Allegany County Route 31 “Friendship Hill” detour investigation
By Chuck Wiser, I write the words to share what my eyes see and my heart feels
The Bills seemed to sleep through their game last Sunday, but I can’t sleep. Must be it’s another “sleepless Wednesday” as here I am at 12:48 AM and not yet having been able to fall asleep I might as well try and Wramble my way into sleep-land. For some reason I’ve had trouble either getting to sleep at night or staying asleep should I be so fortunate as to fall asleep. I was tired but not sleepy at 8:30 PM so decided to hit the sack planning on watching whatever TV show that kept my wife occupied. Turns out it was Dancing With The Stars, so I watched that until its conclusion. At that point I took my Trazadone pill, prescribed for me a couple of years ago for just such a purpose. After a half hour or so, still unable to fall asleep, I took two Benadryl caplets, but they didn’t work either, so a half hour later I took an Extra Strength Benadryl. Still unable to achieve dreamland, and now as my problematic knee was throbbing and with the onset of back pain I gave in and took an Oxycodone pill about an hour and a half ago. As you can see, that didn’t do the trick either. Gerry Vance’s father’s admonition came to mind again, so I turned my sitting chair light on, grabbed a coke and here I am.
Back to the Buffalo Bill’s, after a promising 4-0 season start, the wheels seem to have come off or are at least wobbling like hell. Despite nearly everyone’s pre-season projections of the Bills winning or at least reaching the super Bowl, I guess those thoughts got into the Bills players and coaches heads and they must think they can sleepwalk their way into the play-offs. New England has different thoughts about the Bills in that regard and despite having been beaten already by the Bills, they have taken over the lead in their division. Somebody better wake up the Bills.
Sticking to the sports theme I had plans of writing extensively about the St. Bonaventure “Bonnies” this week following last Saturday’s win over the Canisius Griffins, with the motivation of this coming weekend’s matchup with Youngstown University, in celebration of the 1960’s Bonnies, featuring the Stith Brothers. This will be the 65th year anniversary of my having been enthralled by their “local” presence, and continually, as a national interest. I have several items of Bonnies apparel and regardless of where I go, even out of state, I am frequently approached asking me if I had gone to St. Bonaventure? My reply was generally something along the lines that; “Not with my presence but in my heart.” I believe that I would have made an excellent Bonnies student as Journalism was one of their primary educational paths and I wanted to be a writer. Sadly, family and personal finances did not accommodate that, and so I chose to enlist in the Navy straight out of high school.
I, through my mother’s subscription to the Olean Times Herald rural delivery, would stand by the roadside on the day after a game, awaiting “Johnny” in his red Olean Times Herald delivery pickup truck, and the papers delivery on the East Notch Road leading out of Nile, NY.
In actuality, two brothers who starred with the Bonnies in the 60’s, and nationally later as pros, were the focus of my fanhood. The Stith brothers, Sam and Tom were the most well-known duo in St. Bonaventure history. Tom ’61 and Sam ’60 combined for over 3000 points in their careers, and both went on to NBA Careers.
Tom and Sam over their distinguished careers at St. Bonaventure, helped put St. Bonaventure basketball into the national spotlight. They were an exciting pair to watch, and they were at the root of my lifelong love for The Bonnies. I am a fan forever and attend every game I can.
Sam, the older of the two by a year, was a defensive catalyst, helping to initiate the team’s zone defense. He also was a complete player who scored 1,112 career points and grabbed 620 rebounds. Tom earned his place in St. Bonaventure lore with a smooth athleticism and a hook shot that few, if any, could copy. The 1959-60 season was perhaps the most magical for the Stiths. They combined to average an incredible 52 points per game – Sam at 20.5 and Tom at 31.5. The year culminated in St. Bonaventure’s fourth place finish in the NIT.
Together, the Stiths helped St. Bonaventure to three NIT berths and one NCAA Tournament bid over a four-year span.
Some of the following is stolen from a recent article by Tom Missel, long time Olean, and other areas reporter/writer.
St. Bonaventure University basketball greats Sam Stith and Ronald “Whitey” Martin will be featured guests for a special program Saturday, Nov. 15, celebrating the induction of Bona legend Tom Stith into National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame. Tom Stith wore number 42 and was a two-time consensus All-American who set the program’s all-time scoring record at the time of his graduation.
A two-time consensus All-American, Tom Stith graduated in 1961 after serving with Whitey Martin as co-captains on the Bonnies’ first-ever NCAA team.
Together, the Stith brothers scored 3,163 career points, the highest total for two brothers in an NCAA program prior to the NCAA rule permitting four playing years in 1972-73. Sam captained the 1959-60 squad that finished fourth in the NIT, led by the Stith brothers combined 52 points per game.
At halftime of the Bonnies 4 PM game this coming Saturday, members of the Stith family will receive Tom’s National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame induction award in an on-court ceremony. Stith was inducted into the 2024 Hall of Fame class.
My final topic…unless something pops up before I put this baby into Andrew Harris’ hands is the disgusting…err, I mean discussing, of some road signage that defies, if not logic, then indeed a lack of understanding of how people read road signs.
Departing my residence about 100 yards down the Back River Road, after it veers off County Rte. 31, I had no idea of what was to come. Since early in the summer, there has been a bridge replacement project going on in Friendship at the bridge over Van Campen Creek and just east of the town. For several months there has been one lane traffic as one lane at a time was going through major reconstruction. There were signs and lights galore stopping or allowing traffic flow and all went very smoothly.
As a side note of interest, at least to me, As I waited on the Friendship side of the bridge while construction equipment did some structural moving of equipment, the east bound blockade was removed, and I had the honor of being the first regular traffic vehicle to cross over that side of the bridge. Shortly thereafter the east bound lane was fully open while the west bound lane was in the reconstruction process.
Fast forward a few days and the other day, departing my home, just a few feet off County Rte. 31, headed toward Friendship on one of my frequent treks to Olean I witnessed the first sign visible to me indicating, as I interpreted it, that County Rte. 31 South was a detour. The sign indicating the direction of County Road 31 “South” was repeated every couple of miles toward Friendship. I was baffled, and normally it doesn’t take much to do that. I kept saying to myself…“Self, County Road 31 goes East and West, not North/South.” As I came over the hill, past the cemetery headed into Friendship it looked like there were barricades across the entire road blocking off the bridge that was or had been under construction. I was really puzzled as the road and bridge had been open, albeit one lane on the bridge for months, as they worked in one lane and then the other. I was a little upset, well, truthfully “really pissed,” as I had driven all the way to Friendship, had to turn around and back track to one of the roads that cuts the corner at the big bend on 31 to 31A and continued into Belmont and then successfully west to Olean.
I pondered for a couple of days wanting to read the riot act to someone but didn’t want to pour it on to one of our county officials as they were all well known to me, and so I hesitated on my rant. I finally called one of the County Highway senior officials and expressed my concern and that I planned to express my displeasure in my Sun article. He advised that County personnel were not responsible for the signage but rather it was a product of the General Contractor of the job. I was pleased that it wasn’t the responsibility or fault of our respected County officials and representatives. Therefore, with the person’s blessing, I rant before you. Route 31 still goes East to West despite the apparent mis-distinction of the signs.
I leave you now with a couple of the mis-leading signage pictures and a warning that you had best NOT head west on 31 if you want to get to downtown Friendship or any further west. Road is blocked.
If you have any comments, questions or concerns email me at IM.Wiserdad@gmail.com
