10 years ago – Dec. 16 1994

(As reported in

the Bangor Daily News)

BANGOR – Analyst Joe Clark’s abrupt departure from the broadcasting booth at University of Maine ice hockey games for a head coaching job in Norway has left officials at Bangor radio station WZON scrambling to replace him.

WZON program director Dale Duff has already lined up several candidates to be play-by-play man Joe Carr’s new partner on a full-time or part-time basis.

They include fellow BDN sportswriter Larry Mahoney, former Maine and current striking NHL player Bob Beers, Maine assistant coach Guy Perron and former Merrimack analyst Mike Machnik.

Clark, who has coached overseas before and is eyeing a professional coaching career in the United States, looked at coaching the Spektrum Flyers in Norway as a step toward his goal.

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BANGOR – J. Robert Sudheimer of Hampden has a new love. Bowling.

“Saturday afternoon, Oct. 22, 1994, my wife and I went bowling. ‘Big deal,’ you say. ‘Thousands of people go bowling every Saturday afternoon,'” said Sudheimer in a recent note to Bangor Daily News.

“Well, my wife and I are quadripelgics confined to wheelchairs. My wife had polio as a teenager and I was injured at birth and have been a ‘quad’ all my life. We are both past middle age and neither of us had ever had an opportunity to bowl until we attended a special bowling clinic sponsored by Discover Clinics, a new organization, held at the Heritage Lanes in Bangor,” he wrote.

At the clinic, he said, each disabled person was given special instruction in bowling, using a bowling ramp.

25 years ago – Dec. 16, 1979

ORONO – Most of the time Peter Madigan is called “Mad Dog.”

“Tired Dog” might be a little closer to the truth, at least for the next few days.

Madigan, a University of Maine junior majoring in broadcasting, went on the air at WMEB-FM, the campus radio station at Orono and proceeded to stay on the air 100 hours. In the process, he managed to raise more than $5,000 to help feed starving Cambodians.

The Portland native started at the turntable at noon Wednesday, and wound down to a stop at 4 p.m. Sunday.

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BANGOR – The Ralph Robinson Ballet Company, based right here in Bangor, will do precisely what most Mainers would like to do in January. They are heading to Florida. This is the result of the farsightedness of William Raiten, long involved in theatrical affairs in New York and hereabouts.

The company of 14 will dance much of the same repertoire that Bangorites have been exposed to. Among the lucky people to bask in the balminess of Florida are Maureen Lynch, Kelly Holyoke, Keith Robinson, Amy Farrar-Duym, Dale Wellington, Kelly Averill, Susan Hodges, Jay Kent, J. Thomas McGary and Debra Kelly. Former members of the company have been absorbed by such prestigious dance companies as the Joffrey Ballet and the Boston Ballet, and some have appeared on Broadway.

50 years ago – Dec. 16, 1954

BANGOR – During the past two days, more than 250 school children in Bangor have been enthralled by “Snow White and Red Rose,” the Children’s Theater production which the Junior League of Bangor is presenting at local schools. This week it was presented at St. John’s Parochial School and St. Mary’s School.

As was to be expected, the favorites of the youngsters proved to be the wicked dwarf and the wonderful bear. The height of excitement was reached when the bear was transformed before their very eyes into a prince charming who would forevermore keep Snow White and Red Rose safe from the spell of the dwarf.

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BANGOR – C.J. Russell Sr., general manager of the Park Amusement Company, announced that the annual children’s Christmas party would be held at the Park Theatre with the overflow to be accommodated at the Bijou.

The party will include cartoons and a feature film, candy and ice cream for everyone. Bill Ferry will be in charge of the entertainment.

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BANGOR – Headquarters for the Katahdin Area Council, Boy Scouts of America, will be changed early in January from the present location on South Main Street, Brewer, to the second and third floors of the building formerly occupied by the Walker Lumber Company at 38 Columbia St., Bangor.

Perry S. Jackson, Scout executive, said following an executive council meeting, that he hopes to be installed in the new quarters by Jan. 15.

100 years ago – Dec. 16, 1904

BANGOR – Harold E. Mongovan was elected captain of the Bangor High School football team. He is a member of the junior class and played two years at right end and is in every way fitted to take charge of the squad. How well he has done may be seen in the fact that he was the unanimous choice for right end on the all Maine school team. He is the son of Dr. and Mrs. W.D. Mongovan, Pond Street.

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BUCKSPORT – Commander Robert E. Peary arrived Thursday morning for a brief inspection of the vessel [Roosevelt] being built for him at the ship yard of McKay and Dix. [Ed. note: Peary was preparing for another trip in search of the North Pole.]

The home of Mr. and Mrs. C.C. Homer was the scene of a very pleasant gathering, the occasion being their 25th wedding anniversary. The house was beautifully decorated with carnations and potted plants.

That Mr. and Mrs. Homer are very popular and have a large circle of friends was well proven by the large number who called on them to wish them joy and extend heartiest congratulations. Besides these, letters, telegrams and postal cards were received from their many friends who were unable to be present, and also from business friends of Mr. Homer

The guests were entertained during the evening by music given by Miss Guida and Merton Homer, who are artists of recognized ability.

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BANGOR – But few people living in Bangor appreciate or realize the importance of a cluster of buildings, tanks and yards where the gas which supplies the city is manufactured. Fewer still have been through the works, and the number of people who are at all familiar with the process is indeed small.

Take for instance on a dark night, or any night for that matter – with a few minutes at your disposal, go down to the gas works and see a fire drawn. The opening of three doors, three explosions, loud to the uninitiated, but commonplace to those who are familiar with the scene, an ugly mass of red hot coke, more coal shoveled in, the slamming of the doors and one of the most interesting features of manufacturing gas is a thing of the past,

There is a law, strong and never defied, which has been in force ever since the earliest dates connected with the manufacture of gas in Bangor. This law prohibits smoking or the carrying of lights in different parts of the plant. The men would sooner think of playing ball with a can of nitro-glycerine than of entering certain parts of the works with a lighted pipe.

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BANGOR – The symphony tickets for Monday night’s concert will open at City Hall ticket office this morning. Of Mrs. Hunt, who is to be soloist, an exchange says:

“Mrs. Hunt’s voice rang out warm, sonorous, full of deep color and rich with a touch of dramatic intonation. She again captured her audience with Scott’s “Dear Little Baretoes,” one of those sweet and simple songs of the nursery, replete with naivete and charm, that stir the heartstrings – and it was sung with a tender emotionality that told.”

Compiled by Ardeana Hamlin