Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Football Has a Home in Bronx for Next Decade

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Football Has a Home in Bronx for Next Decade: By Howard Goldin BRONX, NEW YORK, JUNE 26- The relatively short, 3 year, but respected history of the New Era Pinstripe Bowl wil...

Football Has a Home in Bronx for Next Decade

By Howard Goldin

BRONX, NEW YORK, JUNE 26- The relatively short, 3 year, but respected history of the New Era Pinstripe Bowl will become even more renowned next year when teams from the Big 10 and the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) will participate in the annual late December bowl game.

The New Era Pinstripe Bowl (NEPB) began its existence in 2010, nearly a half-century after the last bowl game (Gotham Bowl) was played in the Bronx in 1962. Syracuse, under the direction of its Bronx- born coach, Doug Marrone, was victorious in the 2010 and 2012 editions of the game. Another local favorite, Rutgers, defeated Iowa State in 2011.

The final NEPB battle between representatives of the Big East and the Big 12 will take place on December 28 and be viewed throughout the nation on ESPN. A large crowd is expected to attend as the attendance has increased in number each year.

Recent increases in number, strength and area coverage of the major college athletic conferences will create new rivalries within and between the new groupings. During the month of June the ACC and Big 10 have joined the NEPB which will begin a new college football tradition at the current Yankee Stadium.

At the press conference at Yankee Stadium, Yankees President Randy Levine remarked about the future match-ups, “It worked out incredibly. The ACC versus the Big 10 is second to none except the BCS.”

On June 3, it was announced that the Big 10 would be represented at the Pinstripe Bowl beginning in 2014 for a period of, at least, eight years. Three weeks and one day later, the rumored addition of the ACC to the bowl game for a minimum of six years was officially announced at a press conference at Yankee Stadium.

The reasoning behind the desire of both conferences to play at the NEPB was similar, New York City is the media capital of the world, Yankee Stadium is a legendary sports venue, the holiday season in New York is a wonderful experience and both collegiate conferences wish to make themselves a presence in New York.

Another factor attracting the college conferences to Yankee Stadium was the influence of George Steinbrenner. The late Yankees owner was involved in football in the Big 10. On Tuesday, ACC Commissioner John  Swofford reminisced of the time when he was Assistant Athletic Director at the University of North Carolina (UNC) and Steinbrenner arranged for the Yankees to play at Chapel Hill during three of the four years Steinbrenner’s daughter, Jennifer, was a Morehouse Scholar at the university.

Levine spoke of his expectations that Yankee Stadium will host a BCS semi-final or even a BCS championship contest in the near future. He promised, “After several years, you can be sure we’ll be contacting them.’

Suzuki Strikes

Walk- Off Homer Gives Yankees 4-3 Win

By Rich Mancuso

BRONX, NEW YORK, JUNE 26- The starting pitching matchup was not the story Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium. Instead six solo home runs combined by the New York Yankees and Texas Rangers was the headline. And the final solo was a walk-off game winner in the ninth from Ichiro Suzuki that paved the way for a 4-3 New York Yankees win.

The second career walk-off by Suzuki, his ninth home run of the season came off a 1-2 pitch off Texas reliever Tanner Scheppers, (5-1) with two outs.

“It’s a great win for us coming off an off day,” said Yankees manager Joe Girardi. "Anyone can contribute, that’s the good thing about this game,” he said about the home run balls hit also by Travis Hafner, Brett Gardner, and Jayson Nix.

The home run ball has not been a part of the Yankees offense this first half of the season with injuries depleting their lineup. But, they were able to connect off Texas starter Yu Darvish who lasted 5.1 innings, giving up seven hits, striking out six.

“They beat us,” commented Texas manager Ron Washington who saw his team end a five-game winning streak. “They (Yankees) swung the bat and they beat us. You hate to lose a ballgame and getting walked off is no different than having a guy single to win it. They beat us with four swings of the bat, four solo home runs.”

New York is in a stretch of 20- consecutive games leading up to the all-star break. The team combined to hit four home runs over their previous 15 games. The solo home runs came from Hafner, Gardner, and Nix in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings.

The Yankees long ball effort over shadowed a matchup on the mound that had two pitchers from Japan facing each other for the 11th time in major league baseball history.

Right hander Hiroki Kuroda, in his 16th start of the season, and coming off a win over the Dodgers last week, allowed three runs (two earned) in 6.21 innings. He allowed five hits, walked one. Two of the runs were solo home runs off the bat of Leonys Martin.

Martin, 2-for-3, had his first career multi-home run game. The first came off a 2-2 pitch from Kuroda in the third inning that gave the Rangers a 1-0 lead. His fifth home run, also a solo off Kuroda, was another 2-2 pitch leading off the fifth inning that went into the right field stands.

“It was a sinker,” he said about the first home run ball to Martin. Kuroda also commented that there wasn’t any special buzz in Japan about the two Japanese pitchers opposing each other again, though he said, “The people are very happy.”

This was the second time Kuroda and the right handed Darvish opposed each other. The first was April 24 of last year and Darvish got the win.

The Yankees were also aided by catcher Chris Stewart who caught two Texas base runners attempting to steal second base. Ian Kinsler was nailed with a runner on in the third inning and Elvis Andrus in the eighth.

Mariano Rivera (1-1) got the win facing four hitters in the ninth and giving up a single.

Left hander Andy Pettitte (5-5) gets the start for New York Wednesday evening opposing (6-5) Justin Grimm.

Comment Rich Mancuso: Ring786@aol.com

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Teacher Arrested in Attack on 10-Year Old

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Teacher Arrested in Attack on 10-Year Old: Were There Other Victims? Diaz Wants Complete Investigation (Teacher Anthony Criscuolo is walked from the Bronx Special Victims squad on...

Teacher Arrested in Attack on 10-Year Old

Were There Other Victims?

Diaz Wants Complete Investigation

(Teacher Anthony Criscuolo is walked from the Bronx Special Victims squad on Simpson Avenue after his arrest.--Photo by David Greene)

By David Greene

BRONX, NEW YORK, JUNE 24- A New York City teacher has been charged in the sexual attack of a 10-year-old special education student from Fordham Heights.

Police sources say the investigation began shortly after the parents of the unidentified child found, "incriminating e-mails," the teacher sent the student-- and immediately called police.

The sources maintain that the teacher, Anthony Criscuolo, 40, a fifth-grade, special education teacher at P.S 386, located on E. 181 Street, gave the parents an official-looking letter about an awards ceremony held on June 17.

Investigators believe Criscuolo made up the story about the awards ceremony, so he could be alone with the young girl. The attack reportedly took place in the teacher's 2010 Dodge Charger outside of P.S. 195 on Ward Avenue during school hours.

Detectives arrested Criscuolo at his Van Nest home the following Wednesday and impounded his vehicle.

Criscuolo was charged with first degree rape, predatory sexual assault of a child and endangering the welfare of a child.

The Department of Education (DOE) quickly reassigned Criscuolo to a non-teaching position, while taking steps to begin the process to fire the tenured teacher. Criscuolo has been with the DOE since 2002 and currently makes $72,990 annually.

Standing with a relative of the child outside Bronx Supreme Court on June 24, Senator Ruben Diaz, Sr., stated, "I am calling for justice and for a thorough investigation of any other complaint against Anthony Criscuolo to be sure that no other children who trusted him as their teacher has also been harmed."

Criscuolo, who has also taught at P.S 498 in Van Nest and P.S. 178 in Baychester, remains jailed, unable to come up with the $750,000 bond to secure his release.

The NYPD reports Criscuolo has no prior criminal history and the DOE reports the teacher had no blemishes in his DOE file.   

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Old Timer's Day

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Old Timer's Day: Meaningful Memories at Yankee Stadium- 67th Annual Old Timers’ Day By Howard Goldin BRONX, NEW YORK, JUNE 24- Yankee pla...

Old Timer's Day

Meaningful Memories at Yankee Stadium-

67th Annual Old Timers’ Day

By Howard Goldin

BRONX, NEW YORK, JUNE 24- Yankee players of the last eight decades were on the field at Yankee Stadium on Sunday celebrating their experiences while wearing the pinstripes. A large crowd of 46,054, the third largest of 2013, was in the stands to cheer their favorites of years gone by. The festive day was the 67th annual celebration of the glorious history of the baseball franchise in the Bronx.

As annually takes place on this special day, a wide array of former stars representing each of the decades was invited back to the Bronx by New York Yankees Vice President of Marketing Debbie Tymon. The extremely capable and caring Yankees executive and her staff spend months of thought and effort to create an unforgettable day for the former Yankees and the fans who look forward to attending the every year.

As many fans do return regularly, there is always an attempt to invite former players who have never previously appeared at an Old Timers’ Day. This year’s first timers included Orlando “El Duque” Hernandez, Brian Dorsett, John Flaherty, Todd Greene, Scott Kamieniecki and Andy Phillips. Of the six, the biggest reception was given to Hernandez. When “El Duque” went to the mound during the Old Timers’ game, he looked comfortable and threw with ease. Some in the crowd wondered whether he could be more effective than several on the current Yankees roster.

As the Steinbrenner family regularly exhibits its support for those who serve in the U.S. armed forces, five of the elderly Yankee heroes were also honored for their service in the military as well as their performances on the playing field. The octogenarians who circled the field in motorized golf carts were: Don Larsen, Dr. Bobby Brown, Jerry Coleman, Yogi Berra and Whitey Ford.

Larsen, the only pitcher who hurled a perfect game in the World Series, served in the Korean War. Brown and Berra began their major league careers in the same game on September 22, 1946. Each was also present at Yankee Stadium on September 28, 1947, when Babe Ruth was honored, the day recognized as the first official Old Timers’ Day.

Berra’s illustrious career in baseball is familiar to fans of all ages. Berra, 69 years ago, was in a U.S. rocket boat as a participant in the D-Day invasion of Nazi occupied territory in Europe.

The events of Brown’s life are as interesting as those of any returning Yankee. During his years with the Yankees, he was attending medical school during the winters. After graduation, he had an eminent career as a cardiologist. Later in life, he returned to baseball as President of the American League for a decade.

A schoolmate of Brown’s in California and the elder statesman of the returning Yankees, Jerry Coleman, is the only major leaguer to have served in active combat during World War II and Korea. Coleman, elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame as a broadcaster in 2005, still works games on radio for the Padres. Whitey Ford, after going 9-1 in his first year as a Yankee in 1950, was drafted into the service. Upon his return, he continued his HOF career as one of the greatest lefthanders in history.

The biggest hands were reserved for the younger players who played on Joe Torre’s championship clubs, Bernie Williams and Paul O’Neill. Williams commented, “It’s great to be remembered. I definitely don’t take it for granted.”

Roy White, whose 15 years (1965-79) in the majors were with the Yankees, had a perspective that was representative of many who returned on Sunday. He remembered his first day in the majors, “It was very special to walk into the Yankees clubhouse and see Mickey Mantle there. I never thought I would play with a guy I watched when I was in Little League.

White had very high expectations for the team when he was a rookie, “I thought we would be in the World Series every year, but we didn’t get there until 1976.” The former Yankee explained that playing for the Yankees was not stress free, “You’re measured by higher standards because of who they’ve [fans] seen in the past.” As a player, White was happy on Old Timers’ Day, “I like baseball history. I always looked forward to see Joe DiMaggio and to see Tommy Henrich and “King Kong” Keller by my locker and being able to talk to them.”

The fabulous history of the Yankees is, obviously, one in which the organization and its fans can be proud. The annual recognition and respect for the players of he past is very well deserved and should serve as an example for other sport’s franchise to emulate.