CAMDEN- New York Shipbuilding Corporation - Intramural Football

New York Shipbuilding Corporation employees played intramural sports for recreational and social purposes during the shipyard's heyday. The following picture was supplied by Richard Gondolf, whose family has a long history in Camden going back over 100 years. His father-in-law, Anthony Mariano, a riveter at the Yard, is the third player from the right.

The game was probably played at the field in Fairview, at the Union's recreation field at New Jersey and Merrimac Roads.

Take not of the Jersey that B. Mariano is wearing. The I.U.M.S.W.A. stands for the shipyard workers' union, the Industrial Union of Marine and Shipbuilding Workers of America, which was founded at the Camden shipyard.

If you recognize anyone in these photographs, please e-mail me.

Phil Cohen
March 7, 2006

TOP ROW: W. Nicgarski, N. Witkow, C. Gricco (Captain), S. Shuda (Manager), D. Wright, H. Campbell, L. Epifano, T. Mariano, Lou Renard, M. Corrado (Coach)
MIDDLE ROW: S. Kean
BOTTOM ROW: G. Storms, J. Wesolowski, A. Mariano (Assistant Coach),
B. Mariano, L. Christy, J. Scariglio

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My long-time friend Darlene Arendt e-mailed the photo of the football players in the Department 61 vs. Department 62 game because one of the players is identified as L. Renard (Renard being my maiden name), and she thought I may know who it is. At first I thought it was my dad and the L. was a typo. He was Joe Renard and worked at the shipyard as a painter all through the war and until about 1947. Then I realized it was my uncle Lou Renard, who obviously worked at the shipyard as well though I don't know anything about what he did or how long he may have been employed there. The two brothers looked enough alike to be twins although my dad (born in 1907) was about 5 years older than Uncle Lou.

He and his family moved first to Yuma, Arizona and then to Los Angeles, probably in the late '40's or early '50's, where he worked for the railroad. He retired from the Southern Pacific Railroad in the early '70's and passed away in about 1977.

Quite a few members of my family worked at New York Ship starting in the '40's and some were there for many years. They are all gone now but here are the ones I definitely know worked there:

Joe Renard- worked as a painter
Lou Renard
Jim Renard- worked off and on until just before the yard closed
Bob Renard- worked in the 1950's
Lee Rosenfeld- worked in the blacksmith shop and retired just before the yard closed
Lefty Gallimore -worked in the south yard during the war; in drafting department in the 1950s
George Gallimore- worked in the rigging loft until he could get into the war
Joan Renard Spissell- worked in the office for a few years starting in 1959

The Renards all lived in Gloucester and the Gallimores in Brooklawn except for Uncle Lee who lived in Pennsauken and Joan who lived in National Park and Woodbury. We lived in Brooklawn.

Thanks for the memories.

Lynne Renard Larson
August 3, 2006