Pictures and Memories of Sam

The greatest pleasure Dick took from the forum he created was the friendships it fostered with him personally, as well as among group members.  This was never going to be a faceless chat room, not with Dick Dorr being its driving force.  It seems, however, that only he could have created a group that has become this personal to all.

An appropriate tribute, then, would be to dedicate a thread to pictures everyone may have of themselves or other group members with Dick.  The idea was started in a conversation with 112288, who, together with his wife, is among the many board members who became friends with the Dorrs.  Great idea Rich!

One of the things Dick often mentioned when the passing of a group member or related person was noted, was that no person is really gone as long as there are others whose life he or she touched, that would carry their memory or actions forward.  Perhaps this is one way, all of us together, can begin to do just that.

Feel free to post pictures you have here and add a comment too if you like.

Sending our condolences on the loss of a wonderful friend. May Dick's soul rest in peace. (Photo taken last summer at Cape Cod - dinner with the Dorr's.)

Rich (112288) and Karen, with Dick and Sally

Dean (NYCelt), Nancy and Michael, with Dick and Sally. July 2015 on Cape Cod.

I was never fortunate enough to have any pictures taken with Dick. My loss, for sure. I have always told anyone I talked to about the Forum that it was an honor to be included in this special "club"! Being a woman, it would have been easy for anyone to just ignore what I had to say and just move on. Dick never let that happen. I will forever be grateful for his friendship and caring for my family. Unfortunately I have no picture to add here just my thoughts. Thank you all for sharing what ever pictures you have, it is a wonderful gesture.

Rosalie

This isn't a picture, but it's my favorite post Sam ever wrote on the boston.com forum, talking about the old Boston Garden and watching it being torn down:

Slippery Sam wrote:I miss the old place too. It's just not the same. For years I sat in section 113 (1st balcony across from the visitors bench) and loved every minute of every game I saw. There was real emotion at the Garden rather then piped-in, scoreboard driven enthusiasm.

In the Garden you could count on bumping elbows with real knowledgeable fans every night that lived and died with the team and thankfully there was a whole lot of living going on back then.

One of my saddest sports moments was driving up the old expressway and looking over to my left to see the Garden cut in half as they were taking it down. I hadn't expected to see it like that and somehow (an unrealistic and unexpected emotion I guess) I thought it should have been given more dignity when it died. I could see my old seats and still remember the feeling that overwhelmed me after all the great times I experienced there.
I miss the old place too. I just don't have the connection to the new one and probably never will.

Here's another comment Sam made about the old Garden in the same thread as the above comment. He made it in May, 2008, when the Celtics were still 22 years removed from their last Championship.

Slippery Sam wrote:Dav,

I can't even recall the reasons why they substituted the new Garden for the old one. I assume at least some of them may have been structural.

What I miss most is the sound. I'm not sure if the crowds have since become more "corporate" and less loud...or the acoustics of the old place magnified the sound more...or if I'm just imagining it (I don't believe so). But both the intensity and the length of the really major roars were unmatched in the old place...despite the fact that the crowds were smaller than at TD Whatever.

I'm thankful for the parquet floor (cosmetically similar to the original one) and the presence of the banners as reminders of the old place.

Perhaps my fondest memory regarding the old building itself (as distinct from what transpired there) was actually swinging from one of the rafters.

It wasn't a a basketball game but at a U2 concert. My wife had broken a leg, and I wheeled her from our apartment (only four blocks away in the North End) to the Garden. They put us way up top to accommodate her wheelchair on the floor behind all the rows of seats. There was a wall about three feet high between the seats and the level floor. I climbed the wall and was able to reach a rafter, which I swung out on (not too far) while they were playing "Where the Streets Have No Name."

The only problem was the hidden rat poop that lined the ridge I was handing onto. My hands got covered with it. Now it's worth it because I can tell the story, but it didn't seem worth it back in the early 90s.

I think that, if the Celtics can win a championship, the new Garden will finally be initiated into the annals of Celtic lore. Time marches on.

Sam

http://www.boston.com/community/forums/sports/sports-archive/general/prediction/100/6180394?ia=9053400

Ah....the old Garden. Little did we know, we sat on the same side only I sat across from the Celtic bench, where Sam was across from the visitors.  We saw so many comical things happen on that bench!!!  At this age, it is the memories that carry you on.
I am sure that Sam felt the same way, he had more than me, as he was friendly with some of the Celtic players and such a wonderful friend of Sam Jones.  If we could have bottled up those memories we would have enough to fill this forum for a life time!

Here is a picture from April of 2015 at a Celtics game.  My young friend from the Berkshires, me, and Sam.  Should surprise no one that Sam went out of his way to make our youngest Forum member Brandon feel like a million bucks.

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At the Whisky Tavern I believe.

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Sam right behind Red.

It will be one of the greatest regrets in this life that I never met sam face to face. That being the case I have no photographs of him to offer.

It is said that a photograph is with a thousand words but I submit that a single word may be worth a thousand pictures as well.

Richard Dorr : Freind

Long way away from BDC, huh Matty? We will have our memories to get us through.

Your post speaks for all of us, as that is what we thought of Sam through the years.

Rosalie

A better title for this thread might be Pictures and Memories of Sam, rather than just pictures.  So please note the change.

One of the things that is starting to come to light here, is the amount of time Dick spent communicating with and getting to know the members of this forum. There are many he befriended and formed close ties to without ever standing in the same room.  As strong as his devotion was to the Celtics (or Sox), he was much more interested in getting to know a person, learning about their own passions and sharing of himself.

By way of example, my son, my wife and I have gotten together with Dick and Sally at least annually for over a decade.  If Dick and I discussed the Celtics or the forum at all, the total time over all those years could not have been 20 minutes.  We did that mainly in writing, right here or through private messaging and email.  On a couple of occasions we had the good fortune of 112288 and his wife being part of the gathering, on The Cape and in Boston.  I think they would confirm that we all talked about everything from family to favorite music to business.  Dick was incredibly interested in the professional lives of board members and would freely share his own experiences.  I don't think Dick could have told you who my favorite Celtic was, but he could tell you my son's sports, positions and grade in school.  

The last we heard from him was a few weeks back, when he accidentally called my wife's phone while he and Sally were at Fenway, waiting for a Foo Fighters concert!  When Nancy started out with "that was Dick, they're at Fenway," I expected to hear at a Sox game.  Not so.  Talk about eclectic tastes; Sinatra to the Foo Fighters.

So picture, memory, or both.  We changed the title after all!

Nycelt,

You bring up a very good point. In all the times we got together with him, we very rarely talked basketball. Music was a huge part of his life, and he knew as much about that, as he did basketball. His interest in everyone's personal life was genuine

Two years ago or so, Dick, Sally, Worcester, and I believe gyso, came to a gig I was playing at in Sarasota. They had a great time talking amongst themselves. When we got back to my place for a cook out, Dick came up to me and said " I know you didn't think I was paying attention, but I noticed you sang Paul McCartney's harmony on the second verse of Norwegian Wood" I was floored that he picked that up during 4 hrs of conversation and laughs! I think about that every time I play there.

For those of you that didn't get a chance to meet him, the warmth that you felt here, was only amplified in person, and his charm and humor were always on the fore-front.

This is killing me!

Pete

In 2012, as many of you know, I started to have health issues and ended up at the hospital in an induced coma. During that time Dick called my home checking to see if I was okay. My husband had a stroke during the same time I was in the hospital. He finally called Dick back and talked to him at great length. I still have the recording on my phone of Dick's message. Somehow I could never bring myself to erase it. I ended up spending three and a half months in the hospital. During that time I received a beautiful bouquet of white and green flowers from my friends here. It was so heart warming. I know he was responsible for this.

One year later I was scheduled for open heart surgery.
While I was lying in my bed at the hospital I received phone call after phone call from many of you here. Again, I am sure Dick's had alot to do with it. We
had talked at great length about his needing valve surgery himself. Again, his caring was so heart warming. When I came home I received a call from Sam Jones, Dick's good friend. It was thrilling to talk to him, he was so kind also.

I will never forget the friendship I formed with Dick even though we only met once. I told him all the time that I considered this forum as a safe haven where I could come and talk to wonderful Celtic fans and be treated so wonderful. That is all thanks to Dick. I have bragged for years about this forum and the people who belong here. Dick was a big reason why we came and STAYED for the duration.

I will continue to come here, chat with all of you as I consider you all my friends, but not having Dick watch my back will be
hard to get used do.

Rosalie

BobH, NYCelt, Gyso, Pete, Beat, Matty, Berlin, and all the rest,
you are the torch bearer's now.

Rosalie,

Pretty sure Sam would ask every member of this forum to carry the torch. All members and friends of his were equally important and cherished.

pete

gyso wrote:

This is a great picture Bob of me, my Dad and my friend Dick.

RIP

Great Pic!

Yes that is a really nice photo.

dboss