Category Archives: News
‘Return to Asbury’ Event Slated for Aug 7-9
By Taleen Babayan
Armenian Weekly
ASBURY PARK, N.J.—Hundreds of Armenians will once again flock to the Jersey Shore’s historic Asbury Park to spend a weekend full of camaraderie and tradition during “Return to Asbury.”
Now in its fourth year, this unique event has gained immense popularity and draws Armenians from the East and West Coasts for a weekend of socializing on the beach, dancing to traditional Armenian kef music, and participating in tavloo and volleyball games.
“Return to Asbury,” hosted by the New York Armenian Students’ Association and Florida Armenians, has ushered in a new generation of Armenians, emulating those before them who gathered there in Asbury Park in the mid-20th century, when the city’s summers were full of Armenian hotels and nightly “kef” concerts. One of the highlights of those summer weekends was the Vosbikian Band, who will play at the historic Asbury Park Convention Hall after a 50-year hiatus in a special one night-only performance.
“I have many fond memories of Asbury Park during the 1960’s and 70’s,” said band member Steve Vosbikian. “During the summer months, the hotels would swell with Armenians from New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Connecticut, and no matter where you turned there was an Armenian scene going on.”
Although the Asbury summers had diminished by the end of the 1970’s, the idea of bringing a new generation of Armenians together to this significant spot in Armenian-American history was conceived by Robin Barone four years ago.
“I am humbled by how the community has rallied around the vision and its growth over the years,” said Barone. “I am overjoyed when I am told that an individual loves to attend to be Armenian among other Armenians.”
This year’s “Return to Asbury,” in the capable hands of Arsine Kaloustian and Taniel Koushakjian, promises traditional events as well as exciting new ones. A happy hour at the beachfront Watermark will kick off the weekend, followed by a day of fun and games on the 7th Avenue beach and a night of dancing at the historic Asbury Park Convention Hall featuring the Artsakh Band and the Vosbikian Band.
“This year’s Return to Asbury has particular meaning for me as we have all seen our communities band together recently as we continue to commemorate the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide,” said Kaloustian, chair of Return to Asbury. “We have all drawn closer to our culture this year and Asbury Park plays such a big role in that culture, having brought countless Armenians to the Jersey Shore since the 1930’s. It is a beacon of so much of what makes us proud to be Armenian—tradition, music, food, family, and the sheer joy that comes from just being around each other.”
“Return to Asbury is a time honored tradition spanning four generations of Armenian culture in America,” said Koushakjian, founder of Florida Armenians. “Many East Coast Armenians grew up hearing about Asbury Kef, and, like me, didn’t realize the impact it had on our community. I’m honored to help keep ‘Return to Asbury’ going and make this year’s kef better than ever.”
“Return to Asbury” will take place from Aug. 7-9. For tickets and more information, visit www.returntoasbury2015.eventbrite.com or e-mail returntoasbury@gmail.com.
This article originally appeared in the Armenian Weekly and is republished with the expressed written consent of the author.
Armenian American Baseball Players Make a Big Impact on the Road to the College World Series
By Grant Pakhtigian
FLArmenians Sports Contributor
George Iskenderian
Last month, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) College Baseball World Series (CWS) took place in Omaha, Nebraska with the country’s top teams competing for the title of national champion. This summertime tradition in America’s heartland caps off the season for the young athletes looking to make a name for themselves as they seek to go pro. In the run up to the CWS, two Armenian American baseball players undertook their mission for the early summer slate in a series of 3-game playoffs to mete out the NCAA crown.
Florida college teams are among the finest in the nation as Florida State University (FSU), University of Florida (UF), and University of Miami (UM) all ranked in the top 25 in the 2014-15 season.
This year, University of Miami second baseman George Iskenderian became only the second Miami player ever to win the Atlantic Coast Conference regular season batting title. He finished the regular season with a .391 batting average and started all 55 games. Iskenderian was recognized with first-team awards for another great year, originally playing short-stop before moving over to second base. Last year, he hit .373 with 23 RBIs in 40/55 games.
A junior college transfer and native of Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, Iskenderian helped make UM one of the most potent lineups in all of college baseball. During the CWS he hit .300 and went two for four in the season ending game against UF. UM took 6th place in the CWS, an admirable accomplishment.
Although the St. Louis Cardinals drafted him last year he decided to stay in Coral Gables to complete his senior year at the “U.” In the 2015 draft, Iskenderian was selected by the Milwaukee Brewers in the seventh round (211th overall).
James Kaprielian
In addition to our own college baseball star, another young Armenian American athlete made a name for himself this season. James Kaprielian, a pitcher for the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA), has shown his Bruins how pitching with numerous methods can bring his team victories along the path. He had one of the greatest pitching careers ever recorded by a Bruin. He recorded the fifth lowest ERA in program history, with sixth most strikeouts of all-time. Kaprielian was All-Pac-12 first team designee in this his last season.
Although UCLA didn’t make it to the CWS finals, Kaprielian received good news last month when he was the top pick of the New York Yankees (16th overall) in the 2015 MLB draft. The Yankees consider him very coachable and a good fit for their pitching roster, which is a big plus for teams who want someone they can trust for the betterment of the franchise. Kaprielian has had a challenging year and for him to work his way up to a top prospect in major league baseball is quite a feat.
Florida Armenians 