Erbe

All-Metro Defensive Player of the Year Felix Isuk, who led the No. 1 Gilman football team to the school's first 10-0 season, will attend Harvard, Greyhounds coach Biff Poggi said yesterday.Isuk, a two-time All-Metro choice and a preseason All-American in several publications, had 13 sacks for the Greyhounds, who were No. 1 in The Sun from the season's beginning to end. A consensus All-State pick by Association Press, Isuk turned down Princeton and full scholarship offers from Virginia Tech, West Virginia, Duke and Virginia.

Joan Erbe has always been fascinated with the unusual. Recently she found three of her childhood drawings, from the 1930s, and just for fun they're included in her current show at the Gomez Gallery. Their subject matter is the circus.Over the decades she has developed a style in which weird-looking characters in colorful costumes find themselves in abnormal situations. These pictures combine a childlike interest in strange creatures and an atmosphere that's slightly unset- tling and sometimes almost sinister.

This month, Gomez shows three unrelated artists in its three distinct spaces. There's no particular theme to act as an umbrella for them. Yet one of them, Toni Catany, has enough in common with each of the other two to pull this trio together.The work of Joan Erbe, which occupies the main gallery space, continues to delight with its fantasy creatures in weird get-ups and mask-like faces. Unlike her earlier multi-figure images, this group consists of single-figure works that exhibit the Erbe charm individually but become somewhat repetitious as a whole.

On television Tuesday evening, Sister Mary Aquin O'Neill attempted, with notable lack of success, to stifle a heart-wrenching sob."Oh, dear," said Kerrie Burch-DeLuca, spokeswoman for the insurance giant USF&G, corporate perpetrators of the sob witnessed across Maryland."

USF&G Corp. will decide within a week between two downtown office towers for the future headquarters of its life insurance subsidiary, company officials said yesterday.Although no decision has been made, Fidelity & Guaranty Life Insurance executives are focusing on an available floor in the 100 E. Pratt St. skyscraper, as well as on three floors in the 35-story USF&G Tower."We're in final negotiations involving two buildings, but no decision has been made," said G. Jay Erbe Jr. USF&G's vice president of administration.

The owner of the Maurgale Marina hit a theft suspect on the head with a shotgun butt Tuesday morning, sending the man to North Arundel Hospital, where he was arrested, county police said.Harry Lee Erbe, 66, told police that about 12:45 a.m. he saw a man carrying four sections of scrap aluminum worth $50 from the marina in the 800 block of Nabb's Creek Road. Mr. Erbe said he attacked the man because he was afraid, police said.The man dropped the aluminum, ran to a 1983 Datsun and drove off. Mr. Erbe then called the police.

Within her chosen range, Christine Neill is an artist it would be hard to surpass, as her current show at Gomez attests. Working in watercolors, she creates lush pictures of palms and other leafy plants, with an occasional piece of fruit, all gathered in shallow spaces against largely neutral backgrounds.These reveal Neill's mastery of color gradations, of dealing with light and shadow on overlapping planes, and of creating the illusion of three-dimensionality while restricting herself to a severely limited pictorial space.

It's always a pleasure to see the work of an artist conscious of just what her talent is and working firmly within it. That's certainly the case with Joan Erbe, native of Baltimore and veteran of more than 50 museum and gallery shows in the past 40 years, from Massachusetts to California.Erbe's figural paintings exist on several levels. With their vivid colors and bright patterns they can be seen as extremely decorative, in the good sense of the term; Erbe's acrylics, sometimes in combination with drawing and with collaged, patterned paper or fabric, produce vibrant works that pulse with life and display the evidence of an unfaltering hand.

Harry CashmanTeacher, 71Services for retired teacher Harry Cashman of Odenton will take place at 10 a.m. tomorrow at the Nichols Bethel United Methodist Church in Odenton, where he was a member.Mr. Cashman, 71, died June 20 of liver failure at Bethesda, after a lengthy illness.He was born in Stockton, Calif., and served in the U.S. Army's 41st Infantry Division in the Pacific during World War II, where he attained the rank of major. Mr. Cashman later returned to the Army during the Korean War, between 1952 and 1968, and served with the 146th Field Artillery.

Anyone who thinks an artist's life is a peaceful thing has never spent an evening with Joan Erbe and her husband, George Udel.First of all, the phone won't stop ringing. (Hello, Steve. . . . Hold on, Elsie. . . . Come on over, Tilden.) Then there's Natey, the couple's handsome 9-year-old grandson, shuffling around the second floor. Isn't that the doorbell? Just a neighbor dropping by to chat about his new airplane.Mr. Udel, meanwhile, is trying to lead an impromptu tour through the couple's Roland Park home.

On September 7, 2009, DOROTHY VIVIAN JAMES; beloved wife of the late Wm. Odell James; devoted mother of Spencer James and Darlene Erbe; loving grandmother of Kevin James, Brandon Erbe and Michele Wilkins. Friends may call at Gonce Funeral Service, P.A., 4001 Ritchie Highway, on Thursday 3 till 5 and 7 till 9 P.M. Service on Friday at 10 A.M. Interment in Glen Haven Memorial Park. Those who wish may contribute to Hospice of the Chesapeake.

SOFTBALL Baltimore County championship No. 6 Franklin vs. Western Tech at CCBC-Catonsville Today, 5 p.m. Franklin (18-0) aims for a perfect county season, led by the league's top pitcher, Jordan Eades (17-0), who has an ERA of 0.42 and has struck out 182 batters in 101 innings. Eades also hits .603, and Mary Sobota has 26 RBIs. For the Wolverines (11-3), who won the title in 2006, Sam Erbe takes the mound. Catcher Katie Blackston bats a team-leading .467. THE SUN'S PICK: FRANKLIN

Even a baseball novice could've told you which high school pitcher would make the majors. At a lean 6 feet 4 with a fastball that crossed 95 mph and uncommon poise for a teenager, McDonogh's Brandon Erbe could have been cast by Hollywood as a young Jim Palmer. Chorye Spoone? Well, the player from Northeast High was a chunky kid with an unruly temper whose fastball topped out at 87 mph. But a funny thing has happened since the two local pitchers were picked by their hometown Orioles in the 2005 draft.

When Single-A Frederick pitcher Brandon Erbe is on his game, he reminds the Orioles why they drafted him in the third round two years ago. Executives from other teams wonder how they could have passed on him. He flashes major league talent that can be blinding. But when Erbe struggles, he reminds everyone that he's only 19 and has a long way to go. And, boy, can he struggle. Erbe, a graduate of McDonogh, entered yesterday's start with a 6-4 record and 6.07 ERA in 18 games. He had allowed 89 hits in 86 innings, with 48 walks and 76 strikeouts.

On June 23, 2006, HOWARD CHARLES ERBE, of Sykesville; beloved husband of Mildred B. Erbe; devoted father of Roger Erbe and his wife Mary Beth and Lucinda Moen and her husband Claude, dear stepfather of William J. Murphy Jr., and his wife Verna and Sue Bailey and her companion Al De Santis, dear brother of Bruce Erbe, Catherine Schmidt, Margaret Mitchell, Patricia Gotschall, the late George Erbe and the late Carolyn Cline; also survived by 11 grandchildren and...

Every time the Orioles think they have a handle on how good Brandon Erbe can become, the 18-year-old Pikesville native pitches just a little better. First, he was a great value pick in the 2005 draft. Next, he was a strikeout machine in Rookie-level ball. Then, he jumped to a good start this season at Single-A Delmarva. And lately? If Erbe continues to dominate as he has, he may finish the season as one of baseball's best teenage pitching prospects. "He started the season well, but now he's even better," said Orioles minor league director David Stockstill.

While September call-ups to the Orioles are on tap for later this week, four prospects at the Rookie-level team in Bluefield have been promoted to the Single-A level. The Orioles No. 1 and No. 3 round draft picks in June, catcher Brandon Snyder and right-handed pitcher Brandon Erbe from McDonogh, are among the four who arrived in Aberdeen yesterday. Ryan Stadanlick, a 10th-round pick as a right-handed pitcher, and pitcher Kyle Schmidt joined Snyder and Erbe on the IronBirds. Snyder, who is 6 feet 2 and 205 pounds, was batting .271 with eight homers and 35 RBIs and eight doubles at Bluefield when the club made the move Saturday.

On July 22, 2005, JOHN M. QUINN, beloved husband of the late Marguerite E. Quinn (nee Erbe), dear brother of the late Murray Quinn; loving brother-in-law of Audrey Quinn, Marilyn Quenzer and Jay Erbe, special "Pop Pop" to 9 nieces and nephews, 20 great-nieces and nephews, and 12 great-great nieces and nephews. Friends may call at the family owned David J. Weber Funeral Homes P.A., 5311 Edmondson Ave, on Tuesday 3 to 5 and 7 to 9 P.M. MAss of Christian Burial in the Church of the Resurrection, Ellicott City, on Wednesday at 10 A.M. Interment New Cathedral Cemetery.

St. Paul's Steve Johnson won his highly anticipated pitchers duel with McDonogh's Brandon Erbe yesterday, tying a state record with 20 strikeouts and allowing just one hit in the No. 7 Crusaders' 5-2 victory over the No. 5 Eagles. Johnson, the first player to be named All-Metro by The Sun in each of his first three years of high school, lost a bid for his first high school no-hitter with two outs in the bottom of the seventh. "Steve was absolutely dominating today," said coach Paul Bernstorf, whose Crusaders improved to 2-4. About 55 pro scouts armed with radar guns and representing all 30 major league baseball teams were in attendance to see the two senior right-handers, who are the area's top two pitchers and pro prospects.

On May 5, 2003, GILBERT E.; beloved husband of Edna M. Erbe (nee Klingelhofer); devoted father of Noah Erbe; loving grandfather of Ryan and Patrick Erbe and great-grandfather of Nautia Erbe; dearest brother of Edward W. Erbe, Jr., Ronald K. Erbe and Linda D. Alba. The family will receive friends at the family owned and operated MCCULLY-POLYNIAK FUNERAL HOME, P.A., 130 East Fort Ave, (S. Baltimore) on Thursday from 4 to 9 P.M. where services will be held on Friday at 11 A.M. Interment Glen Haven Memorial Park.