Willie, Mickey, and the Duke

So let's hear first from the Dodger fans. Here is Dave Anderson the great Times sports writer (and Holy Cross grad) rising to praise The Duke of Flatbush:

Over their careers, Mays and Mantle each earned adulation as arguably the best baseball player ever. Snider never did, but for a time in the ’50s the Duke of Flatbush was better than either of them. He hit 407 home runs, almost all for the Dodgers in Brooklyn and Los Angeles, and a few for the Mets and the Giants at the end. But in the ’50s he hit more home runs than Mays or Mantle or anybody else in the big leagues.

Duke of Flatbush, a Brooklyn Icon - NYTimes.com

First day of spring - Circling City Island

We're a week short of the liturgical first day of spring -  Fat Tuesday - but that is just convenience and convention.  The real first day is the first one on the water.  That was today - when I rowed around City Island in my 8 foot plastic Walker Bay skiff.

Duke Snider, a Prince of New York’s Golden Age of Baseball, Dies at 84 - NYTimes.com

When I was a boy New York was blessed with three great center fielders - Mickey Mantle, Duke Snider, and Willie Mays - the greatest of three greats. We lost The Duke of Flatbush yesterday. I was a Dodger fan - and so a Snider partisan. I saw him play at Ebbetts Field. I remember falling asleep at a twilight-night double-header against the St. Louis Cardinals.  I saw The Duke and the Cards' Stan Musial hit home runs that night over the towering - but near right field fence on the Bedford Avenue side of the stadium.

Duke Snider, a Prince of New York’s Golden Age of Baseball, Dies at 84 - NYTimes.com

Snowy Day - Tidemark Gallery

Sign of spring: Tidemark Gallery in Waldoboro, Maine announces it will reopen on March 2.

Dr. Ruth and Nate Berkus on Clearing Clutter - NYTimes.com

Dr. Ruth and Nate Berkus on Clearing Clutter - NYTimes.com

Tugster: Blog for 'Sixth Borough,' the Waterfront - NYTimes.com

Tugster: Blog for 'Sixth Borough,' the Waterfront - NYTimes.com

Finally - recognition for the work of Will VanDorp - Tugster - for whom every ship and every tide brings a new sense of wonder about the harbor.   And fter you check out Tugster, go to his pen and ink counterpart - Bowsprite

Friendship - President's Day 2011

slideshow HERE

The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust: A Haven for Elephants and Rhinos

The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust: A Haven for Elephants and Rhinos


Below an infant elephant takes its first steps.  Astonishing, delightful video footage.

The Suburbs - Arcade Fire

I just want you to know that I already owned The Suburbs by Arcade Fire - the Canadian Group which won album of the year.  I'm so relieved that there is something current that I know about.   I've never seen American Idol, I didn't recognize any of the groups on the Times top 10 downloads list (except for Rihanna - who I've heard of but couldn't identify any of her songs).  So here's my favorite by Arcade Fire.

Happy V Day - Bowsprite style

Thanks to Bowsprite

W. O. DECKER (1930)
Hull Material: WOOD
Ship Builder: Russell Drydock. Rebuilt in 2005-2006, C. Deroko et al.
Length (ft.): 47.8
Hull Depth (ft.): 5.6
Gross Tonnage: 27
Net Tonnage: 18

8TH SEA (1953)
Hull Material: STEEL
Ship Builder: American Electric Welding
Length (ft.): 45
Hull Depth (ft.): 7.9
Gross Tonnage: 29
Net Tonnage: 23

See Tugster’s site for more romantic shots: http://tugster.wordpress.com/2008/09/08/noses-3/

The science of kissing : philematology. Contribute to science…kiss a tugwoman/tugman.

Happy Valentine's Day - 情人节快乐

Happy Valentine's Day! 

情人节快乐！

- George

Kelly Slater & top surfers coming to Long Island

Kelly Slater, 10 time world champion and other top surfers are coming to Long Island, chasing a million dollar purse, the Times reports.  I remember trying to surf on a heavy 11 foot surfboard at Gilgo Beach.  


I wasn't the swimmer that my brother Peter was.  When I could catch a wave I had only a few seconds of fun as the board slipped down the wave face - no fancy turns, etc.  But I got a glimpse of what fun it could be.  I have seen the surf at Rincon Point near Santa Barabara and seen the kind of conditions in which Kelly Slater is featured here.

Bowsprite - a New York Harbor Sketchbook

Have I mentioned Bowsprite?  She rides her bike all around lower Manhattan (mainly) and paints fanciful ink drawings of the harbor and waterfront.  Never seen a pink tugboat?  You have now.  Her tools are below.  You'll find her at Bowsprite - a New York Harbor Sketchbook.

China - it's not just bullet trains and skyscrapers

It's great scenes like this from a market in the Chinese City of Yulin by Brian Glucroft, guest blogger for James Fallows at The Atlantic.

Hinckley Sou'wester

I remember the day in the summer of 1960.  It was blowing 25 from the southwest, the Sound covered with whitecaps, as we watched a single sailboat push through the chop, under jib and mizzen, approaching the old harbor at Block Island.  Everyone knew enough to stay at the dock that day.  But that rule didn't apply to the hardy couple who had a Hinckley Sou'wester.  It could have been this boat.