On the Town

Baseball greats a draw for golf tournament

Wade Boggs got delayed in rush-hour traffic from Tampa on Tuesday evening, reaching the 10th annual Big Hitters Party a bit late.

No matter: The crowd partook of food from Outback Steakhouse while waiting for the prolific hitter who has played for the Boston Red Sox, the New York Yankees and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

Boggs, a baseball All-Star a dozen times over, is using his considerable talents as an unpaid assistant coach at Wharton High in Tampa, where son Brett is on the team.

No question the champion hitter will be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y., said Jeff Idelson, vice president of communications of education. Idelson was in St. Petersburg to talk about Baseball as America, the traveling exhibition that is scheduled to open in December at the museum. Boggs is eligible for consideration in 2005.

His role at the event was to announce some of the players who will participate in the 13th annual Festival of Baseball, March 15-17.

Among former Major Leaguers and celebrities on the schedule are Gary Bell, Vida Blue, Bert Blyleven, Bert Campaneris, Doug DeCinces, Orestes Destrade, Dick Drago, Bob Feller, Goose Gossage, Mudcat Grant, actors Mark Harmon and Lori Heuring, Al Hrabosky, Ferguson Jenkins, Jerry Koosman, Ron LeFlore, Sam McDowell, Tug McGraw, Hal Morris, Gaylord Perry, Jim Perry, Jody Reed, Dennis Rasmussen, Brooks Robinson, Joe Sambito, actor Jonathan Silverman, ESPN personality Charley Steiner, Bobby Thigpen, actor Billy Bob Thornton, Tom Tresh, musician Joe Walsh, Jon Warden, Pat Williams of the Orlando Magic and Jimmy Wynn.

A varied group was at the museum to hear the announcements, including Barbara Pacheco, Nora Pearson, Chris Brady, Jonathan Peery, Natasha Nickodem, Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Judge John and Candy Lenderman, Ira and Beverly Mitlin, City Council members John Bryan and Rick Kriseman, Bill Heller, Howard Ross, Lynn Strickland, Mary Wyatt Allen, County Commission member Bob Stewart, Bruce and Mary Ann Marger, Joe Cronin, Joel Momberg, Roger Zeh, Darcy and Rudy Webb, Casey Zeh and Brian Arndt, Dave DeWalt, Frank DeLucia, Tonya Corder, Sue Brett, Stephanie Goforth, Vera Espinola Beery and Linda and Dave Punzak, who chairs the museum board.

The Southern Woman's Study Club celebrated its diamond jubilee on Thursday with a luncheon at the St. Petersburg Yacht Club.

The group organized in 1928 and each year tackles a different topic on which to become better educated.

In 2003, the women are learning more about Florida governors, and their timing is impeccable.

Their next subject is U.S. Sen. Bob Graham, the Florida Democrat whose term stretched from 1979 to 1987, and who may soon announce his candidacy for president.

The birthday celebration was for socializing and reminiscing, however.

Elizabeth Lang Thurston told me that her grandmother, Mary Ellis "Nellie" Talley, was a charter member.

President Mary Tracey recalled that her cousin Nell Cunningham was a charter member, as was an aunt, Thel Seibert.

In one storied meeting at the old Suwannee Hotel, the study club members were mistakenly served alcohol-enhanced wedding punch instead of their usual nonspirited fruit drinks.

Mrs. Tracey said she heard the narrative from the streetcar conductor who had taken one of the women home.

"I never saw her so happy and jovial," he reported.

In those days, Mrs. Tracey said, "the conductors knew who you were and where to let you off, and if you didn't behave, they told your parents the next time they got on."

And she said she and another study club member, Jane Ellis, were classmates at Roser Park grammar school and attended kindergarten together at First United Methodist Church.

Among others celebrating at the luncheon were Charlotte Birt, Dorothy Noblitt, Sally Baxter, Polly Brown, Wilma Smith, Lynda Schoonover, Louisa McLaurin, Bill and Sarah Lake and Mary Paul.

I had to miss the annual Women's Service League's 53rd annual Fashion Promenade on Feb. 8.

The event raised more than $10,000 for the American Lung Association to send asthmatic children to the Boggy Creek Gang Camp in Eustis.

Lorraine Danna, event chairwoman, said 225 guests attended the benefit. "Paper Dolls," its theme, was reflected in the table decorations, which featured clotheslines hung with camp wear and paper cutouts of campers.

Best Groomed Men and Women of 2003 are Nancy Beisinger, Betty and Carl Bowley, Sharon Clayton Keller, Walter Larson, Jeanne Nelson, Eric Lang Peterson, Dr. Joseph Pilkington, Terry Ray, Barbara Sexton, Mary and Fred Shuh, Edie Spies, Connie Whitehead and Diane Winning.

All are deserving and several are repeat honorees, surely destined for induction in the group's Hall of Fame.

LOOKING AHEAD

Wednesday

IRVING BERLIN TRIBUTE: All Children's Hospital Beach Branch luncheon, entertainment benefit purchase of ACH neonatal intensive care unit. 11 a.m. St. Petersburg Yacht Club, 11 Central Ave. $25. 360-4408.

LUNCHEON, CARD PARTY, GAMES: St. Anthony's Hospital Auxiliary annual event. 11 a.m. Auditorium, St. Anthony's Hospital, 1200 Seventh Ave. N, St. Petersburg. $15. 894-8484. Feb. 27

JUNIOR LEAGUE OF ST. PETERSBURG SUSTAINER MYSTERY TRIP: Day trip to undisclosed location. Arrive 7 a.m. at Northeast Shopping Center, southeast corner Fourth Street N and 38th Avenue, St. Peterburg; bus departure 7:30 a.m.; return 5:30 p.m. Casual clothing, comfortable shoes. $25 to JLSP, 340 Rowland Court NE, St. Petersburg 33701. Reservation deadline: Tuesday.

March 1

THE GREAT PARTY: Dinner, live music, auction benefit Great Explorations. Dressy casual. 6:30 p.m. Private home. $75. Reservation deadline: Feb. 21. 821-8992.

-- Mary Jane Park can be reached at (727) 893-8267; fax (727) 893-8675; e-mail park@sptimes.com; P.O. Box 1121, St. Petersburg, FL 33731.

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