Acoustic Guitar Training by Eric Carmen of The Raspberries

Christian Herman
May 10, 2018
3 min read

On April 27th, 2018, Slippery Rock journalist Christian Herman interviewed Tony Sachs of Westmoreland Country Club. Tony Sachs has been the Club Manager for six years at the historic 115 year old country club. Sachs, 52, came out as homosexual in the mid 90’s. During the interview, Sachs discussed homosexuality in the 60’s and 70’s. He set off to not be a punch line in a society where discrimination was prevalent in society. AIDS was a huge disease in the 1980’s that gay men had to deal with because they were mostly the ones getting it. He wouldn’t and couldn’t be gay. The gay culture was a very loud and erratic it seemed but they always looked like they were having fun. Religion was prevalent in his teen years and even served on the alter at his church. He refused to be put to death by the very men he worshipped every Sunday. He always thought every boy viewed handsome men in the newspaper the same way he did.

A lot has occurred from then until now as far as lawmaking and progressive attitudes go. However, his sustained success ascended from rock bottom territory. Sachs father, a former marine, was not a fan of men who made the, “choice” to be gay. Because of this, Sachs didn’t come out of the closet for a long time. Mr. Sachs battled depression throughout his younger years, culminating to a suicide attempt. A mental breakdown led the young entrepreneur to wreck his fancy studio apartment, leaving foreign furniture and mirrors in a sea of destruction.

This proved to become the crossroads of his life, leading him to seek therapy. His hobbies as an adolescent male included singing and acting. In high school, he said some people thought he may have been gay and he hadn’t even thought that. Once college began, he really got into drinking. He dated a woman 10 years older than him. His roommate was one of the most attractive men he had ever seen and that is when it jumped out at him. “I’m in love with a man. F*** I’m gay!”

Tony was 30 years old in 1995. He then had his first gay relationship. However, life was moving on for him. He began partaking in heavy drugs at gay clubs. He was still in the closet and refused to let his family and close friends disown him. He then had the nervous breakdown in 1997. He tore up every piece of crystal collection or fine art in his house and couldn’t stop crying while doing so. He began to seek psychiatric help. With help from Dr. Andrea Velletri (Clinical Psychologist) out of Pittsburgh, Tony Sachs came to realize that the world is his oyster. After intensive soul searching, he migrated across the country in 2000. He hated it. He wanted to go home but had to tell his parents first that he was in fact gay.

When he told his mother, she truck silent. She cried and was confused but by the end of the conversation on the phone, they were both laughing. However, he was worried about his Italian Catholic ex marine father would take it. He was worried of how the context of his conversation would be interpreted. He said that it was short, but ended with his father proclaiming his love for him and insisting him to come home. Tony has not touched drugs in 12 years. He credits his friendship with his family for being supportive and getting him by. “You can be in the nicest suit possible on the way to New York City, but if you are using deception and leading a double life/not being truthful, you must come clean for your family’s sake but more importantly, your own sake.” The interview concluded with a single tear and a smile.

Tony Sachs Discussing His Younger Years

"My family...in my eyes were just not supporting me as much as they should've been."

Mr. Sachs Discusses Younger Years and What it's Like Today

"Fifteen years later there's days where i still struggle."

Westmoreland Country Club Manager Tony Sachs discuss parental influence

"Always questioning me when i was dating women," Tony's mother

Mr. Sachs Discussing the Transition Back to His New Home

"When i was here back in the 80's and 90's, we had over 400 families."