{ title: 'The leader. (Freeport, N.Y.) 1941-1987, September 13, 1979, Page 5, Image 5', download_links: [ { link: 'http://www.loc.gov/rss/ndnp/ndnp.xml', label: 'application/rss+xml', meta: 'News about NYS Historic Newspapers - RSS Feed', }, { link: '/lccn/sn95071064/1979-09-13/ed-1/seq-5/png/', label: 'image/png', meta: '', }, { link: '/lccn/sn95071064/1979-09-13/ed-1/seq-5.pdf', label: 'application/pdf', meta: '', }, { link: '/lccn/sn95071064/1979-09-13/ed-1/seq-5/ocr.xml', label: 'application/xml', meta: '', }, { link: '/lccn/sn95071064/1979-09-13/ed-1/seq-5/ocr.txt', label: 'text/plain', meta: '', }, ] }
Image provided by: Freeport Memorial Library
ul)^ V^- •ooly_rJ LI'-\. It Happened. L Years Ago I (purees: Interviews with friends, property transfers and Guy 8 printed statements) C//nton E.-Metz Freeport Village Historian < « « o o * d o o o o « . tOMBARDO AND FREEPORT — A 37 .YEAR LOVE STORY ^ How did Guy l^mbardo find the place to build his home, on South Grpvc St w t . Why did he live in Frpeport about 37 >Tats? It was a case of Ipvc at first sight — and this village returned th» affwlitm. Back m the 1930’s Guy's Royal Canadians orchestra had a long engageroent to play at the Pavilion Royale in Valley Stream. During off boon the m a e s ^ enjoyed pOoting a 24>foot cabin cruiser, which he replaced^th a SS foot yacht. Tempo, useful as a houseboat. Later, bookedat the Waldorf Astoria, Lombaidoancihis wife LiUibell often took brief trips on the ocean, but later found’ihey preferred calmer outings on the bay off Freeport, Guy would dock the Tempo, spaaous enough to house them overnight when tied up at various locations along the waterfront. _ The Lombardos often visited Otto's Sea Grill. 271 Woodcleft Ave..' for steamed clams cooked the way he liked them bv Otto KoKUn. the proprietor. Friends like Phil Harris. Freddy Martin and Harry Unk • frequently went there with him.- But it was difficult for famous enter tainers to have much privacy, because when Guy's fans recognized the yacht Tempo they would wait outside for him and ask for autographs. Hc'never learned to turn down such requests. In the mid 30’s one day at the Sea Grill restaurant. Lombardo spotted a fairly large piece of undeveloped waterfront across the canal on South GroNT Street. When he asked Otto the owner's name. It turned out to be the Jay Randall Corp., headed by the son of the land developer know n as \father of Freeport.\ John J. Randall Sr. Answ er ing a phone call from the orchestra leader. \Jay\ sold him slightly over W feet of frontage of Woodcleft Canal's cast side for about $1,600. Guy’s origmaJ purpose was simply to provide a place where he could tie the boat at his own property without residing there. At that time he lived on Riverside Dnve m New York. City. After Lombardo had the parcel bulkheaded he began to dream of building a simple cottage with about two rooms, a garage, and a cot for the Tempo’s captain. Asked for advice, the family designer-architect, brother Joe. started sketching plans. By the time he laid down his pencil the propped 30 x30 living room was designed to be larger than the entire building Guy had in mind. Joe drew plans for a dining room, sepanted by steps from the sunken living room, an open veranda . running around the house, built on cement irolumns. wnth boat slip underneath; the proposed kitchen looked more like a hotel’s, and the ' master bedroom was as large as an entire suite. Lombardo had to buy two parcels of land further north from Christopher Wiemer of Queens Village before completing the bouse in 1940. -..-The rnaestiQ known-for-t’swcjelest.nmsic.this side of.heaven’’.won. plaodits frerm a new type- of fan soon after becoming a Freepi^er. Piloting hb Tempos I and H brought Kim honors in speedboat races. The 50’s found him also winning plaudits for the food and entertain ment at his East Point House a sheet distance south on the street where he lived. One thing led to another. The Long Island State Part Com- mtssion invited him to produce summectune extravaganza at the Jones Beadb Theater, where he would arrive nightly in h b boat and lead the orchestra for a while, then rest until It was time to play .for aflerrshow- dancing adjacent to the theater. , ■ l^own to few Americans .was the generosity-and human utsderr standing that lay beneath **Mr. Freeport's'.’ pleasant smile. During '. World Was D. when hatred for Hitler's hordes readied its zenith. Guy saw a dachshund being cruely abiued by-a restaurant owner whose mixed-up emotions led him to blamc-the dog for what the Axb troms were d i^g to Europe. Its mister called the dog \that X$9*%ff • Germanr* - vided for those who want tn- Lombaido and hU wife bought the dachshund to save it cromfuther depth information. A Celebrity t.. «t rwtn'c r.nni — -r profcssiona! sports \But it's not my raulrrmom.\ How many times hasx you heaxd that? Sons and daughters have uttered these words a m’tlUon times. Just the other day. 1 thought H maybe the kids are right — maybe It's not their fault. I must plead H ipdltv and take the rap for many of the \bad habits\ my children have _ . _wM oevcioped. Are you afso a guilty parent? TO MME. Noratn M^Ua. • lUght alter thie diUdren were Mm, ^ wony yourself s l ^ If they .................... ...... \ don't eat. Then, when they're two o t three years of age, mother and father yell at the kids, \Eat all you food and drlnb your milk. It't good foryou.\ Year In, year out, we badger, \eat-diink.\ Finally, the kid catches third year art ma}or a t the Rhode Island School of Design, has been chosen to atudy in Rome, The recipient ol two 'scholarships, Noreen is the daughter ot Mr. and Mrs. Francis Moglla ol Delaware Avenue. Handi-Capable Day At Nassau Coliseum UNIONOALE - A first-ever Handi-Capable Day will be held in the Ambition Hall of the Nas sau Veterans Memorial Colbeum on Thursday. September 20. The event will be an all-«»ut effort to briiij; lo»»c«hcr under one rwf. at one lime.' cverv agenc)' and organi/atum ihai deals with the pri'hlcms of the handicapped. The public service b provided by Nassau Couni>. the Coliseum, ihc cimmy’s Labor Department •ind the Office fi»r the Physically Handicapped. Di>n Drcycr. Director of the Office of the Physically Handi capped is ciKirdinator of Handi- Capable Day. He explains that the day U an attempt to bring in every agency in government — town. ct>unty. stale and federal — which has anylhlng to do with the handicapped or dbabled to pro vide information - and guidance about current and future pro- Additionally, the non-profit private ageodes which on and then the parents scream, \Get out ot the (ridge. You're eating me out of house and home. And for heaven's sake, don't have another glass of milk. It costs a fortune.\ Weren’t you like me? Didn't yxo always say. \Get your rest; It's important. Go to early.*' But, aha, when he or she finally develops the habit, aren't wx the first ones to yell, \Don't tell me you're sleeping again. How lazy can youBCt.\ ■ When the children were small, I must have said a thousands times, ’Take a shower. Changeyour clothes.’Tidy yourself up. You look like a What do 1 wail now? \Don't tell me >* 00 're lo shower a g a in?^ And 1 suppose you're going to change your clotnesr * And in my most sarcastic tone. \Don't you think 1 have enough laundry to do?\ Are you guilty of alw-ayi making sure the children brush their teeth. \Co g o ,\ r’dyxn, \CTean your teeth. It’s important.\ Now they brush voluntarily and 1 go bananas because they are using up all the toothpaste. What are they supposed to use, spray paint? Didn't I get them to brush in the first placef Somewhere 1 read that when a person comes home, the most impor-^ tant times are the first few minutes after they're arrived. How do \ act? Well, when the school bus pulls up and the children happily enter the house. 1 grunt. \Hni-m-m-ph home alreidvH\ And the colIeM kids? They really take It on the chin because they show up with bsgs of laundry and mom and pop know they're going to want to use the family car. However, what parents seem to forget is that we encouraged them to learn to drive. had_ crooked teeth and aomethbig called a ' about stupid things. For blew toy ndnd because he ___ ___________ ^ 'crowded mouth.'* I out- and-out accused him of gimring extra teeth lust to spite me. My husband hat dental eoverage ana the wort would be compensated 10 , believe It or not, then I haa • fit because my daughter lud straight teeth. Bad) morning, Vd greet her by saying. \Sure sure you have ,l«w U lbe6„h.n6. • \*** I th«m lU rf for J bc .1 Films, slides'and advlscH will V - i i o w ^ cuver the total life and _>eleriiri(m. riroaihilSs~enrounferetf~bjrihe' the weather reports, who b the f handicapped — for the blind. th*-—TV7tS tharaIIyoueverdo,jttstwatchtdevblo*ir* deaf, the physically diubicd, the Wasn't 1 the ooe who encooniged the boys to use the telahone retarded, the heart attadt victim, instead of going to someone's hoose just to make sure they were Dooe. ,u ----------- - ----------------^ancer jjnt, be • \wasted tr^T \ l!m sore tome of you have beard me screamiog, \Get off the phoM. What do you think daddy and I are the recuvering c patie the alcoholic, the drug abuser; the mute. etc. • ! Seminar areas will be pro vided for those who want made of. modeyf The rain b another ^tm h k a lhe s o ^ . Yoe maltreatment. One day. dropping in unexpectedly at Orio's Sea GrQI, they presented the animal to tlw Kogfin fomlly. hSppily expressing their confidence that an ideal home among friends bad been found for - the abused creature. Space is lacking to Ust the good deeds performed by Lombardo for thb common!^. Ooe day he learned that a small motorboat, often piloted past b b house on Woodcleft Canal by its' owner a boy who . built the boat largely with hb own hands — been destroyed bi^ond repair through an accident. Guy bought him a new, better ooe. He loved Freeport, whose people felt the same about him. Very few k n ^ that in 196/. when the village celebrated its 75th atmiversafy of incorporaiiop, Lombardo generously offered the use of Jones Beach Theater 00 Labor Day without charge. The celebration committee d b t cussed holding an biandwide \Battle of the Bands C o n t^,\ but decided there wasn’t enough time to prepare for such ambitious frind- rabing enterprise. I d 1975 Lombardo contributed the service of h’ls Royal Canadians for a Bicentennial Colonial Ball in autumn at Roosevelt Field, as the highlight preceding an eventful Bicentennial year under auspices of a Hempstead Town committee. ^ One year afrer the famous orchestra irooductor died, the hew Tbira me u marina in southeast Freeport was officially naip^ for Lombardo still seeking to reach other organ- .. . at largely attended ceretaomes'there. On the iafflc- dccaikm-'Soirth 'iiation$^o''panicipate7Tor'infw-' -Cirove Street, long h b home address and the former she of-hb popular - matbn. organizations should con- restaurant which occupied part of the marina site, was renamed for tact the 0>Usetini by mail or by Corner 'of stars and elected officials' will meet the people, answer ques-- lions and give auto graphs. Among those scheduled to appear are stars from, the New . . York Jets and New York bUnd- There will be entertainment, highlighted by the working cast from the. hit - Broadway play \Mummenchanz.\ with presen tations from the show. ■ A special wheelchair sports segment, including the involve ment of the Nassau Patrolman's Benevolent Association, the New York Playboy Qub Bunnies, and Hofstra University's wheelchair , basketbanjeam. will also be held. The of^hm h g oimmlttec j nc n u i u souitiCT big thing b) 1 mother's life. The first grbttfid and we're veiling,' \Get In the boose. YouTl get can't pUy In the ram. Are stupid or something?\ TTsen they get bigger and you ask them to go to the store in the rain ^ can’t go. h's pouring out.\ Don't ytm boUer. T, afraid yoo'Omcii you sugar baby?\ they answer, lat'sal the matter, I and th( \Wh . ............ ................. .. So here ] sH whh one kid eatlM, Ol the fourth In the shower agidn. Incy too well. 1 think, I’ll boDcr... _ _ _ • Village News • School News • Recreafon News FOR •News of Clubs • News of People •News of Events S P O R T Ul(3U,IGHTS ; Thtportraff coiiimn ' • V —? . *'• I . \ ,• by CURT BRAU. phone at 794-9300. Participation ss'free of charge, except to those ■■ commercial firms who produce or ^ distribute aids or equqmient for- ■i ’thehandkappedcwdl^Ied.'-’ . w V - '; SJ'XAToMeet J . . B O qCyiUE CNIIL - ~teigtic '-fcje -Airimai ~^c4cciioB' .. _ ISjSclA.J.wffl bold a pdiBe - I m roaD n faoaA iraae. ■ . i i ‘ ‘ ----m |^^^...MORE HEWS of this community I than In any othor publlcotlon ' ~ I R a s a T |i a i i ’12 * P e r ^ ■ 52 Weeki—fhulw) toyaurhom* —OniJtS I Sym iK IO O A r - MML'GOWpN aOM ■, I 1' ----.-r — ‘- 1 - * ^ ^ . — •rj IT h e G o o d N d g ^ b o e
