Alfred C. Glassell Jr.
1913 - 2008
2001 Inductee
Alfred Glassell's 1,560 pound black marlin is the all-tackle and 130-pound line class record for the species, and it remains the ultimate measure of the sport for every serious marlin fisherman. But his contributions to sport fishing go well beyond that world record. Although Glassell appeared on the cover of a 1956 Sports Illustrated, few of today's billfishermen know much about him, and even fewer are familiar with his other accomplishments. He was the first to boat a black marlin over 1,000 pounds according to IGFA rules and, when he lost the record within a few days, regained it for the second time in a month with a 1,090 pound catch. Although Glassell traveled the world hunting marlin, bluefin tuna and swordfish, his research convinced him he would find his giant quarry in the bait-rich waters off Cabo Blanco, Peru, and on August 4, 1953 he landed the 1,560 pound record fish that would withstand the test of nearly a half-century of tackle and boat improvements. Film footage of Glassell's jumping, tail-walking and greyhounding granders was used in the movie version of Ernest Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea, and his all-tackle record fish hangs in the Smithsonian Institution. Alfred Glassell has spent his lifetime pursuing his passions and excelling in many fields, including the petroleum industry, marine biology research, the collecting of fine art and, unbeknownst to many, freshwater fly fishing. He was a member of the U.S. Team in the International Tuna Cup Matches for seven years, serving as captain of the 1952 second-place team, is a Life Trustee of Texas Childrens Hospital, and Chairman of the Board of the Museum of Fine Arts Houston. Well-known for his philanthropy in many areas, Glassell has been a particularly generous supporter of marine science, leading successful scientific expeditions around the world for both Yale University and the University of Miami, where a unique research laboratory bears his name. Alfred C. Glassell, Jr., industrialist, sportsman, adventurer, amateur oceanographer, marine biologist, philanthropist, civic leader and patron of the arts, is truly a legend in his own time.
23 авг 2012
