--Program to Reward Inspirational Stories of Going to Bat Against Breast Cancer--
Major League Baseball® (MLB) and Susan G. Komen for the Cure®, the world’s largest breast cancer organization, today launched the 2010 Honorary Bat Girl Contest, a campaign developed in celebration of Mother’s Day in ballparks around the country to recognize MLB fans who are Going to Bat Against Breast Cancer in their daily lives. Men and women 18 and older can go online at www.mlb.com/honorarybatgirl to vote and enter to win a chance at becoming the team’s Honorary Bat Girl during this year’s scheduled Mother’s Day celebration on May 9.
Visiting Clubs on Mother’s Day will select another date in May to recognize their winners. The Honorary Bat Girl for the Angels will have an opportunity to take part in pre-game activities, be honored during an on-field ceremony and receive two tickets to the game and pink MLB merchandise. MLB.com, the official web site of MLB, has begun accepting fan submissions for the online contest that ends April 13.
During the six-week online submission period, baseball fans can share and vote on stories of inspiration and hope of how they are supporting the fight against breast cancer in their daily lives and why they want to be an Honorary Bat Girl for the Angels. Testimonials can be submitted by breast cancer survivors, advocates and supporters of the cause. A celebrity panel of judges will select the winning submission, based on the following criteria: originality, quality of writing, demonstration of commitment to breast cancer awareness and public appeal as determined by online fan votes.
“We feel privileged to have the opportunity to raise awareness for this very important cause”, team Chairman Dennis Kuhl said. “While we continue the fight against breast cancer, it is imperative that we honor those whose have given of themselves to help others.”
The program was introduced in 2009 to raise additional awareness and support for the annual Going to Bat Against Breast Cancer initiative, a joint effort between MLB, its licensed partners and Komen for the Cure. Last year, more than 1,000 testimonials were submitted online and one winner per Club was selected by a panel of judges and nearly 2.2 million fan votes were cast.
On Mother’s Day (May 9), Major League Baseball and its Clubs, along with Komen for the Cure, will celebrate the Going to Bat Against Breast Cancer initiative, which is designed to raise awareness about the breast cancer cause, while also raising funds to support breast cancer research.
Hundreds of MLB players will use pink bats by Louisville Slugger, the Official Bat of Major League Baseball, stamped with the MLB breast cancer logo. To further demonstrate their support for the breast cancer cause, players and on-field personnel will wear the symbolic pink ribbon on their uniforms along with pink wrist bands. Commemorative dugout lineup cards also will be pink. In addition to promotional support, Major League Baseball Charities has committed $50,000 to Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Game-used Louisville Slugger pink bats will be auctioned off at MLB.com at a later date to raise additional funds for Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Fans can purchase their own personalized pink bat at www.mlb.com or www.slugger.com, with $10 from the sale of each pink bat benefitting Komen for the Cure.
A certain amount of responsibility comes to a player when his talent and hard work produce a certain level of consistent production. When you become one of the main reasons a team wins or loses, your coaches and teammates depend on you each and every game. If a player does something to unnecessarily take himself out of a game, he is essentially letting everyone down.
That's exactly what Chris Kaman did to his Clippers coaches and teammates Friday in Phoenix. He let them down.
After scoring 12 points in the first half, Kaman got whistled for two technical fouls just 20 seconds into the 3rd quarter after mouthing off at the officials.
"Chris has to keep his cool, especially being an All-Star center," said Baron Davis. "He knows we need him. It was just an unfortunate situation."
Long Beach, Calif., Feb. 24, 2010 -- Jered Weaver has been named a Sports Ambassador for Special Olympics Southern California. The 27-year-old Angel pitcher has been a supporter of Special Olympics since his days competing at California State
University, Long Beach.
The mission of Special Olympics is to empower individuals with intellectual disabilities through sport and competition. As a Sports Ambassador, Weaver will participate in Special Olympics events, including the annual Summer Games and a softball clinic; be featured in Special Olympics PSAs; and provide autographed items for silent auctions.
A Southern California native, Weaver is always ready to give back to the community.
“Everyone should have an opportunity to play sports, and Special Olympics offers that to a group of people who are often excluded from sports activities,” said Weaver. “I’m happy that I can help to spread the word about a great organization like Special Olympics Southern California and how sports can change the lives of people with intellectual disabilities.”
--Giveaways include four Dodger Bobblehead nights, three Dodger action figures, Friday theme nights and two fireworks shows--
LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers will bring fans both new and fan-favorite promotions in 2010 including four Dodger Bobblehead nights, three new Dodger action figures for kids, Friday theme nights and fireworks shows on select dates. Single-game tickets for dates listed on the promotional schedule and for all 2010 Dodger home games will go on sale on Saturday, March 6 at 10:00 a.m. at Dodger Stadium. Fans can purchase group, season tickets and mini-plans now online at dodgers.com, via telephone at 866-DODGERS.
Four Dodger Bobblehead Nights (May 18, June 8, July 20, August 17):
The first Dodger Bobblehead night of the season, presented by Dodgers Banking only at Bank of America, will feature Andre Ethier on May 18. On June 8, the giveaway is the Jonathan Broxton Bobblehead presented by Kaiser Permanente. The James Loney Bobblehead will be the giveaway on July 20 and the final Bobblehead night of the season, presented by San Manuel Indian Bingo & Casino, will be on August 17 and feature Matt Kemp. All Bobbleheads are available to the first 50,000 fans in attendance.
Three Dodger Action Figures for Kids 14 & under (June 3, July 8, July 22)
A new giveaway item this season is the Dodger action figure collection for kids 14 & under. The series will feature the Dodgers’ starting outfield with the first Dodger action figure, presented by the California Table Grape Commission, featuring Matt Kemp on June 3. An Andre Ethier action figure presented by Claim Jumper Restaurants will be given away on July 8 and then on July 22 the Dodgers will offer a Manny Ramirez action figure presented by Farmer John on the one year anniversary of Ramirez’s memorable grand slam on his 2009 Bobblehead night. All action figures are available to the first 15,000 kids in attendance.
Eight Dodger Poster Giveaways (May 7, May 21, June 4, July 9, July 23, August 20, September 17)
May 7 is 60s night with a poster featuring the Dodger coaches. May 21 is Empire Strikes Back Night with a commemorative poster celebrating the 30th Anniversary of the movie’s release. June 4 is 70s night with a poster featuring James Loney and Casey Blake. July 9 will feature a Dodgers Young Guns poster that includes Jonathan Broxton, Chad Billingsley and Clayton Kershaw. On July 23, the Dodgers will honor the first World Championship in franchise history on 55 since ‘55 Night with a poster featuring Vin Scully. August 6 is 80s night and the poster will feature Matt Kemp. August 20 is 90s night and the poster will feature Andre Ethier. Finally, on September 17, the poster will feature Manny Ramirez. All poster giveaways are available to the first 20,000 fans in attendance.
New for 2010 will be Viva Los Dodgers Days (April 18, May 2, May 9, May 23, June 6, June 13, June 27, July 11, July 25, August 8, August 22, September 5) celebrating Hispanic culture in Los Angeles and the legacy of Latin-American Dodger players past and present. These pre-game events will feature live music, food and a family-friendly celebration as the Dodgers recreate the excitement of past Viva Los Dodgers events every Sunday. Then, on September 19, the Dodgers will also bring back the long-standing tradition Viva Los Dodgers event now called, La Gran Fiesta Viva Los Dodgers.
Additional Dodger promotions include: This Is My Town Fleece Blanket presented by Time Warner Cable (May 4), Manny Ramirez Kids Batting Practice Jersey Presented by Cacique (May 31), Independence Day Fireworks presented by Hyundai (July 5), On Field Photo Day (July 10), Beach Towel giveaway (August 4), Cooler Bag giveaway presented by Farmer John (August 31), Labor Day Weekend Fireworks presented by Dodgers Banking only at Bank of America (September 3), a second Fleece Blanket presented by State Farm (September 21) and Fan Appreciation Day presented by Hyundai (October ).
The Dodgers will also bring back popular branded and all-inclusive sections. My Town (www.dodgers.com/mytown) has more than 40 dates this season in honor of communities ranging from USC and UCLA, to Japan and Ireland, and even to a Galaxy Far Far Away; Bleacher Beach (www.dodgers.com/beach) will now be open Friday through Sunday; Mannywood (www.dodgers.com/mannywood) will now feature five t-shirt options; and the All-You-Can-Eat Right Field Pavilion (www.dodgers.com/ayce) will see a price decrease of $5 when purchased in advance. All of these sections are available at a group rate to groups of 20 or more.
Individual tickets go on sale on March 6 at 10:00 a.m. online at dodgers.com, via telephone at 866-DODGERS, in person at Dodger Stadium in Lot P or at all Southern California Ticketmaster outlets. All fans purchasing at least one ticket at Dodger Stadium on March 6 will receive two free tickets to the Dodgers’ exhibition home opener against the Cleveland Indians on April 1.
Season ticket options with tickets starting as low as $4 per seat are still available by calling 323-224-1365 or visiting www.dodgers.com/seasontickets. Mini-plans including the 21-game Bobbleslam Plan which includes all four Bobblehead nights can be purchased now by calling 323-224-1365 or visiting www.dodgers.com/miniplans. Group pricing is available for all promotional nights at www.dodgers.com/groups or by calling 323-224-1421.
Chargers News Release: Running back LaDainian Tomlinson, the Chargers all-time leading rusher, was released today after nine remarkable seasons in San Diego.
Chargers President Dean Spanos met with Tomlinson today and informed his veteran running back that he is being released.
“This is a part of the business that I hate, and it’s particularly hard when you’re dealing with someone I consider a friend,” Spanos said. “Change involving great players is never easy. I respect LT as much or more than any player I’ve ever known. And no one appreciates his contributions to this organization more than I do. That is why this is such a difficult announcement for me to make.
“It has been a privilege to work with him and witness his entire career. I’m proud of him and grateful to him for the way he has carried himself both on and off the field.
“No matter where he chooses to continue his career, in my mind LT will always be a San Diego Charger. His legacy as one of the greatest running backs the game has ever seen will be as a Charger.”
Tomlinson owns or shares 28 team records, including career rushing yards, yards from scrimmage and touchdowns. During his nine seasons in San Diego, Tomlinson won two rushing titles (2006 and ’07), set an NFL single-season record for touchdowns in a season (31 in ’06) and racked up 12,490 rushing yards, the eighth-highest total in NFL history. He was the NFL’s Most Valuable Player in 2006 and earned Pro Bowl honors five times.
“I was fortunate to be the offensive coordinator here during LT’s rookie year in 2001 and it didn’t take long to realize that we were dealing with a special player and a special individual,” Chargers Head Coach Norv Turner said. “And when I returned to the Chargers in 2007, I was proud to be a part of his second NFL rushing title.
“LT is a true pro. He’s one of the greatest runners this game has ever seen and words can’t do justice to the things he’s accomplished on and off the field.”
In addition to his long list of achievements on the gridiron, Tomlinson’s tireless efforts in the community have benefitted thousands of individuals in San Diego as well as his native Texas. In 2006, LT received the NFL Man of the Year Award in recognition of his numerous philanthropic efforts.
“It’s fitting that LT’s and LaTorsha’s charity is called the ‘Touching Lives Foundation’ because that’s exactly what they’ve done,” Spanos said. “So many people have been positively affected by their generosity. Our community has been fortunate to have them.”
Tomlinson joined the Chargers in 2001 as the fifth overall selection in the NFL Draft. The Chargers originally held the top pick in the draft, but swung a trade with the Atlanta Falcons, who moved up to take quarterback Michael Vick. The Chargers nervously waited as Tomlinson fell to the fifth spot where they enthusiastically brought him into their fold.
“There were a lot of eyebrows raised when we made that trade, but LT proved to be everything we thought he’d be and more,” Chargers General Manager A.J. Smith said. “He’s a future Hall of Famer. My only regret is that he leaves San Diego without a Super Bowl ring.”
Tomlinson was one of 53 men recognized as the Greatest All-Time Chargers during the team’s 50th anniversary celebration last season and he was recently named to the NFL’s All-Decade Team for the 2000s. His 138 career rushing touchdowns are the second most in NFL history and his 153 total touchdowns ranks third in league annals.
“I look forward to the time when we’ll see his number retired and see him inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame,” Spanos said. “I can’t say enough about how much I’ve enjoyed being around LT and LaTorsha the last nine years.”
Around 40 people including PGA tour executives, Wood's agent, his mother Kultida, sat gathered in three tiers of wooden chairs set in an arc, waiting for him to arrive. The blinds covering the three windows in the room were shut. There was total hush as all eyes turned to a break in the heavy blue drapes. Just the buzz of a helicopter overhead. Then followed his solemn apology, the text of which is already available. After the event, Woods' mother Kultida spoke to reporters. “You know what? I’m so proud to be his mother. Period. This thing, it teaches him, just like golf. When he changes a swing… he wants to get better… He will start getting better… it’s just like that. Golf is just like life, when you make a mistake, you learn from your mistake and move on stronger. That’s the way he is.” “As a human being everyone has faults, makes mistakes and sins. We all do. But, we move on when we make a mistake and learn from it. I am upset the way media treated him like he’s a criminal…he didn’t kill anybody, he didn’t do anything illegal… They’ve being carrying on from thanksgiving until now, that’s not right!” she said. “People don’t understand that Tiger has a very good heart and soul,” she said, citing the role of his foundation in helping kids and also in Thailand. “Sometimes I think there is a complete double standard… He tried to improve himself.” “The tabloids and newspapers just killed him, held him back.. To me it looked like a double standard…" Is it the hardest thing he’ll ever go through? “Yes… When you make a mistake you learn from it and move on, that’s the way life is, that’s a human being. We're not good, and he never claimed he was God. If anyone tells me to condemn him, I say look at yourself first.. .. I would … look in their eyes and tell them you’re not God!” What are your emotions? “Upset… This thing is a family matter… It’s not easy to be him. … (People) go to work 8 to 5 and go home to have a life with the family. Tiger can’t do that.” “You have to look at human side, human make mistake, he not God.” How will Buddhism help? “Buddhism teaches you to go deep inside your soul and look through from himself, and correct the bad thing to be a good thing… When he realized, he said okay, and went back to practice Buddhism and that will make him a much better person."
TIGER WOODS: Good morning, and thank you for joining me. Many of you in this room are my friends. Many of you in this room know me. Many of you have cheered for me or you've worked with me or you've supported me.
Now every one of you has good reason to be critical of me. I want to say to each of you, simply and directly, I am deeply sorry for my irresponsible and selfish behavior I engaged in.
I know people want to find out how I could be so selfish and so foolish. People want to know how I could have done these things to my wife Elin and to my children. And while I have always tried to be a private person, there are some things I want to say.
Elin and I have started the process of discussing the damage caused by my behavior. As Elin pointed out to me, my real apology to her will not come in the form of words; it will come from my behavior over time. We have a lot to discuss; however, what we say to each other will remain between the two of us.
I am also aware of the pain my behavior has caused to those of you in this room. I have let you down, and I have let down my fans. For many of you, especially my friends, my behavior has been a personal disappointment. To those of you who work for me, I have let you down personally and professionally. My behavior has caused considerable worry to my business partners.
To everyone involved in my foundation, including my staff, board of directors, sponsors, and most importantly, the young students we reach, our work is more important than ever. Thirteen years ago, my dad and I envisioned helping young people achieve their dreams through education. This work remains unchanged and will continue to grow. From the Learning Center students in Southern California to the Earl Woods scholars in Washington, D.C., millions of kids have changed their lives, and I am dedicated to making sure that continues.
But still, I know I have bitterly disappointed all of you. I have made you question who I am and how I could have done the things I did. I am embarrassed that I have put you in this position.
For all that I have done, I am so sorry.
I have a lot to atone for, but there is one issue I really want to discuss. Some people have speculated that Elin somehow hurt or attacked me on Thanksgiving night. It angers me that people would fabricate a story like that. Elin never hit me that night or any other night. There has never been an episode of domestic violence in our marriage, ever. Elin has shown enormous grace and poise throughout this ordeal. Elin deserves praise, not blame.
The issue involved here was my repeated irresponsible behavior. I was unfaithful. I had affairs. I cheated. What I did is not acceptable, and I am the only person to blame.
I stopped living by the core values that I was taught to believe in. I knew my actions were wrong, but I convinced myself that normal rules didn't apply. I never thought about who I was hurting. Instead, I thought only about myself. I ran straight through the boundaries that a married couple should live by. I thought I could get away with whatever I wanted to. I felt that I had worked hard my entire life and deserved to enjoy all the temptations around me. I felt I was entitled. Thanks to money and fame, I didn't have to go far to find them.
I was wrong. I was foolish. I don't get to play by different rules. The same boundaries that apply to everyone apply to me. I brought this shame on myself. I hurt my wife, my kids, my mother, my wife's family, my friends, my foundation, and kids all around the world who admired me.
I've had a lot of time to think about what I've done. My failures have made me look at myself in a way I never wanted to before. It's now up to me to make amends, and that starts by never repeating the mistakes I've made. It's up to me to start living a life of integrity.
I once heard, and I believe it's true, it's not what you achieve in life that matters; it's what you overcome. Achievements on the golf course are only part of setting an example. Character and decency are what really count.
Parents used to point to me as a role model for their kids. I owe all those families a special apology. I want to say to them that I am truly sorry.
It's hard to admit that I need help, but I do. For 45 days from the end of December to early February, I was in inpatient therapy receiving guidance for the issues I'm facing. I have a long way to go. But I've taken my first steps in the right direction.
As I proceed, I understand people have questions. I understand the press wants to ask me for the details and the times I was unfaithful. I understand people want to know whether Elin and I will remain together. Please know that as far as I'm concerned, every one of these questions and answers is a matter between Elin and me. These are issues between a husband and a wife.
Some people have made up things that never happened. They said I used performance enhancing drugs. This is completely and utterly false. Some have written things about my family. Despite the damage I have done, I still believe it is right to shield my family from the public spotlight. They did not do these things; I did.
I have always tried to maintain a private space for my wife and children. They have been kept separate from my sponsors, my commercial endorsements. When my children were born, we only released photographs so that the paparazzi could not chase them. However, my behavior doesn't make it right for the media to follow my two and a half year old daughter to school and report the school's location. They staked out my wife and they pursued my mom. Whatever my wrongdoings, for the sake of my family, please leave my wife and kids alone.
I recognize I have brought this on myself, and I know above all I am the one who needs to change. I owe it to my family to become a better person. I owe it to those closest to me to become a better man. That's where my focus will be.
I have a lot of work to do, and I intend to dedicate myself to doing it. Part of following this path for me is Buddhism, which my mother taught me at a young age. People probably don't realize it, but I was raised a Buddhist, and I actively practiced my faith from childhood until I drifted away from it in recent years. Buddhism teaches that a craving for things outside ourselves causes an unhappy and pointless search for security. It teaches me to stop following every impulse and to learn restraint. Obviously I lost track of what I was taught.
As I move forward, I will continue to receive help because I've learned that's how people really do change. Starting tomorrow, I will leave for more treatment and more therapy. I would like to thank my friends at Accenture and the players in the field this week for understanding why I'm making these remarks today.
In therapy I've learned the importance of looking at my spiritual life and keeping in balance with my professional life. I need to regain my balance and be centered so I can save the things that are most important to me, my marriage and my children.
That also means relying on others for help. I've learned to seek support from my peers in therapy, and I hope someday to return that support to others who are seeking help. I do plan to return to golf one day, I just don't know when that day will be.
I don't rule out that it will be this year. When I do return, I need to make my behavior more respectful of the game. In recent weeks I have received many thousands of emails, letters and phone calls from people expressing good wishes. To everyone who has reached out to me and my family, thank you. Your encouragement means the world to Elin and me.
I want to thank the PGA TOUR, Commissioner Finchem, and the players for their patience and understanding while I work on my private life. I look forward to seeing my fellow players on the course.
Finally, there are many people in this room, and there are many people at home who believed in me.
Today I want to ask for your help. I ask you to find room in your heart to one day believe in me again.
If you are ever fortunate enough to sit close enough to Jeanie Buss during a Lakers game, you won’t only see the team’s Executive Vice President of Business Operations cheering on her family’s team, you will also see her routinely typing on her phone.
No, she’s not sending her boyfriend, Phil Jackson texts about defensive strategy or substitution patterns. In fact, you can see for yourself exactly what she’s saying right on her Twitter page: @jeaniebuss.
“A lot of times I tweet during games and when I want to pull my hair out because we missed a shot or the game is getting too close, and I’m nervous,” said Buss. “So I’m sharing that with all the people who follow me on Twitter.
“It just makes it an experience for Laker fans because I consider myself a fan. So I feel like I get to be with everybody and go through the same emotions.”
In 2010, even the most high-profile people have Twitter accounts, but you might be surprised where Jeanie got her inspiration to dive head first into social networking.
ANAHEIM, CA – The Angels announced Wednesday that individual game tickets for the 2010 regular season will go on sale Saturday, February 27th, beginning at 9:00 a.m. at the Angel Stadium Ticket Office (located at the Home Plate Gate), online, by telephone and at various TicketMaster outlets throughout Southern California.
Tickets for all regular season games will be on sale and tickets will be available on a first come, first served basis. The ticket office windows will be open for ticket sales from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., beginning Saturday, February 27th. Only cash and credit cards (Visa, MasterCard and American Express) will be accepted.
There is a maximum purchase limit of eight (8) tickets per person, per game, except for the following contests, which have a four (4) ticket limit: April 5 (Opening Day), April 23-25 (vs. Yankees), June 22-24 (vs. Dodgers) and July 26-27 (vs. Red Sox). Group orders of 25 or more per game will be referred to a Group Sales representative.
Angels individual game tickets will also go on sale throughout Southern California, February 27th at 9:00 a.m. PST, at all TicketMaster Ticket Centers, including select Macy’s stores, Ritmo Latino, La Curacao and f.y.e. (please check local outlet hours). Charge-by-phone orders will also be taken through TicketMaster at (714) 663-9000. Tickets may also be obtained through the Internet at the Angels’ website www.angelsbaseball.com, also beginning at 9:00 a.m. on February 27th.
The Angels, who captured a third consecutive A.L. West Division title in 2009, will launch the 2010 regular season Monday, April 5th against the Minnesota Twins at Angel Stadium at 7:05 PM (PDT).
For further information about 2010 Angels Individual game tickets (including pricing and location), please visit the Angels website (www.angelsbaseball.com). To purchase Angels’ season tickets, special mini-plans, single-game suite rentals and group tickets, contact (888) 796-HALO (4256) or speak to an Angels’ representative in person at Angel Stadium on Saturday February 27th.
-- ANGELS --
Visit the Angels on the Internet at: www.angelsbaseball.com
--PRIME TICKET and KCAL to televise more Spring Training games than ever before--
LOS ANGELES - The Los Angeles Dodgers today announced their 2010 Spring Training broadcast schedule. Fourteen of the Dodgers’ thirty-two spring games will be televised, which is more than the Dodgers and their broadcast partners have ever made available to fans.
PRIME TICKET will carry 11 games live, KCAL 9 will broadcast three and the remainder will air on KABC 790, KHJ La Ranchera 930 and the Dodger Radio Network.
The first telecast of 2010 will air on PRIME TICKET when the Dodgers take on the White Sox at Camelback Ranch – Glendale for their first Spring Training home game. The March 17 St. Patrick’s Day game and the March 20 7:05 p.m. game against San Diego will also air on PRIME TICKET and the 11 televised games are more than the network has ever broadcast for fans. In an effort to provide more Spring Training games to fans than ever before, PRIME TICKET’s “Camelback Vision” telecasts will air with minimized production, as is appropriate for the atmosphere of Spring Training.
Game announcers for the 11 games on PRIME TICKET will be shared across multiple Dodgers broadcast teams including Play-by-play Announcer Eric Collins alongside Analyst Steve Lyons and Play-by-Play Announcer Charley Steiner alongside Analyst Rick Monday.
KCAL 9 will televise the Dodgers’ March 21 contest against the Cleveland Indians and the March 27 game against Seattle. The network will also broadcast the final game of Spring Training when the Dodgers host the Angels at Dodger Stadium on April 3. Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully will be behind the microphone for all three games.
Tickets to games at Camelback Ranch – Glendale are available at www.dodgers.com/spring, by calling 1-800-745-300, or in person at the Camelback Ranch box office Mon. - Fri. from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. For season seats, mini plans, groups and suites, fans can call (623) 303-4000.
Los Angeles Clippers center Chris Kaman has been named by NBA Commissioner David Stern to the Western Conference Team for the 2010 NBA All-Star Game. Kaman will replace injured West all-star guard Brandon Roy (right hamstring strain) of the Portland Trailblazers in the game on Feb. 14 in Dallas and be making his first All-Star appearance.
Kaman, 27, is enjoying his strongest season, averaging a career-high 20.2 points and 9.0 rebounds while shooting 49.7 percent from the field (370-745). Kaman is just one of three players in the NBA currently averaging at least 20 points and nine rebounds per game, and ranks 16th in the NBA in scoring and 19th in rebounding.
“The Ambassador of Baseball” to Receive Award from the Ambassadors of Goodwill on Feb. 14 at STAPLES Center
(PHOENIX, Feb. 8, 2010) —Two of the sports world’s most beloved ambassadors—legendary L.A. Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda and the World Famous Harlem Globetrotters—will come together on Sunday, Feb. 14 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, when the Globetrotters honor the baseball Hall of Famer with a special award for his lifetime ambassadorial contributions that embody the Globetrotters spirit of goodwill. The presentation will take place prior to the team’s 1 p.m. show at Staples Center.
In much the same way that the Globetrotters helped introduce the sport of basketball throughout the world in bringing their showmanship to 120 countries on six continents during their history, Lasorda has played a similar, instrumental role in growing the sport of baseball overseas.
Long acknowledged as “the ambassador of baseball,” Lasorda has traveled overseas to help introduce the sport around the world since 1965. In 2008, the government of Japan presented Lasorda with their prestigious Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette medal for promoting friendship between Japan and the United States through baseball.
Ironically, Lasorda was born in 1927, the same year the Harlem Globetrotters played their first-ever road game in Hinckley, Ill., on Jan. 7, 1927. Like the Globetrotters, Lasorda’s accomplishments, both on and off the field, are enormous. On the diamond, the Dodgers won two world championships, four National League pennants and eight division titles under Lasorda’s direction. At the age of 73, Lasorda piloted the U.S Olympic Baseball Team to the gold medal at the 2000 Summer Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia.
Lasorda recently visited U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan to motivate and inspire the men and women of the Armed Forces. Similarly, the Globetrotters visited Iraq this past December as part of their 7th annual Holiday Military Overseas Tour. Lasorda still serves as the Dodgers’ Special Advisor to the Chairman, acting as an advisor and ambassador at more than 100 appearances to various charities and military personnel each year.
The Globetrotters have five games in the Southland area, taking the court Saturday, Feb. 13 for 1:00pm and 7:00pm games at the Honda Center in Anaheim; Sunday, Feb. 14 for 1:00pm and 6:00pm games at STAPLES Center; and Monday, Feb. 15, for a 1:00pm game at Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario.
Sponsored by Campbell Soup Company, Spalding, Howard Johnson and America’s Best Contacts and Eyeglasses, the Original Harlem Globetrotters are in their 84th consecutive season of touring the world.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, a unique window into a vital chapter of American history that the late Buck O'Neil helped open 20 years ago, could be in trouble.
Attendance and revenues are down, and a decision by new management to distance itself from O'Neil has splintered many of its most loyal supporters.
What's more, the recession has cut deeply into donations. After posting its first loss two years ago of about $30,000, the museum is looking at what one staffer termed "a monster loss" that could approach a quarter of a million dollars when the final accounting for 2009 is complete. For a relatively small museum that has always depended on the kindness of others, $200,000 is seismic.
Much of the revenue loss is traceable to a drop in licensing revenue. No one is predicting the museum's imminent demise, but everyone agrees the trend must be reversed.
"For museums all over the country, dollars are becoming hard to find," said Greg Baker, who took over as executive director a little more than a year ago. "We are challenged by that. We've got to raise money to keep going and if we don't, we'll end up closing our doors."
If it shuts down, the country will lose the only museum dedicated exclusively to black baseball's unique contribution to American culture and the vital role those men played in the long and painful march toward equality.
"This place is cherished by too many people to let that happen," historian and filmmaker Ken Burns said. "It would be a cultural tragedy."
O'Neil, a two-time Negro Leagues batting champion and longtime manager of the Kansas City Monarchs, died 3 1/2 years ago at 94. Extraordinarily charismatic, he crisscrossed the country the last 15 years of his eventful life, spinning entertaining tales of long gone African-American stars while making friends and raising money for the museum.
He and a few others began the museum in a little office in 1990. With the help of Burns' epic film on the history of baseball, the museum grew into a 10,000-square foot facility in Kansas City's historic 18th and Vine district.
Crammed with photographs, artifacts, memorabilia and interactive exhibits, it tells the story from the late 1800s until the late 1950s after the major leagues became fully integrated. Just down the street is the old YMCA building where Rube Foster formed the Negro Leagues in 1920.
But O'Neil's passing robbed the museum of its eloquent goodwill ambassador and almost immediately, controversy and infighting set in among management.
Most divisive has been Baker's decision to back away from the museum's strong connection to O'Neil. Some board members have resigned. Plans to move the museum to the old YMCA building and build the Buck O'Neil Education and Research Center have been put on hold in spite of a $1 million donation for that specific purpose by Julia Irene Kauffman, daughter of the late founder of the Kansas City Royals.
"On hold, languishing, nearly forgotten - all are terms that are applicable here," said Mark Bryant, a Kansas City attorney and board member from 2004-09.
Like many, Bryant is disturbed by the shift from the memory of the museum's most beloved ambassador.
"I believe that more than any other person, the success of the museum was the result of the efforts of Buck O'Neil," Bryant said. "If we enjoy a reservoir of good will, locally and nationally, it was built on the back of Buck O'Neil."
Burns agrees.
"I am extremely disappointed in the tact it is taking," he said. "It is foolish, absolutely foolish in the extreme to think you would not take advantage of the meaning of Buck's life to help this museum which he struggled so hard to help create."
O'Neil's voice has been removed from the museum's telephone greeting. But what has most angered many people was the decision to de-emphasize his annual birthday celebration in November. The all-day party used to draw as many as 500 people to the museum. But last year, a fraction of that showed up and the event was not used as a fundraiser.
Baker insists he does not intend to forget O'Neil and is trying to widen the museum's circle of friends. Toward that end, he has involved the families of other Negro League stars in museum activities. Sean Gibson, the great-grandson of Hall of Famer Josh Gibson and the head of the Josh Gibson Foundation in Pittsburgh, presented a plaque at the museum's annual Legacy Awards dinner on Saturday night.
"You might say people are still in shock that Buck is gone," Baker said. "They are still languishing there. When you lose somebody like that, sometimes it takes a little time to bounce back. I think they will eventually see this is a really, really good strategy to help keep this museum moving and advancing. If you love Buck, how can you separate the museum from Buck? I'm not Buck O'Neil. There was only one Buck O'Neil."
The history of the Negro Leagues, as O'Neil often pointed out, is much more than a baseball story.
Many historians believe the modern civil rights movement began even before 1955 when Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat to a white person and prompted Martin Luther King to stage the Montgomery, Ala., bus boycott. They point to Jackie Robinson breaking the major league racial barrier shortly after World War II as the real spark.
But long before America had heard of Jackie Robinson, men like Satchel Paige, Oscar Charleston and Cool Papa Bell graced segregated baseball fields throughout the country. Gibson was the only man to hit a ball clear out of old Yankee Stadium. They often beat all-star white teams in exhibition games that would pack the house and showed that black players were as skilled and entertaining to watch as whites.
By paving the way, they made sure mainstream America was ready to accept Robinson - a former Negro Leaguer who played for the Monarchs - when finally he made his courageous debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947.
As it turned out, Robinson's breakthrough to the majors hastened the eventual death of the Negro Leagues. But, as Buck O'Neil would admonish, waste no pity on the Negro Leaguers.
"Feel sorry for the people who never got to see us," he once said. "We were good."
Technical fouls for criticizing officials are about as common in college basketball as alley-oop dunks. They happen all the time.
However, they are only supposed to be handed out to coaches, although players are often guilty of loose lips as well. But under no circumstances whatsoever, should a student manager receive a technical foul for criticizing or yelling obscenities at referees. I guess it's a little too late to tell that to USC graduate student Stan Holt, who not only got hit with a tech in the Trojans loss at Oregon, but may have cost USC a victory.
Trojans coach Kevin O'Neill, who can curse out an officiall as well as anyone, took the necessary immediate action by firing Holt after the game.
"The referee told me he was screaming obscenities at him," O'Neill said. "That's on me and that will be rectified. It already has been. He's gone. If somebody's getting a technical foul, it's going to be me."
I applaud O'Neill for wasting no time in doing the right thing. Albeit, coaches are still given a little slack on the decorum tip, the behavior of fans at sporting events has been getting worse and worse the last several years... foxsportswest.com: Zip The Lip
The views and opinions expressed here are mine and mine alone. They do not necessarily express the views and opinions of any FOX media outlet, its employees, or team partners.
