United Press International Downholders
The Downholders alumni of the UPI Southwest Division and the Dallas Technical Center met in New Orleans for the third time on Saturday, November 11, 2007 at Mandina's Restaurant on Canal Street.
At our first meeting here, Saturday, November 8, 1997, we met at Ralph and Kacoo's Restaurant in the French Quarter. There were 24 of us at dinner. The price was $35.
We next met at Tujague's Restaurant, also in the French Quarter, on Saturday, November 6, 1999. Again, the list totaled 24. The price went up to $40.
When we met this year at Mandina's, the price was $50 each and we had a total attendance of 34.
I draw no conclusions.
At the first two parties we didn't seem to have taken any pictures (at least I haven't found any yet). If any of you have any, shower down. I'll add them to the site.
Below are the pictures taken by Bernie Cleary and me. Please correct the text ... spelling, omissions, names, etc.
Most of you know this, but just in case ... the images below are thumbnails, reduced to fit the page. If you click on the thumbnail it will burst into its full glory. Enjoy. Pinky
Don't strain your eye too much, we'll have everybody in the pictures sooner or
later. Suffice it to say that this group goes from the back of Steve Steinberg's
head on the lower left to John N. Fallon in the upper right corner.
And speaking of Jack Fallon, here he is at his elfin best. That's Lynn
Reagan to his right. She has taken on as her life's work the Herculean
task of keeping Jim Wieck in line.
And speaking of Jim Wieck, here he is next to Lynn. In the background is
Peter Zollman and to Peter's right is John DeMers. That's Ellen Zollman
with her back to the camera. We'll correct that later.
And speaking of (well that's enough of that literary device) ... There's the
queen of the Downholders, Margaret Ann Boatright (and, Marge, I meant that as a
compliment). Behind Marge is Rafael Bermudez. Behind him is his wife, Jane,
John McMillan and his wife, Alla, and, across the table from them is Ken Englade.
Looming over Ken (as he so often did) is Carroll Trosclair.
And speaking of Carroll (ok, one more time), here he is with wife Betty to his
right. To her right is Heidi Englade and, of course, Kenneth himself in deep
thought, no doubt reflecting on his glory days with the Lafourche Comet (http://www.dailycomet.com/).
This is Gene Knispel, an NE staffer in the 60's. Gene left UPI to go into
Veterinarian Medicine. He was the only person there who went to the dogs
before UPI did. Gene is talking with Laura Cleary, Bernie's wife. That's Bernie
to her left.
In case you were wondering to whom Bernie was talking .. to his left is Jeff
Field, Kandace Power Graves, Ken Englade, Ken's wife, Heidi, and Bettie and
Carroll Trosclair. That's John DeMers at the end of the table.
Seated on the left is Linda Hughs (Travis's Widow) and John DePrez. The
lady standing in the back is Becky, our long-suffering waitress (she refused to
give us her last name).
That's Joe Marquette, demonstrating his knowledge of digital point-and-shoot
cameras to his lady friend, Kim Hewitt.
The knowledge sunk in and Kim takes the picture. To her left is Kathie and
Phil Magers and Tommy Finney, Jr.
Two guys who preceded the "I" in UPI: Newell Schindler and Steve
Steinberg. Newell worked in Cheyenne and Dallas and Steve broke in on the
radio desk in
Chicago. Both live in New Orleans now.
John DeMers with Peter and Ellen Zollman
Terry McGarry and his wife, Marlane talk with John DePrez while John Connolly
looks down from the wall (Bernie brought some UPI posters to the dinner).
Kandace Powers Graves is a graduate of the NE bureau. She edits the weekly
Gambit in the French Quarter (http://www.bestofneworleans.com/).
Iris Vidacovich and Cindy Knispel compare notes on what it's like being married
to Downholders. Don't know what they said, but there were a lot of
"bleeps."
I. J. "Pinky" Vidacovich with legendary UPI Editor Jack Fallon.
It was a great party.