On August 26, 1950, Sam Urzetta won the U.S. Amateur Golf Championship at Minneapolis Golf Club, and at 24 years old became a hometown hero.  He had beaten Frank Stranahan (who was heavily favored) in a 1-up victory in 39 holes.

     I first met Mr. Urzetta when we were selected to be members of the ER Alumni Foundation Board of Directors.  Having lived in East Rochester my whole life, I had certainly heard of Sam, but had never met him.  I came to know him as a very kind, humble, caring man who was devoted to his family and community.

     Sam Urzetta was one of nine children.  He had four brothers and four sisters.  His parents, Carmine and Palma, were immigrants from Calabria, Italy.  Growing up in East Rochester, Sam began to caddie at Irondequoit Golf Club where his brother, Frank, was caddie master. Though really too young to be a caddie, he was allowed to do so by golf pro, Frank Commisso.  When Sam was in high school, there was no golf team.  He was very popular and played baseball and basketball, was manager of the football team, vice president of the Senior Class, and a member of the Brown and White (the high school newspaper).   Working with Frank Commisso, Sam became a top golf amateur.  When he was 21, he won the Rochester District Golf Association title.  The next year he was state amateur champion.  Sam served in the Army for 18 months.  He then went to St. Bonaventure where he starred in golf and basketball.  As captain of the basketball team, he led the nation in free throw shooting for two years, and still has the St. Bonaventure free throw record.  

     As an amateur golfer, Sam won the Monroe Invitational three times. In the summer of 1950, Sam took part in the US Amateur Championship in Minneapolis.  He was one of 210 golfers there.  After winning the tournament, a Gannett newspapers plane brought him home.  5,000 fans greeted him at the airport.  Neighbors on West Elm Street spray painted the road in front of the family’s home – “Welcome Home Sam Urzetta, US Amateur Champion.”  His victory at Minneapolis truly made him a hero to our village.  He played on the Walker Cup team twice (1951, 1953), and in the America’s Cup once (1952).  His team won all three of these events. In 1952, Sam married his school classmate, Mary Ellen Trescott.  They would have four children:   Helen, Michael, Peter, and Joseph.

     Sam turned pro in 1954.  Over the years he took part in a number of tournaments and received many awards.  He played in four US Opens, four Masters, four PGA Championships.  He is on the Frontier Field (now Innovative Field) Walk of Fame, Monroe County Hall of Fame, Rochester District Association Hall of Fame, Western New York PGA Hall of Fame, St. Bonaventure Hall of Fame, and the ER Hall of Fame.  He served as head golf pro at the Country Club of Rochester for 37 years, and was pro emeritus until he died.  While he could have made a career as a professional golfer in tournaments, Sam chose to stay home with his family.

     This summer Sam’s daughter, Helen, went to Minneapolis to visit the place where her father had b

Ninety-five years ago on May 30, 1930, our first war monument was dedicated in Edmund Lyon Park. Honoring those who had served in World War I, the granite tablet and cannon have an interesting history.

In 1916, the first park in our community was dedicated. Once a heavily forested swampy area named Vanderbilt Park, the land had been purchased by Kate Gleason. Kate brought in workers from her father's company, Gleason Works, to excavate and clear out the area. The park was named after Edmund Lyon, a friend of Kate Gleason's and a founder of our village. At the top of the hill on the corner of Main and East Ivy Streets a flagpole was erected on the highest elevation in East Rochester.

During the years following World War I, community members felt a memorial was needed to honor our soldiers. The Ladies’ Auxiliary of Jules Verne Fish Post, Ame

In looking through our East Rochester Centennial Calendar of 1997, I was reminded that 40 years ago this month a significant piece of our history ended -- the Piano Works closed after 80 years of operation on West Commercial Street.

 During the year our ER Department of Local History received many donations.  Often these were photos, newspaper articles, or memorabilia.  As described in my May article, this spring we received a large donation of 13 notebook binders and 2 large folio cases containing the history of the Forest Hills Development.  In October, we received a very different large donation –a trailer-like wagon approximately 110 years old.

     In looking through our old East Rochester Herald newspapers, I happened to find an interesting series of articles from late summer, early fall of 1954.  The stories brought back many memories.

     For many years summer recreation centered around our village parks and outdoor pool.  In particular, there were many activities offered in Edmund Lyon Park.  Children could make potholders, make things out of boondoggle, paint plaster of Paris plaques, and take part in contests in costume, dog, doll, and hat shows.  The August 20^th issue of the paper described highlights of the annual costume show.  Prizes (ribbons and candy bars) had been given for the prettiest, funniest, most unusual, best cowgirl and cowboy, best clown, most original, and best foreign costumes.  The summer season at the playground would end August 20^th with a picnic when the highlight of the day was the selection of a playground king and queen to rule over the day’s festivities.

     The August 27^th issue described the moving of a home from where the new interchange cloverleaf was being built to link the eastern thruway connection with Fairport Road.  The stucco home, built in 1930, was moved from near Harwood Lane to the corner of Washington Street and Fairport Road.  There, Frank Cilento’s family would live.  The two hour move on a huge trailer was assisted by RG & E line crews who were on hand to cut wires wherever progress was impeded.

     The September 3^rd issue focused on the beginning of the school year.  A detailed listing of the 71 teachers for grades K-12 was included.  In 1954, the two school buildings on East Avenue (elementary and junior/senior high) were our whole district.  Student enrollment was about 1700.  The Board of Education was going to hold a faculty reception on Sept. 7^th, with classes starting on Wednesday the 8^th; kindergarten would begin on the 9^th.  St. Jerome’s school was adding a class for third grade.  The classes were still meeting in the CYA building.  In 1955, classes would move to the new school building next door.

     The September 10^th issue had several articles of interest.  One honored three little girls (Jane Thomas, Marcia Ramph, and Donna Jean Rosen).  The girls had gone door to door in their neighborhood to collect money for the polio emergency fund drive.  They collected $20.00.  The polio epidemic was a very real fear during the 1950s.

     The issue also contained a full report from Sherman Reed, Swimming Pool Director and physical education teacher.  The summer season had lasted from June 26-September 6^th (Labor Day).  When the Kate Gleason Memorial Pool had opened in 1954, it was one of the first outdoor community pools inthe area.  Throughout the 1950s and 60s the pool was packed seven days a week.  Attendance for the summer of 1954 was 34,525.  Swimming class enrollment was 271.  Mr. Reed was pleased to announce that there had been no serious accidents or injuries.&a