A Whistle Salute to Capt. Clarke C. Hawley

MORE... Capt. Hawley Birthday Salute...

(1) At the DQ calliope - 1960's.
(2) Keith and Doc at BELLE OF LOUISVILLE calliope - 1996 - Doc was here as pilot on the AQ and, at the request of Capts. Kevin Mullen and Mike Fitzgerald we were "substi-toot-ing" for the regular calliopist. We would alternate, each of us playing two tunes, etc.
(3) Doc with Str. AVALON model he made in 1950's using paint and materials from the actual boat - 1990.

Capt. Hawley Birthday Salute...Finale

(1) Doc at calliope from BRYANT'S SHOWBOAT - Ohio River Museum - 1990.
(2) Capt. Kevin Mullen, Capt. Doc Hawley, Capt. Mike Fitzgerald and Keith Norrington - 1996.
(3) Str. NATCHEZ keeps "rollin' on the river"! May Doc, her original and longtime master, do the same - for many years to come!

the current CCH

Here is a picture of Doc playing the NATCHEZ calliope last month.
While he has been 'retired' for 15 years, he stays very active. He plays the NATCHEZ calliope for the Sunday 11:30 trip, which he also narrates. He'll fill in other days as needed also.
He continues to work at the auction house, where he shows items up for future auctions. The first month he worked there, a painting was sold for $456,000. Several years ago he was the business' representative in going through the extensive, and expensive Ray Samuels collection at the Samuels home. He'd call weekly and report on the 'finds' of that week. So Doc gets to be around antique and expensive things without having to spend a cent (he likes to describe himself as 'parsimonious'), and he makes money doing it. Doc is also active in the Vieux Carre Homeowners Association and gives quite a few speeches around town, mostly on New Orleans' history and architecture, not on the river. He visits brother Ken and family in Baltimore over the holidays, but otherwise stays in the N.O. environs. He still gets around quite handily on his bike and doesn't go anywhere without seeing people he knows. My guess is that today he is celebrating his birthday early with friends at lunch at Galatoire's, his favorite N.O. restaurant.
If anyone fears that CCH is bored in retirement, fear not!

Doc has recently submitted a copy of a letter written by Capt. Joe Streckfus to his brothers for possible inclusion in an upcoming Reflector. The gist of the communication concerns the possibility of the company building an all-steel diesel powered excursion boat to "update" their fleet back in 1928!! Hopefully the letter will appear in the next issue. This unusual look inside the Streckfus family business is from the personal papers of the late Capt. Verne Streckfus, a long-time friend of Doc. In visiting with the captain yesterday, he related that when the W. P. SNYDER came to Marietta in 1955, he was invited to play the Bryant steam calliope which had been placed aboard. Unfortunately, he was still in school at that time and had to decline the offer. Too bad because that would have added yet one more steam calliope to his extensive resume of performances at the infernal music machine. Jonathan told Doc that he has acquired a new respect for the stamina and grit needed to play the instrument after having done some peformances on the QC/America calliope in Milwaukee this month. When in his "prime" on the AVALON, Capt. Hawley performed a half hour concert prior to the afternoon trip, an hour concert before the Moonlite, plus occasional stints prior to any morning trips the boat made. During that time, he probably would have qualified as the rivers' champion beer can crusher hands down.

A special New Orleans harbor salute to Doc on the occasion of his 74th birthday tomorrow.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Doc resided for some weeks at Rosemont Plantation, the boyhood home of Jefferson Davis, in Woodville, Mississippi. While there he spent his days working in the antique mall on the town square. One day, a gal came in and bought $1200 worth of what Doc said was "junk", but it was the biggest sale the store ever had. The purchaser was actress Hilary Swank, who was in the area for the filming of a movie, The Reaping, at nearby St. Francisville, Louisiana! I was in the antique mall this past May and they still talk about Doc's BIG sale. So he's a "pied piper" whether at the keyboard of a steam calliope or behind a store counter!!!

Happy Birthday, Doc!!

Regards,

Pat

A LONG and TWO Shorts to you "DOC"
I've had the honer of spending MANY happy hours at a Keyboard together ..
And a HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU on Steam CaLLiope 44,,,...

A little tribute to you DOC,,....

YouTube - Steam CaLLiope at Tall Stacks 1992 "Capt. Doc Hawley"

Happy Birthday Capt. Hawley!! It was him that always bugged me to go up and "do a couple tunes with him". One cold windy day when I was visiting in February, I finally caved in and did what would become the "FF Song" (for Capt. Robbie, watchman on the Natchez) and "Cruisin' Down the River" for the turnaround concert. I did one song, he did one song, I did the second, and he finished it up. I would like to think that's where I really started to appreciate playing the calliope, and it was largely because of him. Happy Birthday again and may you keep steamin' for many years to come!!

Happy Birthday Cap!!!

What can I say that hasn't been said!

The first introduction I ever had to Captain Clarke Campbell "Doc" Hawley was on a recording of the BELLE OF LOUISVILLE calliope made by Audiolore Records in 45rpm format back in, I believe 1970. He performed "Young Mans Fancy" and "Bells Of St. Marys". Both became a part of a standard I used (along with others) to develop my calliope playing style.

I first met the good Captain in 1982 at Louisville when he brought the NATCHEZ to Louisville to win the race (there wasn't a person who doubted the outcome of that race, I'll tell you!). He has always been a wonderful person who I have had the great honour of knowing for all these years. If you haven't met him...make it a priority! 'Cause if you have even the slightest interest in steamboats, he's the genuine article! There will never be another "Doc"!

Happy Birthday (and many, many more) on steam calliope followed by one long and two shorts for the Dean of Calliopists and the First Man of River History, Capt. Hawley!

Travis

As Doc's many, many river friends continue to offer their best wishes on his birthday today, I need to post one more comment to correct a mis-statement made in my earlier posting, in the interest of accuracy. My long-time friend and oustanding river historian Keith Norrington assures me that the Bryant's calliope was not on the SNYDER in 1955 during her delivery trip to Marietta, but rather she carried an air calliope on her roof aft of the pilothouse. Keith knows his stuff, and his word is good enough for me! Perhaps Doc's recollection was of an idea merely considered at an early point in the planning stages for the SNYDER's last trip, an idea that never panned out. Keith also related that the River Museum was discouraged from proceding with connecting the instrument to steam in its early days there on the advice of those who know about such things. At any rate, despite Doc's inability to have an opportunity to play that particular instrument, I would bet he holds the record for living calliopists for both variety and longevity of time at a steam calliope keyboard. May he continue to serenade us with his unmistakable style at the infernal music machine for years and years to come!

HBD Captain Hawley

Don't ever mistake Captain Hawley's slight frame, disarming smile, and genial personality fool you ...... he's one tough steamboatman. I should know as I first started decking for him fifty-years ago this next summer, although I have known him even longer.

Captain Hawley had us hand-scrubbing the AVALON when it rained and painting when the weather was dry. There were no power washers, or even hoses for scrubbing in those days, and he believed that 40 degrees Fahrenheit was the right temperature to break out the soogie buckets and scrub rags. Captain Doc was a no-nonsense disciplinarian who could be a rough man to work for, but like Captain Ernest Wagner, he was also my mentor and I credit him, in many ways, for casting me in his mold when it comes to running passenger boats. I take great pride in that distinction.

Even as Cap’n Doc is my long-time friend, he remains my teacher; as I treasure our friendship, I also respect him as my Captain.

Happy Birthday Captain Hawley.

Capt. Doc phoned last evening from New Orleans where it was a cool 95 degrees yesterday. He asked me to convey his greetings and appreciation to all his many friends on the river for their remembrance of his birthday. He is not online, but said he fully plans to soon buy a laptop and take a "Computers for Dummies" course so he can join in this forum. We had a lengthy and delightful conversation, reminiscing about the old days on the DQ and BELLE. Doc said he is more than content in retirement, happily working at the antique auction house and playing the cally-ope aboard the NATCHEZ on Sundays.

Bill Gates he ain't

Don't anyone hold your breath in eager anticipation of Doc buying a laptop and coming online and on the .org board! That sounds like he's throwing a bone out to us - but I've seen him in awe of my laptop and what little I can do with it, and I don't see CCH in the tech world -(he only PLAYS tapes on his VCR because he hasn't figured out how to record yet!) And that little word: 'buying' is a key too!!! Doc is a true 20th century riverman, and he isn't about to be dragged into the 21st century technology world (besides he enjoys hearing others report to him on what's on the board).