George Bungarz

“The Music Man”

Well ya got trouble my friends, right here, I say trouble right HERE in Sun City and he goes by the name George Bungarz.

Music has always been a big part of George’s life. He started out on the ukulele because his big brother played it. Eventually all three boys were serenading the wildlife on the family’s yearly camping trip in the Trinity Alps.

George was born and raised in Oakland. His father was the coroner for Alameda County and his mother was a stay-at-home wife and mother. She had a big influence on him; living to the age of 99. She passed just 5 weeks before her 100^th birthday still beating the pants off George and his brothers in Trivial Pursuit and studying for her driving test. He swears she died when she did just because she didn’t want the big party they were planning.

He had an active childhood playing with his two older brothers and close friends; the Arthur brothers. He attended Fremont High and was not into sports. He had a grand time being one of two male cheerleaders. He’s still friends with the other one who now lives in Fair Oaks and is looking forward to their 50^th class reunion coming up this spring. He also had a quartet; starring as lead guitar singing do-wop music at local talent shows.

When he was 18 his parents moved out of the family home turning it over to George and his bride Kathleen. He found work with the California Forestry Department until landing a job at the General Motors plant painting pick-up trucks. Eventually he decided on a career in public service; becoming an Alameda County Deputy Sheriff. After a few years he decided he really liked helping people, but arresting people, not so much. He determined that the fire department would be a better fit. He became a fireman in Piedmont and retired as a captain in the San Leandro Fire Department.

His brothers also found successful careers. The oldest, Denny, was a Glenn County supervisor before retirement and Bob, who now lives in Missoula, Montana, was a pilot with Northwest.

Meanwhile George and Kathleen had three children. The oldest, Michael, works in waste management; driving a truck to pick up the big dumpsters in Castro Valley, making more money than George ever did protecting and serving the city of San Leandro. George brags that Michael was a very successful baseball coach for 12 years at Moreau High School in Hayward where all three kids went to school. He was voted coach of the year. But even more important he fathered two granddaughters.

The middle child, Lori, is extremely bright. She graduated from Cal and earned her MBA at Cornell; joining the state department upon graduation. One of George’s favorite memories is of visiting her in Buenos Aires where she took him to a state dinner. His dining companion was Vice President, Al Gore; and they chatted quite amicably. She is now a stay at home mom living in Walnut Creek raising her daughter, Jessa, age 10.

The youngest, Katherine, also graduated from Cornell. She majored in hotel and restaurant management. George thought she had the best job in the world: managing the Oz; the bar at the top of the St. Francis in San Francisco. She thought marriage was more important and quit to follow her husband south where he manages the Del Coronado Hotel. Well, at least it makes a great vacation destination when George and present wife, Susan, visit the two grandkids.

When George was 35 he was so impressed with the San Leandro Fire Dept. softball team that he asked to play. The team was a powerhouse even before he joined. They won the state Olympics three years in a row. This was his only softball experience until after he retired. But his music experiences were ever expanding.

He had taught himself four-string guitar and then the six-string. In his twenties he decided to join a group class in Berkeley; mostly for social reasons. One day his teacher said that Bob Dylan wanted to meet him. George was flabbergasted and asked why. It turns out that his guitar just happened to be very rare and Dylan wanted to buy it. George replied, “I think I’ll pass. I like this guitar.” It’s his favorite guitar to this day. You can see it at his next performance. Although he never met Dylan the same teacher did introduce him to Pete Seeger, the father of folk music.

About thirty-five years ago he happened to meet two teachers from Chabot College in Hayward and they became a folk-singing trio, Hard Travelin’. They were very busy playing locally and producing five albums. Even after George moved here they continued performing until the death of leader, Gordon last June. They did two shows here: one in the ballroom and one on the ball field.

After retiring from the fire department in 1993 George found he had time on his hands, so he thought he’d look into playing more softball. His lifelong friends, the Arthur brothers also had a plan. They said, “Remember our cousin, Susan, that you met when you were about 11 and dated a couple of times in high school? She’s single now and lives just a few blocks from you there in Danville. Why don’t you give her a call?”

Although George was enjoying the independence of single life and pursuing softball opportunities; he decided it wouldn’t hurt to give Susan a call. He discovered that Pleasanton had senior softball with only players over 50; which was a perfect fit. As he played with this league he learned of the Walnut Creek Creakers and joined their team. Before too long his competitive juices were flowing and he was on the Bandits, the tournament team. Oh, by the way, the call paid off. He and Susan were married in 1996.

As George competed in tournaments for the next few years his natural gregarious personality made him many friends. One of them, Jimmy Heinz, lived in Sun City Roseville and was very excited about the opening of Lincoln Hills. He told George, “It’s going to have a softball stadium. You should move there. It’d be perfect.” At about the same time Susan, an only child, was thinking that she could best care for her mother if they lived in the same house. She and George chose a model that provided a separate suite for Millie. Construction began in 1999 and they were moved in by mid 2000.

On move-in day George left the women to unpack the boxes he’d moved into the house. He picked up his softball equipment and headed down to the field. He walked up to Don Cosgrove and asked what he had to do to get on a team. Don gave him the paperwork. George went home, filled it out, wrote a check and dashed back to the field. Twenty minutes later he was playing shortstop, and there he stays.

He also joined the Sun Eagles tournament team. When Don Cosgrove and Bob Napoli decided the Sun Eagles would become a 65’s team, George and Bob Smith and others formed the Coyotes for the younger players. He has played with them ever since on one team or another. He has combined his love of music with his love of softball forming the Coyote Trio with Randy Wilcox and Bob Smith. The trio performs at the annual Coyote banquet every January and other softball events. One of his favorite performances was singing “The Hawaiian Wedding Song” as Susan and some other wives danced a hula at John Parks wedding.

He also has a group of five ball players who sing together. The group is known as E-five (in honor of the memorable play of Dean Cowles at third). They usually perform the national anthem on opening day. Among those appearing in the group are Randy, Bob, Tuck Halsey, Ron Miller and others.

George managed several teams in the rec league, usually Rainbow Market. It just doesn’t look like George if he’s not wearing the green. Last season he became MOM, manager of the managers, liaison with the Board of Directors. He meets with the managers any time there are new rule interpretations or instructions from the board. He also is the one the managers call if they have a problem. He says the program is working very smoothly and he’s enjoying working with the managers. He says, “It’s as close as I want to get to being a board member. They have to work way too hard. If they made a rule that said everyone had to take a turn, I’d put my house up for sale.”

Susan has just started to explore activities here as she was kept busy caring for her mother till recently. George is encouraging her to try some of the dance classes. He says, “She excels and I have two left feet.”

Meanwhile he has a new band that has him quite excited. One day he ran into an old friend, Doug Weiss at Starbucks. Doug played bass with a band called The Sounds Country Band and his guitar player also played with Hard Travelin’, so he and George began reminiscing. Then they realized the lead guitar of Picket Fence, Mike Sizemore lived just around the corner. They asked Marshal Kee to join them on keyboard and began playing rock-a-billy for their own amusement. They really liked the sound, added a drummer, (Charlie Keenan) and made a demo. It turned out so well they made an album and started performing at local dances and other events. All five band members live in SCLH, four of them in Village 30.

George also dabbles in composing. He collaborated with Gordon Locklear of Hard Travelin’ on several songs. At Steve Russo’s request George set one of his poems to music. He got together with Marshal and made a demo of “Visions” for Steve; who liked it so much he put it on CD and had many copies made.

Who knew that “The Music Man” walks among us right here in Sun City. Actually he rarely walks. He usually hits the first pitch where we ain’t.