Stephen Strasburg, who remains the top-rated prospect with his draft year set to play out, and Washington could instead go with a "signable" pick? Strasburg could decide he doesn't want to spend the beginning of his career in the NL East's basement and head down to Ft. Worth to sweat out a season...Positive thoughts, positive thoug...?
3) On a somewhat serious note,I'm thankful that last winter the Washington Nationals took chances on some players who were considered a risk because of their "volatile" personalities, and I'm thankful that, for the most part, with a few missteps, admittedly, the players rewarded the team's faith with significant contributions to the small successes the team and its fans did enjoy this past season.
Sure I watched 98 or so of 102 losses, but it was still fun...
What are you thankful for, Nationals' fan? I'll add any contributions to the list with a credit if anyone leaves anything in the Comments section. Enjoy the holiday...
?'s To Ponder...Do you think the Nationals should trade Nick Johnson? NEW POLL!!! What do you think the Nationals' next big move will be? Sign Odalis Perez? Find another veteran lefty? Who would you want from the A's for Nick Johnson? Do you believe the Nationals will sign Mark Teixeira?
end transmission.

Similar posts: baseball fame hall

Bobby Meacham firing. His job was to serve as the third-base coach, and coach the infielders. Meacham, a nice man with an interesting personal history as a Yankee, exhibited terrible instincts in the third-base coaching box. And his most important infield charge, Robinson Cano, had a terrible season.
Slam dunk. Who replaces him? Kat O'Brien and I will hopefully come up with some candidates before the day is out. I think the Yankees should consider bringing Luis Sojo up to coach first base and switch Tony Pena to third base _ assuming Pena, largely shunned by Joe Girardi in 2008, agrees to come back.
Sojo was offered the first-base coaching job for the 2006 season, but in a decision he later regretted, he decided that, rather than take a "demotion" from the third-base side (where he was indeed awful in 2005), he'd manage Class A Tampa and be with his family. Sojo is respected immensely by both Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez and was Girardi's teammate from 1996 through 1999.
This move is a blow to Girardi, have no doubts; Girardi's two coaching hires when he got the job were Meacham and bullpen coach Mike Harkey. It's a signal that he and his staff have to do better in '09.
The Monteleone firing is pretty meaningless. Monteleone, a nice man like Meacham, has been part of the Yankees' traveling group the past seven years based on one primary qualification: He's very close with the Steinbrenner family. I'm certain he'll stay within the Yankees organization, probably working with young pitchers in Tampa.

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The White Sox were forced into a do or die situation by losing the first two games in Tampa versus the Rays in Florida. They came back home Monday behind John Danks to win, putting the series at a 2-1 deficit. But on Tuesday the baseball in Chicago came to an end, the White Sox were eliminated.
Like Ive stated before I enjoy going to the last game of the season, this one was different, everybody was there, it still mattered, till it was over, then it was over. There would be no game tomorrow, waitll next year.
The response from the crowd was much different on the southside of Chicago than it was on the northside of the city when the Cubbies were eliminated. The expectations were different. The Cubs were expected to win, they had won their division last year, this was the year to win it all, ending a century of frustration. While the White Sox gave up last year, traded away one of their pitchers from their rotation, didnt get Torii Hunter, and looked to be going nowhere. As fate would have it both teams won their respective Central Division crowns.
s Gonna Happen was the rallying cry for the Cubbies. Kosuke Fukudome was brought on to play rightfield, one of the Cardinal devils Jim Edmonds was brought on to play center, Geovany Soto was ready to take over behind the plate, and Rich Harden was brought in down the stretch to anchor the rotation. While the White Sox brought on Alexei Ramirez for only $1,000,000 per year for four years because nobody thought the Cuban star could play, missed out on getting Hunter (as I mentioned before) Miguel Cabrera, instead adding Orlando Cabrera, nobody knew whether Joe Crede could rebound from his bad back, Carlos Quentin was a talent who always got hurt, and adding Ken Griffey, Jr. down the stretch at the expense of trading a relief pitcher, this teams chances were suspect at best.
I rode to, what would be, the last game of the year with Rob CLukes daughter Kate. Inside the ballpark, next to Nancy, were the usual subjects, Tade, Steve, Dick Bea, Caramel Corn Mike his brothers, George Debbie Debbies son, Terry, Phil. But Al his son Anthony were nowhere in sight, so I called Anthonys Cell in the 3rd inning, they were in the upperdeck, security wouldnt let them downstairs, even though they were season ticket holders, seems upperdeck season ticket holders only had first level access during the regular season. After Al almost got arrested for debating this position with an off duty police officer, Tade went upstairs, bringing down Al Anthony, now we were all where we belonged.
Gavin Floyd was a little off, B.J. Upton was a little on, and soon the baseball season in Chicago was over. We all said our goodbyes, promising to stay in touch in the offseason, were going to get together to watch a Bulls, Hawks, or Bears game from a Wings. Nancy said shed come and she even gave me a kiss goodbye, till next year.
Two other notes
Minnie Minoso was watching the ballgame from the concourse behind homeplate, so I approached him. Id ordered three teeshirts from www.minoso.com about one month ago, but never got them, the check never cleared either. Minnie told me, hed look into it, and give me a call.
The next baseball Ill see in person will be in about one month in Arizona at the Arizona Fall League. I love prospects and really enjoy seeing youngsters before they become stars. One youngster I saw last year was a middle infielder for the Boston Red Sox with some pop in his bat, he ripped a game winning homer in an AFL game, so it was kind of a full circle moment when Jed Lowrie ripped a game winning single to advance the BoSox past the Halos in last nights ballgame.

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Out of this pool, Sellers receive a score which determines their overall ranking in the weekly Seller Spotlight competition. The score is calculated by adding Lifetime feedback rating + 7-day feedback rating + number of lifetime sales. The Seller with the highest resulting score will receive Seller Spotlight status for a full week. Ties are broken by random draw. As always, there is no charge for this service. It only requires a willingness to take customer service to the next level. We want the Atomic Mall shopping experience to be fun. By rewarding Sellers for providing great customer care to our Buyers, our goal is to enhance the enjoyment (fun) factor for everyone.

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Served in Hawaii and Vietnam with the 25th Administration Company of the 25th Infantry Division from June 1963 till May 1966 as a postal clerk. Retired newspaper production worker having worked 36 years for Alexandria, Louisiana Town Talk. Have been fortunate enough to see Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, Ted Williams in baseball games in Kansas City back in the 60's.Also have seen Elvis Presley, Beach Boys,Righteous Brothers, Ernest Tubb and Loretta Lynn,Merle Haggard, Buck Owens,Johnny Cash and seen Julie Newmar, Stefanie Powers and Sue Thompson in person. Enjoy southern gospel music especially the Dove Brothers Quartet. Like listening to old time radio shows from the 30's, 40's and 50's and like easy listening music by Diana Krall and Frank Sinatra. Emails can be sent to Niteowl049@msn.

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Have you ever been to a virtual trade show? They are awesome and this is something our card and memorabilia hobby need.

You can get so much information about the subject without leaving your PC. With all of the growth our hobby has seen in blogs, trading forums, and memorabilia sites - the time is now to bring it all together for a yearly showcase.

Of course this doesn't replace "The National." A virtual trade show would bring more information to more people for free!

You won't leave this show at the end of the day with a new Upper Deck card, a set completed, or an autograph baseball, but you will leave more information about what ideas card companies have for the future and make more connections in the hobby.

How would you like to attend a virtual trade show (for free) and get to hear Upper Deck and Topps talk about their products for next year. What do they plan on doing that is different? How are they going to earn our collecting dollars next year?

How would you like to hear from Tri-Star, Mounted Memories, CSA, and MAB about autograph shows they plan on having next year

How would you like to ask your questions directly to the card and memorabilia companies? Collectors would get to hear this via live webinar and get to ask all of their questions.

Wouldn't you like to win a Box of Bowman Chrome or an autograph mini helmet just for attending one of the presentations? This can all be done in a virtual trade show.

Beckett or SCD could have a presentation to discuss how they price cards or the future of card grading. Beckett could use the space to talk about the change of their web site and new magazines.

McFarlane can have a webinar on their newest products and who's going to be in the next series.

The virtual trade conference also has the ability to have a virtual lobby where you can trade information with collectors from other blogs and web sites.

The possibilities for information sharing and gathering are endless. The digital age is done with "finding" information - we've found it and now we're in a time of "connecting."

How does this work?
I have put these together for my work - they are a lot of fun (and work) and you make some great connections. If you are a collector, lets start making some noise about having one of these. If you are a card or memorabilia company then lets get to work. For some examples, check out Unisfair and Design Reactor, and talk to people who have "attended" virtual trade shows.

I know, this blog entry wasn't about a certain card or autograph I just picked up... I'm guilty of being in a marketing mood today and I think our hobby can really grow and get more connected with something like this.

Similar posts: baseball fame hall

 
 One of the most trusted names in all-inclusive, active and culturally rewarding vacations announced that it is expanding its operations into Europe.  
 
Dan Austin and Paul Lehman, founders and partners of Austin-Lehman Adventures, revealed that their company has acquired a time-tested cycling tours veteran. The company is Euro-Bike and Walking Tours with a 34-year track record of successfully providing active and adventurous vacations throughout Europe. The formal closing for the purchase will occur on November 3, 2008.  
 
“By acquiring Euro-Bike and Walking Tours and its well-established operation and excellent reputation, we are expanding our destination offerings by 30 percent and giving clients the opportunity to travel with Austin-Lehman Adventures to Italy, France, Holland, Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic,” says Austin.  
 
This purchase means that Austin-Lehman Adventures will now have bases of operation on four continents: Europe, Africa, North and South America.  
 
The Austin-Lehman Adventures forte is to give guests a comprehensive and authentic insider’s view of regions visited. The new European programs will remain primarily cycling and cultural. Traditionally Austin-Lehman Adventures has featured multi-activity trips with activities like biking, hiking, sea kayaking and white water rafting.  
 
“Our programs are about the luxury of learning, stimulating activity and the tender loving care we lavish on our guests,” says Lehman.  
 
To assure that its new European programs will continue this Austin-Lehman Adventures tradition, Ron van Dijk, the second-generation Director of Operations for Euro-Bike and Walking Tours, has joined the Austin-Lehman Adventures team, bringing 34 years of experience in small group European cycle touring to the table.  
 
“By having Ron continue in his role of heading up European operations, we gain decades of regional experience,” says Austin. This acquisition adds 26 new programs to ALA’s existing 40.  
 
Austin says that the integrity of Euro-Bike and Walking Tour’s core product is already aligned with that of Austin-Lehman Adventures.  
 
“Ron will mostly be focusing on adding the extra touches, the which make our exceptional customer service really stand out,” Austin says. “The major factors that are making this transaction possible are the existing similarities between our two companies. These similarities especially include our joint passion for providing service and learning opportunities and “behind the scenes” access, as well as our passion for flawless planning.”  
 
“We are thrilled to keep the legacy we’ve built alive and vibrant for years to come by joining the Austin-Lehman Adventures family,” says van Dijk. He notes that Kathy Guyer, Euro-Bike and Walking Tour’s head of U.S. sales based in DeKalb, Illinois, will be relocating to the Austin-Lehman Adventures’ office in Billings, Montana, “so we won’t miss a beat in providing trip expertise and in-depth regional knowledge.”  
 
In the coming year the European cycling trips will embrace Austin-Lehman Adventures’ 6 guests to one guide ratio that has set a high industry standard. As Austin-Lehman Adventures becomes more established in Europe, the owners anticipate adding more multi-activity trips.  
 
This is the second time in eight years that Austin-Lehman Adventures has grown through acquisition.  In 2000 the company acquired Backcountry Tours, combining it with Adventures Plus to create Austin-Lehman Adventures.  
 
Austin-Lehman Adventures manages all of the arrangements for its selected destinations that include iconic regions of North, Central and South America as well as southern Africa and now Europe. Small groups are limited to 12 guests (18 on family departures). Rates include first-class accommodations, most meals and beverages, expert guides, park entry fees, multisport activities such as hiking, biking, rafting, horseback riding and more, ground transportation and luggage service. Not included is round trip travel to the host city.  
 
For a copy of the 2009 catalog as well as information on ALA’s 66 unique itineraries for active adult and family travel, please call toll-free 1.800.575.1540, or e-mail info@austinlehman.com. To review current trips, schedules and itineraries you can log onto its website: www.austinlehman.com.

Similar posts: baseball fame hall

Bret Saberhagen, SP (55.9 / 52.7)
Ended the 1999 season as the best fantasy pitcher in baseball: 23 W, 0.96 WHIP, 2.16 ERA, 193K. Two time 20-game winner and four time top-10 pitcher of the year. Seemed to have great seasons every other year, but never consecutively. Averaged 18 W, 1.06 WHIP, and a 2.83 ERA during his 5-year peak.
Best Score: 16.4 in 1989. Peak Avg: 10.5

73 - Edgar Martinez, DH (55.9 / 52.3)
A wonderful batter that perhaps was not as good as his reputation, in terms of fantasy baseball anyway. Martinez was feared immensely as his eight seasons with a 150+ OPS supports, but from a fantasy standpoint he didn’t accumulate enough counting stats to match his real-life accomplishments. Over his 5-year peak: .337, 109 R, 28 HR, 107 RBI, 5 SB.
Best Score: 13.7 in 1995. Peak Avg: 10.5

72 – Shawn Green, OF (56.0 / 52.3)
Green enjoyed a 4-year reign as a Top-10 outfielder. He reached the forty home run mark three times and twice drove in 120+ runners. He also stole 20 bases a year during his top-2 seasons making him a legitimate 4-tool threat for a while.
Best Score: 13.0 in 1999. Peak Avg: 10.5

71 – Darryl Strawberry, OF (56.1 / 53.9)
“Straw” never hit for average, limiting his fantasy ceiling somewhat. In addition, he only has two seasons of 100+ runs and three of 100+ RBI. What he did was consistently hit for plus power, reaching 24 ten times, including a nine-year streak from 1983 to 1991 where he averaged 31 per season. He had speed to, with on average 28 per season during his first 6 years in baseball.
Best Score: 12.9 in 1988. Peak Avg: 10.8

70 – Alan Trammell, SS (56.2 / 51.5)
The AL’s version of Barry Larkin and a better real-life player than a fantasy one. He lasted 19 seasons, though was only considered a better than average fantasy shortstop in 11 of them. 1987 was his best year: .343 AVG, 109 R, 28 HR, 105 RBI, 21 SB
Best Score: 13.7 in 1987. Peak Avg: 10.3

69 – Julio Franco, 2B (56.5 / 52.3)
Franco started as a shortstop and averaged 7.3 FBHOF points over his first 5 years in baseball at the position. In 1988 he moved to second base, flourished, and averaged 10.7 FBHOF points for his 4 years there. He moved to DH, had a 9 Point season in 1994, but then age caught up to him and he mustered a negative 14.8 FBHOF points during his remaining 7 seasons. In his early years was a Top-3 second basemen and Top-5 shortstop. Franco is one of those players that has quite an interesting “best stat” line for his career: .343 AVG (in 1991), 108 R (in 1991), 20 HR (in 1994), 98 RBI (in 1994), and 36 SB (in 1991).
Best Score: 13.4 in 1991. Peak Avg: 10.5

68 – Eric Davis, OF (56.5 / 54.4)
“Eric the Red’s” story is well known. One of most talented players to come along in a dozen years, Davis had incredible raw power and speed, a combination that caused Davis to sometimes be compared to a young Mickey Mantle. Injuries destroyed his career, so much so that he retired at the age of 32 thinking his body just couldn’t handle it. He did come back, but only to more of the same, and in 17 seasons never once reached 140 games and only reached 100 games in eight of them. It was a shame too. Davis accumulated 13.8 FBHOF points in 1987, finishing as the second best batter after batting .293 with 120 R, 37 HR, 100 RBI, and 50 SB. Yet he missed over a month of the season. The year before he hit 27 HR and stole 80 bases in just 132 games.

For the fun of it, prorating his ’86 and 87 seasons over 162 games:

1987: .293 AVG, 144 R, 45 HR, 120 RBI, 60 SB, 18.2 FBHOF Points
1986: .277 AVG, 114 R, 32 HR, 84 RBI, 94 SB, 15.6 FBHOF Points.

1987 would have ranked as the 4th best batting season in fantasy history.
Best Score: 12.7 in 1987. Peak Avg: 10.

Similar posts: baseball fame hall

The St. Augustine Monster was a carcass that washed ashore near St. Augustine, Florida in 1896. It was initially postulated to be a gigantic octopus.
Sea monster corpses have been reported since recent antiquity (Heuvelmans 1968). Unidentified carcasses are often called globsters. The alleged plesiosaur netted by the Japanese trawler Zuiyo Maru off New Zealand caused a sensation in 1977 and was immortalized on a Brazilian postage stamp before it was suggested by the FBI to be the decomposing carcass of a basking shark. Likewise, DNA testing confirmed that an alleged sea monster washed up on Fortune Bay, Newfoundland in August, 2001, was a sperm whale.
Another modern example of a sea monster was the strange creature washed up on the Chilean sea shore in July, 2003. It was first described as a mammoth jellyfish as long as a bus but was later determined to be another corpse of a sperm whale. Cases of boneless, amorphic globsters are sometimes believed to be gigantic octopuses, but it has now been determined that sperm whales dying at sea decompose in such a way that the blubber detaches from the body, forming featureless whitish masses that sometimes exhibit a hairy texture due to exposed strands of collagen fibers. The analysis of the Zuiyo Maru carcass revealed a comparable phenomenon in decomposing basking shark carcasses, which lose most of the lower head area and the dorsal and caudal fins first, making them resemble a plesiosaur.

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Paul M. Banks a.k.a. The Sports Bank
-The Weber Ultimate Tailgate, located on the Southeast lawn (outside Gate 6) of Soldier Field, is free and open to the public. The Tailgate will open two hours prior to kickoff for the first four regular season home games: September 21 vs. Tampa Bay ; September 28 vs. Philadelphia ; October 19 vs. Minnesota and November 2 vs. Detroit. Fans will be able to enjoy music, receive autographs from Bears alumni players (this week Otis Wilson and Dan Jiggetts will be appearing), and compete in a variety of football skills competitions. Festivities start at 5pm Sunday.
-Dennis McKinnon to Host 2nd Annual Celebrity Golf Tournament And Pre-Event Party “Dance Da Shuffle” at Excalibur Nightclub. 640 N. Dearborn 6-11 PM on Sun Sept 29th.
For the second consecutive year, a local charity is benefiting from former ’85 Chicago Bears wide receiver Dennis McKinnon’s passion and hard work. McKinnon, the Illinois One Family One Child (IOFOC) foundation, Empress Casino, Chandler’s Chophouse, Signs By Tomorrow, Hunt Media Management and Project 85 are partnering to bring fans the second annual celebrity golf outing “Dennis McKinnon’s Old School Open.”
Proceeds from the outing, silent auction, and dinner will benefit the IOFOC, an organization meant to raise money for underprivileged youths. “I’m extremely proud to have my name and several of my former teammates behind such a great cause,” McKinnon said. “Everyone who comes out will make a big difference in the lives of kids.” The soiree will also be a Bears game watch party, as the Monsters of the Midway take on the Philadelphia Eagles at 7:15.
-The golf outing, formerly known as the Bad Pants Open, is set for an 11 a.m.
shotgun start on Sept. 30 at Schaumburg Golf Club located at 401 N. Roselle Road.
Although the name has changed, the concept has not – players still embarrass themselves, wearing the worst golf outfit they own topping it off with their “old school” jersey. Besides McKinnon, other 1985 Chicago Bears are slated to appear and participate in the event include – Willie Gault, Richard Dent, Dave Duerson, Jim McMahon, Steve McMichael, Emery Moorehead, Matt Suhey, Otis Wilson, and Jim Covert.

Similar posts: baseball fame hall

 
 One of the most trusted names in all-inclusive, active and culturally rewarding vacations announced that it is expanding its operations into Europe.  
 
Dan Austin and Paul Lehman, founders and partners of Austin-Lehman Adventures, revealed that their company has acquired a time-tested cycling tours veteran. The company is Euro-Bike and Walking Tours with a 34-year track record of successfully providing active and adventurous vacations throughout Europe. The formal closing for the purchase will occur on November 3, 2008.  
 
“By acquiring Euro-Bike and Walking Tours and its well-established operation and excellent reputation, we are expanding our destination offerings by 30 percent and giving clients the opportunity to travel with Austin-Lehman Adventures to Italy, France, Holland, Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic,” says Austin.  
 
This purchase means that Austin-Lehman Adventures will now have bases of operation on four continents: Europe, Africa, North and South America.  
 
The Austin-Lehman Adventures forte is to give guests a comprehensive and authentic insider’s view of regions visited. The new European programs will remain primarily cycling and cultural. Traditionally Austin-Lehman Adventures has featured multi-activity trips with activities like biking, hiking, sea kayaking and white water rafting.  
 
“Our programs are about the luxury of learning, stimulating activity and the tender loving care we lavish on our guests,” says Lehman.  
 
To assure that its new European programs will continue this Austin-Lehman Adventures tradition, Ron van Dijk, the second-generation Director of Operations for Euro-Bike and Walking Tours, has joined the Austin-Lehman Adventures team, bringing 34 years of experience in small group European cycle touring to the table.  
 
“By having Ron continue in his role of heading up European operations, we gain decades of regional experience,” says Austin. This acquisition adds 26 new programs to ALA’s existing 40.  
 
Austin says that the integrity of Euro-Bike and Walking Tour’s core product is already aligned with that of Austin-Lehman Adventures.  
 
“Ron will mostly be focusing on adding the extra touches, the which make our exceptional customer service really stand out,” Austin says. “The major factors that are making this transaction possible are the existing similarities between our two companies. These similarities especially include our joint passion for providing service and learning opportunities and “behind the scenes” access, as well as our passion for flawless planning.”  
 
“We are thrilled to keep the legacy we’ve built alive and vibrant for years to come by joining the Austin-Lehman Adventures family,” says van Dijk. He notes that Kathy Guyer, Euro-Bike and Walking Tour’s head of U.S. sales based in DeKalb, Illinois, will be relocating to the Austin-Lehman Adventures’ office in Billings, Montana, “so we won’t miss a beat in providing trip expertise and in-depth regional knowledge.”  
 
In the coming year the European cycling trips will embrace Austin-Lehman Adventures’ 6 guests to one guide ratio that has set a high industry standard. As Austin-Lehman Adventures becomes more established in Europe, the owners anticipate adding more multi-activity trips.  
 
This is the second time in eight years that Austin-Lehman Adventures has grown through acquisition.  In 2000 the company acquired Backcountry Tours, combining it with Adventures Plus to create Austin-Lehman Adventures.  
 
Austin-Lehman Adventures manages all of the arrangements for its selected destinations that include iconic regions of North, Central and South America as well as southern Africa and now Europe. Small groups are limited to 12 guests (18 on family departures). Rates include first-class accommodations, most meals and beverages, expert guides, park entry fees, multisport activities such as hiking, biking, rafting, horseback riding and more, ground transportation and luggage service. Not included is round trip travel to the host city.  
 
For a copy of the 2009 catalog as well as information on ALA’s 66 unique itineraries for active adult and family travel, please call toll-free 1.800.575.1540, or e-mail info@austinlehman.com. To review current trips, schedules and itineraries you can log onto its website: www.austinlehman.com.

Similar posts: baseball fame hall

I'm nuts about sports. Always have been. Always will be. From an early age, my goal was to become a sports reporter. My journalistic career began on a local newspaper in Kent, England, and I was beat reporter for The Gills - Gillingham Football Club. My best pal on the team was Steve Bruce, who went on to lead Manchester United to the league and cup double. Four seasons later came my own big-money transfer to Fleet Street and the Press Association. I was appointed PA snooker correspondent at the time when the sport was at its peak. The first final I covered was in 1987 when Steve Davis avenged his shock defeat by Joe Johnson. I had the honor of becoming sports editor of PA before joining the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association. I moved to the USA with my wife a few years ago and have since discovered two new sporting passions: baseball and football, American-style. I'm a Yankees and Giants fan but still support my home-town teams back in the UK - Brighton and Hove Albion FC (aka The Seagulls) and Sussex County Cricket Club. Sussex never managed to win a championship while I lived there. Since my departure, they have won three. Perhaps I was the jinx.

Similar posts: baseball fame hall

 
 One of the most trusted names in all-inclusive, active and culturally rewarding vacations announced that it is expanding its operations into Europe.  
 
Dan Austin and Paul Lehman, founders and partners of Austin-Lehman Adventures, revealed that their company has acquired a time-tested cycling tours veteran. The company is Euro-Bike and Walking Tours with a 34-year track record of successfully providing active and adventurous vacations throughout Europe. The formal closing for the purchase will occur on November 3, 2008.  
 
“By acquiring Euro-Bike and Walking Tours and its well-established operation and excellent reputation, we are expanding our destination offerings by 30 percent and giving clients the opportunity to travel with Austin-Lehman Adventures to Italy, France, Holland, Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic,” says Austin.  
 
This purchase means that Austin-Lehman Adventures will now have bases of operation on four continents: Europe, Africa, North and South America.  
 
The Austin-Lehman Adventures forte is to give guests a comprehensive and authentic insider’s view of regions visited. The new European programs will remain primarily cycling and cultural. Traditionally Austin-Lehman Adventures has featured multi-activity trips with activities like biking, hiking, sea kayaking and white water rafting.  
 
“Our programs are about the luxury of learning, stimulating activity and the tender loving care we lavish on our guests,” says Lehman.  
 
To assure that its new European programs will continue this Austin-Lehman Adventures tradition, Ron van Dijk, the second-generation Director of Operations for Euro-Bike and Walking Tours, has joined the Austin-Lehman Adventures team, bringing 34 years of experience in small group European cycle touring to the table.  
 
“By having Ron continue in his role of heading up European operations, we gain decades of regional experience,” says Austin. This acquisition adds 26 new programs to ALA’s existing 40.  
 
Austin says that the integrity of Euro-Bike and Walking Tour’s core product is already aligned with that of Austin-Lehman Adventures.  
 
“Ron will mostly be focusing on adding the extra touches, the which make our exceptional customer service really stand out,” Austin says. “The major factors that are making this transaction possible are the existing similarities between our two companies. These similarities especially include our joint passion for providing service and learning opportunities and “behind the scenes” access, as well as our passion for flawless planning.”  
 
“We are thrilled to keep the legacy we’ve built alive and vibrant for years to come by joining the Austin-Lehman Adventures family,” says van Dijk. He notes that Kathy Guyer, Euro-Bike and Walking Tour’s head of U.S. sales based in DeKalb, Illinois, will be relocating to the Austin-Lehman Adventures’ office in Billings, Montana, “so we won’t miss a beat in providing trip expertise and in-depth regional knowledge.”  
 
In the coming year the European cycling trips will embrace Austin-Lehman Adventures’ 6 guests to one guide ratio that has set a high industry standard. As Austin-Lehman Adventures becomes more established in Europe, the owners anticipate adding more multi-activity trips.  
 
This is the second time in eight years that Austin-Lehman Adventures has grown through acquisition.  In 2000 the company acquired Backcountry Tours, combining it with Adventures Plus to create Austin-Lehman Adventures.  
 
Austin-Lehman Adventures manages all of the arrangements for its selected destinations that include iconic regions of North, Central and South America as well as southern Africa and now Europe. Small groups are limited to 12 guests (18 on family departures). Rates include first-class accommodations, most meals and beverages, expert guides, park entry fees, multisport activities such as hiking, biking, rafting, horseback riding and more, ground transportation and luggage service. Not included is round trip travel to the host city.  
 
For a copy of the 2009 catalog as well as information on ALA’s 66 unique itineraries for active adult and family travel, please call toll-free 1.800.575.1540, or e-mail info@austinlehman.com. To review current trips, schedules and itineraries you can log onto its website: www.austinlehman.com.

Similar posts: baseball fame hall

Shea Stadium can't match Yankee Stadium in longevity, number of championships won, or baseball mystique. But it has hosted many classic moments in its 45 years, and like Yankee Stadium, the home of the NY Mets was officially closed for good today at the end of this season with a ceremony featuring appearances by many of the franchise's most famed players. For the Mets, the end came today.

The closing ceremony, fittingly called "Shea Goodbye," was bittersweet not only because of the memories that were made there, but for a more immediate reason: The Mets lost their final regular-season game just before the ceremonies. That combined with a Milwaukee Brewers win over the Cubs meant that the Brewers claimed the National League wild card spot, and for the second straight season, the Mets blew a late-season lead to get knocked out of playoff contention.

But back to the closing ceremony for the Mets and Shea. Many of the team's storied players, including a number from the team's two World Series victories in 1969 and 1986, were there. Walking in from the outfield wall to the infield were such names as Lenny Dykstra, Howard Johnson, Sid Fernandez, Jerry Koosman, Gary Carter, Rusty Staub, and many others, including Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan (most baseball fans probably don't even know that he played for the Mets in the early years of his career).

Some of the biggest cheers were for Tom Seaver, the Hall of Fame pitcher from the 1960s who was called "The Franchise;" fellow Hall of Famer Willie Mays, who played his twilight years for the Mets; and fan favorites from the 1980s, including Keith Hernandez, Dwight Gooden, Dykstra, Darryl Stawberry, Carter, Mike Piazza, and relief pitcher Jesse Orosco.

There was an unusual bit of symmetry with the closing of Yankee Stadium a week or so ago, one that linked the two teams and also two eras of baseball. One of the Mets honored at the Shea closing ceremony was legendary Yankee player Yogi Berra, who was one of the first Mets managers, and who also was featured at the Yankee Stadium closing ceremony.

One by one, the players touched home plate one last time, and then there was one final pitch thrown at Shea: 1960s Mets legend Tom Seaver threw a one-hop pitch to catcher Mike Piazza, who energized the team when he played for them in the late 1990s and early 2000s. After that, Seaver and Piazza walked across the field toward the opening in the outfield walls from where all the players had emerged. The two players stopped and waved, and then each of them closed one of the outfield walls, bringing an end to the 45-year history of the stadium that has been the Mets home since 1964.

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Direct from Wikipedia: "The T206 Honus Wagner baseball card is a baseball card depicting Honus Wagner, a dead-ball era baseball player who is widely considered to be one of the finest players of all time. The card was designed and issued by the American Tobacco Company (ATC) from 1909 to 1911 as part of its T206 series. Wagner refused to allow production of his baseball card to continue, either because he did not want children to buy cigarette packs to get his card, or because he wanted more compensation from the ATC. The ATC ended production of the Wagner card and a total of only 50 to 200 cards were ever distributed to the public. In 1933, the card was first listed at a price value of US$50 in Jefferson Burdick's The American Card Catalog, making it the most expensive baseball card in the world at the time. The most famous T206 Honus Wagner is the "Gretzky T206 Honus Wagner" card. The card has a controversial past, as some speculate that it was once altered, based on the card's odd texture and shape. The Gretzky T206 Wagner was first sold by Alan Ray to a baseball memorabilia collector named Bill Mastro, who sold the card two years later to Jim Copeland for nearly four times the price he had originally paid. Copeland's sizable transaction revitalized interest in the sports memorabilia collection market. In 1991, Copeland sold the card to ice hockey figures Wayne Gretzky and Bruce McNall for $451,000. Gretzky resold the card four years later to Wal-Mart and Treat Entertainment for $500,000, for use as the top prize in a promotional contest. The next year, a Florida postal worker won the card and auctioned it at Christie's for $640,000 to collector Michael Gidwitz. In 2000, the card was sold in an auction on eBay to Brian Seigel for $1.27 million. In February 2007, Seigel sold the card to an anonymous collector for $2.35 million. Less than six months later, the card was sold to a California collector for $2.8 million. These transactions have made the Wagner card the most valuable baseball card in history. A number of other T206 Wagners, both legitimate and fake, have surfaced in recent years. Some of the real cards have fetched hundreds of thousands of dollars in auctions. One particular T206 Honus Wagner owned by John Cobb and Ray Edwards has attracted controversy over its authenticity.

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Shea Stadium can't match Yankee Stadium in longevity, number of championships won, or baseball mystique. But it has hosted many classic moments in its 45 years, and like Yankee Stadium, the home of the NY Mets was officially closed for good today at the end of this season with a ceremony featuring appearances by many of the franchise's most famed players. For the Mets, the end came today.

The closing ceremony, fittingly called "Shea Goodbye," was bittersweet not only because of the memories that were made there, but for a more immediate reason: The Mets lost their final regular-season game just before the ceremonies. That combined with a Milwaukee Brewers win over the Cubs meant that the Brewers claimed the National League wild card spot, and for the second straight season, the Mets blew a late-season lead to get knocked out of playoff contention.

But back to the closing ceremony for the Mets and Shea. Many of the team's storied players, including a number from the team's two World Series victories in 1969 and 1986, were there. Walking in from the outfield wall to the infield were such names as Lenny Dykstra, Howard Johnson, Sid Fernandez, Jerry Koosman, Gary Carter, Rusty Staub, and many others, including Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan (most baseball fans probably don't even know that he played for the Mets in the early years of his career).

Some of the biggest cheers were for Tom Seaver, the Hall of Fame pitcher from the 1960s who was called "The Franchise;" fellow Hall of Famer Willie Mays, who played his twilight years for the Mets; and fan favorites from the 1980s, including Keith Hernandez, Dwight Gooden, Dykstra, Darryl Stawberry, Carter, Mike Piazza, and relief pitcher Jesse Orosco.

There was an unusual bit of symmetry with the closing of Yankee Stadium a week or so ago, one that linked the two teams and also two eras of baseball. One of the Mets honored at the Shea closing ceremony was legendary Yankee player Yogi Berra, who was one of the first Mets managers, and who also was featured at the Yankee Stadium closing ceremony.

One by one, the players touched home plate one last time, and then there was one final pitch thrown at Shea: 1960s Mets legend Tom Seaver threw a one-hop pitch to catcher Mike Piazza, who energized the team when he played for them in the late 1990s and early 2000s. After that, Seaver and Piazza walked across the field toward the opening in the outfield walls from where all the players had emerged. The two players stopped and waved, and then each of them closed one of the outfield walls, bringing an end to the 45-year history of the stadium that has been the Mets home since 1964.

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Hockey Night in Canada is one step closer to receiving new theme music.

CBC has revealed that an expansive judging committee on Canada's Hockey Anthem Challenge contest has whittled the number of entries down from 14,685 to five semifinalists.

Television viewers will be given a sneak peek at the five submissions each night during The Hour beginning Sept. 29 through to Oct. 3 at 11 p.m. when host George Stroumboulopoulos profiles clips from the original online submissions.

Viewers will then get an opportunity see all five submissions in their entirety during the Hockey Night in Canada Anthem Challenge, a one-hour special co-hosted by Stroumboulopoulos and Ron MacLean on Oct. 4 (CBC, 9 p.m. ET local time).

Following that broadcast, round one of fan voting will open up to the country, closing on Oct 7.

The two finalists will then be revealed during Hockey Night in Canada's Thursday broadcast on Oct. 9 and the second round of voting opens and continues to Oct. 10.

The new theme will be unveiled on Oct. 11 on the traditional Saturday broadcast of Hockey Night in Canada. The winning entry will receive $100,000 in cash and half of the ongoing performance royalties, with the other half going to Canadian minor league hockey.

For the two rounds of voting, Canadians will be invited to vote online at CBCSports.ca/anthemchallenge, by phone and via SMS on their mobile phones.

CBC launched the Canada's Hockey Anthem Challenge contest on June 19 after the network did not renew the rights to the old Hockey Night In Canada theme song, which were subsequently purchased by CTV Inc.

SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:

Cheez, it looks like the CBC is turning the fiasco of having the Hockey Night In Canada theme song ripped right out from under their noses into quite a PR happening! Good on the Mothercorp.

It will be kind of interesting to see which song is finally picked in the end.

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Barack Obama, John McCain and the Language of Race,” Editorial Observer, Sept. 22).
No one has yet called Senator Barack Obama “uppity,” but it now appears that the aloofness that is attributed to him may have a similar objective of putting him “in his place.” Oh, the power of language!
The polls that refer lately to the preference for John McCain among white working-class men demonstrate that racism is alive and well in this country.
We may be better off to address the issue of race head on rather than pretend that it is not a factor in this election. Mr. Staples points out correctly that Mr. Obama “seems to understand that he is always an utterance away from a statement—or a phrase—that could transform him . . . into the archetypical angry black man who scares off the white vote.”
Pity us all, and the rest of the world, for it looks as if we may once again lose the opportunity to be led by a thinking individual.
Helene Salomon
Scarsdale, N.Y., Sept. 22, 2008
Note from KBJ: This letter was not written by a thinking individual. Is there no other reason to oppose Barack Obama than his skin color? How about the fact that he disparages white working-class men by saying that they cling to God and guns? How about the fact that he would tax and spend, thereby stifling economic growth? How about the fact that he is a novice about foreign and military affairs? How about the fact that he wants to socialize health care? How about the fact that he associates with unrepentant terrorists and anti-American preachers? I could go on, but you get the point. Obama doesn't own the votes of white working-class men or anyone else. He must earn every vote he gets. Another thing: If it's racist to call Obama aloof, then African Americans are incapable of aloofness. Does that sound right? Why would one's skin color or ethnic origin prevent one from being aloof? Do nonwhites have limited emotional repertoires and character traits? This stuff is right out of Alice in Wonderland.

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Pope Saint Gregory II served as pope from May 19, 715 to his death on February 11, 731, succeeding Pope Constantine. Having, it is said, bought off the Lombards for thirty pounds of gold, he used the tranquillity thus obtained for vigorous missionary efforts among the Germanic tribes, and for strengthening the papal authority in the churches of Britain and Ireland. By excommunicating the Byzantine emperor Leo III the Isaurian, he prepared the way for a long series of revolts and civil wars, which tended greatly to the establishment of the temporal power of the popes. He died in 731, and subsequently attained the honour of canonization. The day that Gregory is remembered in the seems to be any one of February 11th, February 13th, and February 28th.
Gregory II was an alleged collateral ancestor to the Roman Savelli family, according to a 15th century chronicler, but this is undocumented and very likely unreliable. The same was said of Benedict II, but nothing certain is known about a kinship between the two popes.

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CUBA - The Cuban Amateur Baseball Federation (CABF) has not announced yet the calendar for the 48th National Series but an extra official scheduled has been revealed for the tournament.
Cuba will compete in Group B of the II World Baseball Classic in Mexico City during the month of March 2009.
The National Series will begin on November 30th in Santiago de Cuba when the reigning champion, Santiago de Cuba, will face the runner-up of the 47th National Series, Pinar del Río.

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