Memories
Babcock
Time has a way of softening and blurring our memories, but that senior year season as I remember was magnificent.
Many of us started playing soccer together in our early teens. Mr. Agar and Mr. Kesel were our coaches, mentors and cheerleaders. I was a scrub, too tall and uncoordinated for my body. I came very close to quitting after the first season, but I didn’t have the courage to tell my father.
Many of us grew up together, soccer was just a pastime, not a serious endeavor…yet. Our experiences and friendships all came together for that glorious senior season. I have never experienced that level of camaraderie again. We played as a real team, we all got along, on and off the field. We shared the glory of winning, unlike teams and coworkers later in life.
The senior season started for me in the summer preceding high school. Hawkins would call me every morning to meet at the turf and “kick”. We would kick and chase the ball for hours every day. Thank you, Dale.
Our team racked up wins, heading to states undefeated, 22 and 0. Many games are just a blur now. One stands out, a night game on the tur I believe Chartiers Valley. I came up for a corner kick, my head shot was blocked by the keeper, I followed the blocked ball, headed it again, only to hit the cross bar. Followed the ball once more to score a goal. And who can forget the overtime goal against North Allegheny. (I don’t remember it, only the celebration afterwards.)
Those were the glory days of high school. We were on top of the world after winning WPIAL’s. I want to thank each and everyone of our teammates and Wilcher for the incredible experience of camaraderie, friendship and winning. These experiences were fundamental in my life’s journey and success.
Flynn
Remember that kid (REALLY good) from North Allegheny, Tony something, maybe a Brit?? Anyhow, I still remember that WPIAL champ game. Wilch subbed me in and said you have one task: "Stay on him all the time." Guarantee I annoyed the shite out of the guy, mostly cleanly for a change.
Hawkins
Even though a full time bench warmer for Wilcher, I played one season for Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. The next year Embry-Riddle dropped out of the NCAA, so I partied with Tim "Party Hearty" Agar and took some classes😁. I played fullback for four years for Continental Airlines in a Denver Indoor League. I was the best slide tackler in the league (trained by Babs) and everybody wanted to fight me😁. I played fullback for a Spirit Airlines team against a Lufthansa Airlines team from Germany. They pretty much kicked our ass, then we drank a ton of bierz🍺.
Hohman
We had to set up the goals at Wildcat and at the practice field where the tennis courts are now, above the high-school stadium (this was before the Turf was installed). The steel poles and nets for Wildcat were stored under the old municipal pool. Remember the damp air and the strong smell of chlorine? Setting up goals took time and was not a million laughs.
In the early days of defeats, Dusch and Pruitt of Bethel Park were incarnations of evil. Even during mud baths (a field beside the Skybus line in South Park comes to mind), the pair, possessing more speed and fancy footwork than us, scored multiple goals.
One Christmas (1976?), I was given Soccer Skills & Tactics (published in 1971 in the UK, 1976 in the US) by Jones and Welton, which explains skills and tactics using examples from English and World football. The book made an especially big impression because television did not broadcast football/soccer back then. My other window into English football was the London Observer, which my father read occasionally.
I don't remember the fields of Hamarville, Heidelberg, Springdale and others. Wheeling Country Day was a pleasant place at the end of another long Sunday drive. Most people have a story about Beadling Field back in the day. Is the one about a goalie dropping into a mine shaft apocryphal? One time, one of my (hard) contact lenses fell out, and players from both sides and the ref helped to look for it in the dirt, an early indicator, which did not "take" in my case for years, that Beadling players might not be awful human beings. In our younger years, games at Sewickley Academy' were played on a field in front of its main buildings. Whitney Snyder was a feared player of the day. Later, games were played at Nichols Field. The field at Shady Side Academy Middle School was a short walk from a stone building (the school) that could have passed for a Fox Chapel estate, or at least a gatekeeper's lodge or converted stable; it contained the locker room. In 8th grade, Tim tied or won a game against Shady Side with a long, curving shot. Once we received the unusual treat of a post-game lunch at the main campus. Mr. Kesel, a Shady Side graduate unless I am mistaken, may have been responsible for the special treatment. The Turf has impacted enough lives to generate enthusiasm for a reunion of its own.
Three "unofficial" soccer fields were the Agar driveway, backyard and living room. The Agars lived on Longuevue Drive. The family dachshunds participated in the living room.
Does anyone remember Hogar Agman? I have a scanned copy of a catalogue and some sales receipts.
During practice at the Turf, I must have been doing a poor job defensively, because Shawn Galloway eventually yelled at me, "Stand up! Stay on your feet!" He was right. I was mortified.
There was a brawl during the varsity Trinity game in our sophomore year. Sick that day (and a bench warmer anyway), I was made fun of for not being present for the scuffle.
My first beer (Schlitz?) was at a post-game party in our junior year hosted by my idol at the time, John O'Hara, who lived on Parkridge Lane, which overlooks the high school and municipal park.
I liked and respected "Wilch." Panting during sprints in practice, we were told to "suck it up." A ref's questionable call would elicit "Jiminy Christmas!" or "Judas Priest!" I think Mr. Kesel said "Jiminy Cricket!"
An "out of body" experience during the away night game against USC: during a pause or at the half, with the field and a a decent-sized crowd under the stadium lights, I was able to think to myself, "This is not normal, this is cool!"
As the years passed, Babs became my third soccer hero, joining "Johnny O" and Pelé.
The long bus ride home from "States" was my introduction to the wit and wisdom of Alby.
Two recurring scenes of a painful nature, both during our first and last loss, the PIAA semi-final against Bethlehem Liberty. 1) An attempt to kick the ball resulted in a perfect whiff; I believe I turned around and recovered it, but the mortification was profound; 2) later, after passing the ball to Gee, I continued forward to find myself in the unusual position of being near the 18. A give-and-go did not materialize. Could I have scored?
It's sad/comical to think now how I demonized opponents, starting with our own Frank during his Beadling years. I came around eventually, as any sane person who knows Frank would. There was also Dusch and Pruitt (Bethel Park), see above. In Summers 1980 and 1981, as a soccer coach for Allegheny County, I learned that other "enemies" were friendly: Dave Fittro (USC), Brad and Brian McCurrie, aka the "McCurrie Twins" (USC), Tony Orlando (Shaler) and Mark Orsino (USC). In 1989-90, as a cub reporter for the Sewickley Herald, I saw Whitney Snyder a few times (he was the Sewickley Academy tennis coach); though curious about his soccer memories, I did not (re)introduce myself; by then I knew he belonged to an "old money" family, which would have intimidated me (then). A vague memory of "crossing paths" with Tony Hindley (North Allegheny) during my County stint does not include a scene of a warm reunion.
Another happy memory that has stayed with me: a group of us in Gary's van on the way home from an Under-19 win in the North Hills. The happiness is not attributable solely to Iron City, IC Light, Miller, Pabst, Rolling Rock, Heineken, Michelob, Molson or Löwenbräu.
We did not prepare enough for North Olmsted, where some of the best teams in the country came to play. One year, we were down 5-0 or 6-0 to a St. Louis area team whose next goal was off a corner kick. The soon-to-be-scorer leapt, turned slightly, and directed the ball into the net with his (to use my father’s polite term for the body part) “rear end.”
Kopelman
I remember coming out of my sick bed (102 fever) to play in a very muddy game. At North Olmsted, I got a concussion. My father kept yelling at me not to fall asleep on the ride home.
Tattersall
One PSU teammate played for Bethlehem Liberty, another for Annandale, a third for State College. (We played against State College in our junior year.)
Miscellany
Back in the day, there was a showing of moving images of a game/s. According to a reliable source (whose first name begins with F, surname with P), McNamara's parents were the filmmakers. Mac has nothing, according to Frank P. (the reliable source). In April 2026, while viewing vintage (reliable source Pollock) family home movies, Frank P. and your correspondent discovered two Shippensburg clips. As we did not comb every DVD, there could be more soccer. Also in April 2026, Mike Flaherty informed your correspondent that his family shot lots of home movies, maybe of soccer. Mike said he will ask family members about them. Surviving players are encouraged to show team spirit by badgering Frank and Mike into sparing no energy or expense until they locate and share all soccer footage.
Soccer Skills & Tactics (click here to see the cover), published in 1971 in the UK, 1976 in the US.
Hogar Agman catalogue and sales receipts. Click here to see its stationery.
Class of 1978 Mt. Lebanon Log.
Babcock
Time has a way of softening and blurring our memories, but that senior year season as I remember was magnificent.
Many of us started playing soccer together in our early teens. Mr. Agar and Mr. Kesel were our coaches, mentors and cheerleaders. I was a scrub, too tall and uncoordinated for my body. I came very close to quitting after the first season, but I didn’t have the courage to tell my father.
Many of us grew up together, soccer was just a pastime, not a serious endeavor…yet. Our experiences and friendships all came together for that glorious senior season. I have never experienced that level of camaraderie again. We played as a real team, we all got along, on and off the field. We shared the glory of winning, unlike teams and coworkers later in life.
The senior season started for me in the summer preceding high school. Hawkins would call me every morning to meet at the turf and “kick”. We would kick and chase the ball for hours every day. Thank you, Dale.
Our team racked up wins, heading to states undefeated, 22 and 0. Many games are just a blur now. One stands out, a night game on the tur I believe Chartiers Valley. I came up for a corner kick, my head shot was blocked by the keeper, I followed the blocked ball, headed it again, only to hit the cross bar. Followed the ball once more to score a goal. And who can forget the overtime goal against North Allegheny. (I don’t remember it, only the celebration afterwards.)
Those were the glory days of high school. We were on top of the world after winning WPIAL’s. I want to thank each and everyone of our teammates and Wilcher for the incredible experience of camaraderie, friendship and winning. These experiences were fundamental in my life’s journey and success.
Flynn
Remember that kid (REALLY good) from North Allegheny, Tony something, maybe a Brit?? Anyhow, I still remember that WPIAL champ game. Wilch subbed me in and said you have one task: "Stay on him all the time." Guarantee I annoyed the shite out of the guy, mostly cleanly for a change.
Hawkins
Even though a full time bench warmer for Wilcher, I played one season for Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. The next year Embry-Riddle dropped out of the NCAA, so I partied with Tim "Party Hearty" Agar and took some classes😁. I played fullback for four years for Continental Airlines in a Denver Indoor League. I was the best slide tackler in the league (trained by Babs) and everybody wanted to fight me😁. I played fullback for a Spirit Airlines team against a Lufthansa Airlines team from Germany. They pretty much kicked our ass, then we drank a ton of bierz🍺.
Hohman
We had to set up the goals at Wildcat and at the practice field where the tennis courts are now, above the high-school stadium (this was before the Turf was installed). The steel poles and nets for Wildcat were stored under the old municipal pool. Remember the damp air and the strong smell of chlorine? Setting up goals took time and was not a million laughs.
In the early days of defeats, Dusch and Pruitt of Bethel Park were incarnations of evil. Even during mud baths (a field beside the Skybus line in South Park comes to mind), the pair, possessing more speed and fancy footwork than us, scored multiple goals.
One Christmas (1976?), I was given Soccer Skills & Tactics (published in 1971 in the UK, 1976 in the US) by Jones and Welton, which explains skills and tactics using examples from English and World football. The book made an especially big impression because television did not broadcast football/soccer back then. My other window into English football was the London Observer, which my father read occasionally.
I don't remember the fields of Hamarville, Heidelberg, Springdale and others. Wheeling Country Day was a pleasant place at the end of another long Sunday drive. Most people have a story about Beadling Field back in the day. Is the one about a goalie dropping into a mine shaft apocryphal? One time, one of my (hard) contact lenses fell out, and players from both sides and the ref helped to look for it in the dirt, an early indicator, which did not "take" in my case for years, that Beadling players might not be awful human beings. In our younger years, games at Sewickley Academy' were played on a field in front of its main buildings. Whitney Snyder was a feared player of the day. Later, games were played at Nichols Field. The field at Shady Side Academy Middle School was a short walk from a stone building (the school) that could have passed for a Fox Chapel estate, or at least a gatekeeper's lodge or converted stable; it contained the locker room. In 8th grade, Tim tied or won a game against Shady Side with a long, curving shot. Once we received the unusual treat of a post-game lunch at the main campus. Mr. Kesel, a Shady Side graduate unless I am mistaken, may have been responsible for the special treatment. The Turf has impacted enough lives to generate enthusiasm for a reunion of its own.
Three "unofficial" soccer fields were the Agar driveway, backyard and living room. The Agars lived on Longuevue Drive. The family dachshunds participated in the living room.
Does anyone remember Hogar Agman? I have a scanned copy of a catalogue and some sales receipts.
During practice at the Turf, I must have been doing a poor job defensively, because Shawn Galloway eventually yelled at me, "Stand up! Stay on your feet!" He was right. I was mortified.
There was a brawl during the varsity Trinity game in our sophomore year. Sick that day (and a bench warmer anyway), I was made fun of for not being present for the scuffle.
My first beer (Schlitz?) was at a post-game party in our junior year hosted by my idol at the time, John O'Hara, who lived on Parkridge Lane, which overlooks the high school and municipal park.
I liked and respected "Wilch." Panting during sprints in practice, we were told to "suck it up." A ref's questionable call would elicit "Jiminy Christmas!" or "Judas Priest!" I think Mr. Kesel said "Jiminy Cricket!"
An "out of body" experience during the away night game against USC: during a pause or at the half, with the field and a a decent-sized crowd under the stadium lights, I was able to think to myself, "This is not normal, this is cool!"
As the years passed, Babs became my third soccer hero, joining "Johnny O" and Pelé.
The long bus ride home from "States" was my introduction to the wit and wisdom of Alby.
Two recurring scenes of a painful nature, both during our first and last loss, the PIAA semi-final against Bethlehem Liberty. 1) An attempt to kick the ball resulted in a perfect whiff; I believe I turned around and recovered it, but the mortification was profound; 2) later, after passing the ball to Gee, I continued forward to find myself in the unusual position of being near the 18. A give-and-go did not materialize. Could I have scored?
It's sad/comical to think now how I demonized opponents, starting with our own Frank during his Beadling years. I came around eventually, as any sane person who knows Frank would. There was also Dusch and Pruitt (Bethel Park), see above. In Summers 1980 and 1981, as a soccer coach for Allegheny County, I learned that other "enemies" were friendly: Dave Fittro (USC), Brad and Brian McCurrie, aka the "McCurrie Twins" (USC), Tony Orlando (Shaler) and Mark Orsino (USC). In 1989-90, as a cub reporter for the Sewickley Herald, I saw Whitney Snyder a few times (he was the Sewickley Academy tennis coach); though curious about his soccer memories, I did not (re)introduce myself; by then I knew he belonged to an "old money" family, which would have intimidated me (then). A vague memory of "crossing paths" with Tony Hindley (North Allegheny) during my County stint does not include a scene of a warm reunion.
Another happy memory that has stayed with me: a group of us in Gary's van on the way home from an Under-19 win in the North Hills. The happiness is not attributable solely to Iron City, IC Light, Miller, Pabst, Rolling Rock, Heineken, Michelob, Molson or Löwenbräu.
We did not prepare enough for North Olmsted, where some of the best teams in the country came to play. One year, we were down 5-0 or 6-0 to a St. Louis area team whose next goal was off a corner kick. The soon-to-be-scorer leapt, turned slightly, and directed the ball into the net with his (to use my father’s polite term for the body part) “rear end.”
Kopelman
I remember coming out of my sick bed (102 fever) to play in a very muddy game. At North Olmsted, I got a concussion. My father kept yelling at me not to fall asleep on the ride home.
Tattersall
One PSU teammate played for Bethlehem Liberty, another for Annandale, a third for State College. (We played against State College in our junior year.)
Miscellany
Back in the day, there was a showing of moving images of a game/s. According to a reliable source (whose first name begins with F, surname with P), McNamara's parents were the filmmakers. Mac has nothing, according to Frank P. (the reliable source). In April 2026, while viewing vintage (reliable source Pollock) family home movies, Frank P. and your correspondent discovered two Shippensburg clips. As we did not comb every DVD, there could be more soccer. Also in April 2026, Mike Flaherty informed your correspondent that his family shot lots of home movies, maybe of soccer. Mike said he will ask family members about them. Surviving players are encouraged to show team spirit by badgering Frank and Mike into sparing no energy or expense until they locate and share all soccer footage.
Soccer Skills & Tactics (click here to see the cover), published in 1971 in the UK, 1976 in the US.
Hogar Agman catalogue and sales receipts. Click here to see its stationery.
Class of 1978 Mt. Lebanon Log.