A few commenters suggested the project meant more than just new athletic fields. It was the repair and refurbishing of a memorial honoring veterans, specifically those of the first and second World Wars.
I knew the stadium's name reflected such a dedication, but I thought--and still think--it's a bit much to declare the stadium to be a war memorial. It's principal and primary use is as an athletic field. In fact, I'd never seen a memorial until I went looking for it this morning.
Buried in the hedges at the northwest corner of the field sits the pictured memorial. (I didn't take the photo. Thanks to NP's staff photographer. I've walked by this corner more than a few times and never knew this memorial existed.
I think this underscores the point that this project is about restoring an athletic field, not a war memorial. However, if this isn't already being considered, an element of the project should include cleaning up this corner so this memorial gets a bit more visibility.
Who was Howard "Flash" Zabriskie? I hope Jean Foley Doyle doesn't mind, but I'm going to borrow generously from her "Life in Newburyport: 1900-1950".
I clearly need to read this book again. And if you haven't read it once, you should.
Page 271
Every family with a son in the Pacific or anywhere else felt that clutch of fear that became a regular companion.
Donald Zabriskie remembers:
"On December 1, 1943, my parents were notified that their son, P.F.C. Howard J. Zabriskie, U.S.M.C., was killed in action in the Battle of Bougainville in the South Pacific. He was twenty-one years old. He graduated from Newburyport High School in 1940 and enlisted in the Marines on May 8.[1942, according to photo] Howard was given the name `Flash' by his teammates at N.H.S. During a scrimmage, Howard recovered a fumble in the other team's backfield, whereupon members of his team commented on his quickness. His response was, `Just call me Flash," and so they did for the rest of his short life. Flash had a wonderful personality and was well liked by person of all ages. He loved to sing and dance. In the high school show, `Kampus Kapers,' in his senior year, he saing, `Tangerine' while dressed as a sailor and brought the show to a stop. I will never forget the standing ovation.
"I was in boot camp when I was told by a drill instructor that my brother had been killed in action. Since I was due home Dec. 4 for a ten-day furlough, my parents had hoped I would not learn of ihs death until they had the opportunity to tell me but this was not to be."
Page 284
After the war, two memorials were established on the high school grounds. One is a flagpole at the stadium, dedicated in the memory of Howard "Flash" Zabriskie. The flag flies from it over the football games of October and the graduations of June, the alpha and omega of high school years. The other is a tree, planted in the memory of Edmund Knight, who was killed in France in 1944. It stands at the bend of Toppan's Lane driveway and can be seen from the classroom windows facing west. It is a full canopy when school opens in September; it glows under October's blue skies and shimmers after a dusting of January snow; most important, it is that most vibrant of greens in April's gift of regeneration. Its roots are buried deep in the soil of the high school, but its limbs are reaching every upward and out, a living metaphor of their town's irremediable loss, and an affirmation of life.
Page 297
"I was a senior in high school in the autumn of 1946 the night the memorial to `Flash' Zabriskie was dedicated. I sat in the stands with my friends watching the ceremony. The war was over only a year before and we were still emotionally involved with the aftermath of war. My boyfriend, who would later become my husband, had just recently returned from the Pacific. Along with several of his friends, he stood in his white uniform at attention beside the memorial. The lights in the stadium were dimmed as `Taps' was played. I shall never forget the scene."
8 comments:
no offense tom,and i don't mean this the way it will probably sound, but the fact that you didn't know the memorial was there probably says more about you than it does about the memorial itself.
Umm, it says I'm not Superman because my X-ray vision would have cut through the bushes?
Sorry X, not following you.
Tom makes a great point, this is a sports stadium and hasn't, at least since 87, been used for any veterans ceremonies, Landry Stadium in Amesbury, who I'm sure X knows all him, hosted the Moving Wall along with at least 2, that i can recall, veteran benefit concerts.
If we are going to rebuild the stadium because it is a monument, we should use it once in a while for that purpose. I'm sure X's last comment is his way of volunteering to run one or more of these events.
I doubt if most people in town under the age of 60 would have known about Flash Zabriskie.
until now, so thanks Tom.
actually, if you went to the high school, you would know of him. and the memorial isn't hidden, its plainly viewable from the stands (of course you'd have to approach it to read it, but you can tell its there).
i suppose if you don't go to the stadium, you wouldn't know it was there, which was my original point.
also, the stadium used to have many yankee homecoming concerts as well, and any of these events you suggest would require the renovation of the stadium, so complaining how there are no events is a bit specious.
Ah, I see. Yes, I didn't go grow up here.
X, I stood atop the bleachers and looked around the field. It's difficult to see if you don't know it's there.
But you'll never enjoy my perspective on things, and I'll never experience yours.
I honestly just wanted share a bit about Zabriskie.
They stopped having the Yankee Homecoming concerts , not because the stadium needed repair, but because they were losing money. They had to pay to much for the big draws and the lesser known artist, just didn't pack them in.
Leslie Gore, Shanana, Sam and Dave, Bo Diddly, hardly Springsteen, but what are you gonna do.
I think Beatlejucie could pack the place , charge $10 a head, would be a great fund raiser.
there was a beatles cover band there in the late 90's...
and clearly they could make some money if the riverfest can bring in so many people with C list talent.
The Riverfest concerts are free and they don't have them at the stadium. so I don't get your point.
Amesbury had Lyle Lovette and John Haitte, they got a good crowd, but that was a few years ago and they haven't done it again. So I'm not sure how lucrative it was.
Something that I do find interesting is on the Restore web site Howard Zabriskie isn't mentioned. I'm pretty sure Mary Ann has some knowledge of Newburyport history. odd choice not to mention Flash.
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