NOVEMBER 18 UPDATE
COMMITMENTS
Ciera Jones, C/IF, VA Vienna Stars/Team New Jersey, to South Carolina
Ali McCormack SS/3rd/1st, Texas Rapid Fire Gold signed with Texas State University
Falon Catalano P/OF/IF Nashville Nighthawks to Lipscomb University
Emma Barnes, OF, California Breeze 18 Gold, signed with Louisiana Tech University
Brittaney Brown, P, for Virginia Lady Eagles signed with Radford University
Brandice Balschmiter, Pitcher, Conklin Raiders.to University of Massachusetts
Jessi Even , Pitcher, Oregon Panthers Gold, Portland State University
Denee Porter (1B, P, 3B), AZ Storm Gold, to Longwood University
Nicole Randolph, SS/2nd, Missouri Madness to Rockhurst
University
Lisa Rice, 2nd, Missouri Madness to Charleston Southern
Kelli Fangonilo signing to UNLV from Don Ford's StrikeZone Gold team
Rachel Norris, OF/IF, Chattanooga Yankettes Gold to North Georgia College & State University
Kortney Hannah Nor Cal Lite (3B/C) Colgate University
Jamie Fowler, P/IF, MD Heartbreakers Red, to Mount Saint Mary's University
BRITTANY SALVATORE P/OF NEW JERSEY BREAKERS GOLD SIGNED
CENTRAL CONNECTICUT STATE UNIVERSITY
Karissa Bettencourt, SS/2nd, Swansea Muddogs (Pony National
Champs),
to Southern New Hampshire University
Jennifer Griffin, 3B, Corona Angels, signed with University of Tennessee
LeeAnne McDowell, Sarasota FL Heat,to FL. Gulf Coast University, Ft. Myers
Michelle Olivieri, 2B/OF, Rochester Lady Lions, has committed to UMBC
Omaha Finesse Gold
Rachel Balkovec (C) - Creighton University
Casie Conrad - (SS/2nd) - North Dakota State University
Samantha Heinzman - (OF) - South Dakota State University
WA Hurricanes, 2005 College Commitments
Heather Hansen 1st/3rd - Seattle University
Amy Trenkamp 3rd/SS - Charleston Southern University
Oklahoma Ultimate
Geyna Williams 2nd, utility signed with Bethune-Cookman, Daytona Beach, Florida
Jami McAdoo, pitcher, signed with Southeastern, Durant, Oklahoma
Radford Signings
Brittaney Brown, P, VA Lady Eagles
Anne Tatum, UTL/IF, VA Scrappers
Washington Lake Breeze Commitments
Carolann Lubach C/3rd base to Hofstra University
Christie Robinson Pitcher to UNLV
Krista Crosson Pitcher to Loyola University Chicago
Tasha St.Clair OF to Eastern Illinois
Danielle Monson OF to Kent State
Chelsy Iapala SS/OF to Eastern Illinois
Absolute Blast Gold Signings
Emily Gould, C/Utility, Towson University
Destri Keo, SS, University of Washington
Katrina Ross, 1B/3B/C, University of Illinois
University of Colorado-Colorado Springs
Angela Heronema-P-Berthoud HS (CO)-Triple Crown Stars
Kym Cade-P-Faith Christian HS (CO)-Warriors-Fligg
Nicole Link-C/SS-D'Evelyn HS (CO)-Warriors-Fligg
Courtney Banks-C-North Glenn HS (CO)- Warriors-Fligg
Savannah Ledford-SS-Thompson Valley HS(CO)-CO Stars-Hayner
Brittany Cusumano-OF Keller HS(TX) Texas Elite Gold
Seattle University
Heather Hansen-1B/3B WA Hurricanes
Megan MacIsaac-SS/2B SoCal Pumas
Mollie Greenup-SS/2B WA Sidewinders Gold
Cassie Cueto-OF WA Spirit
Austin Storm Commitments:
Jetta Weinheimer committed to Texas State University
Brittany Cantu committed to UTSA
Bethany Stefinsky committed to Cameron University
Mililani Prep Commitments
Sarah Weisskopf to the University of Hawaii-Hilo
Liane Horiuchi to the University of Tennessee
Riviera Beach Spirit 18Un (MD)
Kelli Seger, 3B.SS Mount St.Mary's (MD)
Joanna Kralowetz OF/IF/P, Hofstra
Carrie Higdon P/OF , George Washington University
Courtney O'Hara OF/2B UMBC
Sorcerer Gold
Julie Stauder, 2B/SS, Sorcerer Gold, with University of California, Davis.
Ashley Nichelman, University of Nevada, Reno.
Amber Smith, Illinois State University.
Erin Zilka, University at Buffalo
.
NOT QUITE, SI
In An otherwise well reasoned piece (Nov 15 issue) on the difficulties female athletes have in making a living in pro sports – despite being great role models and fierce competitors -- reporter L. Jon Wertheim makes an error. Lauding Jennie Finch as one of the few who do make a living from endorsements, etc., Wertheim writes that Jennie is “part of an effort to found a professional softball league.” The league, as all softball fans know, fielded six teams this past season. Yet, it could also be said that, by signing contracts with the new Chicago Bandits, Jennie – and Leah O’Brien Amico, Jaime Clark, Lauren Bay – are part of an effort to keep NPF from “foundering.” The Juggernauts have taken down their website, and no one answers the phone – amidst rumors that the principal owner has called it a day. We are looking forward to getting some hard information on the Juggernaut situation from NPF president Rick Levine at the NFCA meeting, where a projected eight teams are scheduled to draft players for the 2005 season.
There is hard evidence of a determination to succeed, as witness this 11/17 player trade announced by the league:
In a
trade Wednesday with the New England Riptide, the Arizona Heat obtained four
players, including former Arizona State University standout Nichole Thompson. In
exchange the Heat sent pitcher Danielle Henderson and a first-round draft pick
in 2007 to the Riptide.
Joining the former Sun Devil second baseman in Arizona will be infielder Tara
Knudsen (Georgia Tech), outfielder LaDonia Hughes (Louisiana State) and Stanford
graduate Dana Sorenson. The four players made up the middle of the Riptide
defense for a majority of the 2004 season, before Sorenson had to leave the team
for personal reasons.
On 11/14, the League announced the contracts signed by the Chicago Bandits.
THE PRE-THANKSGIVING BATBUSTER
The latest information on pool and fields can be found on http://ocbatbusters.com.
MORE ON THE FIRECRACKER
The 18U Gordon's Panthers pitcher's name is Jordan Taylor, not Taylor Jordan.
CORRECTIONS
The DePaul Athletic Director is Jean Lenti-Ponsetto.
Niagara is, well, spelled Niagara. (Falls are noisy; attracts a lot of honeymooners who probably don’t notice)
MEMORY LANE
Front Page won’t download it into this site, but, for a rwally nostalgic trip down memory lane, log on: http://www.thestatenislandboys.com/U_thrill_me/
Thanks, Sharkeed
BOOMER SOONER
Thrilled to be back in Norman to watch the Sooners of Oklahoma beat Nebraska, but puzzled pre-game because nothing seemed to be familiar as I tried to find the Lloyd Center to park, I stopped at an intersection and asked a patrolman for directions. I told him that I had become a Ruf-Nek cheerleader my freshman year, 1952, whereupon he asked his partner, “Didn’t OU still have dirt sidewalks in 1952?” (Cop humor)
Owen Field, now Memorial Stadium, had a max of 50,000 during the great Wilkinson years; a record crowd of more than 85,000 watched Saturday night’s game – and there were no vacant seats that I could see – despite a chilling rain. The bowl on the north end was an open area in the ‘50s – none of the people around me could remember that.
Jason White should win the Heisman a second time, but OU let up in the second half as Coach Stoops emptied his bench – notwithstanding the BCS emphasis on blowout scores.
I only met one person at the game I knew – assistant softball coach Melissa Lombardi – but I am not sure I would have recognized any of my former classmates.
On Sunday, I went down to Purcell, where I attended school. You know you’re getting old when the most of the names of the people you remember are on tombstones. I spent two hours at the cemetery before Mass in the church of my youth. Didn’t know anyone.
Paused at the grave of Kenneth Tippit, who somehow liked me despite the grief I caused him. A grade ahead of me, he was slated to be head altar boy at Our Lady of Victory, but I was chosen because of my command of Latin. In highschool, he was ardently in love with this very attractive girl named Wilma. When her parents forbad her to see Jack Riley (I did some wild things but Jack’s elevator skipped some floors), Ken thought he had a chance – but Wilma decided I was the alpha and omega. The competition for the fair lady was settled by her mother. A group of us were at Wilma’s house and talking about our impending graduation – and what we wanted to be. The mother asked me, “What do you want to be when you graduate?” My answer, “Gone.” I had a list of places I intended to go, far away. The Mother than asked the incriminating question, “Don’t marriage and children fit into your plans?” I told her that I was only 15 when we started our senior year; digging my hole deeper, I told her that an adventurous man could love a number of women in the course of his life, and I intended to fulfill my quota. Kenneth married Wilma and I am told they had 40-plus good years together.
The Purcell of my youth was a farming and ranching center, and a railhead for three different railroads – lots of jobs for a community of 3500 people. The railroads are gone; there are some large corporate farms and horse breeding facilities, but the town is a larger, bedroom community for Oklahoma City. WalMart virtually wiped out the retail establishments on Main Street, which now has a massage parlor and two tanning salons.
There is now a firehouse with new trucks and a police station – three squad cars. In my time, they had a 1940 Chevy; my sophomore year at OU, I had a souped-up Caddy – even prairie jackrabbits were in awe of that car’s speed -- and the police asked me to chase down a guy who was frequently spotted racing thru the city on Highway 77.
One gent who was pointed out to me was stoop-shouldered; bald; walked with the help of his granddaughter; stunned me to learn that he was three months older than I.
POTPOURRI
Little Known Fact. During the Blitz, the British mounted spotlights on some old. Architectural monstrosities, hoping the Luftwaffe would bomb those buildings instead of some of the national landmarks.
Best Post-Election Commentary. Washington Post columnist David Ignatius (rumored a candidate for managing editor) says President Bush needs to answer the question of the soldier on the ground in Iraq: How do we win this thing, and if we can’t, how do we get out?
Little known fact. When he was little, Michael Moore’s parents wouldn’t let him go out at night because the dogs would bark.
Folks with too much money. There is an event in New York at which sports buffs can ask individual questions of Alex Rodriguez and Barry Bonds – for $7,500!
You just thought you had everything. The Mercedes 2005 SLK has Airscarf, a neck-level heating system which blows warm air from the headrests, allowing you to cruise in cold weather with the top down.
The very model of a modern athlete. That’s what Post columnist Sally Jenkins called Terrell Owens before the towel incident with Nicolette. Humdrum. Back in the day at OU, there was a certain blonde with an affinity for football players. She was caught one Sunday morning playing Dr. Joyce au naturale in the garden behind the Law Barn. To memorialize the event, two aspiring journalists stationed her in the stands at Owen field while the team was practicing. With the camera behind her, but focused on her derriere and through her legs on the team below, a horn was sounded, the team looked up, and all seemed to be cheering her (censored). Great photography takes inspiration.
Little known facts. There were two Boston tea parties! There are more chickens in the world than any other domesticated bird. More than one chicken for every human on the face of this earth.
What woman has had the most statues in the United States made in her honor? (Sacajewea). What famous Texan lived with the Cherokee Indians for 3 years in his youth, and took the name "Black Raven"? (Sam Houston)
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