HERO DOG | Hachikō Wins Contest

Hachikō Dances Around on One Leg.

August 26, 2017 – The 4th Annual Springs Agricultural Fair took place today at Ashawagh Hall.

At noon the "Dog Tricks" event was featured.

A Springs dog, Hachikō, was entered. He is named after an Akita, Hachi-kõ (ハ-チ公, 1923-1935), born on a farm in Japan. Hachi is the Japanese word for the lucky number eight.

The life story of the original Hachikō was the subject of a movie, transposed to Woonsocket, Rhode Island, starring Richard Gere.

Eight (hachi in Japanese) is a lucky number in Asia, having the same Chinese character as fortune or good luck.  Seven in Asia is unlucky.  

This Hachikō (a Pomeranian-Schnauzer mix) was lucky and won second place.

He was trained by Alice Tepper Marlin with the assistance of her husband John and their daughter Caroline, who has trained her own dog Rondo.

Dog Tricks Contest Winners, First (R)
and Second Prizes. Alice Tepper Marlin
is holding Hachikō.

Hachikō won second prize out of a field of about ten dogs put forward as doing tricks at the Fair. 

Hachikō danced a few circles, sometimes on one leg (see photo above).

The first place winner is in the second photo, but we don't yet know the name of the dog or its owner. (To which the owner could reply, paraphrasing the late Mayor Ed Koch, "if I had known being in second place was so important, I would have gone for that.")

The takeaway from the contest for next year is:

• It is smart to have a routine. Start by having the dog sit, then roll over, the easy tricks. Then get to the harder ones.
• Most dogs refused to do their tricks in front of a crowd, which was funny but reduced the competition. Best to practice with people looking on.
• The winner's trainer had an excuse for why the winning dog didn't do the trick the first time. The second time it went as planned. It's good to have a trainer who can cover for lapses!
• A good time was had by all, including the dogs, who got treats, win or lose.

The full name of Hachikō in Japanese is Chūken - Hachi - kō (忠犬-ハ-チ公), or Loyal Dog - Eight - Little.  The first two characters, reading left to right, are kan-ji (Chinese ideographs) and the other characters are using the Japanese alphabet for phonetic spelling.

EAST HAMPTON | Award to Herb Field, Sage of Springs

Councilman Fred Overton presents Proclamation to
Herb Field at Ashawagh Hall. Photo by JT Marlin.

Sep 4, 2016—Herbert Edwards (Herb) Field, the Sage of Springs, has received another well-earned award.

At the recent meeting of the Springs Community Advisory Council in Ashawagh Hall, Councilman Fred Overton presented him with a Proclamation testifying to his contributions to the Springs community.  

The Proclamation.

Overton's presentation was by the authority and on behalf of the East Hampton Town's Supervisor, Larry Cantwell.

At the presentation, the crowd attending the meeting gave Herb a standing ovation for his contributions to his country and his community. 

The citation, signed August 22 by Supervisor Cantwell, proclaims that Herbert Edwards (Herb) Field was born at Franklin Farm on August 3, 1924 to Herbert Stone Field and his wife Abigail Rebecca, née Edwards. 

Herb Field with Tina Piette (L) and yours
truly. Photo by Dr Carter Dodge.

Herb enlisted in the U.S. Navy in April 1943 and was honorably discharged on December 18, 1945. He was sent on tours in the Pacific, Europe and the Americas. 

After his military service he managed Sylvester Prime’s farm on Shelter Island and then in 1949 moved to Morrisville, N.Y., where he purchased and managed wo dairy farms covering 316 acres.

After 15 years upstate, he purchased the Baker and Baker dairy farm in Amagansett and lives there today.

Comment

Herb regularly attends the Springs Community Presbyterian Church and sits consistently in the second row behind the organ donated by Robert Mulford.

Herb (L) with Dr Carter Dodge.
Photo by JT Marlin.

When I first came to Springs in 1981 as a seasonal visitor, I was invited to join the Men of Springs, a church-related activity. My wife Alice Tepper Marlin was dubious about whether I should get involved in something macho like that until she found out that what the Men of Springs did was cook and serve  community dinners.

Eventually the men of the Men of Springs one by one died or left town, and the annual chicken dinner had to depend primarily, like so much else, on the hard-working women of the church. Herb may be the last of the men of the Men of Springs who were there when I arrived in 1981.

Herb has earned the title of Sage of Springs because he knows more about the history of Springs than anyone else.

For example, he remembers when Supervisor Larry Cantwell "was in short pants." Over the years Herb has told me more truly funny stories than I can count. He has a keen understanding of farming, milling and human nature. Long may he live!

The Springs Community Advisory Committee members are:

1. Loring Bolger, Chair 2. Ira Barocas 3. Pamela Bicket 4. David Buda

5. Carole Campolo 6. Zachary Cohen 7. Katherine Reid

8. Reg Cornelia 9. Amos Goodman 10. Phyllis Italiano 11. Howard Lebwith 

12. Brad Loewen 13.Tina Piette 14. Ginny Rizzardi 15.Betsy Ruth  16. Pat Brabant

17. Judy Freeman 18. Connie Kenny 19. Tina Plesset

20. Jurdy Grodin 21. Cile Downs 22. Michael Antonelle

23. Mary Beth LaPenna 24. Debra Foster 25. Rita Wassermann 26. Susan Harder