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i i i l K l K ■AT No. 11 Volume 5 © 1995 WTF P.O. Box 591, Ck>operstown, N.Y. 1 Serving Otsego. Delaware, and Herkimer b o u nties Marcfi IS. 1995 Two Sections 16 Pages .50 Cents Newsstand Briefly .. -......................; - ..... . ^ s t e o a s t e i B slate cpnte^ OI*ffiONTA • Hia Oneon^ Toastmasts^ Cl(^ wiU t m its dub teve! Intemaiioitd S |!^fi Offlt^t at 6:30 p.m. » d a y , Mareb 21 at the Tally ito Restauiant, Center. Fiist and second vsfiiv- ners t o aniong die.eentestaftts wiO ga on to compete in the Southern Division live! contest m April I in Binghamton, SjKdters slated for the event are G e o ^ Gollin of On»}nta. Nanci St. Clare of Oneonta, Sheny Sterling of Morris and Robert Han of Coopemown. Eligibility to compete in cludes frior compferion of a nrinimain of six seeches from the Toastmaster Intemarional Canmonicatioo and L^dership PfO^am manual. The Oneonta Toastmasters Qttb, recently ranked at No. 48 ^ Toasttnasiets ImmnaUond, is among more than 4,000 Toastmasters clubs around the world which are participating in club and area spe^h contests this month. Call 433-1197 days or 263- 2308 evenings fm more infru- matron or reservations. The public is invited. Joitmal comics not appealing Due to tecbidcid d tfii^llcs Bassett grant continues WASHINGTON. D.C. - Bassett H^thcore of Coop- crsiown has received a S221,941 Science Education Parmerabip Award &om the U.S. Public Health Servke. Rep. Sherwood Boebleru R* NY, r^ n d y announced. 'B as^u H^Uicore will this grant to eoniinue its n it^ partitei^p for setense edtica- Uoa. a 3-yearold cqllalKKUive ^ortbawesai the sKaitSSeand educational oammuirities in volving Bassett and die sur rounding area ” Boehlett aid. The iKutne^p is OQ ulUaooe of ^ienrisisand edueamra from the Rffiiearch InsriMe of ^ M o g ^ B a s a lt H ffipal, 10 putoie school disafsh Haitwiidt Colley, the Sta^ UmvaBl^ College at Oneonta and its BicSoglcal Field SmOori* the Science Discovery, - I nside - Classifreds.«.«»»»~„~....13>16 Community Cn!endar.»».«.»»12 Dining & Entertainmeat Home lmproyement..„...„.....»8 Obituaries.„.„».».--..._.Il Regkmalnen^.. Religion Heitz leaves Hall, stays in Cooperstown Librarian reaches agreement with museum officials By DAN SHERIDAN Editor COOPERSTOWN • After almost 12 years at the helm of the National Baseball Hall o f Fame and Museum Library, Tom Heitz is stepping down. According to Heiu, he and the Hall of Fame have come to a sever ance agreement fair to both sides. The decision for Heitz to leave the library was made late last year. Since that time Heitz has been work ing with his attorney and former employer, Robert Abrahms, former state attorney general. The Kansas City, MO native said that he will pursue other interests while remainmg m the Coopenlown cofomurnty. Jeff Idelson. director of Public Relauons for the Hall of Fame, said that ofTtctals there had no comment on Heitz’ announcement to leave, which came officially Thursday afianoon In a letter of recommendation from Hall o f Fame President Donald C. Man Jr., Heitz was given high praise for his ’'strong research skills” and “anaiyucal legal mind.” “Tom’s commitment to the com munity and his willingness to give generously of himself for charitable TOM HEITZ concerns are well-known and com mendable,” the leuer states. “In sum. Tom is a fine man, with varied skills and interests. He would be an asset to any organizauon.” ■Said Heitz in a release, ‘Tve enji'ved my time here immensely. The Hall of Fame is a wonderful institution with a great tradition. I t tnilv IS a pnvilege to work for the Hall, and I’m 'ul Library Services for she New York State Department of Ljiw. He earned a degree in humanities from the University of Kansas as well as a law degree. He served six years as a Marine CorjK officer, spent time as a law professor and five years as a lavw Ubrarian in Bntish Columbia in ihe 1970s. He received his training in law librari- anship at the University of Wash ington, graduating in 1973. ”Robol Abrams, the attorney g«i- &!i. who was then nr>r boss, told me in 19831 was leaving Inim for the best job in the world, and he was right,” said Heitz.’’Butnoihirag lass forever. I’m moving on,but I'll be taking a lot of wonderful mcmoneswiUune.” Sam Nader, owner o f the Oneonta Yankees, commented, “Tom Heitz IS a personal fnend. la's a great loss to the Hail of Fame ami a great loss to the community. To>m is an excel lent ciuzen and a good man. I’m sorry to see him gofsfrom the Hall) and I wash him the best of luck in stances around his leaving, but as a former colleague I have the utmost respect for his baseball knowledge. “He had a real comminnent to the well-being of the Hall of Fame Museum and the library. He was certainly one of the major forces behind the expansion of the new library. He is a good man, and I wish him well,\ Heitz instituted a cost recovery program in 1984 which has, since that time, generated S1.6 million from service fees and the sale of pho tographic reproductions. The staff, which was Heitz and three others, is now 14 strong in five depanmenis. ’Tve enjoyed working with the people in the museum and the library,” said Heiu. ’T have worked in several libraries over my career and I’ve never had a finer group of said. “They’ve made some wonder ful contributions, and it’s been fun I’m going to miss being around the students, and I’m going to miss being p an of the library staff.” Heitz was instrumental in bring ing collections to the library which mclttde New Yorker baseball writer Roger Angeil, along with books uch as Sol White’s “Guide To ;. I’m very proud o f all the thinj gratef to have had iity.ity. TtKnc villageillage o f Cooperstown is aspevul place. The that opportun T v nice people who live imi work here really make the diftcrcncc l>»r mo, and our family plans to remain part of this community ” Heitz, 54, amved in Cewperstown whatever his endeavrws are.” Nader noted that Hciiz is a sea son box holder lor 0- Yanks games, and they met and tmiked baseball many limes. bm kind wordsforH* for Heitz. people to work with than we have here. I’m 1 we’ve been able to accompi . former colleague had nothing • • Is Said Jeff Stevens, imerchandisu director from Apwil 1 988 to March 1994 and now an employee at Cooperstown Bat Cormpany, said, “ I in 198.3 after serving as chief o f can’t really speak t o the c :lher. The staff really deserves credit. You can find their names in the acknowledgments of just about every baseball book published in rwent years.” Heitz is credited with recruiung and uaining a staff of high school and college students and interns who have supplemented the work of the tegular stkf, parucutarly in the summer months. “We’ve ted many fine young peo ple from the Cooperstown area working for us in the summer. ” he Negro Baseball” and documents such as Kenesaw Mountain Landis’ employment contract He initiated a library artifacts con servation program n e ^ e d to recover and preserve rare documents, pho- togitrohs and books in danger of being lost to fiiture generations by reason of acid contamination or other deterioration. Heitz also worked as a consultant on Ken Burns PBS series production of “Baseball,” which aired in September of 1994. In a written comment, Bums slates, “The National Baseball Library without Tom Heiu is like the Hall o^Fam e without Babe Ruth. He IS the heaviest hitter m baseball scholarship.\ Quipped Heiu, \I d o ^ know if that is an accurate {ronrayal. 1 cer- tamly didn't consume as many hot d o p as Bahe Ruth. \The Bums baseball nlm was See HEITZ on Page 11 United Way w ill survey residents Poll will determine needs o f the area By BILL WOLCOTT Staff Writer ON'EONTA - The United Way of Otsego and Delaware Counties will be doing a survey during the next few months to an^yze the needs of residents in the area. According to Kathy Lindberg, executive director of the United Way, the survey is the first of its kind for Otsego County, and will be used to assess what the needs are in the area, and how the member agen cies address them. “Once we get the results, we are going to Irak at the top 10 pnonucs, and look at our ageiKies to see if all of our needs mir being met in the two-county area,” Lindberg said. LindtKTg said the survey will help entire dial tte will provitk better service for the community. “The United Way is then going to be able to provide more of a com munity service • not just raise dol lars from the oroa • but look a t com- mitniiy problem-rolving.” she said. If the survey uneanhs a need that isn’t being meU the group will look to its inem t^ ogenetra to fill the gap or add a new agency. “ It's to otsure that die dollois that United W ^ is put^g out into the cunmunily is iirolusve of m « ^ g all of t i e n ^ d s out there,” Undbeig raid. The Center for Economic and Community Development at the Stale University College at Oneonta will do the survey of Olsego County. while Delaware Opporuiniues will run the Delaware survey. According to Lindberg the Delaware survey will be completed this month and the data a t t a i n t will combined with the information fronra the Otsego County survey. According to Barry W anen. director o f the Center for Economic and Community Development, the survey results are expected b) be complete by the end o f / ^ l . . The survey, which will be mailed to respondents, wilt question j^ople who work in social groups, such a s the Salvation Array, court and law enforcement officials, school teffiih- ers. clergy and a small component o f the people who use the programs. Wanea said the survey will t e bix>- km up into sevoal areas, from irans- poitaaai to trouang, and will focus on the pnibleins as wdl as primitize them. After collating the results from the survey focus groups will be formed to talk airout the results. \So that we can go beyond simply the recognition of problems ... bid also strategies for trying to a ^ e s s diese problems,” Warren said. See UNITED WAY on Page 11 Russell and Taugher will serve on board Election results in even split of both parties COOPERSTOWN - One incumtent Repobliran and one CteintKrat with a long f^oid of service to the village were ^ t e d 1\K ^ y to serve on the Co^ictstown Village Board. Giles RusraQ is ite inpionbem, while T a u ^ a is a fexmer ms^or and tmstee. fSaugjhcr pmered 199 vtacs in a light luriwui ro head ite iltrce-man race fix two seats, whBe Russell captured 164 votes, the odd iiran o n was W®iain Rtreell with 110 votra. Purcell had bcmi appointed late last ytsjr \sv Mayor James Wtmlron to fill Hie unexpired ronn of Trosteo Cteboiah Taylor. “1 was very hopefril” atout the etecrion, said T a n ^ r . \I didn’t want to» bo too oplitnisric, but I was hopeful.” Taugher said he has certain priorities, including projects on which he is 4r^4 f w o r ^ g as a ntember of the village’s Sower Board and dtaitman o f dto Doubleday Field Committee. “1 ceiteinly want to eonrinue the things ^ t Tm involved in,” said Tanker. ‘Tm on the Sewer Board now, ted i ’m ohainnaii of the Doubteday Held We’ve got some good firings p ing en how. lltey’ve alre^y dug the drainage foi the field, and now they're ^ in g iho See BOARD o n P a ^ l l Wioto by BIB Wolcott Chad Curriit vwzorks w ith his \assistant Chad Bowker during Currin's magic show at Valley View Elementary School in Oneonta. By BILL WOLCOTT Staff tVrilcr ONEONTA - Chad Currin is mere thara a magician, he i s an d U u - siomst. Suie.Curnn bus his table o f tricks, his suit and a showman’s I mii - ter. But behind llin tricks and his exagger ated moveincitas, luaiks a message o f faith in one's seif, “Kids need to luave faith in thteiselves that they are worthy of j 3 Kcoraiplishing g r ^ objectives,\ Currin said. \LikeuiM leap o f faith that many p Artist brings MESSAGE ’\'“MAGIC to Vmlle^mm Currin said. \LikeuiM leap of faith that many people take in godt. people ala> ne^ to talte intBrnaliy.” And behin j the biocus ptsus, that was the sub lime message in Ccarrin’s performance at Onranta’s Vaileyview Ebtetientory School V/ednosday. In a {Hogfiina tiilisil “Peeling Great Just Betng Ikte,\ the SelieQ»:ia^y-l»sod magician t i ^ the tmois o f his (imde & caprivaie the kinihn^iten through sbslli gpade cnawiL “The pio^aro is 4lesigncd to ^courage liKm (the sttsdonts) to IkdDeve in titcin^lvts and then to set goals and work tovward thsm.\ Oorin raid. And through his scmi-auteshk^r^cid tales of his family tif(i suk ] e l iitrftmtwl, tfUS Ulnslftnfct G^Jirin spins a i^cnsiteoe bs»d on gojd setting, self- esteem ted naming choices - nt» just ordmaiy g but fivmntrtlnaay asios sts well. “A tot of t e a cue t«M to rat fisch gi to© higB or ihi^ wlD diappoim themselves,\ saM. \And «»list 1 scrc^ to d»m is to rat bio to a3so ®t inicnrai^Bate gnpfe as vsrcE\ AcoKdinB to CuCTlB, a tot of gtals have teen reached by fcof !e wito were out to tecomplish saroethingtilgpr. “Alexander Graham Bell, in trying to invent something for hts wife to hear better with, instead invented the tele- Idione,” he raiid. ”So even if you trover make the great goal it’s okay to work toward romedting fiiai you may never feasibly reach in your lifetime.\ In fact. It was the message in Currin's perftnraance that teought him to Valleyview. raid Virginia Uhl. the rahool's princiiuL “We thought that the magh; would be entertaining to the students and his messages ora doing die right thing, ralf-estecmi and being toe you be is romething that we try to foster here at Valleyview,” Uhl said. For (Currin, magic has been a nearly lifelong pas sion. but he todn’t develc^ the m e ^ a ^ behirui the until 1981 “Just Say No.” “I didn’t feel corofrinaMe teOing kids to say no to drugs broause I know when you teH kids not to do something, you nini aromto and that is whai they’re doing,” he sfid. ‘1 wanted to address sdf-esteem and . tecanse it is my belief tout when kids Band-aid sduilQn.” Oonln said h& ma^c not onfiy keeps the lii^’ attenrinn, but it’s also a metaphor for motivation. See MAGIC on Page 11 ' 7 , f -
