True Crime Cards

Uncle Watty collected many things:  baseball cards, autographs, movies, etc.  One of his collections was True Crime trading cards.  We found a couple of boxes of unopened packs in his home.  These got sent to the archive at UAlbany and to Watty's professor friend in Boulder, CO.  And there were a few opened packs.  I picked those up, sorted through them and kept the cards of the most notorious murderers.  Recently, I decided to frame them.  I guess it's my way of remembering my late uncle.  

Image one shows the front of the framing.  On the back, copied onto foam board, are the backs of the cards, where you can read the morbid details of their crimes.

Hardwick/Vann Dental Cabinet

Hardwick/Vann Dental Cabinet

This cabinet was refinished by Gene Pollan in April, 2004 (Pollan Wood Working, 3100 West Wilson Street in Dothan, AL, W:  334.792.9842) at a cost of $765.  Mr. Pollan refinished the cabinet, its 22 drawers and repaired the broken marble top corner.  He could not locate one small drawer knob but did find a facsimile.

The cabinet was made by The Harvard Company of Canton, OH.  Mr. Pollan estimates it to have been made sometime 1880-90.  Similar pieces in 2004 ranged from $4800 to $52,000.  He estimated this piece to be valued at about $6000 in 2004.

This cabinet was given to William F. Vann, Jr. in January of 2004 by Dr. James W. Vann.  It was given to Jim in 1955 by Charles F. Hardwick, Jr.  It resided in Dr. Vann’s office on Main Street in Headland from 1955-04.  

Charles Hardwick, Jr** was the son of Charles Fred Hardwick, Sr. (DDS), born in Headland and the son of Dr. William Pleasant “Pleas” Hardwick (MD) of Headland.  Dr. Pleas married Aunt Anna Solomon Price, Great Grandmother Emma Solomon’s sister, so Fred was Grandmother Emma Kate Solomon Vann’s first cousin.  

His dental office was on the second floor above the old Holly Drug Store Building on the south square in Headland.  Granddaddy and Grandmother Vann and most of the children saw Dr. Hardwick for their dental care.

William Pleasant Hardwick (MD):  Born 1.25.1860, Died 10.8.1923

Anna Price Hardwick:  Born 9.5.1865, Died 11.22.1942

     Charles Fred Hardwick, Sr.  (DDS)—Born 5.6.1903 and  Died 3.15.64

     Lena Shahah Hardwick

              Charles F. Hardwick, Jr.  

              Mike Hardwick - never married

Charles, Sr. was Grandmother Vann’s first cousin.  He married Lena Shahah Hardwick of Dothan and they had two sons.  Lena’s dad was a Russian Jew and a “mule trader” and was a principal  investor in the old Farmers’ and Merchants’ Bank that existed prior to the Great Depression.  It was one of the two banks whose merger produced the HNB in the 30s.   After Charles and Lena divorced, he married Leta ?????.    

All of the deceased are buried in the HUMC Cemetery.

WFV, Jr. (Bill Vann)

Drafted ’04 and updated 03/12

Dr. Charles Frederick Hardwick (I believe Sr.)

photo source

1949

1955

1959

Captain Skyhook

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (formerly Lew Alcindor) recently turned 65!  I remember Dad taking Miles and me to see Kareem play when the Lakers visited the Hawks.  I got Pat Riley's autograph and, of course, got to see Magic and Kareem take it to the Hawks.

This and other classic Kareem shots are here.

Lew Alcindor had a storied collegiate and professional career.  Freshman could not play in his day, but the freshman squad beat the defending champion varsity squad in a real game on campus.  Beat them by 15 points!  The UCLA Bruins, in effect, were the second best team on their own campus.  In Lew's sophomore, junior and senior seasons he led the Bruins to three consecutive national championships (still a record) and an 88-2 record.

Here's a 15-yr. old Lew Alcindor.  Anthony Davis of the Kentucky Wildcats looks a lot like him.

It's hard to beat this pair: Kareem and Earvin. This duo teamed for five championships and eight championship appearances out of ten from '79-'89. One was The Captain and one was simply Magic. One mastered the skyhook and one orchestrated Showtime. In the mid 80's, on a school night, Dad took me to the Omni in Atlanta when the Lakers came to town. It was a dream come true!

UPDATE 3/24/14

 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, formerly Lew Alcindor.  The greatest scorer in the history of the NBA. 

This is a segment about the legendary UCLA Bruins coach John Wooden.  Interestingly, freshman, during the days when Alcindor was in college, could not play.  They were basically red-shirted, I guess.  However, the story goes that when Alcindor was a freshman at UCLA, the freshman team beat the three-time defending champion Bruins varsity team.  And therefore, the storied Bruins team was actually the second-best on the campus.  Pretty Impressive!  When you study his high school and collegiate careers, and then combine that with his championship, MVP and record-setting NBA career, Lew Alcindor/Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is arguably the greatest single basketball player in history.  In January, my brother and his boys, on their trip to Pasadena, CA, had their photo taken next to Kareem's monument outside Staples Center.  I will try to add it here soon.

Magic/Bird

My brother Miles and I will have to watch the new Broadway play, Magic/Bird, together one weekend in the Big Apple. He grew up pulling for the Celtics, and I, of course, was for the Lakers.

In time I hope to add a scan of a photo of Larry Legend that I actually gave Miles in 1993.  I was working at AmSouth Investment Services in Birmingham and was asked to carry a package to an office in another part of town.  When I reached my destination, I struck up a conversation with a secretary who, very surprisingly, was from French Lick, Indiana, Larry Bird's hometown.  I told her about the Magic/Bird, Allen/Miles rivalry, and she pulled out a picture she took of Larry Bird when he was in high school or college.  The picture is of a shirtless Bird on an asphalt court, holding a basketball.  I told her I would do anything for that picture.  Let's just say this:  I got it!  I then gave it to Miles, who was very appreciative.

If you want to know what I had to do to get that picture, you'd better come have coffee with me in Asheville.

That's the picture, on the left.  The one on the right is one I took of Air Jordan during a golf tournament in Birmingham.  To think, Jordan had three more NBA championships to go!

If you want to read a very good review of the play, here ya go.

I had the Magic shoes, and my brother wore the Bird ones.

Slick Rock Falls

Today we drove to Pisgah National Forest, hoping to see three waterfalls: Slick Rock, Cove Creek and Daniel Ridge. Despite the fact I had researched well beforehand and had all the maps and brochures that would take us to the right spots, unfortunately, we were only able to find Slick Rock Falls. We still made the best of it. What a gorgeous day it was! On the plus side, we weren't expecting to see Looking Glass Rock. But there it was!

Lake Logan & Devil's Courthouse

The panoramic views atop Devil's Courthouse are quite spectacular. For a couple of maps, click here.  Kade and I enjoyed our time there.

Graveyard Fields. Check.

Graveyard Fields Trail is a popular Blue Ridge Parkway destination. I now can check it off my list! Kade and I had covered Second Falls before, but this time Upper Falls was on my mind. Enjoy two of my video creations.

Loving the Outdoors!

During the Spring and Summer I intend to explore the plethora of hiking trails on the Blue Ridge Parkway and elsewhere around WNC. I've done a few hikes over the past few years, but not nearly as many as some of my friends have done. I'm out to change that! I truly hope this quest will (a) ignite a passion for the outdoors and (b) get me into better shape. Let the games begin!

Yesterday I went to Fryingpan Mountain Lookout Tower, which is located near Mt. Pisgah. The views were stunning. Enjoy the video.

If you listen carefully, you can tell I have some audio issues with my camera. Tomorrow I'm off to buy a new one!

One Surprise Leads to Another!

This magnificent performance by Madonna gave me an idea.

On Kade's and my 9th Anniversary I first surprised her with dinner at a top restaurant in Asheville, The Admiral.

This photo and the one above belong to Out of Town Local.

Our anniversary was February 23rd.  The Admiral changes out its menu daily!  Wow!

Then I presented the real surprise:  tickets to see Madonna!

Check out this event Allen Espy's attending

Message:

Hi, I'm going to see Madonna at MGM Grand Hotel. Want to get tickets and join me? Here's my event info: sec: 216, row: B, seats: 26-27.

Madonna MGM Grand Hotel Las Vegas, NV Sun , Oct 14, 2012 08:00 PM

Once Kade has seen Madonna in concert, she will have completed the concert Trifecta for someone of my generation: Michael Jackson, Prince and Madonna! Here's the King of Pop's 1993 Super Bowl performance.