Wood Craft
BASKETBALL wizards Pete Newell and Merv Lopes were among the jam-packed crowd at the Mandarin's Veranda last weekend when Jimmy Borges celebrated his 66th birthday there. Basketball Hall-of-Famer Newell, 85, coached nationally top-ranked basketball teams at U. of California, the championship U.S. Olympic team in 1960, and was a successful G.M. for professional teams. Lopes, the former Chaminade coach whose teams scored stunning upsets over top collegiate teams, was an All-Star basketball and football player at Iolani, Class of '51. Merv played football at San Jose with Roy Hiram and Vernon "Bully" Windrath, Kamehameha and Roosevelt All Stars, respectively. Hiram was the Spartans' top running back. Merv and Vernon played end. They both were ahead of another end named Bill Walsh. Bully always said Walsh had a good football mind. That was an understatement. Walsh went on to become the architect and coach of some of the San Francisco 49ers' greatest teams -- teams that won NFL titles ... Basketball wizards
help Borges celebrate
Black Tie and Blue Jeans
BLACK TIE and Blue Jeans, always a fun event, is scheduled June 22 in the Hilton Coral Ballroom. A Mardi Gras Parade and Follies show will spark this year's program. International food, a silent auction and dance music by Nueva Vida, a hot band, are included in the $100 reserved seating and $85 tickets. Call Jennifer Smythe at 538-7021 ext. 28 for tickets. Men wear blue jeans with tux tops and for women it's semi-formal. Some of the outfits are wild. Richanne Lam and Val Patacchi are co-chairs. It's a benefit for the Oahu division of the American Heart Association ...GUESTS came from 15 states and four continents to see Jennifer Fu and David Penoyer take their vows at Central Union last Saturday. Parents of the bride are Dr. William Fu and Kathy Reinhart. The groom's parents are William and Anita Penoyer. A reception was held at the Halekulani. Guests such as Jane Stubenberg, Rachel Simmons and Wayne Meadows kicked up their heels to a band headed by Zanuck Lindsey, Tennison Stephens, Rocky Holmes and vocalist Ginai ...
Viernes pops the cork
NEIMAN'S Roberto Viernes won the first Young Sommelier competition held at the Culinary Institute of the Pacific at Kapiolani Community College. The competition was sponsored by the Chaine des Rotisseurs. Roberto, an Iolani and UH graduate, received his award at a Chaine dinner at the Halekulani. Besides answering 60 questions on wine, contestants had to identify the vintage, varietal, region and country of 12 wines while blindfolded. They also had to pair a six-course French menu with wine for each course ... Cheese tasting, with a bit of wine, begins Wednesday and will be held every second Wednesday of the month at Neiman's Mariposa, 6 p.m., $15 ...RON GALLAHER, owner of La Bourgogne on the Big Isle, is guest chef at the Ship's Tavern next Saturday for a dinner with BV wines ... John Langan is the new G.M. of Compadres at Ward Centre ... Kahala Mandarin is having an Italian food fest in the Plumeria Monday through next Saturday ... Frank Hewett, Healani Youn and Melissa Makuakane danced hula for Blaine Kia at his CD release party at Don Ho's Island Grill Thursday ...
Ben Wood, who sold the Star-Bulletin in the streets
of downtown Honolulu during World War II, writes of
people, places and things every Saturday.
E-mail him at bwood@starbulletin.com