I remember meeting this wonderful gentleman when I came to Athletics, turned into one of the people I LOVED seeing daily. I Miss You AL! I do want to say my oldest now works on Campus and I am so glad you took time to talk with me occasionally! - wish I could have introduced him to you! Love, John! You are STILL MISSED!

Independently, my son Jim and I immediately had the same reaction to the photo on the back of the memorial program (an enlargement was displayed outside the chapel.


Al waving from the top of the grassy hill was a near duplicate of the final scene in "Love is a many Splendored Thing" with William Holden waving from a nearly identical hill.


Jim had seen the movie many years ago, as had I, and I had watched it again just the night before the memorial! 


I wondered if the film had any special remembrance for Jeannie and Al.


Al was great friend!


Dick Rutter '54           

I heard about Al's death last Saturday and was deeply saddened that he had not lived long enough to read my book about the American All Stars rugby league tour in 53, to which he contributed such magical stories. I only met Al twice, both times he was wonderful with his generosity of time and spirit.

Having travelled from England to interview him a second time in April 2007, he was in bed recovering from an operation. I arrived late and he was about to have his daily treatment. But he told his nurse "Leave us to it - this fella's come further than you have"!!

It was so fitting that on Sunday I was at the Rugby League Heritage Centre in Huddersfield and there on the wall in the boardroom was an All Stars team group including Teddy Grossman, Ed Demerjian, Bob Buckley, Pat Henry, Al Abajian, Vince Jones, Jack Bonetti and Big Al.

My book No Helmets Required will be out next year - I had hoped Al would be a special guest at a launch event at Stanford. I will invite his family instead.

Thanks Al.

Gavin Willacy, Bengeo, England