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1928: Clearwater hit with serious winds

By THERESA BLACKWELL
Published April 23, 2007

APRIL 28, 1928

CLEARWATER - Yesterday afternoon everyone had planned to see a parade of Shriners from Columbus, Ohio, guests of the city en route to Miami. But instead of a parade, there was a freakish wind that seemed to blow from every direction at once.

Signs were blown from the fronts of several business places and tile was wrenched loose from the roof of the Fort Harrison Hotel and spattered about the streets.

During the hardest of the wind, the large plate glass window in front of Fussell's Pharmacy in the Fort Harrison Hotel was blown out, exposing most of the stock in the establishment to the elements.

The large shaving hopper at the Clearwater Lumber Company plant on Myrtle Avenue at Pierce Street was blown over against the dry kiln, pinning two motor cars beneath it.

At the same time, the Bullock Company's lumber shed nearby was unroofed, and the top of J.L. Graham's garage apartment on Court Street went to the air, along with a large sign on the roof of a dry cleaning establishment on Franklin Street.

The air was full of pieces of tile, composition shingles, garbage can covers and like material while the gale continued at its height.

What was said to be the largest oak in town, on the property of H.H. Constantine Jr., fell across Markley Street just west of the county jail and another large tree on Haven Street blew down.

The wind blew 140 windows out of the Plant Hospital and news is still coming in of destruction of timber in middle Pinellas County.

APRIL 21, 1930

Get ready for good fights tonight

CLEARWATER - An interesting group of fights has been arranged for the local American Legion ring for this evening. Promoter George Dalby has gotten together one of the best cards to be arranged this season.

Henry O'Gatty of Ybor City, who KO'd local favorite Tete Newcomb in their match several weeks ago, will meet Pancho Villa of Tampa in the final six-round bout.

The six-round semifinal will bring Nick Mack of Tarpon Springs and Kid Mike of Georgia together.

In the final of the four-round bouts, Byron Ellison, the 100-pound wildcat of Clearwater, will attempt to claw out a victory over Jimmie Minardi of Ybor City.

And in the other two four-round matches scheduled, Young Whittle of Seminole will cross rights and lefts with Fred Mixon of Clearwater, and Young Windish of Safety Harbor will try to finish off Johnny Baxter of Clearwater.

All bouts go to a judges' decision.

APRIL 18, 1928

Twilight League opening Monday

CLEARWATER - The new Twilight baseball league organized here recently with four teams entered for the summer season will open next Monday at 5 o'clock with a game between Sheriff Booth's "Deputies" and the business men's team.

All games will be played at the Brooklyn training field and the schedule calls for four games each week, giving each team two appearances on the diamond weekly.

Booth's "Deputies" will appear in uniforms worn by the Brooklyn players during their training season here. Sheriff Booth, just before the major leaguers left for the north, purchased an even dozen uniforms from them and presented them to the courthouse players. R.G. Cromartie, chief clerk in the office of Charles A. Wilcox, tax assessor, is manager of the team, and declares his men will make a strong race for the city championship.

North Pinellas History is compiled by Clearwater Times staff writer Theresa Blackwell. She can be reached at tblackwell@sptimes.com or 727 445-4170.

Looking back

Headlines through the years

A look back at the events, people and places that made North Pinellas the unique place that it is. The information is compiled from past editions of the St. Petersburg Times.

[Last modified April 23, 2007, 06:46:27]