Published: Sept. 1, 2016

Alferd Packer

Paul Danish's summer issue column about how the UMC grill came to be named after Colorado cannibal Alferd Packer (above) elicited a proposal and a question. Danish responds.听听

Packer Grill听

Have Paul Danish鈥檚听(Hist鈥�65) column in the听Summer 2016 issue听[鈥淏oulder Beat: How听the Grill Got Its Name鈥漖听blown up and framed and听hung at the entrance of听the Grill to help future听students not mistake a听CU president for a Colorado听cannibal.听
听
Franklin Bell (Jour鈥�70)听
Bluemont, Va.
听
I enjoyed the column听about Alferd Packer and听the Alferd Packer Grill. I听have always thought that听it was a good name. I听was a graduate student听at CU from 1961 to 1965,听and as I remember it the听grill was already called听the Alferd Packer Grill.听Since Paul Danish, the听author, is from the class
of 鈥�65, we must have听been here at the same听time. Was the name unofficial听in the early 鈥�60s?听
听
Nick Mousouris听(MMath鈥�63; Phd鈥�65)听
Longmont, Colo.听
听
Columnist Paul Danish听responds: I don鈥檛 remember听the grill being called听the Packer Grill informally听before 鈥�68, but it is certainly听possible someone听was doing it. When the听UMC opened in 1954,听it was referred to as the听Indian Grill. When the听space was expanded and听remodeled in 1964, the听name was changed to the听Roaring Fork. It kept that听name until it was formally听re-branded after Packer听in 1968.听
听

Music at Folsom听

As one of the head equipment managers for CU football, I had the assignment of being inside the team house during the 1977 [Fleetwood Mac] concert. Somehow I interacted with the stage hands.听They needed or wanted听something and I was able听to solve their problem. They听invited me to 鈥榗ome out鈥� and听eat lunch with them. We听went to the west side of the听building after I locked up听and sat at tables with some听other people. Everyone听talked and laughed and听had a good time. Behind us听out in the stadium the next听act was performing. When听lunch was over and we all听stood up to return to our duties,听only then did I realize I听was lunching with the stage听guys and the members of听Fleetwood Mac!听

Doug Adams (惭办迟驳鈥�78)
Skaneateles, N.Y.

I must confess, I loved听your article [鈥淩eturn听of the Dead,鈥� Summer听2016]. You all rock!听

The year that The Who听played [1982], I snuck听back stage to capture听both Pete Townshend鈥檚听and John Entwistle鈥檚听signatures! I made a听fake badge, got through听security and hung out for听most of the show back in听the concrete locker room听area with the band support听(trying to look like I was听supposed to be there).听

When The Who came听backstage for a break, I听had to reveal my unauthorized听presence to ask听for autographs, got two听in the food area and was听kicked out before getting听Roger Daltrey鈥檚. The rest听of the show was great from听outside the stadium.听

James F. Dawson听(ArchEngr鈥�82)听
New York

Editor鈥檚 note:听The Who played Folsom听Field twice, in October听1982 and August 1989.听

Luckiest Guy听

I just went through your听summer issue and wanted听to mail you to say how much听I love your magazines.听

I graduated CU in 1976听as a grad student in architecture.听I had just gotten听married in New Hampshire,听and my wife Kathy and I听left for what she called our听three-year honeymoon in听Colorado. They truly were听the best years of our lives.听

My undergraduate听school was Boston College.听I always tell people that听I am the luckiest guy in听the world to have gone to听two of the most beautiful听colleges on the planet. We听tailgate at the BC football听games, and there鈥檚 this听recent CU grad who shows听up every once in a while听and we debate about which听campus is prettier and he听always tells me that BC听doesn鈥檛 have the mountains.听We do have Chestnut听Hill, I say. I guess he wins.听

Anyway, they are both听gorgeous. Go Buffs.听

Gary Meehan听(MArch鈥�76)
Goffstown, N.H.

Communicators of Yore听

Congratulations to Dr. Lori听Bergen on her role as founding听dean of the new College听of Media, Communication听and Information and to Eric听Gershon for his outstanding听interview [鈥淚nquiry,鈥� Summer听2016]. I was privileged听to earn an M.A. in communication听when Dr. Thorrel Fest听was chair of the department.听He was a pioneer in communication听courses at NORAD听and a personal friend of Vice听President Hubert Humphrey.听Other outstanding听professors at that time were:听Drs. Martin Cobin, Wayne听Brockreide, Don Darnell and听Margaret Robb.听

I enjoyed doing a听sabbatical in the late 鈥�60s听and again in 1981. At that听time Dr. George Matter听was chairperson and we听were both from Salem High听School in Salem, Ore. He听was an outstanding debater,听and we both (now in our听early 鈥�80s) played on the听high school football team.听

Marvin L. Langeland听(MComm鈥�70)
Salem, Ore.

Photo courtesy University Memorial Center听

Issue: Fall 2016