Sunday, February 5, 2023

Little League begins at the base of the Huachuca Mountains

 From the desk of Dan Price

A sunny day on a ballfield at the base of the Huachuca Mountains in Sierra Vista, Arizona. It's the first Saturday of February. It's nine o'clock in the morning.

I'm, of course, the newcomer in town looking for something to do. I see a group of kids gathering at Stone 1 field, the north baseball field at the Sierra Vista Sports Complex, within walking distance of my residence.

I, of course, didn't walk there but drove, and as it turned out, I was glad I did. My baseball gear was stored safely in the trunk of my car.

I made friends quickly. Sure, I can help out I said.

I quickly recalled the baseball movie Rookie with Dennis Quaid. It was the scene when he considered giving up the game for good. However, it was nighttime, and he had reached the edge of the fence and waved to the young centerfielder just seconds before the next pitch of the Little League game.

He smiled and walked away.

"Do you want to hit infield?"

"Sure, I said." It was evaluation day. 

The young man said. "They get five swings, then run to third and hustle to short, and you hit each of them three ground balls."

One by one, the little leaguers rushed to the plate and did exactly as they were told. Eventually, each one grabbed their glove and hustled to the shortstop position. I hit a ball to every one of them as instructed.

Three hours later, I was tired, but I had a smile. I'm back in the game.

"We can sure use you," said one of the volunteer coaches.

To make a long story shot. If I pass the background check, I might get a call.

Could I be in the right place at the right time?


We will see.


Saturday, February 4, 2023

Wildcats dominate Oregon State at McKale, 84-52

Arizona Wildcats Basketball

Arizona  (21-3, 10-3) dominated Oregon State tonight at McKale with a runaway 84-52 win.

The fifth-ranked Wildcats cruised in this one, with Azoulas Tubelis again leading the way with 19 points and eight rebounds.

Arizona jumped out to a 47-21 halftime lead and kept up with the defensive pressure in the second half as the Beavers shot 35.6 percent from the field and 33.3 percent (5 of 16) from long range, while the Wildcats took care of business, hitting 46.7 percent from the field (28-60) while canning 10 of 25 3-pointers -- including a long, long-range, nothing-but-net job from Kylan Boswell as the buzzer sounded at the end of the first half.

Pelle Larsson finished in double-digits with 10 points, and Courtney Ramey added 11.

Arizona remains one game back of UCLA (19-4, 10-2) in the Pac-12 Conference.  


Cochise Health & Racquet Club - the gem of gyms in Sierra Vista

From the desk of Dan Price

Chillin' in Cochise County



From a senior perspective, I have found the gem of gyms in downtown Sierra Vista, Arizona.

I'm the newest Cochise Health and Racquet Club member of the 41-year-old establishment, located just east of the city's center, off Hwy 92.

I assumed I would soon discover that I'd be one of the club's oldest members, which opened way back in 1982 and has expanded to a spacious 30,000-square-foot facility over the years. 

The Manager of Club Operations, Lynne Mullaney, who has been with the club for 32 of those 41 years, says I'm far from being the oldest.

Above is the photo of the oldest member, 99-year-old World War II veteran Jerry Consiglio.

"Jerry will turn 100 years old in July and works out three days a week at the club," Mullaney added. "Our youngest member is seven years old and has to be accompanied by a parent."

As for Consiglio, well, he has the run of the place.

The real good news is: I feel at home there. That's a start!


CRC is a pleasant place to work on mind and soul...



 




Thursday, February 2, 2023

Tubelis rules in win over Oregon

 Arizona Wildcats Basketball

Arizona improved to 20-3 overall and 9-3 in the Pac-12 Conference with a 91-76 win over Oregon tonight at McKale. Azoulas Tubelis scored a career-high 40 points as the Wildcats put it all together and avenged their 19-point loss at Oregon last month.

Four players ended up in double figures. Along with Tubelis, point guard Kerr Kriisa played a solid 39 minutes with seven assists and 13 points, including 4 of 8 3-pointers, while Oumar Ballo logged a 10-point, 11-rebound night, and Cedric Henderson Jr. added a 10 spot to the mix.

Pelle Larsson came off the bench and finished with nine points and five assists on the night.

Arizona, ranked 5th in the nation this week, shot 53.4 percent from the field, hitting 31 of 58 attempts and hitting from long range combining on 10 of 23 3-pointers.

Way to go, Wildcats!

Up next: Oregon State on Saturday.

Photo: Tubelis

Wednesday, February 1, 2023

Bookemdanosports reaches 4,500 posts

To my readers:

Bookemdanosports reached another milestone today -- 4,500 posts since 2009.

I dropped off a bit with my articles in 2022. I plan to pick up the pace in the coming months.

I don't know how many more little stories are left inside the head of this old codger (photo below). But let's give it the old college try in 2023 as I set up residence in Cochise County.

I met some interesting people during my first two weeks in Sierra Vista, Arizona, including Thomas Romack's sister. Thomas was a former star linebacker at Buena High School (2013 grad). Romack's sister, Ashley, works at Texas Roadhouse and talked sports with me for a few minutes the other day as I chopped down on a lettuce and tomato salad. Ashley graduated from Cienega High School in Tucson in 2007, the same year as former Bobcat and Arizona standout baseball player Seth Mejias-Brean. 

As for Ashley's brother: Thomas Romack took over the Tucson Sunnyside High School football program in 2022 from Coach Glenn Posey, who retired in May of 2022 after 32 years of coaching in the Tucson area.

Another connection last week led me to Wayne Durham and a job interview with him at the Sierra Vista Municipal Airport. Durham is the head airport technician and is searching for fuelers to fill up the big transporters this summer during the fire season.

I'm too old to climb on the wing of a 747 and fill the plane with fuel, but Durham did connect me with a fellow in town who is hiring umpires for the city leagues. A few hours later, I was hired as an umpire for the spring and fall season, which gets underway on April 1.

As for Mr. Durham, he received All-American honors at Adams State University in Alamosa, Colorado as a punter in football in 2007. He was a track and field star, too, not in just one event but the Decathlon. So when I walked into Durham's office, I eyed all the NCAA trophies above his desk.

Durham averaged 44 yards a kick in football and was second in Division II in 2007. Durham also ran the 100 meters, 400 meters, 1500 meters, and 110-meter-high hurdles, and threw the javelin, discus, and shot put, pole vaulted, did the high jump and the long jump. He tallied 7,086 points in the 10 events.

Durham still looks like he could jump over the wing of a 747. As for me, no way. 

We also discussed men's softball in Sierra Vista. I might be able to play on an open co-ed team this summer, but the men's softball teams are pretty competitive; many of the players are in the Army and have played all over the world. Can I make the grade with those guys? I'm certainly willing to give it a shot.

I mean, I'm 77. These guys are in their 30s...or younger!

I plan to play some co-ed softball and do some umpiring, and when I can, I'll head for Tucson and play with my 60-and-over guys on the Tucson Old Timers at Udall Park.

That's all for now. Until we meet again...  



I'm back...

 

From the desk of Dan Price...

I'm back!

And since I've been away...

Kansas City held on last Sunday and took down Cincinnati 23-20. At the same time, the Philadelphia Eagles rolled over Brock Purdy and the San Francisco 49ers 31-7, setting up the final contestants for the Super Bowl on Sunday, February 12, in Glendale, Arizona.

Speaking of Purdy.

I was in my final year as a sportswriter with Independent Newspapers in Gilbert, Arizona, in 1999. The year Purdy was born! Purdy lived in Queen Creek, Arizona, a suburb of Gilbert, and grew up to be a prep star at Perry High School, moved on to his college digs at Iowa State, and, of course, you diehard football fans know the rest of the story.

A few days ago, Purdy was the starting quarterback in the NFC Championship game. Unfortunately, he was injured during the game and may be out for six months or more if he elects to have surgery on the Ulnar Collateral Ligament of his elbow.

Closer to home, my Arizona Wildcats are on a roll with a sweep at home over USC and UCLA two weeks ago and an on-the-road sweep of the Washington schools last week. This week, the Oregon schools visit McKale.

Arizona's latest antics haven't gone unnoticed as the Wildcats reached No. 5 in the nation this week in the AP Men's College Basketball poll with a 19-3 overall record.

Way to go, Wildcats!

As for me, I'm living with hummingbirds now.

Well, a few miles away anyway, near Ramsey Canyon.

The area attracts 170 species of birds, including rare hummingbirds and golden eagles, hawks, and woodpeckers. The locals say hummingbirds will be around from late March until late September.

Enough of birds.

I'm finding my way around Sierra Vista and landed an umpiring gig from April to October. It's slow-pitch softball, a far cry from the sport of baseball that I love. I may do some high school baseball umpiring in Sierra Vista and surrounding towns like Benson, Bisbee, Willcox, Tombstone, St. David, and even Douglas.

Of course, at 77 years of age, I'll need to take baby steps. There's only so much this old-timer can do. I may be a stringer for the local paper and cover high school sports.

And I need to return to Tucson from time to time and play with my favorite baseball team, the 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers. I'm still a member in good standing. At least, I think I am.

That's all for now. More to come...


Photo: of the old-timer -- the roving reporter.


TOTS play only eight games in January

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball


The TOTS played only eight games at Tucson Udall Park during January due to the weather. Only four players reached double digits in hits, led by Joe Opocensky, with 16 hits in 27 at-bats. Gary Cuttler banged out 13 hits in 25 at-bats, Ron Ryan went 10 for 21, and newcomer Jon Beady jumped onto the scene with a blistering 11 hits in just 12 official plate appearances.

Five players tied for the most RBI with eight: Mike Dawson, Sam Dean, Ryan, Cuttler, and Opocensky.

Dawson ended up the workhorse on the mound logging 26 innings and compiling a 2-1 record with one save.

The TOTS are back at Udall on Feb. 1, hoping for more sunny days and games.

from roving reporter Pigpen Price


The January leaders;

Joe Opocensky


16 for 27, eight RBI in January


Mike Dawson

Logged 26 innings on the mound in January, sporting a 2-1 record with a save.

Way to go, TOTS...