Just taking a moment out of our busy battle to save public education to remember Mario Cuomo. When I was a young teacher, Governor Mario Cuomo came to Jamaica High School to be the key note speaker at graduation. Retired Jamaica Counselor-Teacher-Graduate Ira Lipton tells the story of how it happened in this tribute to Cuomo and a man named Joe Austin.
A note on the passing of Mario Cuomo.
As a student attending Jamaica High School, I always watched this man cleaning the baseball field. I never made anything of this, until after many years later as a teacher at Jamaica High School, still watching the same man cleaning the same field. Finally I spoke to the man whose name was Joe Austin.
He told me he was an old baseball coach who lived in a small apartment near the school, and felt responsible for keeping the place clean. I asked about his life and he told me he had dropped out of Jamaica High School in the 1920s to help support his family. He also told me that Mario Cuomo was one of his best players. I thought it would be a great idea to honor this man by giving him an honorary diploma.
I spoke to the Principal Bob Consigli who agreed. We called up the Governor's office and asked if it was possible for Governor Cuomo to give Austin his diploma. Immediately he returned the phone call and Governor Cuomo asked if he could be the key note speaker at graduation. Governor Cuomo delivered a great key note address and gave Joe Austin his diploma.
Years later there was still Joe Austin cleaning our baseball field. I asked how he was doing and with a smile of an old man he said great. He then said Governor Cuomo would always send a limo, pick him up and bring him to Albany for inaugurations and other events. Joe lived to his 90s and passed away in 1998. Governor Cuomo never forgot his old coach. He was even a better man privately than he was publicly.
10 comments:
Joe Austin was a giant of a man. When I was a teenager in the late sixties Mr. Austin would be at Jamaica every day in the summer working out any kid who wanted to practice. He was tireless and helped out any kid whether you played for his team ( the Emeralds - who played out of the 201st. Oval ) or not. It remains one of my fondest memories of that time of my life. It is because of people like Mr. Austin and Hilty Shapiro ( another Jamaica legend ) that I pursued a teaching and coaching career. How lucky I was to have known them.
Thanks James for bringing back some great memories.
Thank you James. This was truly a very touching story. I want to thank all the Mr. Austins out there who help our youth in one form or another. More importantly, no matter what greatness you have achieved in life never forget the ones who were there in the beginning.
That's a cool story.
Are there any circumstances where you could imagine anything similar from Andrew? No. Mario's son isn't even a shadow of his dad. Very sad.
That's a beautiful story, james. Thank you.
Great story. There were so many that loved their schools. It came out in different ways. Everything is different now. A school is a business and a teacher a cog in a machine. No school spirit, no real schools - except for the few that weren't restructured and the specialized ones. DeBlasio has plans for them. Between Bloomberg's business model and DeBlasio's good intentions (no suspensions, no arrests, and cell phones allowed) the schools have gotten much worse on every level.
James, I have a 'personal' story of Andrew Cuomo, who is definitely not his father. I used to teach in Franklin K. Lane, and many of you old-timers might remember the "Principal for a Day" program. Well around 1999 or 2000, our "principal for a Day" happened to be Andrew. The look of distain and disgust on his face as he walked through the school (followed by the butt-kissers) were very evident. He gave a short speech to few classes and several of my students picked up on his body language that he was not happy to be in their school. At least his father was genuinely pleasant and welcoming to people, even if they were opposed to him. I learned then what most people know now, that Andrew is an arrogant POS who cares only for himself, and will try to destroy anyone who does not actively support him. NY state declined under Mario's caring but inept leadership; it will suffer under the tyranny of Andrew.
Mario was one of the greatest.......but how was it possible he fathered such a tool?
IRA! What a wonderful story! You and Bob Consigli were always above-average humans!
Remember the day well and if anyone ever watched Ken Burns Baseball documentary, Mario Cuomo speaks of his day on our field and Joe Austin's contribution to his life and love of baseball.
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