Beta Pi Blog, Vol.2022, No.04 – End of an Era

 

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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END OF AN ERA

I’ve had a difficult time with this. Rotier’s Restaurant was not just any restaurant.  You could get a burger and a beer anywhere.  Rotiers was a place where you were made to feel "at home" - and not because of the atmosphere or decor.  It was Rotier, and Mrs. Rotier, and Emmie, Margaret and Charlie, and Vinny's favorite waitress Erline.  They made us feel at home.  It was very special to me, as I know it was to you.  Special during Vanderbilt, but also after. 

 

              My dad George Simons was down for a visit, Vinny and I took him to Rotier's.

In the years following Graduation, every so often Ann and I went to Rotier’s for lunch, and sometimes dinner, and it was always good to see Mrs. Rotier, Margaret, and Charlie.  When Rotier’s closed several months ago, it was sad.  

But last week I was driving on Elliston Place, and I noticed demolition had begun.  It felt surreal.

But look on the bright side, right? With Rotier’s gone, it reveals the special character of Tower Von Zeppo!  At least until the developers erect some new monstrosity.  I have heard rumours of a giant high rise.  What better place for a new steel & glass POS than right across the street from Centennial Park, and Vanderbilt?

The food at Rotier's was always excellent, there was no better cheese burger! Rotier's signature "Cheeseburger on French Bread."  Mrs. Rotier made you feel like you were at home away from home.  She always had a smile and kind words.

Then there were the Pinball Machines, and these were not your typical Pinball Games with flippers, bells and whistles.  No, these machines dared you to rack up "points" - a combined total of which were displayed on a counter.  You could wager more quarters on a game for better odds of lining up the colors.  I remember playing Money Pins with Buck and Vinny, drinking beer.  Vinny was obsessed with the Pins, and Buck was obsessed with the Beer.  Rotier paid a nickle per point on the Pins (and at that time gambling was illegal in Tennessee).  Vinny was, and still is Pins Master.

Rotier’s was on Elliston Place, and right behind it - on West End - was Emma’s Flowers, all gone.  

I remember Rotier used to sit on his stool and work the Cash Register. There were no tickets, it was honor system, when you went to pay Rotier would say "What'd you have?" And he'd ring it up, on his Cash Register, the old kind with a bell. He trusted us.  

With Rotier's torn down, it revealed on the wall of the adjacent building, a sign – from long ago – “Beer”.  How much beer was consumed at Rotier's over the decades? No way to tell.

After hours, in the Campus area, you could buy Beer-to-go at Mickey's Pizza Plus, out of the back door; and from Rotier's, out of the front door.  Rotier made no secret of it.

Here is where the entrance to Rotier’s used to be.

And here is the historic Parking Meter that Buck tripped over as he stumbled out of Rotier’s, drunk, carrying beer-to-go on the infamous Beer Run that landed him in Metro Jail for Public Drunkeness. The Cops were laying in wait.  It was - in essence - like a "Speed Trap" - but it was a "drunk trap" - the Cops lay in wait for some unsuspecting Vandy Student, drunk out of his  mind, to stumble out the front door of Rotier's.  As fate had it, Buck stumbled out, collided with the Parking Meter, and BAM!!, Buck was placed under arrest.  After he was shown his cell in Metro Jail - along with the other "usual suspects" - Buck used his one complimentary phone call to phone the ATO House, and Claude Cody answered.  All for one, one for all.  (See Beta Pi Blog, Vol. 2022, No. 01 – Claude Cody Tribute).  

A recommendation has been made to the Tick-a-lor Historical Society to designate this Parking Meter as a Historic Monument, in honor of Rotier's, 

and in honor of  All-Time Great Frank J. "Buck" Biller.

For those of you experiencing the 5 stages of grief - as I am - over the loss of Rotier’s, Beta Pi Blog will be offering free Zoom Grief Counseling, with Dr. Vinny Boombatz Starr, PhD. (Doctor of Pins History).

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OTHER THAN THAT

I had the pleasure recently of attending a Vanderbilt Basketball Game with Buck, it was big fun! The Dores clobbered Morehead State 76 - 43.  As we were leaving, none other than JOHN “BOSS” STEIN appeared.  Great to see Buck and Boss! 

Query: How the heck does Boss look younger than Buck?  Go figure?

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KEEPING TABS: 

Here is a reminder of the brothers and sisters we have lost.

CLAUDE CARR CODY, IV, died February 8, 2022.

Beta Pi Blog, Vol. 2022, No. 01

Obituary:  

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/houstonchronicle/name/claude-cody-obituary?id=32988710

DAVID W. HAINES, JR., died January 17, 2021.

Beta Pi Blog, Vol.2021, No.01

ROBERT LOUIS CROSSLEY, JR., died October 24, 2019.

Beta Pi Blog, Vol.2021, No.03.

Obituary:   https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/knoxnews/name/robert-crossley-obituary?pid=194272149

ANTHONY GUY MIRANDA, died June 18, 2019

Beta Pi Blog, Vol.2019, No.04. Archive: ___ 2019

Obituary:   http://www.brinsfieldfuneral.com/obituary/anthony-guy-miranda

MARK McGANN, died December 10, 2018.

Beta Pi Blog, Vol.2018, No.07. Archive: Dec. 2018

BECKY BRUNING MANYAK, died October 19, 2017.

Beta Pi Blog, Vol.2017, No.07. Archive: Sept. 2017

Obituary:   http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/washingtonpost/obituary.aspx?n=rebecca-manyak&pid=187110606

ROB BLANKENHORN, died December 2016.

Beta Pi Blog, Vol.2017, No.05, (See Comment by Dick Stoner). Archive: Sept. 2017

EDWARD G. “TED” STEPHANY, died January 20, 2016.

Beta Pi Blog, Vol.2016, No.01, Archive: Jan. 2016

J. NEAL CRENSHAW, died November 12, 2014.
Beta Pi Blog, Vol.2014, No.08, Archive: Nov. 2014
Beta Pi Blog, Vol.2014, No.10, Archive: Dec. 2014

MILES WALSH, died in July 2013.

Beta Pi Blog, Vol.2013, No.05, Comments Section (over 50 comments), Archive: Aug.2013 

DAVID HOWE, died November 30, 2006.

Beta Pi Blog, Vol.2006, No.68, Archive: Dec. 2006.
Beta Pi Blog, Vol.2007, No.30, Archive: May. 2007

KURT WAGNER, died in July 2002.

Beta Pi Blog, Vol.2016, No.02, Archive: Jan. 2016

ALEXANDER WILSON, died April 9, 1977.

Beta Pi Blog, Vol.2006, No.25, Lowenstein Essay Contest. Archive: Aug. 2006
Beta Pi Blog, Vol.2006, No.33, Honoring Alex and Laura. Archive: Sept. 2006
Beta Pi Blog, Vol.2006, No.45, Tale-o-Pig-Roast. Archive: Sept. 2006
Beta Pi Blog, Vol.2006, No.50, Winner Essay Contest. Archive: Oct. 2006
Beta Pi Blog, Vol.2017, No.05, Alexander Wilson. Archive: Sept. 2017

Alex and Laura are buried at the Nashville National Cemetery. The cemetery is at 1420 Gallatin Pike South, Madison, TN 37115. Alex and Laura are at Section KK, Site 794. 

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THE ARCHIVES

To explore the “Archives” in this Blog – go to the top of the latest “blog issue,” on the right. You access it by clicking on the Month and Year, and it will drop down with choices. For example, if you click on December 2006, a list will drop down listing all issues that were published that month. Click on an issue, and you can then post a comment to that issue. It’s never too late to post a comment, right? 

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HOW TO POST OR READ COMMENTS: Just click the button - Comments – below my signature block. 

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BETA PI BLOG ROSTER STATS:   As of December 7, 2022, there are 132 ATO’s on the blog email list, including 13 Brothers whose e-mail address is unknown, plus 19 ATO Gal-Pals.

VTL,

Larry Simons

Beta Pi, 72