by nolahistoryguy | May 13, 2025 | 1990s, Baseball, Metairie
Sail on, “Coach Al” Scramuzza.
“Al Scramuzza Way” at Johnny Bright Playground in Metairie, courtesy WGNO-TV
Al Scramuzza passes at 97
So, we lost Al Scramuzza, the owner of the late, lamented Seafood City, yesterday. He was 97. It was hard to avoid Seafood City’s television ads back in the 1980s. Scramuzza’s aggressive promotion of crawfish over crabs and shrimp increased the popularity of the mudbug. Crawfish were more of a Southwest Louisiana thing up until the 1980s. As their popularity increased, farm-raised mudbugs increased their availability and lowered their cost. Urban stores like Seafood City bought live crawfish from the the swamps. They boiled them, selling the spicy red crustaceans by the pound.
Seafood City became the city’s go-to for live and boiled crawfish. Boiled crawfish on a lenten Friday? Seafood City took care of you. You wanted to have a boil at your house? Go see Al.
And the commercials! So wonderfully local. Al stood tall, along with other local icons like The Special Man.
Talking Baseball
So, throughout my college years in the late 70s and teaching in the 80s, I experienced Al Scramuzza like most folks, watching the commercials and picking up crawfish for gatherings of friends. That changed in the late 90s, however. My now-36 year-old firstborn played soccer at Lafreniere Park and other sports at Johnny Bright Playground, on Cleary Drive, just off Veterans (behind the McDonald’s, if you know #themetrys).
The firstborn enjoyed soccer. I insisted he branch out, however. He played basketball and baseball at the playground. It wasn’t that I dreamt of him playing for LSU or anything. I just wanted him to have basic skills so that he wouldn’t be totally useless in a pickup game later in life.
All-Stars
When he got to Under-10 baseball, things got a bit more serious. At the younger ages, coaches/dads pitched to the boys. Eight-year-olds used a pitching machine. By U-10, however, they actually pitched. Additionally the kids moved into the world of inter-playground all-star teams. That’s when I met Coach. I saw him come over to the field where my boy’s team practiced, to talk to the coach. A mom turned to a dad and asked, is that Al Scramuzza? The dad said, “yes, they call him ‘The Commissioner.’ He handles all the all-star team stuff.
Scramuzza was that grandpa who stuck with the playground, even after his family aged out. He offered the continuity Johnny Bright Playground needed when coordinating with the other neighborhoods.
My boy only played all-stars that one summer, his U-10 season. I’m glad he benefited from having “Coach Al” around.
May his memory be a blessing.
by nolahistoryguy | Feb 5, 2025 | 1970s, Carrollton, CBD, D. H. Holmes, Football, Maison Blanche, Uptown
The first Super Bowl held in New Orleans was Chiefs-Vikings.
Super Bowl IV, 1970
The Kansas City Chiefs came to New Orleans on January 11, 1970, as the champions of the American Football League, to play the National Football League champion Minnesota Vikings.
Maison Blanche Department Stores welcomed fans of both teams with a full-page ad in the Times-Picayune newspaper on Saturday, January 10, 1970: “To all you super-people…a super-welcome to New Orleans’ super-department store…” MB’s stores in 1970 were 901 Canal Street (since 1897), Clearview Shopping Center, Gentilly Woods, Airline, and Westside. The Carrollton store migrated to Airline by now, and Airline wouldn’t be long for the world with Clearview opening in 1969. The second “branch” store, on Frenchmen and Gentilly, migrated to Gentilly Woods Shopping Center. That store would in turn close in 1974, with the opening of The Plaza at Lake Forest shopping mall. Like the other large department stores, MB put out huge displays of New Orleans souvenirs and other local merchandise, tempting visitors to bring home a memory.
MB in the 70s
The store’s logo and branding reflects the late-1960s change to a modern, sans serif typeface. The all-lowercase format remained until the store’s acquisition by Dillard’s in the 1990s. The tagline, “Greatest Store South” continued on from the early 1900s.
Super Bowl IV was the first championship held in New Orleans. The first game was held in Pasadena, California, at the Rose Bowl. The second and third matches were held in Miami, in the Orange Bowl. Fourth was sweet, as the NFL chose the Sugar Bowl. New Orleanians never really called the stadium the “Sugar Bowl.” While the Rose Bowl and the Cotton Bowl are the names of the stadiums, The massive stadium in Uptown New Orleans was Tulane Stadium. It was theirs, after all. New Orleans fit the desires of the NFL, chief of which was someplace relatively warm and snow-free. There was always the chance of rain at Tulane Stadium, of course. That’s why the league insisted that New Orleans build a covered stadium when they awarded the city a franchise. That led to the construction of Da Dome, now branded as Caeser’s Superdome.
by nolahistoryguy | Nov 2, 2022 | 1920s-1930s, Football, Loyola University, Uptown
Located on campus, Loyola Stadium was home to the university’s football team in the 1930s.
Loyola Stadium, 1938. Photographer: Dr. Edward W. Wynne, courtesy Loyola Special Collections.
Loyola Stadium
Night shot of Loyola Stadium at Loyola University, New Orleans, 1938. While the venue takes the name of the school, several photographs identify it as “Joseph Fromherz Stadium.” The venue opened in 1928. This photo–which is stamped on the back with, “Photography by // F. A. // McDaniels // NEW ORLEANS, LA.”–shows what is likely a night practice for the Loyola squad. There’s no crowd or support staff visible. Loyola Stadium was one of the first in the South to host night games.
The end zone clock says, “Courtesy Porter’s.” Porter’s was a menswear store in the CBD. The stadium was demolished at some point after the 1939 football season.
Loyola Football
Coupon for discounted reserved seats to the Loyola – Chattanooga football game, 5-Nov-1932.
This article’s inspiration was a coupon printed in the Times-Picayune on 1-November-1932. Maison Blanche sponsored a deal for $1 reserved seat tickets to the Loyola-Chattanooga football game the following Saturday. I post ads from local newspapers to social media during the week, and shared this one. The ads spark conversation and help promote my books. A few people commented that they didn’t know Loyola had a football stadium. So, off to the Loyola archives I went.
Freret and Calhoun
Aerial photo of Loyola Stadium, 1924. Franck Studios courtesy THNOC.
Here’s an aerial photo of the stadium by Franck Studios from 1924. Loyola Stadium stood at the back of the campus, on Freret Street, just off Calhoun. It’s unclear who Loyola is playing here, but the image offers a good view of Freret Street in the 1920s.
Photo of a Loyola football game, 1938. Loyola University Special Collections.
This action photo shows a billboard listing the Loyola football schedule. While it’s dated by the library as 1938, the stadium appears to only be a single-deck. That doesn’t fit with other photos. I’m wondering if this is from a different location.
Changing times
Loyola discontinued its football program in 1939. The stadium was demolished some time after that. In its place rose the Loyola Field House. The university decided in 1954 that their intercollegiate basketball team needed a better home. So, up went the Field House. While nothing indicates that buildings were demolished to make way for the Field House in 1954, there’s no clear record of what stood on the site between the stadium and the arena.
by nolahistoryguy | Sep 11, 2021 | Boats/Ships, Football, Lakefront
Twelve Months New Orleans September, continuing the series by Enrique Alferez
Twelve Months New Orleans August
This image is the ninth in a series of images by Enrique Alferez, published by Michael Higgins as “The Twelve Months of New Orleans.” Higgins published the illustrations in 1940. The image features sailboats racing on Lake Pontchartrain.
Enrique Alferez
Alferez was born in Northern Mexico on May 4, 1901. He studied at the Art Institute of Chicago from 1927 to 1929. He came to New Orleans in 1929. Alferez made New Orleans his home. He took advantage of various Works Progress Administration grants in the late 1930s. Alferez created a number of sculptures in the metro area, particularly in New Orleans City Park. Additionally, he designed the large fountain in front of Shushan Airport (now New Orleans Lakefront Airport.
Alferez drew and painted, as well as sculpting. So, he included many New Orleans landmarks in the “Twelve Months” booklet.
Twelve Months
The title/cover page of the booklet says:
The
Twelve Months
of
New Orleans
A set of 12 Romantic
Lithographic Prints
In COLORS
Displaying 60 local subjects
drawn direct on the plate
with pen, brush, and crayon
by
Enrique Alferez
Printed and published by Michael Higgins
at 303 North Peters St
NEW ORLEANS
September’s Lithograph
Summer’s end is the theme of September’s illustrations.
The Corners
Top Left: Blessing the Cane Crop. September is sugar cane harvest time. If you’ve ever been caught behind a cane truck on Highway 1 in bayou country, believe me, we all feel your pain. Like the blessings of the shrimp boats, blessing the cane fields marked the end of summer.
Top Right: Rice. Like the cane crop, the rice harvest is important to South Louisiana to this day. While most Louisiana rice is grown in Southwest Louisiana, the growers shipped it to New Orleans, where factors bought and re-sold it to shippers and out of town buyers. Additionally, that rice appeared on the dinner tables of New Orleans year-round.
Bottom Left: Football Season! While the New Orleans Saints did not become a part of the city’s athletic landscape until 1967, LSU and Tulane football entertained fans. Both teams were in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) in 1940.
Bottom Right: Fish Fry! With school back in session, fundraising by the schools picked up. School cafeterias offered the perfect fundraising opportunity: the fish fry. Send the dads out for the catch. Get someone in the business to donate trout, drum, sheepshead. Head to the cafeteria to clean them and fry them up! Additionally, moms cooked potato salad and sides. Some schools and churches offered shrimp as well. Since September is a “month with an ‘R’, oysters often joined the menu.
Sailboat racing
The central drawing for September features sailboats racing on the Lake Pontchartrain. The caption reads:
On Labor Day,
The Governor’s Yacht Race is held,
or rather, sailed, on
Lake Pontchartrain and down
on the Gulf,
alternate years.
So, the Governor’s Cup race alternated between the two locations. Clearly this was so the rest of South Louisiana didn’t fuss about the City getting all the events.
See you for the tenth image in October.
by nolahistoryguy | Mar 14, 2021 | 1970s, Basketball, BOSH, Brother Martin High, Gentilly, Holy Cross
Brother Martin High School has a rich history of basketball championships.
Basketball Championships
Crusader forward Leroy Oliver (1975) goes up over Felton Young of Holy Cross in second-round district play, 1974. Center Rick Robey (1974) looks on, hoping he doesn’t have to go for a rebound. (photo courtesy Brother Martin High School)
I was reminded of the 1973-74 season yesterday because of the current story of St. Augustine defeating Scotlandville High School yesterday (13-March-2021) to win the state championship.
This year’s story is of a team that wouldn’t be denied three years in a row. St. Augustine lost to Scotlandville in the championship game in 2019 and 2020. The story in 1974 was of two teams that played each other five times in the same season.
Brother Martin vs. Holy Cross
Two top-flight teams in the Catholic League make for a grueling season. Brother Martin, state champions in 1970 and 1971, returned as a contender in 1973-74. Coach Tom Kolb returned to coach the Crusaders after running the Jesuit program. Four letterman, Leroy Oliver, Rodney Montgomery, Jimmy McCulla and Rick Robey, along with Donald “Duck” Newman, started.
The Crusaders defeated the Holy Cross Tigers in their first district game, at Holy Cross. Both teams ended the first round with 6-1 records. They played for the first round championship at Tulane. Holy Cross won. They met in their very next game, at Brother Martin. The Crusaders defeated the Tigers. They went on to win the round undefeated.
So, the teams met a fourth time, again at Tulane, to decide the district champion. The Tigers lost, 57-58. The teams advanced to the playoffs. Each team won four games on the road to the championship showdown in Alexandria, LA. The Crusaders won that fifth meeting of the season, 67-56.
As Brother Neal Golden, SC, wrote about that year:
Robey completed an outstanding senior year.
- He made All-District, All-City, and All-State and was selected the best player in the Top Twenty tournament.
- Rated as one of the top four seniors in America, he signed with Kentucky where he played four years before going to the NBA.
That was three state championships in the first four years since Brother Martin opened. Crusader basketball continued to bring hope district and state titles.
Brother Martin vs St. Augustine
So, the big basketball rivalry wasn’t always with St. Augustine. Like many successful runs (like the Scotlandville run that just came to an end), a school gets that one (or maybe two) players who stand out. The Crusaders experienced this in 2002-2003, when DJ Augustin came to Elysian Fields. The Crusaders were state runner-up that season. They won the championship in 2004 and 2005. Augustin and his teammates were odds-on favorites to win a third championship, but Hurricane Katrina had other ideas.
2009-2010
My band kiddo’s sophomore year was an exciting, albeit grueling one for Crusader basketball. The team played St. Augustine four times that season, losing to the Purple Knights three times. Fourth time was lucky, as they defeated their Catholic League rivals in the state semi-finals, going on to win the championship.
by nolahistoryguy | Feb 5, 2021 | 1950s, CBD, Krauss, Sports
Krauss Sugar Bowl 1955 presented store ads for all sports.
Krauss Sugar Bowl 1955
Undated photo of a display at Krauss Department Store, December, 1954 to January, 1955. The display presented equipment and memorabilia from the various schools participating in the Sugar Bowl events. The sign at the bottom says, “Whatever your sport, you’ll find ‘Top Flite” EQUIPMENT — in Krauss Fine Sporting Goods Department – 4th Floor.
The 1955 Sugar Bowl Classic
The 20th Annual Sugar Bowl Classic football game featured Navy (the US Naval Academy) versus Ole Miss (the University of Mississippi). The teams played in Tulane Stadium on Saturday, January 1, 1955. The Midshipmen defeated the Rebels, 21-0. Joe Gattuso of Navy earned the MVP award. A crowd of 80,190 watched the game in the Uptown New Orleans stadium. ABC presented the game live.
Other Sports
While the football game is the biggest part of any Sugar Bowl Classic, schools compete in other sports over the holiday break. This Krauss Sugar Bowl 1955 display lists the sports and schools:
- BOXING – Maryland vs LSU – Dec 28 – 8:30pm – Municipal Auditorium
- TENNIS – Dec 28 – 29 & 30 – New Orleans Country Club – Matches begin 10am, Tues & Wed – 1pm Thursday
- BASKETBALL – Wed Dec 29th and Thurs Dec 30th – Loyola U Field House. Games begin at 7:45pm and 9:30pm each night. First Parings – Loyola vs Notre Dame – Bradley vs Holy Cross
- TRACK – Friday, Dec 31 – 2:30pm – City Park Stadium
- FOOTBALL – Saturday, Jan 1 Navy vs Mississippi Tulane Stadium
- REGATTA – Fri Dec 31st 12:30pm & Sunday, Jan 2, 10am at the SOUTHERN YACHT CLUB
So, the Sugar Bowl Classic offered a wide range of sporting excitment.
Sports and Sugar
This display presented more team memorabilia than sports equipment. Let’s face it, visitors aren’t looking to buy basketballs. Photos, autographed balls, and other items attracted the fans. Packages of Domino’s Sugar remind visitors of the connection between sugar and the city.
Railroad Relocation
Krauss Sugar Bowl 1955 was the first classic where the train station next to the store was closed. Terminal Station, a neighbor to Krauss since 1908, moved operations to Union Passenger Terminal in 1954. So, visitors riding Southern Railway and Gulf, Mobile, and Ohio emerged from their trains at the brand-new station on Loyola Avenue.
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