This page is dedicated to Bob (Haji) Hirons,

showing warm and happy memories of our beloved Class of '57 Classmate:

 

T R I B U E E   T O   H A J I

 

Candle Burning

 

 

 

 

Memories from Bob Welch (Mousey)

(Click on thumbnail below, to see larger version)

 

Bob Welch

In addition, you may also click the link below, to see the PDF, Adobe Reader version:

Remembering Haji

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Memories from Ron Berry (Berries)

Weedsport Speedway on a Sunday evening after the real races..... the " Iceman in the Ice truck versus Skinner Steinman in his .......not sure what it was but the race was on and as they went into turn one they were side by side and out of turn two came the Iceman with a slight lead..... almost to turn 3 the Ice truck went off of the track.... I don't remember if he lost that big 17" tire that Mouse mentioned or that Skinner gave him a nudge..... no matter what out of the truck flew the Iceman with both arms flailing at Skinner....he had stopped to make sure the Iceman was ok...big mistake ....anyways we all got there to prevent any other physical damage to each other......and that was the end of Stan Dudzinski SR. letting us play on his race track..... I never got out there with Big Blue... that was  my 1951 Nash Rambler (convertible I might add)...and of course the late nite races down Seneca St..... someone else can elaborate on that.... I hope Denny can remember the trips to Hunter's Diner in the Barqantine(the 48' Hudson).....I miss him already, we talked occaisonally and I was able to attend his son Rob's  retirement from the Navy in Norfolk VA. a couple of years ago..... I am so glad I made the trip east and got to spend some time with him... RIP Haj....we will be together again one day....

Fair Winds and Following Seas........Ron

 

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Speaking of "the ice man" ..

Haji always had a great sense of humor-

and Pete adds this:

********Always remember-********

The milkman goes from door to door,
But the iceman has his pick.

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Denny Randall

adds his "Remembering Haji Baba" below:

Remembering Haji Baba

It seems that any memory of him was associated with motor vehicles and he was absolutely obsessed with seeing how fast the most unlikely cars (and trucks) would go.  As Ron mentions, we used to go up to Hunter's Diner at night and shoot the bull with the night cashier Jim "Lefty" O'Toole who in a strange quirk of fate became WCS Principal many years later.  After Lefty got out at 11:00 we would race up and down Genesee St. in Auburn and Lefty always won with his '56 Olds Rocket.  One night we were all in Haji's father's '48 Hudson Commodore, which he had acquired after Bob had virtually destroyed it's predecessor (48 Buick).  Bob had neglected to turn on his headlights when we left Hunter's and very nearly T-boned some guy innocently making a turn in front of him.  What the guy screamed at us has always stuck in our minds-"Don't you have any #&%$ lights on that #&%$ barkentine"?  How appropriate for someone who was to spend his career and second career in and working for the Navy.

I could go on and on, and maybe I will.  I was riding with him one night in the aforementioned Buick and he decided to see how fast it would go.  We went up Cottle Rd, turned left on upper Bonta Bridge Rd (known to us in those days as "Berry Hump") and came flying down that long hill with that big soft sprung Buick.  When we hit the crown on Clinton Rd which crossed at the bottom of the hill, he had his answer, 87 MPH.   When we hit that crown in the road the Buick bottomed out sparks flew, the trunk blew open and the spare tire went rolling down the road ahead of us, probably still doing 87 MPH.  How he kept it on the road I'll never know.

I was in on the end of the Hudson too--We had been at a meeting at either Marcella's, or Connie's house and it was a hush-hush deal,, so I think maybe it was to plan for the Senior Ball which we had to sponsor.  At any rate several of the seniors decided to see what we were up to and we decided to lure them away.  Bob and I took off in the Hudson down W. Brutus onto Rt. 31 to Centerport RD. turned left and turned left again on Hamilton Rd.  He came ripping up Hamilton Rd in that big straight eight Commodore and perhaps some of you will remember the 90 degree turn in front of the old Hawley farm.  That Hudson never started to make the turn (we were probably doing 75), but plowed into the embankment and that was it for the Hudson.  The turn is just down the street from my home and I never come around it without thinking of Bob and the Hudson.

Finally, Bob acquired Clint Hazzard's ice business and bought a puny half ton Dodge truck to peddle the ice.  There were a couple of problems in this endeavor--The ice was no longer being made in Weedsport, so  was necessary a couple of times a week to drive to the ice  house off Osborne St. in Auburn and bring back a load of ice. Every time he went over the slightest bump in the road, the front wheels would lift off the ground and he'd have to hit the brakes hard to get them down again so he could steer.  That truck was the cause of my first automobile accident!  We decided one afternoon to see which was faster, that truck, or my "47 Ford coupe.  We went down on what we called the  "Trolley Bed" (Which is now Weller Rd), went down to the far end and came racing back side by side.  At that time the catenary towers that had supported the trolley wires were still in place and the road narrowed when you  went under the steel work of the towers.  He wouldn't give and neither would I.  The long and short of the story was I kissed one of those towers damaging the right front fender, causing the fan to bore a large hole in the radiator and putting me out of the race!  After a subsequent trip to Kubis Auto Parts for a used radiator and a purple fender which the Ford sported until I bought the "50  Plymouth convertible from Bud Doan.  I better stop. 

He was OUR Haji!!

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Never a dull moment -

"Those were the days",

as told by Punch:

It was a hot humid summer Saturday afternoon. I had just finished washing bottles at Colvin's Dairy. I met Mouse and we went to Hiron's for a drink. Haji was behind the soda counter. At the time, Haji and I were both vying for the same girl’s attention. I said something smart, and tempers and young hormones and emotions flared. Haji swung a sopping wet counter rag across my face. The next thing I knew he was dragging me out the front door and shouting at me. What, I don't remember, but it wasn't good. I gathered my wits about me and we squared off on the front sidewalk beside the restaurant. I knocked him down three times and he only got up twice. We quickly drew a Saturday afternoon downtown crowd as in those days there were very few street fights in the middle of town. My shirt was in tatters. Mouse and I walked down to the Winton Shoppe where I spent all my morning wages from Cecil Colvin buying a new shirt. It was only a couple of days later that we shook hands and put it behind us. In fact we both started work for Tudor and Jones together, unloading corrugated roofing out of a box car parked on the South Street siding. I also remember a stag party I threw in my parents garage on Jackson Street. Haji had a little too much moo juice, and ended up waking up on the front lawn of the Cayuga Chief office the next morning, with his nearly ruined new block W jacket. Brewster cleaners were able to save it but it was never the same. Other events also come to mind. One after a dance where we all headed for 3 Rivers entertainment center. Haji got a late start, but caught up to us driving his parents 51 tan ford wide open down the Thruway.

Those were the days my friends.

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Photos -

Some, (though not all), of the thumbnails below, have larger views when you click on them:

Haji Face Haji Face Haji Face Haji Face

Thank you for the photo contributions, Ron B.

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A heart-felt thank you note to our class,

From Haji's family,

Written by Scott Hirons, Haji's son:

(Sept. 12, 2013)

 

Members of the Weedsport Class of '57,

I can not thank you enough for the tributes
you all have written about my Dad.  
He often spoke so fondly of his high school days. 
Many of his stories made me wish
I had been with him back in those days.  
It sounds like he was always the life of the party
and put a smile on everyone's face.
From what I gather from your stories of him
he was then, much as I knew him,
always a friend to everyone. 
I don't think there was anyone he disliked
and could find the good in everyone.
I cherish your stories of Dad,
and I will visit your website often to remember him.    
We did receive the flowers, which were beautiful.
Thank you so much for sharing
your thoughts and prayers with us.  
The world is definitely a little less happy
without Dad among us.
You guys were always very special to him.  

Thank you,

Scott Hirons, son of Haji

 

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We hope to keep adding memories to this page -

as well as photos -

Please check back - Thanks!

 

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