The Pecan Park Eagle

Sometimes the mind stops grazing over catchy little recognitions and won’t-go-away thoughts and decides to record them, either to get them put out of the way – or to light the fires of ignition somewhere in the name of further action.

My “This & That” items for today feature one of each type – and in the same order presented above. The first has to do with two people that I think are look-a-likes, enough to be brothers, per se. The second features a question about the history of Houston street signs that quickly expands into many other related, albeit mundane, areas of local history:

In the above side-by-side, Jim Crane (left) is the far more recognizable figure as the new majority owner of the Houston Astros. Every since I first met him in person at a function prior to the season, however, I’ve been stuck with this incredible identity transference because of how much he both looks and moves about in much the same way as my retired investor cousin Jim Hunt (right).

To me, the two “Jims” look enough alike to have been blood brothers – or  father and son, at least.What do you think?

In a selfish way, I almost wish they were brothers, even at the risk of them both then being more like the other than they presently are. We would then either have an Astros owner who was deeply dedicated to the presentation of club history, including the preservation of “Tai’s Hill”  – or I would have a cousin who only allowed me into his house if I passed through the turnstile at his front door.

This concrete street sign still stands at the NE corner of Japonica @ Flowers in Houston where it has been for the past approximately 70 years. On the other side of that fence behind the sign, lived the mother of Gus and Frank Mancuso. It was just a half block away from where I grew up in Pecan Park at 6646 Japonica.

That old concrete street sign ought to have some value to the history of street signage in Houston. Do we have anyone out there working on the identification, collection, preservation, and presentation of these kinds of items in Houston history? This one is special to me because of its location in the middle of so many childhood memories, but I would think all these old items are important to the story of the literal and figurative roads we have travelled as a community over the years.

If nothing else, I would gladly take this one home with me, if it were both possible and permissible, but I would prefer it to go to some organization like the Houston Heritage Society for the eventual display to the community.

Do we have anything in motion for the study and disposition of mundane historical artifacts of Harris County or the Greater Houston Area? And, come to think of it, do we know what the oldest continuing, still-in-business store, shop, or for-profit small business entity is in Houston as of September 1, 2012?

History. So many questions. So little time. And not enough ready access to money for doing things right.

Add a “Whatnot” to today’s tab …

Season Ticket holders who can make it safely as runners from 1st to 3rd on a sharply hit ball to right will receive a 50% discount on their 2013 renewal package. Those who are thrown out will pay double for their tickets in 2013.

Every runner will be given this uniform and warpaint to wear on his and her tears from 1st to 3rd base.

All 2012 Astros Season Ticket holders will be given the chance to try their luck as runners for a better ticket price in 2013. On “Run for Your Price Break” Night, each ticket holder will step onto the field as a runner at 1st with the starting Astros lineup on the field. Owner Jim Crane will personally be there to fungo bat sharply hit singles to right field for each runner.

Each runner must try to reach 3rd base from 1st safely. Stopping at second, or getting thrown out in progress, will result in doubling the quoted price for his or tickets in 2013. Ticket holding runners who make it safely to 3rd base, however, will receive a 50% discount on their 2013 quoted package price.

Those who choose not to participate will simply either pay the quoted Astros package price by the team’s payment deadline, or else, surrender their options and accrued benefits and be forced to start over at the end of the line as new ticket applicants should they later change their minds.

Bud Selig

Oh, yes, one more thing: Commissioner Bud Selig has agreed to serve as the umpire on all ticket holder runs from 1st to 3rd.

Fair enough?

Tags: baseball lagniappe, historical nostalgia

This entry was posted on September 11, 2012 at 2:14 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.