That being said, local little league seasons heat up as we head into the upcoming playoffs. I encourage leagues to keep us posted about their endeavors. Game information, scores and pictures can be sent to JMinners@gmail.com. I can also be contacted at (718) 742-3396.
I am also counting down the days until the Summer Olympics in Beijing on August 8. I am sure among the thousands of athletes who will be in attendance, there will be someone there from the Bronx. If anyone has information about any Bronxites going to the Olympics, please keep us notified.
The Empire State Games are also around the corner. I look forward to seeing many of our young athletes succeeding and representing the borough with pride.
Speaking about making the Bronx proud, Rashaud Scott, a graduate of Truman, won the NCAA discus throw for the University of Kentucky, on Friday, July 13, to become the first PSAL graduate ever to win the event. Scott, who was in 7th place before his final attempts, won with a throw of 199’ 8.”
Scott is the first PSAL alumnus to win any NCAA throwing event since Gary Gubner, formerly of Clinton, won the shot put for NYU in 1963 and 1964. Bronxite Bernie Mayer also won the 1946 shot put for NYU after spending WWII in the Marines.
A new sport could be emerging for 2008/09 for the PSAL. After the success of lacrosse in the Bronx two years ago and cricket last year, it will be interesting to see which Bronx schools jump up to accept an intriguing new sport in the PSAL lineup – the sport of competitive Double Dutch.
Known worldwide and played in countries as far away as Japan, Double Dutch is being tested at clinics in New York City after a large number of requests from interested students and coaches were made to add it to the PSAL’s roster of sports.
Not sure how the sport would work, but it will be interesting to see, nonetheless. New sports are always a welcome addition. Anything that can bring new athletes into the mix is a worthwhile endeavor.
Finishing up with the PSAL, I hope everyone enjoyed our baseball and softball awards for this year; the same with last week’s CHSAA entry. Thanks go out to Gina Stallone for her help putting together this year’s lists, and the various coaches who were consistently pestered by my voice over the last few weeks. Without them, this section would not have happened.
This was our first year in compiling a sports awards page. It was our pleasure honoring students who made covering the games more than just a job for this writer.
Look for our All-City awards next week and an All-Bronx girls’ soccer awards in the following edition. We will enjoy our very first football awards later this year, so be on the lookout for that.
Moving on to the professional level. It finally happened – the Mets dumped Willie Randolph last week in shocking fashion.
Could anyone imagine being called into a hotel room in the wee hours of the morning after enjoying a very productive work day, as Randolph had with a big win over the Angels, and being unceremoniously fired by your boss?
Then imagine watching as the lackluster staff you once oversaw suddenly learns how to do their job without you. It just can’t feel good, but at least Mets fans have reason to celebrate again. Their team is winning and are now only 3.5 games behind the slumping Philadelphia Phillies.
And now the Yankees are winning games again. Yes, Bob’s Bronx Bombers are pulling off amazing feats, picking up big wins, as they try to stay afloat in a dominant AL East division. But the Red Sox are just too dominant a team and barring any major slips, I have a feeling the Yankees will be leaving their former stadium as a wild card team that just came up short.
I guess, in baseball’s case, it’s amazing what a change in leadership can do for a team.
The same philosophy could work for the Knicks, who I believe will be vying for a championship in a few years. You can bet on it, unless you’re an NBA referee…then you really shouldn’t.
And that will do it for this week. I hope everyone has a Happy Fourth of July. Keep it safe.
