Playing Through the Whistle

by S. L. Price

  328 U.S. Steel shuttered the tin mill . . . : “U.S. Steel-LTV Deal Will Shutter Aliquippa Plant”, Lott, Ethan, Pittsburgh Business Times, October 6, 2000.

  328 “God blessed me” . . . : Walker, Chuckie, author interview.

  328 In 1971 . . . : The Lost Decade of the Middle Class: Fewer, Poorer, Gloomier, Pew Research Center, August 22, 2012.

  329 “Where I’m at?” . . . : Walker, Chuckie, author interview.

  329 Then, just before 10 p.m. . . . : “Police: Debt Led to Twin Murders”, Ove, Torsten, Beaver County Times, April 14, 1996, page A1.

  330 And the outgoing “Hackensack” . . . : “A Teen with Everything, Now Accused of Parents’ Contract Hit: When an Outstate Pa. Couple Were Killed by Two Gunmen, Their Son’s Reaction Was a Shopping Spree”, Stark, Karl, Philadelphia Inquirer, April 21, 1996.

  330 “Friends, everybody, tried their best to break me” . . . : Brown, author interview.

  330 But the arrests didn’t hold . . . : “Slain Parents’ Son, Two Others Charged”, Bauder, Bob, Beaver County Times, April 16, 1996, page A1.

  331 “I think why he told me what he told me is because of that relationship” . . . : Short, author interview.

  331 As gruesome as the murder had been . . . : “Murders: A Town in Shock”, Ove, Torsten, Beaver County Times, April 18, 1996, page A1.

  331 “The father was like, You can’t be one of them motherfuckers” . . . : Short, author interview.

  332 “We forgive you, Brian” . . . : David, George, author interview, January 6, 2012; Short, author interview.

  332 “We have been violated” . . . : “A Teen with Everything, Now Accused of Parents’ Contract Hit: When an Outstate Pa. Couple Were Killed by Two Gunmen, Their Son’s Reaction Was a Shopping Spree”, Stark, Karl, Philadelphia Inquirer, April 21, 1996.

  332 “I’m sixty-four years old” . . . : ibid.

  332 At 7:51 p.m. . . . : “Quips’ Coach: Marocco’s Out, Zmijanac Is In”, Utterback, Bill, Beaver County Times, June 17, 1997, page A1.

  332 “It was the most ugly thing in the world” . . . : Marocco, author interview.

  333 A week later, on June 27, he had a heart attack . . . : ibid; “Dominic A. Iacobucci”, Beaver Valley Times, June 29, 1997, page A5.

  333 “I hate a lot of people for that” . . . : Marocco, author interview.

  333 To make the Aliquippa job more attractive . . . : “Hiring, Not Firing, Time for Skepticism”, Beaver County Times, June 19, 1997, page A6.

  333 “What’s getting misinterpreted” . . . : “Board, Marocco at Odds over Exit: Ex-Aliquippa Football Coach Calls It a Setup”, White, Mike, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, June 18, 1997, page C-1.

  334 Marocco’s 73-25 record . . . : “Players Irate, Confused by Marocco Ouster: School Board Releases Coach of Aliquippa Football Program”, Fittipaldo, Ray, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, June 19, 1997, page W-13.

  334 “We had a lot of gang activity” . . . : Wytiaz, author interview.

  334 On April 2, 1998 . . . : “Woman, 45, Dies Trying to Get Away from Robber”, Ehlers, Matt, April 3, 1998, page A1.

  335 “We saw young dudes walking around smoking weed” . . . : Walker, Donald, author interview.

  335 In 1990 . . . : “Aliquippa Suspends Four Football Players After Fight”, White, Mike, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, November 13, 1990, page 19.

  335 “One of the most disgusting scenes you ever saw” . . . : Wytiaz, author interview.

  336 “He’d gotten fired at Ambridge” . . . : Zmijanac, Mike, author interview, September 23, 2010.

  336 “He was one of the few coaches who cared” . . . : Law, author interview.

  336 “In my first year on the job” . . . : Steals, Melvin. Put Some Salt in the Water. Baden, Pa.: Interlocking Visions, 2000: 1.

  337 “I told him that if man was going to be serving in that position” . . . : Steals, author interview.

  337 “Remember, you’re in a suburban inner city right here” . . . : Zmijanac, author interview.

  337 “They didn’t like him” . . . : Yannessa, author interview.

  337 “From the outset they screwed Frank” . . . : Short, author interview.

  337 “I loved that job” . . . : Marocco, author interview.

  338 “That’s not my domain” . . . : Zmijanac, author interview.

  339 Aliquippa was facing $12 million in bond debts . . . : “Learning a Lesson from Aliquippa Schools”, Simonich, Milan, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, December 21, 1997, page A-14.

  339 “They think they’re better than we are” . . . : LeDonne, Jon, author interview, November 18, 2011.

  340 Shutout loss . . . : “Pendulum Swings Toward Jeannette at the Pit”, Utterback, Bill, Beaver County Times, November 2, 1997, page B5.

  340 The next two years . . . : Aliquippa Quips 1910-2010.

  340 “Well, this is my comeback for that” . . . : Zmijanac, author interview.

  341 He brings up his basketball predecessor . . . : “Aliquippa Hires Zmijanac as Boys’ Basketball Coach”, Perrotto, John, Beaver County Times, April 23, 1996, page B1.

  341 “Jimmy Deep won here” . . . : Zmijanac, author interview.

  342 “And I mean aggressive tag” . . . : Patrick, author interview.

  343 “That kid came back maybe a week later” . . . : LeDonne, author interview.

  344 “Like watching two pit bulls go at it” . . . : Patrick, author interview.

  345 “Words were exchanged” . . . : Brown, author interview. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, criminal complaint against Jeffrey Baldwin, June 28, 1999.

  345 “Oh, yeah!” . . . : Baldwin, Jeff, author interview, November 1, 2011.

  345 “He was doing what I was selling” . . . : Brown, author interview.

  345. Later that fall, Jeff was arrested and faced charges . . . : Court of Common Pleas of Beaver County, Pennsylvania Criminal Division, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania vs. Jeffrey Baldwin, Case #1999-2353, December 15, 1999/January 10, 2000.

  345 “Yeah, they got the guy” . . . : Baldwin, Jeff, author interview.

  346 “It was so emotional” . . . : LeDonne, author interview.

  347 The Quips steamrolled the competition . . . : Aliquippa Quips 1910–2010.

  347 As a senior Weekley was listed at 6-foot-3 and 240 pounds . . . : “Quips’ Weekley Poised for Title Run”, Equels, Jim, Jr., Beaver County Times, November 30, 2000, page B2.

  348 “A number one draft pick” . . . : LeDonne, author interview.

  348 “Mo-Mo was unbelievable” . . . : Peluso, Anthony, author interview, November 20, 2011.

  348 “I love hitting people” . . . : “High School Athletes of the Week: Monroe Weekley/Aliquippa ~ Tanya McAnally/North Allegheny”, White, Mike, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, November 2, 2000.

  348 After Pitt flushed him . . . : “Oh No, Monroe: Weekley Booted: Pitt’s Harris Dismisses Ex-Quips Star”, Beaver County Times, May 26, 2002, page B3.

  348 After the University of Kansas flushed him . . . : “Jones, Weekley Leave KU”, Caywood, Kurt, Topeka Capital-Journal, December 21, 2003.

  348 Killed a twenty-four-year-old . . . : “Aliquippa Man Sentenced in Third-Degree Murder”, O’Shea, Patrick, Beaver County Times, October 3, 2012.

  348 Avenged themselves on Washington . . . : “Quips Lay It On: Nifty QB Leads Way as Aliquippa Advances to WPIAL AA Final with 43-28 Victory”, White, Mike, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, November 18, 2000, page 33.

  349 Held off Waynesburg . . . : “Quips’ Gaskin Tosses Winning Touchdown in Emergency QB Role”, Utterback, Bill, Beaver County Times, November 26, 2000, page B1.

  349 When LeDonne’s basketball Quips . . . : “Quips Falter Again: Poor Shooting Costly in 79-65 Loss to Trinity”, White, Mike, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, March 25, 2001.

  349 But when, three months earlier . . . : “Mount Carmel Tops Aliqu
ippa”, Utterback, Bill, Beaver County Times, December 10, 2000, page B1.

  349 A photo of him . . . : Beaver County Times, December 10, 2000, page A1.

  349 “Tears were coming down” . . . : LeDonne, author interview.

  350 Then, just after 8:14 p.m . . . : “Aliquippa Policeman Shot to Death”, Rosenblatt, Joel, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, March 16, 2001, page 1.

  350 Earlier that afternoon . . . : Pennsylvania State Police Homicide Investigation Action Report, June 20, 2001, interview of Lee, Rayetta Jo, by Radatovich, Sgt. Paul on March 15, 2001.

  351 “They told us to be extra careful” . . . : Carter, Sonya, author interview, March 25, 2012.

  351 On February 16 . . . : “Suspect issued police ‘hit list’: Patterson, Scott A., Trooper, Homicide Investigation Action Report interview with J.D. Prose, April 1, 2001; “Second Man Arraigned in Police Killing”, Musala, Jane C., Prose, J.D., Vidonic, Bill, Beaver County Times, March 18, 2001, page A1; “Slain Policeman Feared Killing Was Coming”, Prose, J.D., Beaver County Times, March 18, 2001, page A1.

  351 Naim also told his mother and brother . . . : Radatovich, Sgt. Paul, Homicide Investigation Action Report interview with Paul Naim, April 11, 2001.

  352 William Alston . . . : “Naim’s Killer Faces Life in Prison: Death, Probation Violation Could Bring Up to 60 Years”, Simonich, Milan, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, May 28, 2002.

  352 “I got rid of six policemen” . . . : Battalini, Anthony, author interview, October 12, 2011.

  352 “This is one day before he got killed” . . . : David, author interview.

  353 Average monthly rent . . . : “Linmar Terrace Quiet in Wake of Killing”, Ferguson-Tinley, M., Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, April 1, 2001.

  353 “My theory: Jamie Brown did do the shooting” . . . : David, author interview.

  353 The second bullet . . . : External examination by Pathologist James W. Smith, M.D., The Medical Center, Beaver, Pa., March 30, 2001.

  353 Naim was sprawled facedown . . . : officer statement by Young, Officer Shawn, Cassidy, Sgt. Daniel G., City of Aliquippa Bureau of Police.

  354 At one point . . . : Carter, author interview.

  354 “Do you know how many people called 911?” . . . : Radatovich, author interview.

  354 The narrative later proved less provocative . . . : “The Kitty Genovese Murder and the Social Psychology of Helping: The Parable of the 38 Witnesses”, Manning, Rachel, Levine, Mark, Collins, Alan, American Psychologist, vol. 62 (6), September 2007, pages 555-562.

  354 “We’re knocking at doors” . . . : Radatovich, author interview.

  355 A manhunt was under way, too . . . : “Suspect Questioned in Officer’s Slaying”, Vidonic, Bill, Beaver County Times, March 29, 2001, page A1.

  355 Once seventeen-year-old Acey Taylor was picked up on April 20 . . . : “Student, 17, Charged in Naim’s Killing”, Vidonic, Bill, Prose, J.D., Beaver County Times, April 22, 2001, page A1.

  355 “I thought this town was going to fall apart” . . . : McBride, author interview.

  355 On the Saturday after . . . : “Zmijanac Copes with Aliquippa’s Perception, Pain”, Cook, Ron, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, March 21, 2001.

  355 “I’m sure there are people who think all of us are like the lowlifes” . . . : ibid.

  356 On the morning of Tuesday, March 20, “Jimmy’s Last Patrol” . . . : “‘Jimmy’s Last Patrol’: Law Enforcers Bade Farewell to Slain Officer”, Prose, J.D., Beaver County Times, March 21, 2001, page A1.

  356 “His funeral was beautiful” . . . : Carter, author interview.

  356 The first to raise an alarm about Brown’s hit list . . . : Pennsylvania State Police Homicide Investigation Action Report, interview of Carter, Sonya Lynn, by Kokoski, Tpr. Michael L., June 28, 2001, page 410.

  356–357 Because Naim wasn’t originally scheduled to work Linmar that Thursday night . . . : Pennsylvania State Police Homicide Investigation Action Report, interview of Carter, Officer Sonya Lynn, Patrolman, by Melder, Raymond J., Cpl., March 19, 2001, page 121; . . . : Pennsylvania State Police Homicide Investigation Action Report, March 29, 2001, polygraph examination of Carter, Sonya Lynn, by Sherwin, Tpr. Thomas H. on March 22, 2001, pages 172-173.

  357 Seven days after the killing . . . : Pennsylvania State Police Homicide Investigation Action Report, March 29, 2001, polygraph examination of Carter, Sonya Lynn, by Sherwin, Tpr. Thomas H. on March 22, 2001, pages 172-173.

  357 “I tried to do my job” . . . : Carter, author interview.

  357 “It was crushing” . . . : Patrick, author interview.

  358 “He’s going to be an All-American” . . . : Zmijanac, author interview.

  358 “My uncle was older” . . . : Revis, Darrelle, author interview, October 21, 2010.

  359 “You don’t know me well” . . . : ibid; Zmijanac, author interview, September 23, 2010.

  360 “He’s innocent and it’s political” . . . : Baldwin, Jeff, author interview.

  361 Police say they found a crack pipe . . . : Receipt Inventory of Seized Property, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, March 19, 2001.

  361 “Aww”, Jeff said, when he recognized Radatovich . . . : Radatovich, author interview.

  362 Nearly five months later . . . : Short, Daniel, letter to Barr, Linda, August 2, 2001.

  362 Investigators doubled back . . . : Pennsylvania State Police Homicide Investigation Action Report, Epps, Trp. Paul, August 7, 2001, pages 491–493.

  362 “I think they had to discredit what I wrote in that report” . . . : Short, author interview.

  362 “I never seen a guy with a ponytail” . . . : Walker, Connie, author interview, February 26, 2014.

  363 “They had to make someone the scapegoat” . . . : Patrick, author interview.

  363 One fresh—and reported—allegation was a 1995 incident . . . : “Eight Nabbed in Pittsburgh Probe of Prison Guards/Sheriffs”, Bello, Marisol, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, February 5, 2003.

  364 “Rick Hill is my father” . . . : Campbell, Tommie, Jr., author interview, May 10, 2012.

  364 “With him getting me out of the way” . . . : Hill, Rick, author interview, February 24, 2014.

  364 “Nothing that Rick and Della are saying” . . . : Short, author interview.

  364 “Oh, yeah” . . . : McBride, author interview.

  365 “Flip this” . . . : Short, author interview.

  365 “I didn’t want to lose Peep’s friendship” . . . : Warfield, Mike, author interview, October 12, 2011.

  366 “He loved that job” . . . : Patrick, author interview.

  366 “Yeah,” Tommie said . . . : Campbell, author interview.

  368 “All those examples helped me” . . . : Revis, author interview.

  368 The Quips went 8-3 . . . : Aliquippa Quips 1910–2010.

  368 “Quiet, always worked hard” . . . : Zmijanac, author interview.

  369 In the state championship final . . . : “Kings of the Hill: Quips Come from Behind to Reach Summit of PIAA”, Utterback, Bill, Beaver County Times, December 8, 2003, page D1; “Revis’ Performance One for the History Books”, Perrotto, John, Beaver County Times, December 8, 2003, page D1.

  369 “He played like Jim Thorpe” . . . : “Revis’ Performance One for the History Books”, Perrotto, John, Beaver County Times, December 8, 2003, page D1.

  369 “I don’t know how I did that” . . . : Revis, author interview.

  370 And despite just one basketball practice . . . : “Having a Ball: Quips’ Revis Scores 30 in Hoops, Too”, Hall, Eric, Beaver County Times, December 10, 2003, page D1.

  370 “I remember telling my mom one time, ‘We’re going to make it out of here’” . . . : Revis, author interview.

  371 Total population was heading south of 10,000 . . . : Census of 2000, United States Census Bureau, Washington, D.C.

  371 The Ali
quippa school system . . . : Pennsylvania Department of Education Bureau of Special Education, Aliquippa School District Special Education Data Report 2010, December 2010.

  371 “It’s a national issue” . . . : Wytiaz, author interview.

  372 “Half of them make it” . . . : Zmijanac, author interview.

  372 “If he wants to come back” . . . : McBride, author interview.

  372 More than 80 percent . . . : Klink, Ron, child nutrition hearing, U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, D.C., March 22, 1995.

  372 “The football field was my sanctuary” . . . : Walker, Willie, author interview, October 13, 2010.

  374 “Mike Lowe” . . . : Peluso, author interview.

  374 “I still feel that sense of pride” . . . : LeDonne, author interview.

  375 “Other than that? It’s these hills” . . . : McBride, author interview.

  376 Academic troubles and distractions . . . : “Aliquippa Track Team Finds Way to Win, Even with Less Than Adequate Facilities”, Emert, Rich, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, May 17, 2005.

  376 WPIAL gold . . . : “Quips’ Star Is on Roll: Campbell Captures 100, 200 Crowns”, White, Mike, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, May 18, 2005, page F-8.

  376 “We didn’t know how he was going to do” . . . : Washington, Mike, author interview, September 25, 2010.

  376 “I ain’t going to lie” . . . : Campbell, author interview.

  376 “Quiet kid. Well dressed” . . . : Davis, Andre, author interview, October 12, 2010.

  377 “It wasn’t like Byron had technique” . . . : Washington, author interview.

  377 Westmont Hilltop’s Brad Kanuch . . . : Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, May 29, 2005, page D-5.

  377 “The prettiest jump” . . . : McBride, author interview.

  377 “If it wasn’t for Byron winning that long jump” . . . : Campbell, author interview.

  377 At 12:15 p.m . . . : ibid; “Souped-Up Quips Win AA Title; Pitt-Bound Campbell Becomes Aliquippa’s First Individual Winner in PIAA Running Event”, White, Mike, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, May 29, 2005, page D-4.

  378 “I ended up catching everybody” . . . : Campbell, author interview.