With ambivalent memory I recall a game we played when I was about 9 or 10 in the LeMoyne playground. A game we called 'running through'...about 100 kids would fill the long field and a few of us would try to run through without being tackled. It was great fun except for one thing, my glasses were broken once a week by the tacklers bringing me down on the rough ground, causing me big trouble with my patient mother when I got home with my broken glasses in hand.

Scan of an old real photo postcard

Photo 1: 

Lane Night School Chemistry Class

Gwen Upton

M. Reese Guttman graduated Carpenter School in 1914 and Lane Tech in 1918. He Graduated the University of Illinois College of Medicine in 1924. These are his graduation pictures from medical school and Lane. He became professor emeritus of otolaryngology at Loyola University School of Medicine.

Photo 1: 

1918 Lane Tech graduation picture

M. Reese Guttman graduated Carpenter School in 1914 and Lane Tech in 1918. He Graduated the University of Illinois College of Medicine in 1924. These are his graduation pictures from medical school and Lane. He became professor emeritus of otolaryngology at Loyola University School of Medicine.

Photo 1: 

U of I 1924 graduation picture

Dave Spector (デーブ・スペクター born May 5, 1954) is one of the more visible foreign celebrities (gaijin tarento) in Japan.

Spector was born in Chicago, Illinois. He attended Lane Tech, graduating in 1972. He studied abroad at Sophia University in 1972. He has lived in Japan since 1983. He appears regularly as a commentator on several different Japanese television programmes (such as 'Soko made itte, iinkai'). He writes columns for Shukan Bunshun magazine and Tokyo Sports Shimbun and has written several books.

He speaks fluent Japanese. He states that he became a TV celebrity when he was to be cast in a one time, non-speaking role on a show, but protested in Japanese about the way he was to be used. He believes his ability to stand up for himself impressed the producers enough to make him a regular speaking “talent”. In a documentary titled, The Japanese Version, he points out the novelty of foreigners to Japanese in Japan, likening the relationship to a panda (the foreigner) and an animal watcher at a zoo (the Japanese). The meaning of his analogy is that he believes the Japanese think foreigners are cute and out of the ordinary and will toss them treats if they do something cute, but that's as far as they want to be involved. Spector goes on to say this about his involvement in the Japanese “tarento” scene:

Making foreigners cuter takes away the threat of foreigners being more powerful, or having more know-how, or more sophistication. So definitely, they use that in a way to make themselves more comfortable. So I've done things on Japanese TV that are totally silly, or ridiculous. I mean like jumping rope with French poodles. Doing things like the lowest Bozo, circus kind of stuff. But it doesn't bother me at all. A lot of times the foreigners on TV, models and what-not, are compared to pandas. They use that term here--pandas-- because they're cuddly, you can go and have fun with them, and throw a marshmallow and that's about it. And you don't get involved any more deeper than that. But...since I'm making half a million dollars a year, I'm very happy to be a panda. I'd be a much lower animal. I'd be like a sloth, or something, or a hedgehog, you know, for that money. So it doesn't bother me at all.^[1]

In the United States, Spector has appeared on The Tonight Show and Iron Chef, among other programs.

He was subsequently hired by NBC to provide some commentary for the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan and has appeared regularly on Japanese TV since then, as many as 8 or 9 times each week.^[2]

Spector also scouts other non-Japanese talent for the Japanese media such as fitness guru Billy Blanks who currently enjoys success in Japan through the sale of his videos.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Dave_Spector article.

Carl Giammarese was born August 21, 1947 in northwest Chicago. In addition to Catholic grammar school at St. Thomas of Canterbury and high school at Lane Tech in Chicago, Giammarese's study of guitar began in 1960. His first musical influences were The Ventures’ Don Williams and Bob Bogle, and the Chantays, who started the craze of surfer rock, with their unique guitar riffs.

Influenced by a high school teacher, Giammarese’s musical interests expanded from surfer rock to jazz and early rhythm and blues. His first guitar was a used Harmony open top guitar, a gift from his father in 1960. At home, Giammarese took in the big band sounds favored by his parents. His next musical influence was James Burton, who played guitar for Ricky Nelson’s band every week on The Ozzie and Harriet Show. Future legend and neighborhood guitarist Harvey Mandel was Giammarese’s next instructor, from whom Carl took lessons while part of his first band, The Centuries. By this point, he was using a solid-body Gibson SG guitar to play dates.

From Mandel, Giammarese developed his string technique to reproduce the string-bending styles of the blues. When The Beatles came to America, Giammarese’s musical education extended to the unique chords and rhythms their new sounds offered. While he was studying with Mandel, Giammarese was invited by his cousin Gerald Elarde, a talented drummer and vocalist, to join a band Elarde was forming. The lineup for The Centuries included Elarde, Giammarese on lead guitar, Nick Fortuna, Elarde's classmate at Niles West High School, on rhythm guitar, and Curt Bachman, Elarde's neighborhood friend, for bass guitar and shared vocal duties. The Centuries quickly became popular as they played neighborhood events, teen parties, and weddings.

To set them apart from other local groups, The Centuries also created their first distinct 'look', inspired by The Beatles. The Beatles' influence was reinforced by the Carnaby Street look that Giammarese and band members adopted as they selected suits from clothing stores on Chicago's Maxwell Street. The Centuries were one of the first Chicago bands to cover Beatles songs in their 1963–1964 appearances.

Giammarese traded in the Gibson, as he and fellow Centuries member, Nick Fortuna, bought white Fender Stratocasters. The Centuries played Chicago’s most popular dance club venues, including Dan Belloc’s Holiday Ballroom, the Embassy Ballroom, the Aragon Ballroom (later renamed The Cheetah Club), and Scott’s, and other teen hangouts. The Centuries played all the hits by The Hollies, The Byrds, The Kinks, and included James Brown’s latest hits in their repertoire.

From The Centuries, Giammarese was recruited to join another local group, “The Pulsations,” whose members included John Poulos, Dennis Tufano, Dennis Miccolis, Curtis Bachman and George LeGros (whose Army military duty in Vietnam caused him to leave before The Buckinghams became a national hit). When The Centuries broke up, Carl’s friend and fellow Centuries’ member Nick Fortuna took up the bass and began playing with rhythm and blues bands on Chicago’s Rush Street. The Pulsations’ new lineup quickly grew more popular and began to draw large crowds in the Midwest, including Iowa, Indiana, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.

Because of band leader and Holiday Ballroom club owner Dan Belloc and new Pulsations manager Carl Bonafede, The Pulsations won a 13-week spot on WGN-TV’s All Time Hits program. By week 2, The Pulsations were known as The Buckinghams. By week 4 Giammarese had recruited Nick Fortuna to be their new bass player after Curtis Bachman decided to leave the group. The Pulsations were originally identified as “Rock and Roll Royalty” because of their superb look, sound, and style. The Buckinghams would later earn the new identity as “Chicago’s response to the British Invasion.” The Buckinghams made one final change to the lineup and added Marty Grebb on keyboards and vocals when Dennis Miccolis left the band after the WGN shows were completed.

In 1967, when the USA single "Kind of a Drag" went to #1 on the national charts, most of The Buckinghams were still under 21 and entered a series of business decisions by group vote, based on instinct rather than professional legal advice. The group chose a new manager, James William Guercio, and a new label, Columbia Records, for their future recording projects. On the strength of their first #1 single on USA Records, in early 1967, The Buckinghams were named “The Most Promising Vocal Group” by Cashbox Magazine.

In approximately 18 months' time, The Buckinghams had Top 5, Top 10 and Top 20 records with the release of singles every three months, including “Don’t You Care,” “Hey Baby, They’re Playing Our Song,” “Mercy, Mercy, Mercy,” “Lawdy Miss Clawdy” (USA Records), "Susan" and “Back in Love Again.” Columbia quickly released two albums, Time and Charges and Portraits produced by Guercio. USA Records released an album composed of all the sides recorded at Chess Studios in 1965 that was simply titled Kind of a Drag on the strength of their #1 national hit. The Buckinghams were named by Billboard Magazine as “The Most Listened to Band in America” in 1967.

For almost 18 months, The Buckinghams toured the country, playing over 300 dates in 1967 alone. They toured with Gene Pitney and The Beach Boys for several months with each performer. In arenas and festivals across the country, they shared the stage with Sonny & Cher, Neil Diamond, The Who, The Kinks, and The Zombies, and Tom Jones. When The Who first arrived in the United States, they performed as the opening act for The Buckinghams. The band was also featured on several national TV shows, including “The Ed Sullivan Show,” “The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour,” “American Bandstand,” The Jerry Lewis Show, The Dating Game, and The Joey Bishop Show. Audiences would see Carl's Gretsch guitar featured during their performance on The Ed Sullivan Show, a tribute to George Harrison's subtle influence on his music.

When Columbia released “Don’t You Care,” it moved quickly up the same charts that still held “Kind of a Drag” and “Lawdy Miss Clawdy,” on USA Records, giving The Buckinghams three singles atop the Top 10 simultaneously on two different labels.

The end of the 1960s found The Buckinghams’ musical tastes changing with the times. They tried psychedelic looks and sounds, but Columbia Records preferred sticking with the proven pop rock sound and look. Convinced they could write, sing and produce their own material, The Buckinghams splintered, helped along by a series of events. They’d parted company with Guercio over publishing rights, royalties, and profits. Columbia assigned staff producer Jimmy “The Wiz” Wisner to produce their third album, “In One Ear and Gone Tomorrow.” Only one single, “Back in Love Again” would chart, but the album more closely represented the group’s developing musical talents.^[4] Another Wisner-produced song written by Marty Grebb, “You Misunderstand Me,” would find new life as Giammarese includes it in their current concert lineup.

Columbia assigned a fourth producer, John Hill, to record tracks and before The Buckinghams decided to split in 1970, they’d recorded several songs of their own composition, and would later find modest success 30 years later with two songs cowritten by John Turner, “It’s a Beautiful Day” (written by Turner, Boudreau and Thomas) and “Difference of Opinion,” written by Turner, Tufano and Giammarese. Both songs were included on Sony/Legacy’s compilation CD, “Mercy, Mercy, Mercy,” which still shows strong sales today.

After two years playing selected reunion gigs, Dennis Tufano returned to Los Angeles and the film industry. At Nick Fortuna’s suggestion, Carl became lead vocalist, and in 1983 Tom Scheckel became the new drummer. John Cammelot returned on keyboards and Laurie Beebe was added as The Buckinghams were invited to join the 'Happy Together' tour. Sharing the stage with The Turtles, The Grass Roots [coincidentally, the Grass Roots played at the Lane Tech prom in 1971], and Gary Lewis & The Playboys, 200 concerts in eight months, they were part of one of the Top 10 highest grossing national tours in 1985. As a result of the group’s resurgence in popularity, they released A Matter of Time on Red Label Records, from which the power ballad single “Veronica,” became an audience favorite.

In 1986, Giammarese and Fortuna recruited Bob Abrams (guitar–vocals) and Bruce Soboroff (keyboards/vocals), and in 2001 toured on the successful Solid Gold 60s tour, recorded for PBS, often rebroadcast during annual pledge drives. In 1998, Nation Records released The Buckinghams album “Terra Firma,” which featured a unique a cappella version of “Kind of a Drag” as well as original songs composed by Giammarese and Bruce Soboroff. The CD version of “Terra Firma” included a bonus video of “I Knew You When,” sung by Giammarese.

For over 20 years, The Buckinghams have toured steadily and performed in arenas, theatres, festivals, and casinos as well as private corporate events. This permanent band lineup is founding member Carl Giammarese (lead vocals, guitar), founding member Nick Fortuna (bass guitar, vocals), Tom Scheckel (drums), Bob Abrams (guitar, vocals), and Bruce Soboroff (keyboards, vocals), who audiences have continued to enjoy in concert. This version of The Buckinghams has been together four times longer than The Buckinghams from 1965–1970.

The Buckinghams were given a special place in musical history after 40 years, chosen to headline two Washington, DC, inaugural balls: the 2005 "Twilight on the Prairie Ball” for President Bush's inauguration and the 2009 “Bipartisan Agricultural Ball” for President Obama’s inauguration. Their rendition of the national anthem still finds them in demand for this honor at football, baseball, and basketball games across Chicago and the Midwest.

In 2008 two new albums were released: “Standing Room Only” (also released on BML as The Buckinghams’ “Live and Well”) and the studio album, “Reaching Back,” distributed in retail stores on Los Angeles-based Fuel Records. Giammarese wrote 8 new songs for this studio CD, as a response to fans who had been requesting new songs from The Buckinghams that reminded them of the 60s horn rock sound.

Lane Tech Defence during their first game of the season at Soldier Field

http://www.lanetechfootball.com/

On a brisk Saturday afternoon the Indians played the Greyhounds from Hubbard for the Public League Championship. After a hard fought game the Indians were crowned as the 2008 champions with a 24-7 victory over Hubbard.

The Greyhounds won the toss and chose to defer. Chris Kyles returned the opening kick off to the Lane Tech 27 yard line as Hubbard clearly kicked away from Rashee Allen after his heroics from last Monday night. The Indian offense went right at the heart of the Hubbard defense on the first play as Marcel Gibson picked up a quick 9 yards. Thaddeus Scott then carried the ball for 7 consecutive plays to the Greyhound 10 yard line but Scott injured himself on his last carry. Scott did not play for the rest of the game forcing the Indians to try and win the game without their best offensive weapon. The Hubbard defense stiffened up as Carlos Domínguez then attempted a 25 yard field goal. Domínguez shanked the kick as Hubbard survived the opening salvo by the Indians.

The Greyhounds took over at their 20 yard line and they were stuffed on the first two running plays by the Indian defense. Aftre another run, the Greyhounds were faced with a 4th and 1 from their own 29 yard line. The Hubbard coach took the first major gamble of the game by going for the first down. This strategy paid off as the Greyhounds were able to convert on 4th and 1 which kept alive their only scoring drive of the game. Two runs and two passes put the ball at the Lane Tech 31 yard line as the 1st Quarter came to an end in a scoreless tie. Two plays into the 2nd Quarter the Greyhound running back ran in a 27 yard touchdown run to strike first blood in the game. The PAT was good as Hubbard took a 7-0 lead.

This time the Greyhounds kicked to Allen as Allen nearly broke the kick off for a big gain but the Indians had to settle for a start at the 25 yard line. After an initial run by Frederick Williams, the Indians went to the air as Luis Negrón was unable to connect forcing the Indians to punt the ball.

The Lane Tech defense responded by securing their first three and out against the Greyhounds as Hubbard was forced to punt.

The Indians took over at the Hubbard 35 yard line but Negrón was sacked on the very first play for a five yard loss. Williams picked up the five back on the next play but on 3rd and 10 Negrón was unable to convert through the air forcing the Indians to punt again.

Hubbard took over from their own 20 yard line and quickly picked up a first down but the Indian defense held and forced the Greyhounds to punt the ball.

Lane Tech took possession of the ball at their own 33 yard line. Williams then carried the ball on two consecutive plays placing the ball at the Indian 45 yard line. Negrón then went to the air and connected with Gibson as Gibson made two Greyhound defenders miss putting the ball at the Hubbard 28 yard line. Two plays later Negrón hit Louis Trinca-Passat for 11 yards. After an incompletion, Negrón connected with Eric Bartell for 9 more yards bringing the ball to the Greyhound 8 yard line. Williams then ran the ball to the 1 yard line as Negrón spiked the ball with 32 seconds left in the half. On the next play Gibson scored on a 1 yard run and this time Domínguez was perfect with the PAT as the Indians tied the game at 7-7 which is how the 1st half ended.

The 2nd half started out well for the Indians as the ball was kicked in the end zone for a touch back forcing the Greyhounds to start from their 20 yard line. The Hubbard quarterback had a problem with the center/quarterback exchange but the QB was able to recover the ball for no gain. Hubbard was then penalized on the next play and on third and 17 Gregory Walker sacked the Hubbard quarterback at the 3 yard line. The Hubbard punter then shanked the punt and the Indians took over with great field position.

Lane Tech started their first second half possession on the Greyhound 22 yard line. The Indians went to the ground as Williams carried the ball 5 straight times to the Hubbard 8 yard line. Gibson then gained 7 yards on the next play putting the ball at the 1 yard line. On 4th and goal the Indians went for the touchdown as Negrón burrowed in from the 1 yard line. Domínguez booted the PAT as the Indians led for the first time in the game 14-7 with 4:57 left in the 3rd Quarter.

The Indians were fired up as Kyles was able to tackle the Greyhound kick returner at the 8 yard line. On the next play Anthony Jantke recovered a Greyhound fumble as the Indians took over at the Hubbard 12 yard line. The Indians were unable to move the ball as Domínguez kicked a 24 yard field goal with 3:19 left in the third quarter to make the score 17-7.

The Greyhounds then beagn to self destruct as two penalties pushed Hubbard back to their own 6 yard line. After a run and a dropped pass, the Greyhounds were forced to punt from their 18 yard line. The snap was short as Kyles knocked the punter and the ball into the end zone with Andre Alvarez falling on the ball for a touchdown. Dominguez added the PAT as the Indians extended their lead to 24-7 with 57 seconds left in the third quarter.

The Lane Tech kick off team came out smoking again as Daniel Wasserman and Kyle Mitchell acted like they were surface to air missiles as they pinned the Greyhounds at the Hubbard 7 yard line. Mitchell continued his attack as he ended a terrific Indian 3rd quarter with a no gain on the very next play.

The Greyhounds did not give up as they drove to the Lane Tech 5 yard line but the Indians held on a goal line stand taking over on downs at the Hubbard 4 yard line.

The Indians picked up a first down as the offense ate up clock. After a punt by the Indians, Alvarez ended the Greyhound season with a sack as the Indians and their fans celebrated another City Championship. Head Coach Rich Rio and his staff have now been a part of 3 out of the last 4 Titles that Lane Tech has won in the past 31 years!

Some Statistics: Hubbard Rushing 29-116 yards 1 TD 1 Fumble, Hubbard Passing 6-10 85 yards no TDs no INTs.

Lane Rushing: Scott 7-47 yards, Gibson 3-17 yards 1 TD, Negrón 2-1 yard 1 TD, Williams 15-63 yards, and Alex Brown 2-5 yards.

Lane Passing: Negrón 3-10 47 yards no TDs no INTs 1 sack for -5 yards. Bartell 1 reception for 9 yards, Trinca-Passat 1 reception for 11 yards, and Gibson 1 reception for 27 yards.

Leading Tacklers: Walker 9 with 1 sack for 10 yards, Trinca_Passat 7, Mitchell 4, Brown 3, Bartell 3, Alvarez 3 with 1 blocked pass, 1 fumble recovery for a TD, and 1 sack for 10 yards. Jantke 1 fumble recovery.

After I attended Lane my grandfather told me he had attended the school as well.

I was recently scanning some old pictures of the school and found these that I am sharing.

Unfortnately no exact date to go along the picture, but was quite amazed at the clarity.

I believe pictures are from 1917 - 1919.

Picture of him in uniform was much later.

I was one of those "late bloomers" and didn't have much dating experience in high school (attending an all guys school didn't help!). Wanting to participate in the prom festivities, I got the nerve up to ask a girl named Joyce I knew from grammar school to be my date.

We decided to double date with a Lane Tech classmate named Pete Delaringa (sp?). Pete had a great looking new Pontiac Bonneville convertable . Unfortunately, Pete and his date didn't show up for some time and we ended up missing most of the prom. A very bad night!

Needless to say, Joyce and I didn't see each other again. Fortunately, once I hit Junior College, the dating experiences improved. Also on the plus side, I didn't have to crack a book the first year of J.C. since Lane's education was so good. Thanks to the "Myrtle and Gold"!

THE 1956 BASEBALL TEAM COACHED BY GEORGE WALLENTA WON THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP. IT WAS THE ONLY STATE CHAMPIONSHIP LANE EVER WON IN ITS HISTORY. SHOTGUN BECKER AND JIM WOODS WERE NAMED ALL STATE AND IN 1975 INDUCTED INTO THE ILLINOIS STATE BASEBALL HALL OF FAME.BOTH PURSUED PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL CAREERS.LATER JIM ENTERED AVIATION AND BECKER PURSUED A CAREER IN PRODUCT DESIGN AND ARCHITECTURE.BOTH WERE NAMED TO THE ALL CITY TEAM IN 1956.

THE 1957 BASEBALL TEAM COACHED BY GEORGE WALLENTA WON THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP. IT WAS THE ONLY STATE CHAMPIOSHIP LANE EVER WON IN ITS HISTORY. SHOTGUN BECKER AND JIM WOODS WERE NAMED ALL STATE AND IN 1975 INDUCTED INTO THE ILLINOIS STATE BASEBALL HALL OF FAME.BOTH PERSUED PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL CAREERS.LATER JIM INTERED AVATION AND BECKER PERSUED A CAREER IN PRODUCT DESIGN AND ARCHITECTURE.

Those of us who attended Lane before it went coed must all remember swimming class. And the unnerving requirement that we swim in the nude! I guess it was common then for boys in high schools. But here's a link to an NPR radio story about it by Lane alumni Robin Washington.

--Glenn Galen, Lane Class of 1969