Adelaide and Lithuania, closer than you think

While in Lithuania I was very excited to find several links with Adelaide. The first time was in Siauliai visiting the Rūta chocolate Museum.  In 1913, Antanas Gricevičius established Rūta, a tiny sweet workshop. As foreigners owned most of the companies in Lithuania at that time, Mr Gricevičius called the shop, Rūta, after a plant found in Lithuania (Rue), in a bid to highlight its national character.

Rūta gradually established a reputation for itself and, by the 1930s, the factory had more than 100 employees and produced around 300 different types of chocolate. In 1929, Mr Gricevičius built a new factory with shop premises to the design of the famous architect, Kārlis Reisons. Since 2012, the building has been a museum.  

The above mentioned architect is actually Karolis Reisonas, who ended up living in Adelaide and was instrumental in refurbishing the current Adelaide Lithuanian House. 

Further into the Museum, there was a display on the Rūta chocolate boxes over the years. I was rather bewildered to see a familiar one.  The tin with Darius and Girenas on it is used in the Adelaide Lithuanian Museum to keep the keys to the display cabinets in.  The tin was produced in the 1930's.  I now look at it with different eyes, and wonder if it was donated by Reisonas?

In Kaunas, I met a friend who works in the Vytautas Magnus University.  She took me to see her work place. As it was holidays there were few people around, but I did get to meet a staff member working on the Adamkus archives.  Former president of Lithuania, Valdas Adamkus has donated many personal items which will be kept at the University and hopefully one day become a museum.  Amongst the items was this plate presented to Adamkus when he came to Adelaide with the American Lithuanian basketball team in 1964.  It's hand made and painted with the places and dates visited.





On my last day in Vilnius, I went to visit the Museum of Genocide Victims (KGB Museum).  Under Soviet occupation mail from outside the Union was closely scrutinised.  One display showed publications issued abroad which had been confiscated by the sensors.  To my surprise it was a program from the Australian Lithuanian Days held in Adelaide in 1962.

I was never far away from home. 


Museum of Genocide Victims http://genocid.lt/muziejus/en/  
Ruta Chocolate Museum   http://www.sokoladomuziejus.lt/en/exposition/chocolate-in-ruta/ 
Adamkus Archives Library http://adamkuslibrary.lt/biblioteka/?lang=en 

Dynamic Frank a new arrival on SA Courts

CIKAUSKAS Pranas  also known as Frank CHICKOWSKI

Dynamic guard Frank Chickowski flew into Adelaide this week from the US eager to play basketball in SA.  Chickowski, 34, formerly one of Detroit University’s top players, does not know which Adelaide district club he will join.  But he will make the decision either tonight after he sees six of our eight teams in action, or on Sunday after he watches the other two.

The front runner in the race is Chickowski’s signature is Centrals Latvians.
Their ethnic link with Lithuanian, Chickowski’s native country could help lure him into the fold.

Chickowski, 6 ft, 2 in hinted that he would prefer to just coach or play, rather than both.
Beside coaching, a successful high school team for twelve years, Chickowski also coached the American Lithuanian All Star side that toured Europe last year.  Australia’s Eddie Palubinskas was a member of that team.

In 1964, Chickowski toured the world with an American Lithuanian team, and played several games in SA.

Chickowski and his wife, both teachers, were brought to Adelaide by the Education Department and intend to stay for at least two years.

American All Stars program

American All Star team arrive in Adelaide
Jonas Jonavicius (Organiser) in light grey suit, Standing on first step is Vladas Adamkus (Tour Manager), next to him is Martynas Pocius (President of the Adelaide Lithuanian community)

American All Star tour of Australia pt II

The American All Star Basketball team was in Adelaide between Tuesday 28^th July to Monday 3^rd August 1964.  They played six of those seven days various teams.

Tuesday 28^th July                     American All Stars vs Adelaide Vytis

Wednesday 29^th July                American All Stars vs Australian Latvians

Thursday 30^th July                   American All Stars vs Australian Lithuanians

Friday 31 July                          American All Stars vs SA State Team

Saturday 1^st August                 American All Stars vs Australian Representatives

Monday 3^rd August                   American All Stars vs SA State Team

Adelaide VYTIS team

5     R. Petkūnas

6.    Sigis Visockis

8     J. Gumbys

9     L. Urmonas

11   A. Ignatavičius

12   Eddie Gudelis

13   Rimas Daugalis

14   Romas Pocius

15   V. Ramonaitis

30   V. Stankevičius

USA All Star team

Name	Date of birth	Home town	Height	Weight	Position	Points scored
Valteris BAZENAS	2/08/1946	Connecticut	6’1	176	Captain Forward	86
Pranas CEKAUSKAS	12/08/1940	Detroit	6’ ½	195	Forward	446
Andrius ADZIMA	2/02/1936	Connecticut	6’7	217	Centre or Forward	118
Algis JANKAUSKAS	2/03/1941	Los Angeles	6’2	189	Guard	88
Algis MOTIEJUNAS	21/02/1942	Cleveland	6’1	175	Guard	53
Larry JESEVICIUS	20/05/1943	Chicago	6’8	225	Centre of Forward	149
Edvardas MODESTAVICIUS	9/09/1943	Chicago	6’4	180	Centre or Forward	279
Vilius SEDLICKAS	25/05/1941	Toronto	6’5	205	Forward or Guard	134
Edmundas SILINGAS	18/07/1944	Indianapolis	6’5	210	Centre or Forward	250
Edvardas SLOMCINSKAS	13/02/1943	Connecticut	6’11	240	Centre	132
Algis VARNAS	14/05/1940	Chicago	6’2	185	Forward or Guard	409

USA Lithuanian All Star Basketball team in Australia 1964

The idea of the American Lithuanian team was born in 1962 during the Sports festival by J Bačiunas (President of the World Lithuanian Communities) who was touring Australia at that time. Early in 1963 the Lithuanian Athletic Union of North America contacted the Federation of Australian Sports Clubs and these two bodies began planning a tour.  

The Manager of the USA team was Mr Vladas Adamkavičius (Adamkus, recent President of Lithuania) who had led them on a successful South American tour in 1959.  Adamkus was an all round sportsman but his successes were in athletics.  In 1949 he migrated to the USA and partook in Lithuanian community sports events.  He retired from sports in 1954 and turned his interests to sporting administration.  

The coach, Vytautas Grybauskas grew up playing basketball in Lithuanian and while he attended Vilnius University.  While in exile in Germany he was selected for a Lithuanian All Star Basketball Team that toured France in 1948.  He played exceedingly well and was given an opportunity to stay in France to play and coach.  In 1953 he moved to the USA and participated in basketball, tennis, table tennis and soccer.  He coached the South American tour of 1959.

Eleven players formed the All Star team, ageing from 18 to 28 years.  The tour to Australia lasted for a month with matches played in Newcastle, Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Adelaide, Perth and Tasmania.  

The Adelaide organising committee consisted of Jonas Jonavičius (Chairman), S. Urnevičius (Vice-Chairman), J. Pyragius (Vice-Chairman), Viktoras Baltutis (Secretary), and Robertas Sidabras (Treasurer).  Members were: A. Šliužas, G. Rakauskas, Balys Nemeika, A. Merūnas, Mrs Bronė Lapšys, Juozas Doniela, Juozas Lapšys, J. Jaunutis, Petras Andrijaitis, S. Milaknis, P. Lukošiunas, V. Jankauskas. 

To be continued.....