- Last Updated on Sunday, 29 October 2017 16:51
RETURN TO GLORY WAS WELL-RECEIVED
We had a nice turnout on Saturday, September 23, 2017 for our first game film event to show and relive Donora Dragons football games from the 1960s with former coaches, players, cheerleaders, band members and fans at the newly organized Croatian Club (Cro Club) in Donora.
After showing early footage of Donora football legends Arnold “Pope” Galiffa and “Deacon” Dan Towler, we showed a handful of games from the 1960s while former players and coaches shared their stories. Some of the other attendees brought memorabilia to display, including a leather helmet and old photos/albums from the 1930s and game programs from the 1960s. One of the highlights was the appearance of Lou “Bimbo” Cecconi, who represented his Dragon teams from the mid-1940s.
CHRISTMAS GIFT IDEA - GAME FILMS
If you’re looking for a very unique Christmas gift this year, keep in mind that amongst the many items that the Donora Historical Society has in its collection are over 115 reels of football and basketball game film of high school teams from all over the Mon Valley and western PA from 1963 to 1979. They are original 16mm films that are still in the process of being converted to DVD, but after launching this project over two years ago, many games have already been converted. Some games even show significant footage of the band, majorettes and color guards. Please give enough lead time to fill orders in time for Christmas.
If you have any interest or have questions on exactly which games we have, please stop into the Smog Museum, or see the full list of games on our website under the “Game Films” tab.
STILL SEEKING CERINI’S HARLEY DAVIDSON PHOTOS AND STORIES
Due to the positive response of our most recent request seeking Cerini memorabilia, we decided to keep the momentum moving forward by sending out another request.
One of the many interesting stories from the early days of Donora is the founding of the Cerini’s Harley Davidson dealership that was opened in 1920 and was once considered the oldest family-owned Harley Davidson dealership east of the Mississippi River. The original storefront still exists on Meldon Avenue, but is no longer open for business. If you have Cerini stories, advertising items, T-shirts, clothing or any other memorabilia that you would like to donate to the Donora Historical Society to better tell the Cerini Harley Davidson story, it would be greatly appreciated. If you have old photos that you would like to share, but do not wish to donate, we can scan them and give them back. Our goal one day is to be able to tell a comprehensive story on the Cerini family’s entry into the motorcycle industry in its early days and its successful business in Donora.
ADDITIONAL INFO
If you have additional questions about the subjects mentioned above, the historical society, museum, presentations or possibly volunteering, feel free to stop by on Saturdays or by special appointment (with at least a week’s notice), email us at DonoraHistoricalSociety@gmail.com, call us at 724-823-0364 and leave a message, visit us on the web at www.DonoraHistoricalSociety.org, or follow us and like us on Facebook at “Donora Historical Society and Smog Museum.”
