document_title: US Open (tennis)

question_text: when did us open switch to hard court

question_tokens: when did us open switch to hard court

text: US Open (tennis)

text: History[edit]

text: 1881–1914: Newport Casino[edit]

text: The tournament was first held in August 1881 on the grass courts at the Newport Casino, Newport, Rhode Island and in that first year only clubs that were members of the United States National Lawn Tennis Association (USNLTA) were permitted to enter.[2] The first edition was won by Richard Sears, who went on to win seven consecutive singles titles.[3] From 1884 through 1911, the tournament used a challenge system whereby the defending champion automatically qualified for the next year's final in which he would play the winner of the all-comers tournament. In 1915 the national championship was relocated from Newport, Rhode Island to the West Side Tennis Club at Forest Hills, New York; as early as 1911 an effort was made by a group of tennis players, headed by New Yorker Karl Behr, to relocate the tournament to New York City.[4]

text: In the first years of the U.S. National Championship only men competed and the tournament was known as the US National Singles Championships for Men. Six years after the men's nationals were first held, the first U.S. Women's National Singles Championship was held at the Philadelphia Cricket Club in 1887, won by 17-year-old Philadelphian Ellen Hansell. This was followed by the introduction of the U.S. Women's National Doubles Championship in 1899 and the U.S. Mixed Doubles Championship in 1892. The women's tournament used a challenge system from 1888 through 1918, except in 1917. Between 1890 and 1906 sectional tournaments were held in the east and the west of the country to determine the best two doubles teams, which competed in a play-off for the right to compete against the defending champions in the challenge round.[5]

text: 1915–1977: West Side Tennis Club[edit]

text: In early 1915 the issue resurfaced when a group of about 100 tennis players signed a petition in favor of the move, arguing that most tennis clubs, players and fans were located in the New York City area and that it would therefore be beneficial for the development of the sport to host the national championship there.[6] This view was opposed by another group of players which included eight former national singles champions.[7][8] The contentious issue was brought to a vote at the annual USNLTA meeting on February 5, 1915 and with 128 votes in favor and 119 against it was decided to relocate.[9][10][11]

text: From 1921 through 1923, the tournament was played at the Germantown Cricket Club in Philadelphia.[12] It returned to Forest Hills in 1924 following the completion of the newly constructed 14,000 seat concrete Forest Hills Stadium.[5] Though regarded unofficially by many as a major championship beforehand, the tournament was officially designated as one of the major tournaments by the ILTF commencing in 1924.

text: At the 1922 U.S. National Championships the draw for the first time included seeded players in order to avoid leading players drawing against each other in the early rounds.[13][14][15]

text: Open era[edit]

text: The open era began in 1968 when all five events were merged into the US Open, held at the West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills. The 1968 combined tournament was open to professionals for the first time. That year, 96 men and 63 women entered the event, and prize money totaled $100,000. In 1970, the US Open became the first Grand Slam tournament to use a tiebreak to decide a set that reached a 6–6 score in games and is the only major to use a tiebreak in the deciding set; the other three grand slams play out the deciding set until a two-game margin is achieved. From 1970 to 1974 the US Open used a best-of-nine point, sudden death tiebreaker before moving to the ITF best-of-twelve point system.[3] In 1973 the US Open became the first Grand Slam tournament to award equal prize money to men and women with that year's singles champions John Newcombe and Margaret Court both receiving $25,000.[3] Another US Open innovation came in 1975 when floodlights enabled night play for the first time.

text: Since 1978: USTA National Tennis Center[edit]

text: In 1978 the tournament moved from the West Side Tennis Club, Forest Hills, Queens to the larger USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, Queens, three miles to the north. In the process, the tournament switched the court surface from clay, used in the last three years at Forest Hills, to hard courts. Jimmy Connors is the only individual to have won US Open singles titles on all three surfaces (grass, clay, hardcourt), while Chris Evert is the only woman to win on two surfaces (clay, hardcourt).[3] The US Open is the only Grand Slam tournament that has been played every year since its inception.[16] During the 2006 US Open, the complex was renamed the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in honor of four-time tournament champion and women's tennis pioneer Billie Jean King.[17]

text: From 1984 through 2015, the U.S. Open deviated from traditional scheduling practices for tennis tournaments with a concept that came to be known as "Super Saturday": the men's and women's finals were played on the final Saturday and Sunday of the tournament respectively, and their respective semi-finals were held one day prior. The Women's final was originally held in between the two men's semi-final matches; in 2001, the Women's final was moved to the evening so it could be played on primetime television, citing a major growth in popularity for women's tennis among viewers.[18] This scheduling pattern helped to encourage television viewership, but proved divisive among players because it only gave them less than a day's rest between their semi-finals and championship match.[19][20]

text: For five consecutive tournaments between 2007 through 2012, the Men's final was postponed to Monday due to weather. In 2013 and 2014, the USTA intentionally scheduled the Men's final on a Monday—a move praised for allowing the Men's players an extra day's rest following the semis, but drew the ire of the ATP for further deviating from the structure of the other Grand Slams.[21][19] In 2015, the Super Saturday concept was dropped, and the US Open returned to a format similar to the other majors, with Men's and Women's finals on Saturday and Sunday. However, weather delays forced both sets of semifinals to be held on Friday that year.[22][20]

text: Grounds[edit]

text: The grounds of the US Open hold a total of 22 courts consisting of four "show courts" (Arthur Ashe, Louis Armstrong, Grandstand and Court 17), 13 field courts and five practice courts.

text: The main court is the 22,547-seat Arthur Ashe Stadium which opened in 1997. It is named after Arthur Ashe, the African-American tennis player who won the men's final of the inaugural US Open in 1968. The next largest court is the Louis Armstrong Stadium, opened in 1978, extensively renovated from the Singer Bowl, which was built for the 1964 New York World's Fair. It was the main stadium from 1978 to 1996. Its peak capacity neared 18,000 seats, but was reduced to 10,200 by the removal of the upper tiers of seating after the opening of Arthur Ashe Stadium.[23] The third largest court is the 6,000-seat Grandstand, created when the rectangular Singer Bowl was transformed into the square Armstrong Stadium, leaving about a third of the Bowl available to become another venue.

text: In 2011, Court 17 was opened as a fourth show court, with large television screens and electronic line calling which allows player challenges. Sunken into the ground, it has been nicknamed "The Pit". It holds 3,000 fans since its full completion in 2012. It is located in the southeast corner of the grounds.[24] Sidecourts 4, 7, and 11 each have a seating capacity of over 1,000.

text: All the courts used by the US Open are illuminated, allowing television coverage of the tournament to extend into primetime. In 2001, the Women's final was moved to primetime; CBS Sports president Sean McManus cited significant interest credited to star players Serena Williams and Venus Williams, and the ratings performance of the 1999 Women's final, which was pushed into primetime due to a rain delay.[18]

text: Surface[edit]

text: Since 1978 the US Open has been played on a hard court surface called Pro DecoTurf. It is a multi-layer cushioned surface and classified by the ITF as medium-fast (category 4), having slightly less friction and producing a lower bounce compared to other hard courts.[25][26] Each year, before the start of the tournament, the courts are resurfaced.[27]

text: In 2005, all US Open and US Open Series tennis courts were given blue courts inside the lines to make it easier to see the ball on television (as well as for fans in the stands).[28] The outer portion remains green.[29]

text: Player line call challenges[edit]

text: In 2006, the US Open introduced instant replay reviews of calls, using the Hawk-Eye computer system, the first grand-slam event to use the system. According to many experts, the system was implemented due to a controversial quarterfinal match at the 2004 US Open between Serena Williams and Jennifer Capriati, where important line calls went against Williams.[30] Instant replay was initially available only on the stadium courts (Ashe and Armstrong), until 2009 when it became available on the Grandstand as well. In 2007, JP Morgan Chase renewed its sponsorship of the US Open and as part of the arrangement, the replay system was renamed to "Chase Review" on in-stadium video and television.[31]

text: Recent attendance[edit]

text:
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005

691,280
713,642
713,026
710,803
658,664
712,976
721,059
720,227
715,587
640,000
659,538

text: Sources: US Open,[32] City University of New York (CUNY)[33]

text: Prize money[edit]

text: The total prize money for the 2017 US Open championships is US$50,400,000, divided as follows:[34][35][36]

text:
Event
W
F
SF
QF
4R
3R
2R
1R
Q3
Q2
Q1

Singles
$3,700,000
$1,825,000
$920,000
$470,000
$253,625
$144,000
$86,000
$50,000
$16,350
$10,900
$5,606

Doubles*
$675,000
$340,000
$160,000
$82,000
N/A
$44,000
$26,500
$16,500
N/A
N/A
N/A

Mixed Doubles*
$150,000
$70,000
$30,000
$15,000
N/A
N/A
$10,000
$5,000
N/A
N/A
N/A

text: * per team

text: In addition $600,000 will contribute Champions Invitational events prize money, while $1,478,000 is estimated as players' per diem. A total of men's and women's singles prize money ($36,324,000) will account for more than 78% of total player compensation, while doubles ($5,463,000) and mixed doubles ($500,000) – for 12% and 1%, respectively.[35]

text: The US Open has made a five-year agreement to increase the total prize money to $50,400,000 by 2017. As a result, the total base prize money for the 2013 tournament was increased to $33.6 million, a record $8.1 million increase from 2012. The champions of the 2013 US Open Series will also have the opportunity to add $2.6 million in bonus prize money, potentially bringing the total 2013 US Open purse to more than $36 million.[37] In 2014 the total base prize money was $38.3 million.[38] In 2015 the prize money was raised to $42.3 million.[39]

text: The growth in prize money awarded to the participants has far outpaced inflation over the past forty years. For example, the singles champions in 1973 earned $25,000, which, in 2015 dollars, would equal approximately $133,000. However, in 2015, the singles champions each earned $3.3 million. In other words, in real dollars, today's champions are paid approximately twenty-five times more than champions were in 1973.

text: Ranking points[edit]

text: Ranking points for the men (ATP) and women (WTA) have varied at the US Open through the years but presently singles players receive the following points:

text:
Event
W
F
SF
QF
4R
3R
2R
1R

Singles
Men
2000
1200
720
360
180
90
45
10

Women[40]
2000
1300
780
430
240
130
70
10

Doubles
Men
2000
1200
720
360
180
90
0
–

Women
2000
1300
780
430
240
130
10
–

text: Champions[edit]

text: Past champions[edit]

text:
Men's Singles[b]
Women's Singles[c]
Men's Doubles
Women's Doubles
Mixed Doubles

text: Current champions[edit]

text:
Rafael Nadal was the winner of the Men's Singles in 2017. It was his sixteenth Major Singles title and his third title at the US Open.

Sloane Stephens was the winner of the Women's Singles in 2017. It was her first Major title.

Jean-Julien Rojer was part of the winning Men's Doubles team in 2017. It was his second Major Men's Doubles title and his first title at the US Open.

Horia Tecău was part of the winning Men's Doubles team in 2017. It was his second Major Men's Doubles title and his first title at the US Open.

Chan Yung-jan was part of the winning Women's Doubles team in 2017. It was her first Major title having previously reached the final in 2007 with Chuang Chia-jung.

Martina Hingis was part of the winning Women's Doubles team and Mixed Doubles team in 2017. It was her fifth and sixth titles at the US Open, earned a total of twenty-five overall Slam titles.

Jamie Murray was part of the winning Mixed Doubles team in 2017. It was his third Major Mixed Doubles title and his second title at the US Open.

text:
Event
Champion
Runner-up
Score

Men's Singles final
 Rafael Nadal
 Kevin Anderson
6–3, 6–3, 6–4

Women's Singles final
 Sloane Stephens
 Madison Keys
6–3, 6–0

Men's Doubles final
 Jean-Julien Rojer
 Horia Tecău
 Feliciano López
 Marc López
6–4, 6–3

Women's Doubles final
 Chan Yung-jan
 Martina Hingis
 Lucie Hradecká
 Kateřina Siniaková
6–3, 6–2

Mixed Doubles final
 Martina Hingis
 Jamie Murray
 Chan Hao-ching
 Michael Venus
6–1, 4–6, [10–8]

text: Records[edit]

text:
Record
Era
Player(s)
Count
Years

Men since 1881

Winner of most
Men's Singles titles
Before 1968:
 Richard Sears
 Bill Larned
 Bill Tilden
7
1881, 1882, 1883, 1884, 1885, 1886, 1887
1901, 1902, 1907, 1908, 1909, 1910, 1911
1920, 1921, 1922, 1923, 1924, 1925, 1929

Open Era:
 Jimmy Connors
 Pete Sampras
 Roger Federer
5
1974, 1976, 1978, 1982, 1983
1990, 1993, 1995, 1996, 2002
2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008

Winner of most consecutive
Men's Singles titles
Before 1968:
 Richard Sears
7
1881, 1882, 1883, 1884, 1885, 1886, 1887

Open Era:
 Roger Federer
5
2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008

Winner of most
Men's Doubles titles
Before 1968:
 Richard Sears
 Holcombe Ward
6
1882, 1883, 1884 with James Dwight, 1885 with Joseph Clark, 1886, 1887 with James Dwight
1899, 1900, 1901 with Dwight F. Davis, 1904, 1905, 1906 with Beals Wright

Open Era:
 Bob Bryan
 Mike Bryan
5
2005, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014
2005, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014

Winner of most consecutive
Men's Doubles titles
Before 1968:
 Richard Sears
6
1882, 1883, 1884, 1885, 1886, 1887

Open Era:
 Todd Woodbridge
 Mark Woodforde
2
1995, 1996
1995, 1996

Winner of most
Mixed Doubles titles - Men
Before 1968:
 Bill Tilden
 Bill Talbert
4
1913, 1914, 1922, 1923
1943, 1944, 1945, 1946

Open Era:
 Bob Bryan
4
2003, 2004, 2006, 2010

Winner of most Championships
(total: singles, men's doubles,
mixed doubles) - Men
Before 1968:
 Bill Tilden
16
1913–1929 (7 singles, 5 men's doubles, 4 mixed doubles)

Open Era:
 Bob Bryan
9
2003–2014 (5 men's doubles, 4 mixed doubles)

Women since 1887

Winner of most
Women's Singles titles
Before 1968:
/ Molla Bjurstedt Mallory
8
1915, 1916, 1917, 1918, 1920, 1921, 1922, 1926

Open Era:
 Chris Evert
 Serena Williams
6
1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1982
1999, 2002, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2014

Winner of most consecutive
Women's Singles titles
Before 1968:
/ Molla Bjurstedt Mallory
 Helen Jacobs
4
1915, 1916, 1917, 1918
1932, 1933, 1934, 1935

Open Era:
 Chris Evert
4
1975, 1976, 1977, 1978

Winner of most
Women's Doubles titles
Before 1968:
 Margaret Osborne duPont
13
1941 with Sarah Palfrey, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1955, 1956, 1957 with Louise Brough

Open Era:
 Martina Navratilova
9
1977 with Betty Stöve, 1978, 1980 with Billie Jean King, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1987 with Pam Shriver, 1989 with Hana Mandlíková, 1990 with Gigi Fernández

Winner of most consecutive
Women's Doubles titles
Before 1968:
 Margaret Osborne duPont
10
1941, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950

Open Era:
 Virginia Ruano Pascual
 Paola Suárez
3
2002, 2003, 2004
2002, 2003, 2004

Winner of most
Mixed Doubles titles - Women
All-time:
 Margaret Osborne duPont
 Margaret Court
8
1943, 1944, 1945, 1946, 1950, 1958, 1959, 1960
1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1969, 1970, 1972

Before 1968:
 Margaret Osborne duPont
8
1943, 1944, 1945, 1946, 1950, 1958, 1959, 1960

Open Era:
 Margaret Court
 Billie Jean King
 Martina Navratilova
3
1969, 1970, 1972
1971, 1973, 1976
1985, 1987, 2006

Winner of most Championships
(total: singles, women's doubles,
mixed doubles) - women
All-time:
 Margaret Osborne duPont
25
1941–1960 (3 singles, 13 women's doubles, 9 mixed doubles)

Before 1968:
 Margaret Osborne duPont
25
1941–1960 (3 singles, 13 women's doubles, 9 mixed doubles)

Open Era:
 Martina Navratilova
16
1977–2006 (4 singles, 9 women's doubles, 3 mixed doubles)

Miscellaneous

Youngest winner (single)
Men:
 Pete Sampras
19 years and 1 month[41]

Women:
 Tracy Austin
16 years and 8 months[41]

Oldest winner (single)
Men:
 William Larned
38 years and 8 months[41]

Women:
 Molla Bjurstedt Mallory
42 years and 5 months[41]

text: Media coverage[edit]

text:
The US Open's website allows viewing of live streaming video, but unlike other major tournaments does not allow watching video on demand. The site also offers live radio coverage.
United States: ESPN, and the Tennis Channel. ESPN took full control of televising the event since 2015, ending CBS's 47-year span of coverage.[42] Allowing SEC on CBS to start on Labor Day Weekend and NFL on CBS to have a Doubleheader in Week 1 of NFL Regular Season
Pan-Asian region: Fox Sports broadcast the event since 2017 with a 5-year contract.[43]
Belgium: public broadcasters Eén, Canvas and commercial channel Eurosport
Brazil: SporTV and ESPN
Canada: TSN, RDS
China: CCTV and iQiyi
Czech Republic: O2 and Eurosport
Germany: Eurosport covers up to five multichannel feeds only available on Sky Germany (Eurosport 360 HD) and Eurosport Player
Middle East and North Africa: beIN Sports
India and Pakistan: Star Sports SELECT
Japan: WOWOW since 1992
South Korea: XTM since 2012
Mexico: Televisa Deportes cable network
The Netherlands and Germany: Eurosport and Eurosport 2
Philippines: ABS-CBN Sports+Action
Poland: Eurosport and Eurosport 2
Portugal and Spain : Eurosport
Russia: NTV Plus and Eurosport
Serbia: RTS
Singapore: StarHub TV Sports Channel
South Africa: SuperSport
Switzerland: Swiss Broadcasting Corporation and Eurosport
Thailand: TrueVisions True Tennis Channel
United Kingdom: Eurosport, which took over full TV rights from Sky Sports in 2016.
Vietnam: SCTV and VTV


document_title: List of Texas hurricanes (1980–present)

question_text: when is the last time a category 4 hurricane hit texas

root

text: List of Texas hurricanes (1980–present)

text:
August 10, 1980 – Hurricane Allen makes landfall near Brownsville as a Category 3 hurricane. A wind gust of 140 mph (230 km/h) is reported in Port Mansfield. Heavy rainfall is reported across South Texas, with a peak of 20.2 in (510 mm) in Kingsville. Nearly all structures on South Padre Island are destroyed.[5] At least 12 tornadoes are also reported as a result of Allen. One damages hangars and aircraft at Robert Mueller Municipal Airport, causing $250 million in damages.[5][6] Two deaths are directly attributed to Allen, both of which are drownings in the Corpus Christi area, with five others indirectly killed.[1] An estimated $600 million in damages are attributed to Allen.[5]
September 5, 1980 – Tropical Storm Danielle makes landfall near Galveston Bay as a weak tropical storm. As it moves inland, it causes severe and widespread flooding across Texas. Areas are inundated by the rain, peaking at 18.29 in (465 mm) in Nederland.[7] One person is killed due to rains associated with Danielle.[8][9]
Mid-November, 1980 – Hurricane Jeanne over the Western Gulf of Mexico causes tides to rise up to 4 ft (1.2 m) above average along the Texas coast. Coastal flooding also occurs, with the worst being near Galveston. Minimal damage is reported.[10][11]
Late-August, 1981 – Tropical Depression Eight moves ashore northeast Mexico on August 29 and into the United States on August 30. As an ill-defined surface low, a large thunderstorm complex forms near its center that day, which unleashes very heavy rainfall in a 50 mi (80 km) wide band covering a 200 mi (320 km) path from Seguin to north of Houston. The highest rainfall amount reported is from Cheapside, where 18 in (460 mm) falls in a 24‑hour period ending on the morning of August 31. Five die in the town of Shiner due to the heavy rains.[12] Heavy rain in downtown Hallettsville causes floods and torrential rain, reaching a peak of 5 ft (1.5 m). Significant flooding also occurs along the Lavaca, Guadalupe, and Colorado rivers in Texas. Damages from the floods amount to nearly $21 million.[13]
October 13, 1981 – Hurricane Norma makes landfall on the Pacific coast of Mexico, but its remnants produce 21 in (530 mm) of rain near Dallas-Fort Worth, killing five.[14] Multiple tornadoes touch down in six counties in the region, injuring three.[15] Hurricane Norma causes $50 million in damages and kills three people in Texas.[16]
September 11, 1982 – Tropical Storm Chris makes landfall near Sabine Pass.[17] Before landfall the storm causes tides of 5 to 6 ft (1.5–1.8 m) in height.[17] Rainfall from Chris peaks at 0.96 in (24 mm) in Evadale.[18]

tag: ul

text:
August 18, 1983 – Hurricane Alicia makes landfall near Galveston as a Category 3 hurricane. Alicia causes $2.6 billion in damage and 13 fatalities, along with an estimated 5,805 residential structures either heavily damaged or destroyed.[1][19] In advance of Alicia, offshore drilling platforms are evacuated.[20] At one point during the storm, the entire city of Galveston loses power, with 250,000 electricity customers in Houston losing power as well.[21] At the time, Hurricane Alicia is the costliest hurricane to impact Texas, not adjusting for inflation.[1] High rainfall totals are reported across Southeast Texas, with a peak of 9.5 in (240 mm) of rain in Liberty. The peak wind gust in Galveston is 102 mph (164 km/h).[19] An estimated storm surge of up to 12 ft (3.7 m) is estimated in Galveston Bay. Alicia also causes 23 tornadoes, concentrated around the Galveston and Tyler areas.[19][22]
August 28, 1983 – Hurricane Barry, a Category 1, makes landfall just south of Brownsville and forces the evacuation of 4,000 people, but causes minor damage.[23]
Mid-October, 1983 – The remnants of Hurricane Tico from the Eastern Pacific cause rainfall over much of Texas, most of which is in northern Texas, where rainfall peaks at 9.59 in (0.244 m) in Quanah.[18][24] Numerous road closures take place due to the floods caused by the remnants of Tico.[25] In Val Verde County, 100 people are evacuated due to the heavy rain. Tico's remnants kill one person and cause $93 million in damages.[1]
Mid-September, 1984 – The remnants of Tropical Storm Edouard cause severe flooding in South Texas, where some isolated locations receive totals in excess of 20 in (510 mm).[26]

text:
October 11, 1985 – The remnants of Hurricane Waldo produce rainfall over most of West Texas, with multiple rain totals of at least 5 in (130 mm).[27]
Late-October 1985 – Hurricane Juan dumps up to 10 in (250 mm) of rain in extreme southeastern Texas, peaking at 12.84 in (326 mm) in Alto, killing one coastal resident.[28][29] The rains cause widespread floods that lead to road closures, and gusty winds cause some power outages.[30] Coastal flooding is also reported as a result of high tides caused by Juan.[30]
June 26, 1986 – Hurricane Bonnie makes landfall near High Island in Southeast Texas as a Category 1 hurricane, killing four people in Texas[1] and producing heavy rainfall that causes street flooding. Rainfall peaks at 13 in (330 mm), with many areas picking up at least 10 in (250 mm).[31] Bonnie also spawns four tornadoes in Texas.[32]
August 6, 1986 – A tropical depression produces rain over South Texas with a maximum total of 4.5 in (110 mm) near Refugio.[33]
September 23, 1986 – The remnants of Hurricane Newton produce 1 in (25 mm) rainfall totals over the Texas Panhandle with an area of 3 in (76 mm) near the border between New Mexico and Texas, peaking at 3.97 in (101 mm) in Wharton.[34][35]
Early-October, 1986 – The remnants of Hurricane Paine produce widespread rainfall over western and northern Texas, most of which receives at least an inch of rain, with 10.39 in (264 mm) in Wellington.[18][36]
October 22, 1986 – The remnants of Hurricane Roslyn produce rainfall over much of southern and eastern Texas, with the heaviest totals along the middle Texas coast, where rainfall totals exceeds 10 in (250 mm).[37] Roslyn causes low-water crossings and streams to flood.[38]

text:
August 10, 1987 – An unnamed storm makes landfall near High Island, Texas, producing over 1 in (25 mm) of rain to eastern portions of the state, peaking at 4.25 in (108 mm) in Umbarger.[18][39][40]
August 12, 1988 – Tropical Storm Beryl produces heavy rainfall over East Texas. Some areas receive 11.8 in (300 mm) of rain, causing localized flash flooding.[41][42][43]
September 2, 1988 – Tropical Depression Ten produces heavy rain over Southeast Texas, peaking at 8.16 in (207 mm) in Galveston.[18][44][45]
September 17, 1988 – Hurricane Gilbert makes landfall in northern Mexico with winds of 135 mph (217 km/h) and causes tides to rise up to 5 ft (1.5 m) above normal.[1][46] As a result, beach erosion is reported on Padre Island.[46] Rainfall peaks at 7.45 in (189 mm) in Anson.[18] Minor wind damage is reported from Gilbert. Twenty-nine tornadoes are recorded across Texas, with the worst damage in San Antonio. Gilbert causes three deaths in Texas, all resulting from tornadoes in San Antonio.[47][48] Damages from Gilbert total to $50 million.[1]
Late-June 1989 – Tropical Storm Allison makes landfall near Freeport, causing three deaths in the state.[49][50] Tropical Storm Allison produces torrential rainfall across the state, with amounts of more than 10 in (250 mm) over much of the upper Texas coast, peaking at 20.28 in (515 mm) in Orange.[18][51] Storm surge from the storm measures 7 ft (2.1 m) in Trinity Bay.[46] As a result, beach erosion is reported on Padre Island.[52] Allison causes an estimated $400 million in Texas alone.[51]
August 1, 1989 – Hurricane Chantal makes landfall as a minimal hurricane at High Island, Texas, causing two deaths from flash flooding.[1][53]
Early-October 1989 – Hurricane Raymond from the East Pacific causes rainfall in northern Texas, peaking at 2.80 in (71 mm) in Yorktown.[18][54]
October 16, 1989 – Hurricane Jerry affects the Galveston area as a minimal hurricane. The storm kills three people when a car is blown off Texas Route 87 near Sea Rim State Park. Jerry causes $70 million in damage and kills three.[1][55]

text:
October 3, 1990 – Tropical Storm Rachel's remnants affect portions of West Texas.[56] Roads in Big Bend National Park are closed due to high water levels. Rainfall peaks at 1.5 in (38 mm) in Lubbock, causing minor street flooding, which leads to several car accidents.[56]
July 6, 1991 – Tropical Depression Two causes isolated rainfall over Texas, with a maximum total of 3 in (76 mm) reported within the vicinity of Anahuac.[57]
August 24, 1992 – The remnants of Hurricane Lester, which originated from the East Pacific, cause rainfall in North Texas, amounting up to 3 in (76 mm) in locations and peaking at 3.54 in (90 mm) in Chisos Basin.[18][58]
June 20, 1993 – Tropical Storm Arlene makes landfall near Padre Island. Heavy beach erosion occurs as a result of the storm. Arlene causes $55 million in damage and its flooding rains kill one person.[59][60]
September 14, 1993 – Hurricane Lidia moves into Texas before being absorbed by a cold front near Austin.[61] Lida's remnants cause moderate rainfall across the state, peaking at 7.3 in (190 mm) in Denton.[18] The combination of the front and the hurricane's remnants trigger tornadoes, and one causes more than $8 million in damages. Five people are injured in Arlington after a roof is torn off their hotel.[62]
Mid-October 1994 – The remnants of Hurricane Rosa cause severe flooding in Texas.[63] In some locations the flood is considered a 100-year event, peaking at 29.40 in (747 mm) in Cypress.[63] The floods kill 22 people and cause $700 million in damages.[63]

text:
July 31, 1995 – Tropical Storm Dean makes landfall near Freeport. Dean drops nearly 17 in (430 mm) of rain in Monroe City.[64] The rainfall results in moderate localized damage.[65]
August 12, 1995 – Tropical Storm Gabrielle makes landfall just south of the Texas–Mexico border as a strong tropical storm, producing rainfall in southern Texas, peaking at 6.26 in (159 mm) in Weslaco.[66] Slight storm surge associated with Gabrielle floods beaches along the southern Texas coast.[18][67]
September 16, 1995 – Hurricane Ismael's remnants move across the Texas Panhandle. Rainfall peaks at 6.57 in (167 mm) in Ransom Canyon,[18] and flash flooding results in the area.[68][69]
August 23, 1996 – Hurricane Dolly makes landfall near Tampico, Mexico.[70] The storm causes beneficial rainfall in southern Texas, peaking at 5.53 in (140 mm) in Corpus Christi, providing drought relief to the area.[70]
October 4, 1996 – Tropical Storm Josephine forms just offshore of the Texas coast, bringing heavy rain to the state. Rainfall peaks at 10.81 in (275 mm) in Brownsville.[18] The storm, although remaining offshore, causes severe beach erosion across much of the coast.[71] Several houses are lost and up to 65 ft (20 m) of shore-front property on Galveston Island is eroded.[71]
August 23, 1998 – Tropical Storm Charley makes landfall near Port Aransas. Severe inland flooding occurs in Val Verde Country and 13 people are killed. Del Rio records 17 in (430 mm) of rain in 24 hours from the storm, a city record and the most rainfall from a tropical cyclone in Texas since Tropical Storm Claudette in 1979.[72]
September 11, 1998 – Tropical Storm Frances makes landfall north of Corpus Christi on September 11 as a moderately strong tropical storm. Rainfall causes large amounts of flooding in southeast Texas and southwest Louisiana, peaking at 21.76 in (553 mm) in Goose Creek.[18] As a result of the rains, many rivers and bayous overflow.[73] Due to the storm, tides are 5 ft (1.5 m) above average.[74] Frances causes an estimated total of $500 million in property damage.[75]
Mid-October 1998 – Moisture associated with the remnants of Hurricane Madeline results in flooding in Central Texas.[76] The event breaks numerous rain records in the region, including the wettest month for San Antonio since records began in 1885.[73] In addition, 15 rivers exceed the previously known peak flow.[73] The floods kill 31 people.[76] and cause $1.5 billion in damages.[77]
August 23, 1999 – Hurricane Bret makes landfall as a Category 3 hurricane on Padre Island, becoming the first major hurricane to hit Texas since Hurricane Alicia in 1983.[78] As it approaches landfall, large swells cause minor beach erosion along the coast. Along with rainfall from Bret, beaches in Matagorda County are closed due to the high water level.[79] Further inland, heavy rainfall occurs across South Texas, reaching 13.18 in (335 mm) in Sarita.[80] At the height of the storm, power outages cut electricity to an estimated 64,000 customers.[81] Due to the small size of Bret and its landfall in a relatively unpopulated region of the Texas coast, damages from Bret total just $15 million, but it causes four deaths, all of which are attributed to a semi-trailer truck jackknifing in Laredo.[82]
September 8, 1999 – Tropical Depression Seven's remnants produce light rainfall, peaking at 3.35 in (85 mm) in Harlingen.[83]

text:
September 9, 2000 – Tropical Depression Nine makes landfall near Sabine Pass, with maximum sustained winds of 30 mph (48 km/h). Minimal damage is reported.[84]
June 5, 2001 – Tropical Storm Allison makes landfall near Freeport. It stalls over eastern Texas for several days, dropping extreme amounts of rain which leads to catastrophic flooding.[85] Allison causes flash flooding in the area, producing widespread street flooding and filling nearby bayous to severe levels.[86] Rainfall peaks at 36.99 in (940 mm) at the Port of Houston.[87] The Texas Medical Center is severely damaged, with losses of up to $2 billion. Patient evacuations and medical services are disrupted due to power outages caused by the storm.[87] Allison causes an estimated $4.8 billion in damages, nearly all of it related to freshwater flooding in the Greater Houston region.[85] Tropical Storm Allison causes 23 deaths in the state,[88] and was the only non-hurricane strength storm to have its name retired until Tropical Storm Erika (did not affect the U.S.) in 2015.[89]
August 9, 2002 – Tropical Storm Bertha makes landfall as a tropical depression near Kingsville, causing isolated rainfall throughout the state.[90][91]
September 7, 2002 – Tropical Storm Fay makes landfall near Port O'Connor, where it causes heavy rainfall and $450,000 in damage.[92] Rainfall peaks at 18.49 in (470 mm) in Fowlerton.[18] Fay causes five tornadoes, one of which injures three people. Much of the impact takes place in Brazoria County, where over 2,300 homes are damaged.[93]
June 30, 2003 – Tropical Storm Bill causes minor beach erosion on the Bolivar Peninsula.[94]
July 15, 2003 – Hurricane Claudette makes landfall at Matagorda Island near Port O'Connor as a strong Category 1 storm, with maximum sustained winds of 90 mph (140 km/h). Claudette is responsible for one direct death. Inland towns in Texas sustain significant wind damage. Estimated damages total up to $181 million.[95]
August 16, 2003 – Hurricane Erika makes landfall in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas as a minor Category 1 hurricane, causing minor coastal damage and beach erosion in parts of southern Texas.[96]
August 31, 2003 – Tropical Storm Grace makes landfall near San Luis Pass with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph (64 km/h), causing heavy rainfall along the Texas coast and resulting in $113,000 in total damages.[97]
September 22, 2003 – Hurricane Marty from the East Pacific makes landfall in the Mexican state of Baja California Sur. Rainfall associated with the remnants of Marty affects western Texas.[98]
September 20, 2004 – As the remnants of Hurricane Javier move northeast through northwest Mexico, 1 in (25 mm) of rain is reported in western Texas.[99]
September 24, 2004 – Four days after Hurricane Javier affected the state, Hurricane Ivan, having regenerated into a tropical storm in the Gulf of Mexico, makes landfall near Cameron, Louisiana, as a tropical depression. Over 7 in (180 mm) of rain is dropped on eastern Texas.[100]
October 10, 2004 – Tropical Storm Matthew moves ashore in southern Louisiana, producing locally heavy rainfall in eastern Texas, peaking at 6.10 in (155 mm) in Matagorda, but little damage.[18][101]

text:
July 20, 2005 – Hurricane Emily makes landfall in Tamaulipas, Mexico, providing rainfall to drought-affected areas of southern Texas.[102] Rainfall peaks at 5.2 in (130 mm) in Mercedes, and is spread from about 1 to 3 in (25–76 mm) elsewhere.[103]
September 23, 2005 – Hurricane Rita makes landfall as a Category 3 hurricane on the border between Louisiana and Texas on September 23.[104] In preparation for its landfall, the largest evacuation in United States history takes place, with over 3 million people evacuating inland.[105] At one point during the storm, 1 million energy customers lose power due to outages.[106] Rita causes a peak of 10.48 in (266 mm) in Center.[18][107] Major flooding is reported in Port Arthur and Beaumont. Offshore oil platforms throughout Rita's path also suffer significant damage, though the refineries of Houston, originally thought to be at risk, escape the brunt of the storm. Many of the indirect deaths linked to Rita are caused by a single bus fire in mass evacuations out of Houston.[104] Rita causes 59 deaths in the state all told.[1]
September 2, 2006 – The remnants of Hurricane John, an East Pacific storm, cause moderate to heavy rainfall. In northern Texas, moisture from the storm combined with a cold front produces rainfall of over 4 in (100 mm), helping alleviate severe drought.[108][109]
September 16, 2006 – Hurricane Lane, another East Pacific storm, makes landfall in the Mexican state of Sinaloa. Lane's remnants combine with an upper level trough over southeast portions of the state, dropping over 5 in (130 mm) of rain in some locations.[110]
August 16, 2007 – Tropical Storm Erin makes landfall near Lamar as a minimal tropical storm. Rainfall peaks in Texas at 10.7 in (270 mm) in Sisterdale.[111] Erin causes nine deaths in the state and causes nearly $49 million in damages.[112][113]
September 13, 2007 – Hurricane Humberto rapidly intensifies before making landfall just west of the Louisiana–Texas border with winds of up to 90 mph, dropping up to 14.13 in (359 mm) of rain.[114] The storm kills one person and leaves $50 million in damage.[115]

text:
July 23, 2008 – Hurricane Dolly makes landfall at South Padre Island with winds near 100 mph. A storm surge of 4 ft (1.2 m) is observed across much of the coast of southern Texas.[116] Dolly's remnants cause coastal and inland flooding and over 12 in (300 mm) of rain in some locations, peaking at 15 in (380 mm) in Harlingen.[117] On South Padre Island, moderate structural damage, mostly to roofs, is reported. Tree and utility pole damage is widespread across Cameron County. Widespread power outages are reported across southern Texas as a result of Dolly.[116]
August 5, 2008 – Tropical Storm Edouard makes landfall near Port Arthur with winds near 65 mph. Edouard provides beneficial rain to a drought stricken central Texas.[118]
September 1, 2008 – Hurricane Gustav produces heavy rain to extreme East Texas as it makes landfall in Louisiana as a Category 2 hurricane.[119] The storm causes strong rip currents and minor overwash of the coast.[120]
September 13, 2008 – Hurricane Ike makes landfall at Galveston as a large Category 2 hurricane. Its large size contributes to a storm surge that is as high as 20 ft (6.1 m),[121] which inundates many of the barrier islands off the Texas coast. Many structures on the Bolivar Peninsula are destroyed.[122] Most notably, in Gilchrist all but one house is destroyed by the storm surge.[123] The storm also causes heavy rains where it makes landfall, peaking at 18.9 in (480 mm).[124] At one point, the storm knocks out power to as many as an estimated 2.6 million people.[1] Ike is one of the most destructive hurricanes ever to hit Texas and one of the deadliest, causing $19.3 billion in damages and killing 84 people.[1]
October 13, 2008 – Hurricane Norbert causes moderate rainfall over West Texas after moving inland from the eastern Pacific.[125]
November 10, 2009 – Hurricane Ida causes minimal effects on Texas, producing high tides that lead to road closures.[126]

text:
June 30, 2010 – Hurricane Alex made landfall at Soto la Marina, Tamaulipas in Mexico as a large Category 2 hurricane, bringing heavy rains, wind, and tornadoes to South Texas.[127] The hurricane's remnants also bring heavy rains to portions of the Rio Grande, causing it to exceed record levels.[128]
July 8, 2010 – Tropical Depression Two makes landfall on South Padre Island, dropping 1 to 3 in (25 to 76 mm) of rain in south Texas, peaking at 8.95 in (227 mm) in Chincorro.[129] However, there are no reports of damage.[130]
September 7, 2010 – Tropical Storm Hermine makes landfall in northeastern Mexico as a strong tropical storm with 65 mph (105 km/h) winds.[131] As the storm approaches the coast, a storm surge of 3.4 ft (1.0 m) is reported at Port Aransas. In the Rio Grande Valley, an estimated 35,000 homes lose power due to Hermine,[132] while in Bexar County, 100,000 energy customers lose power.[133] Farm crops in the Texas Coastal Bend are damaged by the strong winds and rain.[134] In addition, numerous roads are closed due to overwash. Hermine kills five and causes $240 million in damages in the state.[131]
June 30, 2011 – Tropical Storm Arlene makes landfall south of Texas near Cabo Rojo.[135] The outer bands of Arlene cause 1 to 4 in (25–102 mm) of rain in southern Texas.[136]
July 30, 2011 – Tropical Storm Don made landfall near Baffin Bay, Texas before quickly dissipating. The storm produces minimal rainfall in extreme southern Texas, peaking at 2.56 in (65 mm) in Bay City.[137] Cotton farms benefit from the minimal rainfall.[138]
Early-September 2011 – The outer bands of Tropical Storm Lee caused rain in eastern Texas, peaking at 3.97 in (101 mm) in Nederland.[18] Despite the rainfall, strong winds further inland caused by the storm helped ignite numerous wildfires in the state.[139] One of the fires, the Bastrop County Complex fire, destroys 1,700 homes and businesses, becoming the most destructive wildfire in Texas history, according to the Texas Forest Service.[140]
August 31, 2012 – Outer rainbands associated with Hurricane Isaac cause slight rainfalls in East Texas, peaking to at least 3 in (7.6 cm) near Galveston Bay.[141] Strong winds associated with Hurricane Isaac's thunderstorms knock down trees in Trinity County, where wind gusts peak at an estimated 65 mph (105 km/h).[142]
September 29, 2012 – Remnant moisture associated with Hurricane Miriam and Tropical Storm Norman brought rainfall over areas of Texas, slightly alleviating drought conditions. Rainfall in the state measures 1–4 in (25–102 mm). The strong rains cause flash floods. Combined with a surface trough, the moisture generates severe thunderstorms which later coalesce into a squall line, causing strong winds which cause numerous reports of window damage. A weather station near Paducah records a peak wind gust of 96 mph (154 km/h).[143]
Mid-September 2013 – As Hurricane Ingrid passes to the south, its outer rainbands drop isolated areas of heavy rainfall across South Texas. Rainfall totals from the bands are estimated to have peaked at approximately 3 in (76 mm) near the Texas border with Mexico.[144]
September 3, 2014 – Despite making landfall near Tampico, Mexico, the outer rainbands of Tropical Storm Dolly traverse South Texas, producing rainfall totals peaking at 2.91 in (74 mm) in Hidalgo County. After dissipating, moisture from the remnant system causes additional showers in the area. Urban flooding as a result of poor water drainage occurs in Brownsville, Edinburg, and McAllen. However, the heavy rainfall helps to alleviate some drought conditions in South Texas.[145]
September 20, 2014 – Flooding from the remnants of Hurricane Odile killed one sheriff's deputy in Austin.[146]
Mid-June 2015 – Tropical Storm Bill made landfall on June 16 on Matagorda Island with winds of 60 mph (95 km/h), causing gusts peaking at 53 mph (85 km/h) at Palacios and Port O'Connor in addition to producing a 3 ft (0.9 m) storm surge at Port Lavaca.[147] However, most of Bill's impacts in Texas were associated with heavy rainfall. Several isolated areas received in excess of 10 in (25 cm) of rainfall, including a large swath of Victoria County.[148] In Wharton, rainfall peaked at 13.05 in (331 mm).[149]
October 20–24, 2015 – Hurricane Patricia's remnants brought loads of rain to Texas. The maximum rainfall was 20.87 in (530 mm) in Corsicana.[150] This caused the flooding and closure of Interstate 45 in that area.[151]
September 8, 2016 – The remnants of Hurricane Newton brought heavy rains to parts of western Texas.
June 22, 2017 – Tropical Storm Cindy made landfall near Port Arthur with winds of 45 mph (75 km/h), a fatality took place in Bolivar Peninsula[152]
August 25–28, 2017 – Hurricane Harvey, the first Category 4 hurricane to make landfall in Texas since Hurricane Carla (1961), hit the coast near Rockport. To date, the full extent of the week-long impact is unknown.

text: Monthly statistics[edit]

text:
Number of recorded storms affecting Texas

Month
Number of storms

June

8

July

7

August

19

September

24

October

13

November

2

tag: table

text: Deadly storms[edit]

text: The following is a list of tropical storms with known deaths in the state.

tag: p

text:
Tropical Storms causing known deaths in Texas

Name
Year
Number of deaths
Notes

Ike
2008
84
[1]

Harvey
2017
83
[153]

Rita
2005
59
[1]

Allison
2001
23
[88]

Alicia
1983
13
[1]

Charley
1998
13
[72]

Erin
2007
9
[112]

Allen
1980
7
[1]

Eight
1981
5
[12]

Norma
1981
5
[14]

Hermine
2010
5
[131]

Bonnie
1986
4
[1]

Bret
1999
4
[82]

Allison
1989
3
[51]

Jerry
1989
3
[1]

Chantal
1989
2
[1]

Danielle
1980
1
[8]

Arlene
1993
1
[60]

Claudette
2003
1
[95]

Humberto
2007
1
[115]

Odile
2014
1
[citation needed]

Cindy
2017
1
[154]


document_title: The Fellowship of the Ring

question_text: who is part of the fellowship of the ring

text: The Fellowship of the Ring

text: Title and publication[edit]

text: Tolkien envisioned The Lord of the Rings as a single volume work divided into six sections he called "books" along with extensive appendices. The original publisher made the decision to split the work into three parts. It was also the publisher's decision to place the fifth and sixth books and the appendices into one volume under the title The Return of the King, in reference to Aragorn's assumption of the throne of Gondor. Tolkien indicated he would have preferred The War of the Ring as a title, as it gave away less of the story.[3]

text: Before the decision to publish The Lord of the Rings in three volumes was made, Tolkien had hoped to publish the novel in one volume, possibly also combined with The Silmarillion.[n 1] However, he had proposed titles for the individual six sections. Of the two books that comprise what became The Fellowship of the Ring the first was to be called The First Journey or The Ring Sets Out. The name of the second was The Journey of the Nine Companions or The Ring Goes South. The titles The Ring Sets Out and The Ring Goes South were used in the Millennium edition.

text: Plot summary[edit]

text: The Prologue is meant partly to help people who have not read The Hobbit to understand the events of that book. It also contains other background information to set the stage for the novel.

text: Book I: The Ring Sets Out[edit]

text: The first chapter in the book begins in a light vein, following the tone of The Hobbit. Bilbo Baggins celebrates his 111th (or eleventy-first, as it is called in Hobbiton) birthday on the same day, 22 September, that his younger cousin and adopted heir Frodo Baggins celebrates his coming of age at thirty-three. At the birthday party, Bilbo departs from the Shire, the land of the Hobbits, for what he calls a permanent holiday. Bilbo does so by using the magic ring (that he had found on his journey) to disappear and is aided by Gandalf the Wizard with a flash and puff of smoke, leading many in the Shire to believe he has gone mad. He leaves Frodo his remaining belongings, including his home, Bag End, and the Ring. It becomes apparent that Bilbo has been strained over the past several years, and he is at first unwilling to give up the Ring, which concerns Gandalf. Eventually, he gives up the Ring and appears to be relieved of a huge burden. Gandalf leaves on his own business, warning Frodo to keep the Ring secret.

text: Over the next seventeen years, Gandalf periodically pays short visits to Bag End. One spring night, he arrives to enlighten Frodo about Bilbo's ring; it is the One Ring of Sauron the Dark Lord. He proves this by flinging the Ring into the fireplace, the heat of which causes the Ring to display Elf-writing in the language of Mordor. Sauron had forged the Ring to subdue and rule Middle-earth, but in the War of the Last Alliance, he had been defeated by Gil-galad the Elven King and Elendil, High King of Arnor and Gondor, though they themselves perished in the deed. Isildur, Elendil's son, cut the Ring from Sauron's finger. Sauron was overthrown, but the Ring itself was not destroyed as it should have been, for Isildur kept it for himself. Isildur was slain soon afterwards in the Battle of the Gladden Fields, and the Ring was lost in Great River Anduin. Thousands of years later, it was found by the hobbit Déagol; but Déagol was thereupon murdered by his friend Sméagol, who wanted the Ring for himself. Sméagol took the Ring and kept it for hundreds of years, and under its influence he became a wretched creature named Gollum. The Ring was found by Bilbo Baggins, as told in The Hobbit, and Bilbo left it behind for Frodo. Frodo wonders why Bilbo did not kill the creature when he had the chance, but Gandalf reminds him that Bilbo's pity saved him in the end and did not make him like Gollum.

text: Gandalf tells how Sauron has risen again and has returned to his stronghold in Mordor and is bending all his power toward the hunting of the Ring. Gandalf speaks of the evil powers of the Ring and its ability to influence the bearer and those near him if it is worn for too long. Gandalf warns Frodo that the Ring is no longer safe in the Shire. He has learned through his investigations that Gollum had gone to Mordor, where he was captured and tortured until he revealed to Sauron that the Ring was in the keeping of a hobbit named Baggins from the Shire. Gandalf hopes Frodo can reach the elf-haven Rivendell, east of the Shire, where he believes Frodo and the Ring will be safe from Sauron, and where the Ring's fate can be decided. Samwise Gamgee, Frodo's gardener and friend, is discovered eavesdropping on the conversation. Out of loyalty to his master, Sam agrees to accompany Frodo on his journey.

text: Over the summer, Frodo makes plans to leave his home at Bag End, under the pretence that he is moving to the eastern end of the Shire (Buckland) to retire. Helping with the plans are Frodo's friends Sam, Peregrin Took (Pippin for short), Meriadoc Brandybuck (Merry), and Fredegar Bolger (Fatty), though Frodo does not tell them of the Ring or of his intention to leave the Shire. At midsummer, Gandalf leaves on pressing business, but promises to return before Frodo leaves.

text: Frodo's birthday and the date of his departure approach, but Gandalf does not appear, so Frodo decides to leave without him. Black Riders pursue Frodo's party. These turn out to be Nazgûl or Ringwraiths, "the most terrible servants of the Dark Lord" (men who have been corrupted by Sauron through the Nine Rings), who are searching for "Baggins" and the Ring. One of the Riders comes to the door of Sam's father, the Gaffer, the very evening before they depart. With the help of some elves led by Gildor and a hobbit named Farmer Maggot, the hobbits cross the Brandywine River and reach Crickhollow on the eastern border of the Shire. There Merry, Pippin, and Fatty reveal that they know of the Ring and of Frodo's plan to leave the Shire. Merry and Pippin decide to join Frodo and Sam, while Fatty stays behind as a decoy.

text: In hopes of eluding the Nazgûl, the hobbits travel through the Old Forest. There the group fall asleep by a willow-tree and wake up to realize that its roots are trying to strangle them, but luckily Tom Bombadil comes to their aid. They then go to the house of Bombadil and meet his wife Goldberry. There they discover that the Ring has no power over Bombadil—he does not disappear while wearing it and can see Frodo even after he has vanished from his friends' sight. In the evening, Frodo has a dream about Gandalf standing on the pinnacle of a tower and then a vision of a rain curtain in front of a ship on which he is sailing. They then leave Bombadil's only to be captured by a barrow wight in the Barrow-downs, but they again escape with help from Tom and finally reach the gate of the village of Bree.

text: In Bree, the hobbits go to The Prancing Pony Inn, where Barliman Butterbur is the owner. Frodo goes by the name of "Underhill" rather than Baggins. While visiting with other hobbits and men from Bree, Frodo makes eye contact with a mysterious-looking man in the corner. The man then warns Frodo that Pippin is close to revealing who the hobbits really are, so Frodo begins to recite a poem that earns the applause of everyone in the inn. When he recites it a second time, Frodo gets carried away and falls off the table and accidentally lets the Ring slip on his finger causing him to disappear. The incident causes a major commotion, and several rough-looking men leave the inn. Frodo reappears and said that he slipped away out of embarrassment, but few buy the explanation. The hobbits then retire from the common room only to find that they have been followed by the mysterious man, who goes by the name Strider, a Ranger. He claims to be a friend of Gandalf and warns that the Nazgûl are after them and only he can guide them to Rivendell. Frodo doubts Strider until Butterbur comes in with a note from Gandalf to Frodo left some time earlier. Gandalf says to trust Strider and ask him his real name. Without even being asked, Strider reveals his name as Aragorn son of Arathorn and is the heir of Isildur in the North. Merry then comes in a says he was waylaid by the Nazgûl. Strider has them spend the night in another room.

text: The Nazgûl then attack both the house at Crickhollow and the inn at Bree but do not find Frodo in either spot. The next morning, Frodo learns that their riding ponies have been driven off by the Nazgûl and their allies. They manage to secure one beast from one of the Nazgûl collaborators, Bill Ferny, one of the men of Bree. Curious because of all the events, the whole town turns out to see them off. The hobbits and Strider make their way cross-country, through the Midgewater Marshes, to the hill of Weathertop, where they spot five of the Nazgûl on the road below. They then see evidence of a major fire fight and a stone that might indicate Gandalf got there ahead of them.

text: That night, five of the Nazgûl attack the travellers. Frodo yields to the temptation and puts on the Ring, and see the Nazgûl in their full form. He attempts to attack them, but the chief of the Nazgûl stabs Frodo in the shoulder with a cursed knife before Aragorn drives them off with torches. A splinter of the blade remains within the wound, causing Frodo to fall very ill as they travel to Rivendell. Aragorn warns them that, unless treated soon, Frodo will become a wraith like the Nazgûl himself. As the travellers near their destination, they meet Glorfindel, an elf-lord from Rivendell, who helps them reach the River Bruinen near Rivendell. But the Nazgûl, all nine now gathered together, ambush the party at the Ford of Bruinen. Glorfindel's horse outruns the pursuers and carries Frodo across the Ford. As the Nazgûl attempt to follow, a giant wave commanded by Elrond, the lord of Rivendell, sweeps them away and Frodo collapses.

text: Book II: The Ring Goes South[edit]

text: Book II opens in Rivendell at the house of Elrond. Frodo is healed by Elrond and discovers that Bilbo has been residing there. Bilbo asks to see the Ring again, but Frodo resists because of the Ring's power, which leads Bilbo to understand at last. Frodo also meets many notable figures, including Glóin—one of the dwarves who accompanied Bilbo on his journey to the Lonely Mountain—and Legolas, Prince of the Silvan Elves of Mirkwood. Frodo learns about the remaining dwarves, including Balin, Ori, and Óin who had not been heard from in some time.

text: Elrond convenes a Council, attended by Gandalf, Bilbo, Frodo, Aragorn and many others, including Boromir, son of Denethor, the Steward of Gondor. Glóin explains that Balin had led an expedition to reclaim the old dwarf kingdom of Moria, but they had not heard from him in years. Furthermore, Glóin tells the group that the Nazgûl had come to Dale and the Lonely Mountain looking for Bilbo and the Ring. Legolas then tells the council that Gollum had escaped from his captivity with the Elves and was also abroad and hunting for the Ring. Boromir then stands and relates the details of a dream he and his brother Faramir both received, telling them to seek "the Sword That Was Broken" and "Isildur's Bane" in Rivendell. Elrond then has Frodo bring out the Ring, which is revealed as "Isildur's Bane".

text: Gandalf explains that he had gone to Isengard, where the wizard Saruman, the chief of all wizards in Middle-earth, dwells, to seek help and counsel. However, Saruman had turned against them, desiring the Ring for himself. Saruman imprisoned Gandalf in his tower, Orthanc, rightly suspecting that Gandalf knew where the Ring was. Gandalf, however, did not yield and managed to escape from Orthanc. He learns that Saruman is not yet in Sauron's service, and is mustering his own force of Orcs.

text: As the Council of Elrond concludes, a plan is hatched to cast the One Ring into the fires of Mount Doom in Mordor, which will destroy the Ring and end Sauron's power for good. Boromir objects and argues for using the Ring to overcome Sauron and relieve Gondor, but Elrond says that the Ring cannot be used for good because of its intrinsic evil and its corrupting power even on those with the best intentions. Frodo offers to undertake this dangerous quest, and is thus chosen to be the Ring-bearer.

text: Frodo sets forth from Rivendell with eight companions: two Men, Aragorn and Boromir; Legolas; Gandalf; Gimli the Dwarf, the son of Glóin; and Frodo's three Hobbit companions. These Nine Walkers (called the Fellowship of the Ring) are chosen to represent all the free races of Middle-earth and as a balance to the Nazgûl. They are also accompanied by Bill the Pony, whom Aragorn and the Hobbits acquired in Bree as a pack horse.

text: The Fellowship attempt to cross the Misty Mountains is foiled by heavy snow, and then they are attacked by a host of Wargs that have moved west of the Mountains to hunt for the Ring. Thus, they are forced to take a path under the mountains, through the mines of Moria, the ancient dwarf kingdom. There, they discover that Balin, Ori, and Óin were all killed by Orcs and other evil creatures that thwarted their attempt to retake Moria. Those same orcs then attack the travellers, and during the battle that ensues, Gandalf encounters a Balrog of Morgoth, an ancient demon of fire and shadow. Gandalf challenges the Balrog, but both fall into an abyss.

text: The remaining eight members of the Fellowship escape from Moria and head toward the elf-haven of Lothlórien, where they are given gifts from the rulers Celeborn and Galadriel that in many cases prove useful later during the Quest.

text: After leaving Lothlórien the Fellowship reach Amon Hen. There Frodo tries to decide the future course of the Fellowship. Boromir succumbs to the Ring's corruptive influence and tries to take it for himself, and Frodo ends up putting on the Ring to escape from Boromir. While the rest of the Fellowship scatters to hunt for Frodo, Frodo decides the Fellowship has to be broken, and he must depart secretly for Mordor alone to prevent the rest of his companions from becoming enslaved by the influence of the Ring. Sam insists on coming along, however, and they set off together to Mordor. The Fellowship is thus broken.

text: Members of the Fellowship of the Ring[edit]

text: The Fellowship was formed at Rivendell in late T.A. 3018 following the Council of Elrond. It was decided that it should be a relatively small company; the number was set at nine to symbolically oppose the nine Nazgûl. In order of announcement the members of the Fellowship were:

text:
Member
Race
Age[n 2]

Frodo Baggins
Hobbit
50
Adopted heir of Bilbo and the Ring-bearer.

Samwise "Sam" Gamgee
Hobbit
38
Frodo's gardener; becomes Frodo's companion on the quest.

Gandalf the Grey
Istari
primeval
Wizard who leads the Fellowship until the Bridge of Khazad-dûm in Moria, where he falls in combat with a Balrog.

Legolas
Elf
500+[4]
Son of Thranduil, king of the Silvan Elves of Mirkwood. He came to inform Elrond of the escape of Gollum.

Gimli
Dwarf
139
Son of Glóin. He came to Rivendell from the Lonely Mountain with his father to seek advice on the disappearance of Balin, and to warn Bilbo that Sauron's agents are seeking him.

Aragorn (Strider)
Man
87
Chief Ranger of the North and heir of Isildur and Elendil; he had accompanied the hobbits from Bree to Rivendell.

Boromir
Man
40
Son and heir of Denethor II, Steward of Gondor. He came to Rivendell seeking the meaning of a prophetic dream.

Meriadoc "Merry" Brandybuck
Hobbit
36
Son and heir of the Master of Buckland, cousin to both Pippin and Frodo. He is particularly close to Pippin.

Peregrin "Pippin" Took
Hobbit
28
Son and heir of the Thain in Tookland, he is the youngest member of the group and cousin to both Merry and Frodo.

text: In The Lord of the Rings, Tolkien speaks more often of the "Company" of the Ring rather than the "Fellowship", as reflected in the page references in Robert Foster's The Complete Guide to Middle-earth. However, as it appears in the title of the book, "Fellowship" has become the familiar term.

text: Critical reception[edit]

text: This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (December 2010)

text: The poet W.H. Auden wrote a positive review in The New York Times, praising the excitement and saying "Tolkien's invention is unflagging, and, on the primitive level of wanting to know what happens next, The Fellowship of the Ring is at least as good as The Thirty-Nine Steps".[5] However, he noted that the light humour in the beginning was "not Tolkien's forte".[6] It was also favourably reviewed by nature writer Loren Eiseley. Literary critic Edmund Wilson titled his unflattering review Oo, those awful Orcs.[7]