Pottstown Rumble 2013 - Misty May-Treanor Will Be Here

     It's official!  Three time Olympic gold medalist Misty May-Treanor will be in Pottstown for the annual volleyball rumble June 21-23. The Pottstown Rumble is one of the nations largest grass volleyball tournaments and is played on the Memorial Park fields. With May-Treanor attending it will give the event even more star power. Thousands from around the United States and some from other countries make Pottstown their home for the weekend.
     And I can say that I have been a part of it playing in the tournament with different partners over the years.  Volleyball was my sport and an outlet for me for over 25 years but time moves on and playing competitively has to come to an end.
     Early on I played in three different leagues per week and couldn't get enough. I wasn't playing two man beach style volleyball at the time. But twice a week I played against some very good athletes. Guys that could set and others that could drill the ball with a powerful spike.
     And that what I liked to do. Take the days frustration out on that white ball and smash the snot out of it when someone set you up with a perfect ball. Bang! And I'd get a big smile on my face. Other times I'd get roofed and the ball blocked back into my face. But that was part of the fun.
     On the third night I ran a co-ed team in the Norco league with wife Deb, other family members and friends. This was a good league but not nearly as intense but a fine way to enjoy the game with family.
     Then twenty-two years ago Ken Kaas a true volleyball lifer started the Volleyball Rumble with a bunch of friends. From the start the tournament was a big hit. I played a number of years with Ken on the six man teams, some years on the same squad other times across the net from him.
     I don't remember if I played in the very first Rumble, but got to play a number of times.  Some years I had a justified conflict as our daughter Kelli's birthday is on June 22nd. She is a married adult with kids these days and not as concerned that Deb and I don't spend the entire day with her. But back then I'd get the question, "You aren't going to play volleyball and miss my birthday are you dad?" Of course my answer was that the day was hers to do what she wanted and we would be with her. I'd sneak down early to watch a little bit but family came first.
     Other years I'd work for The Mercury and photograph the event.  I think this was harder knowing I had no family commitments and still I couldn't get on the court.  But on the years I signed up to play, I couldn't wait for the weekend to get here. Sometimes I wondered why I played. The weather would get hot into the 90s and as I got older the guys around me got younger and the court seemed to get bigger. That couldn't have been due to the fact that I was over forty. Nah! And come Monday morning I'd be scratched up from diving trying to dig balls before they'd touch the grass. My knees ached and right shoulder would be sore as I hobbled into work. But it never stopped me. I loved volleyball.
     Some years we'd get beaten badly by teams. Other years we'd go far in our tourney bracket and into the final rounds. When teamed up with my brother Gary one year, I was dragging with high temps and the sun beating down on me.  If we won our last game against our bracket opponent we'd make it into the medal round. Sweating, I told him let's just lose this and go home, but that didn't happen and we continued to play. You give it what you got and I couldn't quit no matter how I was feeling.
    The Rumble grew and grew. Kaas is like a carnival barker, but humble. He always has a new idea up his sleeve to push at the event. Early on he held a swim suit contest. One year he brought out a motorcycle stuntman to jump across the Manatawny Creek to keep drawing interest. On opening morning at the start he sends up booming fireworks to let people know what's going on. Last year they had Gary Fry owner of the Craft Ale House and also an avid volleyball player serving up the local Sly Fox Beers inside the beer tent.  And now one of the highlights for the never tiring showman will be to have an Olympic gold medalist as part of the festivities.
     But Kaas is the first one to say that he couldn't keep the tournament running without his family and close knit friends. They start setting up piles of nets and fencing during the middle of the week. Once the suns sets they don't just sit down in a chair with a cold drink. You'll see them bumping, setting and spiking getting together for pickup games on a nice evening.
     You can spot him wearing a red, white and blue rumble shirt,  running around the grounds with a walkie talkie in hand and biting down on the short stub of a stogie.
     I'm scheduled to shoot photos again this year and will look forward to seeing some of the old faces I know that keep playing the game and the younger ones that move around effortlessly from corner to corner heads better than I could have ever wanted to be.
     Let's count on some sunny skies and good weather. Keep it in the low 90s to have these guys and girls sweat a little to get that victory. Welcome to Pottstown Misty May-Treanor. You will be surprised to see how a small town can put on a big-time tournament.
    
     

Travel-The Grand Teton National Park and Jackson Hole, Wyoming

Mount Moran reflected in Jackson Lake

    Floating on the Snake River as part of a rafting trip with my wife Deb and looking up at the Grand Teton Mountains is spectacular. The two-hour float capped several days in Jackson Hole, Wyoming  and is a part of the country where I could spend months. The veteran guide navigated the swift moving current and we felt safe. He was in complete control rowing and offering bits of wisdom and watched for bald eagles for us as we floated. The eagles were gliding above the water searching for cutthroat trout to swoop down and snatch for a meal.

Strick's Pix and Deb on float trip

Bald Eagle along Snake River

     There was plenty of time to take snapshots and there wasn't any sections of white
water to contend with. As advertised it is a float trip. I'm not looking for a rip roaring ride just a calm, easy drift downstream. But it's not a river to take lightly and can be dangerous to novices with little river knowledge floating without a guide.
     I never tired of viewing the Teton range and would like to hike on more of the trails in the area. While in the Grand Teton National Park I shot photos of Mount Moran reflecting in Jackson Lake and snapped others at Jenny Lake.  I made a number of nice pictures but seeing the range up close is what keeps me going on these trips. The sky was constantly changing as clouds filled in over the craggy tops. A short time later the mountains are bathed in sunlight, set against an emerald sky.
     There were other things to do in town as we

Deb at Antler Arch

shot the required picture standing in the Jackson Hole town square beside one of the antler arches. We did some shopping and Deb found a moose charm for her bracelet. She looks for a charm from each trip we take as a memento of our travels. Then we sauntered over to the Million Dollar Saloon straddling a saddle seat bar stool for a couple beverages. It's all part of the experience.

Dinner at Bar J Chuckwagon

     That evening we had dinner at Bar J Chuckwagon. You are given a tin cup and can wet your whistle with lemonade, water and ice tea which come with your meal. With a seating capacity of 750,  the bell rings and hungry wranglers line up holding onto a tin plate as workers ladle out a variety of dinner choices along with a baked potato, baked beans and other trimmings. I had the beef bar-b-q and Deb had a rib eye steak. The ranch hands get all the diners through the line in less than 25 minutes.  The meal was very
tasty and brought a smile to Deb's face enjoying the experience.

View of The Grand Tetons

     After dinner the Bar J Wranglers entertain the crowd with western musical numbers mixing in comedy and foot stomping fun for the crowd.
It's definitely part of the trip itinerary each time I'd travel to Jackson Hole.
 And on that note there is talk with my brother Gary about a trip out to the Grand Tetons for some trout fishing in the fine streams and rivers in Wyoming and some hiking in the back country. So I'm on a mission to learn how to fly fish so I'm not such a tin horn when I get to the stream. I'll see if I can master the art form before heading West again.

Speeding in a Work Zone

     Last week troopers from Pa. State Police and Lower Pottsgrove Township officers worked together on a traffic detail for drivers to slow down on Route 422 in a work zone in Lower Pottsgrove Township.
     Motorists continue to ignore the 40 mph designation in the area, many driving through the zone above the normal highway 55 mph. I was sent on assignment to the highway construction area to record photos for the website and The Mercury to get the word for drivers to follow the designated speed reduction or be ticketed by police.
     It didn't take long for a string of cars to get pulled over. After four hours 39 citations were written. Officers will continue to monitor the area and keep it safe.
     I don't profess to always stay under the speed limit and at times will look down at the speedometer and see I'm moving along, but as I get older I'm not hurrying down the highway as much. In a construction zone I try to stay as close to the limited speed limit as I can.
     The other day I was driving in the construction zone and tried to keep my car at 40. I was more worried about cars flying up on my back watching in the rear view mirror as drivers again were ignoring the speed limit. Many buzzed by like I was standing still.
     The only way I can see to get people serious to follow the rule is to constantly run a traffic stop so that motorists get the idea that its time to lower speeds not only for the driver snaking through the barriers but also for workers on the ground and in slow moving construction vehicles.
     If that doesn't slow them down keep writing the tickets. They can probably solve the national debt with all the money drivers will pay for their lack of concern in these areas.

Spring-Ford Rams Girls are State Basketball Champs

     This was the year the Spring-Ford Rams girls basketball teams would win it all. They weren't going to be denied the title. Nothing would keep them from obtaining a state championship they thought they'd win last year. But in 2012 Spring-Ford was stopped in a state playoff game.
     Not this year. They played with reckless abandon. None of the girls were worried about how many points they scored or how long they were on the court. It was team work from day one. And it paid dividends as the season progressed with a PAC-10 and District One title.
     But it would take two hard fought games at the end of the season to be the champs. The Rams were getting their chance in the state finals by beating a tough Cardinal O'Hara team in the semi-final round.
     It was a bus ride to their destiny, a trip to Hershey and their PIAA state game against Cumberland Valley in the Giant Center. What a beautiful field house for the girls to play their final game. Bigger and better than the fine court they play their home games on.
     I can only imagine what goes through a high school seniors head walking onto a court with pressure to win knowing they won't be back for another try next year. There were the early nerves after tip off but the girls got back on track patiently working the ball around for an open shot.
 
I don't think Cumberland Valley was aware of the type of players they were going against. Cumberland was overwhelmed by a swarming Brittany Moore, Sammy Stipa and Sammi Haas diving on the floor to secure the basketball.  Sarah Payonk and Courtney Hinnant would tightly guard on defense under the basket. And Shelby Mueller, and Maggie Locke fought for rebounds and then put the ball back up against a trio of six footers. Coach Jeff Rinehimer and staff sent in the right instructions.
    If Cumberland swatted the ball away on a layup the Rams would dish it out past the arc and one of them would drain a three point jump shot, slowly pulling away from a very good team. The players went full blast for four quarters until the final buzzer sounded with them victorious by a score of 60-45.
     It was celebration time holding the cherished trophy. Hugs and tears, smiles and cheers.  The 2012-13 Spring-Ford Rams are the PIAA Girls AAAA State Champions, the best girls team in the history of their school, the PAC-10 and this year the state.
     They took a deep breath after it was over, able to successfully finish what they started. But if it were up to the seniors, they'd probably lace up the sneakers and do it again.
    

The Abandoned Luncheonette

     In 1973 Daryl Hall and John Oates released the album Abandoned Luncheonette that became a top seller. I was in the eleventh grade and remember walking through one of the stores at the Coventry Mall when I spotted the cover of the album. The hand colored artwork gave it a unique charm. I checked it out but had to put it back on the rack as I didn't have the money with me to make a purchase.
     I figured one day I'd get back to buy one not only because I like the music but because of the local connection with the Rosedale Diner and former North Coventry resident Daryl Hall. But, I never did and before you know it years had gone by. I listened to music on the radio all the time, but didn't always buy an album.

The Abandoned Luncheonette in Kenilworth

     One afternoon, while driving down Route 724 in Kenilworth I looked over at the old diner that I passed almost daily while out shooting pictures for The Mercury. The luncheonette was really starting to get rundown and overgrown with brush so I took the extra time, pulled off the road and walked over to get a better look.
     I wanted to take some photos as a keepsake. So I snapped a bunch of pictures in black and white for history sake. I figured it wouldn't be long until the diner would be hauled away as bits and pieces of wood and metal were being pulled off by fans who wanted a souvenir to remember the famous musicians.
     While looking around from the road, the owner spotted me and came over to see what I was doing. He had problems in the past with people entering the rickety structure. I assured him that all I wanted was to grab a couple of photos to keep in my archives. The photo hadn't been published in The Mercury until this year when we did a feature piece on the band and the album. I dug through a bunch of my old 11x14 inch prints and found it in the bottom of a box. I dusted it off and recopied it for publication.
     It's hard to believe that this will be the fortieth anniversary of the albums debut and I can say I'm still a fan of the duet. Even though I no longer have a turntable,  I'm going to hunt down an old copy of the album just to add to the other ones that I don't play. I should have bought the one I picked up all those years ago.

Happy Trails Sally Starr

     I kissed another part of my childhood goodbye with the passing of Philadelphia television personality Sally Starr. Thinking of her brought back some memories when I spent time on weekday afternoons in front of the black and white tv.
     Normally I would drop my books and run right out of the front door when I got home from school. But on a rainy day I would warm up the old Zenith and turn to Channel 6 for Sally Starr's Popeye Theater. I figured my mom was praying for sunshine to get my brother and me out of the house instead of us horsing around like bandits and cowboys.

Sally Starr

     We'd have our plastic pearl handled six shooters in our holsters wearing cowboy boots and acting like Roy Rogers. We'd pull the trigger on those guns and the smell from the caps would fill the room. How my mom put up with us I don't know but she did turn gray haired fairly young. Those were definitely innocent times and I'm glad I grew up in the late 50s and 60s.
     But when it was dreary out I'd listen to Sally tell stories while waiting for the Popeye cartoons she would run on her two hour show. The one eyed sailor man with pipe in mouth and bulging forearms would battle the bearded bad guy Bluto who always tried to steal his girl Olive Oyl. The story line seemed the same and they'd tussle until Popeye would mumble those words, " That's all I can stand and I can't stands no more." He'd grab a can of spinich and smash his nemesis in the mush sending him into orbit.
     Then it would be back to 'Yur Gal Sal' and another skit. She was on television from 1951 until 1972 a long run in the tv world today.
     I met Sally Starr in 1988 on an assignment to photograph her for a Mercury article. I told her how I watched the show years before and out came that smile of hers. She was very friendly making it an easy photo shoot.
     Seasoned workers in the newsroom recalled Sally Starr and other tv personalities airing on Philadelphia stations including Happy the Clown, Pixanne, Captain Noah, Gene London, Captain Kangaroo and Chief Halftown. We could use more shows like these for kids instead of the afternoon crap talk shows that are on for adults. But times have changed.
     I was a cartoon watching enthusiast as a little guy.  From Bugs Bunny and Yosemite Sam to Tom and Jerry, Saturday mornings were my favorite times until I got kicked out of the house to play outside. I have to say that I saw my share of those celluloid characters and enjoyed all of them.
    And I won't forget the words of wisdom that I learned from Popeye to keep me on an even keel. "I yam what I yam."  Happy trails Sally.
    

Shooting Photos on COLD Winter Days

     Why do I want my house a warm seventy-six degrees in winter and on a hot steamy summer day I want it a chilly sixty-eight. It's one of those oddities I can't figure out, but last week it has been COLD! No doubt about it winter is finally here, the ground is rock solid and overnight temperatures are in the single digits.

The snow was so light on cold day it could be cleared with a leaf blower.

     Luckily, the lingering cough and runny nose I had were finally showing signs of ending just as the arctic blast hits the area.  There is nothing worse for me than to be out shooting photos with a fever and feeling like I'm frozen to the bone.
     No getting around it, I can't hide in the office and wait for it to pass. The news of the day will have something to do with the weather and I have to cover whatever happens outdoors.
     So out I go looking for photos with my hat pulled way down over my ears, gloves on and a hooded sweatshirt adding another layer of clothing before I button up my winter coat. I feel like the character Randy in the movie Christmas Story who was so heavily bundled up for a walk to school he couldn't put his arms down.
     The first day or two is tough and I'm shivering not yet adjusted after several weeks of milder weather. But, once I'm out for several days I get used to it and not affected as much. Don't get me wrong, I don't want to stay out all afternoon. I don't know how borough workers can repair broken water mains with water soaking them. Wrangling with tools in these muddy holes and trying to bolt down collars over cracked pipes. This has got to be one of the tougher jobs when the wind blows so cold.
     When it snowed last week I could drive around any corner and find a page one photo while I looked for daily coverage of the storm. With the large snowflakes falling residents were on it right away shoveling, salting and cleaning off vehicles. But as the winter gets longer and the weather continues people tire of the snow and the cold and just stay inside. It's as if they wave a white flag and give up to Mother Nature.
     I looked on line to see if  freezing temperatures over a period of time helps kill off germs.  The answer was no as noted by various scientific folks. I still prefer a good week of these frozen days. The air seems cleaner and better to breath. And it can't hurt to freeze up the moldy, soggy ground after all the rainy days in the forties this winter.
     So I'm not going to complain as I slog around on a bitter windy day. I know it's not going to last forever. Ground Hog Day is this Saturday, so at worst ole Pux'y Phil will give us is another six weeks of bad weather. That's not so tough to take though winter does seem to last longer than summer.
     The other day I walked into The Mercury building bundled up and definitely not making a fashion statement. The workers downstairs didn't envy me for having to go outside and were content to work at their desks.
     So I reminded them laughing that when the calender changes to May with temperatures starting to climb and Spring Fever affecting every worker, that I earned my days out shooting pictures under the sun after working through all those dreary days of winter.