By

Andrew DeMarco

The other day I realized that some of my friends and cousins will be or already have celebrated their 50^th wedding anniversary. This tells me a few things, first that we are getting old, but more importantly that they have found the secret to a happy marriage. It is quite a feat to reach that milestone after all we all have our differences, spats, disagreements and arguments can pop up at any time. They can be triggered by simple things like politics, how to fold a shirt or even who controls the TV remote. To all of you, I wish you continued love and happiness and would like to know what your secret formula is.

Having married later in life I don’t consider myself an expert on marriage, but my wife and I have found something that helps us so we Lockhorns every day. No, we don’t really lock horns, but we get a daily dose of Leroy and Loretta Lockhorn. You are probably asking who are the Lockhorns?  Well, you might say they are our neighbors, as a matter-of-fact Leroy and Loretta made an appearance at our wedding but that’s for another Rosy Glow. They are formerly the Lockhorns of Levittown where they started out together in 1968, but they now reside on the comic pages of newspapers across the country as well as numerous syndicated web sites.

Leroy is a hapless soul who still flirts with younger woman who barely notice him and although not any good, loves to play golf and fish. He also always just misses out on that promotion at work. Loretta is a horrible cook and driver and a self-proclaimed shopaholic. There isn’t a sale or bargain she misses. Hmmm, sounds like a couple I know, but I just can’t place them.

Every morning my wife and I begin the day by looking to see how Leroy and Loretta are doing that day. We have noticed that it is the usual things that married couples experience but with a twist. They always seem to find a way to rib each other which highlights their shortcomings yet seems to draw them closer. Whether it is Leroy complaining about his mother-in-law or Loretta regretting the fact that she missed a sale, it is always done with love and respect for one another. Regardless, it makes us laugh and realize that there is nothing that we should worry about as we start our day.

So, for 58 years Loretta and Leroy have been showing others that no matter what, things will never be that bad and through it all they do it with humor, a bit of sarcasm and most of all love. I know every morning they provide my wife and I with that feeling that Cousin Bob would call that…..Rosy Glow!

Meet the Lockhorns

For more of Leroy and Loretta follow the link below:

https://www.gocomics.com/lockhorns

“The Black Cyclone of Wooster”

By

Andrew DeMarco

With February being Black History Month, I will once again tell the story of a lesser known African American. This year I have chosen to write about Charles Follis.

Charles W. Follis was born on February 3, 1879, the third of seven children born to James Henry and Catherine Matilda Anderson Follis in Cloverdale, Virginia. Charles W. Follis’ father was a farm laborer. In 1885 the family would move to Wooster, Ohio where in 1901 Charles entered Wooster College. At that time there was no NFL as we know it today. Rather there was a group of Athletic Associations and they each had their own football clubs. Charles had the opportunity to play football for his Wooster College team but instead chose to play for the Wooster Athletic Association. It was there that he would earn the nickname The “Black Cyclone of Wooster.” In a two game season series against the Shelby Blues, Charles caught the attention of Frank Schiffer, the Shelby manager who signed him to a contract in 1902. During his time with Shelby, he was sometimes the object of rough tactics from opposing players and ridiculed by fans in towns and cities visited by the Shelby team. One of his teammates on the Shelby team was Branch Rickey, who was often hired to play for Shelby while attending nearby Ohio Weslyan University.

But football wasn’t the only sport that Charles excelled at. He also played baseball at Wooster College where he was a catcher during the 1901 and 1902 seasons. Charles became well known in the Ohio college circuit. His closest rival at that position was his Shelby Blues football teammate Branch Rickey. After an injury ended his football career in 1906, Charles would later go on to catch in 1909 for the Cuban Giants of the Negro Leagues where he was, their leading slugger and their most popular player.

In a strange twist, it wasn’t until 1975 that Charles’ place in football history and a piece of his legacy came to light. While researchers were reviewing the accomplishments of Charles on the football field, they came across a contract from 1904 signed by Charles and the Shelby Blues thus making Charles the first African American professional football player.

In yet another twist, it is highly probable that Branch Rickey’s firsthand observation of Charles’ handling of prejudice, on the field and off, influenced his decision to introduce Jackie Robinson to major league baseball, just as he had watched Frank Schiffer introduce Charles Follis to professional football some 40 years earlier.

Unfortunately, Charles would never learn of his legacy and indirectly his contribution to baseball.  He died in Cleveland on April 5, 1910, after developing pneumonia after playing a game with the Giants he was 31 years old. He is buried in Wooster Cemetery in Wooster, Ohio.

You have to wonder how much more Charles could have accomplished and contributed to history had he not died at the age of 31. But knowing his contributions and his place in football history gives me that feeling that Cousin Bob would call that…..Rosy Glow!

By 

Andrew DeMarco

With Christmas and the Holiday Season here, I thought I would write about some events that affected me and illustrates different kinds of gift giving. 

In the past, I have written about the Robber Barons, families with the names of Rockefeller, Carnegie, Ford, Vanderbilt and Morgan. The names have changed but the generosity and commitment of a new breed of Santa Claus cannot be questioned.  

Recently, Michael Dell and his wife made a $6.25 billion dollar pledge to provide 25 million American children, 10 and under, an incentive to claim the new investment accounts for children created as part of President Donald Trump’s tax and spending legislation. Money which recipient can use as they see fit once they come of legal age.  

A few weeks later, Phil Knight founder of Nike and his wife donated $2 billion dollars to Oregon Health & Science University’s Knight Cancer Institute which will fund “revolutionary” advances in cancer care and research which hopefully down the road will benefit millions.  

Finally, there was the donation by golfer Justin Thomas, the former Alabama golf star, which might be considered a pittance with a $1 million dollar donation. The gift will benefit Alabama’s men’s and women’s golf programs and their home at the Crimson Reserve. Hopefully, the University will use the money saved here on other programs to benefit the student body, but I don’t think anyone can question whether these new Robber Barons have contributed their fair share. It also inspired my wife and I to buy extra gifts for the “Toys for Tots” drive as well as contributing more food to the local church food bank. 

But as I have always said the best gifts are the simple ones. This past week a group of us got together for a sort of reunion. The group was made up of old bartenders, customers and bar flies (I fit in all 3 categories), some of which haven’t seen one another for over 30 years. The group used to hang out and work at various bars and restaurants in New Rochelle, Pelham and Larchmont. We all caught up on family and what we were doing now in retirement, which was followed by the usual discussion of all our ailments, which might have been brought on by our former youthful exuberance but now probably due to our age. Stories of the good times started to fly. Tales of the crazy and funny things we did as well as stories of all the people that crossed our paths during that time. We all agreed that although some of us hadn’t seen one another in some time it never felt that way and it was like yesterday, we last saw each other. We also agreed that a good time was had by all.  

So, when I look back on Christmas 2025, I will remember those huge donations which may benefit millions down the road and will always be grateful for the new breed of Santa Claus. The time spent at our get together reminded me of a line from the old movie “It Happened on Fifth Ave.”   

“To be without friends is a serious form of poverty.” 

This is a poverty that all in our group will never know and proves that the simple gift of friendship is the best gift anyone can receive. All this gave me that special holiday feeling that Cousin Bob would call that…..Rosy Glow! 

Merry Christmas 

Merry Christmas 

Happy Holidays 

& 

A Happy and Healthy New Year  

To All 

To All r  

To All 

By

Andrew DeMarco

With the release of “The American Revolution” the upcoming documentary by Ken Burns for the 250^th Anniversary of our nation, I thought I would write about one of our lesser-known Founding Fathers. I would like to tell you about Hyam Salomon, a Polish-born Sephardic Jew. In his twenties, he traveled widely across Europe as a merchant and broker. These experiences broadened his worldview and gave him a deep understanding of international finance as he also became fluent in several languages, and eventually he made his way to the Colonies.

When Salomon arrived in America in 1775, he immediately embraced the Patriot cause and joined that city’s branch of the Sons of Liberty. He was arrested twice by the British on charges of espionage. The first time he was pardoned and the second time he managed to escape to Philadelphia.  Not long thereafter, he established a brokerage house for international trade. For much of the war, he worked alongside Robert Morris, who was the Superintendent of Finance, to help fund the Patriot cause. Morris often referred to Salomon as “The Financier of the Revolution.”  Without this, the Revolution might have failed. He said about his new country:

“To serve my adopted country is to serve humanity. Freedom, once gained, must be guarded by all who cherish it.”

Morris’ diary records show that between 1781 and 1784 Salomon had lent more than $200,000 dollars to the American cause. Salomon also lent the sum of $20,000 to General George Washington for the decisive Yorktown campaign. With the treasury empty, it was Salomon who raised the money to pay and provision the troops for the march south and to victory.

In addition, Salomon lent money to statesmen such as James Madison, Thomas Jefferson and James Monroe, Presidents who unlike politicians today left office in very dire financial conditions. It is said that in total Salomon had loaned and was owed $600,000 dollars (about 15 million in today’s money), though the exact amount is unknown.

When Hyam Salomon died in January 1785, he held $353,000, largely in depreciated certificates of indebtedness and continental currency, which were virtually worthless. The additional debts and loans were never repaid and he died destitute and in debtors’ prison. The grave site of Hyam Salomon is located in the Mikveh Israel Cemetery in Philadelphia and although it is unmarked, there are two plaque memorials. One has the simple inscription Hyam Salomon “American Patriot” and the other lists him as a Founding Father. The government and country he helped establish could never repay the debt that was truly owed to him.

So, as we embark on the 250^th Anniversary or Semi-quincentennial, maybe we should all make an effort to occasionally take some time and learn more about what made this country what it is today. Look at the good and bad, the myths and legends and maybe we will all have a different perspective and outlook as to what our Founders had hoped and dreamed for us in the future. I am sure that if we did, we would realize that if we follow their examples, it will give us all that feeling that Cousin Bob would call that….. Rosy Glow!

By

Andrew DeMarco

About a month or two ago my wife and I attended what I will call a “tri-party” for one of my golfing companions and his wife. I use the term tri-party because it was a celebration of his and her birthdays as well as their anniversary. Oh, did I forget to mention that my golfing buddy Mark just turned 95! His wife Eva was celebrating her 90^th birthday and their 69^th wedding anniversary. I felt honored to have been invited since I have known Mark and Eva for a short time just over a year, and they thought enough of me and my wife to have us there with their friends and family. Mark and Eva are an incredible couple, and both have overcome what most would say were difficult times. Mark was orphaned at a young age, and it is something he would rather not discuss, and I respect his wishes in this matter. Eva was a doctor and Mark an electrical engineer.  Both lived under Fascism and even under the brutal rule of Tito in Yugoslavia.  In 1969 they left Yugoslavia with the children to start a new life here in the U.S. Eva literally had to start from the beginning since her medical credentials were not honored here, and she had to begin her career all over again. It didn’t stop her she was determined to build a new and better life for her family.

At the party I got to meet their family, their son Mladen and daughter Daniela as well as all their grandchildren and their great grandchildren. By the way, there is another great grandchild on the way. Watching this family together reinforced a lesson I learned a long time ago, and that is if you have the love and support of your family there is nothing that you cannot accomplish. The proof is in the fact that all of Mark and Eva’s children and grandchildren are successful and determined, traits which I can safely assume came from them.

The other lesson I learned was one of procrastination. I had originally intended to write this Rosy Glow right after the party some months ago, but I kept putting it off. The usual excuses of I’ll get to it, I have time all crept in. This procrastination made this a difficult lesson to learn and this Rosy Glow more difficult to write. You see unfortunately Eva passed away and now she will never get to read this and know how much I admired her and her family.  But somehow, I think she knew that already. I can picture her shaking her head not in disgust but in a way that would say see, you learned a lesson now don’t make the same mistakes. Hopefully I’ll put my procrastinations behind me. I do know this whenever I think of Eva and Mark and their beautiful family, I know that it will give me that feeling that Cousin Bob would call that…..Rosy Glow!