Pensacola Magazine - November-December 2012

Pensacola • Your City • Your Magazine November/December 2012

The History of

Baseball In Pensacola

Inside

www.pensacolamagazine.com

First City Art Center • Impact 100 Grant Winners • Holiday Events

editor’s note > my two cents on the subject

Kelly Oden Executive Editor

Pensacola’s history is rich indeed. From de Luna’s landing to Galvez and the Battle of Pensacola, we have many stories to tell. One I had not discovered until recently is Pensacola’s long history with America’s favorite pastime: baseball. I’d heard a few stories here and there, but I’d never put the whole picture together.

It turns out WSRE has done that for me with their recent documentary aptly titled Baseball in Pensacola. The documentary chronicles the rich history of the sport as it unfolded in America’s first city and allows viewers to travel back in time to meet teams from the 1800s all the way to present day and catch a glimpse into the passion for the sport with local legends and baseball greats. WSRE’s Jill Hubbs has written a great companion piece in this month’s issue of Pensacola Magazine. I hope you enjoy the fantastic vintage photos and the fascinating history they encompass.

A mainstay of the Pensacola arts scene has undergone a tremendous transformation. Formerly known as the Belmont Arts Center, the city’s hub for hands on art exploration has moved to the Longhollow neighborhood and changed its name to the First City Art Center. The new digs are spacious and much better suited for the growth we expect to see form this Pensacola treasure.

Read about the move and the center’s programming in this issue as well—then go become a member and support the arts!

This issue also offers plenty of ideas for holiday cheer, healthy eating tips, profiles of the Impact 100 grant winners and so much more. As always, happy reading!

Pick up any of our magazines at one of these fine locations: Barnes and Noble Ever’man Natural Foods Bookseller 315 W. Garden St. 1200 Airport Blvd.

Pensacola, FL 32501 Pensacola, FL 32504 850-438-0402 850-969-9554 Varona’s Airport Gift Shop Family Christian Stores Area Books-A-Million 1520 Airport Blvd.

Area Walmart Stores Pensacola, FL 32504 Area Bruno’s Stores 850-474-9324 Area K-Mart Stores

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Contents departments

features First City Art Center ...................27 A Moving Story

holidays Holiday Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 food Holiday Dishes You Can Share with Others . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

Baseball in Pensacola ..................34

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american cancer society New Area Executive Director . . . . . . . .16 UWF book club The Sense of an Ending . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 awards Impact 100 Awards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

14.

repeats datebook .....................40 pensacola seen ............43 Cover: Babe Ruth shakes hands with Johnnie Humphries who was an officer with the Pensacola Police Department. This picture was shared with WSRE by a Pensacola family whose relatives witnessed “The Babe� play in an exhibition game at Legion Field.

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November/December 2012 P UBLISHER M A L C O L M B A L L I N G E R

malcolm@ballingerpublishing.com E DITOR K E L LY O D E N

kelly@ballingerpublishing.com A RT D IRECTOR R I TA L AY M O N

rita@ballingerpublishing.com G RAPHIC K A S S I E M C L E A N D ESIGNER & kassie@ballingerpublishing.com A DVERTISING C OORDINATOR C OPY E DITOR E M I LY L U L L O

emily@ballingerpublishing.com E DITORIAL J O S H N E W BY A SSISTANT josh@ballingerpublishing.com E DITORIAL C H R I S T I E N N E C L O U T I E R I NTERN christienne@ballingerpublishing.com G RAPHIC A RT K AT H R Y N E Y A N C E I NTERN kathryne@ballingerpublishing.com S ALES & SHARYON MILLER, ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE EXT. 28 M ARKETING sharyon@ballingerpublishing.com CAROLINE MARTIN, ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE EXT. 31 caroline@ballingerpublishing.com C ONTRIBUTING R O B I N B LY N • N I K I U Z O W U L U W RITERS J O D I B R O W N

O WNERS M A L C O L M & G L E N Y S B A L L I N G E R P UBLISHER M A L C O L M B A L L I N G E R

malcolm@ballingerpublishing.com E XECUTIVE K E L LY O D E N E DITOR kelly@ballingerpublishing.com A RT D IRECTOR R I TA L AY M O N

rita@ballingerpublishing.com G RAPHIC K A S S I E M C L E A N D ESIGNER & kassie@ballingerpublishing.com A DVERTISING C OORDINATOR E DITOR E M I LY L U L L O

emily@ballingerpublishing.com

E DITORIAL J O S H N E W BY A SSISTANT josh@ballingerpublishing.com S ALES & SHARYON MILLER, ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE EXT. 28 M ARKETING sharyon@ballingerpublishing.com CAROLINE MARTIN, ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE EXT. 31 caroline@ballingerpublishing.com SIMONE SANDS, ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE EXT. 21 simone@ballingerpublishing.com W EBSITE

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holidays

Compiled by Christienne Cloutier

Holiday Calendar UWF Presents A Christmas Carol December 6-9, 13-16 Charles Dicken’s classic tale of stingy Mr. ‘Bah Humbug’ himself, Ebenezer Scrooge, is brought to life by the University of West Florida Department of Theatre for its fifth season. Enjoy the story of Scrooge’s emotional transformation as he is visited by four spiritsJacob Marley and the Christmas spirits of past, present and future.

Experience the true spirit of Christmas awakening inside us all. For more information contact the box office at 857-6285 or contact the theatre at theatre@uwf.edu.

Christmas Creations November 16-17 The 35th Annual Christmas Creations Arts and Crafts show features crafters and artisans selling handmade items. A holiday luncheon will be available for $10 on Saturday from 11 am - 1:30 pm with tickets available at the door. The “Gingerbread House” will be selling homemade breads, cakes, pie, sweetbread and more.

Admission is free. The mission of Christmas Creations is to raise $10,000 for ministries in the community that serve women and children. First United Methodist Church is located at 6 East Wright St. in Pensacola. For more information visit fumcpensacola.com.

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Seville Quarter Turkey Trot 5K November 17 Get on your feet before you eat at this Thanksgiving 5K event! Run begins at Seville Quarter at 8 am on Saturday, November 17. Participants can register at Running Wild or call 434-6211 or visit sevillequarter.com for more information Winterfest 2012 November 23 through December 23 Only through the magic of Winterfest can you relive memories of the Polar Express. From the moment you enter Christmas Town Wonderland at the courthouse on Palafox Street, the snow begins to fall. Stop in to see Santa for your holiday portrait or experience three exciting tours and also the performances of Winterfest 2012, which will light up the beautiful downtown Pensacola from Historic Seville to the Palafox Business District. The flagship Performance Tour features 12 fun performances with your favorite holiday characters including Snoopy, Elvis, Frosty, and the Whos of Whoville on an hour-long trolley ride around downtown Pensacola. The special Santa's Express Tour the week before Christmas is great for young children with Santa

and Rudolph along for the trolley ride.

Downtown opening night starts off with the Elf Parade on November 23. Elves line up at 4:45. Performance Tours run November 23 and 24, December 1, 14, 15, and 16. Take a jolly trip with Santa from Plaza Wonderland through highlights of our holiday season. This 30-minute tour is especially great for young children and out of town guests. Santa rides every night December 18 through December 22. For more information and to see a calendar of events, visit pensacolawinterfest.org.

Emerald Coast Bead Society Annual Holiday Show December 1 The Emerald Coast Bead Society presents their holiday show featuring handcrafted jewelry, batik clothing, macramé items, soft-sculpture dolls, purses, paintings and more artistic creations. There will be live music. Located at the Wright Place at 80 East Wright St, Pensacola. From 9-5 pm on December 1. For more information contact Mary Jordan 455-6109.

45th Annual Snowball Derby November 28 through December 2 Held annually at the half-mile Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, the race has been contested every year since 1968. Attracting big names in the short track racing, the race sometimes draws an occasional NASCAR star or two from the major series. For more information about the event and to purchase tickets visit snowballderby.com.

Choral Society of Pensacola Presents George Frederic Handel’s Messiah December 1 Enjoy a holiday masterpiece as part of its 2012-2013 Season. The Choral Society of Pensacola will host a holiday concert at St. Paul’s Catholic Church on Saturday, December 1 at 7:30 pm. Conducted by Xiaolun Chen,

Choral Society’s artistic director, the group will perform George Frederic Handel’s Messiah. The performance includes the moving soprano aria “I Know That My Redeemer Liveth,” and “Hallelujah.” To purchase season tickets or for more information, please call the Choral Society of Pensacola office at 484-1806. Tickets for individual concerts are $20 for reserved seating, $15 for general admission and $5 for students.

Gulf Coast Chorale Presents Simply Christmas December 1 The Gulf Coast Chorale 2012-2013 series begins with Simply Christmas at St. Ann Catholic Church, Gulf Breeze on December 1. Concert tickets are $10 for general admission and $5 for students. Tickets can be purchased in advance at gulfcoastchorale.org or by calling 549-6680 or 777-1044.

Downtown Christmas Parade December 8 The annual parade, which draws over 50,000 people to downtown Pensacola, begins at 5:15 pm. on Palafox Avenue. The Christmas Parade includes local bands from every high school in Escambia County, the nationally renowned Blue Angels flight team, groups from around the region, and as far away as Houston and New Orleans.

Preceding the parade is the popular 1.2 miles Christmas Parade Dash, sponsored by the Pensacola Runners Association. Entry fees must be received no later than November 24. For more information visit coxpensacolachristmasparade.org.

Pensacola State College Choirs December 17-18 The Pensacola Civic Band Holiday Concert performance begins at 7:30 pm at the Ashmore Fine Arts Auditorium, Building 8, on the Pensacola campus. Tickets are $5. Call 484-1847 for more information and to purchase tickets.

PLT Presents A Christmas Story December 7-9, 13-16 America’s number one Christmas movie comes to life on stage as a hilarious holiday story. This play chronicles young and bespectacled Ralphie Parker as he schemes his way towards the holiday gift of his dreams, but he has

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many distractions that stand between him and his Christmas wish. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm. Sunday Matinees at 2:30 pm. Visit pensacolalittletheatre.com for more information.

PLT Presents Holiday Cabaret December 17-19 Presented by Coastal Cabaret Ensemble, Holiday Cabaret features nearly two dozen local performers and a litany of beloved Christmas songs, from classic Christmas carols and hymns to more modern holiday tunes. For more information visit pensacolalittletheatre.com.

The Saenger Presents Mannheim Steamroller November 27 This show features the favorite Christmas music of Mannheim Steamroller along with state-of-the-art multimedia effects in an intimate setting. 1n 1984, Mannheim Steamroller released Mannheim Steamroller Christmas, an album that changed the sounds of Christmas. Already a multi-platinum recording artist through its Fresh Aire series, Chip Davis decided to record an album of Christmas music combining the group's signature mix of Renaissance instruments with rock & roll beats. The resulting album was a runaway hit and Mannheim Steamroller went on to become the biggest selling Christmas music artist in history. Show starts at 7:30 pm. For more information visit pensacolasaenger.com or call the box office at 595-3880.

Zoo Lights November 23-25, 30 and December 1-2, 7-9, 14-24, 26-30 Enjoy the beauty of the zoo at night as you admire thousands of sparkling holiday lights. Zoo Lights is open from 5 pm-10 pm at the Gulf Breeze Zoo. Admission is $10 for adults and children. Season pass holders receive half off. For more information visit gulfbreezezoo.org.

Gingerbread Contest November 1-30 Join for the first annual Zoo Lights Gingerbread contest!

Gather your candy canes, gum drops and your imagination this winter to design and build a zoo-worthy gingerbread house. You could win the grand prize of an exclusive, keeper-led tour through the Gulf Breeze Zoo and meet some of your favorite animals up close and personal. This competition is open to all ages. One grand prize and one honorable mention will be awarded to each of the following teams: Family Team, Adult Individual and Youth Individual. A complete registration form is required.

There is a $15 non-refundable fee to enter. Registration will close at 4 pm on Friday, November 30. For more information visit gulfbreezezoo.org.

Cookies With Santa!

November 23-25, 30 and December 1-2, 7-9, 14-24, 26-30 What could be more magical than eating cookies and drinking hot chocolate with Santa Claus? Fill the rest of the evening with enchanting light displays, train rides, and a petting zoo and you will have created a memorable experience that will be hard to top for years to come! Cookies with Santa is a one hour experience for all children, toddlers to nine-years-old. Each child will receive a printed photo with Santa, cookies that they will decorate with Santa and hot chocolate to enjoy during story time. Program cost is $25. For more information visit gulfbreezezoo.org.

The Saenger Presents Christmas On The Coast December 7-9 Presented by the Pensacola Children's Chorus, Christmas on the Coast is a Pensacola holiday must-see! Some of the most talented children in the area don colorful costumes and dance to memorable holiday favorites.

Show times are Friday and Saturday at 7:30 pm. Sunday at 2:30 pm. For tickets call 595-3880 or visit pensacolasaenger.com The Saenger Presents Ballet Pensacola’s Nutcracker December 14-16 In Ballet Pensacola's Nutcracker, audiences will be enthralled during this annual classic as the music of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky accompanies the story of Clara and her dream of the Nutcracker Prince. Don't miss this Pensacola holiday tradition! Show times are Friday and Saturday at 7 pm. Sunday at 1:30 pm. For tickets call 595-3880 or visit pensacolasaenger.com.

Chumuckla Redneck Christmas Parade & BonfireJam December 8 In conjunction with the Chumuckla Redneck Christmas Parade and Festival, BonefireJam is a big time country

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music concert. The parade and festival are free regional events, which celebrate Southern heritage. Both events work to help raise funds to make Christmas bright for needy children. The lineup this year includes Clint Black and Gretchen Wilson.

General admission is $20. An event for all ages. The Christmas parade starts at 1 pm. For more information visit bonfirejam.com.

Pelican Drop December 31 Pensacola counts down the days until the annual New Year Pelican Drop. A giant illuminated Pelican perched high over downtown will greet the New Year as onlookers flock to Garden and Palafox to celebrate the start of 2013.

Nearly 50,000 people are expected to ring in the New Year in Downtown Pensacola amidst fireworks and confetti. Three live performances will take place before midnight. Festivities begin as early as 5 pm on December 31. For more information visit pensacolapelicandrop.com.

Pensacola Symphony - Celebrate the New Year!

December 31 With a mix of popular jazz, classical and movie hits, this celebration will be a wonderful New Year’s Eve event.

Pianist Rich Ridenour is bringing his world-class musicianship to the stage of the Saenger to help Pensacola ring in the New Year. Show begins at 7 pm. Tickets are available at ticketmaster.com. For more information visit pensacolasaenger.com.

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food

By Jodi Brown, the Ultimate Kitchen Commando

Holiday Dishes You Can Share with Others

The combination of cooler weather

and the holidays can be the kiss of death for many who are trying to stay on track with their health and weight. The desire for warmer comfort type foods to fight the cold weather can quickly translate into some unwanted pounds. Couple that with the holidays and what feels like a never ending foodapalooza, and it can translate to trouble for many.

I work hard at maintaining my health by making better food choices most of the year and quite honestly, during the holidays I give myself permission to step outside of my self-imposed restricted area and live a little on the edge. For me that means a few more sweet treats, some lovely bread, maybe a nice cheese or a super indulgent chocolate goodie.

So if you want to feed your soul a bit, go for it. If someone asks you to bring a dish to a holiday event, try one of these fabulous choices.

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Arugula Bruschetta 3/4 pint of sweet cherry tomatoes (mine were yellow) 2 tbsp basil (chiffonade) 2 cups finely chopped arugula 2 scallions finely chopped ¼ sweet bell pepper (red or yellow) Ciabatta bread/rolls cut in half and drizzled with EVOO Toss bread in a 350 oven for about 10-12 minutes until heated through and crisp on the outside.

Combine the vegetables and about 3 tablespoons of the lemon dressing. Toss well, taste. Add more dressing as needed. Serve on top of hot bread

Lemon Dressing • 2 tbsp lemon juice • 1/2 tsp lemon zest • 1/8 tsp crushed red pepper (crushed finely) • 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp EVOO • 1/2 tsp raw honey • Sea salt and pepper to taste Combine all ingredients in a covered jar. Shake well. I’d recommend making a double batch of this dressing. You are going to want to use it liberally in the roasted Brussels sprout recipe.

Beet This!

Wash and cut 6 medium sized beets so that they are all the same size. Cover with water and boil until tender.

(I cook my yellow and red separately to keep the colors from bleeding) While the beets are cooking: • Divide and roll into small balls, a 4 ounce log of goat cheese (makes about 24 balls).

• Chop 1/3 cup of unsalted pistachios until they are about 1/4 of their original size.

• Turn the pistachios onto a plate and roll the goat cheese balls in it until they are completely covered.

Cut beets into bite sized pieces and toss with the above “Backyard Quickie” dressing.

Layer beets on a plate of lightly dressed greens.

Decorate with goat cheese balls.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts 5 cups Brussels sprouts, halved 3 tbsp Lemon Dressing (see arugula bruschetta recipe) 1 tsp dried thyme 3/4 tsp lemon zest Sea salt/pepper Wash the Brussels sprouts and when dry, cut them in half, lengthwise. Toss with the dressing and coat well.

Then toss again with the thyme, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Put them on a cookie sheet in pre-heated 350degree oven. Check after 20 minutes. Toss if necessary and check again in 10 minutes. Remove when desired doneness is achieved.

Personally, I like these hot or cold. Either way you serve this dish, toss them with just a little more of that lemon dressing before serving. Dee-lish!

Backyard Quickie Many people I know have both pecan and Satsuma trees in their backyard. Hence the name of this easy and delicious dressing.

1 cup fresh Satsuma juice 1/2 cup of raw pecans Pinch of salt Add all ingredients to a blender and run until smooth. This is great to dress greens, beets and can even be used as a sauce on top of grilled fish. Very versatile and tasty.

About the Author: Jodi Brown is the Ultimate Kitchen Commando and loves to turn people on to delicious and healthy foods. She assists people with food transitions and teaches healthy cooking classes. She shares her time between New Orleans and Pensacola. To learn more, visit www.ultimatekitchencommando.com.

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american cancer society

By Christienne Cloutier

Welcome Cal Brooks, New Area Executive Director

of the American Cancer Society, Panhandle Division

The staff and volunteers of the American Cancer Society Panhandle Area, Florida Division, welcome new Area Executive Director, Cal Brooks to their organization.

Brooks’ passion to fight back against cancer has been evident in the many years he’s spent dedicated to the cause. A Tallahassee native, Brooks and his family created a non-profit organization “Cards for a Cure,” which has raised over $500,000 for Tallahassee cancer patients.

Unfortunately, Brooks knows all too well how this fatal disease can affect loved ones, and he has made it his mission to help those suffering with cancer.

“Over the last seven years, my family experienced my sister-in-law being diagnosed with stage three breast cancer,” Brooks said. “Two years later, my mother was diagnosed with stage three cancer also.”

After being one of his mother’s caregivers during her treatment, Brooks knew he wanted to do more to fight back against this horrible disease.

“The more I grew to know about the impact that the American Cancer Society was having in this battle, the

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more I knew this was a place for me,” Brooks said.

Brooks started “Cards for a Cure” to honor his sisterin-law after she was diagnosed with breast cancer. The annual event was widely received by Tallahassee, and in the following six years they recognized local breast cancer champions as the event’s honoree.

“My hope is that my passion to fight back against cancer and my experience in philanthropic events will translate into an energized Panhandle Area for the ACS where volunteers and staff make a huge impact in the fight against cancer," Brooks said.

Brooks’ accomplishments have been numerous, but if you ask him to choose his highest achievement, he would tell you it’s his children.

“I take great pride in my two children, Jay Thomas and Grayson Hadley,” Brooks said. “I’ve very proud to show them that you can make a difference.”

Before coming to the ACS, Brooks was most recently a Government Liaison with the Office of Agricultural Water Policy. He joined the Department of Agricultural and Consumer Services in 2009 where he led the Rural

Family Lands Program through the purchasing of $10 million of development rights on agricultural lands through conservation easements.

Prior to working for the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, he was a vice president Bank of America and Guaranty National Bank as well as owner of a local mortgage office in Tallahassee and Thomasville.

He also served as president of the Tallahassee Community College Alumni Association and board member of Tallahassee Community College Foundation Board.

Additionally, he provided consulting services to the Children’s Campaign, Inc., a Florida non-profit organization that seeks to shape public policy for benefit of Florida’s children. He also served as a Board Member of the American Lung Association. Tallahassee Chapter.

“He’s a really dynamic and passionate guy,” American Cancer Society Community Representative BJ Davis said. “He’s been through the rigors of our Tampa interview process, we are all confident that he’s going to make a great impact with his leadership of the organization.”

Brooks will be overseeing the dayto-day operations of American Cancer Society income development; priority special event management; patient services; volunteer and staff recruitment and development; mission based programs in the major Panhandle markets and outlying communities between Pensacola and Tallahassee.

“I am impressed that the Society is dedicated to driving outcomes,” Brooks said. “It is important to me that I work with the community, and there is no organization that understands that better than the ACS.” Brooks’ sister-in-law and mother are both cancer survivors.

For more information on how the American Cancer Society is helping people stay well, get well, find cures, and fight back, visit www.cancer.org or call 1-800-ACS-2345.

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UWF book club About The Book

Julian Barnes About the Author Julian Barnes, a contemporary English writer, is the author of three books of stories, two collections of essays, eleven novels, including A History of the World in 10 1/2 Chapters and Arthur & George (finalist for the Man Booker Prize), and a non-fiction book, Nothing to Be Frightened Of. His honors include the Prix Medicis, the Prix Femina, the Somerset Maugham Award and the E. M. Forster Award. He lives in London.

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Winner of the 2011 Man Booker Prize and #1 international bestseller, The Sense of an Ending has received widespread critical acclaim.

This is the story of a man coming to terms with the mutable past. The book begins with Tony Webster, whose clique first meets Adrian Finn at school. Sex-hungry and bookhungry, they navigate the girl drought of gawky adolescence together, trading in affectations, in-jokes, rumor and wit. Maybe Adrian is a little more serious than the others, certainly more intelligent, but they swear to stay friends forever. Until Adrian's life takes a turn into tragedy, and all of them, especially Tony, move on and do their best to forget.

Now Tony is in middle age. He's had a career and a marriage, a calm divorce. He gets along nicely, he thinks, with his one child, a daughter, and even with his ex-wife.

He's certainly never tried to hurt anybody.

Memory, though, is imperfect. It can always throw up surprises, as a lawyer's letter is about to prove. The unexpected bequest conveyed by that letter leads Tony on a dogged search through a past suddenly turned murky.

Making Memories with Julian Barnes

By Robin Blyn, Associate Professor of English, UWF

The plot is simple: sixty-year-old Tony receives word that the diary of an old friend, the hero of his youth, has been bequeathed to him. The problem is that the diary is currently in possession of Tony’s old girlfriend, his jilted first love, and she won’t let him have it.

Such is the plight of the anti-hero of Julian Barnes’ fourteenth novel, The Sense of an Ending. Like all of Barnes’s fiction, though, this short novel is not really plot-driven. It is, rather, a meditation on the vagaries of memory, on the desires that shape our accounts of our lives. “It strikes me that this may be the difference between youth and age,” Tony muses, “when we are young, we invent different futures for ourselves; when we are old, we invent different pasts for others.” Yet in his efforts to get his hands on Adrian’s diary, Tony will unravel a past he has kept safely hidden from himself. It is a past worth reading about, a story of betrayal and deception, of love and the failure to love, but even this is really only half of the story of this novel.

At the same time, this novel is about the process of remembering itself, the ruses that attend every supposed revelation. In The Sense of an Ending, Barnes chooses to make Tony our narrator. This choice puts the reader in the hands of an eloquent but essentially unreliable narrator. That, it seems is part of the point. As Tony himself admits, there is no objective account of the past. “History,” as his friend Adrian was wont to say, “is that certainty produced at the point where the imperfections of memory meet the inadequacies of documentation.” Tony’s history is no exception, and yet his virtue as a narrator lies in the fact that he is painfully aware of the ways that time “deforms approximate memories.” It is Tony, after all, who tells us that “the history that happens underneath our noses ought to be the clearest, and yet it’s the most deliquescent.” In the end, Tony can’t tell us the truth—not directly. It becomes our job as readers to see beyond his limited point of view.

By allowing Tony to tell his own story, Barnes takes two very dangerous risks. First, Barnes puts us in the mind of a character that many readers will find unattractive; Tony is noncommittal, dispassionate, and protects himself against relationships with any emotional depth. The work of the novel, however, is to gradually reveal how and why Tony became the man he is. The result is a fascinating psychological study. Barnes’s second risk involves his resistance to the kind of closure that we have come to expect from precisely these kinds of psychological studies.

Early on Tony warns us, “[W]e need to know the history of the historian in order to understand the version that is being put in front of us.” Yet what happens when the history of our historian is itself subject to debate? At that point, it seems, we arrive at the “sense” of an ending, rather than a tidy resolution. For some readers this will be an unforgivable crime, but for many of us, it is a gift, for it leaves us with a mystery that continues to haunt long after we have finished the book.

He Loves Me Not: Flirting with Philosophy in The Sense of an Ending

By Niki Uzowulu, English Capstone 2012

Daughters, lock up your mothers because Hurricane Adrian is coming through! The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes is a novel that leaves many questions unanswered. One such question is as follows: What is Adrian thinking when he has his affair with Veronica’s mother, Sarah? There is no sure way to know, but we might turn for guidance to the philosophy of one of Adrian’s most beloved philosophers: Albert Camus.

Conveniently enough for Adrian, Camus claims that love and sex are separate from one another. Anthony Rizzuto claims that for Camus “love [is] about character, reciprocity, potential joy and suffering with and through another person.”

Sex, however, is about “depersonalized, erotic forces in nature, usually a maternal nature, and about synchronizing one’s body with these powerful forces.” According to Camus, a person could love one person and engage in sex with someone else.

Camus’s claims make it possible for Adrian to love Veronica and still have sex with her mother. And who could blame him?

According to Tony, Veronica is nothing but a tease, and her mother, Sarah, seems like a warm-blooded cougar ready to pounce on her prey.

Veronica’s mother, Sarah, likes fresh meat. Her infidelity begs the question of whether her affair with Adrian is the first extra-marital affair she has ever had. Camus claims that marriage is a “pretext for betrayal and lies.” So, Sarah plays her part when she cheats on her husband. According to Camus’s philosophy, Sarah’s affair with Adrian exhibits the duplicitous nature of marriage. Moreover, Adrian follows Camus’s suggestion that “a woman, at best, would be not a person but a means, an instrument of sexual release, whereas love might have something to do with the discovery of a woman and the subsequent knowledge of her character.” This sexist interpretation of women gives Adrian the excuse he needs for his affair with Veronica’s mother.

Adrian is not exactly blameless in this situation, though he may have had his reasons.

According to Camus, a mother-son relationship is important in a man’s life. Camus states, “the strange feeling a son has for his mother constitutes his entire sensibility. The manifestations of the sensibility in all realms of experience can be sufficiently explained by the latent physical memory of his childhood.”

Camus claims that the relationship a mother has with her son is vital to the development of the son. The son learns love and sensitivity from his mother. In the novel, Adrian’s mother abandons him and his family. Though Tony thinks that Adrian is unaffected by the absence of his mother, the lack of maternal guidance affects Adrian more than they think. Camus would tell us that it affects his ability to regulate his feelings.

Sarah is not Adrian’s mother, but she symbolizes a maternal figure for Adrian. According to Camus’s philosophy, Adrian is drawn to Veronica’s mother by the lack of a mother figure in his life.

Admittedly, such an explanation raises as many questions as it answers. Adrian, for example, commits suicide, which Camus himself condemns. Does Adrian give up on Camus in the end, or are we supposed to see Camus’s philosophy of love and sex as the road to inevitable disaster? As in all things, The Sense of an Ending leaves those questions up to its readers.

Works Consulted Barnes, Julian. The Sense of an Ending. London: Random House Inc., 2011.

Rizzuto, Anthony. Camus: Love and Sexuality. Florida: University Press, 1998.

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awards

By Christienne Cloutier

Impact 100 Awards Impact 100 Pensacola Bay Area,

a local women’s philanthropy group, recently announced this year’s grant recipients. Seven organizations were awarded $104,000 each after a thorough grant review, committee process and membership vote. Impact 100 is an organization of women committed to improving their community by providing substantial grants to non-profit organizations in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties. Impact has no paid employees or staff, so one hundred percent of each member’s annual contribution of $1,000 is pooled and awarded to non-profit organizations in increments of at least $100,000 grants. Impact 100’s mission is to know and serve the community, to collectively fund significant grants to charitable initiatives and to set an example of effective philanthropy.

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"We are so pleased with this year's winners," said Holly Jurnovoy, president of Impact 100.

The first grant was awarded to the Friends of the Saenger for the “Great Saenger Pipe Organ Restoration Project.” The funds will restore and enhance the Great Saenger Pipe Organ to a condition that will place it among the finest theater organs in the country, comparable to the famous pipe organ at Radio City Music Hall. Housed within the walls of the theater since being built in 1925, the organ has always been the voice of the Saenger. It has been dormant since Hurricanes Opal and Ivan damaged the electrical system and flooded the basement of the Saenger.

“The restoration will be a 24-month project,” President of Friends of the Saenger Sherri Weeks, said.

The impact of this restoration will open the door for many people who attend events each year at the Saenger Theatre. Specifically, the organ may be used by many current arts organizations that perform at the Saenger, including the Pensacola Symphony, The Pensacola Children’s Chorus and the Pensacola Opera.

“The pipe organ saved the Saenger in 1977 when the

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city wanted to tear it down,” Weeks said. “Now it’s the Saenger’s turn to save the pipe organ.”

The second grant was awarded to Milk and Honey Outreach Ministries for their “Going Places Transportation Initiative Project.” The goal of their project is to purchase a consistent and reliable mode of transportation to serve the children and youth of all Milk and Honey programs.

The organization will purchase two 14-passenger minibuses to transport the children for recreational and educational activities in the After-School Program, Spring and Summer Camps, broadening their horizons and enriching their life experience.

The impact on the community for this project will help to get more children involved in organized after-school and summer activities. Children involved in these programs are more likely to finish high school and more likely to continue on to postsecondary education.

Evidence also indicates they perform better academically, attend school more regularly and behave better. Not only will these children and their families have otherwise unknown opportunities, but redirecting their time, energies, and interests makes for a happier, healthier

community at large.

The third grant was awarded to The Pensacola Lighthouse Association for the “Lighthouse Restoration Project.” The PLA will utilize the grant by preserving the structural and historic integrity of this landmark’s 1859 structure. They plan to stabilize the tower’s surface by removing deteriorated mortar, repairing damaged bricks with hand-molded replacements and repainting with historically accurate mortar, and cleaning and re-sealing the granite foundation slabs. The tower will also be coated with a protective whitewash and repainted. The project will restore the tower’s structural stability and aesthetic beauty, allowing the Pensacola Lighthouse to continue shining for another 150 years.

The fourth grant was awarded to Manna Food Bank for their “Chilling Impact on Food Security Project.” The grant will help them to expand the client service area and to upgrade the main storage and packaging facilities by purchasing and installing climate control equipment. Reconfiguring and expanding the client service area will result in improved and enhanced services to meet escalating needs. By installing climate control equipment in the main storage and packaging facility, the climate controlled area will increase from

1,500 square feet to 6,500 square feet. Manna will reduce food loss caused by heat and moisture damage, will enhance their ability to increase food inventory, make food storage areas USDA compliant, and provide a safer working environment for their volunteers.

Last year Manna saw a 44 percent increase in clients needing assistance, placing tremendous strains on Manna’s service delivery system, physical site and food inventory. Demands continue to rise. Manna’s project will

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impact the community by being better equipped to serve those in need.

The fifth grant was awarded to Appetite for Life for their “Equipped 4 Success Project.” In 2011, Appetite for Life experienced a devastating loss when fire swept through the kitchen and administrative offices, challenging the organization’s capacity to provide service to those living with HIV/AIDS and their

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dependent children, the terminally ill, elderly and disabled. Their project will replace equipment that was destroyed in the fire, and also purchase equipment needed to keep up with the tremendous growth the organization has experienced over the past four years. The grant will fund the purchase of commercial grade items such as a combo-oven, dishwasher, grease trap, ice machine, tilt skillet, steam kettle, two reach-in refrigerators, heat seal machine, trays, film to seal trays, shelving and cart.

“We are number two in the state for women and children with HIV/AIDS,” executive director Celeste Southard said.

“We provide about 120,000 meals a year to homebound people.”

The sixth grant was awarded to Autism Pensacola Inc. (API) for their “Parent Empowerment Pensacola Project.” The grant will be used in three different areas to increase the availability of vital therapy for local residents affected by autism. The first goal of the project is to train parents to become cotherapists, using research-based techniques for improving communication and behavior in children with autism. Secondly, the grant funds will be used to

purchase iPads as technology therapy tools, along with autism software, to increase communication skills. The third goal of the project is to provide indoor and outdoor play equipment to be integrated into the training and therapy programs for the children and their families.

There are over 3,000 people of all ages in the Greater Pensacola area living with autism. API estimates that in the inaugural phase of these programs, 150 parents will be trained, approximately 130 children will participate in therapy, and 120 families will directly benefit from these programs.

“Winning this grant is a next step in our plan to create a center of excellence for those with autism here in Pensacola,” executive director of Autism Pensacola Susan Byram said. “The sooner those with autism receive the appropriate help and teaching, the better their outcomes as adults.”

The seventh grant was awarded to Escambia Search and Rescue for their “Advancement for Search, Rescue and Recovery for Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties Project.” The grant will fund the purchase of an Auxiliary Power Generator, UHF Repeater System, antennas, towers, VHF mobile radios, rapid chargers,

and handheld radios to enhance communications and extend their range. Also critical to their project will be a four-wheel drive All Terrain Vehicle, Honda SUV, and a transport trailer for two boats with motors. These items will assist in saving more lives, improving safety for personnel and K-9 resources on the missions. The impact on the community will be increased safety, efficiency and updated equipment.

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First City Art Center A Moving Story

By Barbara Todd

Things are moving and shaking in Pensacola.

The new Maritime Park has proved to be a great place for events of all varieties. Existing downtown businesses are expanding and new shops from Scout Boutique on Palafox to the Bodacious Olive, an epicurean boutique and market, also on Palafox, to the Tackle Shop, a souvenir/gift shop that’s an extension of the popular Fish House on Barracks Street, are all up and running.

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Not to be outdone, the former Belmont Arts and Cultural Center has burst out of its previous premises at the corner of Belmont and DeVilliers and morphed into the First City Art Center (FCA) at 1060 North Guillimard in Pensacola’s North Hill and Long Hollow area. A daunting task, this relocation entailed more than packing up a few boxes and moving some furniture. Imagine loading up two glass furnaces, weighing nearly a half ton each, 1,200 fragile glass pumpkins and five pianos.

For more than a dozen successful years in the building that was once the Premiere Bakery and then the Window Factory, the Belmont Arts and Cultural Center, provided a place for artists to share their creative expression in visual

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and performing arts. It encouraged them to explore innovative approaches to the arts by going beneath the surface to penetrate the core of its patrons—young, old, black, white, locals and visitors—who came to witness and to unite around a shared experience. Each year the Center added more students, teachers and programs until their success forced them to find more space in which to continue growing and flourishing.

“We had four on-going programs at the Belmont Center,” Michael Conrad, board president, said. “The Belmont Youth Band, pottery, glass blowing and glass bead making.” Many other activities such as painting, sculpting, sketching, and dancing have been offered, Conrad said.

Pensacola has already had a taste of things to come at FCA even though the move is not yet completed. An Equinox Celebration took place in September, with the Belmont Youth Band performing and many other activities taking place throughout the campus.

At the much larger First City Art Center there are classrooms in three separate buildings, allowing for the expansion of existing programs and the addition of new and diverse classes. A large warehouse includes areas for industrial arts, glass blowing and glass-bead making and pottery. A second building offers seven studios for artists to work and show their creations.

“We’re planning a visiting artists series where we’ll invite

regionally and nationally known artists to demonstrate their work and to teach classes,” Conrad said.

Occupying the third building at the FCA is the Belmont Youth Band, founded in 2003 by Vivian Lamont and Rudy Pendleton when the Belmont Arts and Cultural Center was in its infancy. Although the band has moved to Long Hollow with FCA, they will retain their original name. Like FCA, the band was bursting out of the Belmont building having added 64 student musicians to its opening class of 12 enrollees. The band continues to offer free music classes every Saturday morning and to provide free instruments to students who need them.

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president Vivian Lamont said. Now the violin students can practice and learn separately from those who are taking lessons in piano, guitar and voice.

“Each individual artist can have his or her own space,” Lamont said.

The extra space will come in handy when band director Hosea London gathers together the entire band for a plenary performance.

The week before Halloween, that same space came in handy for Loblolly Theatre’s 12th annual Halloween “Fortuna” play. This was the ensemble theatre’s first production since its recent move from the old Sacred Heart Hospital location in East Hill.

After nearly a year of planning and proposals to Pensacola’s Mayor Ashton Hayward and the City Council, the First City Art Center has opened its doors to the public even before the move was completed. An Equinox Celebration took place in September, with the Belmont Youth Band performing while many other arts-oriented activities took place throughout the campus.

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On a recent Pensacola-perfect pleasant Saturday in October, First City offered to the public its sixth annual Glass Pumpkin Patch sale. No ordinary pumpkins, these blown-glass works of art come in a wide range of colors from cobalt blue, jade green, ruby red and combinations thereof with some actually being orange.

“An hour before the sale began, there were at least 250 people waiting at the gate,” said Pat Bush, First City Art Center’s office administrator. As the day went on, the crowd toured the entire campus watching artists at work.

Master potter Ben Twingley worked outdoors at a potter’s wheel. His hands and the amorphous clay worked together synergistically until he and his piece agreed that it was complete.

Visitors observed the Belmont Youth Band as they worked in groups, honing their skills on a variety of instruments.

The following week Loblolly Theatre performed its annual Halloween production of the popular “Fortuna” series. The ensemble cast, including Lisa Goodness, Hunt Scarritt, Patricia Simmons, Allison and Joe Winschief appeared in “A Crack in Reality,” sharing with Loblolly’s audience the dark and light comedy of the dead. With thought provoking song, dance and vocals that resembled a combination of Monty Python and Gilbert and Sullivan, the cast added a pinch of Shakespeare thrown in for good measure. “(The FCA) was a perfect place for a cabaret performance,” said Loblolly producer and director

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Yolanda Reed. The productions were a fund and food raiser for Manna Food Bank. "We believe in what First City Art Center is doing,” Reed said.

“We think they’re very valuable to the community."

Among Sunday’s matinee performance was one of Loblolly’s faithful followers, Sandy Stanley from Gulf Breeze.

“From the moment the play began, they completely captured my focus.

The whole campus was very exciting.”

Stanley said. “I could see so many things that could be done there.”

On Saturday, Nov. 3 from 6 to 10 pm, FCA, in conjunction with the Great Gulfcoast Art Festival, played host to the eighth Annual Glass Jam event, which brought five of the country’s best glass blowers together with FCA’s glass artists to raise funds for FCA’s studios and programs. FCA offers a central place for Pensacola’s growing variety of art forms to work and perform together and for all citizens to participate in the process of creating the entire spectrum of arts.

“We want the First City Art Center to be the core of the city, where alternative arts are done, including industrial arts, music arts and things like metal and performing arts,” Conrad said.

MORE INFORMATION: firstcityartcenter.org 1060 N. Guillimard St Pensacola, FL 32501 (850) 429-1222

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Baseball in Pensacola

By Jill Hubbs

Baseball is the sport that evokes great nostalgia among

Americans, and in Pensacola, both the game and that feeling of nostalgia are closely woven into the city’s rich history. Beginning in the late 1800s as the game was immersing itself into American culture, the citizens of Pensacola welcomed baseball and all of the tremendous enthusiasm that came with it.

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Pensacolians gathered by the hundreds to watch baseball games at Maxent Park, which later was renamed Legion Field. (Photo credit: Pensacola Historical Society)

Len Cobb, second from the left, with his brother Ty, left, pictured with "The Babe." (Photo credit: Pensacola Historical Society).

The New York Yankees played an exhibition game against the Pensacola Fliers at Legion Field in the late 1920s. Military personnel and community leaders were on hand to witness the game with Babe Ruth at the bat.

The Yankees beat the Fliers, 12 – 2.

Babe Ruth took the time to meet and shake hands with dozens and dozens of young boys eager to meet him after he played in an exhibition game in Pensacola in the 1920s. (Photo credit: Pensacola Historical Society) November/December 2012

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The Bronson Bombers were a military baseball team organized at Bronson Field. Baseball legend Ted Williams stands fifth from the right in top row, one of four Major Leaguers playing for the Bronson squad. (Photo credit: Pensacola Historical Society) To commemorate the excitement of Pensacola’s beautiful new stadium and Double-A team, WSRE, PBS for the Gulf Coast, set out to produce a documentary that chronicles America's favorite sport as it unfolded in America's first city. WSRE worked closely with the Pensacola Historical Society to locate archival photographs and documents that are integral to telling the story.

A key factor was finding someone who knew the history of Pensacola’s players and had a true love for the sport – and that someone was Scott Brown. Scott is a baseball historian and author and is writing a companion book by the same title – Baseball in Pensacola. He is also a relative of the legendary baseball player Mordecai “Three Finger” Brown, a member of Coopertown’s Hall of Fame.

Combined with the creative and talented WSRE production staff led by Emmy® nominated executive producer Jill Hubbs, Tony Ferguson (an avid St. Louis Cardinals fan), Ted King, Mike Rowan, James Roy and Tracey Burgess, the filming began and a winning team was born.

The collaboration and research began nearly two years ago. Not only did WSRE learn about the teams that called Pensacola home, but also discovered many interesting stories along the way. WSRE’s production team captured

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numerous interviews as well as footage of the last Pelicans game and the inaugural game of the Blue Wahoos. Filming even included a late night stint at the Pensacola Bayfront Stadium that ended at 2 am.

One memorable interview was with Hall of Fame legend Don Sutton who asked the WSRE film crew to meet him at the old Molino School. “This is where it all began for me,” Sutton said as he looked at the field behind the building. “My sixth grade teacher, Mr. Henry Roper, taught me how to play baseball right here.”

Research and interviews revealed that as Pensacola began to grow in prosperity with tourism and industry, the city established itself as a proving ground for budding players and a challenging training arena for veterans of America’s most beloved game.

In the heyday of baseball in Pensacola, city teams representing area businesses were all the rage. When Major League legends such as Babe Ruth traveled to our city, hundreds of fans turned out to watch exhibition games. Pensacola fielded its own professionally organized teams, which offered not only quality entertainment for thousands of fans, but also a stepping stone into the world of the Big Leagues.

Pensacola’s Minor League teams have inscribed multiple names across the front of their jerseys. The Snappers, Pilots, Fliers, Dons, Senators, Seagulls and Pensacola Pelicans have all offered a solid foundation for those willing to work hard for their dreams of playing under the lights of the Major Leagues. And now the Blue Wahoos, the Double-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds, have taken center stage and are making their own mark on Pensacola’s history as well as on the sport itself.

Lawrence “Shake” Sampson, who played with the Seagulls, Pensacola’s Negro League baseball team, is especially impressed with the new stadium and the surrounding Community Maritime Park. “I would have loved to have played in a stadium that beautiful!” he said. “Shake” remembers watching Jackie Robinson play baseball right here in Pensacola. “It was The WSRE production team films baseball author and historian amazing,” he recalls, and it inspired him to play the Scott Brown in the dugout at the Pensacola Bayfront Stadium. sport himself.

(Photo credit: Jill Hubbs) “Pensacola has been not only the birthplace of many of the greatest legends of baseball, but also been the backdrop for some of baseball’s most legendary the launching pad for many careers that have gone on to figures. Billy Sunday, Shoeless Joe Jackson, Babe Ruth, shape the face of the national game,” said Scott Brown.

Branch Rickey, Ted Williams, and Cal Ripkin Sr. are just a “Players such as Bo Belinski, Steve Barber. Coaches like few who have left their mark upon the baseball diamonds Fred Waters, Bill Bond, Wilbur McGill and Bill McGhee. of the Emerald Coast.

And names such as Tom Cheek and Wally Dashiell have Len Cobb, 95, remembers going as a young boy to all contributed to making Pensacola a standard in the Maxent Park, later renamed Legion Field, near Gregory world of baseball.”

Street, and watching baseball games through knotholes in From historic Legion Field, to the bay side vista views the fence. Cobb’s best memory of the games played there of Admiral Mason Park, to the beautiful new bayfront was a special exhibition game he witnessed in the 1920s stadium at the Community Maritime Park, Pensacola has

The Seagulls, Pensacola’s Negro League baseball team, pose beside their tour bus.

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Pensacola Seagulls infielder Lawrence “Shake� Sampson holds his team shirt.

(Photo credit: Jill Hubbs)

Former Major League Player and Hall of Fame Inductee Don Sutton stands in front of Molino School where he says his baseball career was launched. (Photo credit: Jill Hubbs).

A 1965 Pensacola Little League team poses with Coach Bill Bond (left) who is revered for creating a youth baseball league designed to foster good sportsmanship and competitive play, launching numerous professional baseball careers in the big leagues. (Photo credit: Pensacola Historical Society)

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where the legendary Babe Ruth played to the delight of the fans.

Cobb and his older brother Ty watched in awe as “The Babe” hit balls right out of the park. “He did not disappoint!” Cobb exclaimed.

Through the course of Pensacola’s baseball history and the multiple ballparks dotting the shorelines of Pensacola Pilots infielder and the city, two factors Pensacola Fliers manager, Wally have consistently Dashiell, also played one game with stood the test of the 1924 Chicago White Sox. (Photo time – the sense of courtesy Diane Crona) community and the love of the sport.

Pensacola has been the site for Major League Spring Training, Semi-Pro Negro League franchises, and a foundation for both players and fans to come together under the hopes and dreams made possible through the history and experience of baseball in Pensacola.

Baseball fever was rampant back in the late 1800s and

it is just as fervent now. “No other city can claim the monumental history that Pensacola can boast,” said Scott Brown, whose book and research was used to create the WSRE documentary. “From the earliest of times with ladies running the bases in hoop skirts to the present day Blue Wahoos playing in a world-class stadium, baseball is woven into the very fabric of our city.”

WSRE is proud to have produced this documentary which captures our city’s love affair with the sport of baseball, but which also chronicles the rich history of Pensacola. Pictures of Palafox Street dot the film from start to finish, with scenes from the late 1800s with horses and buggies right to the present day. City leaders from long ago with ties to today’s Pensacola families also appear in the film, such as John Merritt. Little League photos show present day community notables who played the sport growing up in Pensacola, including Sandy Sansing.

Legendary Little League coach Bill Bond saw an old newspaper clipping included in the film and discovered something he never knew before - his great-grandfather, Pensacola businessman Marion Leopold Roch, helped form the Pensacola Baseball Park Association in the spring of 1886, raising money to purchase land and establish a baseball park near the residences of the city. Rounding out the film is a unique time lapse sequence which showcases the construction of the new Community Maritime Park and Pensacola Bayfront Stadium from start to finish.

So grab your peanuts and some Cracker Jack, WSRE is ready to take you out to the ballgame! Tune in to WSRE on Friday, November 23 at 8 pm and catch some baseball fever of your own!

The 1986 Pensacola Junior College baseball team included Mark Whiten, top row, center, who became a Major League Baseball outfielder and switch-hitter for the Toronto Blue Jays. (Photo courtesy of Bill Hamilton, Pensacola State College) November/December 2012

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datebook Art Art Workshop at Pensacola Museum of Art November 24, December 8 Children ages 5 to 13 explore the elements of art and the principles of design, inspiring creativity. Learning in the Pensacola Museum of Art gives children a new perspective on art and art history while they participate in fun, hands-on projects. Workshops are subject to change and availability. Art supplies included. For more information, call 850.432.6247.

Art Night on the Bayfront November 28 On the last Wednesday of each month, guests are invited from 4 – 8 pm for Art Night on the Bayfront, brought to you by Jaco’s Bayfront Bar & Grille, in association with the Pensacola Museum of Art. Stroll around this free venue filled with some of Pensacola’s best local artists. Music and plenty of family-friendly activities will also be present. For more information, call 850.432.5226.

Boatyard Craft Fair December 8 The Boatyard Craft Fair will feature local and regional artists, crafters, artisans, and retail merchants selling their wares on the picturesque Maritime Park property overlooking Pensacola Bay from 10 am – 6 pm. Handmade goods, crafts, art, baubles, gifts and knick-knacks galore! For more information, call 850.436.5670.

Music 28th Annual Frank Brown Songwriters Festival November 8–18 During this exciting 11-day festival, seasoned and aspiring songwriters and musicians from all over the country will play at different venues along the Gulf Coast, including Perdido Key and Pensacola, FL., and Orange Beach and Gulf Shores, AL., to celebrate the art of songwriting. This festival is held annually and showcases Grammy Award-winning songwriters from around the nation. Many of the songwriters have worked with famous performers including Kenny Chesney, Blake Shelton, George Strait, Rascal Flatts, Reba McEntire, Martina McBride, Dolly Parton and even Elvis Presley. For more information, call 850.492.7664.

Saenger Theatre Presents Manheim Steamroller November 27 This show features the favorite Christmas music of Mannheim Steamroller along with state-of-the-art multimedia effects in an intimate setting. 7:30 pm. Tickets start at $58. For more information, call 850.595.3882.

Winterfest Concert December 6 An evening of Christmas carols in Seville Square, beginning at 5 pm.

For more information, call 850.435.9014.

Saenger Theatre Presents Pensacola Children’s Chorus December 7-9 The Pensacola Children’s Chorus will perform Christmas on the Coast at the Saenger Theatre Friday and Saturday at 7:30 pm and Sunday at 2:30 pm. Tickets start at $20. For more information, visit www.pensacolachildrenschorus.com.

Disney Live! Presents Mickey’s Musical Festival December 12 The irresistible lineup includes Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy with characters from The Little Mermaid, Aladdin and Toy Story. Tickets

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start at $17 and the show starts at 6:30 pm at the Pensacola Bay Center. For more information, call 850.432.0800.

Theatre PLT Presents Meshuggah-Nuns November 14-18 From the writers of Nunsense, sisters find themselves on an allexpense paid cruise trip. When the cast of Fiddler on the Roof (with the exception of Tevye) gets seasick, the ships captain asks the sisters and Tevye to put on a show. This is a show for anyone who loves a good laugh. Friday and Saturday at 7:30 pm and Sunday at 2:30 pm.

For more information, call 850.432.2042.

A Condo to Kill For Dinner Theatre Event November 16 The setting is an old brick terrace under a flamboyant, high-peaked tent. The night is crisp and clear, a dining atmosphere that evokes feelings of mystery. A breeze brings a salty tang in the air. The perfect nighttime setting for a murder at the Maritime. Guests will enjoy a catered three course meal. Act4Murder, a local acting troupe, will perform from 6 – 9 pm. Admission is $40. For more information, call 850.436.5670.

PSC Presents 9 to 5: The Musical November 16-18 The hilarious story features three women who have had it with obnoxious, chauvinistic bullying from their boss, Hart. Office manager Violet Newsted not only trained Hart, but has constantly been passed over for promotion. Shy recent divorcee Judy Bernly gets the brunt of Hart’s anger after an incident with a haywire copy machine. And buxom executive secretary Doralee Rhodes has to put up with Hart’s constant sexual advances. Together, they decide to fight back. Through a crazy turn of events, luck and smarts, the trio find a way to expose Hart and turn the department around. Friday and Saturday at 7:30 pm and Sunday at 2:30 pm in the Ashmore Auditorium. For more information, call 850.484.1847.

Saenger Theatre Presents Shrek: The Musical November 20 In a faraway kingdom turned upside down, things get ugly when an unseemly ogre and not a handsome prince shows up to rescue a feisty princess. Throw in a donkey who won’t shut up, a villain with a SHORT temper, a cookie with an attitude and more than a dozen other fairy tale misfits, and you’ve got the kind of mess that calls for a real hero. Luckily, there’s one on hand and his name is Shrek. 7:30 pm at the Saenger Theatre. Tickets start at $48. For more information, call 850.595.3880.

UWF CFPA Presents A Christmas Carol December 6-9, 13-16 The holiday classic is back for its sixth season as a Pensacola tradition. Join Scrooge, an old and bitter miser, as four ghosts visit him on Christmas Eve, teaching him the importance of kindness and compassion in this wonderful play accompanied by music. Thursday – Saturday at 7:30 pm, Sunday at 2:30 pm at the UWF Center for Fine & Performing Arts. For more information, call 850.857.6057.

PLT Presents A Christmas Story December 7-9, 13-16 America's #1 Christmas movie comes to life on stage as a hilarious holiday story. This play chronicles young and bespectacled Ralphie Parker as he schemes his way towards the holiday gift of his dreams, but many distractions stand between him and his Christmas wish.

Tickets start at $14. Thursday – Saturday at 7:30 pm, Sundays at 2:30 pm. For more information, visit www.pensacolalittletheatre.com.

Ballet Pensacola Presents The Nutcracker December 14-16 In Ballet Pensacola's Nutcracker at the Saenger Theatre, audiences will be enthralled during this annual classic as the music of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky accompanies the story of Clara and her dream of the Nutcracker Prince. Don't miss this Pensacola holiday tradition!

Tickets start at $20. Friday and Saturday at 7 pm and Sunday at 1:30 pm. For more information, call 850.595.3882.

Special Events Gallery Night November 16 Enjoy an evening of arts and culture by touring downtown Pensacola art galleries from 5 – 9 pm. Street closures include Palafox between Garden and Zaragossa, Government between Palafox and Tarragona, and Palafox between Gregory and Wright.

Military Veterans Colloquium November 16 The University of West Florida’s Center on Aging and Military Veterans Resource Center (MVRC) will co-host a Colloquium on the Health and Well-Being of Military Veterans from 8:30 am - 12:30 pm in the UWF Conference Center. For more information, email coa@uwf.edu.

Mahabhuta Yoga Festival November 16-18 The Mahabhuta Yoga Festival at the Sanders Beach Community Center offers three days of yoga, meditation, music and art. Friday noon – 10 pm, Saturday 9 am – 6 pm, and Sunday 10 am – 6 pm.

Admission/fee: Yoga Festival workshops are $150 for six workshops artisan village, outdoor music, fire performances, and kids tent are free to the public. For more information, call 850.572.6562.

Seville Quarter Turkey Trot 5K Run November 17 Join the Seville Quarter Milers for this great, family-oriented 5K racewalk through the streets of beautiful downtown Pensacola. Fantastic post-race party and awards presentation with Coca-Cola, Miller Lite, Turkey Chili and great prizes! Proceeds will help Seville Quarter’s employees prepare and deliver Thanksgiving dinners to needy families. Register online at www.imathelete.com. For more information, visit www.sevillequarter.com.

Pensacola Kraft Bier Festival November 17 More than 70 beers, great gourmet food and music are featured at this festival from 1 – 5 pm. College football will be shown on the digital board. Must be 21 to enter, ID required upon entry.

Admission: $35 per person. For more information, call 850.529.5665.

Elf Parade & Lighting of the Greens November 23 Holiday sights, sounds, and smells turn Downtown Pensacola into a magical wonderland of festivities from November through the end of the year. The parade begins at 5 pm on Jefferson St. between Church St. and Intendencia St. Zoo Lights November 23-25, 30, December 1-2, 7-9, 14-16 Guests are invited to enjoy the beauty of the Gulf Breeze Zoo at night as they admire thousands of sparkling holiday lights from 5 – 10 pm! Train rides are $3. For more information, call 850.932.2229.

Winterfest Trolley Tours November 23-24, December 1, 14-16 Trolleys act as theaters taking passengers to a series of interactive

performances along a two-mile route in Historic Downtown Pensacola. Fridays at 5:30 pm and Saturdays at 5 pm. For more information, call 850.435.9014.

Covenant Hospice Presents Willow Tree: A Celebration of Life November 30 In conjunction with the Pensacola Museum of Art, Covenant Hospice will be presenting, “Willow Tree – A Celebration of Life” to honor hospice patients and those in the community who have experienced the loss of a loved one. From November 1-27, community members are invited to place their loved one’s name on a tree and receive a ribbon in observance of National Hospice and Palliative Care Month. Willow trees will be available at the Pensacola Museum of Art located at 407 South Jefferson St. and the Pensacola branch of Covenant Hospice located at 2001 N. Palafox St. The completed willow tree will be showcased during a community event held at 6 p.m. on Friday, November 30 at the Pensacola branch of Covenant Hospice located at 2001 N. Palafox St. Light refreshments will be served. For more information, call 380-0459.

45th Annual Snowball Derby December 2 The 45th Annual Snowball Derby gets to a roaring start at 2 pm at Five Flags Speedway. Tickets start at $15. For more information, call 850.944.8400.

Winter Wonderland of Lights November 29-December 1, 7-30 Experience the magic of the holidays and a fun-filled evening beginning with a mile-long drive-thru, filled with dazzling lights and twinkling animated displays. Where's Rudolph? Surf along with Santa at the North Pole Beach Party! See the Twelve Days of Christmas and sing along with holiday music that plays. Admission: $4 per person at the Pensacola Interstate Fairgrounds. Weekday hours are dusk to 9 pm, weekend and holiday hours are dusk to 10 pm. For more information, call 850.529.8649.

Gulf Breeze Christmas Parade December 1 The parade will begin on Shoreline Dr. behind Gulf Breeze High School at 10 am. It will continue down Shoreline Dr., turn onto McLane Rd., and end at Fairpoint Dr. beside First Baptist Church of Gulf Breeze. Attendees can line the grassy areas along Shoreline Dr. and McLane unless the area has been otherwise marked. Admission is free. For more information, call 850.932.7788.

Lighted Boat Parade December 7 The nautical parade, from Pensacola Beach Marina to Boardwalk, officially delivers Santa Claus to the island and begins at 6 pm. For more information, call 850.932.1500.

Downtown Christmas Parade December 8 The annual parade, which draws over 50,000 people to downtown Pensacola, begins at 5:15 pm. on Palafox Avenue. The Christmas Parade includes local bands from every high school in Escambia County, the nationally renowned Blue Angels flight team, groups from around the region, and as far away as Houston and New Orleans.

Preceding the parade is the popular 1.2 miles Christmas Parade Dash, sponsored by the Pensacola Runners Association. Entry fees must be received no later than November 24. For more information visit coxpensacolachristmasparade.org.

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November/December 2012

pensacola seen

Joy and John Mark Adams

Leesa Zangar and Delaney Dozie

Annie, Ava and Jonathon Broy

Madison and Savannah Jane

Kelly, Joey, Thomas and Stacey Shields

Stephanie Despain and Anthony Moore

Christina and Jayden Bonz

Kim and Lake Erickson

...at the Halloween Trick or Treat Downtown Pensacola

Louise Hamula, Jordan and Dawn Roush

Kyle Kildow, Kyler Marinez and Jennifer Buzbee November/December 2012

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