~ Malden Musings ~ Carl Chimi Speaks

By Peter Levine

“What you are about to read is a matter of human record. Explain it: we cannot. Disprove it: we cannot. We simply invite you to explore with us the amazing world of the Unknown … to take that One Step … Beyond.” When some guys talk, you just gotta listen. Here we have Carl Chimi from Maldonia USA retelling some tales that must be heard. For your reading pleasure, take it away, Carl: “In 1970, I was a 17-year-old senior at Malden High School. My friend, Phil Belanger, was also a senior, although a year younger. Phil and I shared a love of the music of that time. He was the first person I knew who had a hi fi system; that was a big deal back then. He introduced me to Traffic, the Allman Brothers, and the Mark Almond band, among others. Phil was very outgoing and cool; I was very shy. Somehow, Phil had become a volunteer at WBCN. He invited me to go with him to the station very early one Sunday morning.

“In those days, the station was on Stuart Street in downtown Boston, not far from the Common and Public Gardens. It was on the second or third floor of a nondescript office building. Phil showed me how to jimmy the outer door using a piece of card stock. I’m sure after 54 years I don’t remember everything accurately, but I do remember entering a big open room with desks. Directly across that room was the main broadcast studio, which was small. To the left was the teletype room. Behind that, across a hall from the studio, was the record room. Behind that was a small production studio, which was our goal that day. We used it to edit a school project tape recording. Phil amazed me, showing me how to dial in edits and use a razor blade and tape to splice cuts.

“To me, the record room was a treasure. We were allowed to take albums home as long as we returned them promptly. I think I first heard Buddy Holly and Hank Williams from records I borrowed. Phil somehow got me in as a volunteer, which amazed me because I was so shy and backward. It was absolutely the coolest thing I was ever part of when I was young. I met many of the DJs, although only Charles Laquidara and Tommy Hadges stand out, because they were both friendly and seemed not to recognize or accept that I was shy and backward. I remember Kate, the volunteer wrangler. Another volunteer was Leigh Buckley, the niece of William F. Buckley; we bonded over the (Stones) Let It Bleed album. I remember Steve Brandano (another classmate of mine) and I pulled from the teletype the news of Duane Allman’s death and rushed it into the on-air DJ, who then played Allman Bros songs for a while as a tribute.

“After high school I went to UMass/Boston, which literally surrounded the ’BCN offices on several sides. That meant I could still be a volunteer. I met quite a few interesting people, including Arthur ‘Big Boy’ Crudup, David Frye, and Joe Perry and Steven Tyler from Aerosmith. Their song, Dream On, was just getting airplay and they were having their first little taste of fame. I had seen them perform in Dover, MA, in a gazebo, so I told them I thought they were great. They seemed almost shy to me, very likeable, very down-to-earth. I remember being surprised that they were a few inches shorter than I was; I guess I thought all rock stars were huge back then. One summer (1971?) we all went over to the Common and played a softball game with Professor Irwin Corey as the umpire. He was manic and hilarious, and R-rated. No way his schtick involving the women who were playing would fly today.

“I also remember meeting Arnie ‘Woo-Woo’ Ginsberg, years earlier my favorite DJ from WMEX. That was exciting. He seemed by that point to have morphed into some kind of radio businessman bigwig, because I remember he was there for a business meeting.

“My memories of ’BCN in the very early ’70s are of a very funky, quirky, cool place to be. Phil and I got on the air for an hour at least once, and I think Phil even had his own program for a while. There was a lot of freedom in that place. No one told the DJs what to play. That was their domain and expertise. For me, it was a place that, by including me without a second thought, by making me a small part of it, made me just a little less shy and opened my eyes to a wider world of personalities and lifestyles. It was the coolest thing for me back then.

“I was a volunteer on a regular basis from 1970-73, and occasionally after until 1975. I was at the Pru studios a few times, but my life was moving on (and UMass moved, too, in 1975). My sense is that WBCN became more ‘professional’ with the Pru move. It was still my go to station until I moved to Amherst in 1982 for graduate school, but I wasn’t a volunteer after 1975.

“Still, thanks to Phil, who was the coolest kid I knew. I saw him a couple of years ago at our 51st high school reunion. He’s still cool. He went on to invent Wi-Fi or something. And I’ll bet he can still jimmy a lock.”

Just for the record, Carl, that was a wicked awesome story, and you are most definitely and officially “cool” in my book! Stay well, friend!

Sherman, set the Wayback Machine to… my ’BCN story ain’t half as interesting as Carl’s but nonetheless … I’m 14, it’s the Summer of ’71, and I have not yet heard of 104.1 WBCN. I am still listening to AM radio (mostly WMEX). My mates and I are the early ’70s version of the ‘boys of summer’ and our happy hunting ground is Devir Park. And for the most part, we love our pop music and (at times) getting into mischief. We start at dawn on the baseball diamond on Bruce Field (Donut Villa honey-dipped donuts and black coffee), slowly working our way over to the hoop court on the Emerald Street side to play b-ball into the wee small hours. During these endless days and nights, some partook in reefer (sans the “madness”); some drank 12-ounce cans of Schlitz; Boone’s Farm Apple Wine for others. Not a moment wasted during those glorious, carefree days and nights filled with something new and exciting around each and every corner.

But I digress… Fran Croken (the late Malden District Court Clerk Magistrate Joe Croken’s nephew and MHS Athletic HOF – Red Sox farmhand – Billy Croken’s little brother) is a classmate of ours, and he is a Devir Dawg also. He’s athletic and cool, and “chicks dig ’em.” He’s also hip and a regular listener to ’BCN in ’71. While I was listening to the Archies on ’MEX, Franny was digging Brian Auger’s Oblivion Express over at 104.1 (yeah, he was Cool with a capital C!). Franny is spending that summer in a sleeping bag at my house (long story) on the third floor on Charles Street. We get home late one Saturday night. We still got some Boone’s Farm to kill, and it is too early to call it a night. I’ve got an aging Craig Multi-Band (AM-FM) Portable Radio on my dresser. A few short years later upgrading to Pioneer turntable, receiver, and tape deck with high-end Bose speakers that cranked! So, I turn the radio on and try for some Top 40 AM sounds. No luck. Franny suggests a station he’s been listening to: WBCN 104.1 on the FM dial. Okay Franny, what is FM and who is WBCN?! A life-changing experience ensues as album versions of the Doors, Allman Brothers, Pink Fairies, and Derek and the Dominoes take us until the sun rose over the Red School on Charles Street. Franny, I know I’ve thanked you in the past, but here goes for the first time in print: Thank you, Sir! You helped me transition from the Monkees to Sabbath with the turn of an FM dial. Eternally grateful I am.

“Then the busy years went rushing by us…” In Maldonia, ’BCN was the soundtrack to our lives, dropping music on us from Dylan to Bob Seger to the J Geils Band to the Ramones (and everything in between)! Damn it! I miss them days! Corporate/mainstream America got its greedy mitts on indie radio and the rest, as they say, is history. But I can say – without hesitation – that it was a stone-cold blast while it lasted (you kids have no idea what you missed)!

As Peter Falk’s iconic TV character Columbo would say, “Just one more thing, sir” – speaking of Devir Park… Craddock Field is back and looking downright dazzling after its first phase makeover! Malden’s finest minds came together, armed with their massive brains and the best words, to deliver something truly wonderful for the city of Malden. Bravo to everyone involved!

In my very biased book, Devir Park has always been Malden’s crown jewel – a (sometimes) lush, green sanctuary nestled within these five square miles. Sure, I might be a bit prejudiced, but hey, fuhgeddaboudit! I literally grew up on that scorched patch of green near the Fells – my second home and eternal heartstring-tugger.

Devir Park memories? Oh, I’ve got a treasure trove of those. Recently, I switched things up and enjoyed my Friday morning ritual – New England Coffee in hand, flanked with The Malden Advocate, Peabody Weekly News and Jewish Journal – right at Devir Park. Not my usual haunt at Forestdale Cemetery, but change is good, right? I parked on the big-league diamond side and let the memories wash over me.

The big-league diamond is on its way out, according to plans. Jack (Patel) from Sunrise Postal and his compadres use it for cricket and darn it, I still cannot warp my head around the game.

• Back in the day, after a hard rain, massive mud holes would form on the infield. Some of the best “mud bowls” were on that infield diamond.
• I remember Angelo Nardone (short, gruff, but very sweet) and his D.P.W. crew working the park after a downpour. They would spend hours trying to get the infield in game shape. During the ’70s many exciting Intercity League contests were played on that field – standing room only crowds, 15-20 deep most nights. After the D.P.W. left, Stevie Ring would spend time on the field getting it just right, the way his ace Dave “1970s Malden Athlete of the Decade” Caiazzo liked it.
• The shade tree in right field still looms large in 2024. I, Annette Magistro, Mike Scibelli, Jay Gramolini, Patty Colangeli, Ricky DiPietro, Beth Sampson, Rose Ann Tomasello, Paul Figelski, Jimmy & Jerry Damiano, Frank Levine, Mike Upham, John Crannell, Frankie Spinelli and Greg Lucey spent many a warm summer afternoon under that tree playing whist – waiting patiently until it was our time to step to the Bandstand.
• The Bandstand: a mythic landmark in the heart of ancient Devir Park, now immortalized in Edgeworth folklore. But once upon a time, it was our epicenter, the sun around which we Edgeworth yoots revolved. Memories of that sacred space are countless, though not all suited for the pages of a family newspaper (LOL). One of my most cherished recollections, however, takes me back to the early 1970s. Picture this: the park cloaked in the stillness of the midnight hour, the Bandstand standing proud like a beacon of our youthful escapades. Figgy lugged an old black-and-white TV to the inner sanctum, its tiny screen flickering with the grainy magic of three glorious channels. The scent of a hibachi grill wafted through the air as we grilled midnight snacks beneath the stars. We’d sit in that dim, dreamy glow, savoring Johnny Carson’s wit, Don Kirschner’s Rock Concert vibes, and the timeless grit of Jimmy Cagney films. The Bandstand wasn’t just a place, it was a portal, connecting us to laughter, music and a cherished childhood. Those nights weren’t just gatherings; they were the moments that etched the spirit of Devir Park into our hearts forever.
• The shade trees planted as saplings on the Emerald Street side (in front of the Kelliher, Durso, McCarthy, Petrangelo, McFarland and Guerin houses) sometime in the early 1970s have matured and have really enhanced the beauty of the park.
• There was a wading pool just about where the basketball court now meets the children’s playground: a circular asphalt hole in the ground with a metal pipe jutting up of the middle, water gushing out of said pole at about 150 m.p.h. leaving bruises noticeable for weeks.
• Before the wild rush of water, Park Instructors Tom Powers, Ed ‘Porky’ Garrant, Perry Verge, Donna Angelo or Cliff “Mr. Big Stuff” were the unsung heroes – broom in hand, making sure no broken glass would ruin the fun. Meanwhile, down in the cellar under the Bandstand, Monte, Roger or Charlie Santos were ready for the mission: turn on the water, a gift from the heavens on those scorching summer days. The park was ready – the crowd was waiting – and nothing was more refreshing than that first splash of cool water when the tap was finally turned on!

Postscript: Though my Devir Park days may be in the rear-view mirror, my heart leaps with joy at the sight of its long-awaited transformation. The revitalized charm has sparked smiles far and wide, including from Rec Department Big Cheese Joe Levine, who shares in the delight over its evolving aesthetics. A heartfelt thank you to Ward 2 Councillor Paul “Hoss” Condon, Jenelle DeVits, Friends of Devir Park, and the many dedicated city officials who have turned this dream into a beautiful reality. Here’s to the new memories this treasured space will inspire!

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