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Monday, October 23, 2000
Alexander Joy Cartwright
He's buried in Oahu Cemetery, and his grave has become a shrine to baseball fans, although in his day the game was called "base ball." So much a shrine that at least one woman has faked a "Cartwright" death certificate in order to be interred in the family plot.
Cartwright was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in the '30s, and a reproduction of the Hall's brass plaque has hung at Honolulu's City Hall ever since ...
No, wait! It's gone! Hala! There is a blank spot on the wall! Has Alexander Joy Cartwright finally stolen home?
The plaque was quietly taken down about five years ago at the request of the Cartwright family -- some of whom were unaware it was being removed -- and returned to them. According to City Hall officials, the family claimed they had paid for it and didn't feel it was being properly maintained, so it was given back.
Now there is no Honolulu remembrance of Cartwright's baseball-pioneering, even though a decade ago there was a failed legislative effort to erect a statue to Cartwright on the lawn of the State Library.
The Cartwrights then sold the plaque, along with some other memorabilia, to a collector named Barry Halper, who was trying to create a baseball museum in Hoboken. Alas, the city of Hoboken was no more interested in preserving baseball history than Honolulu, and Halper was recently forced to liquidate his collection via Sotheby's auction house.
It was one of the biggest auctions of sports memorabilia ever. The Alexander Joy Cartwright Baseball Hall of Fame plaque that hung in Honolulu's City Hall sold for $13,000 to an anonymous buyer. It's gone forever. Strike three!
Performing on the campus lawn from 7 to 10 p.m. will be Kapena, Picante and Reign.
Booths run by student clubs will also be selling food to those who get the munchies.
Parking is free in the campus lots. For more information call 734-9576.
There will be vintage Thai silk ikat sarongs, carved wooden animals from Mexico, copper batik printing blocks from Indonesia, antique Chinese baskets, and much more.
The 19th annual event will be open during normal museum hours, from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesdays to Saturdays and 1 to 5 p.m. Sundays, through Dec. 23.
No museum admission will be charged for visitors to the World Art Bazaar, Academy Shop or Garden Cafe.
For more information, call 532-8700.
Tickets -- $40 and $50 -- are on sale at the Hawaii Theatre box office and Ticket Plus outlets. Charge by phone by calling 528-0506.
Honolulu Pops conductor Matt Catingub will conduct. The show will also star Jimmy Borges, Karen Keawehawaii, Emma Veary and a number of adult and keiki performing groups.
