View allAll Photos Tagged trivia
1: juvenile foot translucent colourless with distinct opaque white lines.
2: lines absent from chamfered peripheral border.
3: juvenile mantle translucent, dingy buff-white.
4: fine grey/black particles coalesce to form spots grouped into dark discs.
Shell height 9.3 mm. Anglesey, Wales, September 2015. Leg. J. Light.
Full SPECIES DESCRIPTION: flic.kr/p/CGERbH
Key id. features: flic.kr/p/BSzH7X
Sets of OTHER SPECIES:
Trivia is a classic racing yacht of the 12mR class. The ship was built by Camper & Nicholsons, of Gosport, in 1937, beginning to successfully compete with the other Twelve metres in the same year. In 1938 owner MacAndrew steered her so successfully that at Cowes Week he won 21 prices, including the King's Cup. Between 1958 and 1987 the 12mR class was used for the America's Cup, the oldest and most prestigious trophy in sports.
After a long and varied career elsewhere, and sailing under the names of Norsaga and Phoenix, respectively, Trivia participated in the America's Cup Jubilee off Cowes, Isle of Wight, in 2001, back in the waters of the Solent where she was originally built and also restored. She is now owned by Trivia GmbH, of Hamburg, and home to the Baltic waters off Kiel, Germany.
More classic yacht photos:
www.flickr.com/photos/oliversesemann/3104652515/
www.flickr.com/photos/oliversesemann/3104652501/
1: three pitch-brown/black dorsal marks on shell (central mark smaller than usual on this specimen).
2: mantle generally dark but no distinct pitch-brown/black blotches near orange rim.
3: many distinct opaque yellow lines on dorsal surface of foot.
Height (longest shell-dimension) 10.8 mm. Menai Strait, Wales. August 2010.
Full SPECIES DESCRIPTION: flic.kr/p/CGERbH
Sets of OTHER SPECIES:
Typical sizes in Britain (adults usually 8-12 mm high). Convolute shell, i.e. all earlier whorls concealed by enveloping final whorl.
1: smallest specimen palest as pigmented layer deposited by external mantle is thinner than on larger older specimens.
2: shell broadest towards apical end (posterior of animal).
3: slight mound indicates position of hidden apex.
Heights (longest shell-dimensions) 8.7 mm, 9.6 mm, 11.2 mm. west Scotland. April 1976.
Full SPECIES DESCRIPTION BELOW
Sets of OTHER SPECIES: www.flickr.com/photos/56388191@N08/collections/
Trivia arctica (Pulteney, 1799)
Revised December 2023.
Synonyms: Cypraea arctica Pulteney, 1779 ; Cypraea europaea Montagu, 1808 [= aggregate of T. monacha and T. arctica in Forbes & Hanley, Jeffreys, and many authors pre-1925]; Cypraea europaea var. minor Marshall, 1893; Trivia mollerati Locard, 1894.
Current taxonomy: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=141744
Meaning of name: (Latin) Trivia = a common thing; arctica = northern.
Vernacular: Northern cowrie, Unspotted cowrie (English); Cragen fair y gogledd (Welsh); Ongevlekt koffieboontje (Dutch); Nordlig kauri (Danish). Sometimes “Arctic cowrie” is used, but a misnomer as not a typical Arctic species, just a few records beyond Arctic Circle in Norway where Atlantic Drift brings anomalous temperate water far north.
Names applied to both T. monacha and T. arctica: European cowrie, nun, sea-cradle, maiden, stick-farthing, (English); Groatie-buckie (Scots); Cragen fair (Welsh); Europäische Kauri (German); Pucelage; Pou-de-mer; Porcelaine puce; Grain de café (French); Kaffebønne (Norwegian); Freirinha (Portuguese); Porcelanita (Spanish).
GLOSSARY below.
Adult shell description
In Britain, adult T. arctica are usually from 8 mm to 12 mm high (longest dimension of shell) 01Ta flic.kr/p/Cfnfpb. They are broadest towards the apical end. In the Mediterranean they are usually smaller; Vayssière (1923) in Lebour (1933) gives height extremes of 6-12 mm at Marseilles. The shell is ovoid with a flatter apertural/ventral face 02Ta flic.kr/p/D5AdRz , likened in its vernacular names to a coffee bean (Dutch, French, Norwegian) or kernel of oats (Scots). The shell is convolute with all earlier whorls hidden from view by the enveloping final whorl; a slight pimple or mound on posterior end sometimes indicates the position of the hidden apex 01Ta flic.kr/p/Cfnfpb. It is solidly built with an adult sculpture of 20-25 ribs crossing the entire shell with a few short intervening ribs. The intervening grooves are the same width as the ribs. The ribs of left and right sides are perfectly aligned where they meet with no discontinuity on the dorsum (van Nieulande et al., 2022 & 27.1Ta flic.kr/p/2pkGM2T . There is a thickened white labial varix on the left 02Ta flic.kr/p/D5AdRz .
The aperture is a gently bowed slit positioned ventrally on the living animal, and it extends the entire height of the shell. The outer (palatal) lip of the aperture is curved out of sight into the interior of shell 03Ta flic.kr/p/CKKP6m . The columellar region is a concave furrow and its ribs protrude as teeth. An expansion of the aperture slit at the anterior forms an inhalant siphonal canal, and narrower expansion at the posterior forms an exhalant canal. The adult shell is opaque white internally and externally, apart from a thin external pinkish layer deposited by the external mantle in grooves dorsally and laterally; the ribs receive less pigment so are paler than the grooves 03Ta flic.kr/p/CKKP6m . The ventral surface and labial varix are white 02Ta flic.kr/p/D5AdRz . Shells of live animals are glossy and lack erosion or epizooic growths as they are protected and maintained by the expanded mantle depositing shell material on the exterior 04Ta flic.kr/p/D3j1Ws . There is no operculum or periostracum on adults.
Post-veliger shell development
The veliger larva metamorphoses when its shell is about 1.25 mm diameter (Lebour, 1933). The early juvenile shell is flimsy, smooth, white and has a typical gastropod aperture and spire. At this stage it is not possible to differentiate the shell from that of T. monacha 04.1Ta flic.kr/p/2pjL6Za unless the diagnostic foot is visible 04.2Ta flic.kr/p/2pjLJAh . As it grows, the spire is completely enveloped by the final whorl. Post-veliger juvenile shells grow in the normal three-layered helical fashion of most other snails (Meyer & Paulay, 2005). This changes after about six months when: i) the spire is completely enveloped by the body whorl, ii) the shell is thickened mainly internally, but also externally, with layers of differing crystalline structure, iii) the ribs act as teeth along both sides of the narrowed aperture, iv) the ribs and grooves complete their formation ventrally and dorsally on the body-whorl. The shell now has adult form, but is pure white as the outer pinkish layer has not yet been deposited 04.3Ta flic.kr/p/2pkpebK .
Adult shell development is completed by deposition externally of a thin, outermost pinkish layer mainly in the grooves, and ventrally the shell remains white.
Body description
The cephalic tentacles are long, slender and translucent white 10Ta flic.kr/p/CKKHdQ to mustard-yellow 11Ta flic.kr/p/CDnCcB , usually with opaque, hyphen-like streaks of yellow. The large inhalant siphon is a rolled extension of the mantle 09Ta flic.kr/p/DcSQig coloured whitish 12Ta flic.kr/p/D3iU6U to pale yellow 13Ta flic.kr/p/CfuduK ; often with stronger yellow at the tip and sometimes opaque white or yellow marks. The siphon protrudes, often held high, from a short, wide expansion of the aperture slit at the anterior which acts as a siphonal canal 09Ta flic.kr/p/DcSQig & 13Ta flic.kr/p/CfuduK . The exhalant siphon is formed by a fold of mantle resting within an expansion of the aperture slit forming the posterior siphonal canal 07Ta flic.kr/p/Cfn8gU . The much thickened and lobulated mantle can expand over the entire exterior 12Ta flic.kr/p/D3iU6U . In Britain, when stretched to full extension, the mantle is often translucent enough for the shell to be discerned under it. Its general colour is whitish, brownish or orange-brown. It is palest ventrally and usually greyed by a spray of very fine grey particles which may locally aggregate into small blotches 12Ta flic.kr/p/D3iU6U , and occasionally form lines aligned with grooves of shell. The mantle rim is usually pale yellow 12Ta flic.kr/p/D3iU6U or whitish and is often unobtrusive 04Ta flic.kr/p/D3j1Ws . There are usually several pitch-brown/black pigment blotches near, or interrupting, the yellow/white rim 10Ta flic.kr/p/CKKHdQ . On the fully expanded mantle the blotches are often mistaken for the similar dorsal blotches on the shell of T. monacha 12Ta flic.kr/p/D3iU6U .
Colour saturation varies between individuals, and on any individual increases with degree of mantle contraction 14Ta flic.kr/p/DcSran . Specimens from southern Europe usually have more saturated colours and sometimes have a dark brown mantle. Light yellow or whitish papillae often protrude from the mantle. They vary in size, shape and number and are occasionally “hedgehog-like” 15Ta flic.kr/p/Cfuc4Z ; sometimes absent 11Ta flic.kr/p/CDnCcB and sometimes extremely prominent and branched. They are usually more prominent on juveniles (Lebour, 1933). Post-veliger juveniles have paler body pigmentation and at the earliest stages can be entirely white 04.2Ta flic.kr/p/2pjLJAh . The mantle on later juveniles is translucent, yellowish with minute blackish purple particles which coalesce into blotches near the mantle edge, only when adult 31Ta flic.kr/p/DcJu9q . Juveniles often have yellow tipped papillae on the mantle and minute dark spots on the body and base of siphon, and sometimes pale yellow flecks on siphon and tentacles (Lebour, 1933).
The foot at all stages can extend beyond the shell by more than 50% of shell-length 16Ta flic.kr/p/CDnwTF . It is translucent, whitish with varying amounts and intensity of yellow 13Ta flic.kr/p/CfuduK or orange-red 17Ta flic.kr/p/CKKznQ tinting. The dorsal surface of the foot has a distinct, broad, peripheral chamfer 13Ta flic.kr/p/CfuduK , often with some irregular, opaque, yellow 10Ta flic.kr/p/CKKHdQ or whitish 12Ta flic.kr/p/D3iU6U blotches but not extensive well-defined lines. The chamfer narrows at the posterior tip, often giving it a flat 18Ta flic.kr/p/D5zWZK or concave 15Ta flic.kr/p/Cfuc4Z outline which is frequently marked with about 6 short yellow streaks. The anterior of the foot is bilaminate 19Ta flic.kr/p/CKKxxs .
The sole is coloured as the dorsum of the foot or paler 19Ta flic.kr/p/CKKxxs , but without opaque marks, though those on the dorsal surface may show through it 20Ta flic.kr/p/D5zUR6 . It has a median groove containing a posterior pedal mucus gland 07Ta flic.kr/p/Cfn8gU . In the anterior half of the sole on females there is a ventral pedal gland the opening of which often has a more saturated colour 21Ta flic.kr/p/D3iJt7 . A transverse fold allows the anterior of the foot to fold back on itself to bring the ventral gland forwards 22Ta flic.kr/p/Cfu4CX . Unlike most gastropods which have a single columellar muscle/pedal retractor muscle, T. arctica has two because of its expanded body whorl.
A large flat leaf-like penis arises behind and below the right tentacle on males (Lebour, 1933).
Key identification features
Trivia arctica
1) Adult pink shell has no pitch-brown/black dorsal marks 10Ta flic.kr/p/CKKHdQ but dark dorsal blotches on rim of fully extended mantle of adult T. arctica are often confused with similar marks on shell of T. monacha.
2) The dorsal surface of the foot of T. arctica at all stages is whitish to yellowish or reddish orange, often with some irregular opaque marks, but is not covered by a network of opaque yellow or white lines 12Ta flic.kr/p/D3iU6U . * Most reliable diagnostic feature.
3) Post veliger juveniles with smooth white shells 04.1Ta flic.kr/p/2pjL6Za cannot be differentiated from juvenile T. monacha, unless the dorsal surface of the foot is seen not to be covered by a network of white or yellow lines 04.2Ta flic.kr/p/2pjLJAh .
4) Final stage juveniles of both T. arctica and T. monacha have adult-like ribs but are white and lack pigment blotches 04.3Ta flic.kr/p/2pkpebK . T. arctica can be identified by the dorsal surface of the foot lacking a network of lines, or by the perfect dorsal alignment dorsally of the shell ribs from left and right sides 23Ta flic.kr/p/2nuWGWu . The same applies to bleached dead adult shells.
5) Extended mantle of T. arctica has pitch-brown/black dorsal marks (vary in size and number, but often three) where edges meet 12Ta flic.kr/p/D3iU6U . Juvenile has grey/black particles that do not coalesce to form dark discs elsewhere on mantle. (Lebour, 1933).
6) Large flat leaf-like penis on males of T. arctica. (Lebour, 1933).
7) Veliger larvae of T. arctica have yellowish intestines, and very little dark pigment on sides of stomach; always has less pigment than T. monacha larvae. Late stage veligers have velum of four long, thin lobes 24Ta flic.kr/p/CDnozB (Lebour, 1933).
8) 3.5mm post-veliger juveniles of T. arctica have yellowish (not orange or bright yellow) soft-parts with minute dispersed blackish-purple spots on exposed mantle, not congregated into disc-shaped groups (Lebour, 1933).
9) Transparent egg capsules of T. arctica, unknown until 2017, are embedded in compound ascidian with neck projecting from surface 25Ta flic.kr/p/Cfu1R4 & 21.1Ta flic.kr/p/234LSrM , veligers in plankton from January to May in southern England 24Ta flic.kr/p/CDnozB .
Similar species
Trivia monacha (da Costa, 1778)
1) Adult shell has three pitch-brown/black dorsal marks 27Ta flic.kr/p/CDnkwn .
2)The dorsal surface of the foot of T. monacha at all stages is orange/yellow covered by a network of opaque yellow or white lines 27Ta flic.kr/p/CDnkwn . * Most reliable diagnostic feature.
3) Juveniles with smooth white shells 04.1Ta flic.kr/p/2pjL6Za cannot be differentiated from T. arctica, unless the dorsal surface of the foot is covered by a network of white or yellow lines 27Ta flic.kr/p/CDnkwn .
4) Final stage juveniles of T. arctica and T. monacha both have ribs, are white and lack dark blotches 27.1Ta flic.kr/p/2pkGM2T . T. monacha can be distinguished by network of lines on foot, or by the dorsal misalignment of some shell ribs from left and right sides 23Ta flic.kr/p/2nuWGWu . The same applies to bleached dead adult shells. Rare exceptional T. monacha lack misalignment.
5) Extended mantle of T. monacha is varied but usually has an unbroken orange border at the edge not accompanied three large pitch-brown/black blotches on the mantle 27Ta flic.kr/p/CDnkwn .
6) Filiform, cylindrical penis on males (Lebour, 1933).
7) Veliger larvae have almost black intestines & stomach, and dark digestive gland. Late stage veligers have slight lateral bay in the vela, but insufficient to change them into four long thin lobes 24Ta flic.kr/p/CDnozB (Lebour, 1933).
8) 3.5mm (and larger) post-veliger juveniles have orange or bright yellow soft parts 28Ta flic.kr/p/Day2bu , and grey/black particles that coalesce to form spots grouped into dark discs scattered over mantle 29Ta flic.kr/p/CftVz2 (Lebour, 1931 & 1933).
9) Egg capsules with orange eggs embedded in compound ascidian with neck projecting from surface, ( veligers April to September in S. England) 25Ta flic.kr/p/Cfu1R4 .
Marsenia perspicua (Linnaeus, 1758) 30Ta flic.kr/p/CDnfUX
Inhalant siphon and sometimes roughened surface resemble Trivia.
Mantle halves fused so never retract to expose shell.
Fragile, white, internal, ear-shape shell.
Transparent egg-capsules with white eggs embedded in compound ascidian with lid flush with surface apart from rim 25Ta flic.kr/p/Cfu1R4 & 26Ta flic.kr/p/Cfu178 .
Simnia patula (Pennant, 1777) 31.1Ta flic.kr/p/2pmaPvE
Juvenile shells of T. arctica might be mistaken for S. patula.
Shell drawn out into anterior and posterior siphonal canals.
Two sides of exterior mantle meet on right side of shell, not along median line.
Mantle white or orange with orange or red transverse lines.
S. patula lives 15-75 m deep and not intertidally.
Erato voluta (Montagu, 1803) 32Ta flic.kr/p/2nbgWAZ
Strong shell retains exposed spire throughout life.
Animal narrower at anterior, reflecting the shape of the concealed shell.
Stout inhalant siphon and foot are pink or whitish with red spots.
White spots on tentacles.
When fully extended, two sides of dark papillate mantle meet at dorsal median line.
Exotic cowries
Attractive tropical cowries and smaller, duller ones used in school bean-bags and historically used as currency are dropped by humans on beaches, and washed up in the Netherlands from historical shipwrecks.
Habits and ecology
T. arctica is usually found near its compound and unitary ascidian prey on hard substrate at LWS and more frequently sublittorally to 100 m in Norway and 1000 m in southern Europe (Fretter & Graham, 1981). It feeds on Diplosoma listerianum especially var. gelatinosum, the preferred food near Plymouth (Lebour, 1933); on Polyclinum aurantium, the preferred food in Brittany (Pelseneer, 1926), Botryllus schlosseri, especially its yellow and orange forms, Trididemnum, Botrylloides leachi and the unitary Ciona intestinalis and Corella parallelogramma 08.2Ta flic.kr/p/2cQ7E8T & 22.1Ta flic.kr/p/2bpJEk6 .
It examines the surface of the ascidian with its inhalant siphon and, from a pouch in its head, extends a proboscis containing radula and jaws to cut through the test to expose the zooid. Both test and zooid are ingested, and fragments of indigestible test are voided in the faecal rods or pellets. Unitary ascidians, such as Corella parallelogramma 22.1Ta flic.kr/p/2bpJEk6 and Ciona intestinalis (D. Kipling, 2018. pers. comm. 11 Nov.) are sometimes eaten by forcing the proboscis into them through the oral siphon, avoiding the need to bite through the indigestible test.
The body is very pliable and can withdraw into/extend from the narrow aperture with speed and ease. The siphon is usually extended first to test the water 14Ta flic.kr/p/DcSran .
The anterior pedal gland in the bilaminate anterior edge of the foot 19Ta flic.kr/p/CKKxxs , and posterior pedal gland in the median groove of the sole, produce mucus to assist movement, and many other glands in the sole and mantle exude a variety of secretions, not all mucal, and some probably repugnatory. The female has a yellow opening to a ventral pedal gland in the anterior half of her foot. The foot can fold up at a right-angle on a traverse line in front of the gland to position the gland on a leading edge for its protrusion and operation in egg capsule formation 05Ta flic.kr/p/D3j1pq & 22Ta flic.kr/p/Cfu4CX.
Respiratory water is taken in through a long inhalant siphon projecting from the anterior siphonal canal of the shell and passes into the mantle cavity where an osphradium tests the water-quality before passing it through the ctenidium. Water leaves the shell via an exhalant siphon in the posterior siphonal canal.
T. arctica breeds, at Plymouth, from late autumn to spring. The female is fertilized internally by the large flat leaf-like penis of the male. Until 2017, egg laying had not been recorded but was assumed to be similar to that of T. monacha (Fretter & Graham, 1981; and Wigham & Graham, 2017). In March 2017, a Belgian diver, Stefan Verheyen, photographed laying egg capsules by T. arctica 21Ta flic.kr/p/D3iJt7 & 21.1Ta flic.kr/p/234LSrM , and the details were, as anticipated, similar to those of T. monacha. The egg-capsule is transparent showing the crowded orange ova within. It is inserted in a hole bitten into the compound ascidian Diplosoma listerianum, a food favoured by it and T. monacha, and possibly other compound ascidians. The female protrudes the ventral pedal gland embedded in her sole to drive the capsule into the hole and give it its final shape with the two lobes of its bifid tip 25Ta flic.kr/p/Cfu1R4 . The capsule is a spheroidal flask with a funnel-shape neck which protrudes well above the surface of the ascidian, but the neck is easily overlooked as its colourless transparent nature makes it almost invisible 25Ta flic.kr/p/Cfu1R4 .
The eggs hatch into planktonic echinospira larvae with a velum with four long lobes. Larvae were taken in plankton nets by Lebour in coastal waters from January to May, while T. monacha larvae were taken from April to September (Fretter & Graham, 1962) 24Ta flic.kr/p/CDnozB . An echinospira larva has a 'double shell'; the exterior one is flimsy, transparent, colourless and shiny. Fretter & Graham (1962) interpreted the exterior one as the periostracum layer separated from the inner calcareous shell. The intervening gap is filled with seawater and helps reduce the specific gravity of the larva to near neutral buoyancy, and the increased surface area slows the rate of sinking, so easing the effort needed to orientate and maintain position in the water column (McCloskey, 1972). The inner calcareous shell contains the larval animal. Though T. arctica has smaller adults than T. monacha, its larvae are larger at equivalent stages and its vela are more developed probably because it lives in deeper off-shore waters and needs more power to maintain position in the water column.
At metamorphosis, the larval operculum and outer shell/periostracum are shed and the mantle spreads over the exterior of the inner shell. “The number of old [adult] shells taken surprisingly exceeds that of the young.” (Forbes & Hanley, 1853). This quote might be explained by poor survival of thin, fragile, dead juvenile shells on strandlines, but live juveniles are much rarer than live adults on suitable shores, although, when present, several may be found at the same location. Divers seem to see juveniles more often 31Ta flic.kr/p/DcJu9q . Juveniles assume adult form with ribbed pink shells about 6 months after metamorphosis.
Distribution and status
T. arctica occurs from northern Norway to Gibraltar and the western Mediterranean, but is absent from the Baltic and Danish and German coasts apart from dead shells in the vicinity of Helgoland, GBIF map www.gbif.org/species/5192808 . It lives on hard substrate around most coasts of Britain and Ireland but is absent or scarce in the north-east Irish Sea, from Flamborough Head to Kent and much of the east coast of Scotland. U.K. map NBN species.nbnatlas.org/species/NBNSYS0000178458 .
Acknowledgements
For help with specimens, images, information and/or literature, I gratefully thank Maëlan Adam, Jim Anderson, Nils Aukan, Karen Boswarva, Pierre Corbrion, Dick Hoeksema, David Kipling, Jan Light, Paula Lightfoot, Chris Rickard, Stefan Verheyen and Dawn Watson.
Links and references
Browne, E.T. 1898. On keeping medusae alive in an aquarium. J. Mar. Biol. Ass. 5 (2): 176-180. [Description of “plunger jar” used by Lebour to rear Trivia] plymsea.ac.uk/192/
Forbes, E. & Hanley S. 1849-53. A history of the British mollusca and their shells. vol. 3 (1853), London, van Voorst. (As Cypræa europæa [agg.]); pp. 495-497. archive.org/stream/ahistorybritish05forbgoog#page/n508/mo...
Fretter, V. and Graham, A. 1962. British prosobranch molluscs. London, Ray Society.
Fretter, V. and Graham, A. 1981. The prosobranch molluscs of Britain and Denmark. Part 6 – Cerithiacea, Strombacea, Hipponicacea, Calyptraeacea, Lamellariacea, Cypraeacea, Naticacea, Tonnacea, Heteropoda. J. Moll. Stud. Suppl. 9: 285-363.
Graham, A. 1988. Molluscs: prosobranch and pyramidellid gastropods. Synopses of the British Fauna (New Series) no.2 (Second edition). Leiden, E.J.Brill/Dr. W. Backhuys. 662 pp.
Høisæter, T. 2009. Distribution of marine, benthic, shell bearing gastropods along the Norwegian coast. Fauna norvegica 28: 5-106. www.ntnu.no/ojs/index.php/fauna_norvegica/article/view/563
Jeffreys, J.G. 1862-69. British conchology. vol. 4 (186). London, van Voorst. (As Cypræa europæa agg.) archive.org/stream/britishconcholog04jeff#page/402/mode/2up .
Lebour, M.V. 1931. The larval stages of Trivia europea. J. Mar. Biol. Ass. 17 (3): 819-832. [Aggregate species, but nearly all details are of T. monacha.] plymsea.ac.uk/698/
Lebour, M.V. 1933. The British species of Trivia: T. arctica and T. monacha. J. Mar. Biol. Ass. 18 (2): 477-484. plymsea.ac.uk/782/
Lebour, M.V. 1935. The echinospira larvae of Plymouth. Proc. zool. Soc. Lond. 163-174.
Lebour, M.V. 1937. The eggs and larvae of the British prosobranchs with special reference to those living in the plankton. J. mar. biol. Ass., 22: 105 – 166. plymsea.ac.uk/953/
McCloskey, L.R. 1972. Development and ecological aspects of the echinospira shell of Lamellaria rhombica Dall (Prosobranchia; Mesogastropoda). Ophelia 10 (2): 155-168. Preview www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00785326.1972.10430111
McKay, D. & Smith, S.M. 1979. Marine mollusca of East Scotland. Royal Scottish Museum, Edinburgh.
Meyer, C. & Paulay, G. 2005. Shell microstructure. Cowrie Genetic Database Project, Florida Museum of Natural History. www.flmnh.ufl.edu/cowries/microstructure.html
Pelseneer, P. 1926. Note d'embryologie malacologique. Ponte et développement de Cypræa europea, etc. Bull. Biol. de la France et de la Belgique 60 (1): 88-112. [Cited in Lebour, 1933, as having mistakenly interchanged descriptions of penes of T. monacha and T. arctica]
Pelseneer, P. 1932. La métamorphose préadulte des Cypræidæ. Bull. Biol. de la France et de la Belgique 66 (2): 149-163. [Cited in Lebour, 1933, as having corrected mistaken interchange made in 1926 of descriptions of penes of T. monacha and T. arctica]
Van Nieulande, F.A.D., Hoeksema, D.F., Nijhuis, H.W. & Rijken, A.C. 2022. De fossiele schelpen van de Nederlandse kust II, deel 17. Velutinidae, Triviidae, Eratoidae en Ovulidae Spirula 431: 16 – 25. www.researchgate.net/publication/360897905_De_fossiele_sc...
Vayssièrre, A. 1923. Recherches Zoologiques et anatomiques sur les mollusques de la Famille des Cypræidés. Annls Mus. Hist. nat. Marseille Zoologie. 18: 1-120. (In Lebour, 1933.)
Verheyen, S. & Smith, I.F. 2018. Discovery of the egg capsule of Trivia arctica (Pulteney, 1799) Mollusc World 46: 8-9 Conchological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. conchsoc.org/MolluscWorld46
Wiese, V. and Janke, K. 2021. Die Meeresschnecken und –muscheln Deutschlands Wiebelsheim, Quelle & Meyer.
Wigham, G.D. & Graham, A. 2017. Marine gastropods 2: Littorinimorpha and other, unassigned, Caenogastropoda. Synopses of the British Fauna (New Series) no.61. (344 pages). Field Studies Council, Telford, England.
Glossary
aperture = mouth of gastropod shell; outlet for head and foot.
cephalic = (adj.) of or on the head.
columella = solid or hollow axial “little column” around which gastropod shell spirals
columellar = (adj.) of or near central axis of spiral gastropod.
convolute = (adj.) body whorl of shell envelopes and conceals the spire.
ctenidium = comb-like molluscan gill; usually an axis with a row of filaments or lamellae on one or two sides.
dorsoventrally flattened = pressed flat from above and below like a pancake.
echinospira = special form of drifting larva with an inner and outer shell, and the intervening space filled with sea water.
epizooic = (adj.) of non-parasitic organisms living on surface of animals.
ELWS = extreme low water spring tide (usually near March and September equinoxes).
filiform = threadlike.
height = (of gastropod shells) distance from apex of spire to base of aperture but, as apex concealed, the longest dimension on Trivia.
labial varix = especially strong or broad costa (rib) along or near outer lip of aperture.
mantle = sheet of tissue which secretes the shell and forms a cavity for the gill in most marine molluscs. Confined to the shell-interior of most British shelled-gastropods, but can also cover exterior on Trivia.
operculum = plate of horny conchiolin used to close shell aperture; absent from Trivia .
osphradium = organ for testing water quality usually near ctenidium (gill).
papilla = (pl. papillae) small cone-shaped protrusion of flesh.
papillate = covered in papillae
periostracum = thin horny layer of chitinous material often coating shells.
plankton = animals and plants that drift in pelagic zone (main body of water).
suture = groove or line where whorls of gastropod shell adjoin.
test = (of ascidian) a.k.a. tunic; outer cellulose sheath containing zooid.
umbilicus = cavity up axis of some gastropods.
veliger = shelled larva of marine gastropod or bivalve mollusc which swims by beating cilia of a velum (bilobed flap).
PARA MI AMIGOS QUE ME SIGUEN.DESPUES DE UN POCO MAS DE 24 HORAS MI AMIGO ANGIE DE PR, FUE EL QUE COINCIDIO CON LA DESCRIPCION DEL NUESTRA AVE, POR LO QUE SE VA A GANAR UN VIAJE A NUEVA GUINEA DE DONDE ES NATIVA ESTA AVES,.
LAS AVES DEL PARAISO CORRESPONDE EN REALIDAD A UN GRUPO DE AVES MAS DE 40 ESPECIE DE LA MISMA FAMILIA, Y UNA DE ELLA ES EL SIMBOLO DE LA BANDERA DE NUEVA GUINEA, SUELE HABITAR EN SELVA DE NUEVA GUINEA Y SALAWATI, Y CON DON SU PICO GRANDE SE ALIMENTA DE ARTROPODOS Y DE FRUTAS. EN LA QUE ESTA CORRESPONDE TIENE LA CARACTERISTICA DE SER DE UN PLUMAJE AMARILLO Y UN MANTO EN EL PECHO DE COLOR NEGRO EN UN MACHO.ADEMAS EN LA COLA TIENE 12 FILAMENTOS TIPO ALAMBRES DE AHI SU NOMBRE DE AVE DEL PARAISO DE 12 ALAMBRES.
DEBO AGRADECER AL SANTUARIO EL NIDO,EN EL ESTADO DE MEXICO POR PERMITIRME FOTOGRAFIAR ESTA ESPECIE, LO CUAL NO ESTA PERMITIDO Y CON PERMISO DE LA DIRECCION DE ESE FORMIDABLE SANTUARIO DE AVES PUEDO PUBLICAR, ESTA BELLA AVE.
EN REALIDAD ME TOMO UN POCO DE TIEMPO AVERIGUAR EL NOMBRE PORQUE CUANDO LA TOME PERDI LA NOTA DE SU NOMBRE Y EN TODOS MIS LIBROS DE REFERENCIA DE AMERICA DE CUALES TENGO UN EJEMPLAR DE CADA PAIS PRACTICAMENTOS NO APARECE, Y LUEGO DE INVESTIGACION EN LA WEB PUDE DARME CUENTA QUE ES UN AVE DE OCEANIA ,O SEA DEL OTRO LADO DEL MUNDO, ASI COMO IBA ADIVINARLO TAN FACIL.
On Wednesday, January 29 from 6:30 to 8:30 pm, the Transit Museum, in downtown Brooklyn, opened its doors after hours for a trivia showdown hosted by trivia masters Stuart Post and Chris Kelley. Photo: MTA / Patrick Cashin
Mr. Bill's Trivia night at Eugene City Brewery!
Bianca, Angela, and Jolene doing their best to get the emcee's attention. You can see why Team Awkward Situation is Mr. Bill's favorite.
Q: In what city and state did the Wright Brothers make their first famous flight?
Q: What was the first animated cartoon, starring Mickey Mouse, to feature sound?
Q: What nation borders on both the Black Sea and the White Sea?
1: posterior and usually largest of three pitch-brown/black dorsal marks on shell .
2: middle of three pitch-brown/black dorsal marks weakest on this specimen, but usually anterior mark is smallest (Forbes & Hanley, 1853); considerable variation in size and colour saturation.
3: pale, median, dorsal line marks meeting position of sides of expanded mantle; little pigmented shell deposited in slight gap between mantle sides.
4: whitish ribs have very slight pink tint where exterior mantle has deposited minimal amount of pigmented material.
Adult. Shell height 10.8 mm (longest dimension). Menai Strait. August 2010.
Full SPECIES DESCRIPTION: flic.kr/p/CGERbH
Sets of OTHER SPECIES:
Hace mucho que no hago una Trivia por aquí. Vamos a ver como estan de afilados los Birdwatchers de Flickr...
Fíjense que la foto incluye un ejemplar de Leucophaeus atricilla para comparación de tamaño. En un momento incluyo una foto con más acercamiento.
All right after much deliberation I finally decided to make this week's theme...80's Movie Trivia. I will be erasing the correct answers for this week...these will be insanely easy for some of you, and not so easy for others.
Good Luck and bring on the guesses.
(Previous KOM League Flash Reports are available on request)
Ausust 19, 2013
No Flash Report updates have transpired in the last four days. I'm not planning any Flash Reports for the foreseeable future. No one is corresponding with me about what is on their mind and fortunately I don't have any deaths to report. I do know a couple of guys have had a rough time lately do to surgery and other age related problems but they don't come under the heading of "Urgent Messages." When those arrive I'll report on them. The two people I'm tracking right now, due to health problems, are; Don Keeter and Leonard Van de Hey. Keeter is in a Kansas City rehabilitation facility and Van de Hey is in a Wisconsin hospital following surgery. Word received today was that there will be more of the same for the former Carthage Cub from 1950-51.
This note was posted August 12, 2013. There won't be another Flash Report for a few days. If you have anything to submit for the next report feel free to do so by contacting me at j03.john@gmail.com Thanks for checking out this site. The traffic on this site has picked up significantly since the Flash Reports have become a feature.
For the latest interview with former KOM Leaguer, Bill Virdon, go to this site: Celebrate West Plains: Bill Virdon reflects on his career - KY3 News
m.ky3.com
m.ky3.com/display/6497/story/458e4da0908d50238e442ec6fee3...
The next report will have an update on what happened with regard to the guy offering to give me a Mickey Mantle baseball card and also more information on the late Roger Vander Weide's baseball career. His older brother Robert was "top dog" in the operation of the Orlando Magic when they entered the National Basketball Association.
August 15, 2013. The photos are viewed by a number of former KOM league ballplayers and their families. I learned, by posting these photos that Leonard Van de Hey, a member of the 1950-51 Carthage Cubs had surgery yesterday in Wisconsin. Also, a nice note was received from the daughter of the late Johnny LaPorta, Carthage Cubs 1949-50 that she enjoys the photos. Her mother, Angie, the greatest scorekeeper in the history of Carthage baseball, is residing in a nursing home in the Chicago area and still retains the memories of many of the KOM era.
In the next Flash Report an article will address the subject of radio stations that broadcast KOM League games. If you heard a game or games over KGLC in Miami, OK, KSEK Pittsburg, KS, KDMO Carthage, MO, KIND Independence, KS, KWON Bartlesville, OK or WBBZ in Ponca City and wish to share a memory I'd love to include it in the article. There were no games aired of Iola, Blackwell or Chanute home games since those towns didn't have a radio station until nearly a decade after the KOM League folded.
The voice of Miami baseball was Russ Martin. He pastored the First Christian in Miami and was well known for the dramatic phrases and embellishment of games when they became a bit drab. For a while, Joe Pollock, former KOM spedster with three different clubs was his play by play color man.
Pittsburg Browns games were carried on KSEK radio. That station was on the Liberty network and carried a game of the day with Gordon McLendon and Lindsey Nelson doing most of the games. If you got bored you go up to the top of the radio dial and get the Mutual Broadcasting Company game with Al Helfer doing the announcing on radio station WMBH in Joplin. In the evening that station carried the Joplin Miner games with Bill Grigsby doing the play by play. As a point of trivia the last KOM game broadcast was in 1998 with Grigsby doing most of the play by play and not so ably assisted by Yours truly. That was about as much fun as I ever had. By the way one of the announcers for Pittsburg was Thad Sandstrom who later headed up the WIBW radio and TV empire. If you want to know the fate of Mr. Sandstrom check that out on the Internet. The story is too long and gory to place here.
Bill Platt, James DeStefano (aka Jim King), Fred Pralle and Keith Upson broadcast for Ponca City, Carthage, Bartlesville and Independence, respectively. The story of Upson is contained under the last photo on this site. He is shown with the 1948 Independence Yankees. There are some great tales about the last four guys mentioned but I'll hold off writing anything about them to see if anyone has read the material to this point.
I'm under pressure to keep this site moving along since g-mail loves me at about the same level socialism admires free enterprise.
By the way readers are encouraged to use the "Add a comment" in the space provided by Flickr.
The KOM League
Flash Report
for
August 5, 2013
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The back-up site for Flash Reports and photos is:
Flickr: komleague's Photostream
www.flickr.com/photos/60428361@N07/
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Likes this stuff:
Just to let you know that I thoroughly Love the letters and the photos. To me it’s like getting a package from home. So I definitely do NOT want to become a member of the "Infrequent Flyer Club." You can send those letters and pictures my way any time you want to. Sue - KCMO
Ed comment:
It is most likely that Sue is referring to the photos that one of my readers has sent her way. But, I can always hope someone likes the Flash Report. Last week a nice summary was sent to me by Bill O’Donnell. I was going to use it to justify why I still prepare these reports but it got lost somewhere in the innards of the e-mail file. So, Bill, after reading this and you still feel the same way you might want to re-send me a copy of that.
But, on the other hand, if you receive these reports and think they have outlived their usefulness you can let me know. The beneficial aspect of these reports for me, according to what I read in the literature, is that keeping the mind occupied might help stave off old age memory and mental problems. And, it may help folks as old as you to read this material and see if you can make sense of it. That way we are either both crazy or dually sane.
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Message from Dave Vander Weide
John, you posted in my dad's guest book. Thank You. His funeral is tomorrow August 6. Would you happen to be able to e-mail me any stats on my dad? I know his family would love it. I remember as a kid going through a trunk with all his baseball gear and seeing him in a uniform with the Carthage name on it.
This is the obituary for Roger Vander Weide
obits.mlive.com/obituaries/grandrapids/obituary.aspx?n=ro...
If you click on the foregoing URL you’ll see his photo along with the obituary. For those of you who can’t or won’t do so here is the obituary.
VANDER WEIDE, ROGER Aged 85, was peacefully called home to his Lord and Savior on August 1, 2013. He was preceded in death by two sisters and five brothers. He is survived by his loving wife of 64 years, Thelma. He loved his children, David (Jean), Steven (Yvonne), and Robert; his grandchildren, Susan (Mike) Meeuwsen, Jenny (Mike) O'Neill, Ryan (Jenna) Vander Weide, Lisa (Joel) Terpstra, Chad, Josh, Hannah, Katie, Ben, Jessa, and Addie Vander Weide; and his great- grandchildren, Devin, Alexia, Breckton, Bellary Meeuwsen, Katelyn, Kylie, Kelsey O'Neill, Emma Vander Weide, Lillian, Natalie Terpstra were his pride and joy. Roger is also survived by his brother, Russell and Barbara Vander Weide. Roger owned Vander Weide Plumbing. He was a pitcher in the St. Louis Cardinals organization, and was an elder and Sunday school teacher at Hope Reformed Church. Funeral services will be held Tuesday, 11:00 AM at the Zaagman Memorial Chapel, 2800 Burton St. SE, with Rev. Peter TeWinkle and Rev. Dr. Robert Eckard officiating. Interment Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens. The family will greet relatives and friends at the funeral chapel Monday from 2-4 and 6-8 PM. Memorial contributions may be made to Breton Manor Rehab. - See more at: obits.mlive.com/obituaries/grandrapids/obituary.aspx?n=ro...
Ed note:
Vander Weide pitched for the Carthage Cubs in late 1947 and early 1948 but not enough to make it into the official records that were reported in the Baseball Guides. However, due to his late arrival, in 1947, he got into the team photo that included manager Al Kluttz. By that time Woody Fair was back in the Carolina league and Al, brother of big league catcher, Clyde Kluttz was in charge of the Carthage club. Also on that team was Ray Diering the younger brother of Chuck who was with the St. Louis Cardinals, Eddie Vargo who became a long time National league umpire, Wayne Boyer one of the famous baseball family from Alba, Mo. and Bob Mahoney who made it to the major leagues with the other St. Louis team, the Browns and also the Chicago “Pale Hose.” A lot of scribes used to call the White Sox by that name.
It was mentioned that Vander Weide is in the 1947 Carthage team photo. For those of you with the book “The KOM League Remembered” published by Arcadia, that photo is on page 27. Even if you don’t have that book the photo is still there. In that photo are 20 faces which include the batboy, Frederick “Pee Wee” Smith. Of that group only four are still alive. Even Harry Smith’s older brother, Pee Wee, has passed away. Harry is mentioned since he was the Carthage batboy in 1949 and on page 65 of the book mentioned previously struck the most casual photo of any batboy ever did for a team photo. For you who don’t have the book now nor ever will he is laying down in front of the Carthage team that had a few guys who turned in long baseball careers including the best known member, Bob Speake. Since Hal Brown is in that photo and receives these Flash Reports I’m mentioning him to let him know he isn’t forgotten. Of the 18 fellows in the 1949 Carthage Cub team photo only five are still living. Harry Smith suffered the same fate of his older brother Pee Wee and passed away a number of years ago at Carthage, MO. Pee Wee died in Kansas City.
Since it wasn’t mentioned in the obituary I’ll mention it here since I’ll get questions about the date of his birth. It was June 16, 1928 in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
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Still remembering the short term players:
Over the years I've discussed whether Carroll Lloyd "Biff" Jones ever played a game in the KOM. I found a column this morning where the Omaha, Nebr. native played shortstop one night for Ponca City at Bartlesville and had two singles in four at bats. He was born 6/17/1929 in Omaha and died 12/28/2008 while living with his son in Tonopah, NV.
Biff was with Ponca City for a very short time and upon his release he went to Chanute, KS on the way home to Omaha, and tried to get a shot with them. Dick McCoy verified that Biff did go to Nevada and died there for he and his wife Mollie attended the funeral. I happened to get interested in Biff in recent days as I had found his name on the roster of an Omaha team that played in the National Baseball Congress Tournament at Wichita in 1960.
Also on that 1947 team was George E. Seely (sometimes spelled Seeley). He was born either 1/1/1924 or 1/3/1924 according to the records I've uncovered. George pitched in two games for Ponca City before being sent to Zanesville, Ohio. If I have the right George Seely and I think that I do, he graduated from high school in 1943, went to the Univ. of Colorado until being inducted into the US Army, also in 1943. After his final year in baseball, which I think was 1948 he got a degree in education and wound up teaching school for many years in Pueblo.
Note from a baseball researcher
Hi: I have Carroll Jones playing ten games for Ponca City in 1947. Was he a first baseman?
He played in 2 games at first for Sheboygan in 1947. Ray Nemec
Ed reply:
The Ponca City News showed him playing shortstop upon his arrival. He wasn't going to play that position too long for Boyd Bartley and Jim Baxes were going to play the position for the lions share of the time.
Nemec’s reply:
Hi John: Is there any way to check a few more games to see if Jones did play another position? Since Boudreau played in 122 games at 1B, I doubt that Jones played 1B. If he did it may have been only one game
He doesn’t show in the SS fielding of players in ten games or more
Ed reply:
Jones didn't play any first base for Ponca City that I found. And, he didn't have that many at shortstop either. I found what I reported earlier in a scrapbook kept by a female fan of those teams for 2-3 years. I imagine Jones did a little pinch hitting after he got two hits in his first game. I'll look at that scrapbook again and see if anything else appears. I think he played for Ponca City prior to the arrival of Baxes from Santa Barbara. After Baxes got there nobody but Bartley was going even get a shot at playing short.
When Jones went back to Omaha and took up amateur ball he was basically an outfielder. In 1960 when the Omaha Thomases went to the NBC tourney in Wichita he was their left fielder.
The Omaha team was sponsored by the Thomas Plumbing Company. They had their share of ex-Joplin Miners, Independence Yankees, Iola Indians and Ponca City Dodgers on the1960 team. Don Hunter and Biff Jones had played at Ponca City, Robert "Bugs" Redden at Iola, Bill Holderness played for Independence in '49 with Mantle and later committed suicide, and Dave Benedict another of Mantle's teammates at Joplin was also on the team. You probably know that Dave Benedict's son was Bruce.
If any reader would like to chime in on additional information regarding Biff Jones, join the crowd that might not be large enough to fill a pay telephone booth. That is, if there are still any remaining in the era of cell phones.
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I wasn’t kidding
In a recent Flash Report I mentioned that my first book “Majoring in The Minors” was like a pretty girl, hard to get. Here is a note from “back east.” “Hi John, I thought I would see if I could hunt up your book. There is one on Ebay listed at $160, supposedly a discount from the original price of $200. Well, I decided to see how flexible the dealer is and sent in a $35 offer. She countered at $125. I then sent in another offer with a note stating that I really didn't want to pay more than $50, but since the book also has several autographs, the highest I could pay would be $60 She declined the offer with a note saying the lowest she would go was $100. I have a hunch that she might consider splitting the difference, but I was really stretching my budget to offer the $60. Maybe you have someone else that might continue the haggling and reach agreement. I will still keep my eyes open during my tag sale and flea market hunting. Enjoy the summer!!!!!!! John, I believe there are 28 players that signed the book plus yourself. Book was 111 of 300. Bob
Ed note:
I looked at that signature page once again. Only 26 guys signed it. Stokes Dodson and Nick Najjar signed twice. We had a book signing and those were being passed back and forth and guys didn't know if they had signed before or not. I could write pretty good size book just telling the stories I know about those 26 guys. Of course, it wouldn't be read. Bob Saban who signed that was the cousin of Lou Saban who coached the Boston Patriots and he was also kin to the current coach of the Alabama football team.
I looked closely at the top of one of those pages. I believe that is the hard cover edition. That book is worth more than the soft cover that came out four years prior to that. If that's the hardcover then it was signed by all those guys at Chanute, Kansas in 2000. That book was purchased by a public library. That is why it's in mint condition. I could buy that for $100 and still make a buck on it due to the autographs. But I'm not going to do it.
A tip from the old batboy
I believe that book is still listed on E-bay and if you don’t have the hard copy edition it would be worth the money if for no other reason than 26 autographs that you could never assemble.
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Recent honors bestowed on former KOM leaguers.
By Anvil Welch Globe Sports Writer
INDEPENDENCE, Kan. — Bill Virdon broke into professional baseball in 1950 with the Independence Yankees of the Class D KOM League.
Virdon, who’s lived in Springfield (Mo.) for more than 50 years, returned to southeast Kansas last Saturday for only the second time since 1950. The previous visit came in 1996 during a KOM League reunion engineered by league historian John G. Hall of Columbia.
Virdon, who was accompanied by wife Shirley, was inducted into the Independence Baseball Hall of Fame to highlight a Baseball Game Luncheon at the Independence Historical Museum & Art Center, 8th and Myrtle.
Virdon never played for the Yankees. He was traded to the Cardinals and was the National League Rookie of the Year in 1955. He was dealt to the Pirates early in the 1956 season. The left-handed batting, right-handed throwing Virdon patrolled center field for the Pirates most of the time through the 1965 campaign.
Guests last week, in addition to the Virdons, included longtime University of Kansas sports voice Bob Davis and Ban Johnson players Charles Stepp and Merle Blair. Also, seated up front for the meal of hot dogs, peanuts and cracker jacks were researchers Jan Johnson and Mike Webber.
Virdon, who answered several questions from the audience, had at least one very pleasant surprise in the crowd.
Bill Robinson, who lives in Wichita, and his late wife Virginia housed Virdon and another player in Independence.
“I don’t know anything negative about Bill Virdon,” Robinson said. “I never played baseball. We had a pleasant time.
“I’m 94. I do my own driving. I’m going to break Social Security,” Robinson quipped.
“We lived on North 11th St.,” Robinson said. “Our family ran Robinson Supply. I’ve been living in Wichita six years. We make it to Independence every three or four months.”
Virdon, naturally happy to see Robinson, said he couldn’t recall the name of the roommate.
“I don’t have a clue,” Virdon, 82, said with a laugh.
Virdon, who played Ban Johnson baseball for two summers at Clay Center (Kan.) before signing with Tom Greenwade and New York for $1,800, had no problem with Independence’s role in his development as a player.
“I found a position,” Virdon said. “I wanted to be a shortstop. Bunny (player/manager Bunny Mick) put me in center field.”
Just three players on the 1950 Independence Yankees reached the major leagues — Virdon, Don Taussig, another outfielder, and pitcher John Gabler.
The Independence roster was sprinkled liberally with southwest Missouri youths (a testament to Greenwade).
Bill Drake, a 1948 Joplin High School graduate, was a right-handed pitcher on the club. Drake, who played American Legion baseball in the summer, starred in football for the Eagles for Russ Kaminsky and in track for K.E. “Doc” Baker.
“Bill’s strength, first, was as a defensive player,” Drake said of Virdon. “He was a good overall player, of course. The thing I remember as much as anything about him was simply he was a good man. He was a gentleman. I respected him.”
Drake, also a Baxter Springs Whiz Kid, continued playing baseball after his professional stint as a third baseman/pitcher with such semi-pro teams as the Miami-based Tri-State Miners and Home Street Garage of Kansas City to supplement his income.
Drake, 83, said he once hit four consecutive home runs in a game for Home Street Garage. He lives in Raytown.
Virdon was Virdon last week, indicated museum coordinator Sylvia Augustine, with his accommodating manner.
“He always has been that way, I understand,” she said. “He signed everything that was brought to him.”
Virdon, a manager of the year in both the American League (Yankees) and National League (Astros), joined individuals Mickey Mantle, Ralph Terry, Glenn Wright, Bill Walker, Cy Blanton and Eugene Packard in the Independence shrine: The Independence Producers of 1921 and 1930 also have been honored.
The Western Association Producers of 1930 claim the first night game in organized baseball on April 28 at Shulthis Stadium in Riverside Park.
Lloyd Lee Dodson enshrined
cjonline.com/sports/2013-07-17/kevin-haskin-rich-baseball...
Kevin Haskin: Rich baseball history shared at induction ceremony
Inaugural class enshrined into Shawnee County hall
There was mention of Connie Mack on Wednesday at the Bettis Family Sports Complex.
That was a reflection of just how much history was shared at the induction ceremony for the inaugural class of the Shawnee County Baseball Hall of Fame.
Lee Dodson, known simply as Mr. Baseball in Topeka, referenced Mack as one of his heroes.
“I like guys who lived to be 100, or close to it, since I’m closing in on it,’’ said Dodson, who at 89 shared some witty insight into a sport he loved ever since he attended his first game.
That happened to be at Chandler Field in Topeka. Dodson, who would go on to play professionally before coaching and organizing scores of teams and leagues, watched that day as his father managed a club.
“I couldn’t figure out,’’ said Dodson, “how the person who invented this game I was watching could make it so a ball hit to the shortstop could result in a play that was so close involving the batter who was running to first base. It was such a close race. That, and a lot of other things, absolutely hooked me.’’
Over time, Dodson figured quite a bit regarding baseball. So too did the other inductees in the inaugural class — Ken Berry, Beany Conwell, Bingo DeMoss, Marion McDonald, Mike Torrez, Fred White and Gene Wilson. The wide-ranging group represented players, builders, coaches, media and umpires.
The hall does not yet have a permanent display, though information on the inductees and history of baseball in Shawnee County can be found at www.sncobaseballhof.org.
When addressing the audience Wednesday, Berry told how he agreed to have his name affixed to a complex that would eventually be home to numerous youth teams.
“They called me up in 1969 and asked if they could put my name up,’’ recalled Berry, “and I said, ‘Sure, but you guys should know I’m only hitting .230.’ ’’
That recollection came from his 14-year career in the major leagues, in which Berry was an All-Star outfielder and two-time Gold Glove winner. Berry credited Conwell for leading the innovators who started the Ken Berry League. Conwell became the league’s first chairman of the board and was a fixture at the facility. He engaged in every task imaginable while also helping organize several teams.
In accepting the glass obelisk presented to each of the inductees, Conwell’s son, Kent, said: “As I know my dad would like to say, ‘Thank you. Now let’s go build something.’ ’’
For McDonald, his most enduring project was at Washburn.
It was in 1957 that he reinstituted a baseball program for the Ichabods as their coach.
His son, Bill, recently moved back to Topeka after spending 42 years in Michigan. He remains impressed by all the people who recall his father, who also served as a professional scout.
“I hear so many wonderful stories about my dad connecting people with baseball,’’ McDonald said.
One favorite that McDonald shared was the origin of the uniforms Washburn once wore that read “Topeka’’ across the chest.
Turns out, Marion McDonald got the Topeka Reds to donate them to WU after the minor-league team left town following the 1961 season. Bill McDonald said he heard that Pete Rose’s name tag was stitched into one of the uniforms, a story he still needs to research.
One inductee into the Shawnee County baseball hall who pitched to Rose was Torrez, who won 185 games and posted a 3.96 earned run average over 18 big-league seasons.
Another inductee, Fred White, called many of the games Torrez worked. The longtime anchor for both WIBW television and radio went on to become a broadcaster for the Kansas City Royals.
Although a family commitment prevented Torrez from attending, Berry was a contemporary who shared his respect for White, who passed away earlier this summer after battling cancer.
“I was very lucky to have someone like Fred and also Bob Hentzen of The Capital-Journal cover my games,’’ Berry said. “You couldn’t have asked for two greater guys to interview you after you played your heart out. I was very appreciative of Fred and all he did for me.’’
The inductee who was as responsible as anyone keeping games rolling smoothly was Wilson, a longtime umpire who first came to the state as a hot-shot recruit who played basketball for Kansas State. Wilson went on to umpire through four different decades. The manual he wrote for local American Legion umpires was incorporated at the national level.
“I had fun with the game,’’ said Wilson, “but I was serious too. Sometimes, though, you had to lighten up.’’
Like the time Wilson was working a Gopher League game at the very spot where he spoke Wednesday, the former SCABA diamonds.
“I crouched down and my pants ripped,’’ he recalled. “Before long, I had three mothers come down from the stands offering me safety pins.’’
Stories. Many were shared Wednesday reflecting the impressive history of baseball in Shawnee County.
DeMoss, an inductee who began playing for Negro League teams while in high school and went on to become the standout second baseman of his time, gave the class a feel that dates to almost the beginning of the 20th century.
Yet here we are in 2013 and baseball remains vibrant.
“I thank the inventors and the people that improved on it,’’ Dodson said. “Baseball has been total enjoyment for me.’’
Ed note:
Lee Dodson of the 1946 Chanute, KS Owls and Bill Virdon of the 1950 Independence Yankees are both very special individuals. I have got to know each of these fellows over the years and it was especially difficult to miss their induction ceremonies into halls of fame in two Kansas cities. It was very tough to ignore them at a high point in their lives when both of those guys came to Carthage when they hung my mug on the entrance to the Carthage ballpark in 1999. But, although I wasn’t in attendance of either of those events I’m especially proud of both those guys and want them to know it.
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Predictions
Back in 2004 there was a KOM league reunion held at Carthage, MO and when a group of old ballplayers arrived on the scene at the baseball field there was a large number of young ballplayers who were touring the nation as the representatives of the American National team. Sam Dixon struck up a conversation with one of the leaders of that group and the gentleman told him to keep an eye on one player in particular. He was a lad from San Diego and Dixon promised to look out for his eventual rise to major league stardom. After that reunion concluded Dixon handed me the sheet of paper the coach of the team had given him and told me that I should keep it. Well, I looked at it again after nine years and started down the list. I got as far as “S” and recalled the guy with that initial for his last name and he never made it. I figured with just a few names left on the list that none of those guys made it. And, then I saw two fellows with the same last name... Upton. Quickly, it came to me that Melvin Emmanuel and Justin are the same guys who play for the Atlanta Braves. Most people recognize Melvin as “B. J.”
What struck me that morning, nine years ago in Carthage, was an exodus from the ball field when it was announced that a team of random drug testers were there to check the young American team. Those guys who exited the field came out on the sidewalk slamming down their equipment and crying like babies with the full knowledge that they hadn’t played by the rules and their time on the team was over. Now roll the clock forward just nine years and word came down today that some guys who didn’t play by the rules will get to sit it out for a while. Isn’t it great that “Time wounds all heels?” These guys are getting what they deserve but maybe they aren’t getting enough of what they deserve. When the rules set forth permanent banishment from the game for rule breaking then fairness will have a new meaning.
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Conclusion:
In the last exciting edition of this newsletter it was mentioned that although all the copies of “Majoring in The Minors” were in the hands of others I still was able to share a copy that the late Tom Tarascio handed back prior to his death. I sent it along to a new friend in Pennsylvania who was coached by Jim McHugh former KOM leaguer for parts of four years.
Within days of sending along the big green book and a Mickey Mantle-Before The Glory copy I received this note. “Thank your for the book ‘Majoring in The Minors’ and ‘Mickey Mantle-Before the Glory’ and the Mantle pin. The books will be part of my summer reading. Maria McHugh donated the Jim McHugh-Jimmy Foxx letters to the Philadelphia Athletics Historical Society in Hatboro, PA. The Athletics Historical Society closed this past spring and re-located to Spikes’ Trophies, 2702 Grant Ave. Philadelphia. Thanks again John--your book made my summer.” Sincerely, Bob. G.
Ed comment:
Many years ago Jim Mc Hugh sent along a letter he had written to Jimmy Foxx when the Philadelphia A’s great Hall of Famer was ill. Foxx sent him a letter in return promising to get better in order to make his young fan happy. McHugh gave me that material a number of years ago. One day I took both of the letters and added a photo of Foxx and McHugh and sent it back to him with the explanation that it was such a great item he should share it with the family. I was pleased to learn it was now in the Philadelphia A’s Historical Society.
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Well, that’s it for this time
If you have anything to share with regard to the Flash Reports, let me know.
P. S.
Oh, I’m not done. Last week I received a CD from Nick DeMaio of the 1952 Miami Eagles and a teammate of the late Jim McHugh. Nick is the “big guy” with Gunsmoke. That is a country-western band out of Darien, CT. In recent weeks his group appeared on the “Shot Gun Red” show on the cable channel, RFD. Sine I couldn’t that channel through my cable service Nick was kind enough to send me a CD. The music of Gunsmoke is of the genre and era when music was still be made and the lyrics weren’t “x” rated. Gosh, I love the past for a lot of reasons and one of the biggest was the music. Thanks again Nick for your kindness.
Another P. S. or P. S. S.
As I was finishing up this report a telephone call was received from a gentleman who remembered me from my last fling at theater. A few years back I was the voice of Lou Gehrig in a performance attended by few and appreciated by even fewer at a local playhouse. A group from that playhouse performed at one of our KOM league reunions and they were top flight in every aspect and may well have been the top group ever at any of the dozen or so reunions conducted. Anyway, a fellow who attended that performance was the most recent caller and told me he wanted to meet me for coffee. He said that he had recently picked up a baseball card of a former KOM leaguer and wanted to give it to me. So, a coffee date has been set for Thursday morning at a local grocery store. Oh, the baseball card he has of a former KOM leaguer is that of a guy he called “Mickey Mantle.” Has anyone ever heard of that name? I’ll let you know next time about the card and a little more about the guy who is purportedly on it.
On Wednesday, January 29 from 6:30 to 8:30 pm, the Transit Museum, in downtown Brooklyn, opened its doors after hours for a trivia showdown hosted by trivia masters Stuart Post and Chris Kelley. Photo: MTA / Patrick Cashin
Students formed teams to dual against each otheron Norse Trivia Night, funded by SAC. Photos by Sarah Bauer '18.
On Wednesday, January 29 from 6:30 to 8:30 pm, the Transit Museum, in downtown Brooklyn, opened its doors after hours for a trivia showdown hosted by trivia masters Stuart Post and Chris Kelley. Photo: MTA / Patrick Cashin
Prizes! Fame! Fortune! On January 29th, trivia masters Stuart Post and Chris Kelley co-hosted round seven of our annual transit trivia battle.
Photo by Filip Wolak.
On Wednesday, January 29 from 6:30 to 8:30 pm, the Transit Museum, in downtown Brooklyn, opened its doors after hours for a trivia showdown hosted by trivia masters Stuart Post and Chris Kelley. Photo: MTA / Patrick Cashin
Top Row:
1. Trivia solandri
Cabo Tepoca, Sonora, Mexico
2. Trivia europa
Sangenjo, Spain (north of Portugal)
3. Trivia pacifica
Pedro Gonzales Island, Las Perlas Islands, Panama
September, 1976
4. Trivirostra oryza [syn. Trivia oryza]
Off Hooks Reef, Queensland, Australia
March, 1970
5. Triviella ovulata [syn. Trivia ovulata]
Jeffreys Bay, South Africa
Middle Row:
6. Trivia monacha [syn. Trivia acuminata]
Almería, Spain
7. Trivia pediculus
Espírito Santo, Brazil
January, 1976
8. Trivia sanguinea
Pedro Gonzales Island, Las Perlas, Panama
April, 1976
9. Trivia rubescens
Bandera Bay, Nayarit, Mexico
10. Trivirostra hordacea [syn. Trivia hordacea]
Chun's Reef, Oʻahu, USA
October, 1981 (beach collected)
Bottom Row:
11. Trivia californiana
Cabo Tecopa, Sonora, Mexico
12. Trivia merces
Browns Beach, South Australia
13. Trivirostra pellucidula [syn. Trivia pellucidula]
Koniya, Amami Islands (south of Japan)
14. Trivia quadripunctata
Marathon, Florida, USA
15. Trivia myrae
Manzanillo, West Mexico
NOTE: I have not collected live shells since the mid-1970's. I believe that the animal itself is much more valuable alive than destroyed for its shell. It is for this reason that I will now only collect beach/forest shells from deceased specimens.