Softball Injustice : FIGHT THE POWER!!!!!!!!

I would like to thank Nick Ross, manager and player, of Brother Jimmy's in the Big Apple League http://esportsdesk.com/leagues/front_pageesd.cfm?clientID=1322&leagueID=2106 , for providing the breaking news (see information below) on the The Queensboro Oval , under 59th Street Softball field. The field was awkward and had a unique clay surface but the competition under the lights was excellent/fun when old school umpire Angelo ran a league there. Teams like DEA, Wolf Pack, Sensational Shop, Cardinals, and Mo's Tavern fielded strong ball clubs and as a player you looked forward to playing games after work there. The league fell apart when illegal modified pitchers like Millo and John Brown titled the competitive balance.I know the field is still used for pickup, Co-Ed and Yorkville games and more importantly it would be a shame for Manhattan to lose another softball fields as there are so few fields currently available.

Please review the information below and attend if possible:

Parks for People Not for Profit

Mayor Bloomberg’s “Green Campaign” along with help from Betsey Johnson of the City parks Department is selling public open space to private businessmen. The Queensboro Oval, below the 59th Street Bridge has been a home to ball players, families, dog walkers and children learning to ride bikes for over 40 years. Countless people use it and want to continue to do so. They are being denied this community privilege because a greedy sole proprietor has offered the city money for the space and because the city, OUR CITY, has agreed to sell our public outdoor space.
It began with a for profit tennis club enclosing the park in a bubble for 6 months of the year when the space was too cold to be enjoyed by the public. Years later, the bubble remained for 8 months. We are now in a battle to preserve the remaining 4 months of the year for the people of this community and this city.
THIS COMMUNITY HAS THE LEAST AMOUNT OF OPEN SPACE IN THE CITY. THERE ARE MORE TENNIS COURTS THAN BALL FIELDS IN THIS CITY. THE TENNIS CLUB CHARGES OVER $150/HOUR WHICH MOST COMMUNITY MEMBERS CAN NOT AFFORD. PRIVATIZATION OF OUR SCARCE, PUBLIC, OUTDOOR SPACES IS UNCONSCIONABLE. IT IS AT ITS MOST BASIC LEVEL, A CONTRADICTION. PUBLIC - PRIVATE? COVER AN OPEN SPACE WITH A BUBBLE?

DO NOT LET THIS HAPPEN!!!!!!!!!

To help, attend the meeting at Hunter, 129 E. 79th Street, on

February 18th, 6pm.
Write to your local representatives and oppose this reprehensible change

Jacqueline Ludorf 505 Park Avenue
Chair Suite 620
New York, N.Y. 10022
Latha Thompson (212) 758-4340
District Manager (212) 758-4616 (Fax)
www.cb8m.com Website
info@cb8m.com - E-Mail

The City of New York
Manhattan Community Board 8

Official Government Notice
Please Do Not Remove Until February 19, 2010

Parks Committee

Public Hearing

RE: Queensboro Oval: Update on the Parks Dept.'s plans to convert this dual tennis-softball facility to an all-tennis center.

Date: Thursday, February 18, 2010

Time: 6:00 p.m.

Place: Hunter School of Social Work
129 East 79th Street, Hexter Lounge

Anyone with an interest in this matter is encouraged to attend.

Margaret Price and Barbara Rudder
Co-Chairs

updated : 4th Annual DOUBLE ELIMINATION - Two Tournaments

If you want to get your season started by playing highly competitive ball check out these Two highly competitive Softball Tournaments :

Major Open Pitching Modified Tournament #1

March 13th and 14th, 2010
Location: Red Hook, Brooklyn
Entry Fee: $325.00
RAIN DATE 20th & 21st
########

Rules for MAJOR MODIFIED TOURNAMENT -

Rule #1 NO BITCHING ABOUT THE PITCHING

Rule #2 If you believe otherwise read rule number one.

• NOTES: GUARANTEE three (3) game on Saturday and
• one game elimination on Sunday
  
• Bunting at anytime
  
• NO stealing
  
• HIT BY PITCH (batter get a base)
• both foot on the pitching rubber, no wind mill
  
• international rule after complete 7 innings
  
• 10 run mercy rule after 5 inning
  
• All participating teams are responsible for team liability insurance for their ballplayers
  
• DEPOSIT REQUIRED
  
• ALL TEAMS ARE REQUIRED TO PAY UMPIRES ($25) BEFORE SCHEDULE GAMES

You gotta love that "no bitching about pitching line" line - keeping it real

If you don't play open checkout :

4th Annual DOUBLE ELIMINATION
Tournament #2

March 20th and 21st, 2010
Location: Red hook, Brooklyn
Entry Fee: $325
RAIN DATE 3/28 & 3/29

NOTES:

• GUARANTEE three (3) game on Saturday and one game elimination on Sunday.
• Bunting at anytime
• NO stealing
• HIT BY PITCH (batter get a base),
• Both feet on the pitching rubber, no wind mill,
• International rule after complete 7 innings
• 10 run mercy rule after 5 inning.
• All participating teams are responsible for team liability insurance for their ballplayers.
• DEPOSIT REQUIRED. ALL TEAMS ARE REQUIRED TO PAY UMPIRES ($25) BEFORE SCHEDULE GAMES
  
  NO sling, sidearm, windmill, rocking, bunting, stealing and PITCHER RESTRICTIONS. PLEASE DISCLOSED YOU PITCHER TO AVOID PROBLEMS.

Tournaments meeting is SATURDAY prior to noted tournaments
Payout depends on the number of teams, umpire fees, ball, league misc expenses.

Please call Ramesh 516-491-1855 or Rick @ 917-578-4232
FEEL THE IMPACT!!!

I've promoted this tournament in the past http://softballinsider.blogspot.com/2008/02/early-season-tournament-news.html and highly recommend Ramesh as a creditable source, reliable person, and tough competitor. Too bad I can never get him to play for me :)))))

National Softball Letter of Intent Day

Recently a 13-year-old kid named David Sills made a verbal commitment to play football for USC and new coach Lane Kiffin. Man I thought calling someone in February to recruit them for softball was early. It appears it never too early to get players to sign a letter of commitment in the doggie dog cut throat world of recruiting.

It's no different in the gossip filled back stabbing ruthless softball recruiting season as managers, owners, sponsors, maniacs, ass kissers, or suckers (all names apply) are calling up players, bad mouthing other teams/managers, and making deals to strengthen/finalize their rosters for 2010. Eventually you as a player have to decide who where to play and when you decide on a new ball club you have to find the right way to tell your old team goodbye.

Top Ten Ways/Excuses/Lies/Tools to Use to Tell Your Old team Goodbye

10. Use any means as long as it is Way Ahead of Time - Don't be like Brett Favre and string a team along with ulterior motives or the softball gods will punish you like the football gods punished Brett in the NFC Championship game,when his team outplayed the eventual Super Bowl Champs Saints but still lost and left him full of pain and blame. Try and avoid Brett's fate by at least letting your old team know way ahead of time that you are moving on.
9/8. Text/Email - Cold and distant - Only do it when your too much of a wuss to do it face to face or if you know they won't care.
7. Face to Face - Man Up!!!!!! A must do if respect is an issue.
6. Phone Call - Acceptable but not as honorable as Face To Face
5. Let your new Manager tell him - Element of shock and betrayal will lead to some good games the following season but will probably cost you a friendship
4. Lie - give them "it's not you it's not me excuse "- That means its really your managing and team and I want out loser.
3. Lie again tell them "I just want to have Fun" - means the team your leaving sucks and the one your going to has a better chance to win
2. Financial Statement - If your good enough demand money or tell them your going to another team b/c they are sponsored.

and the #1 /Excuses/Lies/Tools to Use to Tell Your Old team Goodbye

1.Good Cause Excuse - Tell them your going to another team for a reason other than softball. For example help a friend, loyalty, family, honor, charity, or work related. By giving them a good noble reason your leaving they won't feel bad and your still get what you want. Double BOOMERANG Win!!!!!!!!!

Sports Illustrated Issue

You can't call them the Ain't anymore!!!!!!!The "Who DAT Nation" Saints are SUPER BOWL CHAMPIONS thanks to brilliant play and bold coaching decisions

but now what for Sports fans??? Football is over, March Madness is weeks away, and softball is even farther away than the NCAA tournament. OK this year we are lucky in that there is the Winter Olympics "O"

too watch. Hmm.. what about a softball winter Olympics ... nah most softball players hate the cold and I wrote a blog about the summer Olympics

http://softballinsider.blogspot.com/2008/08/olympic-softball.html a while back so doing a winter "O" blog wouldn't be very original.

Face it it's February. The sports world equivalent of Siberia. A Cold sports Hell. However, brilliant magazine executives at sports illustrated took advantage of this sports lull by giving men what they love most along with sports, beautiful naked Women, alas the Famous Sports Illustrated Issue, where men can cheer for the likes of Brooklyn Decker

and injured Olympic hopeful Lindsey Vonn

Very nice eye candy for sure and a more than adequate substitute for sports, and softball if you want to call that a sport.

Softball should learn from the Grammys

Last Night Grammys was an amazing show filled with many memorable performances
and special moments
While no one in Softball looks like ultimate eye candy Fergie
and the event is an ego filled showoff talent extravaganza/celebration there is something deeper to the event that we can all learn from, especially softball players. My favorite part of the show is new artist honoring and working with legends, yet still being able to shine.

A lot of younger players think they know more or run the show b/c they are stud performers. A great part about softball that I love is talking/learning from older guys who are part of the game. In fact one of the best most special parts of softball are Father-Son player combination. So all you young guys out there take time to learn from the old school and avoid the old cliche "That youth is wasted on the young"