Remember when: From our archives: April 21, 1933: Mayor Jep Valente will throw out first pitch

82 YEARS AGO

(From the I-T of April 21, 1933)

Baseball will be king for the day Sunday when Sonoma officially opens the 1933 season at the local park with all the preliminary festivities usually attending such an occasion. Mayor Jep Valente will attempt to get the first ball across the plate and past the bat of Frank Burris, into the waiting glove of Constable John Mohr. … At the adjourned meeting of the Sonoma city council last Monday evening, there were many representatives of the Sonoma Water and Irrigation Company present to offer excuses for a delay in naming a figure at which the city might be able to acquire the plant with money lately voted at a bond election but no price was forthcoming. … Among the jurors chosen to try Dr. Mareck in the gangster trial at Santa Rosa is Charles Perkins Jr., well-known musician of Fetters. The case opened Tuesday with the testimony of Mrs. Jeanette Carrick, widow of the officer slain by the bandit gang of which Mareck, the defendant, was the alleged leader. … The El Verano PTA has voted to disband. … The wedding bells rang out last week for another young couple of the Valley of the Moon when John West, popular El Verano resident and member of the volunteer fire department, journeyed to Reno and was married there to Miss Beatrice Guffanti of Kenwood. The young lady and her fiancé were accompanied on the trip by the groom’s sister and her husband, Mr. and Mrs. Locranini of El Verano.

77 YEARS AGO

(From the I-T of April 22, 1938)

One of the most appreciated of Easter gifts and one that illustrated the swift mode of transportation today, was that received by Mrs. Siemssen of Sonoma from her son, Rudy, with the U.S. Fleet at Honolulu. A fragrant pink lei of carnations was airmailed out on the 14th and reached Sonoma on the 16th just as perfect, sweet and fragrant as when it left Hawaii. … “Better Trained Parenthood” was the theme of the 14th District California Congress of PTA, at the 15th annual convention here Wednesday and Thursday of this week. The theme was keynoted in many fire talks throughout the sessions. Dr. Gertrude Laws of San Francisco, Chief of the Bureau of Parent Education of the State of California, gave a detailed and intimate picture of the child’s reactions to parential example and authority, stressing the social and personal consequences of property education in the formative period of the child’s life. … The Mora Castle resort at Fetters Springs, one time called the Robin Hood Inn, was sold this week to Mr. and Mrs. Paul H. Zielke of Santa Rosa. The fine brick building is to be renovated, redecorated, Venetian blinds added and other improvements made. … The former Pancrazi hotel at Glen Ellen, long vacant, has been wrecked because considered out of date and unsafe. The hotel was formerly operated by the well known Pancrazi family and Jack London, who often stopped there when down from his mountain ranch, included G. Pancrazi in one of his books. … The Boyes Springs Bathhouse will be the scene of much revelry this Saturday when a large crowd is expected to be on hand for the dance given by the Sonoma Baseball Club to raise funds for the financing of their team through the 1938 season. … It is reported that Dr. Sooy of San Francisco, plans to build a sanitarium on the old Clark ranch in Graham Canyon, which he leased some time ago from Arthur Kunde.

74 YEARS AGO

(From the I-T of April 18, 1941)

One of the big attractions of Sonoma’s new auto court, built by Sam Sebastiani, will be the bowling alley. It will be conducted by Al Lalane formerly of Portland. Mr. Lalane is a relative of Al Dutil and for years has been a bowling expert and enthusiast. … Mr. and Mrs. August Pinelli and daughter, Marilyn, have returned from a very happy visit with their relatives in La Colorado, state of Sonora, Mexico. They drove down stopping enroute at Riverside, spending one night at Tuscon, Arizona, taking a council, Zona Zanzucci, along to Nogales where all crossed the border and sped on to Hermosillo, capital of Sonora. … At a very busy session of the Grange Sisters meeting at the home of Mrs. Eunice Peterson final arrangements were made for the Maggie and Jiggs dinner and carnival taking place at the Grange hall on the night of April 25. Chairman Myrtle Bowie appointed committee members. … One of the largest realty deals in Sonoma County was consummated this week, when the North Bay Farms company sold 833 acres of its holdings at Lakeville, formerly a part of the extensive Foster property to Isabelle M. Niemela, wife of E. R. Niemela, of Ross. The deal involving approximately $40,000 was revealed with the filing of the deed in the office of County Recorder Herbert H. Snyder. … Under the slogan, “This is a donation drive to end all donations during this entire year,” a group of wide awake businessmen representing all Sonoma Valley communities today will launch a service fund campaign to secure financial pledges enabling the chamber of commerce’s valley wide 1941 promotional program to be carried out.