How the Dodgers destroyed kingsnakes in L.A.-a true story

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Ross Padilla
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Re: How the Dodgers destroyed kingsnakes in L.A.-a true stor

Post by Ross Padilla »

OH my.
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Ross Padilla
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Re: How the Dodgers destroyed kingsnakes in L.A.-a true stor

Post by Ross Padilla »

Oh Sir... :shock:
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Speckled Rosy
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Re: How the Dodgers destroyed kingsnakes in L.A.-a true stor

Post by Speckled Rosy »

This is one of the more interesting threads I've seen to date. Everybody's points are good. The dodgers are a great team, much longer history than the Angels. Many great players wore that uniform..

Brians depiction of events is of coarse a little skewed. He hates Omaley for the same reasons I do, because we love kingsnakes and herp-life. Omaley represents the destructive Capitolists that drove the developement of the LA basin and so many other areas.. But you have to understand two things first. One is more obvious: nobody cares about snakes.. especially back then. Two: We are all part of the problem. No matter how you slice it, its true. Depressing when you realize it. Just being alive makes you somehow connected to all of it.
We have all benefited from what the builders of the city and "Dodger Stadium" have done.

You can still find a kingsnake near and probably on, Stadium property today. Not easy, but you could.. Today, the entire LA basin is now a sea of concrete developement. Herps exist, but are almost ghosts, often clinging on in extremely small and fragmented spaces that don't look anything like the original uninterupted habitats. I'm also finding in my data, that Kingsnakes may be the most abundant serpent, in some of these habitats.

A quike glance from a high point, like say Palos Verdes, looking east. The vast basin, filled with humanity..... the mountains to the north (San Gabriels), rise up, almost in defiance of the city below. As if god said "the developement will stop here." We can at least thank, for the preservation of these mountain habitats, men like John Muir, who had the forsight, even back then.

I'm currently trying to save, urban habitat holding getula and many other species. Today what spaces are left, are still in constant scrutany... I noticed right away in my searches that these spaces are an attractant to several other groups and individuals, all for different reasons. Homeless people are drawn to these areas, a place to build a shelter and be left alone.. The unkept grass an weeds of an urban space is an eyesore to any would be city maintance department. A place to give men an easy job, sitting under a shade tree most of the day, then occasionally rising to work, clearing grass ang brush, declared a fire hazard. City workers.. Ha! All the while 99.9 percent of these people don't realize, whats underground below their feet, under the buldozers blade.. There are a few succes stories, like a local "PV/El segundo blue butterfly" and burrowing owl, that have saved more animals and habitat than any other.

Don't give up just yet, there's still areas that need our help!

-Dan
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Ross Padilla
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Re: How the Dodgers destroyed kingsnakes in L.A.-a true stor

Post by Ross Padilla »

Well said, Dan.
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Re: How the Dodgers destroyed kingsnakes in L.A.-a true stor

Post by monklet »

Opie and friend drinking beer and hanging out with a wanton woman? :shock: This didn't come from "Andy of Mayberry" did it?
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Ross Padilla
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Re: How the Dodgers destroyed kingsnakes in L.A.-a true stor

Post by Ross Padilla »

Where were you in 62? I wasn't even born yet. lol

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Re: How the Dodgers destroyed kingsnakes in L.A.-a true stor

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Re: How the Dodgers destroyed kingsnakes in L.A.-a true stor

Post by KichiMark »

Beautifully said Dan. :beer: .
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Re: How the Dodgers destroyed kingsnakes in L.A.-a true stor

Post by hellihooks »

[quote="Ross Padilla"]Where were you in 62? I wasn't even born yet. lol

Catching my 1st Ca snakes, while walking to the babysitter's house, after Kindergarden let out for the day... it was less than 2 miles away.. :roll: (definitely a different era) :D
Dawdling along the little creek on Palm Ave, right above Baseline, in Highland, I find a little 2-stripe garter, and just a little further on, a little gophersnake, and took them to the babysitter's house, who let me keep them (my mom was terrified of snakes) in a gall. pickle jar.
The next day I rushed to the babysitter's house to play with them... and ONE WAS GONE! We could not figure out how the little striped snake had got out... till after several hrs of staring at the little gopher... I noticed that he sure looked a lot fatter than when I caught him... :shock: Mystery solved... :roll:
"62" was a GREAT year... spent the rest of that long endless summer catching frogs and horned lizards and blue bellies, and other little snakes that my mom would find in my dresser drawers and in the garden out back, where I would let them go. :D :D :D
Me and my girlfriend won a couple of '50's' dance contests, in high school, largely inspired by 'American Graffiti'... :D jim
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Brian Hubbs
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Re: How the Dodgers destroyed kingsnakes in L.A.-a true stor

Post by Brian Hubbs »

Great movie...inspired the TV show Happy Days...which gave us the Fonz...Ayyyyy.... :lol:

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Ross Padilla
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Re: How the Dodgers destroyed kingsnakes in L.A.-a true stor

Post by Ross Padilla »

hellihooks wrote:
Ross Padilla wrote:Where were you in 62? I wasn't even born yet. lol

Catching my 1st Ca snakes, while walking to the babysitter's house, after Kindergarden let out for the day... it was less than 2 miles away.. :roll: (definitely a different era) :D
Dawdling along the little creek on Palm Ave, right above Baseline, in Highland, I find a little 2-stripe garter, and just a little further on, a little gophersnake, and took them to the babysitter's house, who let me keep them (my mom was terrified of snakes) in a gall. pickle jar.
The next day I rushed to the babysitter's house to play with them... and ONE WAS GONE! We could not figure out how the little striped snake had got out... till after several hrs of staring at the little gopher... I noticed that he sure looked a lot fatter than when I caught him... :shock: Mystery solved... :roll:
"62" was a GREAT year... spent the rest of that long endless summer catching frogs and horned lizards and blue bellies, and other little snakes that my mom would find in my dresser drawers and in the garden out back, where I would let them go. :D :D :D
Me and my girlfriend won a couple of '50's' dance contests, in high school, largely inspired by 'American Graffiti'... :D jim
That's great. :thumb:
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monklet
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Re: How the Dodgers destroyed kingsnakes in L.A.-a true stor

Post by monklet »

Never saw that movie ...I'm such a dork :crazyeyes:
Robert Hansen
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Re: How the Dodgers destroyed kingsnakes in L.A.-a true stor

Post by Robert Hansen »

Brian:

Thanks for the interesting history lesson and powerful images. Wow.

BH
TC Reptile
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Re: How the Dodgers destroyed kingsnakes in L.A.-a true stor

Post by TC Reptile »

GO DODGERS!
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