Take a Driving Tour of Old Matawan

An article I wrote for Patch on historic sites in Matawan, NJ was published on their website today.  You can check out the article by clicking on the below link:

Take a Driving Tour of Old Matawan by Matthew Ward

A Piece of Matawan History is for Sale

An article I wrote for Patch on the Philip Freneau House in Matawan, NJ was published on their website this morning.

You can check out the article by clicking on the below link:

A Piece of Matawan History is for Sale by Matthew Ward

Article - Glenwood Institute

An article I wrote for Atlas Obscura on the history of Glenwood Institute in Matawan, NJ was published on their website this morning.

You can check out the article by clicking on the below link:

Glenwood Institute by Matthew H. Ward

Article - Joseph P. Farley, Picatinny’s second commander, known as "energetic builder"

An article I wrote for The Picatinny Voice on Brig. Gen. Joseph P. Farley, the second commander of Picatinny Arsenal in New Jersey, was recently published in the post's newspaper.

You can check out the article below via the link and/or image:

"Joseph P. Farley, Picatinny’s second commander, known as ‘energetic builder’"

Enjoy!

MW

Article - Joshua Huddy: The Scourge of New Jersey Loyalists

An article I wrote for the Journal of the American Revolution on New Jersey Revolutionary War Patriot, Captain Joshua Huddy was recently published on their website.

You can check out the article via the below link:

"Joshua Huddy: The Scourge of New Jersey Loyalists" by Matthew H. Ward

(Joshua Huddy being led from prison to his hanging - Library of Congress)

Enjoy!

MW

Article - Picatinny history: Who was Lt. Col. Francis H. Parker?

An article I wrote for The Picatinny Voice on Lt. Col. Francis H. Parker, the first commander of Picatinny Arsenal in New Jersey, was recently published in the post's newspaper. 

You can check out the article below via the link and/or image: 

"Picatinny history: Who was Lt. Col. Francis H. Parker?"

Enjoy!

MW

Article - Police Athletic League

An article I wrote for the The Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia on the history of the Police Athletic League in the greater Philadelphia area was published on their website yesterday.

You can check out the article via the below link:

"Police Athletic League" by Matthew Ward

Enjoy!

MW

(Joe Frazier and PAL kids)

Petticoat Bridge Skirmish (December 23, 1776)

Petticoat Bridge Skirmish Marker 
Petticoat Bridge Road
Springfield Township, NJ 07081

A historical marker dedicated to the 1776 Petticoat Bridge Skirmish is located on Petticoat Bridge Road in Springfield Township, New Jersey. This little-known skirmish had a significant impact on General George Washington's attack on the Hessian garrison in Trenton on the morning of December 26, 1776.

The marker reads:

Petticoat Bridge Skirmish 

December 23,1776 

On orders from General Washington to pull Hessian troops southward from positions of support near Trenton, 600 Americans, stationed at Mount Holly under Colonel Samuel Griffin attacked a Hessian outpost here on December 21. When the 3,000 Hessians quartered in Burlington County retaliated by marching against Petticoat Bridge on December 23 they were met with a barrage of gunfire. Following a sharp skirmish, the Americans withdrew to Mount Holly luring the Hessians still further from Trenton.

MW

The Weigh-In Podcast Preview

My new show The Weigh-In will debut on February 1, 2017. This biweekly show will give listeners an inside look into the sport of boxing both past and present. The series premier will feature my interview with former middleweight boxing contender Frank Savannah who fought professionally from 1991-1997, and retired with an impressive record of 15 wins, 1 loss, and 1 draw. On December 14, 1994, Savannah fought Dana Rosenblatt for the WBC Continental Americas Middleweight Title. This bout was the only defeat in Savannah’s six year boxing career. Frank is currently a boxing coach and trainer at Nick Catone MMA & Fitness in Brick, New Jersey.

The second episode will air on February 15th, and will feature my interviews with two of Arizona's boxing gym owners Artur Petrosyan and Sonny Gutierrez. Artur was an Armenian National Boxing Champion who fought professionally as a lightweight from 1999 to 2003. Artur runs Camelback Boxing Gym in Phoenix. Sonny is a former amateur and professional boxer who runs Sonny's Boxing Gym in Goodyear.

These two episodes will be followed up with episodes in March featuring my interviews with Randy Neumann and Steve Peacock. Randy captured the USA New Jersey State Heavyweight Title on December 9, 1971 with a victory over Chuck Wepner. He worked as a professional boxing referee from 1983 to 2014, and refereed hundreds of matches featuring boxing legends such as Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield, Wladimir Klitschko, and many others. Randy currently serves as a certified financial planner (CFP) at Randy Neumann Wealth Management in Upper Saddle River, New Jersey.

Steve Peacock is a professional ring-announcer, voice talent and writer. For the past three years he has been the announcer for Global Proving Ground and Fight Club Champion, and during that time has also announced several USA Boxing-sanctioned tournaments and combat-sports events for promoters including Dead Serious MMA, Cage Fury Fighting Championships, and World Class Kickboxing Championships. Last baseball season he also successfully auditioned for a PA announcer slot for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, a AAA affiliate of the New York Yankees. He is available for ring/cage/stage announcing and emcee gigs as well as for voice-over recording productions. Separately, Peacock is putting the finishing touches on his novel PLAY DEAD, ROLL OVER, a fictionalized account of his ill-fated pursuit of a career with NYPD, which was cut short after getting shot by a retired New York City cop.

Fear not... I will continue to post photos and write ups from historical travels on this blog! I truly hope that fans of the MWHE Podcast will join us for this exciting new show! 

You can check out and subscribe to The Weigh-In Blog and Podcast via the following links:

The Weigh-In Blog and Podcast Page

The Weigh-In Podcast Facebook Page

iTunes 

SoundCloud

MW

The Matt Ward History Experience Podcast - Episode #12

Check out the twelfth edition of The Matt Ward History Experience Podcast!

SoundCloud

iTunes

Episode #12 contains the following segment:

1. Let's Talk History - Interview with historian and author David Petriello.

You can check out David Petriello online via the following website:

David Petriello's Amazon Author Page

First and foremost I would like to thank my guest David Petriello for sitting down to talk history with me. 

This episode would not have been possible if it had not been for the technical support of my good friend Peter Lloyd of One Stone Recording and Mastering. Pete mixed and cleaned up the original recordings into the great episode that you can stream on SoundCloud and iTunes.

Last but certainly not least, I would like to thank all of my readers and listeners - Especially our friend JP Favara who supports the MWHE on Patreon. 

YOU can also support the MWHE on Patreon! 

The Matt Ward History Experience is brought to you by One Stone Recording and Mastering in New Brunswick, NJ. Check out One Stone Recording and Mastering for all of you mixing and mastering needs. Go to onestonerecording.com/mwhistory and receive 10% off your first session!

One Stone Recording and Mastering:

http://onestonerecording.com/mwhistory

http://onestonerecording.com

THANK YOU for your support over the last year and a half for the MWHE Podcast!

Matt Ward will return on February 1st with the series premier of an all-new biweekly boxing podcast called The Weigh-In! 

MW

Upcoming Event - Randy Neumann Interview

I will interview former professional boxer and referee Randy Neumann on Tuesday, January 10, 2017. The interview will be featured on an upcoming episode of our new biweekly podcast The Weigh-In. Randy currently serves as a certified financial planner (CFP) at Randy Neumann Wealth Management in Upper Saddle River, New Jersey.

Randy captured the USA New Jersey State Heavyweight Title on December 9, 1971 with a victory over Chuck Wepner. He worked as a professional boxing referee from 1983 to 2014, and refereed hundreds of matches featuring boxing legends such as Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield, Wladimir Klitschko, and many others.

If you have any questions that you would like Randy to answer, please post them in the comments of this blog entry, or send them to me via Twitter @RevWarBuff23 and Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/mwhistoryexperience

For more information on Randy Neumann, please visit the following websites:

Randy Neumann Wealth Management Page - http://www.randyneumann.com/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Randy-Neumann-Wealth-Management-166936240016388/

New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame Page - http://www.njboxinghof.org/randy-neumann/

BoxRec Page - http://boxrec.com/boxer/16069

Twitter - @RandyNeumannCFP

MW

The Matt Ward History Experience Podcast - Episode #11

Check out the eleventh edition of The Matt Ward History Experience Podcast!

SoundCloud:  https://soundcloud.com/matt-ward-427598454/episode-11-gene-pantalone-and-boxing-history

iTunes:  https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/matt-ward-history-experience/id1178237076

Episode #11 contains the following segment:

1. The Weigh-In - Interview with boxing historian and author Gene Pantalone. 

You can check out Gene Pantalone and Madame Bey's: Home to Boxing Legends online via the following websites:

Amazon Book Page - https://www.amazon.com/Madame-Beys-Home-Boxing-Legends-ebook/dp/B01M1KXVF2

Archway Publishing Book Page - http://bookstore.archwaypublishing.com/Products/SKU-001044096/Madame-Beys-Home-to-Boxing-Legends.aspx

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/MadameBey/

Twitter - @MadameBey

First and foremost I would like to thank my guest Gene Pantalone for sitting down to talk boxing with me. 

This episode would not have been possible if it had not been for the technical support of my good friend Peter Lloyd of One Stone Recording and Mastering. Pete mixed and cleaned up the original recordings into the great episode that you can now stream on SoundCloud and iTunes.

Last but certainly not least, I would like to thank all of my readers and listeners - Especially our friend JP Favara who supports the MWHE on Patreon. 

YOU can also support the MWHE on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/user?u=4183621

The Matt Ward History Experience is brought to you by One Stone Recording and Mastering in New Brunswick, NJ. Check out One Stone Recording and Mastering for all of you mixing and mastering needs. Go to onestonerecording.com/mwhistory and receive 10% off your first session!

One Stone Recording and Mastering:

http://onestonerecording.com/mwhistory

http://onestonerecording.com

MW

Upcoming Event - Frank Savannah Interview

The Matt Ward History Experience will interview former professional boxer, trainer, and New Jersey Boxing Hall of Famer Frank Savannah on Tuesday, December 20, 2016. This interview will be part of an upcoming episode of the blog's podcast. Frank Savannah fought professionally from 1991-1997, and retired with an impressive record of 15 wins, 1 loss, and 1 draw.

If you have any questions that you would like Frank to answer, please post them in the comments of this blog entry, or send them to me via Twitter @RevWarBuff23 and Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/mwhistoryexperience

For more information on Frank Savannah, please visit the following websites:

Trainer Page - http://www.nickcatonefitness.com/instructors/

BoxRec Page - http://boxrec.com/boxer/6089

New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame Page - http://www.njboxinghof.org/frank-savannah/

MW

Upcoming Event - David Petriello Interview

The Matt Ward History Experience will interview historian and author David Petriello on December 18, 2016. This interview will be part of an upcoming episode of the blog's podcast. David Petriello is the author of a number of books including, A Pestilence on Pennsylvania Avenue: The Impact of Disease Upon the American Presidency and Bacteria and Bayonets: The Impact of Disease in American Military History.

If you have any questions that you would like David to answer, please post them in the comments of this blog entry, or send them to me via Twitter @RevWarBuff23 and Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/mwhistoryexperience

For more information on David Petriello, please visit the following website:

Amazon Author Page - https://www.amazon.com/David-Petriello/e/B00MS9CAGS/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1481550042&sr=8-1

MW

Upcoming Event - Gene Pantalone Interview

The Matt Ward History Experience will interview boxing historian and author Gene Pantalone on November 20, 2016. This interview will be part of an upcoming episode of the blog's podcast. Gene Pantalone is the author of the new book, Madame Bey's: Home to Boxing Legends.

If you have any questions that you would like Gene to answer, please post them in the comments of this blog entry, send them to me via Twitter @RevWarBuff23 or via Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/mwhistoryexperience

For more information on Gene Pantalone, please visit the following websites:

Amazon Book Page - https://www.amazon.com/Madame-Beys-Home-Boxing-Legends-ebook/dp/B01M1KXVF2

Archway Publishing Book Page - http://bookstore.archwaypublishing.com/Products/SKU-001044096/Madame-Beys-Home-to-Boxing-Legends.aspx

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/MadameBey/

Twitter - @MadameBey

MW

Article - Philadelphia Boxing and Boxers

An article I wrote for The Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia on the history of boxing in the greater Philadelphia area was published on their website this morning.

You can check out the article via the below link:

"Boxing and Boxers" by Matthew Ward

http://philadelphiaencyclopedia.org/archive/boxing-and-boxers/ 

Enjoy!

MW

(Between Rounds by Thomas Eakins)

Upcoming Event - Korean War Program

Al Savolaine, Commander of American Legion Matawan Post 176, will present the third annual American Legion historical program on “Korea, America’s Forgotten War”. This United Nations Police Action, which cost more than 30,000 American lives, from 1950-1953, was our first “limited war”.  Several US military deployments in later years followed this same frustrating pattern.  The program will be on Sunday, November 13th at 2:00 PM at the Burrowes Mansion. Light refreshments will follow the program. Come and honor our veterans.

Burrowes Mansion 
94 Main St.
Matawan, NJ 07747

Rutgers University Scarlet Knights Football

High Point Solutions Stadium
1 Scarlet Knight Way
Piscataway, NJ 08854

The Matt Ward History Experience traveled to Rutgers University in Piscataway, New Jersey for the first stop on the 2016 College Football History Tour. The Rutgers Scarlet Knights hosted the Howard University Bison (Washington, D.C.) on September 10th.

Rutgers University, the state university of New Jersey, is located in New Brunswick and Piscataway. The university also has campuses in Camden and Newark. The university was founded as Queen's College on November 10, 1766, and is the eight-oldest college in America. The university's name was changed to Rutgers in 1825 in honor of Colonel Henry Rutgers, a philanthropist, landowner and former military officer, whose donation of $5,000 allowed the school to reopen after years of financial hardship.

The football program at Rutgers University dates back to 1869. Rutgers faced off against their rival Princeton on November 6, 1869 on a patch of land near College Avenue. The Rutgers team referred to themselves as the Queensmen, and donned scarlet kerchiefs to distinguish themselves from their opponent. The Rutgers squad, captained by William J. Leggett, won the contest by a score of six goals to four goals in a contest that closely resembled rugby. This early college football matchup allowed Rutgers to claim the title of the birthplace of college football. A week later the Rutgers team visited Princeton where they were defeated by a score of eight goals to zero. Rutgers claimed their only National Title to date during this season.

Rutgers was associated with a number of athletic conferences and divisions throughout its history. In 1893 and 1894, Rutgers was a member of the Middle States Intercollegiate Football League.

From 1929 to 1975, Rutgers competed in the Middle Three Conference, a round-robin type tournament that included Lehigh University and Lafayette College in Pennsylvania. In 1955, the student body voted in favor of Scarlet Knight mascot. The university joined the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) from 1958 to 1961. Rutgers won the MAC in 1958, 1960 and 1961. The 1961 team went 9-0 and was arguably the greatest football team in Rutgers' history. In 1978, Rutgers, then an independent school, participated in the Garden State Bowl. The Scarlet Knights were defeated by the Arizona State Sun Devils by a score of 34-18.

From 1991 to 2012, the Scarlet Knights competed in the Big East Conference. During this time frame, Rutgers played in seven bowl games. These bowl games included a 2005 loss in the Insight Bowl to Arizona State, a 2006 victory in the Texas Bowl against Kansas State, a 2008 International Bowl victory against Ball State, a 2008 victory in the PapaJohns.com Bowl against North Carolina State, a 2009 victory against Central Florida in the St. Petersburg Bowl, a 2011 victory over Iowa State in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl, and a 2012 loss in the Russell Athletic Bowl against Virginia Tech. During the 2012 season, Rutgers also brought their only Big East Conference title home to Piscataway.

The Scarlet Knights played the 2013 season in the American Athletic Conference (AAC). The Rutgers was selected that season to participate in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl, a game in which they were defeated by Notre Dame.

Rutgers joined the Big Ten in 2014. During this season, the Scarlet Knights participated in their last bowl game to date against the University of North Carolina in the Quick Lane Bowl. The Scarlet Knights defeated the Tar Heels by a score of 40-21.

Rutgers has had a number of head football coaches over their long history. These head coaches include:

William A. Reynolds (1869–1894)  
H. W. Ambruster (1895)             
John C. B. Pendleton (1896–1897)
William V. B. Van Dyck (1898–1899)   
Michael F. Daly (1900)
Arthur P. Robinson (1901)   
Henry Van Hoevenberg (1902)  
Oliver D. Mann (1903, 1905)   
Alfred Ellet Hitchner (1904)   
Frank Gorton (1906–1907)  
Joseph T. Smith (1908)  
Herman Pritchard (1909)   
Howard Gargan (1910–1912)   
George Sanford (1913–1923)   
John H. Wallace (1924–1926)   
Harry Rockafeller (1927–1930, 1942–1945)    
J. Wilder Tasker (1931–1937)   
Harvey Harman (1938–1941, 1946–1955)    
John Stiegman (1956–1959)   
John F. Bateman (1960–1972)   
Frank R. Burns (1973–1983)    
Dick Anderson (1984–1989)   
Doug Graber (1990–1995)   
Terry Shea (1996–2000)    
Greg Schiano (2001–2011)   
Kyle Flood (2012–2015)  
Norries Wilson (Interim) (2015)    
Chris Ash (2016–present)

Rutgers has played home games at High Point Solutions Stadium (formerly Rutgers Stadium) since 1994. This stadium is built on the site of the original Rutgers Stadium that was completed in 1938. Prior to the original Rutgers Stadium, Rutgers football used College Field, and later Neilson Field from 1891-1938. High Point Solutions Stadium holds 52,454 people, and the field's surface is made of an artificial turf called FieldTurf.

Below are several photos I took during yesterday's game, along with two links with more information on Rutgers football:

http://www.scarletknights.com/trads/history.html

www.nj.com/rutgersfootball/index.ssf/2014/11/rutgers_football_1961_the_greatest_team_the_greatest_season_and_the_greatest_coach_that_any_college.html

MW

 

Upcoming Event - 6th Annual Rose Hill Cemetery Tour

6th Annual Rose Hill Cemetery Tour in Matawan, New Jersey 

Sunday, October 16, 2016 at 2:00 PM

Please join us for our annual walking cemetery tour, this year featuring more ghost stories about what is widely considered to be New Jersey's most haunted cemetery!

As we carefully weave our way around ancient tombs and headstones, you will hear fascinating stories about:
• The great Matawan fire of 1901
• A gruesome murder in 1896
• Prohibition violence
• The lawmen of Matawan
• Trouble at the Mausoleums
• Actual paranormal sightings at Rose Hill Cemetery revealed!

TICKETS: PRICE TBA. Tickets are only available at the event.

YOUR GUIDE: Al Savolaine, Matawan Town Historian, Rose Hill Cemetery Historian, and author of “Stanley Fisher: Shark Attack Hero of a Bygone Age.” (Books will be available for purchase and signing.)

LOCATION: Matawan’s Rose Hill Cemetery on Ravine Drive, near the intersection of Ravine and Middlesex Road.

PARKING: Limited parking is available at the cemetery. If you park in the cemetery, do not block the roads as it is an active cemetery. Additional parking is available at the Ravine Drive Elementary School, less than 300 yards from Rosehill's entrance.

THIS IS A CHARITY FUNDRAISING EVENT. All proceeds will benefit Rose Hill Cemetery preservation. All participants are volunteers donating their time and efforts.

This event is sponsored by the Matawan Historical Society and Rose Hill Cemetery.

https://www.facebook.com/historicrosehillcemetery/?fref=ts&ref=br_tf

2016 College Football History Tour

This college football season, the Matt Ward History Experience will travel to a number of college football stadiums in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York. During this tour, I will be providing my blog readers with some interesting facts about the history of the college teams I see play and the stadiums they call home. My tentative schedule is below:

9/10 - Howard at Rutgers at High Point Solutions Stadium in Piscataway Township, NJ

9/24 - Princeton at Lehigh at Goodman Stadium in Bethlehem, PA

10/1 - SMU at Temple at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, PA

10/22 - Stony Brook at Delaware at Delaware Stadium in Newark, DE

10/29 - Brown at Penn at Franklin Field in Philadelphia, PA

11/26 - Rutgers at Maryland at Maryland Stadium in College Park, MD

Stay tuned!

MW