Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Fordham to Honor Baseball Hall of Fame Greats

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Fordham to Honor Baseball Hall of Fame Greats: By Howard Goldin BRONX, NEW YORK, April 17- The Bronx has been a place of learning, nurturing and growth for many greats in the world of s...

Fordham to Honor Baseball Hall of Fame Greats

By Howard Goldin

BRONX, NEW YORK, April 17- The Bronx has been a place of learning, nurturing and growth for many greats in the world of sports. Several of these legendary figures will be honored at Houlihan Park, the sparkling baseball field located on the Rose Hill campus of Fordham University, on Saturday afternoon, April 20. Plaques of the greats will be unveiled by current Fordham baseball coach Kevin Leighton and Fordham alumnus and benefactor James J. Houlihan.

The history of collegiate baseball at Fordham goes back in time to years before the Civil War began. Its first recorded intercollegiate schedule was in 1860, when the club compiled a mark of 40-7. The record of winning seasons continued until 1923, when the team was 14-17. The one aberrational season was followed by 24 straight winning campaigns. Fordham ranks #1 in wins of all Division I programs, with more than 4,000 victories.

Interestingly, Fordham’s first losing season, 1923, was the first year of Jack Coffey’s second reign as coach. He previously was coach from 1909-17. His second stint lasted through 1958. In total, Coffey’s teams were victorious in an astounding number of 1,095 games. Although Curry was a teammate of both Babe Ruth and Ty Cobb in the same season, 1918, he did not join the two in the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown; he was inducted in the Fordham Athletic Hall of Fame in its first year of existence, 1971.

Dan Gallagher, the Fordham coach from 1984-2004, led the team to 518 wins, seven league titles and five berths in the NCAA Tournament. The molder of men was recently inducted into the American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame (ABCA).

Five former Fordham students were elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY. The first to be inducted, in 1946, was a turn of the twentieth century pitcher, “Big” Ed Walsh. Even in an era when power hitting and high scoring games were frowned upon, Walsh was superior. He hold the mark for the lowest lifetime ERA in the majors.(1.82). According to historians, Walsh was only on campus for two days.

“The Fordham Flash” Frankie Frisch was inducted into the HOF one year after Walsh. Still holding a Fordham Ram record of six hits in a single game, Frisch batted over .300 in the majors for 11 straight years. The great second sacker with the Giants and Cardinals played 19 years in the big leagues.

Two individuals with a lifetime connection to the Brooklyn Dodgers never played a game with the team. Walter o’  Malley was a graduate of the Fordham Law School in 1930. His law degree led to his hiring as the chief legal counsel of the Dodgers in 1947. Three years later, he became the team’s owner. Although he remained in control of the team for nearly 30 years, he is still a figure of contempt by many Brooklynites as the man who removed the team from the borough in 1958.

The second and still current link to the Brooklyn major league franchise Is Vin Scully. Scully became a broadcaster in 1950, after graduating from Fordham. It has become a lifetime job for the deservedly honored broadcaster as the octogenarian in currently in his 64^th year in that position. Scully was inducted into the HOF in 1982.

The fifth recipient of HOF honors was writer John Kieran. Three years after his 1912 graduation from Fordham, he was hired by the New York Times. He rose to become sports editor of the paper.

Esteban Bellan was a student at Fordham, at that time called St. John’s College, in the 1860’s. The Cuban native was the first of his nationality to play professional baseball in the United States.

On the day of the ceremony, Fordham will host George Washington University at 4 pm. The plaques of the greats will be unveiled at 3:30 pm. A barbeque will be held at 2 pm. Those interested in attending all the festivities should call ryan kirwan at 646-312-8223 or email at rkirwan1@fordham.edu.

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Bronx Stands with Boston

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Bronx Stands with Boston: Yankees Pay homage Boston (Photos by Gary Quintal) By Rich Mancuso BRONX, NEW YORK, April 17- So many ways Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium ...

Bronx Stands with Boston

Yankees Pay homage Boston

(Photos by Gary Quintal)

By Rich Mancuso

BRONX, NEW YORK, April 17- So many ways Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium there were reminders of how sports and baseball play a role to heal wounds. This time, a day after the Boston Marathon bombing that took three lives and injured over 180, there were the Arizona Diamondbacks, Jackie Robinson and number 42, plus a Fenway Park tradition, “Sweet Caroline.”

Yes, a tune that has been an eighth inning ritual of Red Sox nation came to the Bronx. Boston was in Cleveland and the Red Sox heard what the Yankees were doing to unite two cities who have shared in pain.

“It was such a tragic day,” said Kevin Youkilis, the former Red Sox player who now wears Yankees pinstripes. He would play in the Patriots league game at Fenway over the years, and venture off to the finish line viewing another conclusion of the annual Boston Marathon.

On a day off in New York City Monday, Youkilis spent numerous hours on the phone to see if friends and family were okay that make it a ritual on Patriots Day and attend the marathon. His wife and sisters have run in the event over the years.

Monday it was friends and a city, Boston, the only baseball organization Youkilis knew prior to wearing pinstripes. The Yankee Stadium electronic board outside displayed, “United We Stand” with Yankees and Red Sox logos and a ribbon on the big scoreboard inside displayed insignias of the teams and a message, “New York stands with Boston….Pray for Boston.”

“It gave me chills and was emotional to me to hear that,” commented Youkilis about the playing of “Sweet Caroline” after the third inning. “Because the fans were into it and it was cool.  Thought it was very special and a very great tribute to an organization that is a rivalry.”

A rivalry, New York and Boston that has diminished over the past few years, but when fans at Yankee Stadium are wearing Boston caps and jerseys near the pinstripes, there is a meaning of unity and emotion. It happened in the Bronx Tuesday night.

As was the meaning of wearing number 42 on Jackie Robinson Night as players, the managers, coaches and umpires did. Major League Baseball once again paid tribute to Jackie Robinson. And a player named “Robinson” Cano had the big three-run home run. The final score was 4-2, as in “42” and the lone remaining player who wears the number, Mariano Rivera saved a game for the last time on Robinson’s day.

Yes, it was an emotional and special night in the Bronx. The Diamondbacks made their first trip to the new Yankee Stadium.  They were 1-5 at the old ballpark across the street, and Rivera was the pitcher on the mound in that emotional World Series won by Arizona in Game 7 at Bank One Ballpark in Phoenix back in 2001.

That World Series ended in early November because the baseball schedule was pushed back with the events of September 11. It was a series that helped mend the wounds of a nation still mourning the effects of a devastating terrorist attack.

“We’re all behind the people of Boston,” said Yankees manager Joe Girardi prior to the start of the game Tuesday night. And for a night Yankee fans united with Red Sox fans.

Because baseball and sports, the world of fun and games has a way of bringing that message of unity in a time of tragedy.

e-mail Rich Mancuso: Ring786@aol.com

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Cano, Yanks Honor Jackie Robinson with Win

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Cano, Yanks Honor Jackie Robinson with Win: (Photo by Gary Quintal) By Howard Goldin BRONX, NEW YORK, April 17- The statistics registered during the game played between the Yankees a...

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Cano, Yanks Honor Jackie Robinson with Win

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Cano, Yanks Honor Jackie Robinson with Win: (Photo by Gary Quintal) By Howard Goldin BRONX, NEW YORK, April 17- The statistics registered during the game played between the Yankees a...

Cano, Yanks Honor Jackie Robinson with Win

(Photo by Gary Quintal)

By Howard Goldin

BRONX, NEW YORK, April 17- The statistics registered during the game played between the Yankees and Diamondbacks at Yankee Stadium on April 16 were extremely appropriate for a Jackie Robinson Day contest. The enduring legacy of Robinson’s achievement in integrating the national pastime has been celebrated at every ballpark in the majors on April 15 or the date of the next home game since 1997, the 50^th anniversary of Robinson’s first game in the majors.

On Tuesday night, April 16, every player, coach, manager and umpire on the field at Yankee Stadium wore Robinson’s #42. In a short ceremony held before the game began, two of the 1,400 scholarship recipients from the Jackie Robinson Foundation were recognized.

Arizona reached the scoreboard first, scoring two runs in the top of the third. Two singles and a walk loaded the bases. A fly ball to center by catcher Miguel Montero was the first out of the inning, but also drove in the first run of the contest. The next batter, Cody Ross, singled to knock in the second run.

After leaving the bases loaded in each of the first two innings, the Yankees took the lead in the fourth. The first two batters, Lyle Overbay and Chris Stewart, singled to left. Robinson Cano, named in honor of Jackie Robinson, homered to right to score three runs, which were sufficient to ensure the Yankee victory.

Not only does Cano’s given name honor Robinson, but he wears #24, the reverse of Jackie’s #42, now retired on all clubs by Major League Baseball, to represent the debt he feels he owes to the Brooklyn Dodger legend,

Cano, batting a healthy .326 in his 12 games this season is currently on a tear. He is batting .500 (13 for 26) in his most recent six games. Seven of his 12 hits were for extra bases, four doubles and four home runs. He has driven in 11 runs in that span. That the Yankees have won five of those six contests was noted by reporters and Yankees manager Joe Girardi, who after the game commented, “When he got hot, we got going. He doesn’t take it for granted that he’s a good player. Robbie works very hard.”

After loading the bases in the bottom of the seventh, a fly ball by Eduardo Nuñez drove in the final run of the game, making the score an appropriate 4-2.

Mariano Rivera, the only major league player currently wearing #42, entered the game in the ninth frame. As expected Rivera retired all three batters he faced to earn his third save of 2013 and the record setting #611 in his renowned career. Girardi quipped to reporters, “It’s kind of funny seeing #42 facing three #42’s.”

Yankees ace CC Sabathia (2-1) will face undefeated Wade Miley (2-0) in game two of the series on Wednesday night.