MCCAFFREY’S WORLD
By
Bill McCaffrey
It’s dancing time in College Park this weekend. On Saturday the Terp men will be ready for Memphis after stopping
California 84-71 to advance past the NCAA first round and I think they can beat Memphis even though I might be going
with Gary Williams Terps, after all the Terps had to win two in the ACC Tournament to go dancing. This was also the
ninth time a Williams coached Terps team made it past the first round.
I though officiating in the men’s ACC Tournament was less than average. Greivis Vasquez is the Terps leader but he
has been getting a lot of help from Dave Neal, Eric Hayes, and Shawn Mosely. Gary Williams has proved once again he’
s a great game coach.
Brenda Frese Lady Terps won both the regular season ACC Title and the ACC Tournament championship. Kristi
Toliver and Marisa Coleman lead the Lady Terps against Ivy League champ the Ladies of Dartmouth on Sunday.
Both Frese and Williams have guided their teams to the NCAA.
Dave Leitac is out as the Men’s hoops coach at Virginia could Tubby Smith be his replacement?
Tubby Smith led Minnesota in the men’s NCAA. Great job Tubby, but they lost to Texas.
Dan Daly really blasted Karl Hobbs and the GWU men’s basketball program in Tuesday’s Washington Times sports
selection. GWU used to have great teams in the days of the Holup brothers, the Feldman brothers, Corky Devlin, Ace
Adler, Tex Silverman both on the court and in the classroom.
American University made the NCAA but lost to Villanova in the first round. Remember the great players AU used to
have like Kermit (20-20 man) Washington, Ronnie Garshag, Sherwood Webster, and Bob Larmon.
CUTLER HEADED TO DC?
The hot rumor making the rounds is that Broncos QB Jay Cutler is headed to the Redskins as part of a three team deal
that has Cutler heading to DC, Jason Campbell to either Kansas City or Cleveland with Denver getting either Campbell
or Brady Quinn.
Is Todd Heap on his way out of Ravenland? A new tight end is now in Charm City, he comes from the Eagles and will be
the starter for the purple and black.
I thought Hugh Biens (former Georgetown U. basketball player who is now a DC labor lawyer) would have been a
perfect pick to become the NFL Players Association president.
That was a great bull session they had at Ravens Castle last week and some foolish fans thought “Raghead Ray” was
telling the truth that he’s glad to be coming back but don’t believe it because if any team wanted they would have
conjured up the money but in reality “Charm City” was home of a team that would give him any kind of bread even close
to what the Ravens gave him. By the way did Ray’s restaurant cater the affair? Oh that’s right that place went under
and I don’t mean in the Baltimore Harbor.
BOXING IN WALDORF
Bobby Magruder is bringing boxing to the Greater Waldorf Jaycees Community Center.
First Event Friday, March 27th
Washington Golden Gloves championship finals (from 100 lbs to superheavyweight)
It opens with Kianna Kelly-Futch singing the National Anthem, a great intermission live music show “A Tribute to Classic
Rock-Motown” featuring the Sweetwater Band.
Second Event Friday, April 17th
Regional Championships featuring Washington/Maryland champs vs. Virginia/North Carolina and U.S. Navy & Marine
Champs.
It kicks off with the Nationals Anthem performed by Holly Pierce. A great intermission show “A Salute to Doo-Wop”
featuring Big Pop & the Doo-Wops.
There will be 20 championship bouts at each event. Both events sanctioned by USA Boxing-South Atlantic Association.
For ticket information call 301-843-6165. Bobby Magruder promises two super events.
BRAWL IN THE HALL
Denlee Promotions and GNP Boxing presents the Brawl in the Boardwalk Hall on April 11th in Atlantic City. The main
event – USBA Title match featuring Derek Ennis going toe to toe with Ishrail Arvin and the co-main event features
Camden “Kid Duran” Luis Burgos.
Other fighters on the card include:
Joel Delapay, Lorarn “Baby Bowe” Harvell, Quad “Kidd Dynamite” Muhammad, Jacolyn Nichols, Jim Manor, Eugene Sota
and William Porter.
Ring announcer – Nino del Buono. For ticket information contact Denlee Promotions, 906 South Main Street, Vineland,
New Jersey 08360.
BALTIMORE PRO BOXING
Jake Smith’s Baltimore Pro Boxing held a great show at Martin’s West on March 19th. Great show, great crowd, and
here are the results:
James Stevenson 3rd round TKO over Ken Dunham, Stevenson is now 7-0-0.
Cecil McCalla unanimous decision over Anthony Little.
Hanibal Otey unanimous decision over Kevin Johnson.
Angelo Ward, Jr. unanimous decision over L. Dwayne Martin.
Emanuel Taylor 1st round KO over Damien Butler.
Omar Sims 4th round majority draw with John Williams.
Don’t forget the big boxing show at Michael’s 8th Avenue on April 2nd.
ORIOLES NOTES
I think the Baltimore Orioles should be better this season but I can’t believe they are thinking of sending Matt Wieters
back to the minors, I understand it’s a money matter but I can’t believe owner Angelos is that cheap.
Aubrey Huff will have another good year but I have my doubts about Pie who should end up driving a truck for the bread
man.
Signing Brian Roberts and Nick Markakis to long term contracts was a big plus for the Birds. Adam Jones and Luke
Scott are solid players.
Pitching is still up in the air even though Chris Ray and George Sherrill should make the bullpen stronger.
Dave Trembley will have the Birds out early but I think they will have a June swoon. The Orioles are like the Nats in a
tough division but I do believe they could slip by Toronto but it’s going to be who has the better pitching the Blue Jays or
the Orioles.
I think the Nats made a good pick up in lefty Joe Beimel, an eight year vet who’s pitched for Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay and
the last three years with the L.A. Dodgers. Former Nats closer Chad Cordero gets a minor league contract from Seattle.
The Marlins cut ex-Oriole outfielder Jay Gibbons.
NEW BOOKS by Bob Davids Chapter Authors
1.) Home Run’s Most Wanted by David Vincent
The home run has changed the game of baseball, moving it into a sport where might makes right and fans clamor for
the clout. Home Run’s Most Wanted™: The Top 10 Book of Monumental Dingers, Prodigious Swingers, and Everything
Long-Ball celebrates all there is about the home run, from the folks that hit it, the guys that serve it up, and even the
voices proclaiming, “It’s outta here!”
David Vincent, called “The Sultan of Swat Stats” by ESPN, brings it all to you in this fact-filled smorgasbord of home run
knowledge. His detailed and varied top-ten lists include top home run totals position by position; players with the most
homers against the Yankees; the youngest and oldest to “go yard”; pitchers who surrendered the most homers; the
states that have birthed the most top hitters; home run hitters with the longest last names; and even the top totals for
players with the common last name of Williams.
There’s so much more, too. With a database of every single round-tripper ever hit, Vincent can present just about
anything home run related you can imagine, and does so in this book. From the interesting and surprising to the
humorous and just plain offbeat, Home Run’s Most Wanted™ fills the bases with fun trivia about the longest ball of them
all.
About The Author:
David Vincent is the author of Home Run: The Definitive History of Baseball’s Ultimate Weapon and coauthor of the
award-winning book The Midsummer Classic: The Complete History of Baseball’s All-Star Game, and SABR Presents
the Home Run Encyclopedia: The Who, What, and Where of Every Home Run Hit Since 1876. Major League Baseball,
ESPN, FOX, USA Today, and many other media entities consult him regularly on the history of the home run. He lives in
Centreville, Virginia.
2.) A Whole New Ballgame: The 1969 Washington Senators by Stephen Walker
Editorial Contact:
J. Thomas Hetrick
Pocol Press
6023 Pocol Drive
Clifton, VA 20124-1333
(703) 830-5862
www.pocolpress.com
chrisandtom@erols.com
Distributed by Baker & Taylor
A Whole New Ballgame: The 1969 Washington Senators
Stephen Walker
ISBN: 978-1-929763-38-2
240 pages
$17.95 USA/$24.95 CAN.
CLIFTON, Virginia. April 1, 2009. Despite a long and uneven history, Major League Baseball’s Washington
franchises have hardly been the stuff of legend. However, in 1969, when new owner Bob Short coaxed batting legend
and rookie manager Ted Williams out of retirement, these annual no-names climbed out of the depths and straight into
the hearts of Washington baseball fans starving for a winner. Led by The Capital Punisher Frank Howard, whose tape-
measure home runs sometimes seemed like optical illusions, the Senators simply won ball games with a determination
rarely seen in D.C. environs. A Whole New Ballgame showcases the 1969 Senators’ magical season, complete with
player bios, photographs, stats, game action, and stories.
Review copies available.
About The Author:
Stephen Walker has extensively and lovingly researched the 1969 Washington Senators for the past 15 years. He
interviewed 16 Senators for A Whole New Ballgame including: Frank Howard, Dick Bosman, Darold Knowles, Del Unser,
Ed Brinkman, and Ken McMullen, as well as coaches Sid Hudson and Wayne Terwilliger, radio announcer Ron
Menchine, bat boy Paul Oppermann, and numerous fans. A member of the Society for American Baseball Research
(SABR), Walker’s articles have appeared in national and regional SABR publications and the Washington Baseball
Historical Society’s quarterly newsletter. He is a regular speaker at SABR’s annual Baltimore-Washington chapter winter
meetings and writes a Washington baseball-focused blog at www.stephenjwalker.com. Walker lives in Ellicott City,
Maryland with his wife and three sons.
I recommend these books.
Steve Ports Trio Schedule for March/April
Hi Folks -
Happy St. Patrick's Day month. Here is where the Steve Ports Trio we will be over the next month or so:
Friday, March 20, 9:30PM-1AM - The Stil in Timonium on York Road across from Timonium Fairgrounds, 410-560-
7900, http://www.thestill.net/
Saturday, March 28 - Old South Country Club, Private
Friday, April 3 - 8:30-Midnight - Backroom at the Woofire Restaurant, Severna Park, 410-315-8100, http://www.
woodfirebackroom.com/backroom.html
Friday, April 10 - 8:30 - 11:45 - Castlebay Irish Pub, Main Street, Annapolis, 410-626-0165, http://www.
castlebayirishpub.com/music.aspx
Saturday, April 11 - 8:30-12:30 - Piv's Pub, York Rd, Cockeysville, 410-666-PIVS, http://pivspub.com/index.htm
Friday, April 17 - 9:30PM-1 - The Stil in Timonium on York Road across from Timonium Fairgrounds, 410-560-7900,
http://www.thestill.net/
See you at the Bar;
Steve Ports, David Bell and Don Wimbrough
Guys, you are the greatest.
SPORTS NOTES
The Washington Freedom open their season on March 29th at Los Angeles. This is the first year of the Women’s
Professional Soccer League. The team opens their home season on April 11th.
Alex Orechkin has hit the 50 goal mark for the third time for the Caps. Alex is a great and colorful player who leads the
NHL in most goals scored. I think he’s probably the best player to ever play for the Caps. The team trails Boston for
the Eastern Conference lead. The Caps lead the Southeastern division in the NHL.
You can’t beat the “Bella Napoli” restaurant in Pasadena for great lunches and dinner.
I think Wendy’s new cod fish filet sandwich is the best.
Todd Fong is building a great women’s basketball program at Columbia Union College in Takoma Park and is being
able assisted by his long time assistant coach Michael Main.
Who remembers Benny Bortnick?
No truth to the rumor that T.T. has entered the “write Jerry Springer” song contest.
Lool-a-likes: Johnny Pocket and the Rev. Schnor of the Jerry Springer show.
I wonder where they are today: Joan Scott Thorn, Dina Chatman, Marie Ritz, Hollis Wayne Mullens, Charlie O’Neill,
Margie Cole, Mickey McGowan, Claire McCarthy, Shelby Ledyardt, Pat Hayes, Kay Oliphant Robinson.
The Wizards, Memphis, Sacramento and Oklahoma City continue to be the bottom feeders in the NBA.
Two great articles in issue 135 March of the “Press Box” page 34 Phil Jackman’s focus on Johnny Blood and Dave
Hughes page 36 articles on the Maryland Legend Johnny Holliday. Great stories!
I heard P.P. and Ironhead are getting together again…Was that Gilberg on a recent Jerry Springer show…look for
changes coming to the Wizards.
I hope to have a Donnie Neuenberger update in the next column.
Deepest sympathies go to the families of the following:
Robert “Bob” Joseph O’Neill (Gonzaga (DC) college HS and u. of Md grad)
George McAfee (great Hall of Fame back with the Chicago Bears)
Myrl Wesley “Bill” Demory Jr (McKinley Tech grad and retired Pepco employee)
Patrick James Rhodes (St. John’s (DC) College grad)
Francis (Frank) William Brew (Gonzaga college HS grad)
Theodore “Ted” Ross Branthover (Western (DC) HS grad)
Daniel Thomas Buck, Jr. (Frederick Sasscer HS grad)
Elizabeth Crown Darne (Eastern (DC) HS grad)
Mary Genevieve ‘Gen” Barnard (St. Patrick’s (DC) Academy grad)
Wilmer Coffman “Bud” Dutton, Jr. (former MNCPPC member and chairman)
Doris Springer (AACC Athletic Director, Bruce Springer’s mother)
Margaret June Roberts Abernathy (graduate of McKinley Tech HS in DC)
Betsy Blair (actress was in the Academy Award winning movie “Marty” and was married to Gene Kelly)
William Christopher Smith (Central (DC) HS grad and DC developer who was active in civic matters in DC)
WE GET LETTERS…..
Bill,
Boxing mourns champion Chris Finnegan won gold in 1968. British’s ex-Olympic boxing champion Chris Finnegan has
died at age 64. The former Buckinghamshire bricklayer won gold at Mexico 1968 when he beat the Soviet Union’s
Aleksey Kiselyov. He turned professional soon after, taking British, Commonwealth and European titles at light-
heavyweight but the world crown eluded him. His big chance came against American champion Bob Foster in 1972 in
an epic 14 round duel at Wembley, however he failed to overcome the favorite. Finnegan’s younger brother Kevin, a
former British middleweight champion, passed away last October at the age of 60.
Henry Hascup
Henry,
Thanks for the information.
Bill
Prayers Needed!
Lowell Prater was a teacher in Anacostia and if possible I wish you could enlist some alumni to pray for his son. Lowell
was a wonderful and well-liked teacher. He is now living in Florida with his wife, Betty.
Hi Elaine, my son's name is Stephen Lowell Prater. Received an update on Stephen's situation, they find two areas of
question that want to get a biopsy but they will have to perform a dangerous and risky operation. A decision he has to
make. Thank you for joining us in prayer with your friends. Will keep you posted.
God bless, Lowell
RECEIVED FROM ELAINE KILBOURNE
Prayers for Stephen, Jamie Clasen and George McCormick, I have added them to my prayer list along with Lance Klein.
Bill,
St. Patrick's Day Irish Music E Card I hope this brings lots of Irish blessings for you and yours.
This is one of those times when I really do miss my hometown, bopping over to old town Alexandria to see the St.
Patrick's Day Parade and have some Irish brew in Murphy's Pub.. Would someone please do this and send me the
report, hey, what are friends for? I will content myself with watching the parades from Chicago and New York.
Wishing the road will rise up and greet you today.
Irish blessings and love to all,
Dale
Dale,
Same to you.
Bill
MARYLAND STATE BASKETBALL CHAMPIONS:
Boys
4A Spingbrook over Wise 73-61.
3A Lake Clifton routed Friendly 75-50
2A City College over Douglass 55-42
1A Digital Harbor whipped Pocomoke 75-60
Girls
4A Eleanor Roosevelt beat Blake 67-39
3A Fallston defeated Paint Branch 65-62
2A City College downed River Hill 59-51
1A Digital Harbor defeated Surrattsville 50-41
The Washington Post says Riverdale Baptist Girls basketball team is the number one girl’s team in the DC area. Gina
Miller has done a superb job with the Lady Crusaders.
McNamara has axed girls basketball coach Robert Surratt even though his five year stay at McNamara Surratt produced
a 114-43 record.
Anna Patterson at Severna Park is one of the best girl’s basketball players in Maryland.
Denan Trickery at Kent Island High School will be back next season and should have a great season.
Bruce Springer did a super coaching job with the Broadneck girls basketball team this season.
John Wardell’s Anne Arundel Community College women’s basketball team finished 6th in the JUCO Nationals, more on
this in the next column.
SUPPORT MD SPORTS!!