Friday, December 30, 2011

Duke & Babe

A L O H A !
 Duke Kahanamoku Beach

" Really great people
make you feel
that you too
can become great. "

Mark Twain













People still place lei on Duke's statue 
& pose with him!

When Duke Kahanamoku was 10 years old,
  on April 30, 1900
the Organic Act made him
an American citizen.


 He was named after his father,
Duke Halapu Kahanamoku,
who was christened "Duke" by Hawaiian Princess,
  Bernice Pauahi Bishop
in honor of Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh,
who was visiting Hawaii at the time of the elder man's birth in 1869.
It was his name, not a title.




He went on to win Olympic gold,
to perform legendary rescues
and feats
befitting a Hawaiian Superman.


Surfers all over the world
consider him the father
of the modern sport.


He also used a stand-up board
and long paddle
when he grew older.

Stand-up paddling
is the fastest growing water sport
Today.






Here's Duke at Waikiki with Babe Ruth!  
"I swing big,
with everything I've got.
I hit big or I miss big. 
I like to live as big as I can." 

Babe Ruth




Babe Ruth is famous
for his home run record,
but few realize
that for decades he also held
the record for strikeouts.

 He hit 714 home runs,
struck out 1,330 times
in his career.

He said:


 "Every strike
brings me closer 
to the next home run."














When Hawaii's most famous citizen died,
the Honolulu Star-Bulletin called Duke:
"the Babe Ruth of swimming and surfing." 

He will live forever
in the hearts of Hawaii
and of surfers everywhere.  







Read more about this amazing man HERE


Thanks for stopping by today! 
Much appreciated. Leave a comment-
                                                            Warmly, cloudia