News From Fort Schuyler

September 22, 2008 - Volume 8, No. 33

CLASS ACT - The review of Nancy Goldner's book, Balanchine Variations, in the October 9th issue of the New York Review of Books, quotes her take on Balanchine's ballet, Rubies, which starred EDWARD VILLELLA, '59: "One thinks ....most of all of the merry chase that the cavalier takes his four pals on. Of course they can't keep up with him - who could keep up with Villella - but that's the point. Villella is the superb Edward Villella, the original Rubies male lead . (Patricia McBride was his partner) .....Villella's mix of virility and charm was his unique gift.....McBride and Villella gave every movement and the split-second transitions between them complete articulation. They danced their hearts out. There was no holding back." Edward Villella, the recipient of the Kennedy Center Medal for Lifetime Achievement in the Performing Arts, is currently Founding Artistic Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Miami Ballet. In 2004 he was inducted into the Dancers' Hall of Fame at the National Museum of Dance in Saratoga. (www.miamicityballet.org)

HONOR ROLL - The college has published its Spring 2008 semester honor roll. 115 students were on the Admiral's List, while the Dean's List listed 212 students. In order to qualify for Dean's list, a student must have a GPA between 2.950 and 3.449, and to qualify for Admiral's list, a student must have a GPA between 3.450 and 4.0. Congratulations to all for putting in that extra effort needed to excel in your academics. (www.sunymaritime.edu)

CLOSE BUT NO CIGAR - On Saturday, September 19, a beautiful day at Fort Schuyler, the Maritime College football team lost 30 to 21, to Randolph Macon College of Virginia. Next week the team will have a chance to even its record at 2-2 when it plays its Homecoming game against Norwich University. That's on Saturday, September 27th at 1:30. You can also support the Privateer football team financially by purchasing a NY Maritime Football Team Tie at Homecoming. According to a notice at the Alumni Association website, the net profit from these $65 ties goes to the team. For more information email Thomas Merrell '76 (merrell208@comcast.net) and/or go to the Association website to see what it looks like. (www.fsmaa.org)

EBB TIDE - The Alumni Association reported that ROBERT MAGGIO '45 of Bellport NY, died on September 13, 2008 after a long illness. It noted that, following his seagoing years, Maggio owned and operated a family business in Patchogue, NY which he ran for years. According to the July 14 minutes of the Patchogue town government, that property on Haven Avenue, the former Maggio's Bowling Alley, is now part of a municipal redevelopment district for the city's downtown area.

Information from JIM MOORE '56 indicates that the death date for JOEL PIERSON '60 was October 1, 2007.

OLIN STEPHENS, the naval architect who designed eight America's Cup winners along with thousands of other cruising and racing yachts, died at age 100 on September 13. In the 1977 elimination round to defend the Cup, one of the competing 12-meter boats was the ENTERPRISE, "a new all-aluminum boat, sponsored by the Maritime College at Fort Schuyler Foundation, Inc. She was designed by Olin Stephens, built by Minneford [on City Island]...." As a matter of fact, in the 1977 defense "...it is interesting to note that all four of these boats were built by the Minneford yard and that three of them were designed by Olin Stephens." (The Americas Cup 1977 Official Handbook, pp 60-61.) According to his obituary in the Washington Post, Stephens was born in the Bronx. He was forced to drop out of M.I.T. after his freshman year due to jaundice. "His real education came while working as an apprentice draftsman at the Henry Nevins boatyard on City Island in the Bronx, where he learned to design boats that were seaworthy, fast and comfortable for the crew."

www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/18/AR2008091803673.html Over the years many Maritime College graduates have been involved in America's Cup competitions, including GARY JOBSON '73, DICK SADLER '76, BILL TRENKLE '80, MIKE SPILLER '92, and CHRIS UECKER '99.