The Way It Was 50 Years Ago in Euclid

Long-time Euclid residents may remember what the city was like half

a century ago-and in many ways it remains much the same, despite

numerous changes over the years. For those who are relative newcomers,

this article-and future installments in this series-may provide some useful

perspective on the history and potential of our great city on the lake.

The news, sports, and other items covered in this series have been

gleaned from the pages of the 1966 editions of the old Euclid News-

Journal, the community's former weekly newspaper. That paper eventually

was acquired by the Sun Newspapers before that chain decided to abandon

the city, leaving Euclid without its own paper until the arrival of the Euclid

Observers (first the editions produced by Mary Jo Minarik then the version

you're now reading, published by John Copic.)

Ready? Let's begin with the January editions of the 1966 Euclid

News-Journal

JAN. 6, 1966- The lead story, based on Mayor Kenneth J. Sims'

annual report, was headlined "City Nears Action on Housing Project

Redevelopment 99 The mayor noted that Euclid had reduced its bonded

indebtedness by $13. 9 million, enabling the city to begin focusing on needed

improvements, including redevelopment of the city-owned housing projects.

the low-rent projects had been constructed during World War II to house

workers employed by local factories producing aircraft parts and other

equipment needed for the war effort.

"I want to see those projects tom down and redeveloped entirely,"

Mayor Sims said, "but in an orderly fashion without displacing any of the

residents,"(the largest of the housing project tracts sat on what now is

Briardale Greens Golf Course. In those days, it was known as "The patch,"

and youngsters who lived there were dubbed "Patch Kids.")

Mayor Sims' annual report also noted that there was renewed

optimism about securing federal financial aid to build the $4 million Babbitt

Rd. underpass-to eliminate the hazard of driving across the railroad tracks.

■ The front page of the Jan. 6, 1966 ) News-Journal also included a

story about Mary King, who had been a controversial school board member,

announcing her candidacy for a seat in the Ohio House of Representatives.

She planned to challenge incumbent Gerald Fuerst and several other

contenders-including a political neophyte from the Collinwood area by the

name of George  Voinovich. (You may have heard of him. He won that

election and went on to become Mayor of Cleveland, Governor of Ohio, and

a United States Senator. The Euclid News-Journal and its sister paper, the

Collinwood Scoop, both endorsed Voinovich for the state representative's

post.)

Another front-page story noted that the Euclid Board of Education

was wrestling with the dilemma of how to raise enough money to pay for a

new physical education complex at Euclid High School, as well as financing

construction of a new Euclid Central Junior High.

Photographs on Page One included a shot of Mayor Sims swearing

in the six Coalition Party members on Euclid City Council-Willard Schutt,

Harry Burkhart, Tony Sustarsic, Max Gerl, Charles Wade, and Council

President Harry Knuth (The independent Coalition had been formed in

1938, the year Sims launched his long career as one of the most farsighted

city officials in the nation. It was his vision that eventually enabled the city

to acquire the land where the Memorial Park baseball diamonds and

Memorial Pool are located. He also understood the importance of having a

strong industrial component as part of the city's tax base. )

In a second photo, also taken by local photographer Carl Tomcik,

Euclid Municipal Court Judge William F. Burns is shown swearing in the

Democratic Party councilman Joe Whalen, Ed Eckart and Frank

Chukayne. (Eckart is the father of Dennis Eckart, who later served as a U. S. Congressman.)

JAN. 12, 1966-Euclid High graduate James Duffy (Class of'58)

announces his candidacy for a state representative's position same seat

sought by Mary King and George Voinovich. Duffy was a halfback on the

Euclid Panthers football team.

■ Some 300 youngsters, ages 7 to 11, are expected to participate in

the Euclid Jaycees "Kid Wrestling" program slated for Forest park Junior

High.

After losing six straight Lake Erie League games, Coach Hal

("Doc") Daugherty's Euclid basketball team sports a lackluster 1-8 record.

Looking ahead to the upcoming game, against Shaw High, Coach Daugherty

indicates he'll replace his poor-performing seniors with promising

underclassmen-including sophomores Ewald Heise, Ricky Brown, and

center Al Vilcheck. (Heise and Brown were members of the Euclid Pony

League All-Star team that qualified for the 1965 Pony league baseball "World Series" in Chula Vista, California. Two years later as a 6-foot-10 senior, Vilcheck played on the Panther basketball team that reached the state semifinals--the "Final Four" in the Ohio high school playoffs-the

only Euclid team ever to advance that far.)

■ Meanwhile, Coach Clarence Eckert's wrestling squad was

preparing to launch defense of its LEL crown in a meet against the Brush

High Arcs. The Panthers'133-pound Rich Piscopo was slated to face Brush

ace Mike Mignona-both sporting unblemished 4-0 records..... In a

previous meet the Panthers coasted to a 29-9 victory over the St. Joseph

Vikings, although 154-pounder Jim Orazen dropped a 9-2 decision to the

Vikings' Kerry Volkman described in the News-Journal as a "rough

customer." (Orazen's two older brothers, Ed and Mike, had been State Champions for Euclid.)

The Forest Park Junior High basketball team improved its record to

6-0 by thumping Memorial Junior High of South Euclid, 68-26, as Jeff

Booms led all scorers with 20 points.

Perkins Pancake Home on Shore Center Dr. sponsored an ad

promoting its "Sunday Special'-a honey-dipped fried chicken platter for

just $1. 00... Convenient Food Mart offered a dozen fudge sickles for a mere

49 cents... And Gornik's Clothing at 22340 Lake Shore Blvd. offered Hart

Schaffner & Marx suits for just $69. 90.

Well, that's how it was a half century ago. But to some of us Euclid

old-timers, it still seems like yesterday.