COMMUNITY
PAGE A8 ■ THURSDAY, APRIL 14, 2016
SEALY NEWS
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Take me [back] to the ball game America’s favorite “vintage” game leisurely invades Sealy Picnic By JASON B. HOGAN reporter@sealynews.com
In vintage baseball – the time-travelling sport that features old uniforms, old equipment and even older rules - the game and customs were much different from America’s current craft. Baseball, or “base ball” as the game was commonly spelled before the 1880s, was a gentleman’s game. It was a game of respect. On Saturday, vintage baseball resurfaced at B&PW Park in conjunction with the 2016 Spring Picnic. Appropriately, it was the first time the Sealy Area Historical Society hosted the baseball event. Teams spanning from Sealy and eastward to Houston stirred their stumps (hustled) in the outfield for two brief sixinning games. Respect and bonding might be lost art forms in this media saturated period but, then, it was about camaraderie. And while on the field Saturday, players held to the age-old rules, many of which having less to do with game play and more with conduct. No foul or uncivil language. No spitting. No alcohol consumption. No chewing of tobacco. In the 1860s, pitches were also delivered underhand to allow for good striking. There were judges, not umpires. Players were ballists. The game was a match. This weekend, in the second game – er, match - of the afternoon, the Houston Babies faced the Barker Cypress Red Sox in the presence of about 30 cranks, or fans as they are now called.
Photos by Jason B. Hogan
Some teams keep it truly traditional to the era and use made up handles on the field of play rather than their actual moniker, like Pops, Swaggy P, Bam Bam, Chowda and Flash of the Red Sox, as it helped fans to identify with players. The obvious difference in the game of yesteryear and today is the equipment. Bats were more slender and solid, closer in resemblance to bats used in stickball. And the ball itself is more rubberized, called a horsehide or onion, and
harder to get a full swing on. Some players said it feels like you are going to break your wrists when you try to get full contact on the ball. Well, that did not stop Bam Bam from lacing one into an outfield, straight-to-center gap and legging it to second base on an eventual ground rule double over the fence. On that sun-stricken diamond, players reminded those in attendance why baseball – or even base ball - remains America’s favorite pastime.
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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2016 ■ PAGE 17
County honors fair parade grand marshals By JASON B. HOGAN editor@sealynews.com
Chuck and Rita Scianna, residents of Bellville, spent the bulk of last week humbly partaking in their roles as the 2016 Austin County Fair parade grand marshals. Following the early morning parade on Oct. 13, fair representatives and county and city officials gathered at the American Legion Hall on the Fairgrounds in Bellville to thank Chuck and Rita for their service to the county and its youth. “We moved up here in 2006 and it’s like we’ve been here our entire lives,” Chuck said. “There’s not a friendlier community in the country.” Parade grand marshals are honored for their philanthropic and educational roles among their communities, which benefits up and coming youth. Every year, rural counties host a county fair, and the fair association board of directors generally select individuals that take the lead in the parade — in a sense the opening day ceremony for the week’s festivities.
“Investing in our youth: we don’t look at it as philanthropy, we look at it as an investment,” Chuck said. “If we don’t make an investment in our youth today, then we’re not going to get a return going forward.” The Austin County Fair has been around since 1927, and every time it comes around the association and its legion of volunteers take the forefront in youth encouragement with agriculture through exhibition of their livestock and farm fresh produce. Stock markets rise and fall, but a youth investment has lasting implications, Chuck said. “Most of us are guilty of saying, ‘I don’t know what’s going to happen with this generation. They’re never going to come through,’” Chuck said. In the history of this country, during each passage of leadership from one generation to the next, someone has been guilty of making that claim, Chuck said, and no generation has ever been let down. Chuck quoted former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill:
Sealy News/Jason B. Hogan
Chuck and Rita Scianna ride down the 2016 Austin County Fair parade route, driven by Dwayne Virnau, during the county fair on Oct. 13. Chuck and Rita were named this year’s parade grand marshals. “Those damn Americans. They will always do the right thing ... after they’ve tried everything else.” A deafening laughter
broke out in the hall. Chuck dissuaded the audience from thinking of he and his wife as some sort of heroes that foster generosity and
kindness toward the next generation. “The real thanks, the real payoff, is from all of the volunteers and the work that you do.
And that’s what keeps us engaged,” Chuck said, as he sat back in his seat amid an applause.
Austin County Fair photos
Sealy News Photos/Holly Galvan
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PAGE 22 ■ THURSDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2016
THE SEALY NEWS
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Business Profile: Financial comfort with Edward Jones By JASON B. HOGAN editor@sealynews.com
Budgeting is a daunting practice that taxes most, but not Andrew Krampitz. He might not have envisioned himself as a financier under the Edward Jones umbrella for a community of more than 6,500, but he always wanted to understand the finer points of long-term financial goals like 401K enrollment options. “I guess I’ve always liked dealing with people’s money,” Krampitz said. Krampitz is a Sam Houston State alumnus born and raised in Sealy. He graduated in 2009 with a business management degree. Somehow, he found himself employed with Sherwin-Williams as an assistant manager after graduation. “It’s not what I saw myself doing,” he said. That’s when he shifted direction. At the time, he had never heard of Edward Jones but saw the company
was rated No. 1 employer in the state of Texas. “It was really chance that I came back here,” Krampitz said. When he began with Edward Jones, Krampitz was in the Houston and Katy area but not too long after, his current office became available almost simultaneously with a desire to move back to Sealy with his wife, Erin. Funny enough, the Edward Jones office in Sealy is down the street from where Krampitz grew up on Fowlkes Street. His family is well-known in the community as a longtime grocer, and that might be where he got is personal approach. The wall in his office is not adorned with degrees and personal achievements. It meets seated customers with the smiling faces of his four children. “It keeps me honest,” Krampitz said, while looking back at his kids sprawled across a family portrait. “I’m motivated by my
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Andrew Krampitz sits comfortably behind his desk as his family has a daily eye on his progress and “keeps him honest”. Krampitz is the owner of the Edward Jones location in Sealy. family. I want to be the best husband and father I can be and provide for them,” Krampitz said. “I want to set an example for them every day and instill good values and morals. They are the most important people in my life and I want them to be proud of me. That familial responsibility also extends to the Sealy community. “I also take pride in my business and I am motivated by my desire to help others and give them my best. I enjoy giving back to the community as well,” he said. To Krampitz, there is nothing better than working in business, especially for Edward Jones. “I got into the busi-
ness for several reasons. I have always wanted to own my own business and make my own schedule,” he said. “Spending time with family is very important to me and I knew at Edward Jones I would be able to do that and have a good work/life balance.” Edward Jones is one of the only firms to serve individual investors exclusively, Krampitz said. It has nearly seven million clients and has been in business more than 90 years. “I have always wanted to be involved in something where I am able to control my own destiny,” Krampitz said. “Here at Edward Jones, I am able to help people with their
long-term financial goals so they can worry less and enjoy life.” Edward Jones emphasizes relationships with clients in a small business atmosphere with few employees and not an influx of representatives offering automated greetings, Krampitz said. “Our office provides a personal, face-to-face approach. We are always there when you need us and meet with clients one on one,” he said. Krampitz has now been back in Sealy for seven years. “At our office, we go above and beyond to serve our clients and we are happy to do it. Investing can be complicated. At our office,
you can ask all the questions you want, and we will answer them in a way you can understand. I am here to help you, listen, and understand what’s important to you,” he said. As a financial adviser, Krampitz is a qualified securities sales agent with a Series 7 and Series 66 designation through the Texas State Securities Board, and also holds an insurance license with the Texas Department of Insurance. Krampitz’s office helps clients meet their long term goals through stocks, bonds, mutual funds, life insurance and annuities, long-term care, preparing for retirement, living in retirement, paying for education, preparing for the unexpected and estate considerations. Edward Jones, located at 201 Fowlkes St. in Sealy, is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information, contact Andrew Krampitz at 979-8854787, or email andrew. krampitz@edwardjones.com.
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89th Annual
Austin County Fair & Rodeo
A supplement of
The Sealy News
Commemorative Edition October 2016
Sealy News Photo/Holly Galvan