Port Aransas South Jetty (Port Aransas, Tex.), Vol. 29, No. 5, Ed. 1 Thursday, February 4, 1999 Page: 2 of 20
twenty pages : ill. ; page 22 x 15 in. Scanned from 32mm microfilm.View a full description of this newspaper.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
PAGE 2 A Tm rsihy, Febri *ry 4, 1999
Port Aransas South Jetty
Murray and Mary Judson
PnKlicHarc
Mary Judson
Editor
Phone: (512) 749-5131
FAX (512) 749-5137
Opinion
Member:
lJUUII I I bAuS 1 MUUwCiMl'WM
Texas Gulf Coast Press Association
Texas Press Association
National Newspaper Association
Scary returns:
offense, defense
The huge, gaseous balloon that is the
Impeachment Trial of William “W e Always
Call Him Jefferson" Clinton has overshad-
owed a number of remarkable comeback
stories in the world of sports recently. For
example:
DiMaggio died, then didn’t. That's the
Y ankee Clipper for
you, still making the
hard ones look easy.
A TV station re-
ported DiMaggio’s
death, then admit-
ted it was exaggerat-
ing.
Indeed, it is been
very difficult if not
impossible to find
ir^„wh£ Donald Kaul
He s ob\ iously a sick < Tribune Media Services
man but the reports
vary from remark-
able recovery to being at death’s door and
beyond. It reminds one of the conflicting
stories that would precede the death of a
leader of a Communist country. Thev’d
never admit their missing dictator was on his
way out until the battle for succession had
been fought and won.
< That should not be a problem with
DiMaggio; he w ill not he succeeded.
He was not the greatest ballplayer of all
time, hut still a unique combination of grace
and class captured the imagination of the
nation as few athletes have. One might argue
that Michael Jordan did, hut he had the help
of the giant Nike public relations machine.
DiMaggio simply did it by being DiMag.
Joseph Paul DiMaggio is a cultural artifact
of a bygone era. If he is checking out, we
should let him go with more dignitv than
we’re allowing him.
Next on the comeback list is pro basketball.
W hat? You didn’t know it had been away?
My point exactly.
Professional basketball sacrificed the dis-
posable part of its season - the part that takes
place when everybody is paying attention to
fixitball - in return for achieving a more or
ie»s rational pay structure for its non-scholar
athletes. (The kids are just going to have to
soldier on with $80-million, six-year con-
tracts, instead of $120-million versions, 1
guess.)
Everybody thought basketball junkies
would be like baseball fans, who reacted to
the baseball strike of a few years ago by
abandoning the game in droves. Well, so far
they haven’t.
Free tickets to exhibition games have been
snapped up in minutes. They even had a riot
over them in Toronto. Toronto!
It’s as I suspected. America (Canada in-
cluded) cares enough about basketball to
watch it, but not enough to feel betrayed
when deprived of it. No hard feelings.
Further proof of the forgiveness (and
forgetfulness) of fans is demonstrated by the
return of Latrell Sprewell to the game.
Sprewell, famous for breaking basketball’s
11 th Commandment “Thou Shalt Not Choke
the Coach" - was traded to the New York
Knicks and immediately made a hit by scor-
ing 27 points in his first game. The fans
cheered him loudly. Naturally. Vv hat can we
expect of New York? A writer in the New
York Times recently wrote of his experience
as a fledgling stand-up comedian. He based
one of his routines on snatches of conversa-
tions he’d actually heard on the streets of
Manhattan (“Just because 1 killed someone
doesn’t mean I’m an expert”) balanced against
phrases he had never heard in New' York
(“Excuse me, sir, I believe you dropped your
w allet” and “No, go ahead, take the cab. You
were here first”).
New York is a tough town. Sprewell has a
future there. I’m not sure about his coach,
though.
Finally, our old friend “Star Wars” made a
comeback. The anti-missile missile system,
which has had more stakes driven through
its heart than Dracula, has been given $6.6
billion in the Pentagon’s six-year budget.
Up to now we have spent $40 billion on
this Reagan-inspired turkey and still have no
evidence that a missile can accurately track
and destroy an incoming Intercontinental
Ballistic Missile.
The ostensible rational for the boondoggle
is that there are rogue nations out there who,
in the near future, will be able to hit us with
a missile and we need a “shield" to defend
ourselves.
Why would a nation, rogue or otherwise,
do that ? We can see where a missile is coming
from. Within minutes of launching such a
missile the rogue nation would be a toxic
wasteland, smashed flat and made uninhab-
itable by our bombs.
It’s called “nuclear deterrent."
Star W ars is a dumb idea and it won’t work
besides. All it will do is funnel billions into
the ptxkets of corporate sponsors who give
thousands to powerful politicians.
W hich, of course, is enough.
Thf South Jetty (946:020) pays
Periodicals postage at
Port Aransas. TX
POSTMASTER Send ad-
dress CHANGES TO P O BOX
1116 Port Aransas 78373
CAN YOU SPELL
IMA&C PROBLEM?
.'x *
,w
Ajqyli
*?sfT
Sand Celebraton potential enormous
Port Aransas should waste no time putting
its full support behind the Spring Sand
Celebration III. The sand sculpture contest
on the beach has enjoyed two successful
years. This year, however, the event is poised
to take a major step forward. Thanks to the
return of Sharon Schafer, who originated
event, and the sponsorship of the Port Aransas
Community Theatre (PACT) of which
Schafer is a founder, the event is attracting
master sculptors from around the country. If
you don't know what that means, let me cut
to the chase: it's big.
The potential for the Sand Celebration to
become a major event on the Texas coast is
huge •• and it's everything we've said we
wanted. It's environmentally friendly, it's
family oriented, and it takes advantage of
one of our greatest assets and attractions: the
beach.
Thanks also to the fore-
sight of the city council,
vendors w ill be able to sell
food, beverages and
"stuff" on the beach dur-
ing the Sand Celebration.
The event has already
spawned an Easter Bon-
net Parade (it'sbeing held
Easter weekend), and the
potential for other spin-
offs is endless: think kite
flying, surfing, volleyball,
beach Olympics.. .. Mov-
ing to Roberts Point Park or the Civic Center
after dark for big name entertainment is not
outside the realm of possibilities.
The Sand Celebration w ill move of f Easter
weekend next year because by then based on
M ART
Henkel
Jitison
Em ri >k
Man beyond age
Back in the late 50’s I was invited to bring
some musicians to a party at the LBJ Ranch
and tell a few stories. The guests were more
than eight or 10...and besides then Congress-
man Lyndon Johnson and Mrs. Johnson
guests included Mr. and Mrs. John Connallv
and Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Marcus of the
Nieman Marcus Marcuses. It was a nice
casual evening and I was delighted to be
among such high cotton folks.
A year or so ago I was walking down the
long aisle at Love Field Airport. Coming
towards me was an elderly man, impeccably
attired, walking with a cane, and with a
woman on his arm. It was Stanley Marcus
with whom 1 had not had a conversation
since that evening in the late 50’s at a party
at the LBJ Ranch.
f?
y im
I stopped him, introduced myself and said,
“Mr. Marcus, excuse me
for butting in....”
Fie held up his hand
and said, “You and I
met at the LBJ Ranch
on a November evening
in 1955. You brought
along two folksingers
and you told some
funny stories. You will
remember that after the
entertainment we had a
conversation about John
Connally and Lyndon Johnson. 1 told you
that in my opinion John Connally should be
in the Republican Party. He’s more inclined
toward dealing with top dogs..the money
Cactus
Pryor
makers...the leaders...the movers and
shakers...most of whom belong to the GOP,
Johnson on the other hand is a man of the
common men. He really cares about the
laborers, the ranchers, farmers, blue
collars...the simple folks w ho need a helping
hand getting along. He has been influenced
by family and by teaching school in poverty
stricken South Texas."
The Stanley Marcus mind was as sharp as
the crease in his pants even though he’s in his
mid-90’s and a regular patient for kidney
dialysis. I thought, “What a memory” as 1
tried to recall which gate my plane was
leaving from.
Cactus Pryor can be heard twice daily in
Austin on KLBj-AM.
Letters to the editor
Cheers to PACT!
I would like to give a standing ovation to
the PACT. As a “short term" Winter Texan
1 would like to thank the
PACT for the wonderful
theater spirit they bring
to Port Aransas. As a
member of a small com-
munity theater in Min-
nesota, 1 know the hard
work and the love of the-_
atre that goes into such a schedule. We were
so pleased with the “Queen of Bingo," I also
was the recipient of “The Bird” that night.
Thank you so much?
Last Saturday night we were once more-
treated to theater by attending Love Letters”
I hope that the residents of Port Aransas
know how lucky you are to have such a
talented, hardworking group of people here.
Keep up the good work, PACT members.
We are already making plans to return to
Port Aransas next winter to enjoy your sun,
friendliness and your wonderful theater
group. Many thanks.
Tom and Gloria Eager
Madelia, MN
See you next year
After six years of going to your island, or
should I say “our” island, we can’t be there
this year because of my illness! We always
stayed at the Aransas Princess for three
months with our dear friends from Ohio,
Walter and Dorothy Steele; Kansas, Bill and
Betty Hurst; Illinois, Gregg and Marlene
Thomas.
I’m getting better and will be back for three
months next year - we miss everyone and I’m
the one who keeps true golf scores.
Harold and Boots Onie
Shelby, OH
Letters to the editor
Letters to the editor should be of general or specific interest to the readership of the South Jetty.
They should be limited to about 300 words and contain valid signatures, mailing addresses, as well
as day and evening telephone numbers where the writers may be reached. Names of persons writing
letters will not be withheld from publication. Only one letter per person will be published during any
30 day period Letters endorsing political candidates are political advertising. Letters of thanks should
be submitted with payment to the Classified Adv. Department.
Mail letters to the editor to:
P.O. Box 1116, Port Aransas, Tx 78373
I WANT TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE SOUTH JETTY
|$22W) per year in Port Aransas. Nueces County, Ingleside and Aransas Pass]
*26 per year elsewhere in the continental U.S. Foreign rate: SAO90
Check one: Mastercard Visa
Card #
Name:
Address:
City:
State.
Mail to:
Expiration Date:
Zip:
South Jfttv
P.O. Box 1116, Port Aransas, TX 78373
Call: 1-512-749-5131 FAX: 1-512-749-5137
Smaller ships are
better ships
Apocryphal curmudgeon: “Why care for
grammar as long as we are good?” Artemus
WITHOUT PRETENSE to be a grammar
ian of any sort, I would offer that the word
“like” is the most abused of any in either the
English or
American lan-
guages.
The better or
larger of my dic-
tionaries devotes
an entire center
page column of
T l DEM ARKS fine print to the
past successes and the predicted success of
this year's event, it will have a follow ing of its
ow n and not have to rely on a "ready-made"
crowd at Easter. That’s w hen we'll really feel
the impact •• when it actually "puts heads in
beds".
The pieces are in place for a very successful
event in no small measure due to the work
put in by Schafer. She is one of the hardest
working, thorough, reliable, energetic and
talented people on this island. If an event,
project or activity has her name on it, you can
count on it.
Schafer has her name on Spring Sand
Celebration III, so if you're not already a
supporter, sponsor or participant in some
way, get on board.
The footprint is in the sand, and it looks
like a good fit. Let's wear it!
C.M. Henkel Jr.
frequently use as
a verb or noun. I am hepped if you will, on
a word seldom escaped in virtually every
vocal report of the news. On the otherhand,
“like” is all but never used in writing of
whatever kind: news, detective thriller or
romantic story. So include vocal use of like,
from senators, attorneys and others, most
especially those w ho report events over the
air.
However disinteresting you may think it,
our cousins across the Atlantic seem less
often to fall prey to our overuse, some may
say abuse, of the word.
LATELY I CHANCED upon a telly docu-
mentary on the frequency of disasters aboard
vessels in different parts of the world, ac-
counted for because of fire and one kind or
another of unseaworthiness of the vessels.
1 here, meaning ill-trained and so incompe-
tent crews. Disastrous fires have been rfot
uncommon in recent years, in no small
measure because of crew irresponsibility and
misconduct. Those and other vessels this
writer would never board under any circum-
stance. Mistake me not. I am a veteran of old,
those glorious days of ferry runs between
Manhattan and Staten Island. From the
decks passengers watched the great ocean
liners of the 1920’s 30’s and 40’s arrive and
depart, not to mention tankers and freighters
laden with mysterious cargos from the cor-
ners of world, ports of romantic names, the
flags of all the w orld’s great maritime nations.
What may well have been the happiest of
my many years afloat were aboard the S.S.
Cape Catoche, of w hich I was for two years
master. I am also unable to recall particulars
of the vessel itself, her tonnage, only of her
being something under 500 feet in length.
HERE NOW, w ithout intent to disparage
ship designers of our times, I must question
their respect for the power and might of the
sea, especially when 1 consider their vanity
when they design and build tankers anti
cargt) vessels of 1,000 feet and more in
length. While the numbers are not great, they
are made noticeable b> vessels lost during the
decade past, including at least one on the
Great l^akes.
W ith that 1 find myself obliged to admire
the designers and builders of those WW1 1
Liberty ships which served the allies so well.
They were of about 425 feet in length. There
comes to mind the instance of a convoy,
homeward bound from England to the States
during one of the worst Atlantic storms of
the century in which three broke in two.
1 hanks to escort naval vessels in the convoy
there was no loss of life. My own ship and my
first sea command, the S.S. James Ives, also a
Liberty ship, was less than two miles from the
stricken vessels when disaster struck. Within
two hours after the last breakage there was
what seemed an explosion aboard the Ives
and the crew rushed on deck, everyone
thinking we had been torpedoed.
Following the non-explosion I looked down
from the bridge to see a wide crack in the
deck, extending from the port side of No.3
hatch to the rail. Ordering the hatch opened
enough so that the chief engineer and 1 could
go below for an inspection which resulted in
our finding the crack extended down the
hull through the shelter and tw'cen decks and
a few feet into the hold, altogether about 19
feet. The chief, a veteran of WW1 and more
than old enough to have been my father, was
among the most remarkable men 1 have ever
known, one 1 had earlier dubbed Super
Patriot because he had resigned an executive
post w ith U.S. Steel Corp to return to the sea
after Pearl Harbor. Follow ing our inspection,
we decided that he would drill a half inch
diameter hole into the hull at the end of the
crack, hopeful it would prevent it extending.
To abbreviate my story, the Ives was the only
vessel in the convoy to arrive in New York;
others making ports on the Atlantic seaboard
from Halifax, Nova Scotia, to Norfolk, Va. lri
the end, before returning to sea, those ships
and others were strapped, to use the common
term of the day. They were belted with a
three foot deep band, around the entire ship,
downward from the deck. As best I know
there are no Liberty ships any longer irt
service, certainly not under the U.S. flag. Just
as surely, no one ever dreamed of converting
one to a cruise ship. The subject is worthy of
more lineage. Perhaps another day.
James Ives may he recognized as part of
the famous 19th century team of lithograi
pliers, Nathanial Currier and Ives. President
EDR was an avid collector of their originals;
There was also a Liberty ship named fof
Currier. Those ships became so iiumcrouj
i hat suspect builders began to have t lie devil’4
own time finding names for them.
t
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
Judson, Mary. Port Aransas South Jetty (Port Aransas, Tex.), Vol. 29, No. 5, Ed. 1 Thursday, February 4, 1999, newspaper, February 4, 1999; Port Aransas, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth662798/m1/2/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Ellis Memorial Library.