The Slice: That’s a five-minute major, Grandpa

Here’s an emailed request from Canada handled by Erik Solberg, who manages the S-R’s photo archives.

“Hi, I’m wondering how far back your photo archives go, and if it’s possible to get a photo from Jan. 27, 1947 from the sports page. The image shows my grandfather breaking his stick over a Spokane player’s neck. He recently passed, and I’d love to have a copy, if possible. Thanks!”

The photo, taken by S.V. Gordon at a Spokane vs. Trail Western International Hockey League game here, does indeed capture the aforementioned infraction. It earned the Trail player a five-minute penalty. Remarkably, the Spokane skater was able to continue playing.

Don’t you love that as family-story fodder?

“Yeah, Grandad was a sweet old guy. Loved puppies and kittens. Remember the time he bludgeoned that Spokane defenseman?”

Or maybe the family would be reminiscing around the dinner table and Grandpa’s free-swinging ways would come up in conversation.

“He was a fine gentleman. Just don’t get between him and the puck or he might have to club you down. Nothing second-rate about his compete level. Let’s all raise a glass to Grandpa.”

Just wondering: Do your co-workers know how much money you make?

Our evolving language: Slice reader Lynn Edwards wonders what words or phrases that have been retired by many do you still hear a lot?

You know, people still saying “stewardess” instead of “flight attendant.” That sort of thing.

She isn’t really thinking of obviously offensive language. What she wonders about is more along the lines of people continuing to say “waitress” while others have moved on to “server.”

Sharing and other lessons: Hayden’s Sue Jones was playing a word game with her 8-year-old grandson, Tyler.

One clue sought a four-letter word describing what you are doing when you take an exam. The correct answer was “test.”

But Tyler, without hesitation, offered “peek.”

Sue said they had a discussion about that.

Warm-up question: Apart from the obvious health implications, how did quitting smoking change your life?

Today’s Slice question: Perhaps it is not a long list. But in what ways is Spokane world-class?

Write The Slice at P. O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210; call (509) 459-5470; email pault@spokesman.com. Lou Sachse attributes her hearing loss to many years of straining to understand her dear husband Tom who, she said, graduated magna cum laude from the International School of Mumbling.