Reviewing the news: Stuck in the straits

July 10, 1924: North American gets off Gray’s Reef in Straits

The big lake excursion steamer North American, carrying about 350 excursionists from Chicago to Duluth and back, which was hard and fast on Gray’s Reef in the Straits of Mackinac for twelve hours, Wednesday afternoon and night, was driven entirely across the reef and floated in deep water early Thursday morning. The ship reached Mackinac Island shortly before 3 o’clock Thursday morning. Examination showed that her plates were undamaged by the grounding, and the ship proceeded on her trip.

The weather Wednesday afternoon was foggy and rainy, with a gale of about 45 miles an hour sweeping the Straits from the west. The ship, in swinging into the Straits from Lake Michigan, got off her course in the fog, rain and gale and crashed onto the reef. Luck was with the North American, for where she struck the water was almost deep enough to allow her to plow on across.

The gale continued all afternoon, piling water deeper and deeper into the Straits until early this morning the ship was floated and washed across the reef into a position of safety.

The tug Thompson pulled for several hours but was unable to drag the heavy ship off. The tug Reliance was at the scene but, because of the heavy sea, did not attempt to haul on the North American.

A powerful tug was sent from Sault Ste. Marie, but did not reach the scene of the trouble until after the ship had been floated. The ship’s radio kept up a busy broadcast by code to Chicago and the Canadian Soo, carrying word that the ship was in no danger.

July 12, 1974: Oden Hornets capture North Emmet title

ODEN — The Oden Hornets won the North Emmet Little League title last night, edging second place Levering Wildcats, 7-6.

The win gave Oden an 11-4 record for the year while Levering is 8-6 with a make up game against Alanson that will be played Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. at Alanson.

Last night the winning pitcher was Kevin Ulrick with Jeff Clear taking the loss.

Mark Wagenschutz, Steve Hewitt and Jim Danenberg each had two hits for Oden while Clear had three hits and Steve Coleman two for Levering.

Oden had three players who batted over .400 for the season. They were Kevin Ulrick, Wagenschutz and Clark Hewitt with Wagenschutz having the top average at .510.

Ulrick had the top pitching record in the league with an 8-0 record. Oden was sponsored by Puff’s RCA during the season.

In one other game last night the Pellston Lions defeated the Alanson Angels, 8-7.

Winning pitcher was Dan Nathan while Duane Miller took the loss.

This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Reviewing the news: Stuck in the straits