tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31758730.post115522894095506973..comments2023-09-27T13:20:49.976-07:00Comments on lnostra-costa: IL FAMOSO 'BAFFI'Ivano Franco Comellihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088771740643993831noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31758730.post-34057666699896273532008-04-16T18:43:00.000-07:002008-04-16T18:43:00.000-07:00Just received this story from Gino Campioni, 4/16/...Just received this story from Gino Campioni, 4/16/08. I thought I would added to the legend of<BR/>"Il Famoso 'Baffi' . Thanks Gino: ivano<BR/><BR/><BR/><BR/>Ciao Ivano,<BR/><BR/>April 26 is International Marconi Day. Perhaps only the amateur radio operators will hear much of this. I once participated in the event by contacting the Marconi Memorial Station K1M. This was in 2001, which was the 100th anniversary of Guglielmo Marconi's famous first long distance transmission.<BR/><BR/>But did you know that Guglielmo Campioni was also an early radioman? Well, he made no transmissions nor had any recognition, but in 1926 Baffi won a Victor Talking Machine with Victrola in a raffle at Bakersfield.<BR/><BR/>The unit arrived in several cartons to Baffi's quarters at the cookhouse in Il Buco. Baffi put the radio together, despite not being able to read a single word on the assembly instructions, and it worked the first time! He used to tell of trying to hear the Dempsey Tunney fight, and when the rest of the ranceri would gather to his room, because whenever he turned his radio on, the rest of the building would lose power. When the others got too loud and Baffi couldn't hear the radio, he would stealthily kick the power plug on his radio, which would go silent. When all the others left, he heard the rest of the fight.<BR/><BR/>This is the same radio which was inspected one day during wartime, by 2 FBI men. No, it had no shortwave, and was not being used for secret messages from the Fascisti. Baffi told the agents that if either of them could carry the radio, he could have it. Neither tried.<BR/><BR/>The radio worked fabulously, giving me the thrill of hearing The Lone Ranger, Captain Midnight, Terry and the Pirates, as well as popular tunes of the times, and all those great 78 RPM records my father had. Alas, in 1948 the old radio failed, and no one could repair it. Dreams of long ago.<BR/><BR/>Saluti, GinoIvano Franco Comellihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17088771740643993831noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31758730.post-1163413274256720092006-11-13T02:21:00.000-08:002006-11-13T02:21:00.000-08:00hei....gente.....sono anni che cerco di capire com...hei....gente.....sono anni che cerco di capire come posso fare a rintracciare i discendenti del resto della mia famiglia che è emigrata in America agli inizi del '900. Aiutatemi !!!<BR/>Vi accenno brevemente la loro storia:<BR/>Nel 1903 circa e negli anni di lì a poco i fratelli (4) POLETTI di Condino (TN) Italia (ma all'epoca Austria) sono partiti per gli Stati Uniti in cerca di fortuna. Si trattava di contadini e da quello che sò in tre hanno preso in gestione un Ranch nell'interno della California. Uno di loro invece è andato a lavorare come dipendente...forse in un albergo...e forse faceva il cantiniere (vino). A causa del crollo della borsa di New York del 1929 poi i tre fratelli del ranch non ebbero altro che da vendere tutto ricavare solo i soldi per tornare in Italia. Uno di loro (Achille), mio bis-nonno, diventa Kaiserjäger dell'Imperatore Franz Josef d'Austria...un'altro si trasferisce in Svizzera (Maggia).Di quello che rimase negli States ho poche notizie...sembra che ad un certo punto aprì un negozio di frutta e verdura dalle parti di Davenport forse..e che nella seconda guerra mondiale divenne fornitore di frutta e verdura della 5. Armata che liberò l'Europa dal nazi-fascismo. Quando i miei genitori si sposarono nel 1966 ca. qualcuno della famiglia era ancora in contatto con loro...ma da lì non abbaimo più contatti.<BR/>L'unico dato che mi è rimasto è il nome di una certa Sofia Poletti Costello (o Costella) di Davenport - santa Cruz County e un indirizzo: Hollings drive... sono passati tanti anni e mi piacerebbe riallacciare i contatti con i discendenti di quel fratello del mio Bis-nonno "ACHILLE POLETTI"<BR/>Se qualcuno può aiutarmi mi può scrivere una mail...(meglio se in italiano) al seguente indirizzo: poletti.corrado@libero.itAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31758730.post-1155396700143445332006-08-12T08:31:00.000-07:002006-08-12T08:31:00.000-07:00Ciao, Ivano, Last night whilst reading further in ...Ciao, Ivano,<BR/> <BR/>Last night whilst reading further in your book, I came across a reference to the Honorable James J. Scoppettone. I remember when I was called to serve on a jury in which a man was suing a Santa Cruz electronics firm for patent violation. Judge Scoppettone asked me if I knew the parties involved. I replied that I was acquainted with both of the defendants, the person who filed the suit, the attorneys on both sides, and his honor himself. "DISMISSED!" <BR/> <BR/>When I worked at Rainbow TV on Frederick Street, a couple of young men left a guitar amplifier to be repaired. When they returned to pick up the finished unit, I presented a bill for $54.00. One of them said, "Just charge it to Harper's Bizarre." I didn't know who that was, but I told them that we were on a strictly cash basis. Reluctantly, they paid the money, took their unit, and roared off in their Excalibur roadster. One of those fellows was James Scoppettone Jr. I had not recognized them, but realized later that they were underclassmen at Holy Cross High School years before. I also learned that the Right Reverend Monsignor William McLaughlin had given them a whole studio full of recording gear, and they had become a "One Hit wonder" with "The 49th Street Bridge Song", also called, "Feeling Groovy". Remember that one, Ivano?<BR/> <BR/>The good monsignor was quite an electronics enthusiast. He used to tell me that he intended to get his amateur radio license by Christmas. I don't know which year he meaSo much for the trivia of the day. I am working on The Itanglish Dictionary. I'll send a nt, but in any case, I think he never made it.<BR/> <BR/> <BR/>Migliori auguri,<BR/> <BR/>GinoAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31758730.post-1155396245987952062006-08-12T08:24:00.000-07:002006-08-12T08:24:00.000-07:00Ivano,I think I remember Ada Campioni as a good lo...Ivano,I think I remember Ada Campioni as a good looking lady.Gino made me laugh about"Being<BR/>washed away to the sea" Room for onother book!Hugo's letter was very interesting, and he really appreciated your book!"Those were the day my friend we thought they never end" Remember that song?<BR/>Add that to the"Mazzolin di Fiori!"<BR/>Ciao,per ora.LinaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31758730.post-1155392772710978452006-08-12T07:26:00.000-07:002006-08-12T07:26:00.000-07:00"Good grief, this brings back some memories. We h..."Good grief, this brings back some memories. We had a guy named Trigo<BR/>who was the Filipino foreman in the late 1950s. I also remember the<BR/>name Black Joe and Laurel Inn; but unfortunately, cannot recall in what<BR/>context.<BR/><BR/>Jerry"<BR/><BR/><BR/>Thanks Jerry (Mungai). Haven't heard "Good Grief" since the mid-1960's.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com