By Jack Houvouras
HQ 111 | AUTUMN 2020
This issue marks the third time in 30 years that we have published a “Best of Huntington” cover story. It’s always great fun compiling these lists and seeing how our readers cast their votes. It’s also interesting to see how much Huntington has changed over the years. As such, I decided to step back in time and name some of the best people, places and things from my childhood in Huntington in the 1970s. Here’s my very personal list from that era:
Best TV Show: I’m going to have to declare a tie between WSAZ’s Mr. Cartoon and WOWK’s Chiller Theater. Mr. Cartoon was a Huntington icon, while Chiller brought back wonderful memories of crawling into bed with my parents late at night and watching King Kong vs. Godzilla, Bride of Frankenstein, The Pit and the Pendulum and more.
Best Basketball Player: I was a fan of both Mike D’Antoni and Russell Lee when they filled the seats at the Field House, but I’m giving the nod to Mike because he was kind enough to come visit me in the hospital when I was 6 years old and had pneumonia. He was a class act even way back then.
Best Weather Phenomenon: This would have to go to the blizzard of 1977. A major storm was predicted, so Gov. Jay Rockefeller declared a state of emergency for West Virginia. Panic quickly ensued. I was in the sixth grade at Meadows Elementary when our teacher calmly assured us that everything was going to be all right. She then left the room, shut the door, walked down the hall and screamed, “We’re all going to die!” You may not believe me, but I swear it’s true. In the end, the storm dumped a mere 2 inches of snow on the ground. It became known as “The Blizzard That Never Was.”
Best Junior High: Cammack. When I entered the seventh grade I had yet to discover girls, but that all changed my first day at Cammack. I recall walking into the gymnasium at noon and looking out over a sea of cute girls. The allure of the opposite sex hit me like a ton of bricks. The rest of the school year was filled with passing notes in class, attending dances and going to parties nearly every weekend at someone’s house. My social life flourished, but my grades suffered. I spent one glorious year there before my mother yanked me out and enrolled me at St. Joe.
Best Teacher: Peggy Kendall. The sting of leaving all my friends at Cammack was tempered by the beauty and charm of my eighth grade teacher at St. Joe. Mrs. Kendall was definitely a looker, and I developed a crush on her immediately. That year I had a 4.0 GPA, never missed a day of class (something that hadn’t happened before and never happened after) and even earned an A in “Conduct” for the first time in my life. Hmm … I wonder why I excelled that year?
Best Sneaker Shop: Glenn’s. When it came to sneakers, my mom would always buy me a pair of white Chuck Taylors which sold for around $10. She liked white because she could toss them in the washer with a little bleach and they would come out looking brand new. But back then, Chuck Taylors were not the cool fashion statement they are today. Well, one day in 1977, for whatever reason, my dad took me shopping for clothes. When we arrived at Glenn’s, Huntington’s shoe mecca at the time, I remember he asked me, “What kind of shoes do you want?” I sheepishly replied, “Well, I’d like to have the leather Adidas high-tops, but they’re $50! If we get those, Mom will kill you.” My dad instructed the salesperson to fetch me a pair and then told me, “You let me worry about your mother.” That was one of the greatest days of my young life.
Best Movie Theater: Obviously that honor goes to the Keith-Albee. I saw a number of great movies there including American Graffiti, Jaws, Rocky and Star Wars. But the movie that stands out the most was The Spy Who Loved Me. I distinctly recall the opening sequence where James Bond skis down a mountain while being pursued by villains toting machine guns. Time is running out for 007 as he approaches a steep cliff and glides right over its edge. Then, as his body is free-falling from the great height, a parachute deploys revealing the Union Jack colors. The entire theater erupted in cheers and applause.
These are just some of my best memories of Huntington from the 1970s. It was a simpler, more innocent time. But change is inevitable, and with it comes progress. Here’s hoping the next decade is filled with more great memories for all of us.
