~ Malden Musings ~ The Many Loves of Butch Gennetti

The Many Loves of Butch Gennetti

By Peter Levine

The Saint Rocco Feast once again proved that Malden is a very special place to live, raise a family and become part of a community. As former Principal at Malden High School and current voice of reason in Malden, Dana Brown, noted shortly after the Festa, “Malden can be that beacon, a shining light on that sweet spot where a near 100-year tradition collides with our new diversity and we flourish; Mission accomplished with more work to be done!” Well said, sir. Yes indeed, we gathered once more at Pearl Street on that second weekend in August just as our forebears before us had done. Since 1929. Pilgrims showed up en masse with their happy face on to enjoy “Richie’s Meatball Subs,” “Butch’s Sausage and Peppers” and “Lucille’s Arancini” while catching up with friends from back in the day (hello, Johnny Molinari and Phil Castinetti) and friends just made (hello, Ward 5 Councillor Ari Taylor & Supt. of Malden Public Schools Dr. Timothy Sippel).

This year’s Festa was loads of fun but had a more somber feel to it, especially during the Procession (even with a shot of Henny White Cognac in us before the walk in honor of Butch). That underlying feeling that we were missing our spiritual mentor, Butch Gennetti, was prevalent the whole darn Procession route as well as the whole darn weekend. “The Purple One” was with each and every one of us in spirit and in our hearts, but not seeing him lead the Procession this year with his grandson Robby made it a difficult walk. We missed him so very much, my words – our words – could not even begin to describe the loss each of us felt, each of his family members felt.

I’m reminded of a quote from his son Sal’s epic eulogy of Butch. Sal’s 2,790 words reached into our souls and tugged deeply on our heartstrings. Thank you, Sal, for bringing it home for us and sharing your most inner feelings. Not easy, I know. We were a mess that day; you shined some light on that dismal morning: “The players and coaches from the Boston Celtics 2008 Championship Team to this day, share the ancient African word ‘ubuntu’ with each other. The meaning of the word is ‘humanity to others.’ It is often described as reminding us that ‘I am what I am because of who we all are.’ With the word ‘ubuntu’ in mind, each one of us could close our eyes and write a ‘Celebration of Life Memorial’ for our father, your husband, uncle, cousin, friend, colleague and our Malden Police Commissioner, Salvatore “Butch” Gennetti.”

It truly was Butch’s world, he invited us in, we gladly accepted. Butch lived 85 exceptionally colorful years – living and loving his way through each and every one of those years right up until he said goodbye. His way. With class, dignity, style, all the while being that charismatic local shaman we came to admire and hold in esteem. Damn it! It was just not long enough!!!

I want to close this out with something I go to on occasion, beautifully written by Don McLean; it captures succinctly how we all feel about this gentleman and how he impacted our lives. Your time with us, Butch, fleeting as that page was, but as long as there is Edgeworth, Malden, your family and friends, you will not be forgotten: “The book of life is brief, and once a page is read, all but love is dead, that is my belief.” The Butch Gennetti love fest will continue in the near future. Love you, Butch.

It is said in “Malden Musings”…

• Guilty pleasure of the week…it is pure joy to watch – from 1964 on Judy Garland’s weekly CBS Sunday night program there is a video on YouTube for the Shirley Ellis song “The Nitty Gritty.” I’ll let “The Andrew Martin Report” take it from here: “Featured front and center was a young male dancer, whose dark hair and black button eyes made him an immediate standout, aside from his impeccable rhythm and the fact that he was tearing into it like his last meal. His name turns out to be Bobby Banas, and besides how brilliant he was in that particular performance, before and after that he’d already made featured appearances in such films as West Side Story.” Legendary visual performance, one for the ages, sure to put a smile on your face.
• The Bombino and Pisaturo families wish to send out a great big hug and thank you to all who showed up on Saturday, May 18, at the Annual Bombino/Pisaturo American Cancer Society Fundraiser at the Italian American Citizens’ Club. The fun started early in the day and didn’t stop until everybody was fed and every gift basket was distributed – an amazing day raising over 20 grand for the ACS!
• In the time is still undefeated department…Billy Hoole has left the building but not before living a life most of us would envy. Billy loved life and knew how to maximize the joy in each day. From Malden High to Emporia State University in Kansas to the Keys and Hernando in Florida to Scuttlebutts in Salem, Mass., and all points in between; that was his playground. Billy played hard, had an infectious smile and could easily win over any crowd with his charismatic style. I got to know Billy up the old Y. He was an outstanding athlete, one of the finest wrestlers Malden High has ever produced and a Maldonian who stuck his nose into every sport he participated in. It was always a pleasure having Billy on my hoop team at the Y. He grew up there and knew all the dead spots on the court, knew every angle of that ancient basketball court, never, ever got winded and always knew where the best parties were after we worked out. I just loved the guy. Rest peacefully, old friend.
• I loved the June 28 (Pisa Pizza CEO) Joe Crowley endorsement (in these same pages) for State Rep. Paul Donato. Fellow State Rep Steve Ultrino was also in the picture with his arm around Paul, and darn it, I wish I was in that picture with my arm around Paul, too! I wholeheartedly endorse Paul for reelection and hope my friends in Malden/Medford feel the same way.
• Raise your hand high in the air if you agree that Malden may have the worst parallel parkers in the Commonwealth. Malden Square was utterly chaotic one recent Friday around 4:30 in the afternoon as Uber drivers double parked; FedEx trucks added to the mishigas parked halfway on the sidewalk halfway on the street; DoorDash delivery dudes double parked (say that three times fast!) in the middle of the street to ensure you got your meal fresh and quick; and parallel parkers added to the confusion with the most convoluted attempts at squeezing into spaces I have ever witnessed. Sufferin’ succotash and fuhgeddaboudit!

“Sherman, set the Wayback Machine to…” Presley Street’s Boy’s Life were all the rage in 1980! From the East Coast to the West Coast, these four talented Chuck Taylor wearing, rock n roll trailblazers from Malden were setting the 1980’s “punk rock” world on fire – straight outta John (Surrette’s) garage on Presley Street to stardom and back. Here was their schedule for July of 1980:

7/1 – The Rumble at the Rat

7/20 – The Underground with The Clothespins

7/15 – The Rat with the Deacons

7/22 – On the Rocks in Yarmouth, Mass.

7/23 – Cantone’s with The Loners

7/24 – Cantone’s with The Loners

As Peter Falk’s iconic TV character Columbo would say, “Just one more thing, sir” – celebrated writer/poet Frank Spignese is a really cool cat. Here he is paying homage to Butch Gennetti in that inimitable Frankie Spignese style: “Rest in Peace, Butch Gennetti! Butch Gennetti was a police officer in my neighborhood when I was growing up. I’m unsure of his exact status, or the term that should be used to refer to him, but he was high ranking, a captain or such. He was a good person and (in my mind) a local celebrity. In my mid-teens I got busted for doing something teenagers should not be doing and was thrown in the back of a patrol car. Taken into custody but not officially arrested if my law terminology serves me right. The cops drove me down to the precinct and put me in a windowless room alone and left me without ‘proper bathroom facilities.’ After a spell, Butch came in and basically said: ‘Frankie, get your act together. If your parents knew what you were up to they would be heartbroken. Be a good boy.’ He did me a solid. He gave me a pass. I wouldn’t have been sent to Attica, but I would’ve been in the doghouse with my parents and had to sleep in a dumpster behind Kappy’s for a week or two. Good man that Butch Gennetti. Throughout my high school years, he would come and lecture me and my classmates about how and why we should not do drugs. I never followed his advice but I’m grateful for his thoughtfulness and sincerity. He was a solid dude. He made my life better in a way that he will never know. Thank you kindly, sir. Rest in Peace.”

—Peter is a longtime Malden resident and a regular contributor to The Malden Advocate and can be reached at PeteL39@aol.com for comments, compliments or criticisms.