a businessman in Denver and is involved with the Special Olympics. ( Total Football II , Sports Illustrated 7-24-2000, Vindicator 1-12-1987, 1-25-1987, 1-26-1987, 11-6-1989)
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Kirwan, Michael Joseph December 2, 1886 – July 27, 1970
Congressman (Born Plains, PA; resident of Mahoning County)
The son of an Irish coal miner, Mr. Kirwan dropped out of school after third grade. He worked in coalmines, railroads, oil fields, and lumber camps across America before becoming a sergeant in the 348 th Machine Gun Company during World War I. He moved to Youngstown in the early 1920s, employed at U.S. Steel's Ohio Works, before serving on the Youngstown City Council from 1932-1936. A democrat, he was elected to the House of Representatives in 1936 and eventually held two high positions. The first was chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Public Works through which he championed conservation, the Smithsonian Institute, highways, dams, power plants, and better education for Native Americans. His second position was as chairman of the Democratic National Congressional Committee beginning in 1948, the first northerner to hold this position. The only two projects that he failed to achieve were the Lake Erie to Ohio River canal, “Mike's Big Ditch”, and an aquarium for Washington D.C., “Mike's Fish Tank”. A 17-term congressman, he was ranked 7 th in House seniority when he died from complications of a broken back which had kept him in the hospital for over a year. ( Vindicator 1-15-1948, 7-27-1970; New York Times 7-28-1970; Who Was Who in America )
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Kosar , Bernie November 25, 1963 -
Football player (Born Boardman, OH)
Mr. Kosar played at Boardman High School, the University of Miami in Florida (1983-1985, 1983 National Champions), and was quarterback for the Cleveland Browns (1985-1993). He played for the Dallas Cowboys in late 1993 and was “a key element in the Cowboys Super Bowl winning season by replacing an injured Troy Aikman”. He finished his professional career with the Miami Dolphins (1994-1996). He is now a businessman, part owner of the NHL Florida Panthers, and director and chairman of the NFL Quarterback Club. He publishes and is a contributing columnist for the magazine Bernie's Insiders: Cleveland Pro Football Coverage.( www.bernie-kosar.com , http://browns.scout.com/index.html )
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Kosco, Andrew “Pudge” October 5, 1941 -
Baseball Player (Born Youngstown, OH)
Mr. Kosco played for the Minnesota Twins (1965-1967), the New York Yankees (1968), the Los Angeles Dodgers (1969-1970), and the Milwaukee Brewers (1971). In 1972, he played for the California Angels and Boston Red Sox, and ended his professional career with the Cincinnati Reds (1973-1974). ( Total Baseball )
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Lawrence, Mary Wells May 25, 1928 -
Advertising Executive (Born Poland, OH)
Ms. Wells began her career as a copywriter for McKelvey's Department Store in 1951. She moved to New York to work for Macy's and founded her own advertising firm, Wells, Rich, Greene Inc., in 1966. She was the first female CEO of a firm traded on the New York Stock Exchange (1968) and at age 40 was the youngest person ever to be inducted into the Copywriter's Hall of Fame (1969). Her firm was sold when she retired in 1990, closing permanently in 1998. She was inducted into the Advertising Hall of Fame in 2000. She is responsible for such advertising slogans as “Plop plop fizz fizz” and “I can't believe I ate the whole thing” for Alka Seltzer, “Midasize it”, “Flick my Bic”, and the “I love New York” campaign. Her memoirs, A Big Life (in Advertising) , were published in 2002. ( Vindicator 10-4-1966, Cleveland Plain Dealer 4-14-1990, Who's Who in Finance and Industry )
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Light, Enoch August 18, 1907 – July 31, 1978
Musician (Born Canton, OH; resident of Mahoning County)
Mr. Light's family moved to Youngstown when he was small. He graduated from South High School and studied violin at the Dana Music Institute in Warren. He made his conducting debut with the Salzburg Symphony in Austria in 1930. He returned to the United States and formed a successful big band, Enoch Light and the Light Brigade. While touring with the band, he was seriously injured in a car accident and did not return to music for two years. After his recovery, he focused on conducting and producing records where he experimented with stereo techniques and recording on 35mm film. Under his Command Records label, he recorded Persuasive Percussion , which hit the top of the charts in April 1960 and went gold. ( Vindicator 8-2-1978, Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians , Encyclopedia of Popular Music )
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Lynd, Staughton November 22, 1929 –
Lawyer/Writer/Activist (Born Philadelphia, PA; resident of Niles, OH)
A former history professor at Yale, Mr. Lynd became a leader of the New Left in the 1960s. He was chairperson of the first march on Washington protesting the Vietnam War and director of the Mississippi Freedom Schools. His activism made it difficult for him to find a job in the academic world, so he became a lawyer specializing in the rights of workers. He and his family moved to the Youngstown area in 1976, where he went to work for Northeast Ohio Legal Services. When the area's three largest steel mills closed, he and co-worker James Callen represented community coalitions trying to save Youngstown Sheet & Tube's Campbell works and LTV's Brier Hill works. The fight to save U.S. Steel's Ohio Works went to the U.S. District Court but was unsuccessful. He wrote The Fight Against Shutdowns – Youngstown's Steel Mill Closings about the struggle. He retired in 1997 but continues to write. ( Vindicator 8-29-82, 6-22-97; Business Journal 3-1999; Current Biography 1983)
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