Sarge

While thumbing through a two-inch-thick scrapbook filled with old newspaper clippings and photographs, Warminster police officer Thomas Zablocki would stop every few pages to tell a story about his former canine partner, Sarge. "He ate a hoagie on me once," said Zablocki with a chuckle. "I left it in the truck and when I came back, the whole truck had that hoagie smell. And sure enough, there he was eating it. " With expressions of pride and sadness, Zablocki continued through the scrapbook and recalled the days that he and Sarge spent on the force during their seven-year career.

The Sarge sleeps light. Always has. Since Vietnam anyway, when he lived in heart-pounding terror that cover of darkness would allow the enemy to slip behind the lines. Now Sarge lives among the enemy, in a North Philadelphia apartment building that he and others say the bad guys - the dopers and whores, the pimps and pushers - have just about taken. Sarge - his name is Donald S. Johnson and he's 55, but even the bad guys call him Sarge - and a handful of others are holding out and holding on. Their building, the Antoinette, is not a major complex nor home to hundreds of residents.

ARECENT ARTICLE purporting to show that the current Phillies aren't better or worse than last year's team at the same point in the season brought to mind this familiar old joke: A man jumps off a 100-story building. As he falls past the 50th floor, onlookers in an adjacent building shout, "How's it going?" To which he merely shrugs and shouts back, "So far, so good. " Alex von Schlichten, Upper Darby Everyone rips Wheels during Phils games, but when Sarge said, "Keep in mind Victorino does a lot for Hawaii, his home country," not one person corrected him. Come on. Steven J. Donegan, Essington

A retarded man, who was called "Sarge" because of his lifelong desire to be a policeman, drowned yesterday after he apparently fell from a wall into the Schuylkill in his sleep. William Osterman, 47, whose last address was a rooming house on Ridge Avenue near Scotts Lane in East Falls, was last seen about 7 p.m. Saturday, police said. Following his eviction from the rooming house about two weeks ago, he often slept on a wall along the river where Midvale Avenue meets Kelly Drive in East Falls, police said.

Racy-website owners politically active LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Republican Rand Paul's campaign for Senate in conservative Kentucky wouldn't say Friday whether it would return money from a donor who runs an adult website featuring photos of lingerie-clad and nude women. Federal Election Commission records show that Cyan Banister, who founded California-based Zivity.com with her husband, Scott, contributed $4,800 to Paul earlier this year. Banister said in an e-mail Thursday that she sees Paul's limited government views as appealing.

She's brown with a white belly, weighs about 50 pounds and has sweet disposition. Her name is Roxie, and she's a 2-year-old pit bull. Her owners don't know if she's still alive. About six weeks ago, she was snatched by two carloads of teen-aged dognappers right out of her North Philadelphia back yard. The thieves tricked the friendly pooch into coming close to the gate for a cuddle. Then they scooped her up, threw her in the back of their car and sped off. What Roxie left behind were tears and heartbreak as her owners, Ira and Patricia Williamson, grieve for their sweet pet as they would for a lost child.

The nighttime battlefield is dark and terrifying. Clutching your assault rifle, you crawl through a forest deep behind enemy lines. A sudden burst of machine-gun fire zeroes in on you with deadly accuracy. With your last remaining bit of strength you reach out and reboot. Don't worry, you won't be alone out there. Battalions of virtual infantrymen have enlisted in what seems to be computer gaming's latest mini-trend - re-creating the travails of the lowly foot soldier. While military simulations have been a gaming staple for years, their focus has usually been on the more glamorous combatants - high-tech fighter jocks and deep-diving submariners.

It's back to Montgomery County for Walter Sikorski. At least for now. A Montgomery County sheriff's deputy and the handler of a cadaver-sniffing dog, Sikorski spent most of last week on Staten Island, N.Y., sifting through the rubble of the World Trade Center in search of human remains. The FBI was so impressed with his work and that of his partner, Lower Salford Police Officer Kim Kratz, that it would like them back immediately. But increased security demands at the courthouse have prevented Sikorski's supervisor, Sheriff John P. Durante, from giving him more time off, Durante said.

Agnes May Clark Schocklin, 73, Deptford Township's court administrator for 15 years before retiring in 1995, died Friday at Underwood-Memorial Hospital, Woodbury. A Deptford resident since 1960, she was born in Roxborough, and raised in Manayunk. She was a 1942 graduate of Roxborough High School. Mrs. Schocklin was affectionately known as "the Sarge" during her tenure as court administrator, from 1980 until her retirement. The nickname stemmed from her military background in the World War II Women's Army Air Corps.

Think of the people with whom Jamie Moyer has played baseball: Cal Ripken Jr. Andre Dawson. Nolan Ryan. Ken Griffey Jr. Ryan Howard. Impressive. Still, the list of players he has pitched against is even more impressive. T. Scott Brandon from Port Angeles, Wash., put together a lineup of Hall of Fame players who have faced Moyer. Thanks to Brandon, we took it a step further. We asked Moyer about each of those Hall of Famers. Because we organized the lineup by position, we designated three of them as pinch-hitters.

YOU GOTTA love Gary Matthews. During the sixth inning of Wednesday's Phillies game, the former Phillies All-Star turned TV broadcaster, called the Mets a bunch of "crybabies" while on the air. Matthews did so after Mets starter Mike Pelfrey barked at Placido Polanco because he thought the Phillies third baseman leaned into a pitch. After the game, a New York Daily News reporter saw Matthews near the broadcast booth. Matthews took advantage of the opportunity by giving the reporter a message for the Mets and their fans.

Racy-website owners politically active LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Republican Rand Paul's campaign for Senate in conservative Kentucky wouldn't say Friday whether it would return money from a donor who runs an adult website featuring photos of lingerie-clad and nude women. Federal Election Commission records show that Cyan Banister, who founded California-based Zivity.com with her husband, Scott, contributed $4,800 to Paul earlier this year. Banister said in an e-mail Thursday that she sees Paul's limited government views as appealing.

I THINK ASSIGNING School District police Officer Robert "Sarge" Samuels (photo at right) to Southern High was a great idea. The only people complaining are the troublemakers. And they get in trouble for mouthing off? Oh, well! Until the parents of these students start teaching them manners, nothing will change - just the number of people who live off the system by protesting everything. Unbelievable. Steven J. Donegan Essington

AS A PHILADELPHIA police officer of 11 years, assigned to a public high school for the past five, I can identify with the tactics used by school Officer Robert "Sarge" Samuels. We are dealing with a different type of youth today, and most of them without the proper guidance from their own parents. It can be very difficult to deal with them without looking at them as you would your own children. And in doing so, you may tend to be as strict with them as you would with your own. I had the honor of working with Officer Samuels.

ARECENT ARTICLE purporting to show that the current Phillies aren't better or worse than last year's team at the same point in the season brought to mind this familiar old joke: A man jumps off a 100-story building. As he falls past the 50th floor, onlookers in an adjacent building shout, "How's it going?" To which he merely shrugs and shouts back, "So far, so good. " Alex von Schlichten, Upper Darby Everyone rips Wheels during Phils games, but when Sarge said, "Keep in mind Victorino does a lot for Hawaii, his home country," not one person corrected him. Come on. Steven J. Donegan, Essington

Think of the people with whom Jamie Moyer has played baseball: Cal Ripken Jr. Andre Dawson. Nolan Ryan. Ken Griffey Jr. Ryan Howard. Impressive. Still, the list of players he has pitched against is even more impressive. T. Scott Brandon from Port Angeles, Wash., put together a lineup of Hall of Fame players who have faced Moyer. Thanks to Brandon, we took it a step further. We asked Moyer about each of those Hall of Famers. Because we organized the lineup by position, we designated three of them as pinch-hitters.

Harry Kalas is back. The Phillies announced yesterday that Kalas has signed a three-year contract to remain in their broadcast booth. Larry Andersen, Chris Wheeler and Scott Franzke also are back. Scott Graham's contract wasn't renewed, and the Phillies have hired former Phillies outfielder Gary Matthews to take his place. The Phillies also are looking to hire a pregame and postgame host, which is the job Franzke held last season. Kalas, 70, has been in the Phillies' broadcast booth since 1971.

Jack Sarge is one of those people who can honestly say that he loves his job. He is not stuck behind a desk all day. He gets a chance to enjoy the outdoors - and to help people. For nearly three years, Sarge, 58, of Mount Holly, has been the driver of the Burlington County Bookmobile, a library on wheels that cruises the county to bring books to rural areas, schools, and senior-citizen complexes. "I meet a lot of people, and I like just being out," said Sarge, who visits about five towns during a nine-hour daily shift, Monday to Thursday.

It's back to Montgomery County for Walter Sikorski. At least for now. A Montgomery County sheriff's deputy and the handler of a cadaver-sniffing dog, Sikorski spent most of last week on Staten Island, N.Y., sifting through the rubble of the World Trade Center in search of human remains. The FBI was so impressed with his work and that of his partner, Lower Salford Police Officer Kim Kratz, that it would like them back immediately. But increased security demands at the courthouse have prevented Sikorski's supervisor, Sheriff John P. Durante, from giving him more time off, Durante said.

The nighttime battlefield is dark and terrifying. Clutching your assault rifle, you crawl through a forest deep behind enemy lines. A sudden burst of machine-gun fire zeroes in on you with deadly accuracy. With your last remaining bit of strength you reach out and reboot. Don't worry, you won't be alone out there. Battalions of virtual infantrymen have enlisted in what seems to be computer gaming's latest mini-trend - re-creating the travails of the lowly foot soldier. While military simulations have been a gaming staple for years, their focus has usually been on the more glamorous combatants - high-tech fighter jocks and deep-diving submariners.