Among the more delightful gifts, unexpectedly bestowed upon me in recent months, was the request that I interview James Gleason. The only information I had, prior to our visit, was that his godson, Peter Martin, would arrange the time and escort me to meet his life-long family friend and mentor: a man who was born on the Point exacdy one hundred years ago.

Little did I know the treat that, for nearly two hours, was in store! This is a man whose mind, heart and spirit belie his years. In his own words, Mr. Gleason "Gets on in years, but doesn't get old." And his memory is phenomenal. He showed me a photograph of a baseball team (pointers, all) that he organized when they were fresh men in high school - recalling not only the name of each member, but the position each one played. He said that they wanted to play baseball in what is now Hunter's Field, by the Van Zandt bridge; however, at that time (early 1920s), the property was owned by Mr. Hayes who preferred to use it to pasture his cows. The competition (Bovine vs. Baseball) accelerated to major proportions until Mr. Hayes - desperate to deter the players - ploughed up the whole field...! Grateful we are today to those who ultimately won the batde for future generations of Point sports enthusiasts.

Fishing, boating, swimming, football, tennis and basketball are high on Mr. Gleason's list of other favorite sports. He has vivid memories of Jerry Sullivan building the Van Zandt Pier (whence his fishing days began); and he later went on to organize neighborhood-trained basketball teams throughout the Northeast, culminating in a popular enterprise known as the Eastern States' Catholic Invitational Basket Ball League.

Born on 26 September 1907, Mr. Gleason shared his childhood home with his parents and two sisters at 12 Maidand Court, together with a whole panoply of close neighbors. Harveys, Smiths, Dwyers, Burnhams, Eastons, Tastons, Lawtons are among the good friends he remembers.

Stores on every corner of the Point back in the first half of the 20th century provided all that was necessary to Good Living - everything from Tripp's Meat and Grocery Market at the corner of 3rd Street and LaSalle (boasting 5 employees) to the requisite "treat" store like Langley's on Chase Street which specialized in ice cream and penny candy. School- for Mr. Gleason: St. Joseph's at the junction of Touro Street and Long Wharf - was reached by walking along the railroad tracks; and if "distant" parts of the city needed accessing, the trolley was readily available.

Favorite gathering places for young and old alike in those days included the Cenacle, where Fr. McCarthy led retreats; the Listerine Gum Factory (later acquired by Wrigley's) that provided sheets of Chicklet coated gum; and Battery Park, where the grandstand featured a fine Municipal Band on Sunday afternoons. Point Hummers were less known for their musical talent than for their ability to attract attention as a "Great Guy" or not, as the case may be - 'tho Bill Sullivan's additional reputation as a great banjo player made him a "Double Hummer".

Reflecting now upon our October conversation, I wonder whether it was his childhood experience of watching the building of the Torpedo Station on Goat Island that inspired James Gleason to become a mechanical engineer. His training in that capacity by naval officers at the Prentis School in 1925 led to an amazing career. Positions with the General Services Organization, American Can, the War Assets Association and the Defense Supply Agency ranged from such diverse responsibilities as: participation in the appropriate disposal/ distribution of war surplus materials to inspecting Nike sites throughout the U.S.

Married in 1940 at St. Augustin's church to the late Frances Shea, Mr. Gleason speaks lovingly of the years they shared raising their three children, Jerry, Jack and Patricia, in their home on Narragansett Avenue - a house, he recalls, that Frances had both the "temerity and the wisdom" to buy in 1941 while he was off Island on a business trip, blithely unaware until his stunned return - of her purchase!

Still surrounded by friends and family - the latter now expanded to include three "grands" and four "greatgrands" - this gregarious and charming man has just been awarded his well deserved Born on the Point Certificate. Our only regret is that he was unable to join us the evening of our October Point Association meeting to receive either the certificate or the accolades with which we had hoped to greet him. Please do come and be with us next time, dear Mr. Gleason. The paper award is now properly in your possession - the accolades await your most welcome presence!