A final proof by Mary Craft

On the Rocks A6

Powderpuff Tournament A2

Fara's Fishing A7

Kemps Ridley Turtle Releases A9

Using Seaweed in your Garden A11

Free

Live Music A18

The only Island in Texas with a 4th of July Boat Parade and Fireworks Show!

FREE

The Island Moon

Issue 531

June 26, 2014 Around The Island By Dale Rankin

Sales Price Versus Appraised Value How do the asking prices of the most expensive homes in Nueces County compare to their appraised tax value?

editor@islandmoon.com

The first week of summer has come and gone and for the first time this season last weekend the tourist crop was bigger than the Sargassum crop and it looks like it will stay that way. The latest and maybe last flyover of the season by the Texas A&M branch at Galveston last week found no offshore seaweed mats for the first time in months. So as we enter the heart of the summer season it looks like, finally, the coast is clear.

We are now four weeks into the 2014 Hurricane Season with nary a named storm in sight all the way to the west coast of Africa where Gulf storms are born when a butterfly flaps its wings. So far so good.

Island Police As we reported last week The Island now has a police station, sort of. So far it’s more like a banner that says Police Station than a police station as it is lightly manned and looking for volunteers to help. Nonetheless, stop by and let them know we’ve noticed they are there and pass along any “crime news” you might have heard. Also on the police front the scuttlebutt is that the department’s decision to leave The Island without any real police presence for long stretches, in spite of what the brass might say, resulted in a dearth of ticket revenue from these balmy climes and that got the notice of the brass. The solution was to sick the law on the island populace for most of the day on Monday with a radar unit at Gypsy and Whitecap. The sudden police presence also brought about a slew of parking tickets for vehicles parked on the street facing the wrong way. If speeders and parking scofflaws are the biggest offenders we have to deal with on our sandbar we’re probably doing alright.

Tres restaurantes Mexicanos And then there were three…a few years ago we Islanders on the Padre end lamented the lack of any place to get Mexican food. Well, we’re about to have plenty of them now; three in fact. In an odd twist of fate two former boatyards are becoming Mexican restaurants. The sign went up for one of them next to the Subway

Around continued on A14

By Dale Rankin

But sometimes the same person who complains about the high valuation on his house then puts it on the market at a price higher than the appraised value. In that vein here is a list of some of the highest priced homes in Nueces County, based on (asked for) sales prices from the MLS (Multiple Listing Service) which is the Bible of the real estate industry. The valuation numbers came straight from the records of the Nueces County Appraisal District. All numbers are for the 2014 tax season unless otherwise noted. So without further comment, here they are.

The Mother of All Deck Parties!

Collins’ Alamo collection includes invaluable artifacts like Jim Bowie’s legendary knife, and one of only four rifles left that were owned by Davy Crockett. Collins has Crockett’s leather shot pouch, complete with five musket balls, and two powder

1722 On The Beach, Port Aransas

List Price: $1,950,000 Land: $445,100 Improvements: $489,290 2014 Appraised Tax Value: $810,626 Appraised Market Value: $934,390

List Price: $1,265,000 Land: $60,000 Improvements: $264,738 Tax Appraised Value: $703,959 List Price: $1,265,000

Schlitterbahn Opens its Doors

Boat Parade and Fireworks Show Mean 4th of July Island Style

By Dale Rankin It’s time to plan the party. This year marks the fifteenth year for the Padre Island 4th of July Watercraft Parade and the second year for the accompanying Island Blast! Fireworks Show and live music. The celebration, which will be on Friday, July 4, will also feature a free concert by recording artists Statesboro Review. Since the band played the July 4 party last year they have been on the CMT charts, had several songs on the Texas Top Ten list and toured Europe. They will play at the parade judge’s party which has been held for fifteen

Fireworks continued on A14

The largest-known private collection of artifacts from the Texas Revolution and the Battle of the Alamo is coming home.

For many of the items, the donation will mean many items will be returning to the cradle of Texas liberty for the first time since the legendary defeat of Texian forces by Mexican troops under Santa Anna in 1836.

13901 Cabana North - Padre Island

Think quickly, when was the last time you attended a backyard party on The Island without someone complaining about the tax appraisal on their house from the Nueces County Appraisal District? The 1st Amendment right to complain about paying taxes is older than the Constitution itself.

Rocker Phil Collins Donates Jim Bowie’s Knife, Davy Crockett’s Shot Bag and Santa Anna’s Sword to the Alamo

Former Genesis drummer, Oscar winner, multiple Grammy Award winner and Texana collector Phil Collins is donating his famed collection of rarities to the State of Texas on behalf of the Alamo on June 26.The private collection was popularized in Collins’ 384-page book, “The Alamo and Beyond” published in 2012.

Weekly

The voice of The Island since 1996

With little fanfare the new Schlitterbahn waterpark opened its doors Saturday to Islanders and potential members. No announcement of the park’s opening was made anywhere but on The Island through the Island Moon. Several hundred people filed through the newly completed entryway which leads to the swim up bar and kiddie pool which are complete and open. The focus by park operators was to give the newly-hired staff experience before the scheduled Grand Opening on July 12 when water rides and a portion of the 130,000 square-foot main building are scheduled to be open. In the meantime, the park remains open full-time, weekdays 10 - 6 and weekends 10 - 7.

A Little Island History

Yankees Blockade the City, The Affair of Padre Island, Yankees Raid Flour Bluff

At the outbreak of the Civil War, Padre Island was the lonely home of a few hardy men who wrung a living from its hard environment. Corpus Christi had grown into the largest trading center south of San Antonio. The town was a wholesale center and distribution point for the gulf coast area and northern Mexico. Immigrants heading for California often landed in Corpus, where they outfitted for the overland journey.

Union blockade stops commerce on Texas coast horns he allegedly gave a Mexican officer before his death. There are letters from William B. Travis, a sword belonging to the Mexican leader Antonio López de Santa Anna and many other invaluable historic documents that shed insight on early Texas history. The English rocker’s fascination with the Alamo began as a child but peaked in 2004 as Collins was on a farewell tour in San Antonio before retiring from music. He visits the Alamo for what he thought would be his last time, and stopped in at The History Shop, a store about fifty yards

Alamo continued on A3

In the countryside cattle covered the vast expanses of open range and giant ranches, such as the famous Kenedy and King spreads were supplying beef to the New Orleans market. When Texas joined the Confederacy, the residents of the coast from Corpus Christi south to Port Isabel and Brownsville rallied to the support of the state's leaders. The decisive military events of the Civil War of course took place on battlefields far to the east of Padre Island. Although the Texas gulf coast was not the scene of major military action, its citizens were not spared the presence of the enemy and the roar of gunfire. Union ships, intent on blockading

Officers of the 13th Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment, which landed at what is now Packery Channel and marched north up Mustang Island to participate in the capture of Fort Esperanza. all Confederate attempts to ship the South's valuable cotton crop to the English mills, patrolled the entire Gulf coast from Key West to the Rio Grande. The effectiveness of the Yankee blockade forced cotton growers from as far away as Louisiana to ship their foreign exchange earning crop across country to Mexican ports south of the Rio Grande. The coastal trade was also disrupted. Schooners out of New Orleans carrying manufactured goods from northern factories or cloth from England no longer regularly

visited the gulf ports to pick up cattle, hides, and other agricultural products. Peacetime commerce came to a halt. Like their sister Confederate harbors to the east, the Texas ports were soon blockaded by Union men of war. Nature assisted the North. The barrier islands which extend from Galveston to the Rio Grande restrict access to the south Texas ports to the narrow passes which separate the islands. Ships wishing to enter Corpus Christi harbor had

History continued on A5

June 26, 2014

Island Moon Jeep Rally in Port A

Powder Puff Ladies Fishing Tournament 2014

Former Moon Monkey Married

RAY HERRERA DIRECTOR Operations VOTED BEST Pet Services

2006-2013

Www.padrevet.com

361-949-8200

CHRISTI KRESSER VETERINARIAN Cats & Dogs

14802 Compass Dr. Corpus Christi, TX 78418 “On The Island”

VOTED BEST

Veterinarian 2006-2013

Cat -Dog Friendly Facility *SAVE up to $75.00 On 1 Year Supply

$50.00 REBATE $25.00 Discount per Dr. Kresser

Former Island Moon contributor Meredith Dunning aka Coconut Woman tied the knot with her long time love Justin in a beautiful beach ceremony. Congratulation Justin & Meredith

Red Hats Were Piped Aboard The Island's Boat House Restaurant

Well-Behaved Cats, Dogs & Owners Always Welcome Experts Claim Flea, Tick, Mosquito Infestations Will Hit Record Numbers In 2014

PURCHASE A 6 MONTH SUPPLY CHERISTIN OR NexGard

FOR A CHANCE TO WIN 1 OF 2 YETI COOLERS

CATS

DOGS

Winner will be announced July 1st

On June 19th, the PIPPs Chapter of the Corpus Christi Red Hat Society had pupus (appetizers) and drinks at 3P.M. and played LCR at the Boat House. Indeed, an afternoon delight. Pictured left to right back row: Debbie Adams (hostess), Roseanne Milroy, Mikki Garrow, Dianne Hanelt, Joan Clay (guest), Judy Johnson, Jaki Boyd (Vice Queen), Katie Clark (hostess) and Melly Dinkel. Front row: Nancy Horsley, Clara Mosley, guest and Lauret Bridgford.

June 26, 2014

Island Moon

Letters to the Editor

Moon Monkeys Mike Ellis, Founder

Island Etiquette

Slow down!

Distribution Pete Alsop Coldwell Banker Advertising Jan Park Rankin

Name withheld by request

Classifieds Arlene Ritley Design/Layout Jeff Craft Contributing Writers Joey Farah Andy Purvis Devorah Fox Mary Craft Maybeth Christiansen

To the Bloody Fool who left this wake in the Gypsy Canal last Thursday slow down! You were going so fast by the time I got my phone out to take these pictures you were gone. But I did get a look at the boat and will be watching for you with a little surprise. Mark Middleton

Jay Gardner

Cutlass

Chad Peters

Boat Theft

Todd Hunter Dotson Lewis

Monday 6:04 p.m.

Ronnie Narmour

We live on the island and someone stole our 25' Mujek from our dock last night. They cut the straps and let the boat fall into the water. It has been recovered near Ocean Dr. with bait and poles still in it. Did anyone see anything suspicious?

Brent Rourk Dr. Donna Shaver Photographers Miles Merwin Jeff Dolan

Lorie Hill Willis

Mary Craft Office Security/Spillage Control

Parrot Head Happy Hour The Parrot Heads of Port Aransas will phlock for a Happy hour at The Gaff in Port A on Beach Street on June 26 at 6:30 p.m. Come join us and have a "famous" Gaffer pizza and raise a drink to summer. Parrot Heads

Cell Guards Riley P. Dog Editor/Publisher/Spillage Control Supervisor Dale Rankin About the Island Moon

The Island Moon is published every Thursday, Dale Rankin, Editor / Publisher. Total circulation is 10,000 copies. Distribution includes delivery to 4,000 Island homes, free distribution of 3,000 copies in over 50 Padre Island businesses and condos, as well as 600 copies distributed in Flour Bluff, 1,400 copies on Mustang Island and Port Aransas businesses. News articles, photos, display ads, classified ads, payments, etc. may be left at the Moon Office.

The Island Moon Newspaper 15201 S. Padre Island Drive, Suite 250 Corpus Christi, TX 78418 361-949-7700 editor@islandmoon.com

Why are all the county lifeguards on their cell phones their entire shift? They have radios for communication. Growing up on the beach with lifeguard experience myself I know this is not in good judgment . Anyone can drive up to any stand and find the same thing all day long. Their eyes and concentration should be on the water. JF Island

Facebook: The Island Moon Newspaper

Pioneer RV Park Stripes @ Beach Access Rd. 1A

North Padre

Doc’s Restaurant

Island Woman Boutique

Snoopy’s Pier

IGA Grocery Store Port A Business Center Carter Pharmacy San Juan’s Taqueria Wash Board Laundry Mat Port A Parks and Rec

To avoid the Dune Method some people bring fold-up facilities and dig a hole in the sand. We’re not sure of the legality of this one so you are on your own there.

CVS Whataburger

Location is also a factor. Your chances of embarrassment are much greater on North Packery or South Packery beaches where lifeguards who are not on their cell phones might haul you in. County beaches might have less law enforcement but are always packed and in fact, have much better facilities. So our advice is that if you find yourself as a frequent flyer you might want to hang out on the county beaches as they have more restrooms and they are actual buildings with facilities that work and are not sweat boxes.

Isle Mail N More Island Italian Ace Hardware Holiday Inn Texas Star (Shell) Jesse’s Liquor Scuttlebutt’s Restaurant

Now if you are in Kleberg County anything goes because one, there are no restrooms at all, and two, well, it’s Kleberg County and anything goes.

Subway Island Tire And all Moon retail advertisers

We hope that helps.

WB Liquor

Public Library Chamber of Commerce

Flour Bluff

Duckworth Antiques

H.E.B.

Back Porch

Liquid Town

Woody’s Sports Center

Whataburger on Waldron

Shorty’s Place

Ethyl Everly Senior Center

The Flat’s Lounge Giggity’s Stripes @ Cotter & Station Gratitude Gift Shop Keepers Pier House

Police Station

mkay512@aol.com

New Advertisers Corpus Christi Golf Cars is offering up to $500 off E-Z-Go Models and 1.9 % financing for those qualified. Call 8845800 or visit them at 5713 Leopard Street. Wind & Wave Watersports is hosting a fun free paddling event this Saturday, June 28th 10 am – 4 pm on the northwest side of the Packery Channel bridge. Don’t miss out on the great opportunity to try out any single, double kayak or SUP. They have been outfitting South Texas since l987. Call the shop at 937-9283 or stop in at 10721 SPID. The Emergency Pet Clinic staff is there when you need them for critical care for your companion pets. They are available with 24 hour care on weekends and 6 pm -8 am on weekdays. They are “Your best friend in an emergency.” Put their number (992-2873) in your phone now so it will be handy if you need it. You know they can be trusted because Dr. Christi Kresser is on the board. They are located at 1502 Airline, Suite 220. S.W.A.M. Camp (summer-worshiparts-music) will be held at Island Presbyterian Church July 14-18 9 am – noon for ages 4 through 6th grade. They are looking for teens and tweens to volunteer as helpers. They are located at 14030 Fortuna Bay.

Business Briefs There will be not one, not two but three Mexican restaurants on the Island. We just learned about the third one going in the building next to Padre Island Burger Company. They currently own Cancun on Hwy 361 in Port A and six more in town. They have already begun work on the renovation. Executive Chef Zelinda is working on the menus for the three Schlitterbahn restaurants that will be located on the first, second and fourth floors. She was formerly at the Venetian Hot Plate in Port A and you can find her running the snack bar next to the pool while she waits for the first restaurant to open. Schlitterbahn membership is $125/ household and some of the amenities are tennis, golf, half price season tickets for up to six (normally $130 each), earlier access to the park, year round access to the heated pool, children’s programs, private dining room, discounted room rates and a separated by boulders parking lot near the main building. The initiation fee is waived until June 30th. The hours currently are 10 am – 6 pm weekdays and 10 – 7 pm weekends and the public admission to the pools is $5 and free for members. Litter Critter pick up has been moved from the POA office to the wastewater treatment plant at the end of Whitecap. The next pick up is this Saturday, June 28th 7 am - 4 pm. Johnny D’s Restaurant now has Tapas Tuesday with appetizers starting at $5. Happy hour is daily 4:30 – 6:30 pm with $3wine, well and draft beer. Island in the Son United Methodist Church is seeking vendors for their “Christmas in July” Arts and Crafts Sale on Saturday, July 12th 9 am – 3 pm. Call 749-0884o or email islandintheson@ yahoo.com.

Our favorite classified ad this issue – “Riding lawn mower for rent, driver included 779-4263.”

Thank You!

We are a week away from the 4th of July Island Blast! fireworks show and we want to thank all the people who have donated to make this year’s show possible. There is still time to help out for this year or start thinking about next year. Donations can be dropped off at the POA office or Whitecap Liquor.

Alamo continued from A1 from the mission. There he met the proprietor, Jim Guimarin, who offers to scout for artifacts for him. The two became friends, and Guimarin pointed out that no one had ever dug beneath the shop itself. By 2007, he and Collins were digging beneath the floorboards.

Fire Station Stripes on Flour Bluff & SPID

by Mary Craft

Trinity Day School in Port A behind the Episcopal Church is looking for people that enjoy working with kids. They will provide the training and you must be at least 18 years old and have a high school diploma. Apply in person at 433 Trojan or send resume to Trinitybytheseadayschool@gmail.com.

Tarpon Ice House

Amano

Spanky’sLiquor

Another caution, if you use the doors of a jacked-up Bubba Truck as your station be aware that the bottom of the doors, when opened, may leave more open space underneath than you anticipate. If you fall victim to this Door Gap in the age of social media your picture will go viral in about a nanosecond. Your best bet here is a SUV or a Subaru with tinted windows.

The Gaff

Felder Gallery

Moby Dicks

But if the seaweed has you reluctant to use the Big Splash Method then the sand is about the only thing left other than the Skid-O-Can sweat box. Here you have two choices: One, you can hide in plain sight by opening the doors on a vehicle and taking your chances of embarrassment or even arrest. Sometimes it is advantageous to pretend you are looking for something in the floorboard of the car, or you can gaze upward like you are checking the clouds for rain but don’t think for a minute this is fooling anyone. If we Islanders are driving down the beach and see someone standing between two open car doors while gazing skyward or pretending to look for something in the back seat we will politely look the other way as we drive by but we are not fooled . We strongly recommend that you don’t feed the seagulls while engaging in this method. Not because it has anything to do with covering your tracks as it were; no. It’s because we don’t recommend ever feeding the seagulls, ever. Not while sunbathing, not while surfing, and certainly not while you are trying to hide in plain sight as a flock of screaming birds circling your head will not aid you in this pursuit.

Wild Horse Saloon

All Stripes Stores

Coffee Waves

First, there is always the tried and true method of wading out into the water; this system has served us well for years at the Pee Basin and no one seems to mind. That could be because it is discrete and undetectable. Children are born knowing this one. We would caution you though about using this method in swimming pools or in the soon to be open Schlitterbahn water park. Please don’t. When it comes to the Big Splash Method distribution is the solution to water pollution and pools are not nearly as big as the Gulf of Mexico.

Port A Glass Studio

Miss K’s Catering & Bistro

Coast Club

Editor’s note: Well, Name Withheld by Request this is an Island conundrum of longstanding; an age-old question which we should probably get out in the open – no pun intended. We contacted the Corpus Christi Convention and Visitor Bureau but apparently their Coastal Bend Visitor’s Guide doesn’t have a section on how to deal with the lack of restrooms on City of Corpus Christi-run Island beaches; maybe next year’s edition. So we’ll give it a shot based on many years of trial and error.

Your second option is to repair to the dunes. The risk inherent with the Dune Method is snakebite. There are a lot of rattlesnakes in them hills and in fact some folks found this one recently while, um, exploring in the dunes for Kawakawa camp sites.

Where to Find The Island Moon

Lisabella’s Restaurant

I moved to The Island about one year ago and I have an important question about island etiquette. Every weekend there are thousands of people on local beaches south of Packery Channel and only two Skid-O-Cans on the beach. At the parking lot on the seawall five of the six restrooms have been out of order for weeks and there are only two Skid-O-Cans there to take their place. My question is if you must answer the call of nature on the beach what is the proper etiquette? I don’t want to get arrested but I don’t want to have to wait in long lines to use a sweat box of a Skid-O-Can either. What are the rules?

Island Delivery

Port Aransas

Dear Moon,

Did Ya Hear?

Member Padre Island Business Association

Member Padre Island Rotary Club

“There were cannon handles and a flattened cannonball, lots of musket balls, personal effects of soldiers,” Collins said. They also found the remains of three fire pits, which may have been the site of the group that cleaned up after the battle, led by General Andrade. Collins collection is expected to be part of an expanded museum at the Alamo and available for public viewing within a year.

June 26, 2014

Island Moon

The Travelling Moon Gets Around

Tim & Pat Oman in Northern Greece where they visited a couple of monasteries built on the top of mountain peaks.

The Island Moon goes on tour with the Corpus Christi Concert Ballet for the Young Tanzommer Dance Festival in Austria! Photographed above are CC Concert Ballet dancers along with Artistic Director Nancy Sulik, Director Thom Clower and Choreographer Christy Gorman onstage at the Dogana Theater in Innsbruck Austria. The company performed 5 cities/7 venues in Austria this month. Photo: Laura Quave

15602 Cuttysark $545,900.00 4 BR / 3.5 BA 2581 Sq Ft MLS# 224242

Dr T.R. Garcia and his son, watched the Texas Rangers defeat the Seattle Mariners 1-0 at Safeco Field in Seattle.

This is a picture of my daughter, Kathryn Avenell and myself displaying The Island Moon from the rooftop of the NYLO hotel in NYC while on a trek to see as many Broadway Shows as my budget allows. Susan Avenell

The Moon visits China Beach with Laura & Kenneth Butts (he's taking the picture). (left) The now Cliche China Beach in Da Nang, Vietnam. The beach was nicknamed "China Beach" in English by American and Australian soldiers during the Vietnam War Most know of this beach only through the TV show that aired for 4 seasons from 88-91.

Contact Bo Granberry 361-774-7263

11:30 AM

June 26, 2014

Island Moon

History continued from A1 first to pass through Aransas Pass between Mustang and St. Joseph's Island. The Union Navy effectively disrupted Corpus shipping by simply blockading the pass. In February 1862, a Confederate engineering officer in charge of coastal defenses visited Mustang Island to inspect the fortifications which had been hastily thrown up there to guard Aransas Pass. He reported that "The line of trade for the present is destroyed." It did not return to normal until the end of the war.

Yankees invade the bay bombard the city The military events of the Union blockade of Aransas Pass took place during 1862 and 1863 and they indirectly touched Padre Island. In July 1862, Yankee ships entered Corpus Christi Bay and captured three prizes, the sloop Bella Italia and the schooners Monte Cristo and Reindeer. Unable to challenge the Union navy, Confederate officers at Corpus decided to block the channel. They sank several boats. However, the Yankees quickly cleared them away. In August 1862, eight northern vessels entered Corpus Christi Bay and bombarded the town. Having little artillery with which to respond, the Confederates were unable to counter effectively. It was only a matter of time until the Union forces captured the town.

The Affair of Padre Island In December 1862, the war came to Padre Island. Early in the month Confederate Capt. John Ireland and seven men crossed Corpus Christi Bay to Corpus Christi Pass in order to check the depth of the bars on both ends of the pass. The depth measured three and a half feet at one bar and five feet at the other, i.e., the pass was too shallow to allow any ships to use it. While checking the depth, Ireland and his men observed a Union bark; Arthur, which apparently was looking for them. Beaching their boat on Mustang Island, Ireland spent an hour watching Arthur's movements. At noon the Confederates returned to their boat, Queen of the Bay, with the intention of returning to Corpus. No sooner had they pushed off from Mustang than they discovered that Arthur had succeeded in putting overboard two launches which were closing fast on the Queen. Quickly realizing that he would not be able to escape the launches, Ireland beached his boat on Padre Island. The Confederates hastily grabbed some baggage and their weapons and took up a position in the sand dunes. When the Union launches closed to within two hundred yards of the beached Queen, the rebels opened fire. The Union force returned the fire, but realizing that they were exposed in their open boats, while the Confederates enjoyed the cover of the dunes, they turned away and landed on the other side of Corpus Christi Pass on Mustang. In their haste to get out of range of the Confederate sharpshooters, the Yankees failed to secure or anchor their launches. No sooner were they safely under cover than the two boats came loose from the beach and drifted across the pass towards the Confederate position. Seeing his good fortune Captain Ireland waded

out to one of the launches and secured it. When he looked into the boat, he discovered why the northerners had been so anxious to find cover. Two men lay at the bottom of the launch, one dead and the other wounded. Meanwhile the other Union launch, which had also broken away from Mustang, was drifting towards the gulf. Jack Sands quickly jumped into the captured Union launch, rowed out into the pass, and pulled it in. With the two Union boats in their hands, the Confederates reboarded the Queen of the Bay, pushed off from Padre, and headed back to Corpus. The 22 stranded Union soldiers watched them sail away and, badly embarrassed, wondered how they would get back to the Arthur. Back in Corpus, Captain Ireland proudly reported that his party had captured two launches with full equipment, one double-barrel shot gun, three holster pistols, four percussion muskets, four cutlasses, and one bayonet. The affair of Padre Island, as the official records call this minor encounter, was an insignificant rebel victory, but it did much to boost Corpus morale.

Yankees raid Flour Bluff During the two years the Union forces blockaded the passes at each end of Padre, men from the ships often visited the island to patrol it and secure provisions. Militarily their objective was to make sure cotton stored on Flour Bluff did not get through the blockade. In addition Yankee commanders strived to prevent salt gathered along the Laguna Madre from reaching Corpus, where it could eventually reach Confederate forces. Indeed, in September 1862 Texans captured a Yankee party which had landed on Flour Bluff looking for cotton and salt. The Confederates undoubtedly tried to get through the Union blockade by transporting cotton across the Laguna Madre to Padre Island and then loading it on ships standing off shore. Nevertheless, these ventures were infrequent. The difficulty of getting across the very shallow lagoon and The Island, and then loading the cotton on a ship with the Union patrol craft always just over the horizon, made such attempts hazardous and time-consuming. During the Civil War, Padre did not become a secret door through which the South shipped cotton to Europe. In addition to patrolling The Island to disrupt the Laguna Madre salt trade and to stop any blockade running, Union troops also landed to secure fresh provisions. The cattle grazing on both Padre and Mustang provided many a Union mess with roasts and steaks. It is possible that by the end of the war most of the cattle on Padre had been requisitioned by the North. Contact between the northern soldiers and sailors and Padre's residents during the war is largely unknown. There is one report that the Union soldiers often visited the Curry settlement, which was located on the Laguna Madre about twenty miles from Corpus Christi Pass. Although Mrs. Curry's sons and son-inlaw had all joined the Confederate army, she apparently became popular with the men from the North who always stopped by for a slice of her famous cornbread.

Restaurant

& Wine Bar

Stuff I Heard on the Island by Dale Rankin

“She strutted into my office wearing a dress that clung to her like Saran Wrap to a sloppily butchered pork knuckle, bone and sinew jutting and lurching asymmetrically beneath its folds, the tightness exaggerating the granularity of the suet and causing what little palatable meat there was to sweat, its transparency the thief of imagination. — Chris Wieloch, Brookfield, WI” The above is the winner of this years’ Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest, at the English Department at San Jose State University. It was writer Gene Fowler who famously said “Writing is easy: All you do is sit staring at a blank sheet of paper until drops of blood form on your forehead.” The result is often a lot of bad writing. Since 1982 the Lytton contest has challenged entrants to compose the opening sentence to the worst of all possible novels. The contest is named after Edward George BulwerLytton, who came up with Snoopy’s favorite opening line for his novel Paul Clifford.

A Dark and stormy night “It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents — except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which swept up the streets (for it is in London that our scene lies), rattling along the housetops, and fiercely agitating the scanty flame of the lamps that struggled against the darkness.” — Edward George Bulwer-Lytton, Paul Clifford (1830). Lytton also coined such catch phrases as “the pen is mightier than the sword,” “the great unwashed,” and “the almighty dollar.” But each year the contest, a paean to bad writing, hatches a new crop of bad writing. So here are the winners from this year’s contest, guaranteed to elicit groans and grins from aspiring and tortured writers everywhere.

This year’s winners… • Don’t know no tunnels hereabout,” said the old-timer, “unless you mean the abandoned subway line that runs from Hanging Hill, under that weird ruined church, beneath the Indian burial ground, past the dilapidated Usher mansion, and out to the old abandoned asylum for the criminally insane where they had all those murders.” — Lawrence Person, Austin, TX • As the sun dropped below the horizon, the safari guide confirmed the approaching cape buffaloes were herbivores, which calmed everyone in the group, except for Herb, of course. — Ron D Smith, Louisville, KY • It was a tricky situation, given the complex behavioral instincts of the Lowland Gorilla, and this accidental group encounter with a silverbacked dominant male was taxing Professor Wiesenheimer’s knowledge of interspecies primate interaction to the limit, yet confidently and without hesitation, he turned to his startled pupils and whispered, “Run like Hell.” — Mark Watson, Raleigh, NC • It was such a beautiful night; the bright moonlight illuminated the sky, the thick clouds floated leisurely by just above the silhouette of tall, majestic trees, and I was viewing it all from the front row seat of the bullet hole in my car trunk. — Tonya Lavel, Barbados, West Indies • Seeing Mrs. Kohler sink, Detective Moen flushed as he plugged the burglary as the unmistakable work of Cap Fawcet, the Mad Plumber, for not only had her pool of assets been drained, but her clogs were now missing, and the toilet had been removed, leaving them with absolutely nothing to go on. — Eric J. Hildeman, Greenfield, WI Historical Fiction • The Pilgrims and Native Americans gathered around the feast, a veritable cornucopia of harvest and game, a gastronomic monument to the bountiful biodiversity of the land, and while Mrs. Standish’s cranberry sauce was a far cry from the homogeneous gelatinous canimprinted sacrosanct blob which has become the holiday’s sine qua non, the rest of the food was good. — Jordan Kaderli, Dallas, TX

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• General Lee arranged for the dreaded surrender, yet capitalized on his opponents’ weaknesses to the very end, striking a tiny parting blow for the Army of Northern Virginia (chuckling to himself) as he remembered from Academy days how many Union commanders had struggled with spelling even common words, and so ran his finger along the map and settled on Appomattox. — Randal Pilz, Milton, FL

Purple Prose • He had a way with women that was at first endearing, then gradually engendered caution and finally outright rejection, like potato salad at a summer picnic. — Paul Sutcliffe, Pittsburgh, PA • Mildred, sitting under the hair dryer at The Curl & Go and thumbing through a Victoria’s Secret catalogue, felt a shudder and a fleeting moment of commiseration when she saw those tiny thongs the models were sporting in the name of underwear because, as it happened, her own butt cheeks tended to gobble up her Fruit of the Loom For Mature Women white cotton panties like a pair of starving wolverines fighting over a flatfish. — Helen Grainge, Niagara-on-theLake, Ontario] • The sharks circled the leaking life raft like a pack of rabid personal-injury attorneys at a five-car pileup, and Clarence could just taste the fear (which tasted like chicken) and wondered morbidly if he too, might taste like chicken. — Wendi Tibbets, San Jose, CA • He had a drink in his hand and a hole in his heart, a hole big enough to drive a Honda Odyssey minivan with satellite linked navigation and a multi-angle rearview camera

down the anterior vena cava, execute a threepoint-turn at the atrioventicular valve (thanks to the rear view camera), then exit the pulmonary artery without ever once scraping the Celestial Blue Metallic finish that comes standard on the EX-L. — Mark Schweizer, Tryon, NC

The sharks circled the leaking life raft like a pack of rabid personalinjury attorneys at a five-car pileup Romance • While Dame Goodchild fondly watched Lord Peasebody’s innocent ward gaze admiringly after Eduardo de Abló, the china-blue eyes moving upwards from the ancestral sword banging lightly against taut thighs to the carelessly tied cravat framing a swarthy, cicatrized cheek above which black eyes half-hidden by untamed raven locks flashed in challenge and passion, she wondered if Elizabeth knew he got the scar from falling face-first onto his ostler’s manure rake. — Margaret Stein, Omaha, NE

Vile Puns • What the Highway Department’s chief IT guy for the new computerized roadway hated most was listening to the ‘smart’ components complain about being mixed with asphalt instead of silicon and made into speed bumps instead of graceful vases, like the one today from chip J176: “I coulda had glass; I coulda been a container; I coulda been some bottle, instead of a bump, which is what I am.” — Brian Brandt, Lansdale, PA • He spotted her as he left the Mudville baseball field, a handsome young woman sipping tea on the front porch swing of her house, and, though the boos and catcalls from today’s game still rang in his ears, the Mighty Casey decided that for the first time in his life he would not at all mind being associated with a swing and a Miss. — Tom Wallace, Columbia, SC • Although it was late at night and the snow was gently falling, Martin, who had gathered the young maidens together in the village church and was now, at the stroke of midnight, leading them across the town square, responded to the town constable’s enquiry as to what he was doing by replying, “I herd the belles on Christmas Day.” — Jim Tweedie, Long Beach, WA

Miscellaneous • Betty had eyes that said come here, lips that said kiss me, arms and torso that said hold me all night long, but the rest of her body said, “Fillet me, cover me in cornmeal, and fry me in peanut oil”; romance wasn’t easy for a mermaid. — Jordan Kaderli, Dallas, TX • Derek squeezed through the narrow entrance past irate piles at the bar and pushed deeper into the tight, dark saloon, and brushing aside a stool and settling between ornaments that hung like polyps from the ceiling, he examined the texture of the walls with his fingertips while trying to avoid the gaze of the owner; the perfect bar, he mused, for the socially awkward proctologist. — Max Walker, Bryn Mawr, PA • To Juliet’s mind, he was just a small town Romeo, and – bummer – a Capulet to boot, but the men pickings in Verona were slim, so even though her daddy would have a cat, she decided, “What’s the worst that could happen?” — John Hardi, Falls Church, VA • Tony was unsure if the voice had said, “Sven” or “Ten,” but, as no one had ever called him Sven, and the ceiling lights were shining directly into his eyes, and, recognizing the familiar sad, yet concerned, look on the referee’s face – he was gonna go with “Ten.” — Warren Blair, Ashburn, VA • Daphne had thoroughly researched the subject and concluded that, by all accounts, the medical procedure for reducing the size of her ample derriere was relatively safe but – and it is a big ’but’ – she understood there is always an inherent risk involving any surgery. — Clay Wach, Winnipeg, MB • The dame that walked into my office was statuesque and looked like she ought to be standing on a bed of roses … in other words, she looked exactly like the garden gnome my ex-wife had stuck in our flower bed, next to a bird bath that attracted a whole lot of bills, much like my in-tray, which was lousy with them. — Jackie Fuchs, Los Angeles, CA • It was amidst the chaos of the Loma Prieta tectonic plate shift, while sipping sassafras floats at opposite ends of a busy ice cream bar when, in a serendipitous happenstance of synchronicity, the cranial plates of Laura and Earl also shifted, sending their ocular prosthetics tumbling to the floor where they rolled and rolled until their eyes met across the crowded room. — Guy Foisy, Orleans, Ontario • Martha Lessen broke horses – not in the same way she broke her mother’s good china, nor the way she broke the privy door out back of the bunkhouse, not even the way she broke the heart of Gunther Svenson, which, in that case, is quite surprising since one would think breaking a horse and breaking an ass would be quite similar. — Kevin Fry, Callaway, MD • The dark and foreboding landscape was littered with crumbling castles, collapsed crypts, and earthworks for forgotten fortresses wherein lurked those most dastardly of degenerates, whose blood curdling cries made the lives of the locals a living hell – the historical reenactment society. — Phil Davies, Cardiff, UK • Dark and stormy was her disposition; her hair cascaded evenly onto her shoulders in torrents – except at intervening occasions, when it was checked by a violent gust of air from a huge blower (for it is in Hollywood that our scene lies), rattling along her blouse top, and fiercely agitating the scanty fabric that struggled against her implants. — Lee Martinson, Yucaipa, CA • It was a dark and stormy night when, in the course of being snoopy, I happened upon the most extraordinary dog – sitting at an old-school typewriter upon the roof of his doghouse – who grumbled that he was working for peanuts.—

Looking for Gold at DeSoto Falls

Island Moon

June 26, 2014

On the Rocks By Jay Gardner

By Capt. Sail Offcourse As the horizon turned from tangerine orange to golden yellow announcing the rising sun we got up to head to town. In town we found a restaurant that was open for breakfast and pulled in to get our day started. My day has to have at least a cup of coffee to get me around. Jeff headed to the bathroom to change clothes and wash the red Georgia clay and golden flakes off his hands and face. Doug and I waited outside looking at old mining equipment from an earlier gold rush waiting our turn to wash up. After we had cleaned up and made ourselves presentable we headed to a table for coffee and eggs.

Trail of Tears Our topic of conversation was of gold in the area and how it was the find of gold that had forced the Trail of Tears for the Cherokee of this area. We were in the middle of the original Cherokee Nation and all that is left of a once great Indian area was the Eastern Cherokees whot had hid in the mountains when the removal took place back in 1838. What a terrible piece of history and all over gold found in 1829. This led to legends of lost gold caves, in Cherokee country. One of the most widespread is a story about a cave filled with gold. Often called the Waterhouse Treasure it was discovered by William Waterhouse in 1890. Reports of the cave were even printed in Chattanooga papers. "William Waterhouse, a young white farmer of Keith, Georgia...claims to have found a cave in the fastness of the mountains." Ernest Andrews, who wrote "Georgia's Fabulous Treasure Hoards" claims to have found a Waterhouse family who owned a hotel in Cohutta, Georgia, a few miles east of Keith. He guesses that the cave would be located on Rocky Face, based on earlier research. This, by the way, would put it almost exactly in the middle of the old Cherokee gold fields.

Gold Nuggets in a cave Another was that within 10 minutes of Toccoa, Georgia is a pile of gold nuggets in a cave. Taken to the pile by an old Cherokee whom he befriended, a bus driver on the Atlanta to Charlotte run picked up as many nuggets as he could carry with the permission of his Cherokee friend. Ten minutes later he was dropped in front of the Toccoa bus station. Blindfolded on the way in and out, the driver spent his off-hours looking for the cave for the rest of his life to no avail. Then there were the Spanish who had the lost Cohutta mines, and the failed U.S. Mint that closed after a Cherokee raid that took the gold and placed it in a cave. American Indians

knew of the gold in the Appalachian Mountains long before the first Spanish Conquistadors set foot on the new lands. Miners traveled to the gold fields in the Blue Ridge Mountains until the year 1733, then for nearly 100 years they sat untended. Farmer and prospector Frank Logan discovered gold on Dukes Creek, a tributary of the Chattahoochee River in 1828, setting off America's first gold rush. These topics made breakfast an interesting meal as we looked out the window at the Mountains. Anxious to get to the gold fields we paid our tab and loaded up to head for Hidden Valley Campground, across the steam and above the Crisson Gold Mine. We found the gravel road that went into the valley but was stopped by a tree across the road from the storms of the night

before. There had been tornados in the area with high winds. We got out and went to the door of the house that was at the end of the road. A lady with gold on her face answered the door and told us the campground had closed years ago and that we would have to try the other campgrounds. Disappointed we went back to town to see what the visitor’s center suggested. There they recommended Desoto Falls Campsite as a remote primitive campsite. The Falls were named this because there had been a Spanish armor found there. In 1540 DeSoto came across a young Indian who accurately described gold mining operations in the mountains to the north. DeSoto found examples of gold, but neither the mines nor the quantity he sought.

Eight inches may not seem like much, but for flat bottom tunnel hull skiffs, it makes the difference of either running a flat and making it through or having to call one of the marine salvage operators in the area. Also please be mindful of the seagrass, as the regulations will change September 1st and it will be illegal to uproot seagrass anywhere in the state of Texas. You should be mindful of the seagrasses anyway. They are our best defense against this current brown tide bloom.

School is also out, which means a couple of things. Tourist Season has officially started (they are Catch and Release Only, so don’t get excited) and the motels are filling up. I know when school is out because I see teenagers wandering the streets at all hours, and I can’t make it through the line at my favorite sporting goods store during the lunch hour because it takes forever. If that last flop wedge that I found on the racks wasn’t marked down to $9.99 I would have just walked out of that place. Most retailers are enjoying the business at this point in time though, and businesses on the Island are hopping.

Another “symptom” of Tourist Season is attempting to go fishing on the weekends. THAT, my friends, is an exercise in futility, unless you’re just wanting to boat-ride. While there have been some tournaments with good causes (Casting for a Cause, and Heroes on the Water) they have increased boat traffic to levels either I’ve blocked out of my memory, or that I just haven’t seen before. The boats buzzing all over Big Al and Patrick in Judy's glasses the laguna on Saturday mornings are about enough to drive you insane. Most I was out in Port Aransas the other day for people are not having that good of luck out there either, and the reason is that once fish have been the City Council meeting (I had an item on the run over by ten outboards they quickly develop agenda). What I found interesting was that the lockjaw. Please be sure to spread out, respect Bag-Ban had slipped from the agenda (although each other’s space, use running lanes, and public comment on the issue was still as strong especially watch your depths. This time of year as ever) and the new “aginners” item was the we usually have a little water in the bays, but a “box store” prohibition. While “business is quick glance at the TCOON site confirms what business” I applaud the Port A City Council for most of us already know; the water levels are trying to keep that small-town appearance and running about 8” inches lower than “normal.” feel to it. Port A just wouldn’t be Port A with a large shopping center, and it would lose its appeal. We then bumped over to Robert’s Point Park for the Captain’s meeting for the Casting for a Cause Tournament. What a deal! They had a live band, all the crawfish you could eat, and good times were had by all, whether you were entered or not. I saw locals who weren’t fishing the tournament get in the lines, which actually helped the coffers for the tournament. More money to some great causes, including the Make a Wish Foundation. Way to go ladies and gentlemen.

This all sounded good so we took off to our campsite. This area was beautiful even though we were rained on the whole weekend! We panned during spells of no rain but found nothing for our efforts. The gold we did find all came from the collection I had made on the roadside!

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The summer solstice passed us up last weekend without much of a whimper. Usually by now we’re “enjoying” blazing temperatures and the sargassum is gone. But we’re a month behind so maybe we’ll celebrate next month down the beach, if the weed and wind will ever cooperate.

About the time I start to threaten that “no really, I’ll see you on the rocks” at south Packery in the evenings after work, we get another slug of sargassum, the winds and seas kick up and murk the water, and make fishing out there undesirable. As Bizzy likes to quip, “Perfect!” But, no really, after things quiet down after July 4th, I will definitely see you out there because it will be GAME ON! That and we got the bunks on the Donzi fixed, so we should be ready to roll for the offshore fishing season, if it will ever show up. Shoot me an email at jaygardner@scientist.com

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June 26, 2014

Island Moon

Backwater Adventures Summer Mornings, Summer Nights

By Joey Farah Farah’s Fishing Adventures The first and last hours of the day in the summer are always perfect no matter how hot or windy the day was or will get. The last few weeks have finally gotten back to close to normal summer patterns. Live croaker at the bait camps have gotten big enough to be a consistently productive bait, and the shrimp have finally started to move out of the bay system, turning our gamefish's diet towards fish. Our guide trips have been very productive with limits on the good days and good boxes on the not so good days. For the average sportsman and many not so experienced guides fishing has been very tough. Some of the factors that have been working against fishermen have been the high winds, stained water, and like I said there has been too much shrimp in the water, and the croakers are small. Well all those factors are changing now and good fishing is here.

are doing. In my defense they turn their opinion after we catch them. Just as you may see trout under the lights in your back yard turn their nose at lures that have been thrown in the light more than a few times, these fish in the flats get used to and wise of how you are presenting the bait. This requires an assortment of rigged rods with combinations of beads, rattles, and stealth set-ups. I have been using the Texas Rattler Chatter Beads, green and red beads close to the hook, and then line to line no rattle or beads as my stealth set up. I have also brought back the "STINGER" this is a short leader on the hook attached to a small treble hook. The fish grab the head, opposite of the main hook and get the small hook every time. Eventually they get smart on it and you have to catch them on something else, but it will put a extra five or more fish in the box.

Baffin Bay

The water clarity in the Laguna Madre' and Baffin Bay has cleaned up quickly, as soon as the winds laid down a little. The rocks in Marker 37 Baffin are still great for the angler looking Danny Aguilar with her best trout of the day along to do some drifting with shrimp and popping The Marker 37 Tournament is on with a box full of keepers this week in the upper corks, making a box of mixed species. For the for July 12th. The sign up for the Local island outdoor family bring fun to a Laguna Madre. fishermen throwing live croaker the main target tournament is Friday night at Marker is trout with a minor in reds and flounder. There summer afternoon out on the boat with Farah. 37. There is going to be a party that is not as many boats most days down south so night with live music and Rudy's Barbecue if you are trying to get away from the roar of just short of the rock so that you are fishing for everyone involved. This is only a three a good fun one. Saturday is the day of the outboards head south. When fishing the rock the gravely sand surrounding the rock without fish tournament so everyone can be a hero. Two tournament and there will be more live music piles with live bait anchor so that you can throw hanging up on it. trout and one redfish is all you need to weigh in. and food to go along with all the tall tales of I will be there Friday night so come on out and fishing adventures. Keep those lines tight and Laguna Madre start off with your first fishing tournament being your hooks sharp! The flats in the Laguna Madre are clearing up and unlocking her secrets. Much of the problem with catching fish in the stained water is you cant set up to fish the structure, structure in the Lagoon can be changes in bottom depth only a foot or two. Use your eyes first to Tides for Corpus Christi (Bob Hall Pier) June 26 - July 7, 2014 find either drops or rises in the bottom Day High Tide Height Sunrise Moon Time Moon that indicate lines of definition. Current /Low Time in Feet Sunset Visible washes away the bottom and voids these areas of grass making a gut or W 25 High 5:17 AM 1.6 6:35 AM Rise 5:19 AM 6 chain of sand pockets. These areas will hold cooler temperatures and refuge 25 Low 8:42 PM -0.5 8:28 PM Set 7:08 PM from boat traffic. When you are drifting around mark these areas that you see or Th 26 High 5:54 AM 1.6 6:35 AM Rise 6:09 AM 2 find with a push pole, come back even 26 Low 9:18 PM -0.5 8:28 PM Set 7:58 PM an hour later and anchor up with live bait. The deep areas of Emmorts Hole F 27 High 6:24 AM 1.6 6:36 AM Rise 6:59 AM 0 are hot with fish action and waiting for 27 Low 9:52 PM -0.4 8:28 PM Set 8:44 PM anglers to find their own secret spot.

Tides of the Week

Trickery and Deceit Fishing live bait lately has been a game of trickery and deceit. Pods of trout staged behind my boat have become very smart and finicky to say the least. Many times when I am describing their habits to my guests I see looks The Smith boys with a great stringer of trout from a of wonderment and despair, I believe local Laguna Madre morning spot. they think they have booked a trip with a mad crazy fishing guide that is tripping out on what he thinks the fish

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June 26, 2014

Island Moon

SPORTS 100 Years Ago

Sports Talk

By Andy Purvis Special to the Island Moon

George Herman Ruth was born in Baltimore, Maryland, on February 6, 1895. Ruth made his Major League debut on July 11, 1914, 100 years ago. He became the savior of the National Pastime and restored public confidence in the game of baseball. “I think I could hit the first time I picked up a bat,” said Ruth. His Father was a saloon keeper and his mother died when he was six. His Father sent him to the St. Mary’s Industrial School for Boys, for discipline. Ruth was there for 12 years, where he learned how to pitch and play baseball, but remained undisciplined.

The Essence of Velocity smaller handles. The papers began to create nicknames: “Sultan of Swat,” the “Big Bam,” the Great “Bambino” (Italian for baby), “Colossus of Clout,” “King of Crash.” When Ruth came to the plate, people stood up and began to applaud before he had taken a practice swing. In 1921, Ruth hit 59 home runs and drove in 171 RBI’s. In 1922, he hit 35 home runs. In 1923, Yankee Stadium “The House that Ruth Built” opened its doors on April 18th at the cost of 2.5 million. One hundred thousand fans showed up for 62,000 seats. In the third inning with two men on base, Ruth hit the first of his 41 home runs to right centerfield. He batted .393 for the year and almost single-handedly won the first World Series for the New York Yankees. Boston fans dubbed the sale “The Curse of the Bambino.” Lou Gehrig joined the Yankees. Ruth became the first athlete to earn $50,000 a year. In 1924, Ruth hit 46 home runs while batting .378. In 1925, he reported to spring training out of shape. He became very sick from over-eating and drinking. He only played in 98 games. The media called it “The year of the Big Bellyache.” In 1926, he worked out playing golf and boxing to lose weight. He was making $52,000 a year and he hit 47 home runs.

Babe Ruth In 1914, Jack Dunn, manager of the Orioles, a Minor League team from Baltimore purchased Ruth’s services at the age 19, for $600 from St. Mary’s industrial School for Boys. It is here that the newspapers refer to him as Jack Dunn’s new “Babe” for the first time. The name Babe stuck. Ruth’s first contract paid him $250.00. He proceeded to pitch and win ten games in a row for the Orioles and was purchased by the Boston Red Sox. Most think that Ruth begins and ends with a 52-ounce bat, but he was signed as a pitcher. In the next two years, Ruth pitched and won 46 games for Boston. Power baseball was about to be invented. Ruth hit his first home run May 6, 1915, against The New York Yankees. This new Babe Ruth hit well for a pitcher and by 1919, Red Sox Manager Ed Barrow placed Ruth in right field so he could get his bat in the lineup every game. Ruth was blessed with incredible vision and reaction time. In 1919, within six days of Ruth being placed in the lineup everyday, he led the entire American League in hitting. He also set a new record for home runs with 29 for that season. From 1917 to 1921, several things changed our nation and it’s National Pastime. World War I ended and millions of men came home from Europe; the attendance at every Major League Park doubled and some tripled. Bootleg liquor was sold at speakeasies and movies were invented; the Roaring Twenties had a full head of steam. It was the time of Tom Mix, Jack Dempsey, Knute Rockne, and Bobby Jones. Then the Chicago Black Sox scandal was discovered in 1920 and baseball went to trial, claiming that Arnold Rothstein and the gamblers interfered with the game. Eight members of the Chicago White Sox, including the great “Shoeless Joe” Jackson, were accused of throwing the 1919 World Series to the Cincinnati Reds. Ban Johnson, the American League President, was shoved aside by the owners, and a Judge known as “Kennesaw Mountain” Landis became the final word concerning baseball matters. The eight White Sox were found not guilty, but Landis banned all eight from ever playing again, even though some of them were not involved in the fix nor had they accepted any money, thus ending Joe Jackson’s bid for the Hall of Fame. The eight banned White Sox players were as follows: “Buck” Weaver, “Chick” Gandil, “Lefty” Williams, “Swede” Risberg, Fred McMullan, Joe Jackson, Eddie Cicotte and “Happy” Felsch. Ruth loved living large. “I swing big and I miss big,” he was quoted as saying. He also saved baseball in 1920 by inventing the home run as an offensive weapon. In 1920, Harry Frazee, owner of the Red Sox, was broke and sold Babe Ruth to Jacob Rupert, owner of the New York Yankees, for $125,000 and a $350.000 loan. At that time, New York had never won a pennant, much less a World Series. After Halas injured his ankle sliding into second base, Ruth would take George Halas’s place in right field. Halas would go on to play tight end for ten years with the Chicago Bears and then to become their head coach. Halas would help organize and create what we now call the National Football League. Ruth’s salary was $20,000 that year and he earned it by hitting 54 home runs, while the rest of the team hit 61. Ruth’s 54 home runs were more than all the other 15 teams but one (Philadelphia Phillies hit 64). Ruth played all his home games in the Pologrounds, home of the New York Giants, while waiting for Yankee Stadium to be built. The Yankees became the first team to draw one million fans. The game of baseball was changing, also. In 1910, a new livelier cork-centered ball was put into play. From 1917-1921, team batting averages went from .250 to .285. Increased hitting meant more scoring. ERA’s went from 2.85 to over 4.00 and stayed there. Before 1917, only two or three players a year recorded 100 RBI”s or more; but in 1921, 15 players accomplished that feat. There is no doubt that Ruth’s home run excited the crowds and the owners loved it. Players followed Ruth with heavier bats with

By Dotson Lewis, Special to the Island Moon dlewis1@stx.rr.com Dotson’s note: I have heard about this theory, but the following is the first where I have seen it in detail. Baseball fan or not, this should be of interest to you. It may be the way of the future. Major League is concerned already with the hitters being less “advanced” than the pitchers. All sports prefer the offense being equal to the defense, but in baseball, the pitchers have had the upper hand lately. So how about this?

The pitching theory that could revolutionize baseball, if only the sport would embrace it “His interest lies not in how fast a given pitch travels, but how fast it appears to a hitter.” The name Perry Husband chose for his theory, Effective Velocity, hints at its details. His interest lies not in how fast a given pitch travels, but how fast it appears to a hitter — a factor that hinges upon not just its speed, but its placement in the strike zone and the spot in the sequence in which it is thrown — and how many milliseconds it can shave off the time a hitter has to react to it. Pitchers who bought in fully would become as close to unhittable as their skill levels would allow.

calculated that for every 6 inches the ball moves closer to the hitter from that line, it picks up 2.75 EV mph; for every 6 inches it moves away, it loses an equivalent amount. This gives strikes thrown at identical speeds on a given horizontal plane about a 6-mph fluctuation in reactionary speed from one end of the strike zone to the other. Add vertical differences into the equation and that spread can easily double, all for pitches that are thrown at the same actual speed. This idea is far less important on a single-pitch basis than it is when integrated into a sequence. The hitter's perception of the speed of a given pitch is affected by the speed and location of the pitch or pitches that immediately precede it. Roughly speaking, a pitch that follows slower pitches can appear faster, and something slow, when following a faster pitch, appears to be even slower. "Hitters are like sharks to blood," Husband explained. "When they see two pitches in the same place and at same speed, they begin very quickly to be able to time them, and when they can time them, they attack. But that timing maxes out at about a 6-mph difference in pitch speeds." He likens it to an NFL cornerback assigned to defend two wide receivers. If those receivers stay within 5 yards of each other, the defender can do a creditable job on both — he has time to react, no matter which one is targeted. But if one of them is split out 20 yards down the line of scrimmage, the defender has to make a choice about what he thinks is about to happen.

The 1927 New York Yankees have been considered the best baseball team ever assembled. Ruth hit 60 home runs, not including the four he hit in the World Series win. His feats made the front page of the newspapers. His salary was raised to $70,000. Teammate Lou Gehrig hit 47 home runs.

"The reality is not that hitters are so good they can recognize the difference between a 97-mph fastball and a 65mph curveball and time both pitches," Husband said. "Much of the time, pitchers are simply hitting bats."

In 1928 Ruth hit 54 home runs. On January 11, 1929, tragedy struck as Helen Ruth died in a house fire. They had been separated for three years. Ruth married Claire Hodgson later that spring and he had two daughters, one from each marriage. At Claire’s insistence, Ruth hired Christi Walsh to manage his finances. Walsh gave him $35.00 a week for spending money. On September 29th, Yankee Manager Miller Huggins passed away, and Ruth wanted to manage the Yankees. Ruth was told “no” to managing, but his salary was raised to $80,000 and guaranteed for two years. Jack Shawkey was hired to manage the Yanks. When asked by reporters why he should make more than President Herbert Hoover, Ruth responded, “Why not? I had a better year than he did.” Ruth passed 500 home runs in 1929. From 1930-1934, his fast-paced life started catching up. He hit 49 home runs in 1930, 46 in 1931 and 41 in 1932. In 1931, Ruth hit his 600th home run on August 21, 1931. In 1933, his legs hurt; he used heating pads and gained weight easily. He barnstormed and starred in movies, spoke on the radio, drove fast, and spent money like it was water. In his first eleven years, Babe had earned over $500,000 dollars and had nothing to show for it. No one wanted him as a manager, so by 1935 at the age of 40, he quit. He was the only player inducted into the inaugural Hall-of-Fame class of 1936 that did not get to manage. Then he was persuaded to join the Boston Braves with a promise to manage the following year. Babe realized he was being used to fill seats. On May 25, 1935, he hit three consecutive home runs at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh. The last home run (#714) cleared the right-field stands. It was the first time anyone had ever hit three home runs in one game, and he also became the first to hit a home run completely out of Forbes Field. Five days later, he retired for good. Ruth posted a 94-46 win-loss record as a pitcher for his career, with an ERA of 2.28. Ruth is still second to only Mickey Mantle in home runs hit during a World Series, with 15; Mantle hit 18. When Ruth hit his 500th home run, the second closest player was Roger Hornsby of the St. Louis Cardinals, with 236. Willie Mays and Babe Ruth never hit for the cycle. Jimmy Foxx became the second player to reach 500 home runs on September 24, 1940; five years after Ruth quit playing. In 1939, Ruth had a heart attack but survived. Then he developed headaches and cancer of the throat. In June of 1948, Ruth came to Yankee Stadium for the last time. He addressed the crowd and ended his speech with these words: “The only real game, I think, is baseball.” The ovation still echoes in New York. Eight weeks later, he would be dead. Ruth died at the age of 52, on August 16, 1948.

At the time of his death, he held or had tied 61 Major League records. Twenty-eight of those were World Series records and the other 33 were Major League records. Sixty-four years after his death, Babe Ruth still matters, and there is still no one like him. Ruth finished his career with a .342 batting average, 714 home runs, 2,874 hits, 2,217 RBI’s, and an ERA of 2.28. The one thing Babe Ruth was afraid of was being forgotten. Fat chance! Andy Purvis is a local author. His books "In the Company of Greatness" and "Remembered Greatness" are on the shelves at the local Barnes and Noble, at Beamer's Sports Grill 5922 S Staples, and online at many different sites including Amazon, bn.com, booksamillion, Google Books, etc. They are also available in e-reader format. Contact him at www. purvisbooks.com, or andy.purvis@grandecom. net. Special thanks to ESPN Corpus for creating Uncle Andy's Sports Blog. You can go to www.espncorpus.com and click on BLOGS. New story each week. Also access via "Dennis and Andy's Q&A" when that comes up on site. Click on it and then go to Blog. You may also go to www.purvisbooks.com and please leave comments!

What he means by this is that if a hitter swings at what he thinks will be a 90-mph fastball down the middle, he can still accidentally run into either a 96-mph fastball down and away or an 85-mph pitch on the inside — all intersecting the arc of his swing — and make solid contact. Husband believes this happens far more frequently than one might think. Standard baseball strategy says that all a pitcher must do to avoid this dilemma is mix up his pitches — fastballs, sliders, changeups, curveballs. Because they come in at different speeds, the hitter will be confused. Simple, right?

Sandy Koufax in 1963

"The problem," said Husband, "is when pitchers pitch backwards." Not every pitcher can be Sandy Koufax, of course, but Effective Velocity, known in shorthand as EV, would push them in that direction. Husband has conducted an abundance of studies to back up his ideas. Effective Velocity is made up of six tenets (not all discussed here), some of which are commonsense and already utilized by successful pitchers at the game's highest levels, others so complex that even major league coaches have difficulty grasping them. It starts with the idea that all pitches are not equal — even those who appear to be identical on the radar gun. It hinges on response time. Husband's model is based on the arc of hitters' swings, and the understanding that bats must move farther to reach pitches on the inner part of the plate than on the outside edge. Put another way, a batter can hit an outside fastball as it crosses the plate, but to make solid contact with an inside fastball, he must reach it much sooner — up to 2 feet in front of the plate — which requires the hitter to move the bat a greater distance in less time. With this detail in mind, it makes sense to build an approach based not on a pitch's radar speed, but how quickly the man standing in the batter's box can react to it. This is the basis for the "effective" portion of Effective Velocity. EV breaks the strike zone into nine regions, each having a different effect on how hitters perceive a given pitch. Based on a hitter's need to reach pitches close to his body more quickly, Husband calculated that reaction time to a 90-mile-per-hour pitch is closer to that of a 93-mph pitch if it runs inside (96 if it's high and tight), and drops to 87 mph if it's placed on the outside edge of the plate (85 if it's low and away).

This means that if a pitcher throws an 86-mph slider high on the inside corner, and follows it with a low-and-away 92-mph fastball, the pitches' EV readings would be exactly the same: 89 mph. And hittable by accident.

Tom House Tom House knows all about this. Few men in the world understand pitching better: House, who spent eight years on a major league mound and eight more as the pitching coach of the Texas Rangers, has authored or co-authored nearly a dozen books on the subject, is the founder of the National Pitching Association and went so far as to earn a Ph.D. in sports psychology. All of this is why Husband, who had been introduced to House some years earlier, asked him to review his nascent EV framework, and to poke as many holes in it as he could. He couldn't. Instead, he became a believer. Dotson’s Note: I believe I am ready to try a comeback, how about you? Your comments regarding this and/or any other Moon Sports article will be greatly appreciated. Please call the Benchwarmers between 3 and 6 PM weekdays at 361-560-5397 or call or Email Dotson. Phone: 361-949-7681 Cell: 530-7488475 Email: dlewis1@stx.rr.com

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There is an imaginary stripe that runs diagonally across the strike zone, from the batter's feet to shoulder level in the opposite batter's box, where a pitch's EV equals its actual speed. Husband calls this the Zero Line. He

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Next Sea Turtle Hatchling Release Soon and Nesting Continues By Donna J. Shaver, Ph.D. Division of Sea Turtle Science and Recovery, National Park Service Padre Island National Seashore, e-mail: Donna_Shaver@nps.gov The second public release this year of Kemp’s ridley sea turtle hatchlings at Padre Island National Seashore will be held sometime between about June 28 and July 4. Our public releases are held starting at 6:45 am, in front of the Malaquite Visitor Center at the National Seashore, on about 20 mornings each summer. No fee is charged to attend these releases.

are reduced since fewer clutches will be hatching at once. When the eggs begin to hatch, we will more closely pinpoint when the next public release will occur and place the latest information on our recorded Hatchling Hotline (tel. 361-9497163) and our Facebook page titled Padre Island NS Division of Sea Turtle Science & Recovery. On the morning of a release, please leave plenty of time to travel to the National Seashore and the release site. It will take 20-30 minutes to drive from the hotels and residential areas on North Padre Island to the Malaquite Visitor Center.

Please continue to watch for and report nesting More Kemp’s ridley nests have been found in Texas during the last week and nesting could continue through mid-July. Through June 23, 110 Kemp’s ridley nests have been recorded in Texas, including locally 70 at Padre Island National Seashore, 8 on North Padre north of the National Seashore, and 5 on Mustang Island. Nesting by loggerhead and green turtles could also begin any day and continue through mid-September. Although turtle patrollers discover most nesting by Kemp’s ridley turtles in Texas, some is found by the public or other people that work on the beach during the nesting season. Please watch for nesting Kemp’s ridley turtles while you are on the beach. Immediately report nesting to a passing turtle patroller or by calling 361-949-8173, ext. 226 (North Padre Island) or 1-866-TURTLE5 (elsewhere in Texas).

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We have posted the projected hatchling release dates for the nests that we are currently caring for on the Padre Island National Seashore website www.nps.gov/pais. It is still the Kemp’s ridley nesting season, and as additional Kemp’s ridley nests are found we will add projected release dates to that list. The projected release dates for each clutch encompass a 6-day-long window. Hatchlings are released sometime during that window, when they have emerged from their eggshells and start to become active.

If you see a nesting turtle, please do not rush up her or you could frighten her back into the water without nesting. If you are driving on the beach, please watch carefully and drive slowly since nesting turtles blend with the sand and vegetation, and will not move quickly to avoid a passing vehicle. To learn more about what to do if you see a nesting turtle and to obtain the latest information on the number of nests found this year, visit our website or Facebook page.

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Although hatchlings could potentially be ready for release any day between June 28 and August 13, hatchlings will actually only be ready for release on some of those mornings. The probability of a public release is the largest when several clutches are hatching at once. This is because hatchlings must be released when they become active. The more clutches hatching at once the greater chance that even if some become active and must be released during the middle of the night, others will be ready for release at 6:45 am on the public release morning. The two time periods when there is the greatest chance of hatchling releases being held this year are between about June 28 and July 8 (17 clutches hatching) and between about July 22 and August 5 (42 clutches hatching). Because so many clutches will be hatching, there is a great chance that we will be able to hold public releases on many of these days. There is still a chance of a release on other days in July and early August, but those chances

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