Thursday, January 23, 2014

1/20/1955

EAST FAREWELL NEWS


Thursday, January 20, 1955   Vol. C499


LOCAL NEWS


HOCKEY & FIGURE SKATING ON THE LAKE


East Farewell – The recent freezing temperatures have had at least one warm experience come forth, Lake Charles has frozen over for about 90 percent of its surface. The cold has been so deep and so long that the lake has become strong enough to support skaters, hockey players and even ice fishermen. A large section of the lake right at the Lake Front Plaza has been the scene of many skating displays and even some hockey games.  The ice fishermen have moved to more secluded areas but their huts, lit by small open flame heaters light up the nights as if they were floating in the middle of the lake.
            The figure skaters have been plentiful at all times of day and the skill ranges from beginner to extremely accomplished, graceful and talented.  It seems the largest crowds are in the afternoons once school lets out and into the evenings after dinner. The evening skating has become so popular that the town has installed floodlights to illuminate the area around the Plaza so folks could enjoy the fun well into the night.
            On an exceptionally smooth part of the ice sheet, removed for the skating area a hockey rink has been setup and exciting pickup games have been played all through the week. Most of the players are high school boys but some older players have been seen on occasion. There was even an “old-man’s” game organized Sunday where older players (apparently, anyone older than a high school senior) played full hour long games. Five games were played and there were as many players as spectators.  It was rumored that absenteeism at the Iron Works on Monday reached an all time high and lots of sore workers throughout the rest of the week.

            The frigid weather is expected to last for the next week, at least and the lake is expected to stay frozen for several weeks baring some unexpected warm up. This is the first time in four years that the lake has frozen solid enough to support activity to the extent it has now. People are enjoying the new real estate on the lake.

Skaters on Lake Charles



SPORTS


COUGARS LOSE TO WILDCATS


Riverview – The Cougars lost to the Wildcats 45-48 last week. The game was as close as a game could be; score wise, with the biggest lead, 3, at the very end of the game. In a back and forth game the lead changed hands an incredible 32 times. Neither team was able to gain control of the game and every trip down the court was an exciting trip. The Wildcats finally went ahead to stay with only 35 seconds left as senior guard, Dick Farmer hit a foul shot and then the Wildcats were able to stop the Cougars on their attempt and convert with a long outside shot by junior, George Diamond.
            This was the second loss in a row for the Cougars and while the season is still fairly young Coach Wilson was concerned, “We have to start playing together more, we are still learning to be a team. These kids have a lot of heart and loads of talent but they have to start working together more. They were showing signs of it earlier but now we seem to have slipped back to each boy playing his own game. I am going to have to change that.”
            Even though the team has been together for a couple of years seniors, Michael Watson (center) and Timmy Green (point guard) are starting for the first time this year. Last year’s stars, Wendell Young and Dan Davis both moved away and Watson and Green filled the spots. Joey Welch is a junior and has played on the team for three years but his brother, Jimmy was the starter for the last two years. This year’s team has lots of practice and second team experience but little court game experience. They have shown that they can be brilliant but they are still suffer from inconsistency from game to game.
            The loss puts the Cougars 3-2 on the season but they come home next week where they have yet to lose this season. The game begins at 4:00PM in the gymnasium on Wednesday.


 NATIONAL NEWS


LODON FOG SCARES THOUSANDS – U.S. POLLS FAVORS STATEHOOD FOR ALASKA & HAWAII – FREED ROCKS NY – NIXON PUMPS GAS


London Fog thick and falling down - A thick belt of darkness wrapped itself around this city, mystifying and frightening thousands and people - even driving birds to roost. It lasted only about 10 minutes, but women could be heard screaming in the streets while other people fell to their knees on the sidewalks and prayed. One man shouted, “The end of the world is coming.”  A spokesman for the air Ministry’s Meteorological Office said nothing in his experienced has equaled it and the fog was caused by an accumulation of London smoke under an extremely thick layer of cloud.

Gallup Poll - 82% favor statehood for Alaska:
Favor - 82%
Oppose - 9%
No Opinion - 9%
Recently in another Gallup Poll - 78% favored statehood for Hawaii.

Alan Freed of WINS mc’s his first concert in New York - at the St Nicholas Arena. The turnout for Freed’s bash, advertised over his 1010WINS radio show, was way over capacity with the cops having to hold out the crowds after an estimated 7,500 jammed into the arena, which holds 6,000. The audience contributed to the din of the music with a shattering repertoire of whistles, hoots and mitt-pounding. Talent included Joe Turner, Fats Domino, The Clovers, The Moonglows, The Harptones, The Drifters, Ella Johnson and Red Prysock.   With Alan Freed getting a lot of attention in New York, more white DJs are getting into the R&B groove. Freed says he doesn’t play white covers of r&b songs because his audience quickly detects the lack of authenticity in the cover slices.  Freed believes that pop artists will have to come up with original material in the R&B genre. Top pop artists such as Perry Como, Tony Bennett and Georgia Gibbs are not doing R&B numbers.

Decked in a gas station aide’s uniform, Vice-President Richard Nixon wipes windshields and fills tanks in freezing weather at a local Washington service station for the benefit of March of Dimes polio campaign.





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