Archive for August 16th, 2007
In 2005, John Schiltz of Sun Prairie served in Kuwait with the Wisconsin Army National Guard’s 1158th Transportation Company. Now, he plays left field for the Blazers of the Men’s Senior Baseball League of Southern Wisconsin. That is why he knows the importance of the donated baseballs, bats, shoes, gloves, and helmets that were piled on Sunday, June 3rd in the back of a pickup truck at Bowman Field. All the donated stuff will be sent to
American troops in Iraq. John Schiltz stated that something like this was going to really mean a lot to all the guys over there so that they know they were not taken for granted. Matthew Varney, League commissioner, said that local donations were part of a national effort that started with an e-mail message from county deputy in Minnesota Ken Wickelgren. He is spending a year in Iraq with a private contractor to train police officers.
He plays for a men’s senior team in southeastern Minnesota. In fact, the league does not have any specific goal. There’s only a hope to collect whatever they can get to send in Iraq. The league has also received cash donations. The money will be spent on baseballs. Equipment will be collected throughout the summer and anyone can donate by visiting the Leagues website at www.msblofsouthernwisconsin.homestead.com. It is not for the first time
that the League will be donating equipment to help American troops serving in Iraq.
August 16th, 2007
Mark Harris was best known for his exciting baseball novels, such as Bang the Drum Slowly. The novelist died last Wednesday at Cottage Hospital. He was 84 years old. His wife stated that he had died from Alzheimer’s disease. The talented author wrote 5 non-fiction books and 13 novels. The best-known among them include Bang the Drum Slowly, The Southpaw, It Looked Like Forever, and A Ticket for a Seamstitch. Bang the Drum Slowly
was adapted for the 1973 film starring Robert De Niro and Michael Moriarty. In fact, it was the most popular of the four books. Sports Illustrated named it one of the Top Hundred sports books of all time. In 1994, a collection of Mark?s baseball essays over nearly a half-century, entitled Diamond,
was published. Haris’s other non-fiction works included Mark the Glove Boy, or The Last Days of Richard Nixon, City of Discontent: An Interpretive Biography of Vachel Lindsay, and Saul Bellow: Drumlin Woodchuck. The novelist taught in the English departments at University of Southern California,
San Francisco State University, the University of Minnesota, California Institute of the Arts, Purdue University, and the University of Pittsburgh. From 1980 to 2001, Mark Harris was also a professor of English at Arizona State University. Mark Harris, according to his wife’s statement, will be cremated. A portion of his ashes will be scattered over the baseball field in Mount Vernon, where he used to play sandlot baseball.
August 16th, 2007
New baseball clinic for young athletes Many things are important to baseball and softball players, like fun, improving techniques, and honing skills. All young athletes from the age of five to sixteen now have a nice chance to sharpen their hitting, pitching, and throwing skills, while having fun at the baseball and softball clinic of Quesnel Minor Baseball Association. Lori Durocher, Quesnel Minor Baseball Association director said that he wanted to give the program a jump start as he hadn?t seen a baseball clinic in Quesnel for several number of years. In fact, this is the first clinic in about ten years in the Quesnel community. Organizers made the clinic happen very quickly. They heard baseball and softball instructors Craig Horswell, Jim Murphy, Jason Cook, Evan Potskin, and Derek Goodline were in the area and did everything possible to arrange it. The instructors will do their best to identify players who will be
able to compete at higher levels and give them exposure with university and college teams. The morning session will focus on defense and instruction and the afternoon session will focus mainly on offence. All athletes will receive information about proper nutrition and training techniques to excel in sports. The baseball clinic will give athletes a wonderful opportunity to gain experience. Lori Durocher stated that they wanted to make it happen
and make it an annual event to train young baseball players and coaches for the future. They also hope that parents and coaches will learn some of the techniques for playing and teaching young athletes and probably take coaching clinics in the future.
August 16th, 2007
After the Cubs were defeated by their city rivals, closer Ryan Dempster told reporters that he was moving to the rotation. Thus, he confirmed the rumors that had been blowing around the Windy City. The player then excused himself and went to a meeting with pitching coach Larry Rothschild, Piniella, and general manager Jim Hendry. 20 minutes later, Ryan changed his tune. He said that they just kind of talked about things, and that he was going to go back down there and close. The move is still imminent, but no one appears to know when it might happen. Piniella has confirmed only that Rich Hill will start the game on Tuesday against the Padres. Lilly will follow him on Wednesday, but further changes are coming to the rotation as Piniella wants to kick-start his underachieving team. After Hendry spent 300 million dollars on new signings this winter, the Cubs are still 2 games under .500. However, moving Ryan Dempster to the rotation seems to be a strange move. Ryan has converted 9 of 10 save opportunities
this season. He looks settled in the role again after struggles during the previous season. Piniella seemed to be really upset with Dempster last Thursday, when he allowed five ninth-inning runs to give the Mets a 6-5 win over his team. However, overall Ryan has delivered something that the coach himself acknowledges. If the Cubs closer really is to become a starter, Marshall would become a short-term move. But we know that trying to
second-guess Piniella is an impossible task.
August 16th, 2007
In early May, baseball Hall of Famer Orlando Cepeda was charged by law enforcement officials with possessing marijuana and other drugs. 69-year old Cepeda now works as a community representative for the San Francisco Giants. He speaks to children about the dangers of drugs. Cepeda was stopped while driving 83 mph on a highway with a speed limit of 65 mph. When the police officer made contact with Orlando Cepeda,
she smelled the odor of marijuana coming from his car. She decided to do a search of the vehicle and found marijuana. The officer also some other controlled substance, methamphetamine or cocaine. The police also found a syringe. The former baseball star was held in a local jail for some time. However, he was not suspected of driving while under the influence of drugs. Orlando’s lawyer stated that his client was innocent and that he does not use drugs and that the marijuana was for medicinal use by his family member suffering from diabetes. Court hearing concerning this case was put on hold Tuesday, May 22. Prosecutors will be seeking for more information about his traffic stop as well as the substances that were found in the vehicle he was driving. It was stated that prosecutors were waiting for laboratory results to identify the powder that was found in the car. The CHP (California Highway Patrol) test identified the white powder as cocaine. A more conclusive laboratory test will be completed in two weeks. In its report to prosecutors, the CHP recommended that Orlando Cepeda be charged with a felony count of possessing a controlled substance and the
speeding violation. Moreover, they also recommended 2 misdemeanor charges, for possession of a syringe and possession of less than 1 ounce of marijuana. Now we are waiting for the court decision.
August 16th, 2007
If you usually follow baseball new that you probably remember the story of Jason Giambi taking an amphetamines test within the last year. This year the sportsmen took the test again and failed it. Newspapers reported that with the failed amphetamines test, the player has been subjected to 6 additional tests during this year. However, the player declined all comment to the newspaper. The Yankees slugger has recently stated in an interview to USA Today saying that he was probably tested more than anyone else. Lawyers for MLB would also like to talk to Giambi about his comments made last Friday. He said he was wrong for “doing that stuff”. The remarks of the New York Yankees hitter many interpreted as an admission of the use of steroids. Management lawyers insist on holding the meeting
as soon as possible. The failed amphetamines test would not be probably discussed at a meeting to keep a first positive test secret. Hall of Famer Frank Robinson reacted to Giambi’s comments saying that we all, including ownership, players, and everybody should have stood up a long time ago. We should have apologized back then as well and made sure that we had a rule in place and gone forward. So Giambi should speak for himself. If Giambi wanted to confess his past mistakes, then he should have come out and said that he was guilty. He should apologize to baseball and to all
the fans that supported him and baseball over the years. He should promise that he will clean up his act and promise he will not do anything like this in future. But he shouldn’t drag others into the affair, because when he says baseball, logically, that includes everyone in baseball.
August 16th, 2007
Sgt. Eddie Shaffer was the first American soldier from Franklin County, who died in the war in Iraq. The field where he used to play Little League baseball every summer now bears his name. Before the Memorial Day dedication of Sgt. Edward W. “Buzz” Shaffer Memorial Field, Edward C. Shaffer, Eddie Shaffer’s father, said the following, “If he were still here today, he probably wouldn’t believe all of this … what everyone is doing for him.” On Memorial Day, when the United States paused to honor all those who have died in its wars, several hundred people
gathered along the field to pay homage to Eddie Shaffer, who died on December 27, 2006. The young sergeant died from wounds that he received from a roadside bomb on November 13 in one of the towns of Iraq. State Rep. Todd Rock, R-Franklin said that although his life was tragically cut short at the age of only twenty-three years old, “the shining legacy Sgt. Shaffer leaved behind as a devoted son, soldier” and the patriot will not be forgotten by his family, friends, and the community. Before the ceremony started, Harris stated that the small town would always remember its veterans. 4 streets were named for Mont Alto soldiers killed in World War II. The young sergeant’s legacy will also be remembered in other ways.
Donations in Eddie Shaffer’s name made it possible for the Mont Alto Fire Co. to buy a trailer to transport Ranger 5, which is an all-terrain vehicle used for rescues in areas hardly inaccessible by any other vehicle.
August 16th, 2007
Jim Palmer, legendary MLB Hall-of-Famer and former Baltimore Orioles pitcher, has teamed up for the second time with Merck/Schering-Plough Pharmaceuticals and Minor League Baseball for a special program. Entitled Strike Out High Cholesterol, this national cholesterol-education program helps lower LDL (Low Density Lipoprotein) levels. The program will tour ten Minor League baseball parks across the united States during the baseball season this summer in order to raise awareness about high cholesterol levels and its two major sources, food and family. Over
50 percent of all adults in the US have high cholesterol level, and Jim Palmer is no exception. High cholesterol can contribute to a higher risk of heart disease, if left untreated. It is the single leading cause of death in America. As a former athlete, Palmer has always done his best to lead a healthy lifestyle, but he is still struggling to control his high LDL, or “bad” cholesterol. Many of us are still unaware of the fact that cholesterol comes from two main sources: our food and family. Virtually, about 75 percent of cholesterol is produced naturally in our bodies, generally
based our family health history. The remaining 25 percent of cholesterol comes from our diet. Jim Palmer confessed that he was thrilled to be a part of Strike Out High Cholesterol program. It allows him to educate people about the importance of understanding the major sources of high cholesterol level and knowing our family health history. He also said that the program hit very close to home for him as he was adopted and did not have the \
privilege of knowing his biological family’s health history.
August 16th, 2007
Their tandem started in little league together. First, they played together with the Diamondbacks and later with the Mariners. They were growing and developing on and off the baseball field together. Zac and Ryans days as teammates ended, when they reached high school, as Zac Castleberry went to Centennial, while Ryan Oesterle ended up at Sunrise Mountain. The two players will be reunited on the North squad in the Arizona Baseball Coaches
Associations Class 5A All-Star Game. It is scheduled for June 1 at the Surprise Sports Complex. Zac Castleberry confessed that he was really looking forward to playing with his friend again. They started out in baseball together and it will be a nice chance to play one more game together. Ryan, who hit .339 playing a solid second base, looks forward to the game because it will be one of the last chances to play at the high school level
together with his friend before moving on to Connie Mack this summer and then Scottsdale Community College in the fall. For Ryan it will be a chance to put on the uniform one more time. Two years ago, he played on the same Junior Olympic team with Zac. Other baseball players representing the area in the 5A game are TJ. Geith (4-0, 1.60 ERA) and Jacob Hummel. The 4A All-Star Game will be held on June 8 at Surprise. It will have local flavor with John Hemsley on the bench for the North squad with Kyle Huard and Pedro Zamora (.461, 4 HRs, 22 RBIs) on the roster.
August 16th, 2007
On this Mothers Day, youve probably seen many guys like Milton Bradley, Craig Biggio, Carlos Beltran, Ken Griffey Jr., and many more, who were swinging bright pink bats. They were also wearing pink wristbands and making a statement no one could miss: Breast cancer, we have powerful friendson our side. Their major goal was to make you stop for a moment and think about breast cancer. According to recent estimates, over 178 thousand new
cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed among American women in 2007; and over forty thousand women will die from this disease this year.
The determination that baseball players showed this Mothers Day will continue. Many of those pink bats are going to be sold at the MLB.com Auction in the days and weeks ahead. All money will go to Komen, with those funds earmarked for cancer treatment, scientific research, and various public-awareness initiatives. Its not known yet, which of the bats will be auctioned. This has already become a good tradition: last year, MLB and its fans raised $350,000 in the unprecedented first usage of symbolic pink baseball bats on Mothers Day. This time, the goal is at least
one million. As all baseball players return to their normal bat models, all attention on the pink baseball bats will move to the MLB.com Auction. In fact, the use of pink bats was entirely voluntary. And we have to thank all players and coaches, who took part in the program to raise awareness
about breast cancer.
August 16th, 2007
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