August 5th Meeting Report

Fifty-seven Amateur Mendicants gathered at the Commonwealth Club on a warm summer Saturday.


Our home for the evening (and many others) - The Commonwealth Club

Gasogene John Kramb opened the meeting at 7:07 by greeting the attendees and the following guests: Matt Daly, Anita Sane, Lois Krawczyk, Patricia Drzinski, Len Harbaugh, Karen Murdock from Minnesota, Jerry Kolpacke, Stuart Stein, Jim O’Keefe, Danielle Smith, Pat Ward, Debbie Davis, Frank and Joyce Hostnik, and Barbara Koeppen.

Officers present were: Roy Pilot (Gasogene Emeritus), Ray Mandziuk (Tantalus), Eddie Stein (Tidewaiter and past Gasogene), Chris Music (Commissionaire), Walter Young (Tidewaiter), Chris and Richard Jeryan (newsletter editors), Roberta Gorevitz, ‘quizzer’ and Anne and Rob Musial (program coordinators).


Another evening full of lively Sherlockian discussion and debate.

Tantalus report
- An impressive A.M.S. display at the Sterling Heights Public Library in June with picture and newspaper article on display. The items displayed were from the collections of John Kramb, Walter Young and Ray Mandziuk
- New white and blue name badges with magnets or clips are available to the membership.
- Reminder of the auction to be held at the next meeting on October 21 at the Grosse Pointe War Memorial. Walter Young, Rob Musial and Ray Mandziuk will conduct the auction.
- The current AMS roster consists of 67 members and interested guests.

Toasts were organized by Walter Young and rendered throughout the evening by:
- Sam Stinson to The Woman
- Patience Nauta to Watson’s second wife
- Donna Wisely to Mrs. Hudson
- Philip Jones to Mycroft Holmes


Philip Jones giving one of the traditional toasts to Mycroft Holmes - "older brother, role model, counterfoil and an anvil upon which The Master was forged"

Our hosts presented an excellent dinner of steak pie, chicken cordon blue, roasted and au gratin potatoes, salad, missed vegetables, rolls, butter, assorted desserts and beverages.

After dinner, John Kramb began the discussion of the designated canon story, The Engineers Thumb in a ”dissecting” manner (the thumb), that led to active participation of those present with amusing, escalated comments covering the discernment of which thumb was severed, how, and its treatment. With three doctors in attendance, we learned more than we expected. A quiz on the story followed and the winners were Karen Murdock, Bev Sobolewski and Philip Jones.


Ray Flood aplogizing to a roomfull of hungry Mendicants. He later broke out into song.

Roy Pilot introduced the speaker of the evening, Steven Doyle, BSI, member of the Illustrious Clients of Indianapolis, writer of the scion newsletter, Publisher of Wessex and Gasogene Press, and video producer at Purdue University.

Steve refers to his presentation as an autobiographic experience—A SHERLOCKIAN LIFE. Because of the coincidence of
his last name with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, he says their relationship is based on being Irish and descendants of Adam and Eve.

A series of projected pictures (slightly altered) exhibited by Steve traced his companionship with “Uncle Arthur”, Dr. Bell, Sidney Paget, along with a kaleidoscope of many of the stage and movie stars that played Sherlock Holmes. He was “viewed” in the pictures as a creative consultant for the Grenada Series with Brett and Hardwicke, pictured with Gillette, Rathbone, Christopher Morley, Rex Stout and Franklin Delano Roosevelt. The presentation was remarkable, humorous, extremely well done leading to standing applause.

A period of questions and answers touched on who his favorite Sherlock Holmes actor is (Brett), Dr. Watson (Robert Duvall – David Burke). Steve revealed that he does not care for pastiches.

This was an outstanding program and presentation with great response from the audience that thoroughly enjoyed the casual, but focused aspects of this evening’s experiences--one of those nights when you just want things to continue. Kudos to all who planned and executed a truly memorable meeting. Regretfully however, time goes on and the meeting ended at 10:09 with the singing of God Save the Queen and Roy Pilot closing with “221b”.


The next dinner meeting is scheduled for Saturday, October 21, at the Grosse Pointe War Memorial. We promise no snow on this date.

Submitted by
Ray Mandziuk, Tantalus