By DAN VALENTI

PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary

(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THURSDAY, MARCH 8, 2012) — First, we brings you the great photo mentioned in a lively exchange of comments about Jim Brown, the greatest running back in NFL history, and Chuck Garivaltis, one of the greatest athletes to ever come out of Berkshire County.

Yes, He Made the Tackle

The picture shows Brown, running the ball for Syracuse University, sweeping around right end for an 11-yard gain. If not for Garivaltis, Brown would have gone for a 70-yard TD. CLICK HERE FOR PICTURE: GarivaltisColgateSyracuse1956

Garivaltis, #49 for Colgate, can be seen avoiding a would-be blocker. You can analyze the blocking scheme Syracuse has set up. The photo was taken at old Archbold Stadium on the SU campus. Better yet, let Chuck analyze it:

Everyone who sees this photo asks me if I got him. Indeed I did. Notice the caption says he gained 11 yards. I was defensive left halfback and if he got be me he would have gone 70 yards for a touchdown. Notice his look of determination. I got him in the knees and he went down. One of the few times that day he went down with a single tackle.

If I had hit Jim above the waist he would have carried me forward for another 10 yards or plowed me over and went for another 70 yards. I saw many pros wind up on their backs when they hit him above the waist.Notice the blocking. The play was designed for Jim to take the inside route. I was to be blocked to the outside and the route cleared to the inside.  Notice other Syracuse blocks. Jim made his move to the inside expecting the blocker to take me out.  I had to wave the blocker off and watch Jim, who expected his blocker to take me out clearing his way to the end zone. He was now a step away coming full speed. That’s 6’2″ 220 pounds at full speed. So it was get rid of the blocker and take a step forward in a crouch so I could hit him in the knees. Talk about split second timing.

Chuck adds: “Thanks, Dan, I love reliving this memory, and my family can’t wait for tomorrow.”

Garivaltis eventually signed to play pro ball, with the San Francisco Giants. He made it to the Giants’ Double A squad in Springfield, a team that included many players who went on to the Big Leagues. Chuck went on to the Big Leagues of life and public service. He served the city well in several capacities, including school committee, city council, and parks commission. Garivaltis was from a generation that made Pittsfield into a model small American city in the years WWII and the Korean conflict.

It is our pleasure, Chuck, to share this with out readers. The photo remains one of our favorites, for it show two of our boyhood heroes: Brown for SU and the Cleveland Browns, and Chuck, Pittsfield Wonder Boy.

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UPDATE ON NILAN-MOORE CASE: FOCUS — “THE MISSING PAPERS”

We present some new information to our readers on the Nilan-Moore Case. First, an EXCLUSIVE report by our good friend and colleague, Conor Berry, ace reporter of the Springfield Republican and late of the Boring Broadsheet. That will be followed later this afternoon with information THE PLANET has fished out, again, in an EXCLUSIVE. You won’t want to miss our report. Here’s what Berry has filed for THE PLANET’s readers:

‘The Purloined Documents’ — Procedural Snafu or Something More Ominous?

By CONOR BERRY

Special to PLANET VALENTI News

As I was heading off-duty last week, I punted the story to colleagues, who apparently either didn’t get anywhere or didn’t have time to contact the courthouse. I’m back on duty today (right now, in fact), so we’ll try to hunt down the status of this “missing” documentation. My guess is that it’s not missing, but merely misfiled. And perhaps the material is back in the docket as I write this note to you; I’ll check with the clerk’s office when it opens later today.

Court dockets typically include everything from applications for criminal complaints to police affidavits to copies of search warrants, etc. That said, the file should include the paper trail showing the processes that took place leading up to Ms. [Meredith] Nilan’s arraignment, including a copy of the Pittsfield Police Department’s application for a redetermination of the original criminal complaints against the woman, Judge [William] Hadley’s ruling, and any other materials subsequently filed in the case, including the copy of Tim Shugrue’s motion to dismiss.

If The Republican/MassLive.com can get copies of this case, surely [Tim] Shugrue, the attorney representing the defendant, ought to be able to get his mitts on the paperwork. The file is, after all, a wholly public record of this case, and it should include a cradle-to-grave accounting of every step of the pretrial process. The DA’s office also surely must have copies of this paperwork.

When I last called the clerk’s office to inquire whether a motion to dismiss had been filed (after reading in The Eagle that Shugrue had planned to file such a motion), I asked what the stated reasons for the filing were, and I was surprised to learn the answer: No apparent record of any of the paperwork leading up to the arraignment. I’m no legal expert, but I’m not sure if that paperwork is allowed to leave the official docket under any circumstances, save for copying purposes. Then again, I just don’t know the protocol.

Clerk [Christopher] Speranzo wasn’t at work yet, hence my “couldn’t be reached for comment line.” In fairness, I called the clerk’s office shortly before 8 a.m., so I don’t know if the boss is even on the clock at that hour.

I’m surprised The Eagle, the paper that first mentioned Shugrue’s plans for a dismissal motion, didn’t follow up when said motion was filed. I realize it’s just a procedural wrinkle in this drawn-out process, but I thought it might be worth a graf or two.

We’ll try to sort things out today, hopefully, so please check back.

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We shall indeed check back, and folks, check back for our report, later this afternoon. Not enough time now. FYI, Andy Poncherello, the organizer of the REAL Pittsfield Benefit for Peter Moore and Family, reports that the event raise about $4,000. Finally, for now, we share these remarks by Susan Moore in response to an utterly ignorant comment about Peter Moore, one that implied he was faking his injuries for insurance purposes:

WE HEAR FROM SUSAN MOORE

My step son was mowed down in the evening of December 8th 2011, 3 months ago today and it was also a Thursday I believe. Most of his injuries were to his head and neck –if you have not seen the photos of Ms. Nilan’s car please refer to her windshield for evidence. He had brain injuries and broken bones in his face and neck which required surgery and the neck brace until the end of the month. His doctor has instructed him to walk, even as his broken leg mends, as it is better for him to stay as fit as possible –his great physical condition is what saved his life that cold winter night. Walking with Toby is part of getting a little bit of his life back even if it will never be the same as it was on December 8 in the morning.
As for the totals for the benefit you need to ask Andy. I know that the raffle was very successful and my husband said you could not have fit another person in at some points during the afternoon. How many people pre-bought tickets or bought using his pay pal account I do not know. Only Andy has the complete totals.

We thank Susan for that heartfelt response to a heartless comment.

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THE EARTH WILL NOT QUAKE (AT LEAST WE DON’T THINK SO), BUT THE INFO SHOULD BE RELEVANT

It’s later in the afternoon, and we can tell you we’re waiting for one more returned phone call or message before we will go with the information we are receiving regarding the Nilan-Moore Case. Tomorrow, we will share what we have learned. Don’t expect earth-shaking developments (at least, we don’t think so), but do expect additional revelations that will shed light on the case, the nature of the actions of people in the case, and the tortuous route of pursuing justice in the criminal justice system when the accused is a family member of a Big Shot.

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NO ONE COULD CONQUER OUR CIPHER AT THE END OF A RECENT POST. TOO BAD. GOTTA RUN. FOR ALL THE LEARNED AND UNLEARNED, WHETHER YOU KNOW (OR NOT) THE STUDENT’S ART, CARE NOT FOR ANY LANGUAGE BUT THE LANGUAGE OF THE HEART.

“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”

LOVE TO ALL.