Other Sports | The Baseball Zealot

Monday catchup

It’s tough being a Cubs fan who has Albert Pujols on his APBA league team. It’s even tougher when you find out he’s out for six weeks. My favorite headline today… Rays to miss play against Pujols Yeah, I’m sure they’re heartbroken.

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Chad Cordero retired. In other news, Chad Cordero was still playing baseball.

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On a personal note, I just attended my first roller derby event Saturday. The Twin City Derby Girls are making a go at it in Champaign-Urbana and from the attendance this weekend, it seems pretty popular.

I can see why. It’s quite exciting what with fast-paced action, healthy looking women going at each other, and even a campy atmosphere. I even began to understand the rules after a while. I’ll be back for more. A few more photos from Saturday’s event.

Illinois Marathon has everyone running

There was no college baseball in town this weekend but there was the Christie Clinic Illinois Marathon, becoming quite the event these days.

Over 18,000 participated in the marathon, half-marathon, 10K or the 5K on Friday and Saturday. These photos are mostly from the marathon (there are a lot more here) at around the 12 mile mark.

By the way, that’s the eventual first place finisher among the women on the right Lauren Kromrey (#27).

A few more photos:

You can find the results of the all the races this weekend here.

Wildcat Lacrosse team edges ‘05 White Sox for “Team of the Decade” in online poll

Some things are apparently more important than baseball. Like college lacrosse.

In a “Team of the Decade” online poll hosted by the Chicago Tribune, the Northwestern women’s lacrosse team soundly defeated the 2005 World Series winner Chicago White Sox.

For those who don’t follow the sport (no, I don’t either), the Wildcat lacrosse team has won five of the last national Division I titles. I guess they are that good.

They won with 57 percent of the vote in the poll compared to the White Sox’ 36 percent. Rumor has it there was a little “ballot-stuffing” by fans of the lacrosse team.

"Our fans wanted it bad, I guess," (lacrosse Coach) Amonte Hiller said with a laugh.

It’s tempting to take a jab at the Sox for losing out to a bunch of girls but a) those “girls” worked hard and really deserved it b) the 2003 Cubs barely got 1% in the poll and most importantly, c) it just a stupid poll.

Cricket match on the U of I campus

On my way back from Illini baseball’s Orange and Blue game on Saturday, I was treated to a cricket match on the University of Illinois campus. Seeing as I already had my camera with me, I snapped some photos.

In the past, I’ve watched these guys practice on my way home from work on Fridays. THIS, I gather, is what they’re practicing for.

I know next to nothing about the game of cricket but I do enjoy watching the bowler in action as he bowls the ball toward the batsman. Unlike baseball, HE gets a running start.

A cricket player rests a rest as the teams took a break to let two elderly walk through the sidewalk the players were playing on.