The Palace Theater Kirbyville Texas 1996 ...The Last Picture Show In Kirbyville Texas

Click to enlarge the above photo. It is of me standing in front of the Palace Theater
in Kirbyville, Texas in 1996.
  When we lived in Kirbyville Texas from 1952 to 1955 we went to many many Hollywood pictures  at this theater. It was our link and window to the outside world(outside of Texas).
  Now this Last Picture show (like so many others) doesn't show movies anymore. They have country music live shows on the weekend.
I am glad we were there during the era of movies.. Nothing against country music I just think movies are more enlightening and also more entertaining.

SOME MORE SUNDAY HUMMING

Per is back! Yay!

ARISTOCATTY TRUMPET HUMMING SUNDAY SONG.

Per is back on Youtube. Hooray!

RILEY PUCKETT Ragged but Right

Good early version of this song. See the George Jones version below this one.

George Jones - Ragged But Right

Out father used to sing this song when we lived in Kirbyville in East Texas in 1952 to 1955. George Jones was from East Texas and he played guitar and sang on the streets of Port Arthur and Beaumont as a boy.
He also played at the firehouse in Kirbyville, Texas back when he was very young.
There is a biography of George Jones called Ragged But Right. It is an excellent book.

http://www.hillbilly-music.com/library/books/index.php?id=3205

Tuba Skinny Abita Springs April 2013 New!

SOME MORE SUNDAY HUMMING

Per is back on Yourtube. He lives in Denmark and plays jazz and paints. You can see and hear more of him on youtube.
Great sounds from a fine trumpet player. And a good friend. Good to have you back Per.

Forrest Gump Rides Again

I have met quite a few famous people in my life and written about them on this blog.  Blogger Eddie
Hunter(who has a blog named Chicken Fat. You can find him at blogspot.com Chicken Fat) wrote to me that I was like Forrest Gump. I was everywhere and I had met everybody.
Little did he know that Winston Groom who wrote Forrest Gump is from Mobile, Alabama and that Winston's mother Ruth Groom taught English at Murphy High School in Mobile, Alabama when I was a student there from 1955 to 1958. Its a small world after all.

I also met a man here in Arlington, Va. who told me he had a fight with Winston Groom at a cocktail party in Alexandria, Va. I think one of them threw a drink on the other and then they grabbed each other and fell into some bushes. The man was a notorious book thief. He was convicted of stealing books and pages from books from the Library of Congress. Or maybe it was valuable maps he tore out of  books. In any event he was convicted and served time for being a book thief.
I suspect the fight has something to do with the stealing of maps and papers from the Library Of Congress.

 He also owned and ran a bookshop in Alexandria, Va. 

He was shunned by all the other book people. Other book dealers and book sellers would not even speak to him after his conviction. I used to see him at estate sales. While we waited I noticed no one would talk with or to him.  One of his ancestors was a famous Confederate General.
I finally did talk to him. He seemed like a nice man to me. Stealing books and papers from the LOC(Library Of Congress) was just one part of his personality.
I often like to make friends with people no one else will talk to.

Later this man told me he had a history of Oktibbeha County Mississippi which is the county my father's family settled back in 1830.  I bought this rare book from him. He gave me a low price on the book. It was written by a judge about 100 years ago.
My family is mentioned in the book.
My family got 1000 acres in Oktibbeha and Noxubee Counties after the US govt. took the land from Choctaw and Chickasaw Indians in the treatry called The treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek  around 1830.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Dancing_Rabbit_Creek

View Larger ImageThis is the name of the book.TThis

HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF OKTIBBEHA COUNTY (MISSISSIPPI). [Local history for Oktibbeha County and Starkville, Mississippi.]

Carroll, Thomas Battle.

About the Book

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forrest_Gump_(novel)

Meeting Mickey Mantle In 1956 And Now A Gift Arrives In 2013 From Our Son

Click on the above picture to enlarge it. This was a gift from our son. He knows I was a fan of Mickey Mantle and the Yankees back in 1956.
Fine audio intervew with Mantle on the link below.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/dc-sports-bog/wp/2013/04/29/bob-wolffs-d-c-sports-audio-treasures-head-to-library-of-congress/

See below for more fine baseball cards of Mickey Mantle and my first person account of meeting the living legend in Mobile, Alabama in the spring of 1956 as the Yankees headed north from spring training. They used to stop in many towns all along the way to play exhibition games against other major league clubs. See my eye witness first hand report below these cards.












 

In the spring of 1956 I was about to turn 16 years old that year. I got a job as a ball boy after school at the baseball stadium in Mobile, Alabama just at the time the major league teams were heading north for the new baseball season. Several top teams came through Mobile that spring and played each other. I remember the Dodgers came through and I remember watching Gil Hodges clowning around during infield practice throwing the ball behind his back with his glove. I got to play catch with catcher Smokey Burgess who was with the Cincinatti Redlegs that year.
I rememeber hearing Don Drysdale who was rookie that year telling other Dodgers how many beers he had drank the night before. The Dodgers traveled on their own train so as not to have any problems in the still segregated south. The Braves came through as did the Phillies and of course my beloved New York Yankees. I got to the stadium early that day and I went in the clubhouse dressing room that was for the Yankees. I was surprised to find that only Elston Howard was there. No one else was around. I engaged him in conversation all the while wondering why he was there alone. I asked him how Mantle's leg was and he said it was getting better. It was only later that I figured out that Howard had come to the stadium alone because he had not stayed with the rest of the team wherever they were staying.
Soon the rest of team did show up and I got to see some of my baseball heroes up close down on the field. Yogi Berra, Casey Stengel,Billy Martin, and all the rest of the Yankees of the year 1956.
I happened to see Mantle walk by. I said, "Hi Mickey". He kept right on walking and did not say a word. But I had my ace in the hole. I had seen his twin brothers Ray and Roy play outfield in the Class C Cotton States League. They played left and right field for the Monroe,La. team. I had seen them play the Meridian Millers in Meridian Miss. the year before. So I called out to Mantle's back as he walked away,"I saw your brothers Ray and Roy play in the Cotton States League". He turned around and came back. I told him I had seen Ray or Roy(whichever one was in right field that night)drop a fly ball in the 9th inning that cost Monroe the ball game and that Ray or Roy turned around and threw his glove over the fence. I don't remember any more except he turned around again and walked off. He had a great year that year.

Monroe Sports
From BR Bullpen

Location: Monroe, LA
League: Cotton States League 1950-1955; Evangeline League 1956
Affiliation: Shreveport Sports 1953; New York Yankees 1955-1956
Ballpark:
The 1955 Sports featured twins Roy Mantle and Ray Mantle - brothers of Mickey Mantle. Roy made the all-star team in the OF.

Mickey Mantle

Click on the picture to enlarge it. This was a gift from our son who knows I really liked Mickey Mantle and once even met Mickey.

In the spring of 1956 I was about to turn 16 years old that year. I got a job as a ball boy after school at the baseball stadium in Mobile, Alabama just at the time the major league teams were heading north for the new baseball season. Several top teams came through Mobile that spring and played each other. I remember the Dodgers came through and I remember watching Gil Hodges clowning around during infield practice throwing the ball behind his back with his glove. I got to play catch with catcher Smokey Burgess who was with the Cincinnati Reds that year.

I remember hearing Don Drysdale who was rookie that year telling other Dodgers how many beers he had drank the night before. The Dodgers traveled on their own train so as not to have any problems in the still segregated south. The Braves came through as did the Phillies and of course my beloved New York Yankees. I got to the stadium early that day and I went in the clubhouse dressing room that was for the Yankees. I was surprised to find that only Elston Howard was there. No one else was around. I engaged him in conversation all the while wondering why he was there alone. I asked him how Mantle's leg was and he said it was getting better. It was only later that I figured out that Howard had come to the stadium alone because he had not stayed with the rest of the team wherever they were staying.

Soon the rest of team did show up and I got to see some of my baseball heroes up close down on the field. Yogi Berra, Casey Stengel,Billy Martin, and all the rest of the Yankees of the year 1956.
I happened to see Mantle walk by. I said, "Hi Mickey". He kept right on walking and did not say a word. But I had my ace in the hole. I had seen his twin brothers Ray and Roy play outfield in the Class C Cotton States League. They played left and right field for the Monroe,La. team. I had seen them play the Meridian Millers in Meridian Miss. the year before. So I called out to Mantle's back as he walked away,"I saw your brothers Ray and Roy play in the Cotton States League". He turned around and came back. I told him I had seen Ray or Roy(whichever one was in right field that night)drop a fly ball in the 9th inning that cost Monroe the ball game and that Ray or Roy turned around and threw his glove over the fence. I don't remember any more except he turned around again and walked off. He had a great year that year.

Monroe Sports
From BR Bullpen

Location: Monroe, LA
League: Cotton States League 1950-1955; Evangeline League 1956
Affiliation: Shreveport Sports 1953; New York Yankees 1955-1956
Ballpark:
The 1955 Sports featured twins Roy Mantle and Ray Mantle - brothers of Mickey Mantle. Roy made the all-star team in the OF.

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Thursday, February 18, 2010

Meeting Mickey Mantle Spring Of 1956

In the spring of 1956 I was about to turn 16 years old that year. I got a job as a ball boy after school at the baseball stadium in Mobile, Alabama just at the time the major league teams were heading north for the new baseball season. Several top teams came through Mobile that spring and played each other. I remember the Dodgers came through and I remember watching Gil Hodges clowning around during infield practice throwing the ball behind his back with his glove. I got to play catch with catcher Smokey Burgess who was with the Cincinatti Redlegs that year.
I rememeber hearing Don Drysdale who was rookie that year telling other Dodgers how many beers he had drank the night before. The Dodgers traveled on their own train so as not to have any problems in the still segregated south. The Braves came through as did the Phillies and of course my beloved New York Yankees. I got to the stadium early that day and I went in the clubhouse dressing room that was for the Yankees. I was surprised to find that only Elston Howard was there. No one else was around. I engaged him in conversation all the while wondering why he was there alone. I asked him how Mantle's leg was and he said it was getting better. It was only later that I figured out that Howard had come to the stadium alone because he had not stayed with the rest of the team wherever they were staying.
Soon the rest of team did show up and I got to see some of my baseball heroes up close down on the field. Yogi Berra, Casey Stengel,Billy Martin, and all the rest of the Yankees of the year 1956.
I happened to see Mantle walk by. I said, "Hi Mickey". He kept right on walking and did not say a word. But I had my ace in the hole. I had seen his twin brothers Ray and Roy play outfield in the Class C Cotton States League. They played left and right field for the Monroe,La. team. I had seen them play the Meridian Millers in Meridian Miss. the year before. So I called out to Mantle's back as he walked away,"I saw your brothers Ray and Roy play in the Cotton States League". He turned around and came back. I told him I had seen Ray or Roy(whichever one was in right field that night)drop a fly ball in the 9th inning that cost Monroe the ball game and that Ray or Roy turned around and threw his glove over the fence. I don't remember any more except he turned around again and walked off. He had a great year that year.

Monroe Sports
From BR Bullpen

Location: Monroe, LA
League: Cotton States League 1950-1955; Evangeline League 1956
Affiliation: Shreveport Sports 1953; New York Yankees 1955-1956
Ballpark:
The 1955 Sports featured twins Roy Mantle and Ray Mantle - brothers of Mickey Mantle. Roy made the all-star team in the OF.

Tuba Skinny On Royal Street 4/13/13

Tuba Skinny On Royal Street #2 4/13/13

Tuba Skinny French Market Stage @ French Quarter Fest 2013

Tuba Skinny at French Quarter Fest 2013

Tuba Skinny Playing "Deep Henderson" at French Quarter Festival 4.14.13

Friday Night Surprise Sam Kosko At The Union Station McDonald's In Washington, D.C.

Well Sam Kosko finally made it to YouTube.

Edward Douglass White The Man And The Statue

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Douglass_White

In the post  below this one you can see the bottom of a statue. It is located in front of the Louisiana Supreme Court building at 400 Royal Street in New Orleans, La.
It is located directly across the street from Brennan's Restaurant one of the most famous restaurants in New Orleans.

The present Louisiana Supreme Court building opened in the French Quarter in 1910.

   I was curious about the building since I used to walk past it almost every day when we lived in New Orleans in 1965 and 1966. Now I find out it is The Louisiana Supreme Court building and the statue of the man in fron is of Edward Douglass White. See above wikipedia link for information about this most interesting man.
   The statue was put there in 1926 and was recently cleaned and restored.

 

Tuba Skinny-Royal st

As the camera swings and pans around in this video you can see the front of the Louisiana State Supreme Court building. Also you can see the bottom of a statue of a man in front of the building.
It is a statue of Edward Douglass White. See the post above this one for more information about this interesting man.

Tuba Skinny-Shine on Harvest Moon

If you can't go to New Orleans this is the next best thing.

Super Good Radio Interview With Meridian Mississippi's Own Chris Ethridge A Founding Member Of The Flying Burrito Brothers.

Link below is to a super good radio interview in Mississippi with Chris Ethridge aired on October 31, 2010.
He is from Meridian Mississippi and was one of the founders of The Flying Burrito Brothers. And he also toured with Willie Nelson for over 5 years. He passed away recently. He was a highly regarded bass player and studio musician on many famous albums of the 1960s and 1970s and 1980s.
His memories of those times and the musicians he played with is well worth the time to listen to.
Mississippi Arts Hour has many more Mississippi Artists on radio shows in their archives. Check them out.
http://www.arts.state.ms.us/podcast/mp3/2010/miss_arts_hour_10312010.mp3


Below is a link to the Mississippi Arts Hour. There you will see an archive of all their past programs.
http://mpbonline.org/mississippiartshour/

Big Joe Williams - Bottle Up and Go

This song Bottle Up and Go is on a Big Joe Williams album titled Big Joe Williams at  Folk City. Recorded in 1962. It was the first Big Joe Williams record I ever bought. He grew up on my grandfather's farm in Crawford Mississippi. He left in the 1920s or 1930s and only came back for visits until he came home for good around 1970. I finally met him in 1975. I went with him and George Cummings( of Dr. Hook and The MedicineShow fame ) to Muscle Shoals in 1978 where they recorded together. I have many more posts on this blog about Big Joe Williams and also George Cummings. Look for them. See list over on the right hand side of this page.

If you go to youtube from this video you will find many more Big Joe songs. Bottle Up and Go is one of my favorites.

 

http://mpbonline.org/mississippiartshour/big_joe_williams_blues/