3/11/11 – New Orleans v. Crescent City Reunion: Update No. 4

3/11/11 – New Orleans v. Crescent City Reunion: Update No. 4

By Fran Thompson

Please continue to help spread the word about this historic event and forward me additional addresses for our NORFC brothers.

If I wasn’t just happy that at age 55 I’ve been able to avoid extended stints in the pokey and am not still working half days at Markel Lumber for $30 and lunch on Robert (though I’m very proud of my place on the All-Markel Lumber First XV), I might be jealous of Tim McKinney.

He managed to get his residency in gynocology. He has prime season tickets for my two favorite sports teams, Eagles and Flyers. He has Guiness and Harp on tap at his home in South Jersey. He has another house in Ft. Lauderdale, and he also has cosmetic and medical instrument companies in addition to being an MD and a professor at Rutgers.

Timmy will be there. So will Timmy McConnell, who is only 50 but started playing rugby after being recruited by Markel at 14. Timmy was 20 when I debuted for New Orleans v. the Crescent City Dirtbags in spring ’80, but he easily ranked among our top five wildmen, along with Crosby, Rozek, Rick Edwards and Steve Siville.

I’ve attached a team pic from the spring ‘82 Bahamas Tour. You’ll see Frank Urann, Jack Tillay, George Henderson, Smokey, Croz, Iron Mike Frenzel, Rutherford, Rozek, Markel, Mark Boller, McKinney and myself, along with a few guys from Jackson RFC. Wally Ferrara, Frank Perkins and Gayle Jones from the Half-Moons were also on that tour. I fully expect to see eight of you – including Lumpy Heimdal – at the reunion. I think that’s the first time we wore the Mardi Gras striped jerseys. A couple years later, Brooks Brothers started selling them by the thousands.

My favorite story from that tour, besides the fact that we all played out of our heads to beat the Toronto Nomads (and the limey ref) in the tourney opener: Wally, McKinney and Mark drove to Ft. Laud. and parked at McKinney’s aunt’s house to save money. McKinney decided to stay in Freeport a couple more days and fly back to NOLA. When they picked up the car, the other two guys told McKinney’s aunt that he fell in love with a Freeport girl and was staying there for good. Everybody in McKinney’s family, including his fiance, bought the story. I don’t think I’ve seen Mark since then. But he was a funny kid.

Jimmy is currently living on the Maryland Eastern Shore in his last year teaching at a college there. He is a strong maybe at this point, depending on whether he is offered a job somewhere.

Peace,

Fran The Man

The Itinary

– Friday Night, April 8, Happy Hour Social at Sammy Farnet’s restaurant, Joey K’s on Magazine, Balcony occupancy limit of 50.

– Saturday: April 9, New Orleans v. Crescent City: High Noon at New Orleans Pitch on Gretna Ave., a block off Lafayette on the Westbank. We hope to start game w. 55’s ready to play at least two minutes.

Post Game Party: The Rugby Bar is a couple blocks from the pitch.

Saturday Night: TBD – French Quarter Fest?

– Sunday: April 10, Noon ‘til dusk; French Quarter Fest Main Stage (Between Aquarium & The River). Free fest. It’s a bitch getting in and out, but relaxed once you get there. Camp will be just left of soundstage.