Tuesday night a group of Fairfield alumni rugby players turned out at the White Horse Tavern in the Village for “a few beers a few laughs, and nobody gets hurt”, as John O’Neill (who couldn’t make it – in Hong Kong on business) might put it.
I was actually the youngest in the group (finally made the big time with the upper classmen!!). Very rare for me to be the youngest in any group these days, but I was Tuesday.
The White Horse Tavern looks like any of ten of thousands of pubs in New York, but actually has a real history. Lots of musicians and literary types have been known to hang out here. People like Norman Mailer, Jim Morrison, and Dylan Thomas, who is reputed to have had his last drink there, before getting ill, lapsing into a coma, and dying of “alcohol poisoning” in 1953.
Nobody got alcohol poisoning, but otherwise a good time – here are the participants –
Joe Sindt and Tom Krenn. Joe was a fast and furious wing; Tom a second row and back row forward who could still play first division rugby when he was 40.
Paul Flanagan and Bruce Klastow, both of whom also had good post- Fairfield playing careers with Essex. Bruce played a number of games for the NY Metropolitan Select Side (all stars from all the clubs) in the emid 70’s. Paul is making a legal point perhaps?
Bill Frese, Kurt Schlicting, who was the senior scrum half when I was a freshman, and first taught me the game and position, and Bob Piazza. Bob, also played football at Fairfield, and had a strong post – college career with Essex. He organized the night.
Bob, Paul, and Dennis Barry, all class of ’71
John Langan arrived late, but here he is with Tom
And here’s two shots of me – one with Tom and one with Joe Sindt. Obviously Guinness makes me wild-eyed and even more stupid looking!!
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