Page 8A Thursday, October 8, 2020, PECOS ENTERPRISE This Week In Texas History Texan's lifelone love affair with By BARTEE HAILE Rodney Mancuso went to work Gus feasted on International of the New York Giants, as the “real spark-plug of the catch a handful of games for watched the as a teller at an Island bank League pitching in 1927 batting welcomed Gus with open arms. Giants. Peppery, smiling, hard the Phillies and to their seventh game of the World that hired him for the company .371 for the Syracuse Chiefs. He needed a with the worker, timely batsman.” before finally calling Series from the St. Louis baseball team. The 19 year old The Cardinals rewarded him Texan’s quickness and agility Over the next four seasons, it quits. dugout on Oct. 10, 1931 as his catcher caught the eye of the with an invitation to spring to handle a pitching staff that the Giants added two more Gus’ playing days were Cardinals beat the Philadelphia president of the Buffs, training and a three-month threw a challenging array of pennants with the same behind him, but he was far Athletics for the championship. a fixture in the Texas League, trial in the big leagues. Sent pitches featuring , philosophy and essentially the from finished with baseball. The son of Sicilian and who immediately signed him to back down to the minors, he sinkers, wicked curveballs and same cast. For his part, Gus He managed in the minors for German parents was born in a contract that almost doubled spent the rest of 1928 and all of unpredictable . was honored with selection to five years before switching to Galveston five years after the what he made on his day job. 1929 with a trio of farm teams The Giants’ skipper gave Gus the NL All-Star squads in 1935 the broadcast booth in 1951 as Great Storm of 1900 nearly Gus started at the bottom that included his original ball a public vote of confidence and again in1937. a play-by-play commentator. blew his birthplace away. with Mount Pleasant in the club the Houston Buffs. by making room for him with At 32 years of age, Gus was Gus Mancuso’s 36-year love In spite of his stern father’s Class D East Texas League. He Since the Cardinals in 1930 an unpopular trade and the beginning to show the wear affair with baseball ended in insistence that schoolwork and shined so brightly his rookie already had , declaration “Mancuso is the and tear from squatting behind 1960. Cooperstown has never household chores came first, he season that the Cardinals, his one of the best in the best catcher in the National home plate. Under pressure given him the time of day, but always found time to do what parent club, promoted him to , they offered League today.” from a young understudy in he was inducted into the Texas he loved most – play baseball. the top rung of their minor- Gus an extra thousand dollars With Terry’s emphasis on 1938. he took more days off. Sports Hall of Fame before his After high school, August league system. if he would patiently wait his defense and pitching and The Giants could read the death in 1984. turn in the minors. The Texan Gus’ letter-perfect handling writing on the wall and traded swallowed his disappointment of the hurlers, the Giants him to the . “Texas Entertainers: Lone and did as he was asked mainly ended a nine-year drought by The manpower shortage Stars in Profile” available at The Idle American because his widowed mother capturing their first National of World War II prolonged the reduced price of $20.00 needed the money in the League crown in nine years. A Gus’ career as he bounced by mailing a check to Bartee A Visionary Gift… deepening Depression. sportswriter for the New York from club to club. He came Haile, P.O. Box 130011, Spring, Gus might have languished World Telegram praised Gus out of retirement in 1945 to TX 77393. By Dr. DON NEWBURY in the bush leagues had it At the time of year when parents, children and teachers were not been for Judge Kenesaw committing to take on a new school year, our son-in-law Bryan Mountain Landis, baseball’s Choate and our grandchildren Ben, 19, and Brittin, 16, were strong-willed commissioner. dealing with the sudden death of Julie (Mrs. Bryan) Choate. He gave the St. Louis front Legal Bryan’s wife and the children’s mother, she died of a pulmonary office the choice of playing or embolism at the prime of her professional life as principal of trading the prime prospect, REEVES COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT McCall Elementary School in Aledo. and they elected to put Gus in In accordance with local government code chapter 252, competitve bidding At age 50, she was the oldest of our three daughters, all of a Cardinal uniform rather than requirements, the Reeves County Appraisal District is now taking bids for construction of whom have degrees in elementary education…. lose him. The family has received hundreds of expressions of sympathy, As the back-up catcher, he a carport covering. Please submit your bid along with a drawing by 12:00 p.m., October but a letter received recently helped to lessen the sting of her saw limited duty until Wilson 16, 2020, to Julie Chaddick, Assistant to Chief Appraiser: [email protected] death. It was a “thank you” message from the Texas Donor hurt his ankle in the last two or mail to: Reeves County Appraisal District, PO Box 1229, Pecos, TX 79772, attn: Julie Registry. weeks of a tight pennant race. Chaddick. Julie signed up several years ago, and her organ donor wishes Gus two home runs in a were noted on her driver’s license. critical win and contributed More than once, she mentioned her endorsement of this four singles in another stellar program, thinking they wouldn’t have much use for her eyes…. performance to finish the Bryan was surprised to learn that lenses from Julie’s eyes season with a .366 average. Legal became successful implants for two fellow Texans who now have In Game One of the 1930 restored sight. versus the INVITATION TO BID Their names are not known. Philadelphia Athletics, Gus REEVES COUNTY, TX One is a 48-year-old woman, and the other, a 63-year-old recorded the Cards’ first hit and ITB#20-015-1027 man…. first run in a losing effort. He Julie was big on both extending--and claiming--grace. It was also handled the chores behind at the core of her being. the plate in Game Two but sat Reeves County will accept sealed bids for the following: At Aledo High School’s opening football game against out the rest of the Series, won Kitchen Supplies, Paper Goods, Copy Paper Weatherford, mothers of the team’s trainers handed out pin- by the A’s four games to two, Specifications may be obtained from and bids returned to: on buttons to student trainers with the message trainer Brittin following Wilson’s return. Choate has heard around her house for years: Nineteen thirty-one was a “Grace Changes Everything.”… frustrating campaign for Gus Reeves County Purchasing Department In Spain--as well as several other European nations--organ as he spent far more time on Reeves County Courthouse donations are encouraged in a different manner. the bench than on the field. In 100 E. 4th Street, Suite 104 B It is assumed that deceased persons are participants for the the World Series rematch with Pecos, TX 79772 organ donor program UNLESS they choose to “opt out.” Last year, the Athletics that the Cardinals (432) 287-0222 ext.448, [email protected] 2,183 participants in Spain allowed harvesting of their organs, won in seven games he was a thus making possible 5,260 transplants. spectator going to bat just one th Less than 30% of Americans are registered. Even though only time. Bids will be due at 3:00 PM (CST), Tuesday, October 27 , 2020 in room 104 B, First about 2% of participants’ deaths result in actual transplants due to In 1932 Gus caught 82 floor, Reeves County Courthouse, 100 E. 4th, Street Pecos, TX 79772. multiple factors, we can do better! We can register when applying games, seven more than his for a new or renewal Texas drivers’ license. Here’s a sobering rival, and posted a .284 batting Bids will tentatively be awarded at 10:00 A.M. (CST), Monday, November 23rd, 2020 statistic: More than 10,000 Texans are awaiting donors…. average 40 points better than Much of life is, of course, dumbfounding. There’s no end to during Commissioners Court meeting in the third floor courtroom, Reeves County Wilson. Told he could expect th trivia that sets my head spinning in absolute wonderment. to split time again the next Courthouse, 100 E. 4 Street, Pecos, Texas 79772. In my “spin-the-bottle” approach to most days, my mind often season, he insisted on being settles in lowland fog where there are so many opportunities for traded. To be published in the Pecos Enterprise on October 8th & October 15th, 2020. See GIFT, Page 10A , the new Legal ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS TOWN OF PECOS CITY PECOS, TEXAS SCADA SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS

The Town of Pecos City (Owner) is requesting Bids for the construction of the following Project: SCADA System Improvements Bids for the construction of the Project will be received at the Town of Pecos City, City Hall located at 115 W. 3rd Street, Pecos, Texas 79772, until Thursday, November 5, 2020 at 2:00 p.m. local time. At that time the Bids received will be publicly opened and read. Information and Bidding Documents for the Project can be found at the following designated websites: www.civcastusa.com, www.ciplist.com and www.pecostx.gov Bidding Documents may be downloaded from the designated websites. Prospective Bidders are urged to register with CivCast as a plan holder, even if Bidding Documents are obtained from a plan room the Town’s website or source other than CivCast either electronic or paper format. CivCast will be updated periodically with addenda, lists of registered plan holders, reports, and other information relevant to submitting a Bid for the Project. All official notifications, addenda, and other Bidding Documents will be offered only through CivCast. Neither Owner nor Engineer will be responsible for Bidding Documents, including addenda, if any, obtained from sources other than CivCast. The Issuing Office for the Bidding Documents is: Enprotec / Hibbs & Todd, Inc. 402 Cedar Street Abilene, Texas 79601

Prospective Bidders may obtain or examine the Bidding Documents at the Issuing Office on Monday through Friday between the hours of 8:00 am – 5:00 pm, and may obtain copies of the Bidding Documents from the Issuing Office as described below. Partial sets of Bidding Documents will not be available from the Issuing Office. Neither Owner nor Engineer will be responsible for full or partial sets of Bidding Documents, including addenda, if any, obtained from sources other than the Issuing Office. A PRE-BID CONFERENCE will not be held for this project. This Advertisement is issued by: Town of Pecos City Seth Sorensen City Manager

To be published in the Pecos Enterprise on October 8th & 15th, 2020.