West Virginia

This comprehensive work on the fishes of WV is the culmination of more than 20 years of res. Contains descriptions of the major river drainages in WV, a brief discussion of the zoogeog. of the fishes within the state, a table of fish dist. by drainage, a guide to the anatomical features used in fish ident., dichotomous keys to the families & species of WV fishes, physical descriptions of all fish species known or expected to occur in the state, & a glossary to supplement the species descriptions. Info. was gathered by: All major fish museums in the eastern U.S. were contacted & records of specimens collected were requested; museums with significant holdings of WV fishes were visited; & New fish surveys were conducted at approx. 1,000 sites throughout the state. Illus.

" An essential resource for scholars, students, and all lovers of the Mountaineer State. From bloody skirmishes with Indians on the early frontier to the Logan County mine war, the story of West Virginia is punctuated with episodes as colorful and rugged as the mountains that dominate its landscape. In this first modern comprehensive history, Otis Rice and Stephen Brown balance these episodes of mountaineer individualism against the complexities of industrial development and the growth of social institutions, analyzing the events and personalities that have shaped the state. To create this history, the authors weave together many strands from the past and present. Included among these are geological and geographical features; the prehistoric inhabitants; exploration and settlement; relations with the Indians; the land systems and patterns of ownership; the Civil War and the formation of the state from the western counties of Virginia; the legacy of Reconstruction; politics and government; industrial development; labor problems and advances; and cultural aspects such as folkways, education, religion, and national and ethnic influences. For this second edition, the authors have added a new chapter, bringing the original material up to date and carrying the West Virginia story through the presidential election of 1992. Otis K. Rice is professor emeritus of history and Stephen W. Brown is professor of history at West Virginia Institute of Technology.

West Virginia sprang into existence as a state in the midst of the Civil War, and "base ball," as it was called then, was close on the heels of statehood. A game in 1866 hosted by the Hunkidori Base Ball Club in Wheeling, is considered the first "match game of Base Ball." Some historians contend the game spread via the movement of soldiers who were from urban areas. The real roots of baseball are not the romantic image of rural boys in sandlots or lazy father-son afternoons. It was born and came of age as an urban sport, a social pursuit of well-heeled young men that in the early days often involved banquets and shows following each game. The author traces the history of minor league and independent league baseball in West Virginia. Baseball below the minor leagues has a rich and comparatively unexplored history, and West Virginia has made substantial contributions to this legacy. Chapters examine the chronological history of baseball and the larger economic and cultural changes that have influenced it. Eras include baseball as a social game (through 1873); the emergence of professional baseball (through 1895); its second boom (through 1905); the deadball era (through 1920); the Martinsburg dynasty (1914 to 1934); as a miners' sport (1920 to 1941); the Middle Atlantic League (1925-1942); the Mountain State League (1937-1942); the postwar years (1945-1955); the nadir (1955-1985); and "A Minor Miracle" (1985-2000), a chapter that heralds a comeback in the popularity of professional baseball.

The 1979 pot plane crash-as it's come to be known in Charleston, West Virginia-was one of those "you had to be there" moments. Walter Cronkite opened the nightly news with, "You may not call this pot luck." Locals still refer to the crash to this day. Author Jerome Lill organized the botched smuggling attempt, bought the DC6 cargo plane, flew it to Colombia, and filled it with 26,000 pounds of pot. Everything went fine until the plane went over the edge of the runway at the Charleston airport. The crash and subsequent trial make up only a very small part of this riveting book. Jerome's life in those days was continually awash in international drug smuggling, wild partying, and a lot of profanity (also included in this book). The essence of the story, though, is Jerome's long journey from the darkest corners of alcoholism to recovery, lifted by his faith in God and seemingly unlimited second chances. His accounts of surviving the plane crash and countless other exploits are mind-blowing. As Jerome likes to say about his recovery, "If I can do it, anybody can." There's always a chance for redemption-a timeless message for us all. This is a story you will not be able to forget. Jerome Lill's story is authentic and unforgettable. He is simply an inspiration for us all.

This book provides lists of key people, sites, cities, plants and animals, political figures, industries, and events in West Virginia. All books in the It's My State! ® series are the definitive research tool for readers looking to know the ins and outs of a specific state, including comprehensive coverage of its history, people, culture, geography, economy and government.