Missing member

[Haunted hearse]

In Massachusetts between Worcester and Springfield. I was surprised to see the mountains visible on the horizon myself but that's because like most people I typically only think of Boston and Cape Cod when I hear the word Massachusetts.

At least he isn't in Maine. Between clowns which tell you how everybody floats where there from, and cats being brought back from the dead, I don't know how anybody can live there.

[Hepcat]

So Freddie in his younger days had hockey scholarships as a goaltender at Cornell University and Northeastern University, and then garnered an invitation to the Toronto Maple Leafs' training camp in 1973 where Bruce Gamble was the goal-tending coach.

The only other things Fred still has from that Maple Leaf training camp are his goalie glove and blocker:

[Hepcat]

Here's Freddie vending his wares at the Brimfield Antique and Collectibles show in 1983 or 1984:

[Hepcat]

Here's a picture of Front Street in downtown Worcester, Massachusetts circa 1963:



Freddie tells me that his father's restaurant was located just past the Mayflower Hotel sign on the left hand side of the picture. The J&A Cigar Store stocked boxes and boxes of all the bubble gum trading cards issued in the 1960's. From end to end in the downtown area the street was packed with five and dime stores, toy stores, magic shops, hobby shops, newsstands, used book stores, confectioneries and movie theaters galore. In other words the street had everything that a monster loving young fellow could possibly want!

[Hepcat]

Freddie tells me that pictures like these ones taken in the 2000-05 period prompted Terry to choose him to be the first officer of the UMA Yahoo group way back when:

[Hepcat]

Here's Freddie vending his wares at the Brimfield Antique and Collectibles show in 1983 or 1984:

The Brimfield shows are absolutely massive. Here's a pic giving a good indication of the size:



The next one is on September 3-8.

[Gasport]

Thank you, Hep for posting all these wonderful pics/news of our friend, Freddie...Next to Zacherle, he's one of the few people i miss most from our weekends hanging out together at Chiller in NJ for all those wonderful years. Simply one of the best people i ever met and i love him dearly. Sorry to hear he's having cognitive issues...he'd often share his stories of his and his dad's boxing days. I remember passing by him telling Zach one in the hotel restaurant that had him doubling over in laughter. I think it was the one where Freddie expressed doubt about boxing because he was concerned about what being knocked out might feel like, so his old man walked over and popped him one on the chin and said : "There...THAT'S what it feels like"!

Sorry i haven't been lurking around here much...still caring for my now 96 yr old mom w/dementia in my home which can be very distracting. I've kind put my outside interests on the back burner for the time being, but do check in from time to time where it's great to see familiar people. I know this was one of the few places on the internet where i might run into Freddie, as he tended to keep a low profile otherwise. Again, i'm so sorry to hear of his health issues but he always maintained a positive outlook on life, thru all kinds of adversity. One of the most sincerely likeable and together people on the planet and i wish him all the best.     

[Hepcat]

You might also want to check out the thread on Freddie's collection:

http://www.universalmonsterarmy.com/forum/index.php?topic=22047.225

And the "Show off Your Weekly Finds" thread:

http://www.universalmonsterarmy.com/forum/index.php?topic=205.6570

I've posted quite a few pictures of other items from Freddie's collection in those threads since December.

[Gasport]

Great stuff, Hep...thanks for the links. I remember that Chiller show from 2015 well. Last show i attended after 25 years, twice a year! After Zach stopped going, i did too...Every time i'd pass Freddie in a dealer's room or hallway, he'd have another new treasure he just acquired...He honed in on these items like a guided missile! As with so many of our cherished memories, we didn't realize how much fun we were having...

[Hepcat]

Freddie's dog Boo Boo just turned fifteen yesterday!



Both had some turkey bacon for breakfast to celebrate the event.

[Flower]

Wishing Booboo a very very happy birthday and many more .. Hugs to Booboo and his wonderful family.

[Hepcat]

Sadly Booboo passed away on March 5th. Kevin Clement, the founder of the "Chiller Theatre Convention" of New Jersey posted this tribute to Booboo on his Facebook page:

[Hepcat]

As a further blow the semi-feral cat living in the outback by Fred's property was killed by the highway near Fred's driveway. Fred laid it to rest in a plot in the woods where he has been taking the bodies of other such animals killed by cars.

And Freddie really does live in a "neck of the woods" outside of Brimfield, Massachusetts:



Freddie is now constructing a nice memorial to all the pets he's had since 1974. He's getting a 40" St. Francis bird feeder/bath for the memorial together with a black schnauzer statue for Boo Boo. Fifteen names of dogs and cats will be on the stones:





The dog tags of his various deceased canines will be on the railing.

[BigShadow]

Wow, that is a really cool idea and a great way to pay homage to our furry friends.  I've always wondered what would become of my pet's ashes and collars when I die.  I think my wife will want them buried with her.  My only fear is that they'll be discarded in a disrespectful way.


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[Hepcat]

Freddie is now constructing a nice memorial to all the pets he's had since 1974. He's getting a 40" St. Francis bird feeder/bath for the memorial together with a black schnauzer statue for Boo Boo. Fifteen names of dogs and cats will be on the stones:

The dog tags of his various deceased canines will be on the railing.

The statue of Boo Boo is now in place completing the memorial Freddie constructed for his deceased pets: