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Showing posts from September 28, 2008

The 2009 VBL Schedule : How important is it ? - The future just might depend on it...Final Thoughts from ATV-60 on the VBL

Note - For the 1ST time I wrote too many words for my spell check to kick-in. Sorry in advance for goofs... My years of management left me preaching one thing to the Managers I trained- Don't bring me a problem if you don't have a suggestion on how to fix it... LURAY - The level of competition is changing all around our country in refrence to our Valley Baseball League. There are up and coming Summer Leagues that are wasting little time in getting their business plan in place. One of those leauges that you can use for example is the Sierra Baseball League (Where Today's talent becomes Tomorrow's Legends). Check out this up and coming league by clicking over to http://sierrabaseball.com/ . Somethings you will notice are that the league itself has an owner that acts in the best interest of the 14 teams in the league and despite the fact they have only been around for a few seasons they have both TV & Radio coverage tied to there All-Star Game. Hey, there all the way

Day 1 Highlights from MLB :Greg Maddux closes out Dodgers Game 1 Victory with scoreless 9TH inning

CHICAGO - Greg Maddux made his first relief appearance in a decade when he came out to retire the Chicago Cubs Wednesday night. Maddux faced four Cubs and surrendered one hit but no runs in the ninth inning while finishing off a 7-2 Dodger victory. Skipper Joe Torre had originally named Maddux to start game four Sunday in LA. Maddux last started Saturday evening against San Francisco. 13 pitches with 10 going for strikes was the pitch count for the outing but no word yet on how this might effect a Game 4 start on Sunday... Maddux came out of the pen for Skipper Bobby Cox and the Atlanta Braves back in 1988 & 1989... Notes - Pulling Derek Lowe after just 6 innings has allowed Torre to announce Lowe as the game 4 starter for Sunday and 16 Game winner Chad Billingsley will pitch games 2 & 5. Boston is just 2 outs away from taking home field from the Angles as Pappelbon is trying to close out a 4-1 BoSox lead in the 9TH. Now 1 out away (Former VBL Star Mike Lowell was he

An Inspiring Father and Son Duo- Thanks to Mrs. Turks for sharing it with us

VBL Update : Turning the Clock Back 40 Years

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The modern day Luray Wranglers have had an impressive run as of late but Bill Turner and Company still have a little work to do to catch up with the previous Luray team from the Valley Baseball League. 2006 - Wranglers win VBL Crown in 5 games over Staunton 2007 - Wranglers lose VBL Finals in 4 games to Waynesboro 2008 - Wranglers sweep Covington 3-0 for Crown 2009 - ??? Go back exactly 4 decades and take a quick look: 1966 - Luray Colonials win the VBL 1967 - Luray Colonials win the VBL 1968 - Luray Colonials win the VBL 1969 - Luray Colonials win the VBL Shortly after that amazing run, the Luray team exited the VBL (1971) and headed over to the RCBL . Two years after that the team disbanded and the town remained without a team until the Wranglers were born in 2001... 30 Years without a VBL team in town... Anyone out there with any Colonials memories ? Would love to hear some stories...

The Ultimate Sporting Event : Win or Go Home and Be Forgotten

When it comes down to talking about the greatest game in all of Sports most people will choose to talk about Game 7 of a Championship Series. There are a number of fans that will tell you that the Super Bowl is the ultimate contest but tonight I am here to offer you a third option. TBS is broadcasting the Chicago White Sox vs. Minnesota Twins American League Play-In game if you will. I believe that this is the ULTIMATE sporting event and here are a few reasons why. This game is treated as game #163 of the regular season and not a playoff game. Lose a Super Bowl and you still have the trophy representing your NFC or AFC Championship. Owners buy Rings to celebrate just making it to the Big Game and you will be forever remembered for coming within sight of your dreams. *** Bottom of the second inning - Tied 0-0 Make it to game 7 of a Championship Series and you would of had to claimed three victories. Your team is on the verge of winning it all and if you lose the 7TH game you can hold

The telling of a special story : Harrisonburg's Veterans Memorial Stadium

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HARRISONBURG -This past week was a special one for the folks in and around H-Burg as the final bricks fell to the park known as Veterans Memorial Stadium. The demolition of the historical park began on Monday September 22ND and continued until Friday morning (9/26). There are so many people that have a story to tell about how their lives that have been touched by experiences both on and off the field. As a relative new comer to our beautiful Valley I am not sure that I am the most qualified person to try and tell the story of what this park has meant to so many people but it is a story that deserves to be told. Veterans Memorial Stadium was dedicated back in 1948 as a tribute to the 139 area Veterans that lost their lives in World War II. A plaque with the names of those Veterans had stood outside the stadium until recently when the plaque was moved to a secure facility.The plaque, with the addition of three names left off the original, will be integrated into the design of the new fa

One more tip of the Cap to 45-Year Old Randy Johnson & My Back-2-Back No No's

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ARIZONA- If you read my story on Randy Johnson a few weeks ago you will remember our paths crossed when both of us spent a few years in the Great Northwest. Randy was born just 1 week after me back in September of 1963 and the fact that he can still dominate a MLB game at our age gives me hope! Randy pitched the D-Backs season finale on Sunday and after allowing one UN-earned run in the top of the 1ST inning to Colorado something special happened. 105 pitches later and 9 K's in the books Johnson walked off the mound with a two-hitter. We couldn't call it a complete game 2-hitter though as the score was tied 1-1. Just as Greg Maddux had turned the clock back one night earlier, Johnson looked as if he had also visited the Fountain of Youth. 9 strike outs, two hits and just one walk but no victory- not yet anyway. The D-Backs scored in the bottom of the 9TH to allow Johnson to claim the 11TH victory of the 2008 season. The final numbers for the Big Unit to read as follows: Reco

VBL Update -Noises coming out of New Market, Va.

There are two things that you can hear this week coming out of New Market. The first one is the sound of joy as Melissa Dodge and her fellow Redskins fans are living large this week following their 26-24 whopping they put on the Dallas Cowboys. Add in the fact that the game was played down in Texas Stadium and it is all the more reason to shout it from the roof tops or in this case, the mountain tops! The second noise you will hear is the sound of the bat cracking as New Market has an entry this year in the Augusta County Youth League. My Rebel broadcast buddy, Mr. Tony Mowat checked in with some of the details on the New Market Red Sox . The coaching staff will be very recognizable as Bruce Alger is leading the young men (Ages 12-15) into the season. Jay Hafner , Phil Watcher and Mike McCourt will be assisting Mr. Alger this season. The games are going to be played over at New Market Park and we will add more notes as they become available to us. Congrats Melissa, Thank