In Memory

Marc Abrams



 
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01/05/11 08:44 PM #1    

Richard Schwartz

 http://www.latimes.com/news/local/photography/la-me-walking-man-ss,0,5347988.htmlstory

This is an interview with Marc about being the famous "Walking Man of Silver Lake." He was a retired family practitioner, subscribed to many newspapers and magazines and loved to read them while he walked. He used a flashlight at night. He walked 10-20 miles a day. The interview is great and you can hear him speak. You know he was from Philly because he said he ate pizza everynight for diner. 

Growing up, Marc was, by far, hands down, the best athlete in the neighborhood. He was an amazing scrambling quarterback whose spiral passes stung, the jumping point guard with deadly and unending accuracy, and a great baseball player. We all admired him and knew how out of our league he was. He didn't play at Central, save for cadet and jv. He was an amazing scholar-athlete, sand lot as it was. 

The interview with him is rather amazing and reveals a gentle, unassuming, and happily eccentric gentleman. He was always focused, and remained so. As someone posted on his memorial, "Enjoy walking in Heaven, Walking Man."

Many thanked Marc for his kindness in treating them. So many wrote how he was such a big part of their lives in the neighborhood, seeing him walking everyday, shirtless, rain or shine, through the neighborhood. 

I had looked for Marc for years, occasionally I would try and google him and even sent a few emails asking if he was the Marc Abrams from Central High in Phiadelphia. It turned out he lived for a time in San Francisco, near me and I never knew. I knew he would have an interesting story to tell. He was a very focused person. I sure would liked to have found him as an adult and had a chance to speak with him. 

See you later Marc, the Walking Man of Silver Lake. 


01/24/11 10:48 PM #2    

Howard Ford

Marc Abrams - My memories of Marc go way back to John F. McCloskey school in Mt. Airy. Marc and several other Centralites were involved in the quintessential adolescent rite of passage known as "you guys may not get to graduate sixth grade blues". One sunny afternoon Marc, myself, and other notable McCloskey boys thought it a delightful idea to chase the ever-so-vixen figures of Roberta Balsam and Helene Dashefsky up the chain link fence surrounding McCloskey and to our surprise the next day we were told by Miss Cregmile that indeed we might not graduate sixth grade. Somehow our collective souls counted more than our individual mischievous natures and we did graduate. Marc went on to play in the "Super-Bowl" of junior high contests in that fateful year 1963. Marc had indeed the golden arm, like Richard Schwartz describes. I just remember continuing seeing passes completed and Steven Purkess running undauntedly over our pursuant arms like we were butter and he was a Kitchen Aide mixer. This debacle of a football game was unfortunately terminated when someone brought the news that President Kennedy had been shot. Marc may have been the first multi-tasker. I remember he would be doing something perhaps he was walking, and he'd be reading a book. He had a sweet smile, a grin that will always stay with me and an intellect both keen and vibrant. Marc was on the Safety Patrol at McCloskey during the vicious "Safety Patrol Wars" where the veritable likes of Jeff Myers, Gary Brucker, and myself vied ambitiously for turf in the form of Mt. Airy corners for our patrolmen. I remember Marc was the first person to ever call me "Howie". When you were chosen to be on Marc's team in anything, you knew you'd win. Marc could hit a hand-ball farther than any kid I can remember back at ole McCloskey. Marc was a highlight film unto himself. Sadly I did not keep up a communication during high school and afterwards. Marc is a legend. He touched everone in a special way and his presence is eternal.

Howard Ford


02/28/15 12:31 PM #3    

Howard Ford

I was once in Marc's house back in McCloskey School days. I think the name of the street was Thouron. I had never been on that block before so it seemd a little different from Williams Ave. where I lived & Jeff Myers house whatever the name of that street was (Temple). I remembered this a few days ago & know America needs to know. Marc's Dad appeared old, like I'm picturing suspenders & a bent over look. His Mom was aggressive, like a C.O. Mom, "Commanding Officer Mom". She'd admonish him about dressing for the weather & he was complient with her. Being with Marc, was being with someone a notch smarter than you. Maybe I didn't read enough to complement his intellect. He was in the "A" track at McCloskey. !A, 2A, 3A up to 6A. I thought these were the smart kids & I was in the "B" track. I remember a cheerfulness about him back then. Wouldn't let you get too close to though. Lost track of Marc when he went to college in Pittsburgh. I once lost a suitcase on Trailways in Pittsburgh. Can anyone say "Monongahela River?


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