Former Clemson University star striker CHRISTIAN NWOKOCHA, who would later sign for crack Portuguese first division club Sporting Lisbon and also go on to appear for Nigeria during the 1982 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign, nets the only goal of the game as the would-be 1980 American Soccer League champions PENNSYLVANIA STONERS blanks the visiting COLUMBUS MAGIC by the minimum scoreline at the old Allentown School District Stadium.

Pennsylvania Stoners goalkeeper SCOTT MANNING keeps the sheet clean for a fifth time on his tenth appearance of the 1980 American Soccer League season as trainer WILLIE EHLRICH’s second-year side earns a measure of revenge against the very same club that knocked the fledgling Stoners out of the 1979 A.S.L. playoffs at the semifinal stage, but only on traditonal penalty kicks from the spot (as compared to the ‘shootout’ method then employed by the rival North American Soccer League).

The numerical rosters for the two opposing sides on the night of June 15, 1980, were as follows :

PENNSYLVANIA STONERS
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1 – Scott MANNING … fr Buffalo Stallions – MISL (Cortland State)
2 – Eric SMITH … fr Clemson Univ
3 – Jeff TIPPING … fr Hartwick College
4 – Ken MCDONALD … fr San Diego Sockers – NASL (Penn State)
5 – Ron OST … fr Harvard Univ
6 – Mike MANCKE … fr Philadelphia Textile
7 – Clyde WATSON … fr New York Eagles – ASL (Clemson Univ)
8 – Steve LONG … fr Hartwick College
9 – Christian NWOKOCHA … fr Tulsa Roughnecks – NASL (Clemson Univ)
10 – John MCDERMOTT … fr Las Vegas Seagulls – ASL (Univ Nevada-LV)
11 – Rich REICE … fr Philadelphia Fury – NASL (Penn State)
12 – Paulo Nani DASILVA … fr New York Eagles – ASL … (Brazil)
13 – Adrian BROOKS … fr Atlanta Chiefs – NASL (Phila Textille)
14 – Bob EHRLICH … fr Penn State
15 – Roman URBANCZUK … fr Cleveland Force – MISL (Louis E. Dieruff HS)
16 – Mark NIGH … fr Pittsburgh Univ
17 – George GORLEKU … fr Eastern Illinois Univ
18 – Dave HUNDELT … fr Seattle Sounders – NASL (Southern Illinois Univ)
22 – Bill FINNEYFROCK … fr Clemson Univ

At this point in time, many teams in the wealthier North American Soccer League as well as other rival clubs in the American Soccer League often preferred to stock their rosters with veteran players from abroad, some of whom even had experience at the highest international level.

Although the 1980 A.S.L. champion PENNSYLVANIA STONERS deployed some players who were not actually born in the United States, itself, the truth of the matter is that virtually none of these ‘imports’, save creative midfielder PAULO NANI DASILVA, had ever played professionally before coming to America. The popular DaSilva did cut his teeth in the crack Brazilian first division with renowned clubs Sao Paulo FC, Fluminense FC as well as Santos FC and also appeared with CF Puebla in the Mexican first divison before signing with the New York Eagles of the American Soccer League in 1979. Still, almost all of the title-winning Stoners fielded by A.S.L. Coach of the Year WILLIE EHRLICH had first graduated from the ranks of the American collegiate system.

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After signing from English fourth division side Scunthorpe United in the spring of 1979, experienced import RON WIGG led the COLUMBUS MAGIC by scoring 13 goals in 27 regular season games during the subsequent American Soccer League campaign. As an 18-year-old, Wigg had made his professional debut by notching four goals in five league games over the course of the 1967/68 schedule to help Ipswich Town earn promotion to what is now the English Premier League. After netting ten goals on 30 appearances in two seasons for Ipswich Town at the elite First Division level, the youthful Wigg was peddled to then-second divison side Watford FC for a fee of 18,000 English pounds in June of 1970 and embarked on a journey which would include stops at third division clubs Rotherham United, Grimsby Town and Barnsley FC.
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COLUMBUS MAGIC
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00 – Graham TUTT … Arcadia Shepherds – South Africa (England)
1 – Van TAYLOR … fr New York Eagles – ASL (Erskine College)
2 – John O’HARA … fr Pennsylvania Stoners – ASL (Pittsburgh Univ)
3 – Wayne JANTAS … fr Cleveland Cobras – ASL
4 – Ray SCHNETTGOECKE … fr Philadelphia Fury – NASL (Brown Univ)
5 – Daniel MAMMANA … fr Sacramento Gold – ASL (Argentina)
6 – Andjelko TESAN … fr New York Eagles – ASL (Yugoslavia)
7 – Miodrag LACEVIC … fr Las Vegas Seagulls – ASL (Yugoslavia)
8 – Norman PIPER … fr Fort Lauderdale Strikers – NASL (England)
9 – Mike BARRY … fr Bristol Rovers (England)
10 – Ron WIGG … fr Scunthorpe United (England)
11 – Tony GRAHAM … fr St. Louis Steamers – MISL (Univ San Francisco)
12 – Terry HICKEY … fr Seattle Sounders – NASL (England)
14 – Neil HAGUE … fr FC Darlington (England)
15 – Bob ROHRBACH … fr Detroit Express – NASL (Dayton Univ)
16 – Bryan HARMAN … fr Arcadia Shepherds (South Africa)
17 – George DEWSNIP … fr Atlanta Chiefs – NASL (England)
19 – Steve NEWMAN … fr Seattle Sounders – NASL (Seattle Pacific Univ)

The COLUMBUS MAGIC were trained by 31-year-old PAUL TAYLOR, the recently-retired professional who had begun his career as a midfielder with hometown club Sheffield Wednesday in the English second division before moving on to third division outfit York FC and, ultimately, fourth division side Southport FC; after suiting up as a a player for the Las Vegas Skyhawks and Columbus Magic in the American Soccer League, Taylor directed the Magic to the 1979 A.S.L. title game, where Columbus lost 1-0 to the Sacramento Gold.

Coming into the June 15th engagement at the old Allentown School District stadium, imported forward GEORGE DEWSNIP, a 24-year-old who had been sold by the very same Southport FC to the Fort Lauderdale Strikers of the North American Soccer League for a fee of 11,000 pounds sterling in June of 1977, was leading the Columbus Magic with five goals in eleven A.S.L. contests; the previous season, Dewsnip had been teammates of Pennsylvania Stoners midfielder ADRIAN BROOKS in the more lucrative N.A.S.L. with budding television magnate Ted Turner’s Atlanta Chiefs.

Imported netminder GRAHAM TUTT, the native of London who began his professional career with hometown club Charlton Athletic in the English second division before twice being voted the best goalkeeper in South Africa, was leading the entire American Soccer League with a goals-against-average of 0.89 (three shutouts) after starting ten of the Columbus Magic’s first eleven games of the 1980 A.S.L. season.

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Pittsburgh Spirit defender JOHN O’HARA, the local product from Mount Lebanon High School who signed with the Pennsylvania Stoners of the American Soccer League after two seasons with the University of Pittsburgh, dribbles the distinctive orange ball against the visiting intra-state rival Philadelphia Fever during the 1979/80 Major Indoor Soccer League match on the rug at the venerable Pittsburgh Civic Center.
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Turning out at the Allentown School District Stadium in the colors of the visiting Columbus Magic on June 15th was former University of Pittsburgh defender JOHN O’HARA, an original member of the Pennsylvania Stoners for its inaugural run in the American Soccer League; it had been the 20-year-old O’Hara who had netted the first goal for the winners when the Columbus Magic defeated the incoming Pennsylvania Stoners 2-1 at the Franklin County Stadium in the capital city of Ohio only five weeks earlier.

For those unfamiliar with local history here in the Lehigh Valley, it is a certain WILLIAM B. BUTZ who is hailed as the founder of the ALLENTOWN ART MUSEUM. It was now almost thirty years ago when a magnificent bust of the man who was “longtime president, honorary chairman, pioneer, wise counselor and generous friend of the Allentown Art Museum”, as the inscription that accompanies the sculpture, was unveiled at the museum’s 25th anniversary gala celebration held on April 13, 1984. The celebratory event in the Kress Gallery was attended by about 250 people including the great visionary Butz, himself, who would pass away at the ripe old age of eighty-four a mere twenty-nine months later.

At the time, the bust was lauded by its creator, prominent local sculptor KAREL MIKOLAS, as “the best male portrait I have done in my twenty-five years of experience.”

In case the cat had any curiosity with respect to hammer prices, the “Single Figure Sculpture” from Karel Mikolas went for fifteen hundred bucks, according to the official website of The Baum School Of Art (www.baumschool.org). It was only just a few weeks ago, as a matter of fact, that the The Baum School Of Art held the twenty-eighth installment of its annual auction in the City Without Limits. For questions with regards to the Auction, information on consigning artwork or, perhaps, to get a head start on making reservations for next year’s event, please call Allentown’s The Baum School Of Art at (610) 433-0032.

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Artist-signed work from KAREL MIKOLAS entitled “Reclining Figure Drawing # 6″, charcoal medium, 18″ x 24″

Now, one does not necessarily have to idly sit by and impatiently wait for the annual Art Auction of The Baum School. Not with the “JOIE DE VIVRE : KAREL MIKOLAS / ANTONIO SALEMME” exhibit also downtown and open to the public through the end of this month. To arrange an appointment, please call the Antonio Salemme Foundation at (610) 433-4150 or email “salemmeart@verizon.net”.

As the larger-than-life sculpture of one of Good Shepherd’s most revered leaders emerged from the back of a van, a woman in a wheelchair gasped.

“Goodness!” BONNIE STALLMAN said. “Look at it!”

The 9-foot, 900-pound bronze casting depicts Conrad Raker, the son of Good Shepherd’s founder, lifting with crutches and leg braces.

Stallman, who uses the wheelchair because of a spinal birth defect, let out a nervous laugh, explaining how she was the girl in the 1955 photograph from which the sculpture took form.

“I was very bashful,” she recalled of the snapshot captured in Good Shepherd’s play yard when she was like five or six. Raker, known as Connie, “wanted to lift me up to get me to smile.”

Smile she did, as one of the few who got a glimpse of the $ 100,000 sculpture being installed a week before its official unveiling. Stallman, in fact, will pull the drape from the artwork at Friday’s grand opening ceremony of Good Shepherd’s $ 41.7 million south Allentown campus transformation.

The ceremony will kick off Good Shepherd’s annual two-day Independence Day observance Friday and Saturday with speeches, tours of new buildings and a tribute to Raker.

“It’s just absolutely wonderful,” Good Shepherd President Sally Gammon explained Thursday morning, when the sculpture was placed by crane onto a temporary base in the center of the campus.

“It portrays exactly what we wanted : Dr. Raker lifted people up, always giving them hope.”

Raker lived at Good Shepherd for nearly all of his 90 years, she said. He was born at the rehabilitation complex and left only to attend seminary to guide the organization’s growth and development. While his father, the Reverend John “Papa” Raker, founded the hospital, the younger Raker, who died in 2002, had the vision to turn it into a major health care facility. He ran Good Shepherd from 1941 until 1980.

Today, Good Shepherd annually cares for 35,000 people with physical and mental disabilities through therapy, hospitalization, a skilled nursing home and job training. It provides outpatient services at 17 sites in eastern Pennsylvania.

“AN UPLIFTING TRIBUTE TO A MAN OF HOPE”

This original article by ANN WLAZELEK appeared in THE MORNING CALL on October 9, 2006.

So I confronted my boss, if rather boldly, “C’mon, man. Every artist MUST have a ‘signature’ piece of work. Even people who don’t know anything at all do understand this is just the way it goes. It really is no different than professional wrestling – Jimmy “Supefly” Snuka has got to leap dramatically from the very top turnbuckle.

Thus, you certainly can’t just leave me to go around so blatantly ignorant and uncultured. Because I desperately need that big smashing bodycheck right there in the middle of center ice, the jaw-dropping one that makes people go ‘oooooh’ and ‘aaaaah’. I implore you once more — locally speaking, what is THE signature piece of KAREL MIKOLAS?!”

“Well, he has stuff all over the place.”

Well, that certainly did not take very long at all!

One blog post. One bona fide controversy. It is, of course, the SALON DES REFUSEE.

(Alle sind herzlich willkommen … it’s very multi-cultural here)

So, because I really am nothing more than a recovering sports addict doing a little Monday morning quarterbacking in the office, I asked my boss (because he forgot more about art than I ever knew) if this was an accurate statement — “Locally speaking, Czech-American sculptor KAREL MIKOLAS is, perhaps, most recognizable by his magnificent ASA PACKER bronze statue on the campus of Lehigh University”.

Apparently, it is not. It IS an undisputable fact that I do not know how to spell “sculptor” properly, which really pisses me off because I already knew that on Sunday after consulting the dictionary when writing the original article. Because of Republican-sponsored spending cuts to education and the arts, naturally, I do not have sufficient more proof readers to verify that all corrections have actually been made but vow to heroically persevere, nevertheless.

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“Son of a custom furniture maker, grandson of a carpenter who restored onion domes on churches, (KAREL) MIKOLAS was fated to shape miniature galaxies with his hands. At the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague, he spent six years studying to be a classical monumental sculptor, working on the side in a fine-art foundary. Six students began the brutal program; when it was ended, Mikolas was one of two survivors … it was in Prague that Mikolas became a glass luminary. His drinking glasses were prototypes for trade shows and best sellers in homes … Mikolas happily adapted more than 400 years of Bohemian glassmaking. ‘It’s such a sublime profession that you have to honor it, you have to caress it,’ he says.” — Geoff Gehman writing in The Morning Call (03/01/2007)
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Another fact of the matter would be that my boss has known Karel Mikolas pretty much ever since there has been this 200-something-year-old barn in the picturesque Pennsylvania countryside, somewhere near Slatington in Washington Township, serving as what has been said to be a most hospitable “home-studio-laboratory”. He also has the advantage of knowing that I have absolutely no education and / or training with respect to classical arts. No, about all I would be able to discuss intelligently would be the ultimate negative impact the Prague Spring had not only on a surprising percentage of the Nationale Volksarmee officer corps, but, indeed, the general civilian population of the German Democratic Republic, itself, and that’s useless.

Now, when I see Mikolas, myself, we usually discuss the glory days of Czechoslovakian ice hockey.

And so this most intriguing question lingers on agaonizingly unanswered, then — “locally speaking”, what IS the signature piece of one Karel Mikolas?

(feel free to leave a comment as art is not only a very subjective thing, but I sincerely would not know any better, anyway)

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This provocative black and white photograph taken during the 1961 IIHF World Championships in Switzerland symbolizes the chaos and confusion currently reigning supreme at the Salon des Refusee as Czechoslovak and Swedish skaters struggle to gain control of the airborne puck; diligently guarding the net for the national team of Czechoslovakia in this particular shot would be none other than Josef Mikolas (1) of VZKG Vitkovice, who is not related to the artist whose work is a part of the “JOIE DE VIVRE : KAREL MIKOLAS / ANTONIO SALEMME” exhibit currently on display in downtown Allentown, Pennsylvania.

“JOIE DE VIVRE : KAREL MIKOLAS / ANTONIO SALEMME”

Opening Reception
June 2, 2013 …… Noon to 5:00 PM

ANTONIO SALEMME FOUNDATION
542 West Hamilton Street, Suite # 203
Allentown, Pennsylvania

(half a block up the street from the Allentown Art Museum, just across from the historic Old Lehigh County Courthouse)

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Locally speaking, Czech-American sculptor KAREL MIKOLAS is, perhaps, most recognizable by his magnificent ASA PACKER bronze statue on the campus of Lehigh University; among other pursuits over the course of what has been a most remarkable life, Mikolas has, himself, taught classes at the University of Pennsylvania, Swarthmore College as well as Alfred University.
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The oft-stated purpose of the ANTONIO SALEMME FOUNDATION has always been to “preserve and celebrate Salemme’s artistic legacy.”

This delightful “JOIE DE VIVRE” exhibition, is very proud to excite the senses with rarely-shown terra cotta (fired clay) figurative works as well as ink and charcoal drawings by a unique pair of classically-trained artists who were both born in Europe but, ultimately, settled in the Lehigh Valley.

The exhibition will continue to be on view to the public through June 30.

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ASA PACKER at LEHIGH UNIVERSITY in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

My boss at my real job has been forever been trying to convince me that athletics are an utter “waste of time”. While I always have had a hard time combating with his frank assessment with anything even remotely resembling effective ammunition, I have, nevertheless, been reluctant to accept his sincere advice. “Just exactly what the hell am I supposed to be blogging about, art?” I have asked on numerous occasions.

“It would be more cultured” was always the traditional response.

Thus, it has been decided to make it so.

02/23/13
Bundesliga
Spieltag # 23

6 – BAYERN MUNICH —— Robben 25′, Martinez 29′, own goal 49′, Gomez 51′, 89′, Ribery 86′
1 – WERDER BREMEN —— De Bruyne 58′

An early second half expulsion as well as six goals from a reshuffled Bavarian Startelf highlighted a 1,000th career Bundesliga appearance (as either a player or a trainer) by JUPP HEYNCKES as runaway leaders BAYERN MUNICH blasted visiting WERDER BREMEN 6-1 and maintained their sizeable lead at the top of the German table.

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Austria international centerback SEBASTIAN PROEDL (second from left) of Werder Bremen is shown the straight red card by match referee MARCO FRITZ of Korb shortly before the end of the first half during the lopsided Bundesliga contest at the always sold-out Allianz Arena in southern Germany.
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BAYERN MUNICH : Neuer – Lahm, Boateng, Dante, Contento – Luiz Gustavo, Martinez (Tymoshchuk 52′) – Robben, Shaqiri, Ribery – Gomez (Pizarro 72′)

WERDER BREMEN : Mielitz – Gebre Selassi, Lukimya, Proedl, Schmitz – Junuzovic – De Bruyne, Ignjovski, Hunt (Pavlovic 46′), Arnautovic – Petersen

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February 19, 2013
UEFA Champions League
Round of 16, first leg

1 – FC ARSENAL (Eng) —————— Podolski 55′
3 – BAYERN MUNICH (Ger) ——— Kroos 7′, Mueller 21′, Mandzukic 77′

Two goals inside the first twenty-one minutes gave the visitors a firm grip on the game and a third strike with just under a quarter hour to play confirmed the current Bundesliga leaders’ superiority as record German champion BAYERN MUNICH stormed to a vital 3-1 away triumph over hosting English Premier League club FC ARSENAL in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League Round of Sixteen.

Bayern Munich, who arrived in London having gone unbeaten in its last eighteen matches from all competitions, grabbed the lead in only the seventh minute when in-form winger THOMAS MUELLER cut a lovely cross back to the top of the box for Germany national team constituent TONI KROOS. A brilliant volley first-time from the 22-year-old central attacking midfielder swerved past FC Arsenal’s diving Poland international WOJCIECH SZCZESNY and stunned the capacity crowd of 59,974 at the Emirates Stadium. A third goal in the UEFA Champions League this term for Kroos, who has also netted six times for Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga this season, as well.

Mueller, who has scored 11 goals and added 12 assists in 20 Bundesliga matches for the Bavarians on this 2011/12 campaign, snatched his fourth goal in the UEFA Champions League this term soon enough. Belgium international centerback DANIEL VAN BUYTEN came forward for a Bayern Munich corner kick in the 21st minute and forced a sharp save from Szczesny with a close range header. But Mueller was instantly able to poke the rebound home right out of mid-air and leave FC Arsenal with an early mountain to climb.

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Bayern Munich goalkeeper MANUEL NEUER punches the ball away from Germany national team constituent and FC Arsenal centerback PER MERTESACKER, the 28-year-old veteran with 86 caps for Deutschland who was purchased by the Gunners from Bundesliga side SV Werder Bremen for a reported 8.0 million English pounds last summer, during the UEFA Champions League, Round of 16 first leg clash at the Emirates Stadium in the North London.
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Despite the fact that Bayern Munich, according to the official website of the UEFA Champions League, had more attempts at goal (16-12) than FC Arsenal it was the Gunners who actually managed to get more shots on target (9-8) than their guests from Bavaria. Indeed, it was a former Bayern Munich player who breathed new life into FC Arsenal after Germany World Cup goalkeeper MANUEL NEUER made a mess of an in-swinging corner kick ten minutes after the break. Germany World Cup winger LUKAS PODOLSKI, the Gunners’ highly experienced summer signing from relegated 1.FC Koeln who cost a reported 11.0 million English pounds, happily halved FC Arsenal’s deficit after the set piece was inexplicably allowed to bounce six yards out right in front.

Neuer regained his composure, however, and ultimately ended up with eight saves in the match with FC Arsenal in London for what was easily his best performance, at least in terms of number of shots blocked, for this entire 2012/13 UEFA Champions League campaign.

The introduction of Holland World Cup winger ARJEN ROBBEN for France World Cup winger FRANCK RIBERY, who had been directly involved in the first goal for the visitors, just after the hour clearly rejuvenated the Bayern Munich attack. A great first touch from the Dangerous Dutchman and niftly little feed for overlapping fullback PHILIPP LAHM resulted in a third goal for the Bavarians with a little less than a quarter of an hour to play. Croatia international MARIO MANDZUKIC, the 26-year-old striker who entered the European contest with the Gunners in England as the joint top scorer in the German Bundesliga with 15 goals for Bayern Munich this term, somehow bundled Lahm’s low cross into the back of the and netted his very first goal of this UEFA Champions League campaign in the process.

The Bavarian troops of trainer JUPP HEYNCKES look to be in a heavily fortified position, particularly having scored three goals away, for the return leg with FC Arsenal at home in Munich …

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Bayern Munich midfielder TONI KROOS (39), the growing offensive threat who has now scored nine goals for the Bavarians in all compeitions this season, hops over the sliding challenge of Germany national team constituent and FC Arsenal centerback PER MERTESACKER (4) during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 first leg match at the Emirates Stadium in the nothern Islington borough of London, England.
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FC ARSENAL : Szczesny – Sagna, Koscielny, Mertesacker, Vermaelen – Wilshere, Arteta – Ramsey (Rosicky 71′), Cazorla, Podolski (Giroud 71′) – Walcott

BAYERN MUNICH : Neuer – Lahm, van Buyten, Dante, Alaba – Martinez, Schweinsteiger – Mueller, Kroos (Luiz Gustavo 73′), Ribery (Robben 63′) – Mandzukic (Gomez 78′)

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