SUNNY STRIKES

Of all many sports, possibly none compares to the popularity of baseball and fishing. From their earliest years, freckle-nosed youngsters start learning how to throw a baseball, to try for those long ball homers, and to go after a high infield pop fly, mostly in a vacant lot or an open field, wherever the neighborhood gang collects. They start learning, too, how to make a fish hook out of an old bent pin, how to find that special spot beside a river bank or pond, and to know just what to do when Mr. Fish nibbles at the bait. Homeward bound, either after a tight 14 to 15 ball game, or after a strenuous but maybe not too prolific afternoon of angling, these young minds begin to mold towards an outlook of good sportsmanship, the bigger thrills as their years go by. Let's go, then, to the spot where the stars of the baseball diamond are the brightest, and where the thrills of fishing are the greatest. Here it is, St. Petersburg, Florida, the friendly sunshine city, where each year the big league players come for their annual spring training under the warm, tropical Florida sun. Yes, baseball's finest, the New York Yankees, the Kansas City A's, Chicago's White Sox, the Brooklyn Dodgers, the Washington Nats, the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Boston Red Sox, the St. Louis Cardinals, the Cincinnati Redlegs, the Milwaukee Braves, and the Philadelphia Phillies. Yes, they all come during the spring training season to St. Petersburg's Al Lang Field. What an assembly of baseball stars. And what finer place to train than right under the sun at St. Petersburg, Florida. Big league baseball is nothing new to St. Petersburg. A move to bring major league ball to the air-conditioned city started back in 1913, and the first major league team to train here was the St. Louis Browns in 1914. The next year, Albert Lang, for whom the new ballpark is named and dedicated, and who later became known as St. Petersburg's ambassador to the major leagues, stepped into the picture and resulted in bringing the Philadelphia Phillies to St. Petersburg for spring training. For the Phillies, it turned out to be a fine start of the season, for they won 14 of their first 15 games, and ended up the season by winning the World Series pennant. In later years, other big league ball clubs came, the Boston Braves in 1922, the New York Yankees in 1924, the St. Louis Cardinals in 1938. Yes, St. Petersburg through the years has become home park for most of today's major league clubs during their spring training. And as in nearly every hometown ballpark, the eager desires of young admirers of the diamond greats sometimes perform some rather unusual feats to obtain entrance and see their heroes with the glove and bat at work. And for these young fry, it's that thrill of a lifetime when he gets his own personal autograph. But this is a story of two American sports, baseball and fishing, and off from St. Petersburg's famous Gulf beaches lie some of the world's best spots for bagging big fighting game fish. If there ever was one town which was literally built by fishermen, that town is St. Petersburg, Florida. The annual tarpon roundup, sponsored by the St. Petersburg Junior Chamber of Commerce, started in 1940. Today, more than $10,000 in prizes are awarded each year for catches made by local residents and vacationing tourists from all over the 48 states, the District of Columbia, and Canada. This popular game fish, molded in this impressive trophy, is characterized by its spectacular leaps while fighting. Oftimes, they will leap as high as 12 ft into the air. Small wonder, then, that these two nimrods have journeyed to St. Petersburg to inquire as to the whereabouts of the sometimes elusive tarpon. At Gulf Winds, along beautiful St. Petersburg Beach, Taylor Carr directs their attention to the direction of the spacious tarpon playgrounds all along the Holiday Isles. Yes, they're big ones, he tells them. And so, to see these fishing waters firsthand, a short walk across the white sand out to the shores of the blue waters of the Gulf of Mexico, brings them to a friendly beach guide. He tells them they've come to the right place if they're looking for some real fishing thrills. While hundreds of vacationing families bask in that wonderful St. Petersburg sunshine, Pop and Johnny are eager to find a fishing guide and head out for one of these silvery giants. With the morning sun just up, their trim boat skims along to carry them out to where the big fish bite. Look, says Johnny, there's the Sunshine Skyway. And that's where we're heading, says the skipper, right underneath on the other side. He knows a special spot where they're sure to get some quick action. Quick action, did you say? How is this? That's no ordinary fish on that line, but a spunky shark that took one bite too many at the bait. It's no easy job landing one of these fighters, but soon it's all over. And now they're ready to try their hand at the big ones, a silver king tarpon. And there they roll, showing their heavy fin backs above the water. It takes real know-how to cast bait out right on top of a school. Watch that line go out. Steady now. A strike, and now the battle is on. This baby will give pop more bounce to the ounce of line strength and rod stability than any other fish of the sea. Watch this jump. This one looks like about 80 or 85 lb, and he's not going to give up easily. Pull and reel. Pull and reel. Careful, pop, or he'll break that line and get away. Even for our guide who's seen hundreds of tarpon caught every year, there's a new thrill for him every time one of his passengers makes a strike. There he goes again, leaping just off the stern of the boat. Pull hard, pop, you're close to winning this fight. Why, it looks like our tarpon is about ready to call it quits as he swims lazily up to the surface. A quick and accurate thrust with a gaffing hook, and it's all over. And now to haul our prize catch aboard and head for home. There's always excitement at the pier when folks hear of a catch that's being brought in. It's all part of a great sport of tarpon fishing off St. Petersburg. The official weigh-in, and everyone gathers around to offer hearty congratulations to the skipper and the guide and the two happy anglers. Good going, pop. It was a tough fight, but you won. How about something to eat now? And with that, we'll say so long for now with a warm invitation for both baseball fans and fishing enthusiasts, and for you who just look for year-round outdoor recreation and fun, to come to St. Petersburg, Florida, the friendly sunshine city. And perhaps you'll find here your own sunny strike.