Month: June 2007

Getting a little relijin

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I ran across this picture at the Army Corps of Engineers Museum at the Shelbyvillle (IL) Dam which our family was visiting. I recognized the name Billy Sunday not so much from his evangelizing but from when he was he was a ballplayer during the 19th century.

The storyboard below the photo says:

Rev. Billy Sunday

Shown here with his mother, wife and children, Rev. Sunday was previously a professional baseball player before becoming an ordained minister in 1903. He conducted more than 300 revivals across the U.S., attracting audiences estimating at 100 million. Rev. Sunday was a frequent speaker at the Lithia Springs Chautauqua.

Billy Sunday was an average hitter but known as a speedster. And by some stories as a drunk before he kicked the habit and found God.

His story is quite interesting.

Podcast review: Cubs Closeup

There’s a new Cubs podcast in town… Cubs Closeup. I recognized one of the hosts, Phil Zuber from the old Big League Baseball Report which used to be one of my favorites till its co-hosts Joe Aiello went on to do The Pitch and Phil got busy with his new Cubs blog, A Cub Fan’s … Continue reading “Podcast review: Cubs Closeup”

There’s a new Cubs podcast in town… Cubs Closeup.

I recognized one of the hosts, Phil Zuber from the old Big League Baseball Report which used to be one of my favorites till its co-hosts Joe Aiello went on to do The Pitch and Phil got busy with his new Cubs blog, A Cub Fan’s Obsession (Cub fans check it out!!).

Phil’s got the mike in front of him again. With co-host Ryan Mendenhall, he is bringing us Cubs Closeup, a (you guessed it) Cubs oriented podcast. And you can’t have too many of these.

I’ve listened to a couple of episodes and Cubs Closeup definitely falls in the intelligent, thinking talk show. You know, the reason I avoid the mainstream radio talk shows.

Check out their website or subscribe to the show iTunes.

Illini Summer Diamond Notes: Scott Shaw

Scott Shaw pitching during the Big Ten Tournament

Fightingillini.com has starting pitcher Scott Shaw up this week for their regular series of University of Illinois baseball player reporting back from their collegiate leagues.

Shaw is pitching for the Waterloo Bucks in the Northwoods League. He’s doing a good job up there with a 2-2 record with a nifty 3.82 ERA. His victory last night moved the Bucks out of last place.

Keep up the good work, Scott!

Gameday chat by All-Star break?

MLB.com says they might have a new re-engineered chat in Gameday available by All-Star break. From MLB.com’s Gameday blog: We’ve completely retired the old chat engine for a number of reasons: it was unreliable, could only support a very limited number of concurrent users, was very limited in features and was not integrated with other … Continue reading “Gameday chat by All-Star break?”

MLB.com says they might have a new re-engineered chat in Gameday available by All-Star break.

From MLB.com’s Gameday blog:

We’ve completely retired the old chat engine for a number of reasons: it was unreliable, could only support a very limited number of concurrent users, was very limited in features and was not integrated with other products.

In its place, we will be rolling out a completely revamped chat service by the All-Star break. However, it will not be a Gameday-only chat; instead, it will be better integrated with MLB.TV, the Fantasy Open and other products, with the goal of creating a more complete and immersive user experience.

 

Baseball Zealot Radio interviews Andrew Hartwell of Summer Ball

Northwoods League. Coastal Plain League. Central Illinois Collegiate League.

I’ve written about about these leagues and others like them. They’re all college summer leagues and they serve a very important purpose in developing college baseball players.

In this episode of Baseball Zealot Radio, I interview Andrew Hartwell who, as far as I know, has the only website devoted exclusively to college summer leagues. It’s called Summer Ball and if you’re a fan of college baseball, you should check it out. During our interview, Andrew talks about what purpose college summer leagues serve and how these leagues operate.

Direct Link to the show

Listen via iTunes

Baseball Zealot Radio website

 

Republicans, Democrats play nice for one day

The GOP extended their winning streak over the Dems at RFK Stadium, defeating them 5-2 in the 46th annual Roll Call Congressional Baseball game on Monday. From Medill Reports: The Democrats were clearly weak on defense – at least for one night – committing nine errors in the seven-inning game. Weak on defense… cute.

The GOP extended their winning streak over the Dems at RFK Stadium, defeating them 5-2 in the 46th annual Roll Call Congressional Baseball game on Monday.

From Medill Reports:

The Democrats were clearly weak on defense – at least for one night – committing nine errors in the seven-inning game.

Weak on defense… cute.

Are Bonds and Sosa All-Star worthy?

Gene Wojciechowski of ESPN makes his case for putting these two on the rosters. For what it’s worth, I didn’t think Ripken belonged in ’01 so his comparison doesn’t hold water with me.

Gene Wojciechowski of ESPN makes his case for putting these two on the rosters.

For what it’s worth, I didn’t think Ripken belonged in ’01 so his comparison doesn’t hold water with me.

Os-Kee-Wow-wow hardball news

Turns out Ben Reeser and Aaron Martin aren’t the only Illini doing well this summer. Take a look at Joey Bonadonna who is spending his dog days playing for the Duluth Huskies in the Northwoods League. Bonadonna has already broken the team single season record for stolen bases. He did it in style by stealing … Continue reading “Os-Kee-Wow-wow hardball news”

Turns out Ben Reeser and Aaron Martin aren’t the only Illini doing well this summer. Take a look at Joey Bonadonna who is spending his dog days playing for the Duluth Huskies in the Northwoods League.

Bonadonna has already broken the team single season record for stolen bases. He did it in style by stealing nineteen bases in his first nineteen games. Primarily, a left fielder for the Illini in 2007, he is the starting second baseman for the Huskies. He currently has 21 thefts and leads the league.

Word from fightingillini.com is that Bonadonna will be featured on Northwoods Baseball Weekly show on ESPNU at 6:30 p.m. (Central Time) on Thursday, June 28.

In Frontier League action, former University of Illinois pitcher Brian Blomquist got his first professional win Sunday. The Southern has the details. Blomquist pitched six strong innings as his Southern Illinois Miners won 13-3 over Slippery Rock.

Reeser, Martin mowing ’em down in the Coastal Plain League

Brian from Big Ten Hardball pointed out to me that University of Illinois’ Ben Reeser is putting up some good numbers for the Fayetteville Swampdogs in the Coastal Plain League. He’s 3-0 with a 0.36 ERA in 25 1/3 innings. He’s leading the CPL in ERA. Swampdog teammate and Illini Aaron Martin is doing great … Continue reading “Reeser, Martin mowing ’em down in the Coastal Plain League”

Brian from Big Ten Hardball pointed out to me that University of Illinois’ Ben Reeser is putting up some good numbers for the Fayetteville Swampdogs in the Coastal Plain League. He’s 3-0 with a 0.36 ERA in 25 1/3 innings. He’s leading the CPL in ERA.

Swampdog teammate and Illini Aaron Martin is doing great too. He’s 3-0 with a 1.27 ERA.

Between the two of them, they are helping the Swampdogs to an 18-4 record, good for first place in the South Division in the CPL.

Brilliant Show by the Cubs

I’m not in the habit of agreeing with my Sox fan friends especially when it comes to Cubs/Sox issues but I have to hand it to my good buddy Teddy Ballgame. He’s right about Sox broadcaster Hawk Harrelson. Someone needs to take his mike away. Don’t ask me why but Sunday I turned on Comcast … Continue reading “Brilliant Show by the Cubs”

I’m not in the habit of agreeing with my Sox fan friends especially when it comes to Cubs/Sox issues but I have to hand it to my good buddy Teddy Ballgame. He’s right about Sox broadcaster Hawk Harrelson. Someone needs to take his mike away.

Don’t ask me why but Sunday I turned on Comcast to watch the Cubs-Sox game. That was about the time that Juan Uribe was called for interference. I think that Ford Frick nominee Ken Harrelson said “This is BS!” about 3 time then guaranteed that the protest would be upheld. All this, of course, before he even heard what the final ruling was.

I’m not sure what Hawk meant by BS. Maybe he meant Bad Series by the Sox who eventually dropped all three to the Cubs. Or Blundering Shortstop Juan Uribe who committed the interference infraction.

I eventually got smart and changed the channel to WGN. Len and Bob to the rescue.

The Cubs have won 4 in a row (including the one tonight that got away and they roped backed in) and are 14-8 since according to the media Piniella had “lost control of his team”.

Yet, as good as the Cubs are doing, Milwaukee is doing that much better and remain 7 1/2 ahead.

What we need right now…

a Brewers Slump.