This was in the 1952 Franklin Grade School yearbook under "Advertisers".
Battitori's is the building with "Star Clothing" advertising on the side.
1967 Invoice
Pete owned a stock car and his garage was a popular hangout for the "car guys".
| This was in the 1952 Franklin Grade School yearbook under "Advertisers". |
Battitori's is the building with "Star Clothing" advertising on the side. |
1967 Invoice |
Pete owned a stock car and his garage was a popular hangout for the "car guys". |
| |
| Memories of Battitori's |
| Remember the Community
Hall and Vignatelli's Hall. They were both the site of many gatherings
and dances. Between the halls was Pete's (Battitori)Garage. Pete,
Tommy Langford and Bill DuPree were mainstays. (Later years would
find Ray Saia there with Duke. Ray's special lace paint jobs on motorcycles were amazing to me.) Memory of Joe Lee Maghe |
| I remember going to Pete
Battori's garage when there was a problem with Dad's old car and Pete
and Bill were there. Bill liked all kids, even the pesky
ones who asked all of the "dumb" car questions... Memory of Jo Ann
Burgar |
| "Espionage in the 50s"
There were many locals from all the towns in Crawford
County
that raced at the local race tracks. They were always trying to
outdo
each other and find out their secrets that made their car go faster.
One day my dad and a group of his buddies were working on their car and
they wanted to know why Pete Battitori's car went so fast. They
decided that no one would recognize me (a young boy of about 13) so
they decided
I would be the one to spy. I didn't want to do it but they
insisted
it was the only way to find out. Pete had been running his car (an old
Ford). It was running good and they ran with a box over the engine so
no one could see. I was sent to the garage with the excuse of
buying $1 worth
of gas in an old Packard. I wasn't very well prepared as
Pete
and his buddies (being the friendly sort) wanted to know my name.
I
gave them my first name but they persisted and wanted to know my last
name.
I was afraid to tell them so I gave them a name of one of
my
dad's buddies. I was able to look at the old race car and
see
what carburetor they had on it (which was my mission). It was a
day
I'll never forget. Memory of Scotty Bitner |
| Manci’s Garage became
Battitori’s. (Picture of building with Star Clothing
on the side). There was a street car track West of
Battitori’s(Manci’s) that ran from Franklin to
Pittsburg. Union Hall was just south of
Battitoris. The theatre was one block west of Union
Hall. South of the theatre was
a hotel and restaurant run by an Italian family. Memory of
Frank Lipasek |
| Pete rented
the garage
building from the Sam Manci family and operated the "Franklin
Garage". He lived in Franklin until his death in 1968. He
owned a stock car and Joe Youvan drove the races at 69 Speedway in
Pittsburg. The garage became a gaterhing place for men to visit
(and gossip). Pete
was a fisherman, a sharp
shooter, a peace officer and a Mirza Shriner. He played the trombone in
the band. He was survived by a nephew
Eugene Cattelino,
Jr. (deceased now) Kansas City; a niece Mary Jane (Hartog) Cavanaugh,
3650 N.
Woodlawn, Apt. 511, Wichita, Ks. 67230
and a niece, Mrs. Lorine (Hartog) Blessant of Pittsburg. Memory of Lorine Blessant |
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E-mail: memrylane@yahoo.com |