Editor’s Note: This was previously published in the Islander News, under a section called “Spindrift.”

When superintendent Bob Jones and salesman George Luck moved onto the Key on Christmas Eve Day 1950, they were soon followed in 1951 by families who moved into the rest of the 198 homes in Biscayne Key Estates subdivision. Then came Tropical Isles subdivision No. 1, 2, 3, and 4. We were without many things like phones, street signs, churches, schools, playing fields, etc.; but we did have an S&W grocery with Carl Simpson and Ronnie Whiting, Vernon’s Drugs, George Cornell’s Hardware, Riverside Laundry, Elwood Electric and Martin Beauty shop.

By the fall we had our island doctor, John V. Handwerker and his bride Alma Trappolini, some other stores and the dime store of Dick Leman. But most importantly, we had youth and energy and our Island Paradise became a reality.

There were many young children and activities for them at the beach, and the Pines Canal skinny dipping, fishing at the culvert across to Mashta Island and at Mashta House bicycle riding, camping out here and there, and all the normal things of young people. The island was such a safe place, we parents had no worries, especially in the Biscayne Key Estates area with street lights (which the Mackles put in and paid for for 10 years and then we voted ourselves into a tax district and now pay for them annually ourselves).

Our first formal team was founded and funded by Marshall Morissette. The football players were from 12 to 15 perhaps, and had to buy their own shoulder pads to go with the uniforms given by Marsh. They played teams from the mainland and when Marsh had to be gone on business for some time, Bill Hegamyer, then an engineer working for the Mackle Brothers, although not yet living on the island, took over. We parents gave him a portable radio as a thank you.

Then there was a young adult group, Ace Noonan, Dick Kelsey, Wally Keiter and others who formed a team and played in a Miami city league and won it! We also had another adult group with Morissette and Carl Simpson pitching, Curt Curtis, catcher, as part of the team and on the days, they played the county police, mostly stationed on the island. Their chief would threaten them if his team lost, he’d have them patrolling the lighthouse in a row boat.

The games took place in Crandon Park or in front of the shopping center (there was a large area before Crandon Boulevard that was raised and widened) and the Lions Club cleared the corner of Fernwood and McIntyre and even planted a border of Australian pine trees on the street sides and made a baseball field. Later we had the school fields, depending on the whims of some school boards and the fields between St. Agnes and the Presbyterian Church.

A few years later, Ralph Foster, the KB Elementary School physical education teacher, started the first of many teams with a group of very good athletes. Tim Stickney, Jeff Osman, Gary Crowder, Gary Baer, The Portela brothers Tutti, Georgie, & Carlos; Lynn Morris, Robby Jacocks, Jimmy Epstein, Richard Kauper, Kevin Foster, Steve Green, Steve Thompson, Set Richards, Mark Yehle, Manual Quintana, Alex Garcia, & Hill Underwood (probably missed some, I am sorry) made up the first team that also played groups from town.

In the following years, Ralph gave many hours of his own time to teams both girls and boys. They both played many other teams from town who had paid coaches and great community backing, like Miami Shores.

The boys, for several years, played on the soccer team from the Naval Academy in Annapolis. We even had cheerleaders: Jackie Hegamyer, Raquel Paz, Jeanne Thompson, Elisa Curtis, Cathy Boyer, Anna Seiglie and Bridget Innes (most of these went on to play themselves on the first girls’ team.)

In the following year the Key Biscayne Athletic Association was formed by interested people who took over the maintenance of the fields at St Agnes, were responsible for teams, sponsors, coaches, officials, – every aspect of seasonal sports. So, we now have flag football, baseball of many levels from T-ball on up, great soccer programs of many ages that have spawned football kickers for several colleges and pro teams.

WE are still an island of energy and talent that began in ’51 and continues today.

Spindrift column courtesy of Jane Morris