Blog Archives

Feb
19

The Jamestown Jammers Minor League Team

Denise
Thanks for stopping by again!

The Jamestown Jammers are a popular local minor league baseball team in the Jamestown area. They play at the College stadium; also know as the Russell Diethrick Park.

jamestown jammers
Creative Commons License photo credit: whizchickenonabun

The Jammer’s  are a local a minor league baseball team and classified as a is the Short-Season team. They are an affiliate of the Florida Marlins and play in the New York – Penn League.

The Jamestown Falcons, who were originally called the Jamestown Jaguars, preceded the Jamestown Expos. The Expos left in 1993 for a new location in Vermont. The current team is the Jamestown Jammers and they have played and entertained the crowds since 1994.

The new team was named the “Jammers” after a fan vote with the mascot character named J.J. Jammer.

The question of what is a jammer plagued the team year after year so in the offseason of 2005, the Jammers changed their logo to a cartoon grape theme.

The new logo represents the strong tradition of grape growing in Chautauqua County. On June 19,2006, the eve of opening day, the team announced the name of its new mascot: Bubba Grape, the Baseball Ape. This officially put an end to the jammer question.

The Jammers’ radio affiliates are WKSN, which carries all away games, and WRFA-LP, who carried four home games in 2007. In an effort to draw people to the ballpark, the team does not usually allow home games to be broadcast on the radio.

But unless it’s pouring why not head out to the ballpark and enjoy the music, hot dogs and atmosphere of a baseball game? There always seem to be one or two surprises at a live game.

Note: Jamestown has had a baseball franchise in the New York-Penn League since its inception as the PONY League in 1939. It just goes to show baseball is still one of America’s favorite past-times.


Category: Chautauqua County  Tags: , , ,  Leave a Comment
Feb
16

Jamestown Expos vs Candid Camera

Denise

Many do not know of or do not take advantage of the local baseball team that plays in Jamestown NY. Now known as the Jamestown Jammers they are the minor league team where players will later be sent to play with the Florida Marlins.

IMG_0750
Creative Commons License photo credit: Rob Poetsch

The team offers an opportunity to watch local games in a stadium close to the Jamestown Community College complex near Falconer N.Y. I have watched many of these games and the talent of the team members is exceptional.

This You Tube catches an event when Candid Camera played a trick on the pitcher at the beginning of the game. At this time the team was the Jamestown Expos. (they moved to Vermont in 1993 and were replaced by the Jamestown Jammmers)

I remember when Candid Camera was a popular TV program. Combining this stunt with a live game must have been an event for those present.

The atmosphere of a live game does not hold a candle to a game on TV. The crowd that gathers for the Jamestown Jammers is a variety of students, college attendees, local community families and die-hard baseball players.

When I attended Jamestown Community College one of my favorite spring and summer events would be to watch one of the games. It made a great break from photo classes, ceramics and computers.

Tickets are offered at many businesses and can be found by visiting the Jamestown Jammers official site. For a perfect summer evening take a trip to the college stadium for a game that you will remember.


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Feb
12

Fenton Mansion and Museum in Jamestown NY

Denise

The Fenton Mansion and museum sits atop a hill that  overlooks the city of Jamestown.

Reuben E. Fenton was Governor of New York State from 1865 to 1869. He also served in the US Congress (1853-1864) and US Senate (1869-1875). As one of the founders of the Republican Party, he was a close political associate of Abraham Lincoln.

Governor Fenton made his fortune in the lumbering business. He later commissioned local architect Aaron Hall to design and build a mansion in 1863. The building is Italian Villa architecture and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.

The Fenton Mansion has served as headquarters for the local history center since 1964. For those who have not stopped by to visit the exhibits you are missing a part of local history. The exhibits are well planned and change regularly. The grounds are also beautiful, particularly in the fall.

Fenton Mansion

The Fenton History Center is open to the community and has a large resources collection, which includes a library, archives and educational resources. The exhibits at the FHC are tied to community interests and local heritage.


Category: Chautauqua  Tags: , , ,  Leave a Comment
Feb
09

Hall of Philosophy Vintage Postcard

Denise

This postcard of the Hall of Philosophy located on the Chautauqua Institution grounds was found in a antique shop in Jamestown NY.

The Hall of Philosophy is located on the grounds of the Chautauqua Institution. This postcard photograph of the hall has a much different look than the image you will see today.

Vintage postcards capture a moment in time much like a photograph. But an added bonus it the message and stamp of the time.

Tis post card was sent from Celeron, NY.  Celeron was the home of Celeron park and one of the biggest ferris wheels in the United States. It also had a roller rink and merry go round that people remember and still talk about to this day.

There is not much of the park left, a few cement foundations and the park where the Summer Wind docks and picks up and drops off tourists for excursions on Chautauqua Lake.

Celeron is also known as the home of Lucille Ball.


Category: Chautauqua Institution  Tags: , , ,  2 Comments
Feb
05

Jamestown Audubon Society sponsors Snowflake festival

Denise

The Jamestown Audubon Society will sponsor the Snowflake festival Saturday Feb 6, 2010 from 11 am to 4:30 pm. Activities and demonstrations will be conducted both indoors and out.

Photo courtesy of Snowflake Festival

Normally the Festival is held the first Sunday in February but with the Super Bowl this Sunday the event was moved up one day. The event offers events for all ages and also brings to mind, Roger Tory Peterson. Peterson was best known for his book, A Field Guide to the Birds. Peterson’s studies of birds and nature are world renown.

Roger Tory Peterson

Roger Tory Peterson’s life wok with nature and bird watching has affected people worldwide. Best known for A Field Guide to the Birds, his efforts led to 52 other field guides and a life rich in teaching, art and instilling a love of nature that hopefully would be passed from generation to generation.

Peterson was born in Jamestown, N.Y. on aug.28, 1908. He always had a passion for nature, insects and birds. His mother noticed and encouraged is interest.

In 1920, at the age of 11, one of his teachers, Blanche Hornbeck, enrolled her class at the Junior Audubon Club. During school she would take them into the nearby forest where she taught them about art, science and writing. She also taught them about birds. Peterson’s interest was further piqued and he began drawing birds.

In the next few years he became interested in birds, moths and photography. He continued with photography and drawing throughout high school. He graduated form Jamestown High School in 1925 at the age of 16 with a degree in design and mechanical drawing.

In 1926 he left Jamestown to attend the Art Students League and then the National Academy of Design 1929. In 1931 Peterson began teaching art and natures studies in Boston. While in Boston he met Frances H. Allen, an editor at Houghton Mifflin Company. Peterson showed him the book he was working on, A Field Guide to the Birds. Allen felt the book was a one of a kind field guide and offered to produce the manuscript. Two thousand copies were made and within two weeks they were all sold out.

The Audubon Center & Sanctuary offers many nature activities, including birding throughout the year and the Snowflake Festival is a great way to experience what the center can offer to the entire family.

Below are a few of the many activities offered during the day.

1.  Build a Bluebird Nestbox with our Audubon Crew of Volunteers ($5)
2.  Children’s Crafts – featuring valentines from recycled materials (no charge)
3.  Horse-drawn Sleigh (or Wagon) Rides with Dennis Wright ($5/adult, $2/school-aged children)
4.  New Hope Assistance Program – a not-for-profit organization based in Warren PA that provides therapy dogs to people with disabilities.
5.  Tails of the Tundra Siberian husky rescue – including scooter and kick-sled demonstrations

The center is located between Jamestown, N.Y. and Warren. P.A. just off of RT 62 at 1600 Riverside Road. For more information check out the Website: Snowflake Festival 2010 .


Category: Chautauqua County  Tags: , , ,  2 Comments
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