Local Life

Retro RFH Foul Weather Funning

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The RFH boys of the Class of 1978 lounge and play backgammon
Photo/George Day

Did someone say backgammon? Originally posted on Dec. 3, 2019, we’re bringing this RFH Senior Commons Retro Pic of the (George) Day back, because that conversation pit pic got those ’70s RFHers talking about the oh, so trendiness of backgammon and games in the pits and on the tabletops of that Senior Commons. We’re not so sure these guys were actually playing, but … the foul weather brings out those RFH Senior Commons memories and everything gets a bit more fair-weathered again. Go back again with us …

Snow day, anyone? Nope. Not this year. Dank days certainly are a bit too plentiful, though. Really, what’s an RFH student to do when the studying mood hasn’t struck, the weather stinks and a little peppering of now is not quite snow day worthy? Hang out in the Senior Lounge and play backgammon, of course. Or something like that. We stress “something like that.”

Back in the 1970s, when snow days were fewer and farther between free periods and all that RFH jazz, the best of snow day pranks were to be conducted in the Senior Lounge. This crew was infamous for hijinks under the guise of backgammon. Call them players of a different sort of high school kind. Don’t get me wrong, these guys could toss a mean snowball — and quite festively.

They were the popular dudes of the RFH Class of ’78 and in this pose they struck epitomized the mood of the mod schedule, if you get our dank day drift.

They were clearly bored, wheels turning for their next move and it wasn’t likely on the backgammon board. Likely they were just plain up to no good. That backgammon set on the table was clearly camouflage for the true sport practiced in the lounge that fine day.

Remember how popular that little game was back in the day? But how much play did it actually get at RFH, especially in the ol’ lounge? Hey, remember that Chippendales founder Steve Banerjee’s first venture was a backgammon club. OK, so it flopped. But, then again, he didn’t have these cool RFH dudes at the tables.

Remember how to play? And what, exactly, is in the hands of these little RFH pranksters? Hmmmm. Something there looks a bit suspicious. Could it have been suspension-worthy?

Just who were those guys? Most are still friends and still up for a good game of one thing or another.

Thanks, once again, to the incomparable George Day for this gem!