A stroke of great luck !!

[Dan/Panther]

I was surfing ebay last night when I came across a guy selling phones, and he lives  in Hemet, about 30 minutes drive from me. So I emailed him and asked if he might like to chat.
Turns out it's Richard Marsh, and he invited me to call him up and gave me his phone number. Seems he owned,  "THE CHICAGO OLD TELEPHONE CO.", FOR 41 YEARS. Sold it two years ago and retired here in Hemet.
This is a great Hobby....

D/P

[HobieSport]

Tell us more!

[benhutcherson]

Very interesting. Yes please, more details!

[McHeath]

Yeah, you're not going to bait us like that and get away with it!

[mienaichizu]

that's interesting D/P

[BDM]

I know who he is, dealt with him many times years ago. Good guy.

[Dan/Panther]

I'm getting ready to go pick up my kids from school, then I'm going to call Richard.

D/P

[bingster]

I used to get a catalog from him ages ago.  I remember it being chock full of great stuff.

[Dan/Panther]

Well today I spent about 45 minutes talking to one of the most interesting people I have encountered in quite some time.
I called Richard Marsh this afternoon, and for 45 minuites I found myself several times wishing I was recording what we were talking about.
Richard is perhaps one of the most knowledgeable, and interesting individuals I've had the good fortune to be able to talk to in quite some time.
He gave me a short history of Chicago Old Telephone company, how he purchasecd it from Rich miller in 1969, we talked about his l professional history, being a Electrical Engineer , having worked with Howard Sams in Indianapolis years ago, at the very time Howard started up the Sams photofacts,
about his time with Cornell Dublier,  and some major breakthroughs he was envolved with in the capacitor field, of which I was very interested and he did confirm some of my unprofessional theories about the longevity of capacitors.
He told me about his personal collection, hgave me several tips on how to do thing properly, and invited me to come over and he would personally show me some more of the ropes.
He gave me his home address, and just requested that I call to confirm he was at home.
I could go on but I'm sure all this bores everyone....
D/P

[BDM]

Always great to meet one of what I like to call, "founding minds" in the hobby/industry. Gents like that are fast becoming a lost generation. Great you had the chance to spend time and learn from him.

[Dan/Panther]

Brian;
I have been greartly blessed my entire life by having the opportunity to meet people that were an inspiration to portions of my life.
right from when I was little.
I loved Zorro, I got to meet Guy williams, admired and campaigned for Robert Kennedy in 1968, and met him 3 days before he was assassinated, Muhammad Ali, Bill Santoro, a retired Philco technician, Now Richard Marsh, I met 6 of the serviors of the Titanic in 1989.  People that were connected with my interests in life. the list goes on and on. Seems if I have an interest in something, somehow I get to meet special people connected with it.
I'm really looking forward to learning some very important techniques from Richard.
D/P

[Dennis Markham]

Dan, take notes so you can share with the rest of us.  That's pretty amazing that you got to meet RFK.  Even though I was only 13 in 1968 I thought his assassination was a great loss to our Country.  I was lucky enough years before that, just after JFK took office,  to be able to attend a small gathering of workers and other invited guests on the Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama where JFK was speaking outdoors to workers and families connected with the new US Space Program.  It was a pep-talk of sorts just after he dedicated our Nation to putting a man on the moon and returning him safely to earth before the end of the decade.

I know this is off-track of your point about meeting RFK but thought I'd share that.  I for one would love to hear about your eventual meeting with Mr. Marsh.

[mienaichizu]

Brian;
I have been greartly blessed my entire life by having the opportunity to meet people that were an inspiration to portions of my life.
right from when I was little.
I loved Zorro, I got to meet Guy williams, admired and campaigned for Robert Kennedy in 1968, and met him 3 days before he was assassinated, Muhammad Ali, Bill Santoro, a retired Philco technician, Now Richard Marsh, I met 6 of the serviors of the Titanic in 1989.  People that were connected with my interests in life. the list goes on and on. Seems if I have an interest in something, somehow I get to meet special people connected with it.
I'm really looking forward to learning some very important techniques from Richard.
D/P

you're lucky D/P, you meet people that are related to your interests

[Dan/Panther]

Mienaichizu;
Yes I feel very lucky.

Dennis;
That had to be one of JFK's best speeches, I wish I could have seen that. I have always been very interested in the space program.

D/P

[Dennis Markham]

Dan, I wasn't at THE speech that he made committing our Nation to space travel but this was afterward.  It was one of my favorites too....Here is the speech on You Tube:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouRbkBAOGEw&feature=related