Quick Strike breaks record

July 10, 2008

TK Quick Strike is making a strong case for All-America honors.Only halfway through the 2008 racing season at Wheeling Island, the Charter Kennel distance dandy has already captured the Mountaineer Classic and broke the 3/8 track record. He also is second in wins at the track with 17.On Wednesday, Quick Strike shattered his own 3/8 mark when he smoked a 37.20 in a box-to-wire 7-length romp. It was the third time he has etched his name in the record book this year.Quick Strike broke DEA's Magictouch's track record of 37.40 on March 28 when he stopped the clock in 37.32. On May 12, he ...

Oh what might have been

July 11, 2008

PITTSBURGH -- If the New York Yankees lose the American League East by one game, or less, they only have their extended trip to Pittsburgh to blame.Forced to travel to the Steel City for the first time since Tiltonsville's Bill Mazeroski hit the 'Shot Heard Around the 'Burg' that ended the 1960 World Series, the Bronx Bombers and Pirates split a pair of Interleague games back on June 24 and 25.However, their matchup on June 26 was washed out after three innings with the Pinstripers holding onto a 3-1 advantage, thanks to an early jump of Bucco lefty Paul Maholm.The contest was ...

Interleague play is not my favorite

July 13, 2008

Are you a fan of Interleague play?Honestly, I'm not.Growing up near Cincinnati, I instantly became a National League fan - specifically a Reds fan - as a youngster. Now, 40-some years later, I still have the same beliefs.I was brought up to believe that the only two times the American and National leagues should meet is in the mid-summer classic, also known as Major League Baseball's All-Star Game, and in the season-ending World Series.Personally, I think Interleague play has tainted the World Series a little.Sure, this season fans in the Pittsburgh area got to see teams like Tampa Bay, ...

B-MAC Scramble comes up big for scholarships again

July 13, 2008

Golf scrambles are held throughout the Ohio Valley all summer long, raising money for a variety of causes.One of those area golfers look forward to the most was held last week at Bec-Wood Hills Golf Course when the Belmont Mountaineer Athletic Club held one of its biggest fundraisers with its 13th annual B-MAC Golf Scramble.The monies raised from the event - which according to scramble director John S. Marshall - was upwards of four grand goes to benefit a scholarship at West Virginia University in Morgantown. Currently receiving that scholarship is former Steubenville High School ace ...

Pirates: The Good, Bad and Ugly

July 17, 2008

It was a frustrating first half for John Russell and his Pittsburgh Pirates who resume play this evening in Denver with a four-game series against Colorado's Rockies.The Pirates have developed into an above-average offensive ballclub with the ability to score runs on a consistent basis. There is a glaring reason, however, the Bucs are six games under .500.That would be in the pitching department where the Pirates own the majors' highest composite earned run average at 5.24. Following is a first half synopsis of the club, based on individual performance.THE GOOD: Without question, the ...

Flying Wheeling turns into force on the backside

July 17, 2008

For the first half of the 2008 racing season at Wheeling Island, TK Quick Strike and Starz Supreme dominated the 3/8 distance.Through mid-July, the two 3-year-olds were tied atop the track win leaderboard with 18 victories apiece.Now, there's a new kid on the block and he's making his presence felt on the backside.In his last 12 Grade AA 3/8 starts, Flying Wheeling - a June 2006 greyhound out of Kiowa Sweet Trey-Flying Crestline - has 5 wins, 3 seconds, 1 third and 1 fourth. Recently he beat Quick Strike, the track record holder, in back-to-back races."Wheeling's starting to get some ...