Bob Aylward baylward@seattlemariners.com recently sent me a blurb about Ollie Grace ograce@graceny.com reminding me that 
Ollie should be remembered for LOBSTERFEST. And that started my squeaking wheels turning . . .into . . . memories . . . which . . . surfaced . . . resulting in . . .
A Tale of Lobsterfest.
Oliver Russell Grace, Jr., of New York, New York was a freshman in ‘72/’73, and he pledged in Spring ‘73. I was a Sophomore, and I had the honor of being Ollie Grace’s big brother. I’m thinking that the following year ‘73/’74 - Ollie’s sophomore year - he needed to do something spectacular (as Tick-a-lors are driven to do). Lobsterfest was born.
Ollie dreamed it up, and enlisted the help of the House - the idea was warmly received by the hungry throng of Tik-lo’s. Ollie ordered the Lobsters, the dining room was decked out with table cloths, silverware, including the lobster-shell tools needed to shell the lobster tails. The brothers dutifully signed up, and many brought dates. It was planned as a food-o-the-gods banquet fit for kings (as Tick-a-lors believe themselves to be).
Certain brothers from the West led by Matt Blankenship mattsb@texas.net had purchased in Colorado - and transported to the Tik House, a dozen cases of Coors beer, especially for the occasion. The cases of Coors were guarded by armed guard, and the law was enacted that no brother should partake thereof until Lobsterfest. The brew was stored "safely" in Alexander & Laura’s pantry (which was not the coolest place in the House). Well, many brothers were drooling and some were licking their chops, dreaming of Lobsterfest with ice-cold-Coors imported for the occasion.
Chester Brewer wcblaw@aol.com and Travis Parr parrfamco@aol.com - being lobster specialists, manned the kitchen, and the boiling of lobsters began. The hungry throng was seated, and the boys and their dates eagerly watched as lobsters were served. As hunger mounted - so did thirst, and the Western Tik-lor contingent broke out the Coors. . . only to discover . . .that the Coors. . .had "spoiled" from sitting in the pantry for 2 months (Coors being a superior brew, had no preservatives). An emergency meeting was held in the pantry, and Frank Biller fbiller1@msn.com being an expert in beer, tasted the Coors, and confirmed it to be rotten swill. Thereupon, a contingent was formed to make an emergency beer run, and the expenditure of funds was approved for the sake of the thirsty throng. A banquet fit for kings was had by all! On behalf of the Brothers of Beta Pi, thanks are heralded to Venerable Brother Ollie Grace for Lobsterfest! And thanks to Arms Aylward for inspiration.
NOTE: Since the squeaking wheels of my memory are somewhat infirm, a disclaimer is entered as to the accuracy of facts. Brothers are encouraged to bring inaccuracies and mistakes to attention of Blog editorial staff, so the integrity of the annals may be preserved. In other words, call me, or e-mail me, or post a comment.
Check out Beta Pi Blog on the web! The blog address is:
http://journals.aol.com/lasimons4law/beta-pi-blog/
VTL,
Larry Simons
Beta Pi, ‘72
6 comments:
FROM JACK MUENCH, April 3, 2007:
"Greetings to Ollie, with whom I share many shaky memories, all good. I will share some with all, once I have the time to sanitize them lest they be rendered unintelligible by Larry, who is just keeping it clean, folks."
MY RESPONSE TO MUENCHIE: As Francis Bacon famously said:
". . . every man speaks more virtuously than he either thinks or acts."
You know me too well, old friend.
Yes, Mr. Arms(BobA)--
Misssissippi Master ChetB and I personally made sure the poor still living lobsters were blessed and dutifully listened to their pitiful cries and screams as their bodies hit the boiling waters in hallowed sacrifice to our collective hungers. We assured each of these sacrificial lobsters they were to die not in vain but for a higher purpose.... to serve as a respite to typical ATO chow and be the honored guests at such a feast for all the many kings and their respective princesses.
I am pleased to call to your attention to another indesputable fact-----We are talking about the honorable Mr. Oliver Grace-----(and if my memory serves me correctly when contemplating such fond & legendary fraternal activities) whom once bought a New York City taxi cab, a bright yellow Checker cab, complete with its medallion, in order to move his stuff from his Central Park apartment back to Vanderbilt one fall.... seems like Ollie had a small sailboat that was towed behind this cab?
I also remember all of our collective women folk in attendence for the feats delighted in the eating, drinking, and the sheer pleasures that dipping meat in melted butter help create.
Best regards,
TParr ---- as sent from Madrid Spain
MY RESPONSE TO TRAVIS PARR:
"Travis:
Your response made my day, my dear old friend! Your memory (and command of the English language) is quite superior to mine.
Larry"
STEVE CUMMINGS aka SCUMMINGS, weighs in April 3, 2007:
"Larry-
If this is the story that comes to mind for Ollie, then you obviously did not hear about the infamous party at Van Sayler’s where Ollie was caught smelling a shoe! I’m sure Van can supply more details because, alas, I was not at the party!
Steve"
MY RESPONSE TO STEVE: Steve, I myself once caught Ollie trying to smell Frank Biller's feet - all he had to do was stick his head in our room at Tik Mansion - must have been a foot festish.
I too remember this night fondly. Most entertaining was the fact that neither T-Par nor I had a clue what we were doing. My only experience boiling crustaceans dealt with crawdads. Somehow the meal turned out well and I would imagine that those of us with dates did well later that evening.
ILAMAB
Chet
FROM MARK McGANN, April 4, 2007:
"It's a longer story but actually the beer was bought in Texas. Brother William Miller (aka Gink) who supplied his black Torino, myself and I believe George Ford and possibly one other reprobate had planned a mad 2 or 3 day round trip dash to my home in Austin. Brother Biller got wind of the road trip and, withdrawing $100 (you could buy a lot of beer for $100) from the treasury, charged us with securing the Coors. There are plenty more details but I do remember the beer being kept in a bed of ice on the floor of the shower in the Tic mansion. However, I think that Lobsterfest and the beer run were separate incidents.
I have a few Ollie tales myself."
Post a Comment