By Steve J. Moga
Submitted photo
At the very least he could be labeled a die-hard fan. It probably wouldn’t be a stretch to call him a ‘gym rat’ either as a term of endearment. But showing unwavering support by still attending games in person at age 95 surely makes him a ‘Super Fan!’ That’s the description that most aptly fits Bob Durando of Aurora. He may not be overly loud or animated in his cheering, and with cane in hand he may be a step slower these days. But his dedication and enthusiasm for sports, specifically basketball, has never waned. It’s a passion that has essentially led him all over the country, and to achieve a somewhat unique accomplishment.
Affectionately referred to as “Basketball Bob” around Waubonsee Community College’s Athletic Department, any time the Chiefs’ women’s or men’s basketball teams have a home game you can often find their most dedicated fan sitting in the front row near midcourt. You will also find Durando usually sitting court side at Aurora University’s games, or Aurora West High School basketball games as well. While most people his age are more than content to stay at home, he still tries to attend as many basketball games in person as he can. At every contest he is essentially the oldest person there, and like a blowout victory by the home team, the next oldest fan usually isn’t even close to his age.
Durando’s love for sports started early on and blossomed while in high school. He graduated from Coal City High School in 1948 where he played on two conference title winning teams, running the floor as a guard on the basketball team and roaming the infield as a shortstop and second baseman for the baseball team. “We were pretty good, until we had to go up against the bigger schools like Downers Grove later in the playoffs” he states. Durando batted around .360 and even had a tryout with the Pittsburgh Pirates. “I was more of a spray hitter, and they told me they were looking for someone with more power,” Durando says shrugging.
A year later in 1950 Durando joined the Air Force and served as an airplane mechanic during the Korean War. He worked on the B-45 Tornado, one of the United States’ first jet bombers, and the jet fighter F-86 Sabre. “I knew those planes inside and out,” he says matter-of-factly. “I sat in the cockpit so often that I felt like I could fly them myself.” Several of the guys in his squadron during that time were World War II Veterans that had served under Colonel Jimmy Doolittle and were part of the famous Doolittle’s Raid on Japan in 1942. “And our Crew Chief was Gene McMann, from central Illinois,” he fondly recalls. During this time Durando became a newlywed, marrying his high school sweetheart and fellow Coal City native Geraldine Lohmar in a service at Langley Air Force Base in Virginia on February 16, 1952. After the end of the Korean War, he was then stationed in England and helped keep bombers at the ready, some even with nuclear payloads, to respond to any potential Russian threats as the Cold War heated up in the 1950’s. “I helped prepare the planes, but the armament guys directly handled the ordinance. Then I’d put the bomb doors back on the aircraft,” he states, humbly downplaying his role.
Durando left the Air Force in 1955, and he and Geraldine moved to Aurora where he began working for AT&T. For 25 years he was responsible for communications maintenance at the Aurora Air Traffic Control Center on Sullivan Road, helping make sure countless planes and passengers safely made their way through the skies around Chicagoland. The Durando’s lived near Marmion Academy during those years while they raised a family. But just like any game he has ever attended, there were highs and lows throughout those years too. The couple had two children, son David and his wife Lisa still live in Aurora, and daughter Kimberly and her husband Wiley reside in Virginia. Durando is also Grandpa to three grandsons, Robert II, Wiley Jr. and David. Sadly, the Durando’s also lost three other sons at birth, Gary, Robert Jr. and Joseph.
However, whenever they could they traveled, crisscrossing the country, Canada, Alaska, England and Europe. It was during these many foays that Durando did something that many would consider extraordinary. While it’s not unheard of for someone to say trek to every Major League Baseball ballpark for instance, Durando took things to another level. A sports enthusiast his whole life, whether baseball, basketball or football, he has visited a sports arena at nearly every big-time college in the country over the years. “I’ve been to I think 336 Division I campuses, and between 800 and 900 sports venues from high school to Division II and III, to the pros,” exclaims Durando. “I’ve got shoe boxes at home full of pictures that I took at nearly every one I’ve been to.” Of all his stops along the way, Durando says he can’t really pick a favorite. “Of course, I loved the University of Illinois, and I knew the University of Wisconsin well,” he says. “I liked Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, but I don’t have a favorite really. The atmosphere at pretty much every college was terrific, that’s what I liked. College sporting events just have a different aesthetic,” Durando proclaims. He estimates he’s been to about 60 major professional sports arenas across the country as well.
In 1989, after 34 years on the job for AT&T, Durando retired. Five years later Geraldine, who worked at Mercy Center Hospital in Aurora for nearly two decades, also retired. That allowed the couple the flexibility to travel a little more over the next few years. However, the last 20 years Durando hasn’t traveled nearly as much, especially once his wife’s health began to deteriorate. Geraldine passed away October 19, 2016, at the age of 84, eight months after their 64th wedding anniversary. Durando misses her greatly, and other friends who over the years who have either passed on or moved away from Illinois. But he rarely misses an opportunity to watch a game. It’s just that nowadays he stays much closer to his home on the west side of Aurora, taking the relatively short 10-minute or less drives to watch the local teams. And for a Super Fan like Durando, those are trips that he still looks forward to taking.
Waubonsee plans to honor the distinguished veteran on Veteran’s Day, Tuesday, Nov. 11.