Beta-Pi-Blog: July 2020

Beta Pi:

IS BETA PI BLOG without any redeeming social or artistic merit?

YEA . . . . or

NAY?

Beta Pi Blog’s purpose: to bring ATO, Beta Pi Chapter Brothers and ATO Gal-Pals together. The blog is not to be taken seriously - it is meant for fun.

The Beta Pi Blog is non-political. It includes

pictures, links, Archives of previous issues, and

other timewasters.

To get there, go to web address: http://beta-pi-blog.blogspot.com

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LURCH SPEAKS!

So . . . . query:

How does THIS…

Become THIS…

And THIS…

And yet… evolve into THIS???

One of the great, great, great ATO Brothers is MARK “LURCH” HEKTNER. I have tried many times over the years to reach him, or “awaken the beast” as they say– but every email attempt yielded only an “automated reply”…sort of like:

“Mr. Hektner is out of the office (peon), but Mr. Hektner will return on (some future date, if you are lucky enough to warrant his attention)…”

Mark, I am not a fan of automated replies, but a big Lurch fan nevertheless.

Well - spank the Rain Man - Lurch actually sent me a reply:

“So, I never have any meaningful communication with you? Here you go--me (edited), swaging and styling at Bill's daughter's beachside wedding at the Breakers hotel a few years ago. The following year was a close repeat when Bill got married to Terry at the Sailfish Club. Who is that self-important man?

Respectfully,
Mark W. Hektner, Esquire

Mark, great to hear from you, we love you and many of our guys want to see you in person, looks like 2021 could be the year.

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ATO REUNION CHAIR TISON KEEL - REPORT 2020

By Tison Keel

In case word has not reached one and all, your worthy reunion chairman is sad to report that the 45th reunion of Vandy class of 1975 has been "postponed" by the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the usual campus-wide festivities are now delayed until some yet undetermined date in the fall of 2021, the football season is doubtful, and the plague probably unrelenting, I am recommending that we do NOT attempt a foolhardy and reckless ATO-only gathering of the kind recently held in Tulsa. On the bright side, if in fact things get more under control by Q4 2021 we will have an opportunity for a dual reunion, classes of 1975 and 1976, with a potentially record-breaking turnout.

While I had just gotten started on corralling our classmates for the 2020 event, I was happy to report that there was high interest in participating from a Brother not seen on campus by his peers since 1985, when he was accompanied by his father and VU class of 1950, Smokey Stover; furthermore, he was potentially to be accompanied by mom Juanita, Ward Belmont College alumna famed for Tic House revelry when she visited us in 1974. Hopefully, His Honor EARL STOVER will still feel like participating in 2021 and that Juanita will be as spry as ever and will join us too.

I had so far failed to get a commitment from CHET BREWER, but I had not surrendered on that front.

Otherwise, I was counting on attendance by BUCK BILLER, VINNY STARR and LARRY BOZINO SIMONS,

and a cameo appearance by J.D. STRICKLAND, as usual.

JACK MUENCH, being a class-straddling alum graduating in the fall of 1974, was also invited and a hoped-for participant,

and MATT "Quien Sabe" BLANKENSHIP was on my hit list,

as was CLYDE DONUTS NOEL.

Recent reunion appearances gave some hope for seeing LEAPIN' GENE YOUNG,

as well as JEFF OVERBY. Attempts to locate Bob "Mole" Lichtenstein were unfruitful.

A combined 75-76 gathering offers the potentials for gathering in 1976 greats like STARVIN' ART LANDRY, DR Flower, Jimmy Grissett,

FRANK COLLINS and who knows what other luminaries might show?

So, we will reboot, go back into isolation, and hope that all of the ATO Brotherhood (based upon eternal and immutable principles) remain healthy through the next, trying phase of the Plague of 2020.

VTL!

Tison

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“MICKEY-D” TELLS THE SORDID TALE OF . . .

TICK-A-LORS AT WOMEN’S PRISON

When the mass “Check-in” email went around back in March, to check in with everyone in the wake of COVID-19 crisis, a few of the guys used the opportunity to share old memories. A few such fellows were CRAIG WEBER, aka “Little Droop” ATO Class of 79, DAVID McDONALD, aka “Mickey-D” ATO Class of 79, and MARTY HEFLIN, ATO Class of 80, who shared this:

CRAIG "LITTLE DROOP" WEBER: “…. On another somewhat lighter note, does anyone have any photos from the infamous (and well-attended) ATO dance at the TN State Women's prison?? (circa 1978).

Little Droop

DAVID McDONALD: “I can elaborate regarding the 1978 Tic dance at the Tennessee Women’s Prison. I was having a brew at the Overcup Oak in Fall 1978 and in conversation with the student sitting next to me, well those guys are pretty crazy at the ATO house, would you guys want to have a dance at the TN Women’s prison? As Worthy Chaplain, I saw the opportunity to continue our compassionate outreach ministry and said, “yeah, why not?” We took about 50 guys there with huge speakers and they only allowed about 30 into a large cafeteria. Then maybe 100 women came in, the music started, and the boogying began. I recall conversation with an attractive young woman whose boyfriend had shot someone in a convenience store as they were driving south towards FL. She got to spend several years in TN as an accomplice to murder. This was way before phone cameras, and I do not recall seeing a camera there or any photos of the event.

As I said goodbye to the young woman and walked with her out of the cafeteria, I realized I was suddenly beyond the guards and in a grassy courtyard headed toward the lockdown cells. I turned back toward the free world.”

David McDonald

MARTY HEFLIN: “David - I remember it well! Held on to the Hustler because NO ONE would believe we actually did this!”

(And Marty had the picture to prove it, and has shared it with the Blog, BIG, BIG THANKS TO MARTY, MICKEY-D and LITTLE DROOP!)

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THE EMAIL THREAD TO END ALL THREADS!

There were SO many great comments that came from that COVID check-in email, a few brothers have requested the entire thread be IMMORTALIZED on the Blog. There were simply too many responses to include, but here are a few of the interesting responses regarding the Women’s Prison Adventure: