Author Archives: kihm
Passing the Torch
In 1968, my fraternity brother, Bud Shulman, and I, felt it was time to teach our younger brothers how to tap a keg of beer. The lesson, almost a sacred ceremony, took place in the kitchen of the Delt house at 115 College Place on the Syracuse University campus, a dry campus, but what of […]
Why Grandma Hated Catholics
I grew up in a family that taught its children to distrust and dislike Roman Catholics. My father’s father believed that if John F. Kennedy became President, the Pope-o-Rome (one word) would relocate to Washington D.C., and rule the nation. I believed his attitude came from his rural Baptist background, a distrust of The Other, […]
The Volaré Hole
In dealing with the stuff of legend, not all can be explained as completely as one might like. But bring an open mind to this tale, and allow yourself to wonder. * * * When one thinks of the most challenging holes in golf, several come quickly to mind. Of course, the 17th at TPC […]
Disentangling Hockey and Polo
Today, hockey and polo are fairly distinct sports. No one confuses the two. But in the early days of both sports, especially between 1880 and 1900, it wasn’t so easy to sort things out. In the beginning, “hockey” had nothing to do with ice. Also called “hookey” or “hawkey,” it was a centuries-old field game […]
Park Winship Writes
“Dear Cousin Mae, Just a few lines to let you know that I am still living now. How are you all feeling now? I trust this will find you all well now. Park Winship, Ellicottville, N.Y.” Posted to Mrs. Mae Cummings of Ripley, N.Y., in Ellicottville on August 12, 1918, at 10 a.m. * * […]
Elephants
I don’t know where you stand on reincarnation, but let me give you a tip: Given a choice, don’t come back as an elephant. Especially if you’re going to be anywhere near people. :: Old Bet – 1816 :: In the summer of 1816, Hackaliah Bailey took Old Bet on a tour of New England, […]
Holiday Memories
My family’s holiday was the same every year. On December 23 or 24th, we would drive from our home in Kenmore, N.Y., to spend Christmas Eve at my father’s parents’ house in Salamanca. This was in the early 1950s, and there were no superhighways; from Kenmore we drove into downtown Buffalo, where we picked up […]
Escheat
Talaat Pasha taught me a new word: escheat. When a person dies with no heir, his land and estate escheat to the government. The term comes from the Latin ex-cadere, to “fall out”, via medieval French, escheoir. As Interior Minister and one of the leaders of the Committee of Union and Progress that controlled the […]
Poppies at Riddler’s
May 17, 2003 On a recent rainy morning, I had the privilege of accepting a red crepe-paper poppy from a woman standing in the doorway of Riddler’s, our local news and tobacco shop. I had already purchased my fresh $1 chance at Saturday’s millions the day before, so I was just hurrying by. But when […]
A Beer Footnote
April 15, 2006 When I started putting my writing up on the Web, I thought of my beer articles only at the tail end of things. Everything else seemed more important. But today, 15 of the 20 most visited pages on my site are pieces about beer. My history of malt liquor — which, not […]
Faithful Readers 