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Tommy Williams, Michael Puente earn Best of Indiana Journalism awards
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September 24, 2021Press Releases / Top StoriesGary, IN: THE NORTHSHORE AMATEUR SPORTS ACADEMY was the recipient of a major grant from the ACTS foundation.
Northshore was awarded 40 Chromebooks that will be utilized in the Financial Literacy and Responsibility program that is being rolled out at elementary schools in the area.
NASA would like to thank the ACTS foundation in recognizing the commitment that we have been striving to continue in our community for over 16 years.
The ACTS foundation is a 501c3 organization that is AFFECTING OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH SERVICE.
For further NASA information contact Wallace Johnson at (219) 670-5142. | DOWNLOAD PRESS RELEASE | THANK YOU LETTER [...]
September 24, 2021Press Releases / Top Stories
The Northshore Amateur Sports Academy, INC (NASA) and Nights Diamonds, Inc have partnered together to do their part to celebrate the rich history of Gary, IN, a city with a connection to industrialization, early 20th century immigration, and the Civil Rights Movement. The collaboration, led by Wallace Johnson (President of NASA & Retired MLB player), Garthell Elkins, Wayne Fowler (President of Night Diamonds, INC & author), and Tyrone Hamilton, seeks to bring awareness to the great things accomplished by individuals born and/or raised in Gary, Indiana by placing a sign at the intersection of 2300 Madison Street in Gary, IN. The sign, which is enroute the Jackson Family childhood home, lists the names of notable Garyites.
For more information on this collaboration, please contact Northshore Amateur Sports Academy, INC at 219-980-0070 or visit www.northshoreacademy.org.
Wayne Fowler (left) and Wallace Johnson (Right) stand next to a sign, located at 2300 Madison Street, which lists names of notable Garyites. [...]
October 21, 2019Top StoriesNorthshore Academy Alumni Faith Hicks received her PhD in Pharmacy from the University of Hawaii@Hilo. An active member of Phi Delta Chi, Faith has passed the licensing requirements in Hawaii and Indiana. Major Congrats for our local graduate. [...]
October 21, 2019Top StoriesNASA congratulates local partner Rose Joiner, regional club director of the Boys & Girls Club, who was named a 2019 Maytag Dependable Leader. The award recognizes Boys & Girls Clubs staff and volunteers who are committed to making a difference as dependable and exceptional role models. Through a national partnership, Maytag and Boys & Girls Clubs of America selected Joiner to receive this year’s distinction, which includes a $20,000 grant for Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana. The grant will be used for the John Will Anderson Boys & Girls Club in Gary to start and staff an all-girls STEM program led by Joiner. Way to go Rose.
https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake/lake-newsletter/boys-girls-clubs-regional-director-honored-by-maytag-earns-for/article_c62d800b-e2a3-5c31-a74f-d8b549e2cdd8.html [...]
October 21, 2019Top StoriesNASA organization lost a giant in the passing of of Board President Benny Dorsey. His support, advise and direction propelled NASA into being a relevant entity in the world of youth sports, education and health initiatives. He will be sorely missed. https://www.nwitimes.com/sports/high-school/baseball/former-roosevelt-coach-benny-dorsey-remembered-fondly-by-lloyd-mcclendon/article_64ada54f-c448-533b-bfe6-61dafc4a7fea.html [...]
October 21, 2019Top StoriesNASA attended the NY2LA basketball tournament in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in support of its Texas represented CJ Davis who performed very well throughout the tournament. [...]
October 21, 2019Top StoriesOnce again NASA conducted hitting camps at the YWCA this summer. [...]
October 21, 2019Top StoriesISU baseball team celebrated its 40th year anniversary of the university’s first appearance in the NCAA post-season tournament. NASA board members, Joseph Colquitt and Martin Brown watched Director Wallace Johnson and Board member Preston L Williams, Jr. receive accolades during this historic moment. [...]
October 21, 2019Top StoriesThe Andrean Fighting 59ers baseball team won another class 3A state championship. Congratulations Coach Dave Pishkur and the crew. Also, the school’s basketball team led by coach Aaron Austin won their first class 2A state title. What a year for that institution and its students. [...]
October 21, 2019Top StoriesPlayball.org and MLBPAA events spearheaded by long-time Major League Player and local Legend LaTroy Hawkins provided clinics for area youth at the Gary Southshore Railcats stadium. https://www.mlb.com/news/former-players-give-major-league-instruction-to-kids-at-gary-clinic [...]
October 21, 2019Top StoriesNASA participated in winter indoor training with the Miller Little League program. Their players were preparing the transition from the minors to the majors this year. Last checked, their record was 10-4. [...]
October 21, 2019Top StoriesCondolences for Gary great, IU standout and NFL legend George Taliaferro family in his passing this year. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/10/obituaries/george-taliaferro-dead.html [...]
October 15, 2018Press Releases / Top StoriesDolph Pulliam, a member of the 1969 Drake University men’s basketball team that advanced to the Final Four, has been named to the 2019 Missouri Valley Conference Hall of Fame Class, the league announced Wednesday, Aug. 15.
Pulliam and the other five members of the class will be inducted into the Hall of Fame at the MVC’s annual Hall of Fame induction ceremony in St. Louis on Friday, March 8, 2019.
A native of Gary, Ind., Pulliam was regarded as one of the best defensive forwards of his era and a key member of Drake’s 1968-69 team that reached the NCAA Final Four and defeated North Carolina in the third-place game. In the semifinal contest against UCLA, he recorded 12 points, five rounds and six assists against the Bruins along with a critical steal in the final moments of the semifinal loss that nearly upended the UCLA juggernaut. Pulliam finished his career ranked fifth all-time in scoring at Drake with 1,007 career points and still ranks among Drake’s top 25 scorers.
He was drafted by the NBA’s Boston Celtics and courted by the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys in 1969 but elected to forgo his athletic career to remain in Des Moines and become the first African-American television broadcaster in Iowa. Pulliam went on to anchor the mid-day news and hosted two children’s shows: One, Two, Three and Dolph’s Cartoon Corner.
Following many successful years in broadcasting and as a stalwart in the community, he became director of athletic marketing at Drake in 1989 before moving into a position as director of community outreach and development prior to retiring in 2014. Through his work Pulliam has hosted and produced the Beautiful Bulldog Contest, a Drake Relays tradition that gains annual international media attention, for 19 years. He also developed or led many community outreach initiatives, including Halloween Hoops, the Holiday Food Basket program, Drake’s United Way fundraising campaign, and the Holiday Wish program.
Pulliam remained involved with the men’s basketball program throughout his career in Des Moines, serving as the radio analyst for various periods of time, most recently from 2002-14 during which he helped document the Bulldogs’ magical 2007-08 season.
Honored with Drake’s “Double D” Award in 2011 for his tremendous success in his field and impact he has made in the community, Pulliam was inducted into the state of Iowa African-American Hall of Fame in 2006. He also was inducted into the state of Indiana Basketball of Fame in 2009 and has his number retired by Drake.
Pulliam has received numerous awards including the National Recognition Award from the Red Cross, the National Easter Seals Recognition Award, the Alice Whipple Community Service Award for the Iowa Federation of Labor and the Silver Beaver Award from the Mid-Iowa Boy Scouts of America. He was a 2010-11 MVC John Sanders “Spirit of the Valley” Award honoree.
https://godrakebulldogs.com/news/2018/8/14/mens-basketball-drake-legend-dolph-pulliam- named-to-2019-missouri-valley-conference-hall-of-fame-class.aspx
http://www.hoopshall.com/hall-of-fame/dolph-pulliam/?back=HallofFa [...]
October 15, 2018Press Releases / Top StoriesDuring his long career as an athlete, coach, mentor and police officer, Dan Calloway touched the lives of thousands.
On Aug. 17, about 350 of them showed up for his 80th birthday celebration at the Riviera Beach Marina Village.
Calloway, a Riviera Beach native who spent 25 years with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, is revered in his hometown for the work he has done with children over the last half-century.
After returning to Riviera Beach in 1964 following a two-year stint in the U.S. Army, the former professional baseball player, coach and golf caddie worked to provide recreational opportunities to children who otherwise would not have had access to them.
In 1965, he founded the Youth Recreation Association, which provides youngsters with lessons in sportsmanship, teamwork and completion.
He also has coached and mentored kids for the past 53 years on and off the athletic fields.
https://www.mypalmbeachpost.com/news/local/former-pro-baseball-player-impacting-lives-riviera-beach-youth/JOK1g75M2a53M5SR0Slc1K/ [...]
October 15, 2018Press Releases / Top StoriesJanuary 27, 2018
Gary native Latroy Hawkins was inducted into the Indiana Baseball Hall of Fame in January 2018.
A 1991 graduate of Gary West Side High School he was a two sport athlete, baseball and basketball. He was drafted in 7th round of the 1991 amateur draft by the Minnesota Twins. Recognized in 1993 and 1994 as minor league player of the year in the Twins organization and made major league pitching debut in 1995 at age of 22. He played 21 seasons for eleven different major league clubs.
LaTroy joined the Twins front office in November 2016 as a Special Assistant to Baseball Operations. His responsibilities include: contributing to the development of the organizational pitching philosophy used in the selection and development of all players. He will occasionally serve as an analyst for Twins games on Fox Sports North.
http://www.indbaseballhalloffame.org/inductee-latroy-hawkins/ [...]
October 15, 2018News / Top StoriesThere was a sound the football made when it was released from Antonio Pipkin’s right hand. And as soon as head coach Gary Goff heard it, he knew the fortunes of the Tiffin University Dragons were about to change.
“When he threw a football, you didn’t have to be watching. You could hear the
football come out of his hands and it just sounded different. And it got everybody’s attention,” said Goff, about to enter his eighth season leading the small Division II school 144 kilometres southwest of Cleveland.
“Early in his career, we knew we had something special. He kind of lived up to that. When I got Pipkin, I knew I had something a little bit different,” Goff added. “He was a big part of changing the culture. We expected to win instead of expecting to lose.”
By now, everyone should be aware of the Pipkin phenomenon. The 23-year-old was expected to make his third consecutive start at quarterback Friday night for the Alouettes at Ottawa, fresh on the heels of a 303-yard performance in Montreal’s victory last week against Toronto.
Time will tell whether Pipkin has the staying power to be consistent on a bad team, or whether this is his 15 minutes of fame. Especially with Johnny Manziel waiting in the wings
https://montrealgazette.com/sports/football/cfl/montreal-alouettes/inside-the-cfl-als-antonio-pipkin-seizes-opportunity-after-long-wait
https://montrealgazette.com/sports/football/cfl/montreal-alouettes/qb-antonio-pipkins-inspired-play-has-given-the-alouettes-optimism [...]
October 15, 2018News / Top StoriesThe First String Little League team from Champaign, Illinois won its first championship in June. NASA continues to participate in its annual pre-season baseball camps. Congratulations First String.
http://www.news-gazette.com/multimedia/photogallery/2018-06-26/little-league-championship-2018
Northshore Academy donated equipment to the Miller Little League Cubs team. They finished the season with the most victories in their history.
Also, NASA participated in after season scrimmages with the league to keep the interest level high until fall baseball activities resume.
John Colquitt competing in track and field event. Attached are photos of him long jumping (19’4) He attends Brownsburg High School in the Indianapolis area.
Michael Colquitt continues to compete for the Brownsburg High School Golf Team. Following are photos during a match. [...]
September 6, 2017Top StoriesGary, IN: NASA has received 21 complete sets of youth golf clubs. they were presented by YWCA former Program Director Lori Kuykendall. This will assist the program’s golf program and enhance our Sport Camp over the next few months.
Northshore Amateur Sports Academy, Inc., is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization. For further information, contact Wallace Johnson at (219) 980-0070.
[...]
September 6, 2017Top StoriesNorthshore Academy participates in Marram Health Fair
Gary, IN: Nasa celebrated National Health Center week by participating at the Marram Health Center (marramhealth.org) on Saturday, August 18. The event included community members, partners, elected officials and Rusty the Railcat mascot. There was free food, games, music, dancing and prize give-a ways for all who attended. NASA handouts included information on the NCAA clearinghouse for prospective athletes looking to complete at the collegiate level. Northshore Amateur Sports Academy, Inc., is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization. For further information, contact Wallace Johnson at (219) 980-0070. [...]
September 6, 2017Top StoriesNASA Coopertown Baseball Hall of Fame Trek
Gary, IN: Northshore Amateur Sports Academy’s Executive Director, Treasurer and Board of Directors attended the 2017 National Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. The Induction Ceremony took place at the Clark Sports Center grounds on Sunday, July 30, 2017 in Coopertown, New York. Also, former Montreal Expos Wallace Johnson participated is an autograph session that benefited the Montreal Children’s Hospital Foundation. He was joined by autographed session that benefited the Montreal Children’s Hospital Foundation. He was joined by Hall of Fame Expos broadcast Dave Van Horne and former teammates Dennis “Oil Can” Boyd and Bill “Spaceman” Lee and author Jonah Keri (books on The Extra 2% and Up, Up & Away).
Northshore Amateur Sports Academy, Inc., is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization. For further information, contact Wallace Johnson at (219) 980-0070.
link to full article [...]
November 9, 2016NewsIn Memoriam of:
Arnold Shuster, PhD
Earl Nickolson, MSW [...]
November 9, 2016NewsIn Memoriam of Jim Fanning and Claude Taliaferro. [...]
November 7, 2016NewsGary, IN: ON SATURDAY JANUARY 14, 2017, THE NORTHSHORE AMATEUR SPORTS ACADEMY WILL HOST ITS SEVENTH ANNUAL “ALL-SPORTS YOUTH CAMP & CLINIC”. The All-Sports Camp and Clinic will feature mascots, autograph sessions, special guests, demonstrations and much more.
Local companies can showcase their healthy lifestyle products in our EXPO area.
All proceeds from the All-Sports Youth Camp benefit the Northshore Amateur Sports Academy, a non-profit organization that provides local youths the opportunity to learn sportsmanship, teamwork and citizenship through sport. The NASA also promotes character development through sporting activities, lifelong physical fitness, a drug-free lifestyle and safe and fun access to healthy activities.
Open to groups and individuals, space at the All-Sports Youth Camp & Clinic is limited. Early sign-up reservations are recommended.
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THIS EVENT, PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT www.northshoreacademy.org
The event is sponsored by the Northshore Amateur Sports Academy, Inc., a 501 (c)(3) non- profit organization.. Event runs from 9am to 12pm with onsite registration beginning at 8:45am.
For further information, contact Wallace Johnson at (219) 980-0070. [...]
November 4, 2016NewsHAMMOND | They threw a large party Friday at Purdue University Calumet for more than 1,100 area students.
Free pizza, free bottled water, free T-shirts, music and two sports stars with a message highlighted the spirited event.
East Chicago native and Carolina Panthers defensive tackle Kawann Short joined Gary resident Wallace Johnson, a former White Sox coach and Montreal Expos standout, in sharing their perspectives on the value of education and civility.
The latter is sorely lacking in society today, with everyone on edge and the slightest provocation setting them off.
Bullying also is on the rise according to a recent survey by The National Center for Education Statistics that revealed one-third of students ages 12-18 experience some type of bullying.
Gary native Dr. Michael McGee, who works in the emergency room at Methodist Hospital, opened the program saying: “You can’t fight. You’ve got to be civil. We got a whole different world today. People don’t fight (with fists). They stab, they shoot.”
The day’s theme was “Education Matters, Civility Counts, Be About That Life.”
Short and Johnson agreed it all begins with education.
“You respect people and you’ll be respected,” said the community-minded Johnson, who runs The NorthShore Amateur Sports Academy.
“I wasn’t the smartest guy in my class but I never gave up. I believed in myself,” said Short, an East Chicago Central and Purdue grad. “It took a lot to get to Purdue. I had to take extra night classes.”
Students in grades 8-11 representing Hammond, East Chicago and Gary attended the event.
“I have no problem being where I’m from,” Short said. “It’s bad (there) but if I can come back and show my face, maybe I can inspire kids, give them hope that anything’s possible.”
Last season, Short donated 11,000 books to students in the East Chicago school system who maintained good grades — and had a similar campaign in Charlotte, N.C.
“It goes a long way, just being respectful,” Short said. “Using it in a sports analogy … it can determine what type of team you’re on as far as the draft. A coach can say, ‘Oh, he’s a pain in the butt’ or ‘He don’t listen, he don’t do this or that.’ And you can drop a whole round.
“In the classroom, if you’re in the D or D-minus range and you’re very respectful and the teacher sees you’re trying, she can easily bump it (the grade) up.”
Being around peers who are respectable also rubs off, according to the 6-foot-3, 315-pound Short, a great prep athlete who had a “teddy bear” image.
“When I started speaking out and being myself in high school, there was no way people were gonna have mixed messages about me,” Short said. “I was always the person that was gonna come in, do what I need to do, and get it done.”
One of six children raised by their widowed mother, Yvonne, Short quickly learned the meaning of respect and discipline.
“It wasn’t a slap. She’d hit me with a shoe or something else ’cause I was so big,” he chuckled. “I take my hat off to her now, seeing the type of person she made me today and how I carry myself now.”
Wallace Johnson uses his sports academy to teach life lessons to students, as well, with education and civility topping the list.
“And over the years, as they get older, they’ll understand they need to reciprocate that to people underneath them,” he said.
“It’s leading by example.”
Read The Article Here [...]
August 3, 2016NewsGary, IN: The NORTHSHORE AMATEUR SPORTS ACADEMY concluded its busy summer last week.
For the second year, NASA partnered with the YWCA of Northwest Indiana in conducting its All-Sports Youth Camp for eight weeks. Also, instruction was provided for the Institute for Leadership and Performance Improvement Middle College in alternative sports and recreation.
For the third year, NASA partnered with Macy’s Shopping for a Cause and appeared prominently on their brochure.
NASA was instrumental in facilitating an event that brought former major league players LaTroy Hawkins and Kenny Lofton to the area. The Major League Baseball Players Trust and the Brien Holden Vision Institute came to town and gave over 300 youth free vision screening checkups. If glasses were needed, they were provided at no cost to the children. This is another example of using partnerships to provide a service for our communities.
The Northshore Amateur Sports Academy, a non-profit organization that provides local youths the opportunity to learn sportsmanship, teamwork and citizenship through sport. The NASA also promotes character development through sporting activities, lifelong physical fitness, a drug-free lifestyle and safe and fun access to healthy activities.
The Northshore Amateur Sports Academy, Inc., is a 501 (c)(3) non- profit organization. For further information, contact Wallace Johnson at (219) 980-0070. [...]
June 13, 2016NewsGary, IN: The NORTHSHORE AMATEUR SPORTS ACADEMY’s board president, Benny Dorsey is being nominated for induction into the Indiana Baseball Hall of Fame.
Read the article at:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/columnists/ct-ptb-john-mutka-column-st-0614-20160613-column.html
The Northshore Amateur Sports Academy, a non-profit organization that provides local youths the opportunity to learn sportsmanship, teamwork and citizenship through sport. The NASA also promotes character development through sporting activities, lifelong physical fitness, a drug-free lifestyle and safe and fun access to healthy activities.
The Northshore Amateur Sports Academy, Inc., is a 501 (c)(3) non- profit organization. For further information, contact Wallace Johnson at (219) 980-0070. [...]
April 16, 2016NewsChampaign, IL: On Saturday April 16, 2016, THE NORTHSHORE AMATEUR SPORTS ACADEMY participated in a clinic for the First String Little League in Champaign, Illinois. The clinic was ran by NASA board member and former professional baseball player Dr. Preston L. Williams, Jr.
All players participated in numerous drills that included warm-ups, fielding, hitting and baserunning. The session concluded with coaches giving life skills advice for on and off the field situations.for the thirty five girl and boys in attendance.
The Northshore Amateur Sports Academy, a non-profit organization that provides local youths the opportunity to learn sportsmanship, teamwork and citizenship through sport. The NASA also promotes character development through sporting activities, lifelong physical fitness, a drug-free lifestyle and safe and fun access to healthy activities.
The Northshore Amateur Sports Academy, Inc., is a 501 (c)(3) non- profit organization. For further information, contact Wallace Johnson at (219) 980-0070. [...]
August 17, 2015NewsAbout Legends for Youth Clinic Series: Legends for Youth is a charitable program running more than 100 free events each year nationwide. Its mission is to promote the game of baseball to America’s youth using positive sports images and personalities.
Make a contribution to the LFY Program or the Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association (MLBPAA). Thanks for your support! [...]
August 17, 2015NewsThe Chicago White Sox pulled off Part 2 of their pitching staff coup Tuesday, trading for starter Jeff Samardzija in a deal with the Oakland Athletics.
The move comes on the heels of the White Sox signing former New York Yankees closer David Robertson via free agency Monday.
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Jeff Samardzija is happy to be back home in Chicago and confident the White Sox can “win now,” Jon Greenberg writes.
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Jeff Samardzija signing with the White Sox is much more than just a homecoming, Doug Padilla writes.
Law: White Sox fill two major holes on roster
Keith Law puts the White Sox’s acquisitions of Jeff Samardzija (via trade) and David Robertson (free agency) into perspective.
“Being a Chicago guy, that’s one of the craziest things I’ve thought about,” Samardzija said Tuesday after Oakland dealt him to Chicago’s South Side. “I’m sitting here thinking, ‘Now, do I really have to go get my cleats on and go play for the Bears?’ If I could skate, maybe the Hawks. My jumper’s garbage, so the Bulls are out of the question.”
Samardzija, the third major player dealt by the Athletics during an offseason roster purge, likely will be placed in the White Sox rotation behind staff ace Chris Sale and in front of Jose Quintana. Chicago also received minor league pitcher Michael Ynoa in the deal.
“I think we’re going to be the most competitive rotation in the league, and I mean that internally,” Samardzija said. “The best starting rotations are made when there’s three or four guys that want to be the best and they want to go out there and clinch that three-game series or win that Sunday sweep game.”
The White Sox sent infielder Marcus Semien, right-hander Chris Bassitt, catcher Josh Phegley and first baseman Rangel Ravelo to the A’s.
“Jeff is one of the elite right-handed starting pitchers in baseball, and we believe his addition to our roster gives us the potential for a formidable starting rotation,” White Sox general manager Rick Hahn said in a statement. “His competitiveness fits well in our clubhouse, on the mound and in our city.”
Samardzija moved into the Chicago Cubs’ rotation in 2012 and has gone 26-42 as a starter with a 3.86 ERA. He went a combined 7-13 last season with a 2.99 ERA with the Cubs and A’s. He was 5-6 in 16 starts in the American League, posting a 3.14 ERA.
He is expected to make between $9 million and $10 million in 2015, his final year of arbitration eligibility. The former Notre Dame wide receiver will be a free agent after the 2015 season.
Samardzija wasn’t so sure he would want to miss free agency.
“You’re so close to it, you really want to experience it,” he maintained. “But like I said before, when the situation’s right, it’s right. When the numbers are right, they’re right.”
White Sox outfielder Adam Eaton took to Twitter to express his excitement over the team’s acquisitions.
Doug Padilla of ESPNChicago.com and The Associated Press contributed to this report. [...]
August 17, 2015NewsSeattle Mariners skipper Lloyd McClendon finished fourth in American League Manager of the Year voting, the MLB announced Tuesday, losing out on the prestigious award to Buck Showalter of the Baltimore Orioles.
McClendon, 55, took over last offseason and all but transformed the Mariners ballclub. Armed with new weapons in such stars as Robinson Cano and Fernando Rodney, McClendon took Seattle from a 71-91 record in 2013 to 87-75 this past season.
What’s more, the M’s found themselves in postseason contention all the way up until Game 162. Seattle missed the playoffs by one game, failing to take full advantage of the Oakland Athletics’ incredible slide in the second half of the season.
With his calm demeanor, McClendon settled down overeager players. With his quiet confidence, he emboldened young guys. With his steady leadership, he supported Seattle’s veterans and improved the clubhouse atmosphere.
In voting for A.L. Manager of the Year, conducted by a panel of 30 sportswriters from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, McClendon received one first-place vote, five second-place votes and nine third-place votes. The BBWAA’s two voting representatives from Seattle — Jerry Brewer of The Seattle Times and Jim Caple of ESPN — each voted for Showalter to win and McClendon to place second.
McClendon finished behind winner Showalter (Orioles), runner-up Mike Scioscia (Angels) and Ned Yost (Royals). [...]
August 17, 2015NewsThe applause inside the visitors’ clubhouse was loud and sustained as the Rockies celebrated closer LaTroy Hawkins late Saturday night.
They also presented him with a signed bottle of Dom Perignon.
And why not? It’s not often that a teammate joins a baseball fraternity that includes the likes of Mariano Rivera, Dennis Eckersley, Hoyt Wilhelm, Trevor Hoffman and Goose Gossage.
The 41-year-old Hawkins made the 1,000th appearance of his major-league career, becoming just the 16th pitcher to hit that magical mark. For the record, he has 124 saves and has pitched 1,428 2/3 innings in his career.
Hawkins entered the game against the Dodgers with two outs in the eighth inning. He got Darwin Barney to fly out to right field to end the inning.
“A lot of managers had a lot of faith in me,” Hawkins said. “A lot of good teammates, a lot of good mentors in the game. Plenty of blessings from the man upstairs to stay healthy.”
Rockies manager Walt Weiss was able to put aside another difficult road defeat — a 6-5, 12-inning loss — to praise Hawkins and put his career in perspective.
“Any time you do anything in this game, and sustain it like Troy has, it’s special,” Weiss said. “Very few people are in that territory, so it was a very special night for LaTroy. It’s a great accomplishment. He’s in some pretty select company now.”
Hawkins, typically, deflected personal praise.
“It’s a very humbling accomplishment,” he said. “(Director of major league operations) Paul Egins was saying, ‘You have taken that walk 1,000 times.’ I said, ‘Yeah, some good, some bad.’”
Hawkins said he wants to pitch one more year, and would love to return to the Rockies, but added, “You just never know.”
MOST APPEARANCES BY AN MLB PITCHER
1. Jesse Orosco (24) 1252 L
2. Mike Stanton (19) 1178 L
3. John Franco (21) 1119 L
4. Mariano Rivera (19) 1115 R
5. Dennis Eckersley+ (24) 1071 R
6. Hoyt Wilhelm+ (21) 1070 R
7. Dan Plesac (18) 1064 L
8. Mike Timlin (18) 1058 R
9. Kent Tekulve (16) 1050 R
10. Trevor Hoffman (18) 1035 R
11. Jose Mesa (19) 1022 R
Lee Smith (18) 1022 R
13. Roberto Hernandez (17) 1010 R
14. Michael Jackson (17) 1005 R
15. Rich Gossage+ (22) 1002 R
16. LaTroy Hawkins (20, 41) 999 R [...]
July 4, 2015NewsGary, IN: The NORTHSHORE AMATEUR SPORTS ACADEMY concluded its 2015 summer camp last week.
NASA partnered with the YWCA of Northwest Indiana in conducting its All-Sports Youth Camp for nine weeks.
Over 450 youth participated in various recreational type drills that included stretching, baserunning, fielding and hitting. The educational module included history lessons of area athletes that had made it to the Major Leagues. Another component included foreign language lessons in Spanish and French. All participants received medals of participation at the end of the program.
The Northshore Amateur Sports Academy, a non-profit organization that provides local youths the opportunity to learn sportsmanship, teamwork and citizenship through sport. The NASA also promotes character development through sporting activities, lifelong physical fitness, a drug-free lifestyle and safe and fun access to healthy activities.
The Northshore Amateur Sports Academy, Inc., is a 501 (c)(3) non- profit organization. For further information, contact Wallace Johnson at (219) 980-0070. [...]
May 30, 2015NewsNORTHSHORE PARTICIPATES WITH FEEDING GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA HOMELESS
Greenville, SC: On Saturday, May 30th, the Northshore Amateur Sports Academy participated in the first annual Grillin for the Hungry at Tommy’s Country Ham House in Greenville, South Carolina. It was a huge success as hundreds of folks were fed and blessed. Northshore Academy Board Member Jeff Taylor was instrumental in bringing the Velocity Baptist Church to participate with this worthy endeavor. The day consisted of feeding the local homeless within the background of fun and gospel music. There were hamburgers, chicken, beef hot dogs, cupcakes and ice cream served throughout the day. [...]
May 7, 2015NewsHammond, IN: On Friday May 14, 2015, THE NORTHSHORE AMATEUR SPORTS ACADEMY participated in a forum that promoted the value of education and civility to area students at the Purdue Northwest campus. Speakers included Carolina Panthers defensive tackle Kawaan Short and Methodist Hospital’s emergency room Dr. Michael McGee.
Students in grades 8-11 representing Hammond, East Chicago and Gary attended the event.
All participants agreed that respect and being disciplined are foundational characteristics that students could try to implement in their lives.
See the complete article at:
http://www.nwitimes.com/sports/football/professional/nwi-pro-sports-figures-stop-at-puc-to-discuss-importance/article_0399185e-1125-51de-a257-db0bf5567e8a.html
The Northshore Amateur Sports Academy, a non-profit organization that provides local youths the opportunity to learn sportsmanship, teamwork and citizenship through sport. The NASA also promotes character development through sporting activities, lifelong physical fitness, a drug-free lifestyle and safe and fun access to healthy activities.
The Northshore Amateur Sports Academy, Inc., is a 501 (c)(3) non- profit organization. For further information, contact Wallace Johnson at (219) 980-0070. [...]
April 17, 2015NewsNORTHSHORE ACADEMY PURCHASES TRACK AND FIELD EQUIPMENT FOR THE 2014 5A STATE CHAMPIONS
Gary, IN: The Northshore Amateur Sports Academy donated long jump equipment to the reigning 5A state of Indiana track and field champion, the West Side Leadership Academy Cougars. NASA’s treasurer, Tyrone Hamilton, presented the much needed items to head coach Eugene M. Johnson, assistant coaches Ronnie Bond, Steve Harper, and Brandon Wesby. [...]
