The "Marty Is Watching You!" Story

Marty waiting in the produce aisle for cleanup.

It was an ordinary day.  Walking the aisles of our local Giant Supermarket when I was approached by someone very unusual.  Guy by the name of "Marty" who had giant eyes and a name tag declaring that he really was "Marty".  The big difference about Marty and the other employees at the supermarket is that he is a Giant google-eyed robot who assists in finding spills and notifying the store office so they can send someone to clean up the spill.  Marty maneuvered past me in the produce aisle and before long he stopped.  Within seconds I heard a voice over the loud speaker telling someone to go to the produce section and clean up a spill.  "Marty" is part of a pilot program initiated by the Giant Supermarket chain located in nearby Harrisburg, PA.  By the middle of the month they expected to have a robot patrolling each of their 172 stores including the eight in nearby Lancaster County.  The robot is said to be an offspring of Cookie Monster and a tackling dummy.  My wife looked at it and moved behind me saying, "now that's really spooky."  It's job, as I said, is to find spills as well as check for other obstructions that could cause an accident in the store.  When it finds a spill it calls the office, posts itself next to the spill and begins flashing its light.  Once the spill is removed, an employee pushes a button and activates Marty once again.  Using robotics and artificial intelligence in grocery stores is a fairly new concept and Giant Supermarket is embracing the idea.  The robots are a partnership between Giant, Ahold Delhaize USA and Jabil subsidiary Badger TechnologiesTM.  The robot is said to be able to do more than check for spills.  It can help keep items in stock and check to make sure the prices are correct on merchandise.  As far as the look of the robots, the giant eyes were added during one of the robot's first in-store tests.  Customers enjoy the looks of the robot which only make noise when they alert customers of a spill.  As for my wife, she still thinks the things are creepy!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "My Favorite Architecture In The USA" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Opened my email folder on my desktop iMac and began reading the multitude of mail I get every day.  I clicked on one that had a title of "Favorite pieces of architecture in the USA" and began looking at what the author of the article picked as his favorite building in each state.  All were very interesting, but I picked out my favorites and though I would share them with you.  Five of the places I have visited or have seen in my lifetime and I also found them to be remarkable.  My list is just as the author had made his list...in alphabetical order.  Perhaps you too have had a chance to visit a few of my picks and maybe after seeing the architecture that follows, you may be inspired to visit a few.  For those living in another country, if you ever visit the USA, you may want to stop at one of these buildings.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The Chapel of the Holy Cross is located near Sedona, Arizona.  It was designed by one of Frank Lloyd Wright's students, Marguerite Brunswig Staude.  It juts out from the colorful red cliffs with the large stained glass window overlooking the Verde Valley. Click on photos to enlarge them.

This is the Air Force Academy Chapel located just north of  Colorado Springs,  Colorado.  This is a fantastic example of modernist architecture.  The Cadet Chapel is an iconic symbol of the Academy and features 17 spires with 100 identical 75-foot-long tetrahedrons.

The Center for Human and Civil Rights is located in downtown Atlanta, Georgia.  Being a Philadelphia Phillies fan, it was hard to type that last sentence since the Braves are one of the arch-rivals of my favorite pro team.  This remarkable piece of architecture connects the American Civil Rights movement to today's struggle for global human rights.  This building was designed by the same architectural firm that designed the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture.

This is the USS Arizona Memorial located in Pearl Harbor on the island of Oahu in Hawaii.  I have stepped on this memorial twice in my life and each time it was a very moving experience.  Beneath the memorial rests 1,102 sailors who were killed in the December 7 attack on Pearl Harbor.  It is tough not to shed a tear or two as you stand, looking into the surrounding waters of the memorial.  It was built in 1962 and since that time close to 120 million visitors have set foot on its deck.

I love the look of this modern building.  It is the Visual Arts Building of the University of Iowa located in Iowa City.  Students of the University as well as visiting artists exhibit their craft ranging from ancient metalsmithing to VR technologies.  The original building was destroyed in a flood and was replaced in 2008 with this piece of art.

Wouldn't you love to have a library in your town that looks like this one that is located in Baltimore, Maryland.  It is part of the Johns Hopkins University and opened in 1878.  It is known as the George Peabody Library and has five tiers of cast-iron balconies that rise to a skylight that runs the entire length of the room.

Many people don't think of the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri as a piece of architecture , but the 630-foot monument deserves to be recognized for what it really is...the tallest free-standing piece of art in the world.  Is sits on the Mississippi River and is a tribute to the American spirit.  

Even Montana made my list of favorite architectural designs.  This is the Cathedral of Saint Helena and was designed by architect A.O. Von Herbulis to look like Vienna's Neo-Gothic church, Votivkirche.  Building began in 190 and was finished in 1914.  The spires rise 230 feet above the street and can be seen all over Helana.  The stained glass windows came from Bavaria and tell the Christian story from the fall of Adam and Eve to the early 20th century.

This is the coolest building in Nevada.  I can't imagine what the crew that had to build this place thought when they saw the architectural drawings.  It is the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health.  It was designed by renowned architect Frank Gehry and opened in 2010.  It is located in Las Vegas.

During one of our vacations to the Caribbean, Carol and I flew into New York on the way home.  As we approached the New York airport we could see from our plane windows the skyline of New York City.  One World Trade Center stood out as it was meant to do so.  This fantastic piece of architecture is also known as the Freedom Tower and is the main building of the rebuilt World Trade Center Complex that was destroyed on 9/11.  It is the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere and was designed by the same firm that planned the Burj Khalifa in Dubai.  It is 104 stories tall and opened in 2014.

How could anyone drive past this piece of architecture and not notice it?  It is the Longaberger Company Headquarters in Newark, Ohio.  The companies the world-leader in quality hand-made baskets.  But, the sad part of this place is that the company no longer uses it for their office.  It has set vacant since 2016.

Ah, my favorite!  Naturally, since it is Frank Lloyd Wright's most famous architectural  designed house located in the Greater Pittsburgh area of Pennsylvania.  Mill Run is home to Fallingwater, the home that looks like it is floating about a 30-foot waterfall.  He designed it in 1935 and was completed two years later.  One of its greatest features is the gravity-defying cantilevered balconies.

One more place that I have visited in my lifetime.  After getting married in 1967, Carol and I took a trip up the east coast on the United States from our home in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  Along the way we made a visit to what is known as The Breakers which is located in Newport, Rhode Island.  The architects were told to design an Italian Renaissance-style palace inspired by the 16th century palazzos of Genoa and Turin.  The manor was completed in 1895.  What I remember the most about the place was that it had both hot and cold regular water as well as salt water in the main bathroom.

No, this is not the Parthenon in Athens, Greece.  It is the Parthenon in Nashville, Tennessee.  It is a full-size replica of the ancient landmark.  The original Parthenon in Tennessee was part of the state's Centennial Expo in 1895-97 and remained after the expo closed due to its popularity.  But it fell into ruin and was replaced with the current one.  In 1990, a 42-foot-tall statue of Athena was added to the temple's interior. 

The "Steve...'The GameChanger' Man" Story

It was an ordinary day.  That was until game time!  We were all gathered 'round the supper table in our rental in Ocean City, New Jersey, eating smoked pork sandwiches and roasting ears (corn-on-the-cob for those that have never heard of roasting ears) that our son-in-law Dave had prepared for our evening meal when my daughter, Brynn, said, "You know it just about six o'clock!"  

That meant it was time to turn on "Game- Changer" and listen and watch my grandson Caden's baseball game on my cellphone.  A few months ago I wrote another story about sitting in a restaurant high atop a hill on the island of St. Martin eating pizza and watching my grandson's baseball game with the owner of the restaurant.  He had some knowledge of the game of baseball, but found it fascinating to be able to watch the game on my phone while Carol and I ate dinner in his restaurant.  

Steve entering the last pitch into his phone.

So what exactly is "GameChanger" and how does it work.  To tell you the truth, I'm not totally sure what to tell you!  "GameChanger" is a mobile app and website that provides scorekeeping, stats, Live GameStreams and recap stories to thousands of baseball, softball and basketball teams and their fans.  "GameChanger" has over 60,000 active scoring teams in those sports in every age group.  My grandson is 14 years old and plays baseball in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania in a county league that has over 20 other teams.  And...if I'm not able to physically be sitting along the foul line, I can still watch his game on my cellphone.  Unbelievable!  And...I love it!  Tonight another part of my family is cheering for Caden and his Mountville Angels team as they play the 3rd game of the best of 3 games to see who will enter Lancaster County's LNP New Era Baseball Tournament.  

At the end of the game the final result
appears on the screen.

The tournament is the culmination to the baseball season for many youth in the county and is sponsored by the Lancaster Newspaper.  I played in the tournament as a youngster, my oldest son played in it and my youngest son, whose team I coached, won the tournament in the Midget division, when he was 15 years old.  We all got nylon jackets for winning and a trip to see the Philadelphia Phillies as our reward for winning.  Well, the "GameChanger" screen appeared on my phone and everyone around the dinner table gasped as the team from nearby Donegal took a two-run lead after the first inning. We were home team and in the bottom of the 2nd, Caden came to bat and walked his first time up.  I should tell you that you can't see actual people on the phone screen, but a representation of the field with green grass and dirt basepaths.  All player's names are shown at the base they may be playing or in the outfield, pitcher's mound or catcher.  The batter's name appears at home plate when they are at bat.  As each pitch is thrown, a strike, ball or hit is shown on the screen.  If the pitch resulted in a hit, the base to which the batter reached will show the batters name.  Now...how does all this work?  In the case of the game we are watching, Steve, the father of one of the players, is holding his phone in his hand and must enter each play as it unfolds during the game.  Every pitch is counted and that number is listed under the name of the player who is pitching.  Every ball and strike is listed be it a "called" strike or a "swinging strike".  As baserunners begin to reach base, their movements are shown on the screen.  If a ball is hit by the batter to the infield or outfield, a dotted line goes in the direction of the hit ball.  Then on the screen appears the result such as "Double", "Triple" or even Hit-By-Pitch if that happens to be the case.  Steve must touch his phone screen on every pitch with the information so we, sitting half-way around the world or a few miles away can watch the game.  

Team photo after the game had ended.  Scoreboard result shows their win.  My grandson is directly under the #2 on the bottom of the scoreboard.

Tonight we cheered Caden to victory as he scored two of the six runs for his team as they won 6-2 and advanced to the New Era Tournament.  So, just how does "GameChanger" work?  The app is free for coaches, scorekeepers and team administrators as well as family of those who are associated with the team.  The company that has the website charges for others who want to watch as well as if you want box scores, season stats, recap stories and in-game alerts.  The site was launched in 2010 by co-founders Ted Sullivan and Kiril Savino.  I want to personally thank them for allowing me to follow my grandson's games even if I can not be in attendance.  And, I also want to thank Steve for taking the initiative and time to stand next to the dugout and record every pitch and the results of what happens during the game.  He is a busy man and must record everything from each pitch to changing the names on the screen as some players leave the game and others take their place.  An amazing app that allows a Tampaw, which is what my grandkids call me, a chance to relive his youth and coaching days all over again.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

PS - This story was written two days ago after the game, described above, was played.  Last evening the Mountville Angels team defeated Ephrata in the first round of the Lancaster New Era Tournament to advance to the next round that will be held tonight.  I will eventually post another story telling of the results of the tournament.  

The "Wednesday With The Saints" Story

St. James Episcopal in downtown Lancaster, Pennsylvania

It was an ordinary day.  Checking out the St. James Episcopal Church email that I receive every week that tells of the services that are offered this week as well as any special events being held and a feature that I enjoy called "Wednesdays with the Saints".  

Bishop William White

Today's Saint was Bishop William White who played a big part in the consecration of our rebuilt church in the city of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Bishop White was a key figure in the establishment of the Constitution of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the USA.  Shortly after the American Revolution, when peace had been restored in our new country, life began to return to normal in everyday life, work and worship.  At St. James Episcopal the boards that had covered the windows of the church were removed.  

St. James' original church in Lancaster.

They had been placed over the windows when the church had been closed due to the rector, The Rev. Thomas Barton, being a loyalist to England and being forced to leave Lancaster.  To keep the church safe it was boarded up and church was not held until after the war had ended.  St. James appointed the Rev. Joseph Hutchins to resume and renew parish life.  

The "new" St. James at Duke and Orange Streets.

At the same time the Rev. William White, who was  the Rector of Christ Church in Philadelphia, called a meeting to discuss how the American congregations of the Church of England should move forward.  Representing St. James of Lancaster were William Parr, Edward Hand and George Ross, Jr.  On September 14, 1786 the Diocese of Pennsylvania was established and the Rev. William White, D.D. was elected the first Bishop of the Diocese.  Five years later he returned to England to be consecrated in Lambeth Chapel by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York, assisted by the Bishop of Bath and Wells and the Bishop of Peterborough.  

The Rev. Thomas Barton who was loyal
to the Church of England and had to leave.

Rev. White's consecration as a bishop was the first one outside England that didn't require allegiance to England.  On Sunday, October 15, 1820, seventy-six years after the founding of St. James Episcopal in Lancaster, the Rt. Rev. William White consecrated our "new building."  He said, "I here consecrate and set apart for divine worship the rebuilt Church of St. James in the City of Lancaster, agreeably to the form of consecration of a church or chapel ordained and of one in the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America."  So, this week our church was celebrating the life of William White, first Bishop of Pennsylvania.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

One of my altered Polaroid prints of the archway at St. James.

A photograph I took of the courtyard from the belltower.

The interior of the historic church at the corner of North Duke and East Orange Streets.

The "How Old Do You Want To Be When You Die?" Story

Foreword:  Death and dying isn't something that you think about all the time.  That is until you get older.  Well, since I am getting older, and I subscribe to magazines geared toward older people, more is written about death and dying.  Gruesome, right!  Today's story tells about what I have found published recently in a variety of books and magazines as well as newspapers.  Is it just me, or do you think death and dying is more on the minds of many in today's society?

It was an ordinary day.  Reading an amazing article in AARP titled "A New Age".  A multi-page article that features photographs from the acclaimed photojournalists of Magnum Photos which captured scenes of aging around the world.  I'm not sure, but I believe I would be titled as old by many who are reading this story.  I'll be 75 years old in a few months, but I find that I am just as busy today as I was when I taught school.  I still work three part-time jobs that I enjoy, go on vacation to beautiful places in the world, take in many athletic events that my grandkids participate in, take care of an acre of landscape around my home in Lancaster, Pennsylvania and still find time to write a story a day on my blog which I began nine years ago.  And, I'm not old!  Not to me.  Yeah, some days I have a hard time with my leg, foot and back, but I have it better than most people my age and perhaps better than many who are younger than me.  Another story I recently read told that Swiss immunologist, Rolf Zinkernagel, who won the Nobel Prize in Physiology in 1996 believes that the lifespan of humans has far exceeded what it was intended it to be.  He believes that we were built to reach 25 years of age and all the rest is luxury.  Many now face an old age spent in nursing homes.  And, who wants to spend the rest of our lives in a place that values safety and protocol over independence and living.  So what are the consequences for society if the average life expectancy were to reach...say 100 years old?  He says we face the prospect of a large amount of centenarians cared for by poorly paid immigrants.  The children of these centenarians can expect to work well into their 70s and possibly their 80s which will mean less opportunities for the young to get work.  Baby boomers are now reaching their 60s and 70s and demand a well-funded and active lifestyle.  My dad lived to be 87 years old while my mom lived to be 90.  What does that mean for me?  Is living to be that old bad for society?  I must admit that today I spend more time visiting doctors than I did when I was 25 or even 50.  But so what!  Medicine today is keeping us alive, be it good or bad.  Would it be best to die younger to allow more space on our planet for those that are being born today?  Today, life expectancy for the average woman in the United States is 81 while for men it is 76.  If I use those numbers...you will only be reading this blog for another year.  Kind of scary...at least for me!  But, since I made it this far, I may have more than one year left, since life expectancy is based on the age of death from the day you were born and since I have just about reached my maximum age, it will increase since many others have died before me to help my chances of reaching a higher age.  Does that make sense?   So how do most people die?  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention classifies the ways to die into 113 causes, which are grouped into 20 categories of disease and external causes.  About a third of people die from diseases of the respiratory system and the rest is so gruesome that I have decided to end this story at this point.  Too depressing!  Have to grab my beach chair and umbrella and head down the street to the beach.  Hope to post another story tomorrow...God willing.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "News At It's Best": Part II" Story

8 West King Street which is where the
Lancaster Newspaper has been printing
my entire life.  I will miss visits to the
place, but am hoping the move will bring
a better and more up to date newspaper.

It was an ordinary day.  Reading about the return to Lancaster County of a state-of-the-art printing press on which the Lancaster Newspaper will once again be printed.  Since May of 2015 the Lancaster newspaper has been printed in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania which is about an hour from Lancaster.  Late night news happenings very seldom make the morning news due to the distance factor and time required to get the newspaper "to press" on time for early morning delivery.  The newspaper which is printed in Mechanicsburg is top quality and I enjoy the format, but it is too far from the Lancaster County readers.  Bringing back the printing of the newspaper to Lancaster County should increase the readership.  Steinman Communications, owners of the Lancaster Newspaper, are moving the printing of the newspaper to a 48,000-square foot leased building on Hempstead Road which is to the north-east of the city of Lancaster.  

The printing press that was housed
at 8 West King Street.  I visited many
times and enjoyed watching the
operation of the press in the making
of the Lancaster newspaper.

Moving the printing back to Lancaster will make it easier to include late breaking news once again.  The state-of-the-art press, which was said to be a quality used press made available due to other printing operations consolidating around the country, will be run by 30 to 40 employees, thus opening new positions for Lancaster residents.  With the new press will also come access to online local archives that date to 1795.  I'm anxious for both operations to take place in the near future.  But, that is not the only news about Lancaster Newspapers in Downtown Lancaster.  It was recently reported that the newspaper will move from their ages-old building at 8 West King Street, were they have been since 1906, to a new location at 101 N. Queen Street, a block-and-a-half away from their old home.  The new location will be more efficient and more physically attractive.  Their new location will be known as 101NQ.  They will be located on the second level of a new building that is now under construction in a 40,000-square-foot space.  It was said to be an exciting new chapter for the Lancaster Newspaper.  Those associated with the physical printing of the daily newspaper will be moved to the Hempstead Road facility.  Good things are coming to Lancaster and its news outlet.  I can hardly wait!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

Photo that was in the newspaper showing the new press at the Hempstead Road building.

The "'News At It's Best': Part I" Story

Newspaper stories telling of the 225th Anniversary of LNP

It was an ordinary day.  Once again, reading my Sunday newspaper which today is devoted to the 225th Anniversary of the local newspaper.  For most of you, that's hard to get excited about, but for me, who started a neighborhood newsletter from the pup tent my Aunt Doris gave me as a Christmas gift when I was a youngster, it was an amazing story.  The story on page one of the paper was titled "Creating Community" and included a letter from the publisher and president of the newspaper.  Another story about editorial cartoons appeared in the "Perspective" Section while a full 30 page section talked about the workings of the newspaper, the editors of the papers from the past and a few reader's comments.  My story today and tomorrow will tell you a bit about the past 225 years of Lancaster's newspaper's history, but I'd be amiss if I didn't tell you that my favorite story in the paper today was the story about the 100th anniversary of the column known as "The Scribbler."  

"The Scribbler" Jack Brubaker

Lancaster County native Jack Brubaker has been "The Scribbler" for the past 40 years and I don't think I have missed more than a few of his close to 4,000 columns telling of life in Lancaster County, be it good or bad, but definitely hilarious.  I have written about "The Scribbler" a few times in the past and he too has written about me in a few of his 4,000 columns.  Jack grew up on a duck farm that at one time was a stop of the Underground Railroad.  Could be his love of the history of Lancaster was fueled by that fact.  Jack has also penned six books with names such as "Down the Susquehanna to the Chesapeake" and the "Massacre of the Conestogas."  The story featured in today's newspaper tells you a bit more about Jack and his love of Lancaster and history.  

One of Jack's books he has written.

During an interview with another reporter, he was asked to tell about the history of the column.  I have written about this before, but I can tell you that it first appeared on May 24, 1919 in what at the time was Lancaster's newspaper called "The Examiner".  Thus, "The Scribbler" is the second-longest-running column in the world; behind a column known as "The Beachcomber" in the London Daily Express which began in 1918.  The first "Scribbler" had just come back from WWI and wrote a rather serious column that for some time was on the front page of the newspaper.  Then, during WWII there weren't enough reporters available so they dropped "The Scribbler" column.  Eventually Mr. Gerald Lestz became "The Scribbler" and his history and creative writing drew me to his column.  That was when I first became a teenager and my parents couldn't believe I actually enjoyed reading a newspaper column when it appeared twice a week.  Gerald wrote the column for 22 years and then Jack took over.  

"The Scribbler's" anniversary cartoon.

At first Jack wanted to be a playwright until his college roommate told him he should try newspaper writing so he could write every day.  Jack also, just as me, grew up reading "The Scribbler" column in the Lancaster Newspaper.  He says the reason the column has survived for so long is the interest in local goings-on which can't be found anywhere else.  He tells that "The Scribbler" wouldn't be a column if it weren't for the readers who constantly send him ideas for the column just as I have done to the point that I may have become a pest.  He recently published a story telling about a Moravian Church in downtown Lancaster that I asked about.  Told in his column that it is in Church Heaven as of now.  I also wrote to him telling about this blog and how I have hundreds of Russians reading it some days.  Now, that interested him and I had to tell him how I knew exactly how many people from what countries were reading my stories.  Perhaps you read the story I posted a few weeks ago about his column he wrote about it.  He ends his interview telling that his column interacts with the community and people of all ages.  He tells that he read it as a child.  History teachers read it. Lawyers read it.  Janitors read it.  Heavens, LDub reads it, sometimes the same column more than once to make sure I didn't miss anything.  Thanks, Jack for all you have done for the city of Lancaster.  Tomorrow I will tell you a bit more about celebrating the 225th Anniversary of Lancaster's trip through history via it's newspaper.  It was another extraordinary in the life of an ordinary guy.

PS - If you care to read more about "The Scribbler", type "The Scribbler" in the white box, top left on this page.

The "Famous People You May Know Who Are From Lancaster, PA" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading an online article that lists the 30 most interesting, athletic, musical, historic, patriotic, influential, diplomatic and entertaining people who were either born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania or who lived in Lancaster for some of their life.  As I went through the list I recognized just about everyone and thought of a few myself that weren't on the list or a few that maybe shouldn't have been placed on the list.  Always going to be that way with any "best of" list.  Can you name a few people from your town or city who deserve to be recognized for the contributions that gave to society?  The following is my condensed list based on how I feel about the person mentioned in the online list.  See if you recognize a few of those born or raised in the city of Lancaster, PA.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

#1 - Jonathan Groff.  One of my cousin Sue's best friends is the mother of Jonathan Groff.   Jon grew up in Ronks and graduated from Conestoga Valley High School in 2003.  His list of accomplishments would be "Glee", voice-over role in Frozen as King George III, Broadway show "Hamilton" and lead role in Netflix drama "Mindhunter." 

#2 - Thaddeus Stevens.  Though he was born in Vermont in 1792, he moved to Lancaster in 1842 where he set up his law practice in a place that aligned with his anti-Mason and pro-Whig views.  He was a member of Congress and a fierce abolitionist.  He died in 1868 and is buried in Shreiner's Cemetery in downtown Lancaster.  I have written quite a few stories that are centered on his life.

#3 - John Darrenkamp.  John is a bass opera singer who was a leading artist with the New York Metropolitan Opera company.  He was born in nearby Mount Joy and began his career in 1957.  Today he serves as artistic director for Opera Lancaster and is also a member of St. James Episcopal church choir.  Fun to sing with someone who is so famous.

#4 - Milton Hershey.  Known as the Chocolate King, he was born in Derry Township in 1857 and apprenticed with a confectioner in Lancaster at the age of 14.  He opened his first candy factory in Lancaster known as Lancaster Caramel Company in 1883.  He sold that company in 1890 and began the town which bears his name.

#5 - Matt Nagy.  Matt was named head coach of the Chicago Bears in January 2018.  He was a star quarterback for Manheim Central High School as well as the University of Delaware where he was an All-American.  After college he played six seasons in the Arena Football League before coming to the Philadelphia Eagles as a coach intern.  He spent five seasons under head coach Andy Reid and finally got his chance last year.  And, what a job he is doing in Chicago.

#6 -  Taylor Kinney.  Actor and model who was born in Neffsville, Pa. and graduated from Lancaster Mennonite High School in 2000.  He was in The Vampire Diaries and Chicago Fire but received his most attention for his 2015 engagement to singer Lady Gaga.  The two were spotted several times in the nearby Lititz area.

#7 - Barney Ewell.  Graduated from Lancaster McCaskey High School in 1936.  He is the only Lancastrian to ever win an Olympic gold medal when he was part of he 1949 400 meter relay.  He also won two silver medals for the 100 and 200 meter dash.

#8 - Bruce Sutter.  Bruce went to high school at Donegal H.S.  He was born in 1953 and was known for his split-finger fastball.  Spent most of his professional baseball career with the Chicago Cubs.  He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2006.

#9 - Jennifer Gareis.  Jennifer was a 1988 graduate of J.P. McCaskey High School and a 1993 graduate of Franklin and Marshall College.  She is best known for her roles on "The Bold and the Beautiful and "Young & the Restless.  She placed in the top 6 in the 1994 Miss USA pageant and appeared in "Miss Congeniality", "Veronica Mars", "Private Parts", and "Comedy Bang! Bang!" 

#10 - James Buchanan.  The 15th President of the United States.  His longtime home, Wheatland, is now part of the Lancaster County Historical Society at 1120 Marietta Ave. in Lancaster, PA

#11 - Tom Herr.  Tom graduated from Hempfield High School and played 13 seasons in the majors, 10 with the St. Louis Cardinals.  He was in three World Series and won the 1982 series agains the Milwaukee Brewers.  In 1985 he was an All-Star and finished fifth in the National League Most Valuable Player.  He more recently was the first manager for the newly formed Lancaster Barnstormers in 2006 where he led the team to the Atlantic League Championship.

#12 - Eveyln Ay Sempier.  Evelyn was crowned Miss America in 1954.  She was born in nearby Ephrata and won the Miss Pennsylvania title in 1953.  

#13 - Kristen Wiig.  Her family moved to Lancaster when she was three and she attended Nitrauer Elementary in Manheim Township where I taught school.  Kristen is an actress, comedian, writer and producer who is best remembered for her time on "Saturday Night Live".  

#14 - Charles Demuth.  Charles was one of five Lancaster artists represented in an exhibit at the State Museum celebrating Pennsylvania artists.  He was born in 1883 on Lime Street in downtown Lancaster.  His work is celebrated at the Demuth Museum in Lancaster.

#15 - Don Wert.  Another professional baseball player from Lancaster County who played  on the World Series championship 1968 Detroit Tigers.  It is said his career ended the same year when he was hit in the head by a pitch and he spent two nights in the hospital.  He wasn't the same player after that time.

#16 - Johnny Weir.  He grew up in nearby Quarryville, PA.  He was an Olympic figure skater who was a three-time national champion in men's figure skating.  He was a skating commentator for NBC at the 2014 Olympics and 2018 Winter Games in South Korea.  

#17 - Richard "Dick"Winters.  Dick rose to worldwide fame as leader of the Band of Brothers during WWII.  His courageous leadership through combat was the focus of a best selling book and an HBO miniseries "Band of Brothers".  He was a born in Lancaster on January 21, 1918.  He eventually moved to nearby Ephrata, PA.

#18 - Dan Kreider.  Dan graduated from Manheim Central High School and went on to play fullback for 10 seasons in the NFL.  He was a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers that won Super Bowl XL.

#19 - Doug Dennison.  Doug graduated from Lancaster McCaskey High School and starred for them in football.  He graduated from Kutztown State Teachers College where he played football and then played for the Dallas Cowboys where he went to two Super Bowls, winning one.

#20 - Robert Fulton.  Robert was born in 1765 in nearby Little Britain Township.  He is most famous for developing and marketing the steamboat, but he was also a well-known artist as well as designer of the submarine.  

#21 - Wally Walker.  Wally played basketball for Penn Manor High School and went on to play for the University of Virginia and then the Cleveland Cavaliers.  He led Virginia to their first ACC basketball championship in 1976 and was named the tournament MVP.  

#22 - Gene Garber.  Gene was a pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Kansas City Royals, Philadelphia Phillies and Atlanta Braves.  He was the Braves all time leader in saves with 141.

#23 - Jim Furyk.  I had Jim when he was a student at Manheim Township High School in Lancaster County, PA.  He was a great baseball player who caught for my oldest son, Derek, when they played Little League Baseball.  After graduating from MTHS and college, he began a career in professional golf.  To date he has earned 28 professional victories, 18 of which have been on he PGA Tour.  In 2010 he was the PGA Tour Player of the Year.