~ Malden Musings ~ MHS Alumni Hall of Fame 2026

By Peter Levine

Step right up, ladies and germs (my nod to all the Borscht Belt comedian fans out there), Maldonians of every vintage — grab a ballot, grab a memory, and make some noise! Vote early, vote often, and let your voice echo from Maplewood Square to the Fells past Dom Fermano’s house all the way to Devir Park. If past results tell us anything, it’s that when Maldonians speak, we do so loud and clear (especially on Facebook! Insert smiley face).

Now don’t get nervous — I’m not talking about anything that requires a yard sign or a recount. I’m talking about the grand, glorious, biennial tradition every proud Maldonian secretly waits for: nomination season for the Malden High School (Class of 2026) Alumni Association Hall of Fame!

Yes, friends, it’s that time again — when legends are dusted off, résumés are polished up, and we all ask ourselves, “How did they ever fit all that sensationalism into one Golden Tornado?”

The clock is ticking like the old bell between periods. The deadline for submitting your worthy candidates is Wednesday, February 25th. If you’re catching this hot off the press, you’ve still got (a little) time. Pull together that résumé, give it a good once-over, scan it with whatever modern contraption the grandkids showed you how to use, and send it off to cm*****@*ol.com. Right now!

And if your nominee doesn’t crack the lineup this year? Fear not. In true Maldonia fashion, nobody gets left behind — submissions roll over for consideration in 2028. Legends, after all, are timeless.

Mark your desk calendars in big bold ink: the induction ceremony takes place Friday, May 1st at Anthony’s of Malden by the Canal — where Albert’s stories grow taller by the year and the applause echoes just a little longer – cuz of course, we love Albert (said in my best Tommy Heinsohn voice!).

As the big night creeps closer, you can bet your old Blue & Gold yearbook I’ll be writing more in depth about the ceremony, the honorees, and perhaps even a tale or two from them glory days of Maldonia past.

Until then — nominate boldly, Maldonia. The Hall awaits.

Time to look back to 1972 and Beebe Junior High School while thumbing through a copy of my dog-eared yearbook.

“Mirror, Mirror on the Wall, Who’s the…”

• Most Popular: Richie Callahan & Debi O’Malley. Both Richie & Debi passed on but left a very real, very lasting legacy with their friends and family.
• Best Looking: Gerry O’Conner & Bert Cioffi. Gerry is still beautiful, but Bert hasn’t aged well – I kid, Bert!
• Friendliest: Pam Picillo & Timmy Silva. Pam is still very friendly, but we always wondered how Timmy got voted “friendliest!” I kid, Timmy.
• Most Likely to Succeed: Audrey Austin & Joey Hurley. That was a no brainer as we used to say.
• Most Talkative: Strates “Chucky” Frangules & Patty Colangeli. Chucky was a wonderful human being – funny, talkative, popular, you name it, that was Chucky. Edgeworth girl Patty C. was my Devir Park paisan who I have many, many fond memories of.
• Best Dressed: Tina Demitre & Franny Croken. Franny & Tina were well ahead of their time sartorially speaking with nobody rocking a pair of Elephant Bells better than Franny!
• Most Athletic: Joe Pugliese & Linda Moulton. Joe and Linda were both multi-sports standouts and both could have easily won “most popular” also.
• Most Flirtatious: Barry Hitchcock & Lynn Goode. Two of the best, two of the sweetest people amongst our large circle of friends. Someday I’m gonna write extensively about Hitchy. Quite a character when – believe me – there were plenty of characters to go around back then.
• Most Artistic: Joe Brown & Julie Carbin. Both amazing artists and human beings.
• Funniest: Jerry Damiano & Elaine Munroe. Two of the funniest cats Malden has ever witnessed!
• Favorite Teachers: Ms. Judy Carroll & Mr. Fred LaBrouse. I just adored Ms. Carroll, such a wonderful person. As a 9th grader Fred tried to learn me chess but being somewhat of an impatient child my chances of being the next Bobby Fischer were, unfortunately, cut short. LOL.

It is said in Malden Musings…

• The 621 crowd has spoken! Critics Corner at the 621 – Terry Mathews, Tommy Lubin, and Ralph Kelly – have put their large brains together to come to a consensus on MHS football phenom – young Jayden McGuffie – 3 thumbs up! Take it away Tommy: “After consultations with the other two “blokes” we have come up with 3 thumbs up. Great stats, great for Malden sports, and good for him. The best part we got from this is that he is a good person off the field also. Good luck in his future. Also, if you see the Turk and Johnny McGee please say hello for me – they are some good people. One more thing, how is Nat the Cat doing? Keep up the good work. We finally got the third thumb up after Terry had his 4th Coors Light.” Thank you, Tommy.

  As Peter Falk’s iconic TV character Columbo would say “Just one more thing sir” – Harvey Nadler has always had a wide circle of friends in Malden — and the legendary 621 crowd counts him not just as a pal, but as family.

With that said, I wish I had better news for Tommy (Lubin) about our guy, Harvey. The good news? He’s on the road to recovery. The not so good news? It’s going to be a long, uphill climb for the scrappy little Mr. Nadler — but if you know Harvey, you know “scrappy” is a badge he wears with pride.

Right now, he’s at Melrose Wakefield Rehabilitation Hospital, digging deep and making a heroic push to get back amongst the unwashed masses. And if determination counts for anything (and it does), Harvey’s already halfway there.

If you’re able, carve out a few minutes from your day and stop in to say hello. A familiar face, a handshake, a story from the old neighborhood, the NY Post (no Miller High Life!) those things matter more than medicine sometimes. It would mean the world to him.

Until then, let’s keep our dear friend in our hearts, our thoughts, and maybe even our prayers. Harvey’s fighting like a mini-Jack Dempsey (inside joke) and we’re all in his corner.

“Zay gezunt” my friend.

Peter is a long-time Malden resident and a regular contributor to the Malden Advocate he can be reached at Pe*****@*ol.com for comments, compliments, complaints, or criticisms.