Now shipping: Homer: The
Small-Town Baseball Odyssey
NEW!
Posted May 9, 2008 (feedback)
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We're
excited to announce our latest book, Homer: The
Small-Town Baseball Odyssey. Jeff Karzen
details the inspirational story of the tiny
Michigan high school that fashioned a
national-record winning streak and captured
multiple state titles. But the tale is about more
than just prep baseball. It’s an amazing story of
how high-school athletes established a winning
tradition and performed with grace and class –
despite the small-town politics that almost led to
the removal of a dedicated and admired coach.
Football has Friday Night Lights;
basketball has Hoosiers; baseball
has Homer. This is a great story of
persevering under some pretty difficult
circumstances, and author Karzen -- who watched
the winning streak unfold as a sports writer with
the Battle Creek daily newspaper -- weaves a
narrative you're not likely to forget. We have
copies in the office and will begin shipping it
today. It's a
perfect Father's Day gift.
Order this book today and we'll throw in free
shipping! UPDATE: The first reviews are
in! Tony Paul of the Detroit News
calls Homer "fascinating stuff by a
top-notch journalist." We couldn't agree more.
UPDATE 2: Author Jeff Karzen will be
hosting a book-release party at Cascarelli's in
downtown Homer this Saturday (May 10) from noon to 4. Drop
by if you're in the area. If you can't, you can
find the book at Fireside Books in nearby
Marshall, Mich.
Veeck leaving
the world of affiliated ball NEW!
Posted May 9, 2008 (feedback)
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Mike
Veeck, one of the savviest promoters in the world
of baseball and a key player in the rise of
independent baseball, has decided to embrace the
independent lifestyle and is divesting himself of
his holdings in affiliated teams, we've been told
by those with an inside view of the action. Those
holdings, as part of the Goldklang Group, includes
stakes in the Fort Myers Miracle (High Class A;
Florida State League) and the Charleston RiverDogs
(Low Class A; Sally League) and will now consist
only of ownership stakes in the St. Paul Saints
and Sioux Falls Canaries (both independent;
American Association), though he will retain his
titles with the affiliated teams (for instance, he
remains president of the RiverDogs). Now, we're
not necessarily talking about some huge ownership
percentages here -- his interests in indy teams
has been far larger than his stakes with
affiliated teams, according to those in the know
-- so this isn't about the money. There's always
been a tension between the N.A. and owners with foots in
both camps, and Veeck was grandfathered in when
the N.A. banned affiliated owners from investing
in indy teams. But the tension remains, and some
developments in recent weeks concerning the
management of affiliated teams objecting to some
plans Veeck had to visitings potential markets
might have led to his decision. We think it's
accurate to call this a message to the N.A.;
whether it will make any difference remains to be
seen, though we're guessing we could see Veeck
take a more public approach to expansion
opportunities with the American Association or
even pop up as an owner in another indy circuit.
Ballpark Notes NEW!
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Tim
Harwood,
whose pointed comments about the umpiring in the
Northwoods League last summer briefly landed him
in the doghouse, returns as the voice of the
Waterloo Bucks (summer collegiate; Northwoods
League). Tim's actually one of the nicest guys
you'll find in any broadcast booth, so we're happy
to see him back....The independent Golden
Baseball League (GBL) announced that China
Olympic Team will play a three-game series
versus GBL teams later this month in Long Beach
and Yuma. Managed by former Los Angeles Dodger
All-Star and Major League Manager Jim Lefebvre,
the China National Team is a rising power in the
baseball world in Asia with recent victories over
Korea and will be one of the eight teams vying for
gold in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The China
National Team will face the Long Beach Armada in a
two-game series at historic Blair Field on May
17-18. The team will then travel to Yuma and take
on the Yuma Scorpions on May 21.
Braman lawsuit
against new Marlins ballpark can move forward:
judge
Posted May 8, 2008 (feedback)
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A
lawsuit filed by Miami auto dealer and former
Philadelphia Eagles (NFL) owner Norman Braman challenging the
$3-billion public-works plan that will yield,
among other things, funding for a new Florida
Marlins ballpark can proceed, as the judge held it
legitimately concerned public aid to a private
client. The deal, which is very complicated,
diverts some land and revenue streams to help
build the Marlins ballpark. Support for the new
ballpark has been tenuous, to say the least, and
with a judge allowing the lawsuit to go forward it
will be interesting to see how county and city
officials react -- especially when you consider Braman has a knack for winning lawsuits that
question public spending on sports facilities.
RELATED STORIES:
Do Marlins have enough votes to finalize ballpark
deal?;
Dispute over spoils could derail new Fish pond;
Fish fans: Will new
ballpark lead to better team?;
Will fans flock
to new Fish pond?;
City, county approves
Marlins ballpark deal;
Marlins ballpark
inches closer to fruition; deal could be done by Thursday;
Marlins ballpark
plan hits parking snag;
More specifics
revealed on new Marlins ballpark proposal;
Miami mayor swings for
the fences with ballpark plan;
Vote on new Marlins
ballpark delayed;
Braman makes pitch against new Fish pond;
Marlins to seek state aid for new ballpark;
New ballpark could be
suite deal for commissioners;
Plan for Marlins ballpark gets support from Miami-Dade;
Marlins funding
closer to reality;
Marlins' ballpark
plan gets new life;
New Marlins ballpark
funding plan proposed;
Marlins: Ballpark
woes led to trade;
Marlins ballpark
negotiations continue;
Marlins' share key
to ballpark deal;
DuPuy: Marlins
ballpark top priority;
Ho hum: Marlins hand county yet another ballpark deadline;
Marlins may get $50 million for new ballpark;
DuPuy meets with Crist
about new Fish ballpark, says MLB will make use of Dodgertown;
Marlins about to bring
ballpark deal in from the bullpen;
Selig receptive to Orange Bowl site for new
Marlins ballpark;
UM exit from Orange Bowl paves way for new Marlins
ballpark;
Selig: Relocation an option if ballpark issue not
settled;
University of Miami might leave Orange Bowl by '08;
Is there room for Marlins in South Florida?;
Moss to seek changes in Marlins' name, spring
training;
Marlins' reaction to no state funding of ballpark:
muted;
State funding for Marlins ballpark dies when
session ends;
Senate leader: no deal with slots, Marlins
ballpark;
Slots, Marlins ballpark financing in tax-bill mix;
Vote on Marlins ballpark
financing again comes late in legislative session;
New Marlins ballpark bill
likely to strike out;
State House endorses $60
million for Marlins ballpark in Miami;
Marlins' pitch for ballpark
cash apt to fall short;
Dade lawmaker unsure about
Marlins subsidy
Sounds
ballpark legislation still alive
Posted May 8, 2008 (feedback)
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Legislation
that would establish a tax-increment financing for a new Nashville Sounds (Class
AAA; Pacific Coast League) ballpark is still alive in the current Tennessee
legislative session. The Sounds basically did an end run around the city of
Nashville to request the legislation -- a move that mightily pissed off Mayor
Karl Dean and other Metro members, who said the Sounds should have presented the
city with a comprehensive ballpark plan, including funding sources, before going
to the Legislature -- and it's currently in a House budget subcommittee, though
onlookers doubt it has enough support to pass out of there. With
Nashville lobbyists explicitly opposing the measure, we imagine the onlookers
are right. This might be the last chance the current owners of the Sounds have
to make any sort of ballpark deal: giving the metaphorical finger to city
government -- representing financial partners the team desperately needs to make
a deal -- probably doesn't fall under the header of best business practices.
More from
Nashville City Paper.
RELATED STORIES:
Sounds propose
state sales-tax rebate to pay for new ballpark
Now shipping: Cradle of the
Game: Baseball and Ballparks in North Carolina
NEW!
Posted May 8, 2008 (feedback)
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If
you're interested at all in ballparks past and
present you'll want to check out Cradle of
the Game: Baseball and Ballparks in North Carolina.
Mark Cryan, the former Burlington Indians (rookie;
Appalachian League) GM who scouted the backroads
of the state while setting up the
summer-collegiate Coastal Plain League, shares his
extensive knowledge of the Tar Heel State's
ballpark and baseball history. North Carolina
probably features more baseball per capita than
any other state, represented at every level of
ball (Triple-A, Double-A, High-A, Low-A, rookie,
summer collegiate), and Mark tells the story of
the state's baseball history through its
ballparks, past and present, from Asheville to
Zebulon and all points in between. It's part
travelogue, part history, and part great
storytelling, complete with an introduction by
Miles Wolff.
Order this book today and we'll throw in free
shipping! You
can now buy the title via Amazon.com,
which already sold out our initial shipment. If
you live in the state, you can pick up the book at
Quail Ridge Books and Music (Raleigh), Borders
Raleigh, the North Carolina Baseball Museum, and
Greensboro Grasshoppers games.
Centerplate
reports $11.2 million loss; will look at options and eliminate dividends
Posted May 8, 2008 (feedback)
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Doug
Simunic, one of the more astute observers of indy
baseball and a man who is not shy about sharing
his opinions on the state of things, is of the
opinion the Northern League is in serious trouble
and that he's ready to bail on his current team,
the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks. "The Northern League
can't go on with six teams. Absolutely not. From
my standpoint, for Doug Simunic, I'll have to go
look somewhere else," he told