Beacon of light

By Eugene Brcic
The Associated Press
Posted on Sun, Sep. 12, 2004

SVETI IVAN NA PUCINI, Croatia - A picture-perfect lighthouse in the Adriatic Sea stands out like a weathered relic above the cobalt-and-crimson horizon.

Built in 1853 as a beacon for 19th-century mariners, this Croatian lighthouse and others like it are now being used as 21st-century retreats. For a couple of days or a week of splendid isolation, tourists can escape the hectic pace of modern life with a Robinson Crusoe adventure in one of 11 lighthouses up for rent this season.

The lighthouses -- some close to 200 years old but all still working -- are the twinkling jewels on a bracelet of islands strung out along Croatia's crystal-clear Adriatic coastline.

After island-hopping for four days, Sveti Ivan Na Pucini -- St. John of the High Seas -- was my pick for a brief overnight escape.

It was barely the size of a regulation baseball field, taking me only a few minutes to circumnavigate its rocky perimeters, though barefooted thrill-seekers should calculate the extra time needed to negotiate some of the razor-sharp ridges.

I had planned to do lofty and constructive things during my stay. I couldn't wait to abandon the rat-race of the office, to unwind and recharge my batteries, perhaps even to contemplate the finer elements of life, such as nature and humanity.

But the novelty of solitude began wearing off soon after I disembarked from the dinghy that was my lifeline to civilization.

Tick, tick, tick. There's no doubt about it, even the seconds and minutes are on holidays out here. I was a stranded whale, waiting helplessly for Greenpeace to haul me back home.

The lighthouse keeper, Zoran Marovic, was just that, "keeping" mostly to himself and to Tara, a crossbreed terrier. He made his presence known mostly through his croaky voice, as he radioed in a carefully examined synopsis of meteorological data that included water temperatures, wind velocity, shape and makeup of clouds.

Legend has it that St. John, the southernmost isle on an archipelago of 13, owes its name to a Venetian duke. The duke beseeched the saint to spare his life and those of his shipmates after sailing into troubled waters on a voyage to the nearby town of Rovinj.

Reaching the shore safely, the unknown duke neglected his vow to light a candle in tribute to St. John in a chapel on the mainland. A wrathful tempest sunk his vessel upon return to the gates of Venice, killing all on board.

A good bedtime story. But it wasn't even noon, and I was already yawning.

In desperation, I turned to yoga. No experience, but how difficult can it be to do some deep breathing, stretching and meditation?

The setting was right. Nothing but blue skies, blue seas and blue -- ouch -- bruises. Untrained and inflexible, I gave up on trying to twist my limbs into new shapes. Besides, I already was in a state of bliss; this was after all a deserted island, with just me, Friday and his scruffy dog.

Then, a flash of nirvana. How about just relaxing, kicking my feet up and doing nothing -- zip, zilch, nada?

Words cannot do justice to the feeling of a gentle breeze caressing your cheeks, bringing with it fresh juniper- and salt-scented air as you gaze into pristine waters, while sun and clouds conspire to create turquoise, emerald or quicksilver reflections.

Then there is the breathtaking closeness of the universe at twilight; the luminescence of the moon or the brilliance of the stars, and the taste of Zoran's grilled block-tailed sea bream, lathered in olive oil, with a sprinkling of garlic and parsley, washed down with a glass too many of robust red wine.

Once I reached the right mood of contemplation, the minutes and hours flew by. My respite from reality was over much too soon, and bliss was replaced by pangs of regret as the same weathered dinghy that brought me here slowly began carrying me away.


http://www.centredaily.com/mld/centredaily/living/9645483.htm

100th anniversary of St. Joseph Croatian Church in the Soulard

neighborhood of St. Louis

40,000 Croatian-Americans in the region will celebrate centennial

Croatian parish will celebrate centennial
Of the Post-Dispatch
09/09/2004
Anna Deranja Lusicic, 92, hopes to see many old friends on Sunday at the
kickoff for a year of events marking the 100th anniversary of St. Joseph
Croatian Church in the Soulard neighborhood of St. Louis.

"St. Joseph's is the hub for all of us Croatians; if it weren't for the
parish, we wouldn't have any contact with our Croatian friends," said
Lusicic, who was baptized at the church in 1911 and now lives in the Holly
Hills neighborhood.

About 40,000 Croatian-Americans live in the region, says the Rev. Josip
Abramovic, the parish's 16th pastor. About 1,500 of them are members of the
parish. Many more come for special occasions.

On Sunday, the parish's centennial Mass at 11 a.m. will be followed by a
banquet at 1:30 p.m. at the Cedars, 939 Lebanon Drive, nearby in the LaSalle
neighborhood. Over the next year, there will be many special Croatian
concerts and other celebrations. A chess tournament and a soccer tournament
began the festivities Labor Day weekend.

"Today, a few of the older people have moved back to Soulard - not our young
people," said Abramovic, a Franciscan priest who was born in Croatia. "Most
of our parishioners live in South County now, just a 20-minute drive on
Sundays, so they come for Mass. They love the music."

Croatians have lived in the region since 1860, but it was not until 1902
that a core group began praying together and exploring ways to obtain a
Croatian-speaking priest for a parish and cultural center.

Today, the parish continues to be energized by immigrants. One hundred
Croatian families who immigrated to St. Louis from the former Yugoslavia as
that nation was breaking up now are parishioners. Last weekend, three of the
recent immigrants were repainting the church's interior in time for the
centennial.

Other Croatian-Americans have moved here from other cities and are pleased
with the parish.

"My wife, Theresa Brekalo, is from here, and I am from Chicago, and we love
St. Joseph's," said parishioner Marko Puljic, 32, of High Ridge.

For about 150 years, Croatians have come to America for the same reasons
other immigrants did - because of economic problems, inexpensive farm land
here, and to avoid serving in their homeland overlords' armies.

"Croatians avoided conscription, avoided giving their lives for the
Austro-Hungarian Empire," Abramovic said.

Many of those first Croatians had European anti-clerical ideas and no
interest in the church, he said. Then, in 1902, Croatian immigrant Peter
Hartman called a meeting at the old Chouteau Hall to start a
Croatian-language church.

With the approval of St. Louis Archbishop John J. Glennon, Hartman's group
got the Archbishop of Zagreb in Croatia's capital to dispatch a priest, the
Rev. Oscar Suster, to lead a new St. Louis parish.

About 100 families began gathering every Sunday morning to celebrate Mass
with Suster at the Czech Catholic community's church, St. Wenceslaus, near
the Anheuser-Busch brewery. The new parish raised money and bought a
vacant Jewish synagogue at 11th Street and Chouteau Avenue. It opened in
1904.

"My father was one of the men who dug out a basement under the synagogue so
we could have a parish hall," Lusicic said.

Suster left after five years because of language differences. The church
continued with prayer services. Sometimes, a priest from nearby St. Vincent
Parish, a traditionally French-speaking church, said the Latin Mass at St.
Joseph.

When Lusicic's immigrant father and immigrant mother married, the parish
they had helped found had no priest, so they were married at the old Holy
Trinity, the Slovak-language Catholic Church nearby.

"We all stuck together, those of us who didn't speak German or English," she
said.

Croatians, Bohemians, Poles, Russians, Slovaks talked to one another, even
though sometimes they understood only a handful of one another's words, she
said. "Well, if you understand Latin, you can figure it out, and we all got
along," she said.

The parish's second pastor, the Rev. Josip Kompare, had been installed in
time for Lusicic's baptism. In the 1920s, toward the end of his 16-year
tenure, the parishioners' numbers grew with the arrival of Croatians who had
fled their homeland in the aftermath of World War I.

Other Croatian-American soldiers from St. Louis visited their families after
that war and returned home with Croatian brides. With passenger ships
sailing again, St. Louis Croatian men mailed their photos to strangers in
their motherland for what they called "picture brides" - mail-order brides.

"One man sent another man's photo, but when the bride got to St. Louis, she
was surprised that it looked nothing like him," Lusicic recalled. The man
was not as handsome as the one in his faked photo.

When her family moved farther west, they attended a different church but
still went to St. Joseph for special occasions such as Mary's Crowning in
May, Holy Week, Pentecost, Christmas plays, the feast day of St. Nicholas
Tavelic, the touring tamburitza orchestra concerts, Croatian Vila Singing
Society concerts, church picnics and American-Croatian Relief benefits.

Church archives have photos of Masses of thanksgiving and celebration at the
end of World Wars I and II and celebrations for the end of communism in
Yugoslavia and Croatia's independence.

In the mid-1920s, the parish outgrew the old converted synagogue and moved
south to its current site. Today, St. Joseph Croatian Parish has a complex
of five buildings built between 1848 and 1985, a garden and a large parking
lot that fills an entire city block between 11th and 12th streets at Ann
Avenue and Russell Boulevard.

"Some of our older parishioners can remember when there were cows kept back
here," said Abramovic, as he walked through a garden abloom with crepe
myrtle, mums and roses.

A pre-Civil War white stone wall surrounds part of the property and dates to
when the red brick school and rectory were Ursuline Academy, a girls'
boarding elementary and high school, founded in 1848 by four Ursuline nuns
from Bavaria and Hungary. Ursuline Academy moved to its current campus in
1926 and sold its property to St. Joseph Parish.

In 1928, parishioner Ivan Loncaric directed Croatian-American craftsmen in
the building of the church, which seats 400, with handsome stained-glass
windows and Italian stations of the cross. Its baroque-style altarpiece was
removed, and a spare altarpiece and sanctuary artwork representing the Holy
Spirit were installed in the 1970s.

Many Croatian-Americans eventually moved farther west and south on both
sides of the River Des Peres. Many married at St. George Parish and found
homes nearby.

"If you had to take a streetcar, it could take an hour just to get to
church," Lusicic recalled.

When parishioners owned cars, many returned to their roots each Sunday. The
number of Croatian activities at the parish increased. Members bought
Croatian Field, a soccer field near the River Des Peres and Lemay Ferry
Road.

Since having a heart attack, Lusicic no longer drives and must rely on her
children and grandchildren to chauffeur her. She will definitely be there on
Sunday.

"Five generations of my family have gone to St. Joseph," she said. "It's
going to be a wonderful celebration."

Reporter Patricia Rice
E-mail: price@post-dispatch.com 
Phone: 636-500-4111

A Short History of St. Joseph Croatian Parish in St. Louis
Pictures courtesy of the Croatian Ethnic Institute and St. Joseph Croatian Parish.

It is not known when Croatians first arrived in St. Louis, but there is evidence that some were present prior to 1861. These earliest Croatians were for the most part mariners and guest workers who were intent on returning to Croatia after earning funds to support their families. It was shortly after 1900 that entire Croatian ffamilies began to settle permanently in St. Louis.

These people worked hard, saved, built homes and businesses and formed various benevolent societies where they socialized, kept their culture and values alive, and banded together to help one another succeed. On September 14, 1902 at a community-wide meeting held at Chouteau Hall, Peter Hartman suggested that a Croatian parish be established to meet the spiritual needs of the people. This parish could also function as the focal point for society and social functions as well.

A committee was formed to work towards this end and organizational meetings were held, but little real progress was made until the following year. At the urging of Msgr. Davorin Krmpotic, pastor of the Croatian church in Kansas City, Kansas, the committee met with Archbishop John J. Glennon. Archbishop Glennon gave them permission to establish a parish and search for a Croatian priest. The Archbishop of Zagreb, Dr. Juraj Posilovic sent Rev. Oscar Suster to St. Louis to conduct a census and to begin organizing the parish. Fr. Suster took up guest residency at the Czech church of St. Wenceslaus. The first Croatian Mass was held there and the Czech pastor, Fr. John Nekula accompanied Fr. Suster on his visit with Archbishop Glennon. The Archbishop counselled the priest to canvass the Croatian community for the faithful. Fr. Suster found over 100 families who were not only willing to join a Croatian parish, but who donated enough funds for a substantial down payment on a synagogue at 11th and Chouteau. The balance of the funds were a loan from Marcus Epstein at 5% interest. The church was blessed on September 25, 1904.

The school was opened in 1906 and two years later, the Sisters from the Congregation of the Most Precious Blood came to teach the children. The Sacrament of Holy Confirmation was administered for the first time on September 23, 1906 and the Altar Society was organized at about the same time.

While there was great cooperation in the Croatian community about equipping and embellishing the new church building, Fr. Suster encountered some difficulties in thoe first formative years of the parish. There were conflicts about the liturgy. Was the Latin language to be used or "Old Slavonic"? What was the role of the various social, cultural and benevolent organizations? These difficulties led to the resignation of Fr. Suster early in 1909. The church was without a pastor for a year and during that time Masses were said by priests from St. Vincent Church. Funerals, weddings and baptisms were performed at St. Vincent, and this along with the conflicts led to a decline in membership.

In Januray of 1910, Rev. Josip Kompare became the second pastor. Under his leadership, membership increased and the parish debt was eliminated by 1919. The parish buildings which consisted of the church, and the parish school next door were old and costly to maintain. The parish community began a search for a new site and in 1925 purchased the school and monastery of the Ursuline Sisters on 12, and Russell.

During this this time, Rev. Kompare became ill and died in February, 1925. During Rev. Kompare's illness, his duties were taken over by Fr. Nicholas Pasini. Following his departure, two Croatian Jesuits served the parish: Rev. I.M. Fabris and Rev. Miroslav Vanino.

In April of 1926, Archbishop Glennon turned the operation of the Croatian parish in St. Louis to the Croatian Franciscans from Chicago. The new pastor Fr. Ambrose Misetic oversaw the remodeling of the buildings for parish needs and the construction of a large, new church. The blessing of the new church took place on April 26, 1927 amid great rejoicing. During this period, John Loncaric, a noted St. Louis building contractor, led a three year campaign to pay off the new debt.

In 1928, Fr. Misetic resigned in favor of his assistant, Rev. Philip Separovic, O.F.M. Fr. Separovic served during the difficult years following the great depression. His was a constant fight to keep the parish from financial disaster. He was able to save the parish and reduce the debt.

Fr. Philip was succeeded by Fr. Ladislav Luburic, and Fr. Bono Andacic from July of 1938 to March of 1939. Upon the illness of Fr. Bono, the pastorate was assumed by his assistant Fr. Theophil Pehar. He served the parish from 1939 to March of 1947. He organized a successful campaign to liquidate the $40,000 debt, but the parish buildings suffered some deterioration. The school was temporarily closed during 1946, but was repaired and reopened in 1947.

Rev. Spiro Andrijanic, O.F.M. took over the parish on the Feast of St. Joseph, March 19, 1947. In the years following the Second World War, the economic conditions in this country improved, and it was now possible for Fr. Spiro and the faithful to make repairs and modernize the school, the church, the hall, the rectory, and the Sisters' home. With the addition of new water systems, central heating and a new playground, the Croatian dream of an adequate and ample parish structure was in place.

The period of 1950-67 saw general deterioration of the area surrounding the parish site. Young families relocated in new housing further south in the city, or in the newly expanding county neighborhoods. New highway construction took many homes, and many parishoners were forced to find new housing. The faithful continued to attend Mass at St. Joseph, but enrolled their children in schools near their homes.

On Sptember 7, 1954 the St. Jospeh Croatian church jubilantly celebrated its 50th anniversary. Large crowds attended the various functions. There was a parade at 10:00 a.m. followed by a Mass of Thanksgiving, offered by Archbishop Ritter and assisted by a large number of clergy. A banquet was held in the parish hall and programs were presented by the school children and the Croatian benevolent, cultural and patriotic societies.

Fr. Spiro went into a well-earned retirement in September of 1968. From that time until 1970, St. Joseph Church was served by Rev. Serafin Vistica, who led the parish in the Renewal Directives of Vatical II. In order to assure sufficient space behind the church sanctuary, he oversaw the addition of a modern sacristy.

Reverend Paul Maslach's pastorate ran from July, 1970 until Augist 1976. Fr. Paul directed the renovation of the church to conform to the new litergy and continued the spiritual and material progress of the parish. He was also active in efforts to improve social conditions in the deteriorating surrounding neighborhoods. When Fr. Paul was reassigned as pastor of the Croatian church of St. Jerome in Chicago, he was succeeded by Fr. Vitomir Naletilic.

<img src="stjoesphstl1.jpg" align="left> Fr. Vitomir gave personal attention to the care and repair of the 100 year old parish buildings with knowledge and experience he gained from serving in Rome. During the pastorate of Fr. Vitomir, the parish celebrated its Diamond Jubilee on November 4, 1979. Fr. Vitomir served the parish from August, 1976 until his death in 1979.

Rev. Vjekoslav Bambir moved from the position of assistant to pastor following Fr. Vitomir's death. During his pastorate, he was forced to close the school due to declining enrollment, the age of the school buildings, and the ever increasing costs maintenance and operation. Fr. Bambir had the more pleasant task of overseeing the construction of the new parish hall, which was formally dedicated on May 11, 1986. Fr. Bambir will always be remembered as a kind and loving shepard to the parishoners of St. Joseph. He, and his assistant Rev. Ivo Sivric, both celebrated their Golden Jubilees in the priesthood during their time together in St. Louis.

Fr. Bambir retired in 1991 and was succeeded by Rev. Joseph Abramovic, O.F.M., who is currently our pastor. Fr. Sivric continues as his assistant.

Over the decades, the parish has served various waves of Croatian immigrants and succeeding generations of American-born Croatians and their families. Both Croatian and English Masses are said, and the church still serves as the center of various cultural, benevolent, and patriotic activities. For the past three years, the Church has also served as the base for humanitarian releif efforts for Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina which were ravaged by war.

For 90 years, St. Joseph Croatian Church has been the vital anchor for all aspects of our Croatian community life. May God continue to bless our parish on this milestone anniversary and in the future. St. Joseph Parish celebrated its 90th anniversary in 1994, and is still going strong. This article was taken from the St. Joseph 90th Anniversary program book.

More: http://www.midwest-croatians.org/archives/stjosephstl.html

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/stlouiscitycounty/story/A8
0E27B649B6421186256F090052F95D?OpenDocument&Headline=Croatian+parish+will+ce
lebrate+centennial  

An Evening's Extravaganza for the Open Minded Majority

Hi, The Orchestre Surreal is performing.

What: An eclectic and eccentric evening to benefit the election of John Kerry and John Edwards!
All proceeds from this fabulous event will go to the DNC, and towards preserving our national interest by ridding the people in our government who have been (among other things) systematically undermining democracy and eroding our civil liberties for the last four years.

When: Wednesday, October 6th 2004, doors open at 7:30PM show starts at 8:30

Where: The El Rey Theater, 5515 Wilshire Blvd. (between Fairfax and La Brea on the Miracle Mile, Los Angeles)

Tickets: $50. VIP, $25. table seating, $20 reserved seat, $15 SRO.

For more info or to purchase tickets online:www.openmindedmajority.com

The Evening Line-up:
Orchestre Surreal, see our new and improved websitewww.eschoenberg.com 
Eye of Newt Circus, www.eyeofnewtcircus.com
Irene Solerberg www.imirene.com 
Velvet Hammer Burlesque www.velvethammerburlesque.com
Davison/Colman www.davisoncolman.com
Headless Jason Paige www.headless.biz
plus special guests, Adrian Zmed, and other TBA

The Orchestre Surreal is a 24 piece that blends rock, jazz, classical music, and just about everything else into a unique hybrid, the Eye Of Newt Circus a cirque du Soleil type group that blends theater and acrobatics skills in a thrilling and captivating entertainment. The El Rey Theaterwww.theelrey.com  a beautiful old deco theater with a state of the art sound system and all the rigging for the circus's aerial performers.

Contact: eschoenberg@earthlink.net
 

Croatian Ships Placed on Grey List
09/09/2004

Croatian shipping,which spent five years on an international black list, is again facing trouble because of poor technical conditions and failure to meet standards.
By Miranda Novak for Southeast European Times in Zagreb - 09/09/04


As a Paris MOU signatory, Croatia has made a commitment to improving maritime safety and preventing substandard ships from operating. [File]

Croatian media recently reported that the country has been placed on a "grey list" by the Paris Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Port State Control, together with 23 other countries, including Tunisia, Brazil, Kuwait, Austria, Spain and Poland. The Paris MOU, established in 1982, and joined by Croatia in 1997, sets the standards for inspection checks conducted at ports along the European coastline and the North Atlantic basin from North America to Europe.

For five years, ending in 2001, Croatia was on the organisation's black list, due to the growing number of Croatian ship owners who ran old and poorly kept ships under the home flag. One ship, for example, was detained at a Spanish port because its owners had failed to make necessary repairs and owed several months' worth of harbor fees. In some cases, ships were banned from leaving port, then put on public auction with their crews remaining unpaid. At worst, seafarers died when malfunctions resulted in explosions or other catastrophes.

Many of the ship owners involved in such incidents have gone out of business. But the average age of the Croatian fleet remains high, and problems continue to surface during inspections. In 2003, six detainments were recorded during 66 inspection checks. In the first quarter of this year alone, four ships were detained. As a result, Croatia is at risk of again being placed on the black list.

In August, a roundtable organised by the Seafarer’s Union of Croatia was held in Rijeka. One of the speakers was Tatjana Krilic, the principal inspector for maritime safety at the Croatian Ministry of Sea, Tourism, Transport and Development. Noting that ship owners are required to maintain equipment in good working condition, she called for co-operation with inspectors and urged that special attention be paid to ship elements that have failed inspections and led to detentions. Of all failures discovered on ships under the Croatian flag, the most common are malfunctions with ventilation devices, airtight doors, and a variety of problems on salvage ships.

Each year, at least one three-month inspection action is conducted under the auspices of the Paris MOU, focusing on a particular area of concern. This year, for example, inspectors are checking living and working conditions. Depending on the results, ships and flag states are put on the white, grey or black list. As a Paris MOU signatory, Croatia has made a commitment to improving maritime safety and preventing the operation of substandard ships. Authorities have pledged that new technical standards will be in place soon, and that Croatia -- which boasts some of the world's most beautiful seas -- will become known for better-quality ships.

http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/features/setimes/features/2004/09/09/feature-02

"Don't Call Me Rosie,

the Women who Welded the LSTs and the Men who Sailed on Them"

by Kathy Thomas

www.thomaswright.com/LSTbookorder.htm 
 

Second Generation Croatian American publishes book,
"Don’t Call Me Rosie, the Women who Welded the LSTs and the Men Who Sailed on Them."

Ann’s parents, Julia Sita and Vid Jurjevic, were born in Rude and Jastrebarsko, respectively. Like many Croatian immigrants, they traveled together across the Atlantic Ocean, arrived on Ellis Island, and then traveled to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to make their home. Julia and Vid had 10 children, one dying shortly after childbirth.
The U.S. entered World War II and in 1943, three of the Jurjevic sisters, Ann, Vee, and Jul, became welders at the Dravo shipyard on Neville Island in Pittsburgh. They helped build the Landing Ship, Tanks or LSTs. The LST was a new type of ship that could land directly on the beaches of Africa, Europe, and the Pacific and discharge troops and equipment.
Inspired by her mother, Ann, and her two aunts, Kathleen Thomas has collected the stories of her mother, aunts, and other women welders and published them in the book, "Don’t Call Me Rosie, the Women who Welded the LSTs and the Men who Sailed on Them." The first Chapter, "The Jurjevic Sisters", also tells the story of how Kathleen’s parents, Ann Jurjevic and Frank Thomas, met at Javors, a Croatian Club. Frank’s parents were also born in Croatia. They traveled separately to the United States and met in Pittsburgh. Less than a year after Ann and Frank met, the Army sent Frank to Africa. He sailed from Ellis Island to Casablanca. It would be almost three years before Frank returned to the States and married Ann.
In addition to her mother’s and aunts’ stories, the book includes the stories of other women welders who worked in the shipyards in Pittsburgh; Evansville; Hingham; Jeffersonville; Seneca; Vancouver, Washington; and Portland, Oregon.
The stories of the men who sailed on the LSTs include eyewitness accounts of Pearl Harbor, Exercise Tiger, the West Loch tragedy, Leyte, and kamikaze attacks. Although most of the stories are about World War II, one chapter includes the stories from three men who served in the Korean War.
To order a copy of the book, send a check for $15.00 payable to Thomas/Wright, Inc., 7190 SW Fir Loop, Tigard, Oregon 97223. A book order form can be downloaded from the website:
www.thomaswright.com/LSTbookorder.htm
The book is also available at Amazon.com and Borders.com.

Kathy Thomas
Thomas/Wright, Inc.
7190 SW Fir Loop
Tigard, OR 97223
503-624-1468
kthomas@thomaswright.com
www.thomaswright.com
 

Senior Mira Topic (Kastela Kambelovac, Croatia)

earned tournament MVP honors
 

Texas 3, Liberty 0

9/11/04
Tournament MVP Mira Topic
AUSTIN, Texas - A pair of Texas volleyball players - senior Bethany Howden (Austin, Texas) and sophomore Brandy Magee (Mission Viejo, Calif.) - recorded double-figure kills as the Longhorns defeated Liberty, 3-0 (30-14, 30-11, 30-19), to win the Time Warner Cable Texas Invitational.

With the victory, UT improved to 7-0 on the season and set the school record for consecutive games won to start a season (21), as the squad has yet to surrender a game in 2004. Additionally, the team's 7-0 record is the best season start since the 1990 NCAA Elite Eight squad opened its season 26-0.

Liberty fell to 0-6 on the season with the loss.

LSU finished second in the Time Warner Cable Texas Invitational, going 2-1, while Louisiana Tech (1-2) and Liberty rounded out the final standings.

Senior Mira Topic (Kastela Kambelovac, Croatia) earned tournament MVP honors and was joined on the all-tournament team by teammates Magee, Howden and freshman libero Alyson Jennings (Costa Mesa, Calif.), who was also named the tournament's Best Libero. LSU's Ivana Kuzmic and Regan Hood, Louisiana Tech's Joy Opka and Liberty's Rebecca Rudnick rounded out the all-tournament team.

"We had an excellent weekend and we played very well in all three matches," Texas head coach Jerritt Elliott said. "We had the opportunity to play everyone and get everyone some experience. We played well in the middle transitions, but we can be a lot better. This weekend was a great stepping stone to start Big 12 play this week (at Baylor on Wednesday, Sept. 15)."

Howden's 12 kills led the match as she finished with a .688 hitting percentage. Magee added 11 kills and a .600 hitting percentage, as well as two blocks. Topic had nine kills, six digs, one ace and four blocks (including three solos) in the winning effort.

Liberty's Jennifer Belk led the Flames with nine kills.

Texas jumped out to a 16-4 lead in the first game, buoyed by a six-point run on freshman Michelle Moriarty's (Houston, Texas) serve. The second game was much of the same as UT pulled out a 12-3 advantage, courtesy of five-straight points on Moriarty's serve. The 11 points surrendered by UT in the second game was the lowest point total by an opponent in a game this season. In the final game, Liberty stayed close until 18-12, when UT went on a 7-3 run to put the game out of reach. A final Liberty attack error closed out the game, the match and the Time Warner Cable Texas Invitational title for the Horns.

The Horns continue the season on Wednesday, Sept. 15, when they travel to Waco to face Baylor in a 7 p.m. match. Live stats will be available at TexasSports.com.

Final Tournament Results
Friday, September 10
Louisiana Tech 3, Liberty 0
Texas 3, LSU 0

Saturday, September 11
LSU 3, Liberty 1
Texas 3, Louisiana Tech 0
LSU 3, Louisiana Tech 0
Texas 3, Liberty 0

All-Tournament Team
Mira Topic, Texas (MVP)
Bethany Howden, Texas
Brandy Magee, Texas
Alyson Jennings, Texas (Best Libero)
Ivana Kuzmic, LSU
Regan Hood, LSU
Joy Opka, Louisiana Tech
Rebecca Rudnick, Liberty

http://www.texassports.com/mainpages/vb_pages/2004_05/003/091109_10.html

JUNIOR GIRLS & BOYS

AND SUPER SENIORS TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIP
 

By Katarina Tepesh

Every year during the US OPEN the ITF or International Tennis Federation organizes the JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS for JUNIOR GIRLS and JUNIOR BOYS to compete. The event provides the stars of tomorrow with plenty of opportunities to make their dreams of tennis glory come true.

In the world of international junior tennis, several Croatians created a buzz.

Among seeded players is MIRNA MARINOVIC, ranked 73rd and seeded No. 4. Unfortunately, Mirna did not qualify to compete among "Girls' Singles" and lost in the 1st round in "Girls' Doubles."

Sixteen-year-old SANJA ANCIC from Split also lost in the first round of Girls' Singles and Doubles. "My ambition in tennis is to reach the top 10," says Sanja. Her sponsor is "Prince," tennis racquet and clothing company, as well as her parents, owners of a supermarket chain. "I began playing tennis at age 5. I play right-handed and prefer to play on clay courts. My favorite players are Martina Hingis (retired), Jennifer Capriati and of course, Goran Ivanisevic." Her coach is Jozo Dumanic and Neno Ancic. "When I'm not in school or playing tennis, I like to read and go to the cinema."

Brother MARIO ANCIC, seeded No. 28, had an unfortunate experience competing among professionals by losing in his first round in Singles and Doubles. Mario's next tennis tournament is in Florida. Due to hurricane Frances, Mario continues to practice at the US Open tennis courts in Corona, Queens. The tennis center, home of the US Open, is the world's largest public tennis facility. It has 45 Deco Turf II courts, 3 stadium courts, 33 outdoor courts (22 of which have "US Open quality lights" for night play) and 9 indoor courts.

Chosen as the LL or lucky loser during the qualifying matches, ANTONIO VEIC had the most successful run among Croatian boys and girls. He reached 3rd round of Jr. Boys Singles. In the 2nd round, Veic defeated Spanish player Pablo Andujar, seeded No. 12. In the 3rd round, Veic lost to a Russian player seeded No. 7, Sergey Stakhovsky 6-0, 6-4. On tennis court, Veic moves really well and plays aggressive tennis. Using diversified shots and strong serve, his game looks very promising. Given proper guidance, the talented junior will have a terrific future in tennis.

Qualifier MARIN CILIC reached 2nd round in Jr. Boys Singles, but lost in 1st round Doubles.

FRANCO SKUGOR lost in 2nd round of Jr. Boys Singles and 1st round in Doubles.

Qualifier JURICA GRUBISIC lost in 1st round of Jr. Boys Singles and Doubles.

PETAR JELENIC arrived in New York City, played and lost in qualifying matches.

Representing Canada, Katarina Zoricic played in qualifying Jr. Girls Singles and lost.

WTA or Women's Tennis Association www.wtatour.com lists several Croatian players who did not qualify to compete at the US OPEN due to their ranking. IVANA ABRAMOVIC ranked 148, DARIJA JURAK ranked 203, IVANA LISJAK ranked 223, SANDA MAMIC ranked 229, LUCIJA KRZELJ ranked 259, LANA POPADIC ranked 293, MIRJANA LUCIC ranked 335, NIKA OZEGOVIC ranked 360, ANA VRLJIC ranked 365, MATEA MEZAK ranked 379, IVANA VISIC ranked 477, PETRA DIZDAR ranked 528, NADA PAVIC ranked 648, MARIJA ABRAMOVIC ranked 696, IVANA SOKAC ranked 943, ANA ABRAMOVIC ranked 951, GIANNA DOZ ranked 1051 and IVANA BRACUN ranked 1072.

WTA members established a first mentor program in pro sports, which helps rising stars shine even brighter. Among protégés and mentors who have completed formal requirements of Partners for Success are MIRJANA LUCIC and her mentor MARTINA NAVRATILOVA. The professional Development Department tried to help Lucic to continue to compete in tennis tournaments. Mirjana won 1996 US OPEN Junior Girl's Singles Champion and was the youngest to win a WTA tour Singles title in 1997 at 15 years, 1 month and 25 days old. It happened at Bol, the island of Brac. Mirjana won again in 1998. The tournament owned by a native of Hvar, Mr. Plenkovic, is no longer active due to shortage of sponsors. In 1998 Mirjana and Martina Hingis won Australian Open Doubles Championship.

IVA MAJOLI announced retirement from Tennis. She lives in Zagreb and is in the process of building a tennis academy. Iva won the French Open 1997 Roland Garros and reached her career high No. 4 on February 5, 1996. Iva's total career prize money reached over $4,390,192. Recipient of WTA Tour 1993 Most Impressive Newcomer and 2000 Comeback Player of the Year Awards.

SENIOR TENNIS LEGENDS

The US OPEN sponsors annual MASTERS INVITATIONALS where the leading figures in the sport of tennis compete in following categories:

Men's 35s Doubles Masters, Men's 45s Doubles Masters, Women's Doubles Masters and Super Senior Doubles.

The international Masters Invitational includes legendary champions such as Pat Cash from Australia, Jana Novotna from Czech Republic, Guillermo Vilas from Argentina, Virginia Wade from Great Britain, Ilie Nastase from Romania, Stan Smith from USA and MIMA JAUSOVEC from Maribor, Slovenia. Representing former Yugoslavia, Mima won the French Open 1977 Roland Garros. She was a finalist in 1978 and 1983 in Singles and won 1978 Roland Garros Doubles Championship. At Wimbledon Mima was a finalist in Doubles. Having won in total 5 Singles titles including 1976 in Rome, 1976 Canadian Open, 1978 Hamburg German Open and 1982 Avon Los Angeles.

Mima cracked top 10 on March 20, 1977 as No. 9 while she reached her career high as No. 6 on March 22, 1982. Her career prize money reached $933, 926.

Mima opened a tennis club in Zagreb. Demolished due to improper building permits, Mima moved to Slovenia.

I hope that someday we will see Iva Majoli and Goran Ivanisevic, 2001 Wimbledon Champion, participating at the Masters Invitational along with Nikola Pilic, 1970 US Open Men's Doubles Champion. Pilic had 7 wins in total and 9 as a finalist, while his winning % in finals is .437 .

One of the regulars at the US Open is Donald Trump with his Slovenian fiancée Melanie Knauss.

To acknowledge the third anniversary of the attacks on America, on September 11, the internationally renowned opera star Jessye Norman will sing "Amazing Grace" and "America the Beautiful." 38 members of the American Boychoir and the Orchestra of St. Luke's, and color guards will accompany Norman from the New York Police and Fire Departments.

Tennis players from over 50 countries, along with over 30,000 hours of international TV coverage in more than 160 nations - make the US Open a showcase for tennis with a global reach.

Steffi Graf is the Founder and Chairperson of Children for Tomorrow, a nonprofit foundation. With the goal of implementing and developing projects to support children who have been traumatized by war or other crises. During her tennis career, she earned well over 22 million dollars. Steffi is directly involved in the running of the foundation and makes regular financial contributions to the organization.
 

Roger Maris - # 9 NY Yankees, Croatian Baseball Legend

Seventy years ago today, Roger Maris (originally Maras) who
broke Babe Ruth's home run record of 60 was born in
Hibbing, Minnesota to Croatian parents on September 10,
1934. His father, who worked for the Great Northern
Railroad, moved the family to North Dakota in 1942, where
Roger and Rudy, his older brother by one-year, grew up.
The Maris brothers played sports and attended Shanley High
School in Fargo, North Dakota. It was in the 10th grade
when Roger met Patricia, his future wife, at a high school
basketball game.
Roger played baseball in the American Legion program during
the summers, since the North Dakota high schools with the
cold weather did not have a program. He led his American
Legion team to the state championship. With his excellent
speed, Roger was a standout in football as well. In one
game against Devil's Lake his senior year, he scored four
touchdowns on kickoff returns to set a national high school
record.

Roger was recruited by legendary coach Bud Wilkinson to
play for the University of Oklahoma, but with a
professional baseball contract looming, Roger gave up his
scholarship at the University of Oklahoma to pursue a
career in baseball. He signed a $15,000 contract to play
for the Cleveland Indians organization.

Roger spent four years in the minor leagues playing for
Fargo-Moorhead, Keokuk, Tulsa, Reading, and Indianapolis
before making it to the major leagues.

During his first year in the major leagues, Roger hit 14
home runs and drove in 51 RBI's for the Cleveland Indians.
Midway through his second year, Roger was traded to the
Kansas City Athletics and finished the season with 28 home
runs and 81 RBI's. Roger received attention and in his
third year, was elected to the 1959 All-Star team.

After the 1959 season, Roger Maris was traded to the New
York Yankees. In 1960, his first season with the Yankees,
Roger led the major leagues with 27 home runs and 69 RBI's
by the halfway point and was again named to the All-Star
team. An injury sliding into second to break up a double
play caused him to miss 17 games. However, Roger still
finished the season first in RBI's with 112, second in home
runs with 39 (one behind Mickey Mantle who led the majors
with 40), won the Gold Glove Award, and was named the
American League's Most Valuable Player. He also hit 2
World Series home runs, but it would be for the following
year that he would be most remembered.

In 1961, Roger and teammate Mickey Mantle received national
attention as they chased the single season home run record
of 60 set by Babe Ruth in 1927. Although Roger got off to
a slow start hitting only 1 home run in April, he quickly
made up ground hitting 11 home runs in May and 15 home runs
in June. The two Yankee sluggers went back and forth
leading the majors in home runs during the summer. Roger
became the first player in history to hit 50 home runs by
the end of August. Mantle had 46. The Yankees continued
to win and were playing to sellout crowds both at home and
on the road. An unfortunate illness to Mantle in
September caused him to miss games at the end of the
season, but he still finished with a career high 54 home
runs.

Roger tied Ruth on September 26th, hitting his 60th home
run of the year. Then, on October 1, 1961, the final day
of the season, Roger hit his 61st home run, against the
Boston Red Sox, to set the new home run record. The
Yankees won the game 1 to 0 on Roger's home run, and went
on to win the World Series that year. Roger was named the
Most Valuable Player in the American League for the second
straight year, as he led the league in home runs and RBI's.
Roger and Mickey also set the home run record for
teammates hitting 115 home runs between them.

In 1962, Roger hit 33 home runs. He also drove in 100
RBI's and was selected to the All Star team for the 4th
straight year. Mickey hit 30 home runs, drove in 89 RBI's,
and was named the league's Most Valuable Player that year.
The Yankees repeated as World Series Champions.

In 1963, Roger missed almost half of the season with
injuries playing in only 90 games, but still hit 23 home
runs and drove in 53 RBI's and the Yankees returned to the
World Series.

In 1964, Roger hit 26 home runs and 71 RBI's and the
Yankees again won the pennant and a trip to the World
Series.

Roger sustained a wrist injury in 1965 and was only able to
play in 46 games for the Yankees. After the 1966 season,
the Yankees traded Roger Maris to the St. Louis Cardinals,
where he played his last two years.

In 1967, Roger helped lead the Cardinals to the World
Series, where he then homered and drove in a Cardinal
record 7 RBI's as St. Louis won the World Series.

In 1968, Roger helped the Cardinals return to the World
Series and then announced his retirement. In all, Roger
Maris played in seven World Series in the Sixties (1960,
1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1967, 1968), hitting six World
Series home runs and driving in 18 World Series RBI's. He
finished his career with 275 home runs.

On July 21, 1984, in a ceremony in Yankee Stadium, the
Yankees retired Roger's number (#9) and erected a plaque in
his honor paying tribute to his achievements.

Roger Maris died on December 14, 1985 of lymphoma cancer at
the age of 51.

http://www.rogermaris.com/biography.htm

Promotion of Angela Brkic’s New Book – NY and San Pedro

Angela Courney Brkic, the author of Stillness and Other Stories has just released her second book, The Stone Fields. This powerful work will make you cry, laugh, think and feel. Brkic wrote her fascinating family saga interwoven with 21st Century Croatian history. She joined a forensic team working in Bosnia and Hercegovina where she excavated the bodies of people killed in the massacre of Srebrenica, assisted pathologists with autopsies, and arranged personal effects for photographing. "The Stone Fields" explores how the devastating consequences of war linger for generations.

As a result of cooperation between Croatian communities in New York and San Pedro, the following promotions of Angela’s book will take place:

New York:
Thursday, September 16, 2004 – 6:30 PM at the Croatian Center in Manhattan, 502 W 41 Street, New York, NY. Info: kdeletis@excite.com . Organizers: Croatian Cultural Thursdays and Cultural Association Napredak.

San Pedro:
Saturday, September 25, 2004 - 7 PM at the Croatian Cultural Center, 510 West 7th Street, San Pedro, CA. Info: 310-833 0103. Organizer: Croatian Cultural Center.

This is an exciting opportunity to meet Angela, a very talented Croatian-American writer whose work has earned her rewards such as the Whiting Writer’s Award.

Those who are unable to attend can order The Stone Fields online:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0374207747/qid=1094845327/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/002-3682130-5221620?v=glance&s=books

***

Angela Courney Brkic, autorica knjige Stillness and Other Stories upravo je izdala svoju, drugu po redu knjigu, The Stone Fields. Kooperacijom izmedu Hrvatskih zajednica u New Yorku i San Pedru, organizirane su slijedece promocije Andeline knjige:

New York
Cetvrtak, 16. rujna, 2004 – 18:30 u Hrvatskom centru na Manhattanu, 502 W 41 Street, New York, NY. Informacije: kdeletis@excite.com . Organizatori: Croatian Cultural Thursdays i kulturno drustvo Napredak.

San Pedro:
Subota, 25. rujna, 2004 – 19:00 u Hrvatskom kulturnom centru, 510 West 7th Street, San Pedro, CA. Informacije: 310-833 0103. Organizator: Hrvatski kulturni centar.

Oba dogadaja su prilika da upoznate Angelu, talentiranu Hrvatsko-Americku spisateljicu ciji rad joj je donio cijenjene nagrade kao sto je Whiting Writer’s Award.
Angelina knjiga se moze naruciti preko interneta na:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0374207747/qid=1094845327/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/002-3682130-5221620?v=glance&s=books 
 

Croatia

"Heaven on Earth"

Much has been said about the beauty of Croatia. "Heaven on Earth" has been described in many books by artists, in paintings and countless photographs. "God wanted to crown his creation, so on the last day he created the Croatian Adriatic from his tears, the stars and sea breeze", wrote an author long ago about the splendor of this most beautiful and preserved ecological corner of the modern world. Long beaches, rocky mountains within reach of the sea, fervent summers, untouched nature and unique city monuments have turned the vacations of many travelers into an exceptionally beautiful dream. It is often said that most travelers by chance stumble across the Adriatic. Every other visit discovers more of the diversity, blessedness and hospitality of this land. It would seem that we are not objective to those who have not visited this jewel of the Mediterranean. The only way to prove our objectivity is through ones own experience of the sea with its thousands islands.

Croatia covers an area of 56538 km2, and its territorial waters cover 31900 km2. The coastline including the islands is 5740 km long. According to the latest census, Croatia has a population of 4.8 million. More than 78% are ethnic Croats and Roman Catholicism is the prevalent religion (76.5 % of all inhabitants are Roman Catholics). The official language is Croatian, written in the Roman script. In the northern regions, the way of life is typically Central European, Whereas the South is Mediterranean.
Although there was an independent Croatian principality and Kingdom from the 9th to the 12th century, today's Croatia is one of the newest states in Europe. It adopted its constitution on 22nd December 1990, and was recognized internationally on 15th January 1992. The international recognition of its sovereignty and its acceptance into the membership of the UN in 1992 marked the end of a crucial period in the establishment of Croatia as a new state in the European and world community.
After the collapse of the communist regime in the democratic elections in the spring of 1990, Croatia became a parliamentary democracy, with a political system based on human rights, the rule of law, minority rights, private property, private enterprise and a free market economy, social justice and political freedom. its legal system conforms to modern European standards.
Croatia is rich in natural resources, and is determined to build its future on services and high technology. Its priority is the utilization of its maritime potential: above all, tourism, shipping and ship building.
The capital of Croatia is Zagreb, a city of one million inhabitants, the hub of Croatian culture, education and trade. The cities of Split, Zadar, Osijek and Rijeka also have universities.
The unit of Currency is kuna (KN).

source: Vela Luka website