The late Chris ‘Toph’ Franz has his day on the Flats

There wasn’t a dry eye Sunday on the Flats when Croton Hose Co. #3 renamed its company room “Topher’s Pool Hall” after one of its most dedicated members, Christopher M. Franz nicknamed “Toph.” Franz, the son of the late Owego Fire Chief Ed and wife Rose Franz, passed away suddenly of a heart condition in January. A wooden sign presented to Chris’s family last Sunday will proudly hang in the 173-year-old company’s room located on the Flats in Owego.  

His fellow #3 members said anyone who knew Chris had to marvel at his dedication to his family, the community, and his fire company. From cleaning the fire station as its custodial engineer, cooking the roast at the annual #3 clambake at the sportsman club, or ensuring the company #3 truck #803 “the Queen” was in order, Chris has been dearly missed. You would see him pedaling gallantly from his house on George Street to #3’s station a block away whenever the fire whistle sounded.   

In Chris’s honor, the Owego Hose Team, Inc. and Croton Hose Co. #3, affectionately known as the “Flat Rats,” hosted a block party last Sunday. The day’s events kicked off with a memorial bike ride from Chris’s house on George Street to St. Patrick’s Church where Chris worked for 17 years without missing day on the job. Nearly 40 bicyclists where escorted by Owego Police Officer Tommy Woodburn through downtown Owego in route to the church. Father Anthony Amato led the congregation in a blessing before they returned to the Flats for a chicken BBQ, hose race, and open house at Company #3’s station with theme, “Have a Toph Day.” 

The main event was the hose race with top team receiving a championship WWF belt. Hose races are timed events where firefighters test their skills. Teams of five members must connect nozzles to hoses, hoses to hoses, and hoses to the fire hydrant, and knock down targets in the quickest time in the ladder, wye and straight lay competitions. Hose races improve basic firefighting skills.  

Four teams participated in the races including three Owego teams and the Apalachin Hose Twisters. It was only fitting the Owego team comprised of all Franz family members won the championship title with nine points, with Apalachin tying for second place.  

Team members included past Central New York hose racing champion David Franz, Tommy Franz, Darryl “Franz” Johnson, Kevin Warner, and Craig Franz with coaches Dick and Bobby Franz, both longtime Owego hose racers. Dick Franz with brothers Bill and Ed are three of the forefathers of Owego hose racing, a 66-year proud Owego tradition that endures to this day.  

Franz reminded race onlookers that hose racing became popular after World War II with servicemen coming home from the war who had the mantra “We Are Alive,” which is Company #3’s slogan. The hose racers and #3’s proved just that Sunday in carrying on their departed friend, Chris “Toph” Franz’s memory.  

Race results, with Times in seconds, are as follows.

In Ladder, Owego #3A came in first with 13.75, Owego #3B came in second with 14.80, Owego-Franz came in third with 27.6, and Apalachin came in fourth with 29.5. 

In Wye, Owego #3A came in first with 32.29, Owego-Franz came in second with 36.1, Apalachin came in third with 36.92, and Owego #3B came in fourth with 42.46.

In Straight Lay, Owego-Franz came in first with 25.09, Apalachin came in second with 27.28, Owego #3B came in third with 27.65, and Owego #3A came in fourth with 35.28.

Overall, the Owego Franz Team came in first at 9 points along with the Owego #3A Team, also with 9 points. In second place were the Apalachin Hose Twisters with 6 points, and Owego #3B with 6 points.

Click here to view more photos taken on the day of the event by Wendy Post.