Tributes

RUSSELL KAY: PORTRAIT OF A TAMPA PERSONALITY

— Excerpts from Russell Kay’s Memoirs

(Printed in the Evening News in Tampa on November 25, 1939)

If you should say to the average citizen of Florida something about Russell Kay being a Native Son of California he would either laugh you down or try to humor you until he got at what he considered a safe distance.

But as a matter of fact, that is just what Russell Kay is--or was--although in his more than two score years of residence in Florida, so firmly entrenched in the minds and hearts of Floridians has he become that it would be as difficult to separate him from the current legend of Florida as it would be to take ham from eggs. Born in Berkeley, CA, Kay early evinced the ingenuity, ambition, and resourcefulness which were later to bring him to the position of importance that he now holds in Florida. He left school at an early age to seek greener fields and as a youngster, divided his time for the most part between bell hopping and other posts in hotel work and newspaper or advertising work of some nature.

In 1914, the editor of the Florida Grower, who had known young Kay on the West Coast, persuaded him to come to Florida--which he did to take a job as a glorified office boy with the magazine. Not much later he became its business manager which position he retained until he resigned to start his Florida Clipping Service Bureau. Through his personal column, currently being called “Too Late To Classify,” through his radio programs, through his secretaryships of the Florida Press Association, the Florida State Fair, publicity director of the Florida Orange Festival at Winter Haven, and through his legion acts of lending a helping hand, the name of Russell Kay is known and respected in every village and hamlet in the state. Although not 'a joiner', Russell belongs to the Advertising Club of Tampa and is a member of the Scottish Rite and the Shriners. He married the former LaVerne Pratt, of Michigan, in 1915, and they have one daughter, Peggy.

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TRIBUTE TO POPPA KAY
— By Jeanette Baser

“Jeanette Baser was a dear friend and a secretary of Russell Kay at the Florida Clipping Service. The following is a wonderful tribute that she wrote about my dad on February 24th, 1986.” — Peggy Doll (Kay)
. . . . .

Dear Peggy,
As I approach my 'Big 80th birthday next Thursday, the 27th, I reflect on the many blessings that have been mine during lo, these many years. Knowing Russell Kay was way up among them.

From the first day, I walked into his office, where he and Mama K were working alone (Saturday evening) opening newspapers, I knew these were good fun-loving people. I felt relaxed as I asked about a job. And he said to me, "take off your hat, gal, and get to work." Until I left about 10 years later after Clyde and I were married, which meant a move to Jacksonville Beach, there was never a dull moment in the office. He was truly one of the most remarkable people I've ever known in my life as a young widow with a little boy to provide for and influence. So many times he said to me, "Don't get too excited or upset about it — hold your tongue and temper, and things will work out OK if you give it a little time." He was a male Scarlet O'Hara. (“We'll worry about it tomorrow.”)

I jotted down a list of projects he was interested in and promoted — often with only postage provided — and sometimes not even that much — to help in the development of our state. Among them:

KEY WEST OVERSEAS HIGHWAY

He wrote columns and reams of publicity to promote and develop this project. believe he was among those VIP’s at the ribbon-cutting and dedication of this highway. Perhaps you, too, were there.

EVERGLADES NATIONAL PARK

He was a great believer in the founding of this project, and he publicized it in his “Too Late To Classify, and every other way he could.

JACKSONVILLE

He spent a lot of time there, of course, as he was a good friend of all the governors, cabinet members and other officials as well as senators and representatives of national and state government, and was invited on many, many occasions to attend and address various meetings and social functions held there. Of course, you have scrapbooks and clippings that will tell you more than I can remember. Everyone in the office admired and respected him because of his fairness and honesty.

All loved and honored him (especially when he'd enliven a party by telling his famous 'Baseball Story.' That was always a great icebreaker.)

PENSACOLA

There were not many attractions in the panhandle area at that time, but the great movement of forest management, fire prevention, trees farming, etc. began during the years I worked with him. He was a great champion of the forestry and lumber industry, saw its potential in Florida's development, and willingly gave publicity and a good word to the industry at all times. Sometimes he even got postage and handling fees... about $25.

So you can see the scope of his influence, through the written word and personal appearances, from Key West to Jacksonville across to Pensacola.
Of course, it extended to the West Coast and Central Florida. He was then active in promoting such attractions as Wakulla Springs, Silver Springs, the Alligator Farm, and other St. Augustine points of interest. There were Marineland, the Oldest School House, and the Fountain of Youth.

He often visited Cypress Gardens, Bok Tower, and special events in the Polk County area: the famous Press Breakfast for all Florida newspaper men and women, the Orange Festival in Winter Haven, to name a couple. He wrote so many TLC columns about these wonderful places and events (free advertising and promotion they couldn't get anywhere else. We couldn't begin to count them all)

I especially remember his loyalty TO and faith IN Dick Pope, a young man who without money or big financial backing, dug out a swampy piece of land on the lake, near Winter Haven; and turned it into a fairyland of beauty that has drawn tourists from all over the world. It is now a multi-million dollar enterprise and the Pope's no longer own it. But only a few people could dream of such a brilliant future for Cypress Gardens Your Dad was one of Dick Pope's believers from the very first. Many people laughed at Dick and called the Gardens 'Dick Pope's Folly'.... but Russell Kay never did. He could envision a lovely place for family entertainment there, and this project received more free publicity and advertising from our office, I believe than any other Florida attraction.

Pope even got a lot of free clippings, but eventually began to realize a profit and was able to pay for this service. Also, he supplied your family with free passes to the Gardens, and he gave passes to all the girls who worked in the office (6 - 8)... and would occasionally put a box of gardenias or some other kind of flowers inbox and send them to our office by bus to be shared by all. What a thrill for us gals!

Several special pictures come to mind as I look back over those happy years. I had a spell of arthritis; I believe it was my sciatic nerve that had me down. Your dad got on the phone and talked to “Mama Kay”. She came right over and took me to the doctor, and covered for me till I could go back to work. And your folks paid the bill. I couldn’t have!

Once when Reed had chickenpox or measles your mother came for him and took him to your house for 'TLC' during his illness. I'm sure you were there, but Ibelieve you had already had the 'scourge'... whatever it was, you didn't get it.

Once, on Monday, I was fussing at Poppa K for giving me copy for his column with so many misspelled words. My remarks were like "I just can't understand how anyone with your vocabulary and way with words can misspell so many of them. Couldn't you try a little harder to improve your spelling? His quick reply: "Why should I? That’s what I pay you for.'

I could ramble on like this for pages and pages but of course, all these memories aren't as important to anyone else as they are to me. There are two very important chapters in Mr. Kay's life that I think are outstanding, and I believe he would say today, he'd be most proud of in the pioneering of our state. His activity, as the secretary of the Florida Press Association.

He gave his time, his energy, his services, and his allegiance to building a strong and healthy newspaper community. He was loved and admired by every newspaper editor and publisher in the state. He dealt with all of them, more so with the weeklies and semi-weekly field rather than with the big dailies.

But there wasn't a single one amongst them who disliked him. I think this is the greatest credit to him. He never received one penny for any of these services. He only asked for their goodwill and cooperation, which they gave freely, for his willingness to tell the Baseball Story.

The other was his belonging to that very exclusive group — the original Tamiami Trailblazers. That renowned group of rugged individuals who set out from Tampa in the early 1920s to travel by car through the Everglades and other rough terrains- hoping to cut their way through to Miami. This is a whole story in itself, but the men did succeed in doing what they wanted to do — reach Miami, although it was rough going most of the way through this mosquito, snake, and alligator-infested terrain.

I must say, in conclusion, that your family had meant great happiness and security to me back in the days when I needed it most, and a lot of love and laughs, as well as sorrows shared — and some not so lucrative battles to win. But they were all good days, whatever befell. I went to see your mother in the nursing home before she died and was grieved to see her failing health. I also went to see your dad and held his hand while he made me laugh at some funny things he said, knowing that I'd never hold it again. What wonderful memories they gave me!