Football Hero Y.A. Tittle

Posted on October 12, 2017 by Jim Degerstrom

I played backyard football during the 1960’s pretending to be football hero Y.A. Tittle who passed away October 8, 2017, age 90.

He played quarterback for the NY Giants from 1961 to 1964, and held the single season record of 36 touchdowns for over 20 years.

The New England Patriots did not exist back in the early sixties, so most youngsters Growin’ Up in Maine cheered for the Giants.

With me as quarterback playing on Clark’s lawn in Derby, younger brother Eric caught just about anything tossed in his direction. Another 90 year old football hero passed away 17 years ago this month. That was my Dad, Theodore Earl Degerstrom, Sr. (1920-2000).

Y.A. and Dad were tough. Dad was a running back at Milo High School, and loved telling about being knocked out 3 times in one game! Dad was an avid sports fan. He cheered for the Red Sox, and later the Patriots. Neither won a championship during his lifetime.

Then again, maybe he had a day pass from heaven with front row seats for the Sox and Pats. Maybe chatting with Y.A. as I type, too.

Tagged with: childhood, derby, family, football, maine, stories
Posted in derby, family, football, maine, stories

Bathroom Confusion in 1968

Posted on May 20, 2016 by Jim Degerstrom

In Switzerland and enroute to military duty in Africa I encountered some serious bathroom confusion in 1968.

Being from a very small town Growin’ Up in Maine in the 1960’s I wasn’t prepared for European culture shock.

Needing a break I found this sign on the bathroom door and was thinking ‘That’s a little too liberal for me’.

Recently the reason for co-ed bathrooms became very different. Gender identity is optional nowadays? Not then.

I squirmed. Crossed my legs. Not ready for this, I finally had to give in. Note: Depends weren’t invented yet.

Imagine opening that door and entering a room with couches, chairs, and mirrors. No urinals and no stalls.

Ladies were putting on makeup, and groups of people were socializing. Two more doors had separate silhouettes!

What a relief. Separate for boys and girls! I hurried to the mens room door, and saw nothing but men inside.

Was this a Candid Camera stunt? No. Just the Euro way of handling co-ed bathrooms in a decent civilized way.

Seems like a good idea for 50 years later to solve the current transgender identity hogwash seen in the news.

Old timers may recall two-seater outhouses. I do, yet it was never a co-ed experience. Oh, the good old days!

Tagged with: maine, stories
Posted in music, stories

Never Used a Snowblower

Posted on February 19, 2016 by Jim Degerstrom

Many an oldtimer became an oldtimer because they never used a snowblower as a youngster Growin’ Up in Maine. I’m one.

Up to my late teens the only solution for most folks was a shovel long before personal snowblowers became common.

From my youth, and without regret, all I recall is the hours of hard work after a storm shoveling paths and the driveway.

Unlike today, kids in the 1950’s enjoyed the outdoors and physical activities like shoveling snow as a part of life.

Later, with 4 of 5 boys emancipated, Dad bought a snowblower and added a sliding door to the side of the back shed.

After a storm he would slide open the door, fire up the snowblower, and drive into the snowbank making a path to the car.

In my mind that was useful technology compared to today’s array of electronics that result in youthful couch potatoes.

By comparison, my doctors have stated at 60+ I’m healthier than most people half my age and could easily live to 100.

Give credit to outdoor activities like ice skating, fishing, hiking, sports, building rafts, and even shoveling snow.

Tagged with: maine, stories, winter
Posted in maine, stories, winter

Riding the Bangor Fair Bullet

Posted on September 9, 2015 by Jim Degerstrom

A memorable and thrilling 1960’s moment Growin’ up in Maine was riding the Bangor Fair bullet carnival ride with my brother.

The ride had two bullet shaped compartments at opposite ends attached to a shaft that rotated on one axis like a ferris wheel.

Capacity was two riders in each “bullet” as shown in the illustration here, so four total. The second bullet is not shown.

Each compartment had a steering wheel that controlled the ability to do a barrel roll to the left or the right at any time.

The ride moved super fast yet done properly, you could ascend towards the top of the arc and across the top right side up.

Rotate 180° on the way down and you passed the bottom vertical supports seated right side up, much like a Sunday car ride.

One person had control of the barrel roll. I was the driver and my brother the passenger, a decision he would later regret.

Sunday car ride? No thanks. I went opposite of normal. We crossed the top upside down and upside down again at the bottom.

The descent was the best. At 40 mph the ground doesn’t disappear as you watch it speeding at you a foot away and upside down!

Round and round we went. Brother screaming. Stop! Cut it out! No more! He lost a fair amount of spare change on that thriller.

Footnote: I am one of 5 brothers, 3 older – 1 younger. The victim was an older brother, a decision that I would later regret.

Tagged with: attractions, childhood, maine, stories
Posted in family, maine, stories

Baking Soda Diving Submarine

Posted on August 14, 2015 by Jim Degerstrom

Long before electronic game consoles, kids in the 1950’s had amazing toys like the baking soda diving submarine shown here.

The plastic toy submarine had a small cavity in the bottom and a removable metal cap that plugged the cavity hole.

Seeing how it worked was both entertaining and educational. Okay, perhaps entertaining for about 10 minutes, yet educational.

The first step is filling a bucket or the kitchen sink with 8-10 inches of water. Any container or the family pool will do.

Next, fill the submarine’s empty cavity with a pinch of baking soda, secure the metal cap, then drop the sub into the water.

The submarine toy sinks to the bottom. Science takes over. As water seeps in and reacts with the baking soda, bubbles appear.

Eventually, and this could take 10 minutes or more staring at the sunken sub, the submarine magically rises to the surface.

Lesson over. Once was enough. Seems the educational part is subtle. Someone somewhere invented this sucker and made a fortune.

Tagged with: childhood, maine, stories, toys
Posted in maine, stories, toys

1957 Smart Phone Technology

Posted on May 15, 2015 by Jim Degerstrom

Most kids with 1957 smart phone technology owned the Campbells brand made from empty tin cans connected with string.

We punched a hole in the bottom of two cans, pushed the string through, and tied a big knot on the inside. Walk away then stretch the string tight to talk or listen.

It worked up to 50 feet and no wifi required.

Substitute a thin wire instead of the string and that engineering marvel was good for 100 feet, or more! We had fun. We laughed. Thinking back, we never imagined tap tap tapping Mom or Dad over dinner in morse code.

Nowadays the majority of six year olds have a smart phone. I’ve seen 2 year olds navigating like a pro!

Sad to say, but a new study confirms people suffer from separation anxiety if their phone is not within reach.

High tech devices get smaller, faster, and smarter every year, yet some of us still long for the good old days!

Tagged with: maine, stories, telephone
Posted in maine, stories