MEMORIES OF OLD PORT ARTHUR

So many great old photos and articles that I just had to 

open up a new page.  In addition I recently uncovered 

some old cards/photos that I had been just throwing onto

my harddrive over the years.  Hopefully I can remember 

why I had been saving them. As I edit them for size I 

will throw them up here. Putting them up just as I find them.

 

 

Not a real old pic of DeQueen School, but those of you who went there will recognize it.

The Old Federal Building downtown is undergoing renovation right now to be used for offices for a local refinery.

I have several pics of Franklin School.  This one doesn't look real old.

At this time, 1951, The Sabine Hotel was still being fully used.

This is how the JC Airport looked about the time we flew out of here on our way to Parris Island 2 weeks after graduation.

 

Sydalise Fredeman was a real Port Arthur go-getter.  I believe the family was big in the shipping industry.

These were all over town, wish I had one today. I

remember George Crouchet, and of course Steve-O. About 1959 ?

From the 70's.  I have more.  Hope my friend Leo Hebert sees these.

Not the same building but it looks like the same address.

Now this is part of LU PA. I saw Mrs. ML King there.

 

Merchants Bank down town. From HE Austin...

 

MensNames

Quite a panaromic view.  Have several, all are different.

All I can find is this was in PA.  Maybe help from our friend, JK Petteway.

Yet another view.  I still have more.

A bit different view, looking North toward downtown.  I still might be in there since it says 1950.

 

Probably several different proposals back then.  This says 1911.

Just nice clean lines of even a 1963 4-door back then.

(Back of Card)

The first PP bridge so it had to be the 30's.

I left this wide and panaramic.  It says 1951 and it was a jewel back then.

Another fabulous view of the city. Has to be 50's. What a great city PA was then.

 

Not sure where I got this or how it got on my HD. Rather than piece it where it should go, toss it here awhile. If you can contact these gals, do so. Pretty easy to figure out this is around 1983.  Where I got it, don't know. The back explains this photo, if you can read it. 1st car in PA I believe.

Back of Photo

 

 This was labeled The Cat Club. Was it the Black Cat?  Gotta ask JK. We have seen sights like this dozens of times.

 

Who in our age group could ever forget this favorite place to take a date. PA was a popular place back then, about 1920. I can remember this like it was yesterday but it was 1952. Not sure how I got this on my HD but it's been there for perhaps 10 yrs.  Wonder if Earl would remember. Not real old because there came a time where schools had to have fences around them.  Wonder why?

 

Looks like Franklin under construction. Really had to work on this photo. I always wanted to ask Johnny about this but never got to.  Also note the gas prices.  Just found this on the internet one day. Great color photo of the Great Goodhue Hotel. Great BW shot, the 40's cars give us the approx date. This should be a jewel to some of you.  I left it large to be able to read the names.

More to come on a 2nd Page

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Welcome to Seahawk Stadium

Aka Stroud Park

Located in Port Arthur, Texas

 

Former Home of the Port Arthur Sea Hawks / Chieftans / Redlegs!
Seahawk Stadium was a beautiful new ballpark built in 1950 with a capacity of 4,800 designed to replace old Legion Stadium at Pioneer Park by 17th Street near 8th Avenue, where the former Port Arthur Tarpons used to play *Gord Brown SABR.  The new stadium was designed to keep professional baseball in this town for decades to come. Despite the quality of the new ballpark, it was not meant to be as the advent of Television would in a few years, make this sparkling new facility all but forgotten. 

 

Within 8 years, beautiful new Seahawk Stadium had completed its lifecycle for good only to be destroyed before ever fully reaching its potential. In that 8 years however, the Port Arthur Sea Hawks as well as other Minor League franchises would bring exciting baseball to this border town of Texas and Louisiana. In fact, this town would be the only Texas town to serve in the Bayou based Evangeline League. First however, the all new "Port Arthur Sea Hawks or Seahawks" would be called upon to serve in the Gulf Coast League… a short lived Class B Minor League system that served the Western Louisiana / Southeast Texas and lower Houston area. 

 

The Gulf Coast League would carry no affiliations in its 4 year existence from 1950 until 1953 as all teams played as "co-op's". The Port Arthur Sea Hawks would begin their short lived careers here at their new yet not quite finished Seahawks Stadium on opening day in 1950 to a very enthusiastic crowd.
Classmate Lucille found this gem.   I have a similar photo elsewhere on the webpage.  I remember the stadium and the games well, I might even be in that photo.  I noticed that it didn't have a Press Box yet so that must be what they meant by "not quite finished".

I have one sad personal memory of that time.  There was a type of "All Star" game with a traveling bunch of major leaguers that played a game here.  I obtained a foul ball and had several of them sign it.  A few would become Hall of Famers.  Would you believe that I went home and played catch with my cousin Bing Formagus (TJ63), using that ball.  It turned black and could no longer make out the names.  I may have it today but it's totally unlegible.   What an idiot I was.

Another story.  I was there when the King and His Court of 4  played a game against a team of local Fast Pitch Softball Players, about in the Mid-50s.  Little did I know that some 10 yrs or more later I would be playing with and against some of these same guys.  Ahh, to go back and relive history.

One more story, they are coming back to me fast.  One renowned player who did well there was a guy named Roy Sanner.  I was there one game where he hit a home run over the Right Field fence that hit an old building across the street.  It was next to the road at that time.   Living across the street from me was a guy named Carl  Henry Pavia.  His daddy was a well-known businessman and met Roy Sanner.  By then I was 13 or so and Carl was 10 or 11.  His daddy had Roy Sanner meet us at the Teen Age Stadium behind the Village Theater and give us hitting instructions.  I think it helped because Carl Henry became an All-Star in Little League.  I became a pretty good hitter in the Teen Age League.