This and That
Some miscellaneous notes from around town:
▪ Rumor has it that Mike Ryan, former catcher and sponsor of the Bullet Transportation team (1995-1998) will be back in uniform this weekend for the Edge. Mike's 1998 team finished 3rd in the nation in the NAFA "AA" tournament in Hutchinson, KS, where the tournament coincidentally returns this year. We haven't seen Mike 'round the diamond too much of late, though he did drive out to Palm Springs earlier this month. Mike was a key part of the Bullet team's success, but perhaps even better known as the gregarious Irishman who adds life to any party. Mike's tournament playing days go back to the 1993 Pioneer Days Tournament in Salt Lake City, Utah, where he debuted with the Vista Bombers. Good to have you back, Mike.
▪ When Mike learned that we had mentioned him here in "Morning Brief", he shared this thought:
As Steve Martin said in the 1979 comedy classic, “The Jerk”: Scene: Navin Johnson runs to the delivery truck to accept delivery of the new phone book: Navin, excitedly: THE NEW PHONE BOOK’S HERE, THE NEW PHONE BOOK’S HERE!” As Navin calms himself and stops jumping up and down he looks into the camera: Navin: This is the kind of spontaneous publicity that MAKES people. Things are going to start happening to me now.
Well, it's nice to see his sense of humor is intact. Now, let's see about those knees ;-)
▪ Dave Meltz was in good form Wednesday night in Artesia, striking out 14 in 7 innings against the L.B. Black Sox, but had to settle for a 3-3 tie. An on-call chiropractor should be required when Meltz pitches, for all the hitters that he corkscrews into the ground with that change-up.
▪ Fred Hanker hit a towering 3 run homer in the right-center gap, while Dwayne Fowler drove in 3 for the Gypsters, a team made up of Captain Dan's and former Genesis/Ringer players.
▪ A moment of silence was shared before the Black Sox-Gypsters game for Dewey Thompson.
▪ Pitchers, fielders and hitters enjoy the DeBeer 212 leather cover, cork-center ball used in Artesia. No bruises or welts on Thursday mornings, and for infielders, no trip to the dentist.
▪ Did anyone notice that the leather covered, cork center Dudleys in use in Palm Springs at the far diamonds 5&6? We thought they were extinct...
▪ David Bell's "Spring Swing" Tournament was like a mini-national tournament, with 18 teams arriving from ten (10) different states, including some coming all the way from the Midwest (IA, IN, IL). For all the times that local teams complain about playing the same teams over and over, surprisingly few from California took advantage of the collection of out-of-state teams, even though they were among the closest to Las Vegas
▪ Even the Rounders, who previously made it a staple of their schedule, winning it in 2001 and 2002 and finishing 2nd in 2003, skipped the tournament this year. Last year's lower division winner over the Rounders, DC Current, of Indiana finished 2nd themselves this year.
▪ San Diego Fastpitch's Jay Crawley was seen holding the hardware for DC Current in Vegas in 2003, to join some of his old Indiana buddies; not sure if he played for them this year (Jay?)
▪ David Bell's next Las Vegas tournament is on tap for June 18-19, 2004, a Memorial event to raise funds for the family of former Las Vegas Hitmen, Keith Bayne.
▪ Voters in the latest "Final 4 Pick 'em" poll are going with the top finishers from Palm Springs: Raymar, the Rounders, San Diego and Edge (so far). But the So Cal ASA Alliance, like the NCAA hoops tournament is always full of surprises. If the poll favorites for this weekend's (fastpitch) March Madness think the pre-tourney picks guarantee anything, they need only speak with Florida or Michigan State. Oh, and you'll need to reach them at the airport, as they're on their way home, as lower seeded teams advance.
▪ Rumor has it that Mike Ryan, former catcher and sponsor of the Bullet Transportation team (1995-1998) will be back in uniform this weekend for the Edge. Mike's 1998 team finished 3rd in the nation in the NAFA "AA" tournament in Hutchinson, KS, where the tournament coincidentally returns this year. We haven't seen Mike 'round the diamond too much of late, though he did drive out to Palm Springs earlier this month. Mike was a key part of the Bullet team's success, but perhaps even better known as the gregarious Irishman who adds life to any party. Mike's tournament playing days go back to the 1993 Pioneer Days Tournament in Salt Lake City, Utah, where he debuted with the Vista Bombers. Good to have you back, Mike.
▪ When Mike learned that we had mentioned him here in "Morning Brief", he shared this thought:
As Steve Martin said in the 1979 comedy classic, “The Jerk”: Scene: Navin Johnson runs to the delivery truck to accept delivery of the new phone book: Navin, excitedly: THE NEW PHONE BOOK’S HERE, THE NEW PHONE BOOK’S HERE!” As Navin calms himself and stops jumping up and down he looks into the camera: Navin: This is the kind of spontaneous publicity that MAKES people. Things are going to start happening to me now.
Well, it's nice to see his sense of humor is intact. Now, let's see about those knees ;-)
▪ Dave Meltz was in good form Wednesday night in Artesia, striking out 14 in 7 innings against the L.B. Black Sox, but had to settle for a 3-3 tie. An on-call chiropractor should be required when Meltz pitches, for all the hitters that he corkscrews into the ground with that change-up.
▪ Fred Hanker hit a towering 3 run homer in the right-center gap, while Dwayne Fowler drove in 3 for the Gypsters, a team made up of Captain Dan's and former Genesis/Ringer players.
▪ A moment of silence was shared before the Black Sox-Gypsters game for Dewey Thompson.
▪ Pitchers, fielders and hitters enjoy the DeBeer 212 leather cover, cork-center ball used in Artesia. No bruises or welts on Thursday mornings, and for infielders, no trip to the dentist.
▪ Did anyone notice that the leather covered, cork center Dudleys in use in Palm Springs at the far diamonds 5&6? We thought they were extinct...
▪ David Bell's "Spring Swing" Tournament was like a mini-national tournament, with 18 teams arriving from ten (10) different states, including some coming all the way from the Midwest (IA, IN, IL). For all the times that local teams complain about playing the same teams over and over, surprisingly few from California took advantage of the collection of out-of-state teams, even though they were among the closest to Las Vegas
▪ Even the Rounders, who previously made it a staple of their schedule, winning it in 2001 and 2002 and finishing 2nd in 2003, skipped the tournament this year. Last year's lower division winner over the Rounders, DC Current, of Indiana finished 2nd themselves this year.
▪ San Diego Fastpitch's Jay Crawley was seen holding the hardware for DC Current in Vegas in 2003, to join some of his old Indiana buddies; not sure if he played for them this year (Jay?)
▪ David Bell's next Las Vegas tournament is on tap for June 18-19, 2004, a Memorial event to raise funds for the family of former Las Vegas Hitmen, Keith Bayne.
▪ Voters in the latest "Final 4 Pick 'em" poll are going with the top finishers from Palm Springs: Raymar, the Rounders, San Diego and Edge (so far). But the So Cal ASA Alliance, like the NCAA hoops tournament is always full of surprises. If the poll favorites for this weekend's (fastpitch) March Madness think the pre-tourney picks guarantee anything, they need only speak with Florida or Michigan State. Oh, and you'll need to reach them at the airport, as they're on their way home, as lower seeded teams advance.
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