Jockstrip: The world as we know it.

Sketch reveals rare composition

BANGOR, Maine, Aug. 25 (UPI) -- A Maine man who bought a sketch of an early 19th century streetscape at a bank auction said the piece turned out to be part of an 1835 composition.

David Slagger of Kenduskeag said he bought the print, which depicted downtown Bangor, from a TD Banknorth branch silent auction as a gift for his wife, the Bangor Daily News reported.

However, Slagger said he took the item home and removed it from its frame to discover it was only part of a much larger document centered around the score for an 1835 piano composition called "Bangor March," written by blind composer Oliver J. Shaw.

"From a local perspective, I think it's priceless because this is a part of Bangor's history," Slagger said.

Bangor Museum and History Museum curator Dana Lippitt said the museum has only one intact copy of the march and several partial copies.

"I think they're fairly rare because paper gets deteriorated or torn," she said.

Man spends 114 days in snake-filled room

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, Aug. 25 (UPI) -- A British man set a world record in South Africa by spending 114 days in a small room with 40 venomous snakes, and he is planning to stay for a few more days.

David Jones of Sussex, England, has spent four months in the 16-by-13-foot enclosure at the Chameleon Village Reptile Conservation Park in Johannesburg with two black mambas, two green mambas, three snouted cobras, seven boomslangs and 27 puff adders, The Sun reported.

Jones, who beat previous record holder Natie Swart of South Africa, said he has not yet been bitten by any of the snakes, but he had a few "close shaves."

The snake enthusiast said he plans to leave the enclosure next week, after staying a total 121 days.

Walmart greeter turns 100

FRANKLIN, Wis., Aug. 25 (UPI) -- A Wisconsin Walmart store threw a party to celebrate the birthday of its oldest employee, a 100-year-old woman.

Lois Speelman, who works as a greeter at the Franklin store in Milwaukee County, was the guest of honor at the store Monday during a party with cake and balloons celebrating her Wednesday birthday, WISN-TV, Milwaukee, reported.

Speelman, who works about 35 hours per week and still drives herself to work, first came to work for the store in 2000 and retired six years later. However, she said she returned to work as a greeter the following year because she missed her coworkers.

"I just enjoy people. That's what keeps me going. If I didn't have Walmart, I don't think I'd have made it," Speelman said.

Speelman said longevity runs in her family, as her mother lived to be 102 years old.

Ballpark disputes field's 'oldest' title

BRISBEE, Ariz., Aug. 25 (UPI) -- Officials with an Arizona ballpark contend their facility is a year older than an Alabama baseball stadium claiming to be the country's oldest.

Bisbee Copper Kings co-owner Tom Mosier said his team's home field, Warren Ballpark in Brisbee, was established in 1909, one year before Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Ala., The Arizona Republic in Phoenix reported.

Mosier and others said they take issue with Rickwood Field officials claiming to have the oldest ballpark in the United States.

"They need to be able to subtract 1909 from 1910," Mosier said.

Tim Wiles, Baseball Hall of Fame research director, said both cities have a "legitimate claim to call it the oldest ballpark or field, if you qualify it in some way."

He said different possibilities include being the oldest continuously used ballpark or the oldest professional ballpark.

"It would take a Philadelphia lawyer to figure out why each one of these makes an essentially legitimate claim to be the oldest ballpark," Wiles said. "I'd hate to take it away from any of these places."