6-27-2011 June 27 2011 Update

JUNE 27 2011 UPDATE

 

JUCO PITCHER AND CATCHER NEEDED

Message from the coach:  I had one pitcher back out on me for this year and one catcher. So I am looking for one to come in this year Fall or SPring and for next year as well. Transfers are possible but they can only have played one season. (They only get 2 years eligibility with us…) HVCC does provide a fair amount of academic aide they insist the athletes go through the same process as regular students when applying for it. 

We are a highly competitive JUCO team. We play in Region 3 which is one of the most competitive regions at our level. Region 3 is given two bids to the national tournament every year because we are so competitive. This year we finished fourth in the region, we played in the region tournament and were two wins away from going to nationals. Our goal is to make HVCC a consistently competitive team and build upon last years success. 

Let me know if you need something more formal or official. 

Thanks for your help!

Meghan Farrelly  m.farrelly@hvcc.edu

THE SOFTBALL RUMOR MILL

Spy has a long standing policy of not publishing rumors; I publish coaching changes when I have solid notification.  Gratefully, a Pac 10 source whom I asked to check came back with the denounement of one rumor which went viral on social media.  So, today, when I received emails about OSU, I posted deep within another story a one-line statement that rumors about a West Coast coach were untrue. I posted the university release on Dana Sorenson, and still had readers tell me it was a cover-up; it was quite factual.

I had the Teresa Wilson story but held it until Arizona issued a confirmation.  I’ve gotten emails on two other changes, including two assistant coaches reportedly already on campus, which will not be published without official confirmation. Similarly, I know who is being interviewed for certain vacancies.  This is their livelihood!  I remember when the Nixon White House wanted me banished from government, and was told, “You didn’t hire him, you can’t fire him.”  Let the process work!

It’s not just this era of social media, it’s human nature.  I was injured in an incident in the 70s; my brother called the military hospital and was told I was dead. On another occasion, I was flown out of an African war zone and someone in the Embassy in Cairo called my wife and said I was near-death when they put me on the plane; I had a rare form of malaria, and for once the information was correct. Health officials in Kenya, Egypt, Pakistan, Italy and Germany refused to let me off the plane for treatment. But, in the 90s, when I contracted that rare blood disease in Indonesia, the rumors were so rampant while I was being flown back from Asia that I had days to live that an intelligence specialist applied for my job.  Thankfully, in 2004, when I had serious cancer surgery, Allison quickly posted a note on Spy that I had survived 13 hours of surgery.

 

NPF NEWS

Score: Bandits 5, Racers 4 (Final-10 Innings)(Saturday)

AKRON, Ohio – The Chicago Bandits only needed seven innings Friday night to defeat the Racers after Monica Abbott’s brilliant pitching performance. Tonight, they needed 10, as Chicago (7-3) outlasted the Racers (5-5), 5-4 in 10 innings at Firestone Stadium.

With the win, the Bandits extended their NPF lead over the Racers to two games and remain in first in the NPF, after Monica Abbott (5-1) came on in relief in the bottom of the ninth inning to earn her second win in as many nights. The former Olympian came on in relief of starter Nikki Nemitz to record the final seven outs, five of which came via the strikeout. The starting pitchers, Kristina Thorson and Nemitz were the story in the first seven innings of the game, each allowing one run on four hits, with neither factoring into the final decision. Morgan Childers (1-3) came on in relief in the eighth inning for Thorson, suffering her third loss of the season.

With the Racers facing a 1-0 deficit in the bottom of the seventh, Nicole Trimboli came on to pinch-hit for Courtney Bures and stroked a double to right center field to score Reba Tutt, who came on to pinch-run for Kelley Montalvo after she singled to center with one out. 

The Racers faced another hole at 2-1 after the Bandits scored on a Nemitz ground-rule double to right in the top of the eighth.  Nicole Pauly led off the inning, smoking a pinch-hit solo home run over the left center field fence to keep the Racers alive for another inning at 2-2. 

The Bandits regained the lead at 3-2 in the top of the eighth when Megan Wiggins beat out first baseman’s Nicole Trimboli at home.  Two consecutive throwing errors in the top of the tenth gave the Bandits two more runs to take a commanding 5-2 lead. The Racers threatened to tie the game for a third time, but came up short after Monica Abbott got Sharonda McDonald to line out to end the game.

The Racers and Bandits will kick off a doubleheader starting at noon on Sunday and conclude the series with the regularly-scheduled game at 2:05 p.m. 

14 and 16U Teams Wanted for July 4 tournament

ROSEMONT, Ill. — The Chicago Bandits are seeking 14U and 16U fastpitch softball teams to fill the final spots in the Bandits-Bourbonnais Park District 4th of July Tournament. The open invitation tournaments will be held from Saturday, July 2 through Monday, July 4, with the Championship Game ending before 1:30 p.m. on Monday. All games will be played at the newly remodeled Diamond Point Park in Bourbonnais, Ill. Each tournament game features two umpires and a 1:15 time limit. Every team in the tournament receives a commemorative t-shirt for all rostered players and coaches, as well as 12 tickets to a future Chicago Bandits game during the 2011 season. The winners of the 14U and 16U tournaments will also receive a bid to the USSSA World Series in Orlando, Fla. Diamond Point Park is located at 6279 N 1000 W Road in Bourbonnais, Ill. The Country Inn and Suites in Manteno, IL is the recommended hotel of the “Bandits-Bourbonnais 4th of July Tournament.” Rooms are available for tournament participants at a discounted rate of $49 per night during the tournament weekend. To make a reservation with the Country Inn and Suites, call (815) 468-2600 and ask for the Chicago Bandits rate. For more information about the teams registered or to register a team for the Bandits-Bourbonnais Tournament, visit www.chicagobandits.com/clinics/bourbonnaistourney or call 877-722-6348.

 REMEMBERING (BUYING) ROY ROGERS
By Ron Lombard

Roy Rogers Museum has closed its doors forever.  This is for the over “55 group” who know Roy Rogers & Dale Evans. ( King & Queen of the Cowboys ) The Roy Rogers Museum has closed its doors forever.   Here is a partial listing of some of the items that were sold at auction . . . Roy’s 1964 Bonneville sold for $254,500, it was estimated to sell between 100 and 150 thousand dollars. His script book from the January 14,1953 episode of This Is Your Life sold for $10,000 (est. $800-$1,000) A collection of signed baseballs (Pete Rose, Duke Snyder and other greats) sold for $3,750 A collection of signed bats (Yogi Berra, Enos Slaughter, Bob Feller, and others) sold for $2,750. Trigger’s saddle and bridle sold for $386,500 (est. 100-150 K) One of many of Roy’s shirts sold for $16,250 and one of his many cowboy hats sold for $17,500. One set of boot spurs sold for $10,625. (He never used a set of spurs on Trigger.) A life size shooting gallery sold for $27,500.  Various chandeliers sold from $6,875 to $20,000. Very unique and artistic in their western style. A signed photograph by Don Larsen taken during his perfect game in the world series against the Dodgers on Oct. 8, 1953, along with a signed baseball to Roy from Don, sold for $2,500 Two fabulous limited edition BB guns in their original boxes with numerous photos of Roy, Dale, Gabby, and Pat sold for $3,750. A collection of memorabilia from his shows entertaining the troops in Vietnam sold for $938. I never knew he was there. His flight jacket sold for $7,500 His set of dinner ware plates and silverware sold for $11,875.  The Bible they used at the dinner table every night sold for $8,750. One of several of his guitars sold for $27,500. Nelly belle sold for $116,500. A fabulous painting of Roy, Dale, Pat, Buttermilk, Trigger, and Bullet sold for $10,625. One of several sets of movie posters sold for $18,750. A black and white photograph of Gene Autry with a touching inscription from Gene to Roy sold for $17,500. A Republic Productions Poster bearing many autographs of the people that played in Roy’s movies sold for $11,875. Dale’s horse, Buttermilk (whose history is very interesting) sold below the pre-sale estimate for $25,000. (est. 30-40 K) Bullet sold for $35,000 (est. 10-15 K). He was their real pet. Dale’s parade saddle, estimated to sell between 20-30 K, sold for $104,500. One of many pairs of Roy’s boots sold for $21,250. Trigger sold for $266,500. Do you remember the 1938 movie The Adventures of Robin hood with Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland? Well, Olivia rode Trigger in that movie. Trigger was bred on a farm co-owned by Bing Crosby.  Roy bought Trigger on a time payment plan for $2,500.  Roy and Trigger made 188 movies together.  Trigger even out did Bob Hope by winning an Oscar in the movie Son of Paleface in 1953. It is extremely sad to see this era lost forever.  Despite the fact that Gene and Roy’s movies, as well as those of other great characters, can be bought or rented for viewing, today’s kids would rather spend their time playing video games.  Today it takes a very special pair of parents to raise their kids with the right values and morals.  These were the great heroes of our childhood, and they did teach us right from wrong, and how to have and show respect for each other and the animals that share this earth.  You and I were born at the right time.  We were able to grow up with these great people even if we never met them.  In their own way they taught us patriotism and honor, we learned that lying and cheating were bad, and sex wasn’t as important as love.  We learned how to suffer through disappointment and failure and work through it.  Our lives were drug free.  So it’s good-bye to Roy and Dale, Gene and Hoppy, The Lone Ranger and Tonto.  Farewell to Sky King and Superman and Sgt. Friday.  Thanks to Capt. Kangaroo, Mr. Rogers and Capt. Noah and all those people whose lives touched ours, and made them better.