City Week

Into the Wilderness

An Evening with the "Father of Wilderness," John Muir

7 to 9 p.m., Saturday, April 6

ZUZI! Theater at the Historic Y, 738 N. Fifth Ave.

azwild.org; prescott.edu 

The Arizona Wilderness Coalition and Prescott College are hosting an evening with legendary 19th-century conservationist John Muir to celebrate his 175th birthday and his work. 

Doug Hulmes, an AWC board member and Prescott College professor of environmental studies, will do a Chautauqua presentation as John Muir, followed by a discussion.

Meghan Mix, office manager of AWC, said Chautauqua "was a movement that was started by the American government and the media to kind of try to bring education and the muse to working-class people. The speakers were often times very gregarious and able to present the information in a way that was easy for the masses to understand."

Hulmes is an expert on John Muir and has done this performance many times, at different venues, but it his first time performing in Tucson. His presentation serves as a way to celebrate Muir's life and work as well as a way to raise awareness about conservation in the American West.

Corey said that performances like this are an asset because "as our society gets more complex, we get more disconnected from nature."

He hopes that the Chautauqua and discussion will give insight into Muir's life and to our connection with nature. 

"It's reflecting on John Muir, his vision and, I think, how timeless it is as well as how it applies to our society and our culture today, here in Arizona and across the West," Corey said.

Doors open at 6:45 p.m. There is a suggested donation of $8, which will support the wilderness stewardship partnership between AWC and Prescott College.

M.M.


Scholarly Travels "History, Travel, Politics and Intervention"

5 p.m., Tuesday, April 9

Room 202, UA Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering Building, 1130 N. Mountain Ave.

mspieler@email.arizona.edu

Having trekked 6,000 miles from India to Afghanistan at the onset of the U.S. invasion in 2001, Rory Stewart, a writer, international scholar and former diplomat has carved a path in history.

Stewart's storied past will come to life when he visits the University of Arizona to give a lecture on "History, Travel, Politics and Intervention," incorporating the experiences documented in his acclaimed memoirs, The Places In Between and Prince of the Marshes, and in his political life (he currently serves as a British Member of Parliament).

The lecture is sponsored by the UA History Department, which selected Stewart as a speaker based on his dedication to "rethink and challenge contemporary viewpoints," according to associate professor Miranda Spieler. Creating ties among students in various programs, from Middle Eastern Studies grad students to Honors College undergraduates and veterans on campus, was a goal for Spieler when planning the event.

"We are eager to draw together people who are in different disciplines at the university, but share common concerns," Spieler said. "I think he's a speaker that will allow us to do that."

Stewart finds solace in both the written and spoken word when recounting his experiences abroad, but the role of an author will always be among his most preferred.

"You cannot fall back on your confidence, your improvisation, or your tone of voice or intonation," Stewart said in an email interview. "The page is silent."

Spieler encourages people to arrive early because the event is free and all 235 seats in the auditorium should be filled. Copies of Stewart's books will be for sale both at the lecture and at the UA BookStores.

K.N.


A Musical Movement for Justice

Seventh Annual JusticePalooza

6 to 10 p.m., Tuesday, April 9

La Cocina, 201 N. Court Ave.

623-9141; afsc.org/tucson

JusticePalooza may have humble beginnings, but after seven years of bringing together the social justice community through live music, the American Friends Service Committee knows Tucson likes to celebrate for a good cause.

The AFSC is a national nonprofit based in the Quaker faith, "with long-standing testimonies about peace, equality and justice," according to Caroline Isaacs, the program director of the organization's Tucson offices. Focusing exclusively on criminal justice issues, the AFSC in Arizona works to reform criminal sentencing laws, combat the privatization of prisons and reduce the incarcerated population through policy changes.

It's a fight fraught with challenges in a largely conservative landscape, and while the political tide has shifted in recent years due to rising costs and little effect on crime reduction, the AFSC has developed JusticePalooza from a backyard event to a full-blown concert to remind supporters that progress is worth commending.

Isaacs said she was "thrilled" to be able to move the event to La Cocina for the weekly Tuesdays for Tucson fundraiser, in which 10 percent of the evening's proceeds go to a nonprofit like the AFSC. JusticePalooza will feature performances from Salvador Duran, Howe Gelb, and The Cordials.

The AFSC will be distributing information about its work in criminal justice at the event, and members will speak briefly between sets about their mission and upcoming campaigns. There is no cover for JusticePalooza, but donations are accepted and appreciated.

"We live in Tucson, which is so rich for amazing local music," Isaacs said. "And not just amazing music, but amazing people who are more than willing to donate their time and energy and talents. It just works out beautifully."

—K.N.


History Through Baseball

Fourth Annual Copper City Classic Vintage Base Ball Tournament

10 a.m., Saturday and Sunday, April 6 and April 7

Warren Ballpark, 300 Ruppe Ave., Bisbee

friendsofwarrenballpark.com

Warren Ballpark, at 140 years old the oldest multisport facility in use in the United Sates, is hosting its fourth annual vintage baseball tournament as a fundraiser for the ballpark.

Mike Anderson, the ballpark's historian and author of Warren Ballpark, said he has enjoyed "finding all kinds of discoveries, things that had been forgotten because the people that experienced them were long dead" while exploring it's deep-rooted history.

The Arizona Territories Vintage Base Ball League—consisting of the Bisbee Bees, Glendale Gophers, Phoenix Senators, Tucson Saguaros and Bisbee Black Socks—will play, along with the Colorado All-Stars from the Colorado Vintage Base Ball Association. They will play by the original rules of the game.

The fundraiser will honor three figures from the history of baseball: Earl Wilson, Tony Antista and John McGraw.

Both Wilson and Antista began their professional baseball careers in Bisbee.

John McGraw was the manager of the New York Giants when they played a game at Warren Ballpark against the Chicago White Sox nearly 100 years ago, on Nov. 7, 1913.

Postgame activities will start at 7 p.m. Saturday at Bisbee's 555 Grill. Silent-auction items will include old-style replica baseballs signed by Buster Posey of the San Francisco Giants and a bat signed by Carlton Fisk, a Hall-of-Fame catcher.

Anderson said going to Warren Ballpark is a unique experience because "when you walk into that ballpark, you are back in a facility that was very much like all of the facilities in America in the 1930s, '40s and '50s."

Admission is $10 for one day or $15 for both. Children 12 and younger are admitted free; active military will get in free on Sunday.

M.M.