​The Red Wing Pride – Class of 1965

The Red Wing Pride – Class of 1965

By Dennis Sevano

It was 1965. The Temptations released “My Girl”, followed by Barbara Lewis with “Baby I’m Yours”, Frank Sinatra with “September of my Years”, Barbra Streisand’s “My Name is Barbra” , The Rolling Stones, “I Can’t Get No Satisfaction” , The Lovin’ Spoonful, “Do you Believe in Magic", and The Beatles “Yesterday”.

We are approaching 60 yester years from the time the class of ’65 at Hoboken High School graduated: still exhaling from the loss of a JFK, the rising Irish hope in ’63, and trying to settle through times of a massive power failure in the Northeast, unrest in Los Angeles, the Freedom March by MLK in Alabama, and a sense of foreboding and growing apprehension about Viet-Nam. Yet, in 1965, we approached our teenage wonder years with quiet uneasiness and optimism.

Peter, Paul, and Mary’s version of Bob Dylan’s song “Blowin in the Wind,” was too early for us to catch the wind but classmates were growing. The group of ’65 moved forward to grow up (perhaps in some cases not growing), all with a smile.

Too many veterans to name reached Vietnam. In 1985, Livio Capilla, a 21-year veteran Navy pilot relayed a story worth telling. While serving in Naples, Italy in one of his tours, a one- year- old relative became seriously ill in a small town outside of Naples. Livio reached out to a respected hospital for help. Mr. Capilla was approached by Dr. John Minervini, someone Livio had not seen in 20 years from the class of 1965! John was doctoring in Italy before returning to the States and the youngster recovered.

The class also had strong women in both the academic and commercial tracks who eventually entered professions like teaching, accounting, medicine, as well as raising families. Raymond Heitman and Marilyn Edelstein were our stellar scholars.

There are many stories to tell that come from Hoboken High School with athletes and coaches who married their childhood sweethearts. Anthony Giordano, attended St. Francis Catholic School, and Edward Stinson went on to St. Peter and Paul’s. Both played Little League baseball and became young stars in Pop Warner Football at ages 12 and 13 when Hoboken, in 1959, was the USA Champ and in 1960 reached second place among at least 3000 teams across the nation competing for the title. Both played Babe Ruth baseball and made varsity teams in three sports at Hoboken High, a rarity for any secondary athletic star. Both achieved All County status. Each played college football - Anthony out west and Ed staying in the east. What separated them from any Hoboken class was their spirited success as high school coaches and friends.

Both men met strong women as partners. Marie Giangolano and Elaine Thom respectively married Edward Stinson and Anthony Giordano. Their athletic records are too many to list, but Coach Stinson had 67 wins and 1 loss making the school a national powerhouse in football with some sportswriters claiming that the Football Team of the 90’s in New Jersey would make the class of ’65 feel a sense of pride.

Anthony “Bubbi” Giordano cultivated his highly competitive spirit in his childhood by playing old time marbles – a “street game” known to the youth of the day. He landed a position in the Asbury Park School District through a mere coincidence, when an old friend from Hoboken called him at his home in Forked River down the Jersey Shore. Under his Asbury Park leadership, his track and field team won 14 state relays and 14 titles! The Asbury Park High School Blue Bishops were the dominant team in track and field, much as Hoboken was in football. Larry Avitable, a football force in his own era and later a high school counselor, went to college with Anthony and coached with Edward. He said of them, “Winners in all areas of athletic competition - fierce in weight training way before its time.” Jerry Smith, a former English Teacher and Track & Field successful coach in Hoboken, added, “Bubbi was ahead of his time when it came to getting the best out of teenagers – a true Jersey track and field powerhouse in New Jersey.”

The Beatles “Yesterday” is their signature song with some romantic misgivings, but another take on the message would be reaching back and recapturing moments of pleasure and pride while our fading memories take hold.

Ed and Anthony are icons in the annals of sports excellence, the likes of whom are not to be seen in any past, present or future Hoboken High School class.