Good for Junior; Gordon is this week’s winner

June 21, 2008

Every NASCAR fan knew it was bound to happen. How long do you think the talent-ladened Dale Earnhardt Jr. would go without a win in the 2008 Sprint Cup Series? And, as if poetic justice, it was Junior picked up his first checkered flag for HMS last Sunday at Michigan International Speedway, which is located in Brooklyn, MI. It couldn’t have come on a better day either — Father’s Day. I was so glad that Junior finally got that monkey (or maybe, gorilla) off his back after 76 consecutive races without a victory, and what a better way to do it than on the day dedicated to ...

‘The Beast’ celebrates 20 years this summer

June 24, 2008

After enduring some not-so-good fortunes while coaching a travelling team of Ohio Valley baseballers back in the late 1980s, B.A. Crawford had an idea. “Let’s get out of the travel team business and hold a tournament of our own,” he recalled, saying to co-coach Ray Bauer, and admitting that he was tired of getting ‘screwed around’ when game times and sites were changed at the last minute. Little did they know, but that decision would put the Ohio Valley on the national baseball map — if only for two weeks a summer — as the Beast of the East Tournament was born. ...

Charter pups shine

June 26, 2008

The Charter Kennel has reloaded at Wheeling Island.Re-armed and firing bullets.Although setting the pace in the kennel standings since the beginning of the 2008 racing season, trainer Rodney Cooley said upgrading the operation is constant and necessary because of the high level of competition at the Wheeling racetrack.Heading the list of newcomers in the kennel are Johnny Chase, KB's King Cooley, Tyler's Turf and Vince F Bundy. Also filtering in are several greyhounds from the 2008 National Greyhound Association Spring Meet."The youngsters are just getting started but have shown a lot of ...

Memories are …

June 27, 2008

It was once said that memories are what you make of them.Well, Phil Niekro has a lot of memories - both good and bad.However, it is likely that all the memories he is sharing today during a golf scramble bearing his name to benefit his alma mater will be good ones.The 69-year-old Major League Baseball Hall of Famer was among the 38 foursomes that teed off at Belmont Hills Country Club today in the Niekro Scramble to benefit the Bridgeport Educational Assistance Foundation."It's always good to come back to the Ohio Valley and see all of my friends," the former Atlanta Braves All-Star ...

Stellar field set for Firecracker Sprint

July 3, 2008

Lester Raines Kennel's Sol Reign tops all qualifiers for Friday afternoon's final of the $10,000 Firecracker Sprint at Wheeling Island.The Joel Roden-trained sprinter won two out of his three qualifiers to accumulate a total of 35 points. He has won eight out of his last 10 Grade AA starts.Also qualifying for the 5/16 final are Silver Maverick (Charter Kennel) and Large Lee (C And C Kennel), 31 points each; Kansas Buzzer (Wayne Strong Kennel), 30 points; Kiowa WW Dot (Wayne Ward Kennel), 29 points; Flat Out Uma (Thorne-Abrahamson Kennel) and Kiowa Estate Law (Steubenville Kennel), 26 ...

Large Lee captures Firecracker Sprint

July 10, 2008

Norm Secia painted the picture.Large Lee did the rest.Going into the Firecracker Sprint final at Wheeling Island July 4, the C And C Kennel manager knew exactly what Large Lee needed to do after drawing the five box."He doesn't have the greatest hole, but he's fast enough to go to the front," Secia said before the final. "His whole race will be if he can outbreak Sol Reign. He has to hit it."Large Lee not only out broke favorite Sol Reign, but outrushed the entire field to the first turn before holding on at the wire to capture the holiday stake in a photo finish. Charter Kennel's Silver ...