Lee High School - Huntsville Alabama Alumni

Sarajane Setigerwald Tarter, Class of '65 - Is that a photo of Goldsmith-Shiffman field? If so, I found this tidbit to go with it:

On January 25, 1934, Oscar Goldsmith, Lawrence B. Goldsmith, Annie Schiffman Goldsmith, Robert L. Schiffman, and Elsie Strauss Schiffman gave this property to the City of Huntsville for an athletic field. The gift was in memory of Betty Bernstein Goldsmith (wife of Oscar and mother of Lawrence) and Betty Herstein Schiffman (wife of Isaac and mother of the other donors). The Civil Works Administration provided $6500 in materials and labor to construct the field, the first in Huntsville to accommodate night athletic games. The Acme Club raised funds for lighting through season ticket sales. Dedication exercises were held during the first night game on October 4, 1934, when 1000 fans saw Coach Milton Frank's Huntsville High team defeat Gadsden High.

Map reading has been easy for me because my job was the "map reader" when we went anywhere in the car. (Probably to keep me quiet!) Aerial map reading is more difficult for me so maybe it is actually a "guy

thing"! Let's see how many other ladies respond.

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Bobbby Cochran, Class of '64 - Is the "Mystery Photo" Goldsmith-Schiffman Field?

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George Vail, Class of '66 - Goldsmith-Schiffman Field I think.. I lived for 6 months in 1972 at a duplex Apt on Lacey St. This area is one of my favorite areas of Huntsville. I think it would have been a great place to grow-up!

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Tony Wynn - Could this mystery photo be of Goldsmith Shiffman Field. At least I think that is the name of it. Boy there were a lot of good football games played at this place. I think that both of my brothers (CE and Don)played games there just like I did. It seems to me that at least one of the semi-pro teams, that played in Huntsville, played there. As I recall it was the Huntsville Rockets. Is the stadium still there?

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Don Wynn, Class of '67 - Every knucklehead who ever scaled the wall at Goldsmith-Shiffman Field to play the roughneck version of football on a Sunday afternoon should recognize this photo. It is, of course, Goldsmith-Schiffman Field and part of the 5 Points area. It was an exciting place to be on game nights. It was just a great place to play football. Time worn bleachers and dressing rooms just added to the feel of the place. Niles could kick the ball across a few houses on extra points and parking added excitement to the night. Local entrepreneurs made a little extra pocket change charging spectators to park in their yards. It was like Legion Field on a smaller scale. In 1963 all of that changed when the city completed Milton Frank Stadium and high school football in the cit! y had a new home. I believe Lee played the first Friday Night game in the new Stadium. Goldsmith-Schiffman was used for Junior High Games for years before being used once again for High School when the city added a 5th high school because Milton Frank just could not handle all the games. By that time, crowds had shrunk to the point that Milton Frank could not be filled on game night. Since Goldsmith is smaller, crowds frequently fill it and the feeling of playing in a full house returned to Huntsville. It is so small that the first few rows in the stands can hear what the coaches are thinking!

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Collins (CE) Wynn, Class of ‘64 - The mystery site can be none other than the hallowed ground of the legendary Goldsmith-Schiffman Field. I took a look at Terra Server just to be sure because I did not remember the dressing/rest rooms being that close up into the northeast and southeast corners of the stadium.

I remember going to the field with my Dad and my Uncle Milton one fall night when I was 6 years old during the 1952 season, I assume to see Huntsville High play someone. I can clearly recall sitting on my Dad’s shoulders as we walked into the stadium and marveling at the lights and noise. For years thereafter I thought all football players were muscled like they appeared that night – I had no idea they wore pads.

When we (Mike Smith, Walt Thomas, Mike Chisam, Terry Preston, Sonny Turner, Jimmy and Bobby Durham and others) were 10-12 years old and roaming the neighborhood on a regular basis we would always show up at the field on Friday nights to watch the games. Since we had no money or at least not enough for a ticket, we had to devise other ways of getting in on the action. The east end of the field offered the greatest opportunities. Get this – the folks who lived in the houses across the street on the east side would let us climb a tree and jump onto their roof to watch the games over the rock wall for the pittance of a nickel or dime. Sometimes there would be 15 or 20 kids sitting on their roofs. Some kids, like Walt Thomas, had enough nerve to actually climb the east wall and silently drop the 8-10 feet to the ground inside the park in the 2 feet or so of space between the dressing/rest rooms and the east wall and walk out into the madding crowd very nonchalantly as if they were reputable citizens and paying customers. I’d say we got caught about half the time but it was the effort that counted. While one kid was getting caught, 3 or so of his buddies were sliding by.

Once we hit 13 some of us starting playing football rather than just watching. Coach Hub Myhand put together the very first Lee General football team in 1958 which was to prove to be the first of, by now, 48 annual editions of General football. All of our Lee Junior High home games were played there as well as, I think, our 10th grade season. That’s the same year we went undefeated and beat Buckhorn twice in the same season 40 to nothing both times – it was a sweet, sweet season. The hard lessons about winning and losing came later.

That same year my Mom came to the field by herself one night and sat through the entire game in a drenching rain mostly alone up in the bleachers. She was still there every time I glanced up. In my mind’s eye she is still sitting there even today. I’m not sure I thanked her then but I surely would today if I could. Most of the time it is not what one says but what one does that counts.

You know, there is no way to calculate the positive effect the Goldsmith and Schiffman families had on the citizens and children of Huntsville when they generously donated the facility. How many, how many………. coaches, cheerleaders, doctors, ball players, parents, ticket takers, announcers and others have been positively affected. Goldsmith-Schiffman Field has always given me a sense of pride in my neighborhood.

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Steve Cook, Class of '66 -This weeks mystery picture looks like the world famous Goldsmith-Schiffman Field over on Beirne Ave.Thanks for the memories.

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Jeff Fussell Class of '66 - The landmarks aren't as obvious as last week, but there is no mistaking Goldsmith-Schiffman Field. I can't recall what the big L-shaped open area was just north of G-S between Beirne and McCullough.Current maps look like it is now baseball fields, but don't remember them being there then. We'll just wait until next Monday.and see if anyone else mentions it.

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Subject:The Tiks Are Coming

Sarajane Steigerwald Tarter

Class of '65

Tommy,

I'm friends with some of the Huntsville High crowd and they had Bobby Grant and the Tiks for their reunion at the Ledges on August 13th. I guess some of the people asked them to come back to Huntsville and do another gig so they're going to be in Huntsville on Nov. 5th. I thought you'd like to know. Here's the info I got.

Hi everyone;

The Tiks are playing at the Elks Club in Huntsville on November 5th, from 8:00 till 11:00 or maybe 12:00. The charge is $20 a head and reservations are to be made through me here in Bradenton.

I will need the names of each person sending me the $20 and after I receive their money and their check clears, their name will go onto the master list to be checked off at the door the nite of the party.

After we sell 300 tickets, we will close the offering. My address here for checks is:

1213 89th St. N.W., Bradenton, FL 34209. Spread the word.

Let me know if you have any questions. Checks are to be made to Becky Grant. Good luck guys. Looking forward to seeing each of you. Becky (941) 920-5552..

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Subject:Dance Photo

Bobby Cochran

Class of '64

Tommy, NICE MOVE on the dance floor at the reunion. How many visits to the chiropractor will you have to make?

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Subject:NASCAR

George (Lehman) Williams

Class of '64

Los Angeles Times - Headlines - Sunday November 6th, 2005 - " Rookie Driver Breaks Track Record at California Speedway ". Be lookin for this story in the sports pages. My son gave me a father son Racing Experience with Petty Racing, Inc. for my 60th birthday. I'll get to drive the track in a 750 horsepower Nextel Cup car. I'm sure it will be toned down a bit but should be faster than my own musclecars ( maybe not), at least the suspension set-up will be better and the roll-cage might be something I should have put in my cars a long time ago, like 1964 "The Lehman Express". I will send in a summary of the experience, assuming that I survive. How about a survey - All classmates that have a muscle car, send and email to me with details, yr - make - model - motor - etc., and do you race it or just cruise. I will send a summary to Tommy for the website for a slow week.

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Classmates Receive Letters

For Their Big Woody's Stories

by Tommy Towery

Class of '64

Unknown to many of the attendees at the reunion, a short presentation was made to two of the supporters of Lee’s Traveller during one of the lulls in the fun. The two recipients were recognized for having submitted several stories in the last few years highlighting one of our favorite hangouts, or for some – makeout spots.

Our own “Lee Man”, George (Lehman) Williams, Class of ’64, (L) received his award for the submissions he made as a reader of Lee’s Traveller. Collins (CE) Wynn, Class of ’64, received a similar award as the staff member of Lee’s Traveller who has made the best contributions.

Lehman received a letter “L” and Collins a “C” that were saved from the marquee at Woody’s Drive-In Theatre after it was closed. Each also received a Certificate of Authenticity to accompany the letters.

I rescued the marquee letters while on a trip to Huntsville a year or so after Woody’s was shut down for good. I drove out there one day to take a photo of the neglected marquee outside the theatre. When I parked my car and waded through the weeds to get a closer photo, I saw that many of the old red plastic letters were lying on the ground, having fallen from the sign and left there abandoned. I rescued a few of them to save rather than let them continue on their path to deterioration. I have had them stored since the Seventies and decided that I did not need to keep all of them and they should be shared with some of my classmates which would appreciate what they represented.

We appreciate the memories of Woody’s shared with us by these classmates and hope that they display their awards in some honored place.

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You Know

You live in Arizona when.....

1. You are willing to park 3 blocks away because you found shade.

2. You can open and drive your car without touching the car door or the steering wheel.

3. You've experienced condensation on your butt from the hot water in the toilet bowl.

4. You would give anything to be able to splash cold water on your face.

5. You can attend any function wearing shorts and a tank top.

6. "Dress Code" is meaningless at high schools and universities. Picture lingerie ads.

7. You can drive for 4 hours in one direction and never leave town.

8. You have over 100 recipes for Mexican food.

9. The 4 seasons are: tolerable, hot, really hot, and ARE YOU KIDDING ME??!!

10. You know that "dry heat" is comparable to what hits you in the face when you open your oven door.

You Live in California when...

1. You make over $250,000 and you still can't afford to buy a house.

2. The high school quarterback calls a time-out to answer his cell phone.

3. The fastest part of your commute is going down your driveway.

4. You know how to eat an artichoke.

5. You drive your rented Mercedes to your neighborhood block party.

6. When someone asks you how far something is, you tell them how long it will take to get there rather than how many miles away it is.

You Live in New York City when...

1. You say "the city" and expect everyone to know you mean Manhattan.

2. You have never been to the Statue of Liberty or the Empire State Building.

3. You can get into a four-hour argument about how to get from Columbus Circle to Battery Park, but can't find Wisconsin on a map.

4. You think Central Park is "nature,"

5. You believe that being able to swear at people in their own language makes you multi-lingual

6. You've worn out a car horn.

7. You think eye contact is an act of aggression.

You Live in Maine when...

1. You only have four spices: salt, pepper, ketchup, and Tabasco.

2. Halloween costumes fit over parkas.

3. You have more than one recipe for moose.

4. Sexy lingerie is anything flannel with less than eight buttons.

5. The four seasons are: winter, still winter, almost winter, and construction.

You Live in the Deep South when..

1. You can rent a movie and buy bait in the same store.

2."Ya'll" is singular and "All ya'll" is plural.

3. After five years you still hear, "You ain't from 'round here, are Ya?"

4. "He needed killin' " is a valid defense.

5. Everyone has 2 first names: Billy Bob, Jimmy Bob, Mary Sue, Betty Jean, MARY BETH, etc

You live in Colorado when...

1. You carry your $3,000 mountain bike atop your $500 car.

2. You tell your husband to pick up Granola on his way home and he stops at the day care center.

3. A pass does not involve a football or dating.

4. The top of your head is bald, but you still have a pony tail.

You live in the Midwest when...

1. You've never met any celebrities, but the mayor knows your name.

2. Your idea of a traffic jam is ten cars waiting to pass a tractor.

3. You have had to switch from "heat" to "A/C" on the same day.

4. You end sentences with a preposition: "Where's my coat at?"

5. When asked how your trip was to any exotic place, you say, "It was different!"

You live in Florida when...

1. You eat dinner at 3:15 in the afternoon.

2. All purchases include a coupon of some kind -- even houses and cars.

3. Everyone can recommend an excellent dermatologist.

4. Road construction never ends anywhere in the state.

5. Cars in front of you are often driven by headless people.

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