Class Note 1980
Issue
Nov - Dec 2016
By highlighting the achievements of an underappreciated Founding Father, the Broadway musical Hamilton secured a permanent place for Alexander Hamilton on the $10 bill. Hamilton was on the ropes but he’s untouchable now. I loved the show. And I’m as big a fan of Hamilton as anyone. But it looks like my plan to replace his portrait with the face of one of our extraordinary Parker A. Small Award winners—Susan Ball or Ronald Chen—is now dead in the water.
“Muhammad” and “Wang” may be the world’s most common names but it appears that the pairing of “Tench” and “Coxe” occurs more often, going all the way back to the days of Hamilton. We’re familiar with classmate Tench Coxe, managing director at Sutter Hill Ventures in Palo Alto, California, and generous sponsor of the Jerry Jeff Walker concert at our 25th reunion. But there are at least three predecessors who share the same name: a prominent Philadelphia merchant and political ally of Hamilton’s from the late 18th century, a “country gentleman” and philanthropist from the late 19th century, and a weekend warrior who dominated Philadelphia-area squash and tennis tournaments in the 1950s. All of which begs the question: Is there in fact a continuum of individual Tench Coxes or a single immortal one? Is there a reason why Tench takes his meetings at the Rosewood at night rather than during daylight hours? Might the “V” in “VC” signify something other than venture?
What do Chris Sawch, Crystal Morgan Phillips, Hayden Kepner, Jay Harter, Laura Giuliano, Susan Sawyer LeBlanc, Susan Ball and Corbey Low Hyman have in common? They share the same birthday (April 14). There were no winners this time, so I’ll ratchet back to easier challenges. Try this: What is the common thread that ties this next group of classmates together: Ty Burr, Greg Clinton, Sabrina King, Emily Wheeler, Mike Morton, Josiah Stevenson, George Wallace, Mike Bush. If you need a hint, consider the historical theme of this column. The first reader to guess correctly wins a gift certificate.
In other old column business, Steve Collins was the first to correctly guess that former roommate Greg Dunn had never trained an award-winning Doberman pinscher. But an email response from Greg himself casts a cloud on the results: “I know that Alpo worked for the ’Skins, but I’m not sure about the other two.”
Did I mention Mark Alperin?In July a plan to play a simple home-and-home series at our two golf clubs evolved into an epic multistate golfing adventure. Craig Lambdin joined us in Philly on Day 1. On Day 2 Curt Flight hosted a round in New Hampshire. Curt, Mark and I completed the circuit on Day 3 at their club outside of Boston. Too much of one type of driving, perhaps—but the event will grow and evolve because Curt and Mark are country gentlemen with rare aptitudes for the sporting life.
—Frank Fesnak, 242 River Road, Gladwyne, PA 19035; (610) 581-8889; ffesnak@gmail.com; Wade Herring,1 Verdell Drive, Savannah, GA 31406; (912) 944-1639; wherring@huntermaclean.com; Rob Daisley, 3201 W. Knights Ave., Tampa, FL 33611; (813) 300-7954; robdaisley@me.com
“Muhammad” and “Wang” may be the world’s most common names but it appears that the pairing of “Tench” and “Coxe” occurs more often, going all the way back to the days of Hamilton. We’re familiar with classmate Tench Coxe, managing director at Sutter Hill Ventures in Palo Alto, California, and generous sponsor of the Jerry Jeff Walker concert at our 25th reunion. But there are at least three predecessors who share the same name: a prominent Philadelphia merchant and political ally of Hamilton’s from the late 18th century, a “country gentleman” and philanthropist from the late 19th century, and a weekend warrior who dominated Philadelphia-area squash and tennis tournaments in the 1950s. All of which begs the question: Is there in fact a continuum of individual Tench Coxes or a single immortal one? Is there a reason why Tench takes his meetings at the Rosewood at night rather than during daylight hours? Might the “V” in “VC” signify something other than venture?
What do Chris Sawch, Crystal Morgan Phillips, Hayden Kepner, Jay Harter, Laura Giuliano, Susan Sawyer LeBlanc, Susan Ball and Corbey Low Hyman have in common? They share the same birthday (April 14). There were no winners this time, so I’ll ratchet back to easier challenges. Try this: What is the common thread that ties this next group of classmates together: Ty Burr, Greg Clinton, Sabrina King, Emily Wheeler, Mike Morton, Josiah Stevenson, George Wallace, Mike Bush. If you need a hint, consider the historical theme of this column. The first reader to guess correctly wins a gift certificate.
In other old column business, Steve Collins was the first to correctly guess that former roommate Greg Dunn had never trained an award-winning Doberman pinscher. But an email response from Greg himself casts a cloud on the results: “I know that Alpo worked for the ’Skins, but I’m not sure about the other two.”
Did I mention Mark Alperin?In July a plan to play a simple home-and-home series at our two golf clubs evolved into an epic multistate golfing adventure. Craig Lambdin joined us in Philly on Day 1. On Day 2 Curt Flight hosted a round in New Hampshire. Curt, Mark and I completed the circuit on Day 3 at their club outside of Boston. Too much of one type of driving, perhaps—but the event will grow and evolve because Curt and Mark are country gentlemen with rare aptitudes for the sporting life.
—Frank Fesnak, 242 River Road, Gladwyne, PA 19035; (610) 581-8889; ffesnak@gmail.com; Wade Herring,1 Verdell Drive, Savannah, GA 31406; (912) 944-1639; wherring@huntermaclean.com; Rob Daisley, 3201 W. Knights Ave., Tampa, FL 33611; (813) 300-7954; robdaisley@me.com