25th anniversary article about Orioles pitcher Mike Boddicker, from Norway July 23, 2008
Posted by John in Sports.Tags: Baltimore Orioles, Baseball, Mike Boddicker, Norway (Iowa), University of Iowa
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From Baltimore Sun:
Boddicker grew up in Norway, a farm town of 633 near Cedar Rapids. He was a star strikeout pitcher at the University of Iowa and vaulted to Triple-A Rochester less than a year after the Orioles picked him in the sixth round in 1978.
He got called up to make his first big league start in late 1980, but for the next 2 1/2 seasons, he was stuck. …
Watch Cedar Rapids native Ryan Sweeney’s solo home run from last night’s game July 6, 2008
Posted by John in Sports.Tags: Baseball, Oakland A's, Oakland Athletics, Ryan Sweeney, Xavier High School (Cedar Rapids Iowa)
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From MLB.com video
“Ryan Sweeney puts the A’s on the board with a home run”
Oakland A’s outfielder and Cedar Rapids native Ryan Sweeney calls himself ‘biggest slap hitter in the league’ May 24, 2008
Posted by John in Sports.Tags: Baseball, home runs, Major League Baseball, Oakland A's, Oakland Athletics, Ryan Sweeney
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From Yahoo! MLB Sports Rumors:
“I mock Ryan [Sweeney] for being a 6-foot-5, 220-pound singles hitter,” [Brian] Anderson said.
“That’s what I call myself,” the A’s rookie outfielder countered. “I’m the biggest slap hitter in the league. Although I have as many homers as Brian – we’re tied right now. … Home runs aren’t my game, but I’ve always gotten that because of the way I look. People are automatically, ‘Home run, home run!’ “
Recent Gazette article about Ryan Sweeney here: Baseball is A’s-OK for Sweeney.
Blog of Cedar Rapids Kernels catcher Chris Rosenbaum May 1, 2008
Posted by John in Sports.Tags: Baseball, blogs, Cedar Rapids Kernels, Chris Rosenbaum, New York State
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Blog: Looking through the Mask, with posts appearing on this page by The Independent, “covering Columbia and southern Rensselaer counties in New York State.”
Chris Rosenbaum is a catcher for the Cedar Rapids (Iowa) Kernels, a Class A affiliate of the L.A. Angels of Anaheim. Last year, he was with the Orem (Utah) Owls, a rookie league Angles affiliate. Rosenbaum, who lives in the off-season in Castleton, is a graduate of Columbia High. …
For another news item related to Chris Rosenbaum see recent LIAI post, Kernel’s baseball bats banned from boarding bus bound for blessings.
Kernel’s baseball bats banned from boarding bus bound for blessings April 21, 2008
Posted by John in Sports.Tags: Baseball, Cedar Rapids Kernels, Chris Rosenbaum, Christopher Rosenbaum, Minor league baseball, Pope Benedict XVI
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From Times Union (New York):
For the many upstate Catholics, the pilgrimage began at dawn Sunday, when buses left the Albany Diocese’s Pastoral Center. Kathy Rosenbaum’s husband, Jeffrey, had a special request before his wife boarded one of the buses: Could she take some of her son’s baseball bats with her to be blessed?
The Rosenbaums’ 24-year-old son, Christopher, is a catcher for the Los Angeles Angels’ Class A minor league baseball team in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
But Kathy, of East Schodack, had to say no. She wasn’t even allowed to take an umbrella because of security concerns.
Still, plenty of other items were aboard, such as medals, rosaries, pillows and small coolers filled with snacks. …
Photos of Ottumwa, Iowa, native Tom Arnold throwing ceremonial pitch at Wrigley Field April 19, 2008
Posted by John in Sports.Tags: Baseball, Chicago Cubs, Ottumwa (Iowa), Tom Arnold, Wrigley Field
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Image via WikipediaCHICAGO – APRIL 17: Actor Tom Arnold throws a ceremonial first pitch before a game between the Chicago Cubs and the Cincinnati Reds on April 17, 2008 at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
Actor Tom Arnold throws out the ceremonial first pitch before the Chicago Cubs played the Cincinnati Reds in a baseball game at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Thursday, April 17, 2008. (AP Photo/Brian Kersey)
Actor Tom Arnold tosses a ball after throwing out the ceremonial first pitch before the Chicago Cubs played the Cincinnati Reds in a baseball game at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Thursday, April 17, 2008. (AP Photo/Brian Kersey)
Baseball coach and former Cedar Rapids Reds player dies in clubhouse after game April 15, 2008
Posted by John in Biography, Sports.Tags: Baseball, Cedar Rapids Reds, Emil Drzayich
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From Idaho Statesman:
[Emil] Drzayich, a longtime baseball figure in the Treasure Valley and the assistant baseball coach at Eagle for the past 10 years, died in the Eagle Yard clubhouse after Friday night’s game against Boise. He was 53. The cause of death has not been released. Services are pending, under the direction of Summers Funeral Homes, Ustick Chapel.
“If you could pick a place for that man to pass, it would be in a clubhouse,” said Eagle coach Frank Wright, a longtime friend who was at Drzayich’s side when he collapsed. “He had great compassion for baseball and love for the game. Our kids absolutely loved him.” …
Drzayich grew up in Mingo Junction, Ohio, and played at Ohio University, where he broke major league Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt’s career home run record. He later played professionally for the Boise Buckskins and the Cincinnati Reds’ affiliate in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
UPDATE: Eagle High coach died from heart disease
Former Cedar Rapids turf manager named head groundskeeper for San Francisco Giants March 19, 2008
Posted by John in Biography, Jobs, Sports.Tags: Baseball, Cedar Rapids (Iowa), Cedar Rapids Kernels, Greg Elliott, Groundskeepers, San Francisco Giants, Turf Management
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From Athletic Turf News:
EASTLAKE, OH — The Lake County Captains, the Class A affiliate of the Major League Cleveland Indians,, recently announced that Greg Elliott, 4-time winner of the South Atlantic League (SAL) Groundskeeper of the Year Award, has been named the new head groundskeeper for the San Francisco Giants. …
Prior to joining the Captains in 2002, Elliott previously served as the Sports Turf Manager for the Cedar Rapids Kernels, a Class-A Midwest League team in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. His experience also includes …
Ryne Sandberg returns to Cedar Rapids (as Peoria Chiefs manager) January 21, 2008
Posted by John in Sports.Tags: Baseball, Cedar Rapids Kernels, Peoria Chiefs, Ryne Sandberg
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Posted at OurSports Central:
Former Chicago Cub and Hall of Fame second baseman Ryne Sandberg returns for his second season as manager of the Peoria Chiefs and you can watch him in action when the Chiefs visit Veterans Memorial Stadium for the only time in 2008 on May 5-7. …
Most recent GazetteOnline articles about Ryne Sandberg:
Article Date: 08/18/07
Sandberg remains a popular figure
The gates at Veterans Memorial Stadium opened at 6 p.m., and by 6:01 the line had already formed to get Ryne Sandberg’s autograph. Fans rushed into place with their baseballs, bats, pictures, cards and books, all anxious to say hello to the xi…More >>
Article Date: 07/09/07
Kernels ready for a break
Three straight days off. No baseball. No heat. Lots of air conditioning and plenty of rest. That’s the recipe for the Cedar Rapids Kernels as the Midwest League takes a brief vacation during the Major League All-Star game. For the Kernels, it comes…More >>
Article Date: 05/29/07
Potent bats carry Kernels
Much of the crowd of 2,201 at Memorial Stadium came to see Ryne Sandberg. But it was Cedar Rapids Kernels’ hitters who looked like Hall of Famers last night. Particularly in the seventh inning. Seven runs in the seventh brought the Kernels a 9-3 win…More >>
Article Date: 05/29/07
Sandberg enjoying return to minors
The ballparks and fields are nicer. You can actually watch movies during the bus rides. The minor leagues are a much different deal than they were when Ryne Sandberg was a player. “I’m enjoying myself,” Sandberg said during a press conference…More >> Article Date: 05/29/07
VIDEO: Sandberg says goal is to manage in the Big Leagues
Article Date: 05/28/07
Sandberg a windfall for Midwest League
Rocky Vonachen thought he hit the jackpot last season when Jody Davis was the manager of his Peoria Chiefs baseball club. Peoria, Ill., is geographically close to Chicago, of course, and has long been a Chicago Cubs town. There’s nothing better than…More >>
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