Thursday, May 17, 2012
Joliet Catholic Academy held a ceremony to dedicate a new baseball backstop for Gillespie Field.
It was a beautiful day for a ballgame. And an even better day for a ceremony. Joliet Catholic Academy dedicated its new baseball backstop for Gillespie Field on Wednesday afternoon, including a pair of plaques that were made to commemorate the project’s completion. Coordinated by the Development Office and with the approval of the administration, the extended, state-of-the-art backstop, new grandstand platform and landscaping was a project initiated by the families of the baseball program and achieved through the generosity of the JCA baseball community. Jeffrey Budz, JCA’s Principal and CEO, was joined by Athletic Director Dan Sharp and Hilltopper baseball coach Jared Voss as speakers before the Rev. Jeff Smialek offered a prayer and …
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Area 5th grader excels in school, sports, and helping others.
A big sister is someone who watches out for you, teaches you important stuff and always sets a good example. Magnolia “Maggie” Powell of Channahon does just that. The oldest of three siblings, Powell is an honors student at Three Rivers Elementary School, an avid softball player, and a young philanthropist who earlier this year raised over $1,400 for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation which benefits kids with cancer. Powell heard about St. Baldrick’s when Officer Michael Lazzari came to her school to promote the annual event. Maggie was inspired by the idea of helping people and donating her hair to someone who had no choice but to lose theirs. Maggie diligently raised funds and then shaved her beautiful locks clean off in support of the …
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Joliet Catholic Academy football players Bolton, Rodriguez and Smith committed to play in college.
Surgery for appendicitis sidelined Joliet Catholic Academy tight end Nick Rodriguez down the stretch this past season during the Hilltoppers’ drive to the Class 5A state championship game. It could not stop him, however. “It was a tough situation, but God had a plan,” Rodriguez recalled. “Not being able to play was tough, but just being there with my teammates was a gift and it’s something I will always look back on.” Alongside all-conference guard Carson Smith and linebacker/defensive lineman Austin Bolton, Rodriguez was able to look back on his time at JCA as the three seniors announced their college commitments. Both Rodriguez and Bolton, who led the Hillmen with 111 tackles on 53 solos and added 4 hurries, committed to Millikin …
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Cubs standout centerfielder Bob Dernier, now associate head coach and director of baseball operations for the Will County CrackerJacks, will be in Shorewood.
Former Cub centerfielder Bob Dernier coached first base for the North Siders two years ago. This year he will help run things for the Will County CrackerJacks as the squad's associate head coach and director of baseball operations. And on Thursday Dernier will be at Conrad's Harley-Davidson in Shorewood, where he will meet with Chamber of Commerce members from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. The CrackerJacks are entering their second season as the local entry in a collegiate wooden bat league set to open its season Friday. Last season, the CrackerJacks won the Midwest Collegiate League Championship, and are of course looking to repeat the feat in 2012. The organization is keeping tradition alive following their championship inaugural season. They kicked …
Monday, April 30, 2012
The Deadspin feature highlighted yet another umpire with local ties. Kind of.
Last week we told you about the Deadspin feature Better Know an Umpire because it profiled former Shorewood resident (and Shorewood Patch blogger) Mark Carlson. Today Deadspin turned its spotlight on Laz Diaz, who may be from Miami, but is best know for his run-in with Bolingbrook's own Eric Dybas. Deadspin backs us up on this too: "Diaz was attacked by a drunken fan during a game at US Cellular Field on April 15, 2003. Diaz, who was not hurt, later said, 'We spoke about it in the locker room, this is where Tom Gamboa got attacked. We thought nothing was going to happen, but it was a full moon out there.' Eric Dybas later pled guilty and got six months in jail." Deadspin calls this Diaz's "claim to fame," and we have to agree.
If Wally Backman ever gets a broadcast job it's probably going to have to be on HBO.
Before there was the Slammers (Shorewood's favorite professional baseball team!) there was the JackHammers. And the last manager in the JackHammers' glorious nine-year history was none other than New York Mets immortal (and fan favorite) Wally Backman. Well, this morning Deadspin posted a clip from "Playing For Peanuts Uncensored, the more swear-y version of the 2008 documentary that captured life with the South Georgia Peanuts." The video shows Backman, um, encouraging his team? Anyway, the way Deadspin puts it, "this latest clip of Wally working his motivational charms is decidedly NSFW." So click on this link at your own risk.
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Joliet Catholic Academy's Chris Blatti, Mallory Goulding and Hailey Pennington will continue their athletic careers in college.
After playing two seasons of varsity softball and then transferring to Joliet Catholic Academy for her final two years, senior Mallory Goulding has developed into an expert on picking the proper school. “The feeling you get when you walk into a place,” Goulding said, “is what makes it special for me.” First JCA. And now … Goulding, a pitcher and first baseman, confirmed her commitment with NAIA softball standout Benedictine College of Kansas last Wednesday on National Letter of Intent Signing Day in JCA’s Heritage Hall. A Plainfield native, Goulding is the daughter of David and Constance. She was joined at the ceremony by baseball pitcher Chris Blatti, the son of Michael and Mary, who signed with NAIA power Joliet St. Francis. Completing …
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Shorewood's own Mark Carlson was featured today on Deadspin.
Major League Umpire, Most Interesting Man in Troy Township (2011) and erstwhile Shorewood Patch blogger Mark Carlson was spotlighted in Deadspin's ongoing feature Better Know an Umpire. The piece profiles Carlson's professional work, listing the leagues he umped in before making the bigs, his height and weight, uniform number, and this "claim to fame:" "Causing Cubs pitcher Carlos Zambrano to completely lose his mind in May 2009. Video showed Carlson's call was correct, and Zambrano was suspended for six games." While Carlson called Shorewood home while he was blogging for Shorewood Patch, we recently heard he and his family moved to Florida. We just gave him a call on his cell to ask but haven't heard back yet. Interestingly, the Deadspin…
Sunday, April 22, 2012
We've got a fever, and the only prescription is more Shorewood Rewind.
Spring is in full swing. We love spring. And we love Shorewood. And we especially love Shorewood in the springtime. We love Shorewood so much that we want to show you all the things going on there that make it lovable. So let's do that. Join us, if you will, for another SHOREWOOD REWIND: Immortals was Shorewood's favorite movie rental. It was tax day. Meghan Moreno of Shorewood was the runner-up in a prestigious contest and was honored for her good works. House Hunt! Jewel was the Readers' Choice this week. Svengooli is coming to a Slammers game in July.
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Svengoolie is slated to pay a visit to Shorewood's favorite professional baseball team — the Slammers!
The Slammers — Shorewood's favorite professional baseball team — has a special guest scheduled to drop by in July, and that guest is none other than ... Svengoolie! That's right, it's Halloween in the middle of summer, as the frighteningly funny Svengoolie is coming out to haunt the friendly confines of Silver Cross Field. "Book your tickets now for Friday, July 6 as Svengoolie will be on hand at Silver Cross Field thanks to the Slammers’ partnership with Me-TV," the Slammers are saying in a recently released statement. "The Chicago television icon will sign autographs and entertain the fans during a frightfully fun Friday night at the yard. Fans will enjoy a variety of Halloween-themed entertainment during the 'Friday Fright Night' …
Flora Dora
8:34 am on Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Good luck to Dernier and the Cracker Jacks. (what a great name for a baseball team!) more ›