Those who have read this Monongah High Alumni blog for only a few years know that Bob Kasper and I, both Class of 1950, have been friends since first grade at Sts. Peter and Paul School in Monongah.

That covers 80 years since we’re both close to 85 in age.

Every summer I go to Michigan to play golf with Bob, who was known as “Satch” during his Monongah High days (because he always wore a cap as did Huntz Hall in “The Bowery Boys” co-starring with Leo Gorcey), and sit on the deck of his summer home on Grand Lake in Presque Isle and reminisce about our MHS days and our lives since then.

Schmuck stuck in the muck & 1 of 3 rescuers

And every fall Bob comes to my Tallmadge, Ohio home to watch a WVU game with me. In previous year, it was in Mountaineer Field. This year, Bob will watch the WVU-TCU game with me on my TV set in Tallmadge.

Thursday morning we played a round of golf at The Back Nine From Hell at Peninsula’s Brandywine Country Club. It’s a narrow course wedged into the wilderness and hills. You stray slightly and you’ve lost a ball, either in the woods, or the creek, or to the snakes.

Paula’s brother, Tom, and the husband of Paula’s long-ago Kent State University, John A., joined us. The foursome lost FOURTEEN golf balls in 9 holes. And laughed all the way around the torturous course.

At least I didn't get stuck in the muck near #9 green as I did a week ago at Brandywine, but I did meet one of my rescuers and got to thank him personally and had Satch take a photo of me and my rescuer together.

Thursday evening 10 of my family members joined Bob and me at the Burntwood Tavern in Cuyahoga Falls, on the banks of the Cuyahoga River, for dinner and reunion conversation.

My two great-grandsons, Bryce and Brett John (King John V, I tell everyone, because he follows a long line of Johns in the Olesky family – John W. Olesky, Sr. (I), me, John Olesky, Jr. (II), my son John Larry (III), his son John Richard (IV) – sat next to me.

Jim McDaniel, Class of 1960, who lives in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, is one of five King James in his family.

Jim wrote:

“I liked the pic of your family at the restaurant.  McDaniels have 5 James just like your family of Johns.  My Dad was James B, me James C, my son James D, grandson James E and great-grandson James M. 

“Baby James will have to see that the name is carried on.  

“Jim”

Also at the table, besides Bob aka “Satch,” was my son, John Larry; his wife, Kathy; their son, John Richard, and his wife, Adri; my daughter, Monnie Ann, her husband Bob, and their children Ray and Beth.

Families are more precious than diamonds and gold. Long-term friendships are rarer than the appearances of Halley’s Comet.

I was blessed to have both at the same table with me.

Foursome that braved Brandywine's Back Nine From Hell