John Ritz rests beneath the worn stone on the left I had arrived at Altoona's Fairview Cemetery to remember two local baseball players who rest within the sacred grounds. On this journey I had been joined by Zech and Jen as we explored the region. We had parked at the top of the hillside, in … Continue reading The Brief Career of James Ritz
Grave of John Gochnaur, Fairview Cemetery, Altoona Of all the cemeteries I’ve ever been in, Altoona’s Fairview Cemetery was the one that definitely needed some help. From the moment I passed through the gates on Willow Avenue, I was shocked by the condition of the cemetery grounds. The hillside was marred by sunken graves, toppled … Continue reading John Gochnaur: The Worst Shortstop Ever?
Vincent Hudson, St. John's Cemetery, Altoona Driving slowly along Altoona’s First Avenue, we could see the grave of Vincent Hudson a short distance off the road, but that was the closest we could get to it from this street due to the iron fencing. Turning onto Tenth Street, I carefully maneuvered the vehicle through the … Continue reading The Strange Death of Vincent Hudson
William "Big Bill" Taylor A heavy frost clung to the grass as I entered the sacred grounds of Charlottesville Cemetery. The small cemetery sits on the southern edge of Old Route 220, within a stone’s throw of Del Grosso’s Amusement Park, and I had to wonder how many people pass by it without realizing it … Continue reading Unsolved: The Murder of “Big Bill” Taylor
Memorial for the Battle of Frankstown, Altoona It was raining. The forecast had called for a cool, beautiful, sunny day but my trip to Altoona was cold, rainy and dreary. I was driving along Route 764, headed towards Duncansville, when the stone monument caught my attention. With traffic, I did not have time to stop, … Continue reading The Battle Of Frankstown
Robert Ramazzotti, Calvary Cemetery, Altoona I finished paying my respects to Thomas "Tommy" Irwin and walked back toward the vehicle. Though I knew I had a number of graves to visit on this trip, I knew there was another baseball player who rested close to Irwin’s resting place. Note: more about Irwin can be found … Continue reading Robert “Bob” Ramazzotti
The Pennsylvania Rambler 