For Ham Bob, story by Jack
July4, 1950, place #6 mine, picnic grounds.
The annual miners picnic day was held. A temporary cook stove simmering, Bean Soup, corn on the cob, Kielbassa and Barrels of BEER. A strong man contest was on tap for the day. Russian miner vs Lithuania miner.
Description of contest: from point A to point B a distance of 150', the contestants had to carry a heavy weight to B & back again. Boris Kharkov vs Bootsy Unitis. Boris grabbed a 100 lb bag of sand and completed it. Bootsy also tied. Boris lugged a keg of spikes, done. Bootsy also did the same. TIED
Pissed off,
the Russian downed a glass of Vodka. Next, the Russian carried an 8' rail tie to point B & back again. The Russians cheered Boris. Boris yelled at Bootsy the Lithuania miner. "You summa beech no beat me. Bootsy walked to the pile of ties. He lifted one & got the pole on his shoulder & he lugged the pole to point A & carried the pole back to the pile.
175' in distance. The Lits cheered & the Russians cheered too. You could here happy accordian music playing. Gimme another beer Sam. The Lits carried Bootsy to the Bar area. Boris came over to Bootsy & shook his hand. You strong man ! Your fodder must have been Rooshin!. From my memory, Coalbin Jack
The annual miners picnic day was held. A temporary cook stove simmering, Bean Soup, corn on the cob, Kielbassa and Barrels of BEER. A strong man contest was on tap for the day. Russian miner vs Lithuania miner.
Description of contest: from point A to point B a distance of 150', the contestants had to carry a heavy weight to B & back again. Boris Kharkov vs Bootsy Unitis. Boris grabbed a 100 lb bag of sand and completed it. Bootsy also tied. Boris lugged a keg of spikes, done. Bootsy also did the same. TIED
Pissed off,
the Russian downed a glass of Vodka. Next, the Russian carried an 8' rail tie to point B & back again. The Russians cheered Boris. Boris yelled at Bootsy the Lithuania miner. "You summa beech no beat me. Bootsy walked to the pile of ties. He lifted one & got the pole on his shoulder & he lugged the pole to point A & carried the pole back to the pile.
175' in distance. The Lits cheered & the Russians cheered too. You could here happy accordian music playing. Gimme another beer Sam. The Lits carried Bootsy to the Bar area. Boris came over to Bootsy & shook his hand. You strong man ! Your fodder must have been Rooshin!. From my memory, Coalbin Jack
Note the Pile Of Pole were Telephone Pole 16 tall an heavy.Bootsy grabbed and end of pole shimmied the pole up to center of pole And Carried the Pole From Point a BaCk to The Road Beyond Point B .Total distance 175 And Back again .Strong Guy . Im a witness . jack
- freetown fred
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Ham Bob woulda whooped em all Jack!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL Great picnic day I'm thinkin!!
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Great story Jack. My moms side of the family were all miners I remember my uncle telling me a story about a big strong fellow who once picked up a telephone pole and stuck it in the ground when the coal patch was getting phone service when he was a kid he later worked with the guy in the mine and said he would hand 80lb bags of cement mix to him with one hand! I remember the guy when I was a kid he was a big man.
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My cousins stepfather was an ex navy seal. He also practiced veterinary medicine without a license. He and my cousin were in a stall with a horse and the horse went haywire. His stepfather , fearing for my cousins safety, hit the horse in the side of its head with his fist knocking the horse unconscious. He was a big man too. He was also in his early 60s at the time. Some people just have mind boggling strength.
- Hambden Bob
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Jack,Me Bucko,You've Done It Again!! Aint' Nuthin' Like One Of Your Witnessed Memory Stories Of Da' Day!! Sounds Like A Real Coal Bucket Of Wildmen!! You Really Can't Make This Bleep Up!! I'm Honored,Jack My Friend!!
Serious Footnote Regarding The No.9 Mine That Jack And His Merry Band Of Yesteryear Preservers Have So Dedicated Themselves To: It Sounds Like They Could Use Our Help! The Bufoonery That Has Been The Wuhan Has Hurt Them Financially. I Hear Tell That A Supporting Membership Is 10 Bucks For A Year. Let's See If We Can Give Em' A Bump And Sign A Few Fine Folks Up! We Had One Helluva Good Meet-N-Greet On Site A Few Years Ago,Followed By The Active Operations Tour Of The Lehigh Strip Ops Across The Street. Twas' Fantastic! The Museum And Mine Tour For The No.9 Were Beyond Impressive! For Now,Here's A Link To The Mine&Museum's Website https://no9minemuseum.wixsite.com/museum
Once I Get A Little Sleep,I'll Get In Contact With Jack And Come Up With A Link Or Two On Just Exactly How We Can Support This Fine Piece Of Anthracite History!
Serious Footnote Regarding The No.9 Mine That Jack And His Merry Band Of Yesteryear Preservers Have So Dedicated Themselves To: It Sounds Like They Could Use Our Help! The Bufoonery That Has Been The Wuhan Has Hurt Them Financially. I Hear Tell That A Supporting Membership Is 10 Bucks For A Year. Let's See If We Can Give Em' A Bump And Sign A Few Fine Folks Up! We Had One Helluva Good Meet-N-Greet On Site A Few Years Ago,Followed By The Active Operations Tour Of The Lehigh Strip Ops Across The Street. Twas' Fantastic! The Museum And Mine Tour For The No.9 Were Beyond Impressive! For Now,Here's A Link To The Mine&Museum's Website https://no9minemuseum.wixsite.com/museum
Once I Get A Little Sleep,I'll Get In Contact With Jack And Come Up With A Link Or Two On Just Exactly How We Can Support This Fine Piece Of Anthracite History!
- freetown fred
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A lil sleep???????????????? What the hell ya doin up at 5:30 AM ya young woodpecker--damn, you're retired!! Waitin for those links--NEVER been as good a Meet & Greet then the Mine #9--bar NONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- Scottscoaled
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I beg to differ. There was one in particular that involved a tour of the Yuengling beer brewery, a tour of the Keystoker plant, and a tour of the mine in Ashtown. All in the same day. The night before involved watching the coal movie at the local movie house and dinner and such(a lot) at the big motel in town. Came back with a truck filled with Harmony’s finest rice and EFM parts. A weekend of epic proportions.freetown fred wrote: ↑Sat. Feb. 27, 2021 7:40 amA lil sleep???????????????? What the hell ya doin up at 5:30 AM ya young woodpecker--damn, you're retired!! Waitin for those links--NEVER been as good a Meet & Greet then the Mine #9--bar NONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- freetown fred
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You can beg all ya want-----------I'll 2nd Mine # 9--most importantly---I was there & met Jack!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!-------LOL
Guys here is an apology .I assumed the museum was open .In the past as of 3 years ago we had Senior Aids older women who were paid by the county .They were on sight wed . to sonday .They let visitors visit the museum .Note the website shows or does not show Details For Joining The Membership I would not recommend joining at this time Jack.
- CoalHeat
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I was at both and I'm thinking both were great!
Thanks for the story Jack!
Thanks for the story Jack!
- Hambden Bob
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As We Look Towards Da' Day When As A Nation We Come Out Of The Wuhan,There's No Doubt That We'll Air Up Da' Tires And Light Da' Fires Back Toward Having Meet-N-Greet's Again!!
Now,shifting gears,it's rather rare,yet rich,that Our Pal Jack gets revved up,dumps Da' clutch and gets very excited! Normally he's the Calmest Slovak Storyteller of Coal Days Gone By that I've ever met!! Seems he got word that the Ol' Number 9 Mine and Museum was in a bit of Financial Mayhem due to the Wuhan screwing up Tour Attendance,On Site Fundraising Festivals and Get Togethers and the like. Jack's rather discreet,and a Sensitive Gentleman. That's why those some of you received PM's from him regarding him starting an Associate Membership Drive for 10 bucks to try to shore up their Monetary Situation.
Jack was on the Founding Team of "Old Coal Boys" that started the Preservation and reopening of the #9 to get it where it is today! They created the Museum,which by the way,needs the Buildings Roof either Repaired or Replaced,and filled it with Historical Artifacts,Photos and Documents that would've ended up on the Scrap Heap of History and gone forever. The Modern Day Lehigh Coal Co. has been heavily involved in keeping all this alive. There have been many that have followed in Jack's Original Team's Footsteps to keep this going.
I'll work with Jack,and the current Operating Team there,to bring All Of You a Refined and Defined Target that will exactly let You help this Fine Effort if You can. Soo,in closing,stand by,and We'll bring forward something that Jack can be Proud of!! Thank You!!
Now,shifting gears,it's rather rare,yet rich,that Our Pal Jack gets revved up,dumps Da' clutch and gets very excited! Normally he's the Calmest Slovak Storyteller of Coal Days Gone By that I've ever met!! Seems he got word that the Ol' Number 9 Mine and Museum was in a bit of Financial Mayhem due to the Wuhan screwing up Tour Attendance,On Site Fundraising Festivals and Get Togethers and the like. Jack's rather discreet,and a Sensitive Gentleman. That's why those some of you received PM's from him regarding him starting an Associate Membership Drive for 10 bucks to try to shore up their Monetary Situation.
Jack was on the Founding Team of "Old Coal Boys" that started the Preservation and reopening of the #9 to get it where it is today! They created the Museum,which by the way,needs the Buildings Roof either Repaired or Replaced,and filled it with Historical Artifacts,Photos and Documents that would've ended up on the Scrap Heap of History and gone forever. The Modern Day Lehigh Coal Co. has been heavily involved in keeping all this alive. There have been many that have followed in Jack's Original Team's Footsteps to keep this going.
I'll work with Jack,and the current Operating Team there,to bring All Of You a Refined and Defined Target that will exactly let You help this Fine Effort if You can. Soo,in closing,stand by,and We'll bring forward something that Jack can be Proud of!! Thank You!!