On December 6, 1845, Alpha Sigma Phi Fraternity was founded at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. The fraternity established several other chapters over the years, but all except one at Marietta College in Ohio - including the original chapter at Yale - closed by the end of the century.

On March 27, 1907, the one remaining chapter at Marietta College was able to re-found the original chapter at Yale, continuing a proud tradition that has now lasted over 160 years. Because of this re-founding of the original Yale chapter, one of Alpha Sigma Phi's symbols is the phoenix, the mythological firebird which is reborn out of its own ashes.

On March 26, 1988, the Delta Xi chapter of Alpha Sigma Phi was founded at SUNY Plattsburgh in Plattsburgh, New York. On May 15, of 2002, their charter was revoked.

Tonight, March 7th 2009, the phoenix began to rise again. After nearly seven years of dormancy, there is once again a presence of Alpha Sigma Phi Fraternity at SUNY Plattsburgh - in the form of a new officially recognized colony.

Congratulations to the new Alpha Sigma Phi colony at SUNY Plattsburgh! Good luck on your journey towards rechartering the Delta Xi chapter.

Labels: Alpha_Sigma_Phi, Plattsburgh

On Saturday I played golf for the first time in many many years. I've played only three times in the past 10 years, but I don't think I've played a full round of 18 holes since I was a teenager, and I've definitely never played in a tournament before.

This story begins earlier this year when my fraternity brother "Slops" decided that we should organize a memorial golf tournament in honor of brothers who have passed away, two of which were in his wedding party just a few years ago. Slops lives just a few miles away in Fort Mill, South Carolina, so that's where he organized the event to take place - 1,000 miles away from our former-chapter of Alpha Sigma Phi in Plattsburgh, New York. It was called the Omega Chapter Memorial Golf Tournament because Alpha Sigs from anywhere who have passed away are said to be in the Omega Chapter. (Omega is the final letter in the greek alphabet.) Over the following several months we had well over a dozen brothers verbally committing to travel all the way down from New York to play in the tournament, in addition to another dozen golfers from the Charlotte area. Two weeks before the tournament we were down to a dozen total golfers, but that was still a descent number. Although many more people joined us after golf for a formal dinner, only six golfers actually played in the tournament: Five brothers (including myself) and my brother-in-law John.

Despite it's small size, the golf outing (perhaps I should stop calling it a tournament now) was a great time. After a pre-golf lunch of "big giant sub" in honor of brother Ida, we hit the links on the former property of the old PTL made infamous by Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker in the 1980's. We split into 2 teams of 3. I was with Slops and my brother-in-law John. The other team was "Twoobs", "Motley", and "Loaf". (Before I go on, I'll just answer the obvious question - no, I did not have a fraternity nickname.) We played best score from the team on each hole went to the team score.

We all toasted the brothers in the Omega Chapter and then teed off. Both teams were tied after 9, when Slops and Loaf dropped out to heckle the remaining golfers. So the teams on the back 9 dwindled to Twoobs and Motley versus me and my brother-in-law.

Tied after 16, team Twoobs/Motley took a 1 stroke lead on the 17th. Down by 1 on the 18th hole my opening drive sucked as usual. Figuring I had nothing to lose now, I took out my fairway woods for the first time in almost 20 years. Shockingly, I smacked a bomb straight down the middle of the fairway, more than making up for my horrible drive. Then immediately after my shot of the day, came a new shot of the day. I hit a high, rain-making 7-iron shot that landed just 1 foot from the pin. This put us a near-gimme putt away from a par. Twoobs was lying 2 well off the green and now needed to par the hole to keep their win. Hit chipped it about 10 feet from the pin and now had to sink the long putt to win. After a lengthy surveying of the green, analyzing the slope and breaking point, Twoobs made his 10 foot putt for par and the 1 stroke win. Team Sussman-and-brother-in-law had to buy the round, but it was well worth it for such a great ending to a great day of golf.

Afterwards we all me up at the clubhouse with many others (non-brothers) who came out to honor those who have passed away. Among them were family and friends of some of the deceased brothers being remembered. We passed around old photos and reminisced over stories. Then we all sat down for a nice dinner, followed by after-hours back at Slops'.

It was a great time. Playing golf was fun, even though I shot a 103! Plus, instead of working all day Saturday as usual, I got to hang out with my fraternity brothers and my brother-in-law (whom I rarely see even though he lives here in Charlotte too). Here's a link to some photos I took.

Labels: Alpha_Sigma_Phi, friends

On Saturday we visited Northport. First we briefly stopped by Northport High School where Patty and I first met. (No, we never dated back then.) Then we had lunch at Shipwreck Diner on Main Street and walked around the docks and Northport Village Park.

Our trip to Northport made us a bit late for our plans for the rest of the day. We met up with my fraternity brothers, Flintstone (Mike) and Steve in Port Jefferson. I pledged with Flintstone in 1991 and we have 1001 great stories. Steve pledged in 1992, we were roommates our senior year, and he was the best man at my wedding in 1997. The last time I saw either of them was when I traveled up for homecoming in 2003, so it's been five years - and we didn't skip a beat. It was immediately like old times like we had seen each other just last week. Aside from some gray hairs, the boys haven't really changed much.

All the wives and all the kids were all there. Patty's known Flintstone and Steve as long as I have but she didn't go to homecoming in 2003 so she hadn't seen them since Maegan was one year old in 1999 (aside from a few minutes at my dad's funeral). Maegan's now 10, and all the other kids were 4 or younger. Maegan spent hours playing with the kids and pulling them around in a wagon. It was great to see all of our kids playing together but who'd-a-thunk this scene 16 years ago.

Back in the day we wouldn't have even gone out before 9:30pm, but with wives and kids and just being older (out of shape, not wiser) 9:30pm was now staying out late, so we had to head back to Queens. It was great to hang out again, even while having to watch the kids. I hope we don't go another five years before doing it again.

Labels: Alpha_Sigma_Phi, friends, New_York, vacation

After catching up with a long lost college friend a few weeks ago, I called up another long lost college friend last night. Mike Harding (a.k.a. "Flintstone") was my fraternity pledge brother in '91 and an usher at my wedding in '97 (when I still lived in New York). It's now been almost four years since I last saw Mike in person in 2003. It's been 'only' two years since we last spoke on the phone, but in that time Mike has gotten married and had two kids. In fact, his new baby boy was born last month, just two weeks after Darah was born. And get this... his new baby's middle name is Shea too!

Hey Mike, keep in touch.
Phi.

Labels: Alpha_Sigma_Phi, friends

It's been more than a week since my last post. There's been plenty to blog about but I just haven't had the time, so I'll give a brief recap.

• Darah is doing fine, as are Patty and Maegan too. Every three hours she wakes up hungry, cries until she's fed, gets her diaper changed, wants to be held, eventually falls asleep, and then start all over again. She's sleeping plenty, but not on our schedule.
  
• Last night I got a phone call from a good friend from college, Steve Smrek (far left in this photo). He's a fraternity brother, former housemate, and was the best man at my wedding... but I haven't had any communication with him at all since 2003. Apparently we've both emailed each other many times since then but our messages just weren't getting through and we were both too lazy to pick up a phone until now. Everything is going well with Smrek, and he tells me that another good friend I haven't spoken with in a few years, Flintstone (behind Smrek in that same photo), just had his 2nd child only a few days ago. Looks like I need to have another long overdue phone call very soon.
  
• I worked all weekend. On Saturday I missed a rare opportunity to see the Mets beat the Yankees on national television, and I missed the 400th episode and season finale of The Simpsons on Sunday.
  
• Speaking of The Simpsons, I found out that the new Simpsons video game that I was looking forward to later this year will not be made for X-Box. This is becoming common practice now as Microsoft pressures game manufacturers to stop supporting the old X-Box system in order to force gamers to buy a new X-Box 360.
  
• My mother will be visiting this Memorial Day weekend. This will be the 1st time she sees her new granddaughter.
  

Labels: Alpha_Sigma_Phi, Darah, friends

Chapters of Alpha Sigma Phi national fraternity are identified by assigning Greek letter designations in the order by which each chapter was founded. My chapter at SUNY Plattsburgh was designated as the Delta Xi chapter. However there is no school designated as Omega. The reason is that Omega is the final letter in the Greek alphabet, and as such it signifies the end. So instead of using it as a school designation, the term "Omega Chapter" is respectfully reserved for brothers who have passed away. Last night, another fraternity brother of mine joined the Omega chapter.

Mike Ida passed away last night in Charleston, SC. He pledged during either my junior or senior year of college, and I was fortunate enough to hang out with him a couple of times in the last few years down here in the Carolinas. Mike was a good man and to say he enjoyed life was an understatement.

I'm saddened by Mike's untimely passing, but I'm also a bit disturbed at the number of fraternity brothers that I personally knew in college who have all joined the Omega chapter in their 30's or younger. That number is already up to five. Even more disturbing is that three of my fraternity brothers have now died in each of the past three consecutive Aprils; my pledge brother Jim in April of 2005, Bugsy in April of 2006, and now Mike in April of 2007.

-In Phi

Labels: Alpha_Sigma_Phi, friends

Last week I got an unexpected phone call from a representative of Alpha Sigma Phi National Fraternity. A brother Mike Finelli (Bowling Green, class of 2003) said that he would be visiting Charlotte on fraternity business next week and he wanted to schedule time to speak with me about the state of the fraternity and their plans for the future. My time is extremely limited but I made the time to meet with brother Finelli today.

He explained various programs and initiatives of the Alpha Sigma Phi Educational Foundation, including scholarships and leadership training. It was actually impressive how much the national fraternity has improved since my college days. Back in my day, only once or twice was a president lucky enough to be able to attend the national convention. For the vast majority of undergraduate brothers the national headquarters completely failed in their promise "to better the man", and we were never in contact with brothers from any other chapters. Today the national headquarters host a number of regionally located conferences that all undergraduate brothers are encouraged to attend. Mike told me that over 40% of undergraduate brothers have attended these conferences, which are designed to benefit undergraduate brothers by teaching about everything from leadership to risk management. It was nice to hear about the availability of these programs but I wish the national headquarters had been even half that helpful when I was a student. Back then, the national headquarters just took your dues and once a year they sent a representative to check that we weren't breaking any rules.

Labels: Alpha_Sigma_Phi

I just learned the sad news today that a friend and fraternity brother of mine has died tragically. Guy Moran, known to everybody as "Bugsy", was mountain biking in California and got separated from his group.

Although we never attended college at the same time, Bugsy was the reason I became a brother of Alpha Sigma Phi. I had no interest in pledging any fraternity but I went along with some friends to an Alpha Sig rush. Bugsy had already graduated but he was up visiting for the weekend and talked with me for at least an hour about what the fraternity meant to him and convinced me to continue rushing. I got to know Bugsy much better many years later I moved here to Charlotte and Bugsy was among several brothers who were also living here. Rest in peace.

In an eerie twist, another fraternity brother of mine, Jim Murphy, whom I actually pledged with, died tragically just last year... also while mountain biking.

News Link

Labels: Alpha_Sigma_Phi, friends

Alpha Sigma Phi National Fraternity is holding it's bi-annual national convention right here in Charlotte this weekend. Part of the convention featured a minor league baseball game at the Charlotte Knights. Since I'm an Alpha Sig alumnus (Delta Xi '91), I like baseball, and Knight's Castle is just a few miles away it was a no-brainer for me to go to the game last night. Patty wasn't interested in going but I brought Maegan along with me. I met up with some brothers attending the convention. That was pretty cool to chatting with them for a while.

Later Maegan and I sat on the grass berm down the right field line. A foul ball went over our heads and Maegan watched a bunch of kids run after the baseball. She asked me if she could get a foul ball and I told her she could try. I've been to easily over 100 baseball games and I've never gotten a foul ball. I told Maegan that if she wanted to try to get a fould ball she'd have to get right in there with the big kids who would be fighting for it. A couple of innings later there was a foul ball near by and several older boys went after it. When the ball bounced out of the pile of kids right towards Maegan she saw her opportunity and without hesitation, dove for the ball fully-outstretched. Her fingers just barely touched the ball and an older teenage boy got it. I was very impressed by the way Maegan wasn't afraid to get right in there with the big kids, and of her willingness to dive for the ball. I was also proud of the fact that she got up quickly, brushed herself off, and wasn't pouting about not getting the ball.

As Maegan walked back to me with a smile on her face for being so close, a relief pitcher for the Knights, Matt Skrmetta, called her to come over to the field. He told Maegan that he saw her dive for the ball and thought she tried really hard and deserved a baseball for her effort. He gave her a ball from the bull pen. Maegan was so happy! Matt Skrmetta played 14 games in the Major Leagues for the Expos and Pirates in 2000, but is otherwise a career minor leaguer who's played for 23 different professional teams in his 14 year career. Maegan didn't ask anybody for anything and she wasn't upset, so that was very nice of Mark to go out of his way to give a ball to Maegan just for trying so hard.

As for the game, it was a 0-0 tie for 7 full innings, but then the Rochester Red Wings broke it wide open with 3 in the 8th and another 5 in the 9th for an 8-0 Knights loss. But Maegan had a great time and is still excited about getting the baseball. Thank you, Mark.

Labels: Alpha_Sigma_Phi, baseball, Maegan