Well, I’m back. I’ll be writing a monthly piece here in the outdoors section of the Bangor Daily News.
It’s really an honor because I love the BDN. I honestly think I learned to read as I moved from the funny pages to sports to the rest of the news.
Somewhere along the way I developed an interest in news, storytelling and good writing. I still think the Bangor Daily is Maine’s most interesting paper.
I actually started my journalism career as a Sunriser, chucking 104 copies of the BDN on Palm Street and later, Parkview Avenue in Bangor. The year was 1965.
After picking up my bundle of papers at Ken Day’s store, I delivered the BDN to Timmy O’Brien who would become head of the English department at Annapolis, Howie Day’s mother and future Gov. John Baldcacci.
There were interesting people all around. I just didn’t know it yet.
I’m also proud to write for the BDN because Bud Leavitt used to write here. Bud was a big influence on my life in so many ways.
One thing he taught me was to appreciate what we have around us. I remember when the Maine Lumberjacks came to Bangor. Bud showed up to check it out. He sat down at the left end of the scorers’ table eating popcorn.
I didn’t know what to make of the minor league team. Bud watched for a couple of minutes and thought it was great. He thought Wayne Kreklow reminded him of Bill Sharman. Who?
It was easier to not appreciate something new. To be afraid of something different. I think Mainers are naturally suspicious of things from away and often with good reason.
Bud extended that appreciation to things around us. He loved our big woods, lakes, ponds, mountains and sleepy blue ocean.
It showed in this newspaper. If you grew up reading the BDN, you thought outdoor sports were part of regular sports. When you looked at the sports page, you saw a column about a University of Maine football game right next to an article by Bud, who was up to camp with Snuffy Stirnweiss and Bendy McElbow. Who?
Bud appreciated the common person. Guys like my dad and all his friends. Occasionally, one of them got mentioned in one of Bud’s columns. It was a big deal, and they loved him for it.
Which brings us to some guy I can’t remember. He told Bud he had two chances to get his name in the paper: his obituary or Bud’s column. Bud knew that guy had a story to tell.
That certainly influenced me. I ended up making a living telling stories about the people around us.
When I finally got my own TV show, theme songs were out of style. The thought was “Get right into the show. The audience will change channels during your theme song.”
Bud’s theme was “The Happy Wanderer.” On the rare occasion that I hear it, I stop to listen and sing along to this day. My show had an original theme song someone wrote for me.
I also came up with a tagline, “Kids, remember! Don’t go braggin’ just because you’re from Maine!” Bud’s was better: “A good family plays together, stays together and prays together. Good night, everyone!”
There was criticism from those who thought Bud was implying that atheists headed bad families. I think he had to drop the “prays together” part. That was okay with the churchgoers because the point was implied. We all knew what Bud wanted to say.
I get very sentimental at Christmastime. Looking at a tree brings back so many memories, which become magical when you share them with old friends. I hope I’m able to provoke some memories and perhaps some new thoughts as I write.
So, with a nod to Bud, John Holyoke, Pete Warner and Julie Harris, who have led this prestigious page, I’m looking forward to starting. Peace to all. Happy Holidays. See you soon.
Bill Green is best known for his long-running TV show “Bill Green’s Maine.” He is also involved with Freedom Boat Club, Friends of Baxter State Park and Maine Sports Hall of Fame.
