When Good Caddies Grow Old They Become...The Cooperstown Six!

Note added on 4 July 2014: See this post about a May 2014 caddy camp reunion. 

So here's why I went to Cooperstown, NY, two weeks ago - to see some old friends:

Maybe not Hall of Famers, but All-Stars for sure! From left to right: Babe Ruth; Frank Colvario; me; Steve Costa; Fred Forte; Ted Williams; Peter Xeller; and Peter Walsh. You can click on any of these pictures to enlarge them.

With the exception of the Babe and Teddy Ballgame, all of us caddied summers at the Maplewood Caddy Camp (see here as well) which serviced the Maplewood Hotel's golf course in Bethlehem, NH, nestled in the gorgeous White Mountains. After the hotel burned down in winter 1963, we headed to Cape Cod and established a caddy camp for Clauson's Inn (Hatchville, MA), now the Cape Cod Country Club.

The camps were operated by the North Bennet Street School (formerly North Bennet Street Industrial School), located in Boston's North End. The caddy camps (another was at the Lake Tarleton Hotel in Pike, NH) served to get city boys out into the country, giving them the opportunity to earn some money and learn 'life skills.' A great experience.

Here is a picture of the Clauson's campers and counselors from 1963:

The camp's director, the late John T. Dexter, known to us as 'D' or 'Mr. D', was an amazing man who made a lasting impression on all of us. And who could forget 'Ma' Labonte, our cook, who had a ferocious backhand spatula.  

I have seen Frank and Peter X. many times since 1963; Peter, a fellow New Yorker, is my long-time childhood friend  (since third grade). I had not seen Steve, Fred, and Peter W. for almost 50 years. All the Cooperstown Six, save for Peter X and me, grew up in the greater Boston area - Steve in Somerville, Frank in the North End of Boston, and Fred and Peter in Roslindale.  

We are hoping to get many of the 1963 crew together next summer - our 50th anniversary.

So how did two New Yorkers wind up working summers with a bunch of Bostonians? My father, a native of Boston's North End, caddied at the Maplewood Caddy Camp in the 1920s and thought it would be a great experience for his son and his friend. He was right.

My father also ran New Hampshire caddy camps at Bretton Woods and The Balsams.

And here is a snapshot of the Cooperstown Six minus Two (Fred and Peter Walsh):

 "Make new friends and keep the old, one is silver and the other gold." - Girl Scouts motto

Comments

[Junior DiPasquale]

I was at lake Tarleton, with 5 Guys from the Northend and two of my cousins 1963 first time. Junior DiPasquale
Yes uncle Fred and his family. Danny. SAMMY. STAFF I KNOW HALF THE NAMES OF THE CADDYS ESPECIALLY IF I SRR THERE PICTURES.

[Kevin McGovern]

I was a caddie at Lake Tarleton 2or 3 years and then a caddie and on the staff at Clauson's on the cape from 68-72. My brothers also attend Mapplewood and Tarleton. We all have great memories from out summers there. People like Uncle Fred, Mr Polcari, JT, and many others had a great influence on us. I could say my experiences there prepared me for my future in the US Army.

[Fred Mattei]

I went to Maplewood 60-63. I remember many who went to Clauson's to start it Mr. D was the greatest, always got a birthday card from him.

[Frank (Buster) Benenati]

I too have many great caddy camp memories - caddied at Maplewood - my dad caddied at Bethlehem. I was able to see the camp buildings (now being used as a rehab facility) on my last trip to New England. I'm thinking about a golf outing with my two sons in September to play Maplewood/Bethlehem - my dad made a yearly weeklong visit to Bethlehem in September to reconnect with his friends and former caddies from the North End. Is there still a caddy camp alumni get together at Maplewood?

[John Bottao]

Hi Mark ,
I waas also a caddy at Lake Tarleton in 66, 67 My e-mail is [email protected] .I would love to talk about those times and was also hoping to find where I can get those group pictures they took back then with Fred Crangello .

Thanks
John Bottaro

[Mark Greenwald]

I caddied at Lake Tarleton, probably 1964-67, and was on the staff at Clauson's for the next 4 years. Great times.

There was a kid at Tarleton who was rumored to have a plate in his head. Must be something about caddies. And I certainly remember Polcari's pasta feasts.

[Michael]

Hey, Michael.

Thanks for posting this comment.

I was a camper at Maplewood 1958-1962, then at Clauson's 1963-1967 (the last four years as a counselor).

Are you related to the third baseman who played for the Yankees? I think that Mike Pagliarulo was born in Medford in 1960.

No, I did not know the guy with the metal plate in his head.

[Michael Pagliarulo]

Wow, I'm so glad I found this site. I just started doing my autobiography. I wanted to make sure my details were accurate, so I started Googling Clauson's for the correct spelling. All it gave me was the Cape Cod Country Club. Digging deeper, I found your site, and now understand that the name has been changed since I went there. I also went to Lake Tarleton with my brother. I remember Mr. Polcari used to bring up huge pots of pasta for us. I was one of those incorrigible kids. I got thrown out for hitting a bully on the head with a fist sized stone. I had heard he had a metal plate in his head. So when he was down at the bottom of an embankment of some sort, I dropped it on him. They told me the only reason it didn't kill him was because he had that metal plate in his head. But it did apparently dent it pretty bad. I feel terrible about it now. I hope it wasn't someone you knew. Anyway, Mr. Dexter was really awesome. He took a special interest in me at Clauson's. He even took me to his cottage in Vermont that winter. We were buried in snow and I saw a deer for the first time. During a time when child molestation is a scourge, I'm happy to say, my recollections of that fine gentleman were very positive. Not having a father, he was probably my only positive male role model.

[Pete Frasca]

I was happy to find this -I caddied at Maplewood 57-62-
I was at Maplewood this past September - they told me that the caddies were there a week earlier- is there a successor to the alumni association - I would love to go meet up with old caddies and would look forward to going back to Maplewood for some golf and fun.
Pete Frasca