#baseball tournaments Washington state

[washington-baseball-tournaments]

Washington Baseball Tournaments in 2023

Washington Baseball Tournaments is offering great baseball tournaments in Washington state. Also, perfect game youth tournaments are an excellent way for young players to improve their skills and techniques. Players also get an opportunity to win prizes, but more importantly, they get better at baseball! Our tournaments are the perfect way to get involved in the game of baseball. 

Call us at +1 (979) 665-2989

For more details: https://www.washingtonbaseballtournaments.com

[usnatarchives]

From peach baskets to skyhooks, let's play some basketball! 🏀

The sport of basketball was invented in 1891 by a man named Dr. James Naismith. He was a physical education teacher at the YMCA Training School (now known as Springfield College) in Springfield, Massachusetts, and he came up with the idea of basketball as a way to provide his students with a fun, indoor activity that would keep them active and engaged.

The first basketball game was played on December 21, 1891, and it was a pretty simple affair. There were nine players on each team, and the game was played inside a YMCA gymnasium. The court was just half the size of a modern basketball court, and the baskets were simply peach baskets attached to the walls.

The game was a huge success and quickly became a popular activity at the YMCA. In fact, the game spread so quickly that just a few years later, the first professional basketball league was formed.

Check out our new “All American: The Power of Sports” Exhibit: https://museum.archives.gov/all-american. All American is free and open to the public and will be on display in the Lawrence F. O'Brien Gallery of the National Archives Museum in Washington, DC, through January 7, 2024. This 3,000-square-foot exhibit showcases more than 75 items, including original records, artifacts, and photographs..

Image 1: “DR. JAMES NAISMITH (WEARING SUIT), A SPRINGFIELD COLLEGE INSTRUCTOR AND BASKETBALL’S INVENTOR. HE IS WITH THE “FIRST TEAM”. THE FIRST GAME WAS PLAYED IN 1891 IN FULFILLMENT OF AN ASSIGNMENT GIVEN TO NAISMITH TO CREATE A GAME THAT COULD BE PLAYED INDOORS BETWEEN THE FOOTBALL AND BASEBALL SEASONS.” SOURCE: SPRINGFIELD COLLEGE. https://catalog.archives.gov/id/12004702

Image 2: PHOTOGRAPH OF THE UNITED STATES BASKETBALL TEAM PLAYING BRAZIL IN THE TITLE GAME OF THE 1954 WORLD BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT  IN RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL. LOCAL IDENTIFIER: https://catalog.archives.gov/id/12004711

[lboogie1906]

Michael Leroy Taylor (June 26, 1950 - May 23, 2020) was the President of Northwest Black Community Festival, he spent most of his life working and volunteering in the two communities he lived in: Monroe, Michigan, and Seattle. Born in Monroe, Michigan, he was the eldest of six children to James Leroy and Virginia (Aaron) Taylor. His community work began while in high school where was employed part-time as a counselor at the Arthur Leslow Community Center. He coached young men’s baseball and basketball teams. He was active in the Monroe Local Chapter of the Black Panthers.

The entire Taylor family, including his fiancée Audrey Johnson, moved from Monroe to Seattle. He attended South Seattle Community College before transferring to Washington State University. His interest in social issues grew while attending Washington State University.

He became a known activist and leader. He served as President of the WSU Black Student Union and the statewide Black Student Union. He was an active participant in and organizer of Apartheid protests, which led to WSU divesting from their South African holdings. He graduated from WSU with a BA in Black Studies. He went to work for the Boeing Company in 1986 and retired from the Company in 2006.

His passion was for community service. He worked for the Boys and Girls Club, the YMCA, and The Girls Club. He worked for and performed public relations for the Randolph Carter Industrial workshops.

The PNWBCF grew in prominence and participated in Seattle’s annual SeaFair Parade and other summer festivities. Pacific Northwest Black Community Festival events included the Black Community Festival Parade, the Black Community Festival Pageant, the Softball Tournament, and carnival rides. Those events led up to a weekend Picnic at Judkins Park, which featured music artists of various genres (jazz, rap, R&B, Gospel), food, clothing vendors, and other merchandise. He helped organize a similar festival in Tacoma.

He became an advisor to the Black Festival Association which sponsored the festival that is now known as UmojaFest.

He married Audrey Johnson-Taylor and had one child. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence

[the-golf-blogjw]

Jake Waldrop

Hello, my name is Jake Waldrop. I’m currently attending Florida Gulf Coast University in my third year. Golf is one of and if not by biggest passion, so what did I do, major in it of course! You may be asking to yourself; how on earth do you major in golf?

At this point in time, I been volunteering at The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass every year. I was a standard bearer (the guy walking behind the tour players holding a sign with their score). I thought doing that was such a cool experience and really started make me like golf more and more each year.

My grandpa had played golf his entire life and always tried to get me into it so finally after my baseball injury I picked up a golf club and instantly feel in love it. Golf became addicting. When I first started, I didn’t take it very seriously, which in turn would make it not as fun to go play.

Sophomore year of high school came around and I realized a few of my friends were going to a golf academy every day after school and I thought I should do that as well. So, I began to take it more seriously. I made some of my best friends during this period and we all had a great time and a great love for the game.

During high school, I would play in many tournaments across the state of Florida. I would always work my absolute hardest weeks before a tournament, but, for some reason nothing would ever seem to click when tournament time came around. This would become a pattern. I knew I had the game, I just needed to execute.

I had always dreamed of playing college golf at a D-1 school, but, sadly last was becoming less and less of a reality. I knew golf was a big passion of mine and I didn’t really know what else I wanted to do, until I discovered from a family-friend this smaller school in Southwest Florida, called FGCU. At first when I looked at it on satellite maps, I was amazed at the immense amount golf courses around the area, that really grabbed attention. I went on the school website and saw “PGA Golf Management” I was like what is this?

 I had then figured out I could continue my golf career, maybe not in playing, but coaching, teaching, and growing the game. This was when I knew the only school, I was going to apply to was FGCU. When I got to school, I realized how many playing opportunities we would have within the PGM program.

 The welcome back scramble was the first event I ever played in and man o’ man did I click with everyone. How? Our biggest interest was golf. I would continue to play in many tournaments that semester. It was the same ole’ story I lived out in high school, I knew I had the game, but couldn’t execute when it mattered most.

The next semester I would participate in the Spring Match Play for PGM. I would make it to the semi-final from a bracket of 64 players. This was the best I have felt about my game in a very long time if not ever.

That summer I went on internship to the Chevy Chase Club in the Washington D.C. metro area. There is where I would begin my teaching career as I would coach the “Camp Chevy” summer junior golf camp. I really had worked on make that summer and, man did it feel good when I got back to school.

The fall semester of my sophomore year was where my golf game absolutely thrived. I won my first two golf tournaments ever! I would also qualify for the PGA University Championship in Las Vegas. This was a major accomplishment for me, especially, after all those years of not being able to execute. I finally did.

[xtruss]

Kicking Up A $10Billion Sporting Storm! Inside Saudi Arabia’s Plan To Dominate Football’s Premier League, PGA Tour Golf and More

— Image: Kryzsztof Nowak | August 10th, 2023 | Leaders | The Business of Sport

Sports fans have seen plenty of surprises this summer. Carlos Alcaraz won Wimbledon, ending years of domination of tennis by the trio of Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. In golf the victors of the us Open and Britain’s Open were outsiders who were given odds of winning of 1% or less. On August 6th the all-conquering us women’s football team crashed out of the World Cup after Sweden scored a winning penalty. The ball crossed the goal line by only a few millimetres.

Yet the biggest shock has been off the field, as Saudi Arabia has barged into the sports industry. Pumped up on petrodollars and desperate to reinvent itself under Muhammad bin Salman (mbs), its 37-year-old de facto ruler, it has spent $10bn on players, teams and leagues, upending golf and football. That has upset Western fans, activists and politicians, who see it as “sportswashing” human-rights abuses, and complain about the desecration of the hallowed trophies of sport.

The Economist is no cheerleader for MBS (Oh well! F*** Yourself), but this sports-venting does not bear scrutiny. The West trades widely with Saudi Arabia, the deals will not make its bad human-rights record worse, and it is not clear that the country could or would monopolise and destroy any global sport. In a turbulent world many fans see their teams as a source of pride and stability. But many forget that sport is also a business that is being disrupted. It needs to be open to new capital and fresh ideas.

Sport has long seen investment splurges, whether by media tycoons or Russian oligarchs. Even by those standards the Saudi effort is big. In football it is paying for some of the world’s top players, including Karim Benzema, to play in a revamped domestic league. It controls Newcastle United, an English club, and may bid for the World Cup in 2030. In golf a Saudi-bankrolled tournament is merging with the pga Tour, America’s men’s circuit. The kingdom sponsors Formula 1, has deals in wrestling and boxing and is eyeing winter sports and e-sports.

Do not imagine that this is a modern version of Arab royals buying racehorses that catch their eye. Saudi Arabia’s plan is state-backed and more systematic than that. The kingdom views sport as a way to reinvest oil revenues and catalyse reform at home by creating a bigger services industry and boosting tourism. mbs is a volatile strongman, but he is also overseeing some liberalisation, including of women’s rights. The spread of a globalised, consumerist, sporting culture may help Saudi Arabia shift social norms away from austere religious conservatism.

The Saudi spree mirrors a surge in institutional capital flows into sport. Since early 2020 over $100bn of private-equity cash has been deployed. America’s baseball, basketball, hockey and football leagues contain brands with reliable cashflows (partly because these are self-regulating cartels). Europe’s soccer teams, which may be relegated, are riskier but sometimes undervalued given their big fan bases. Other sovereign buyers are active. Qatar, which hosted last year’s World Cup, has Paris St Germain, a French club, and a stake in the Washington Wizards, a basketball team. Bloomberg reckons 17 of Europe’s top 98 soccer clubs are now backed by sovereigns or institutional capital.

Many of these new investors see digital disruption as an opportunity. Revenues are in jeopardy, as viewers abandon traditional television, and in America “cut the cord” on cable packages that bundle sports. For old media firms this is a nightmare: Disney is looking for an investor to take a stake in espn, its huge, declining sports network. For nimble owners of teams and brands, digital disruption holds the promise of reaching audiences directly, with a more immersive, interactive experience.

Fans often fear change will ruin something that they love. However, sport is not just a competition between players, but also for an audience—and rival forms of entertainment do not stand still. Italy’s Serie A football league is a warning of what happens if reform is too slow. Its revenues are falling, its teams are underperforming and they are mostly lossmaking. European football costs over $7bn a year to run, excluding players’ wages, and does not break even. It can benefit from fresh money.

Besides, disruption can lead to improvements that bring in new fans. England’s Premier League broke off from the rest of the game in 1991 and is now one of the world’s most successful tournaments. India’s Premier League, launched in 2008, drew millions to Indian cricket. Formula 1 has found a younger audience in the Netflix show, “Drive to Survive” and direct-to-consumer streaming. Who knows what will come from Apple’s $2.5bn investment in streaming mls, America’s soccer league; or Qatar’s backing of Padel, a rival to tennis, with 25m players.

The case for disruption, then, is clear. However, Saudi Arabia faces two other objections. The first is that it is a state actor that is not motivated by profits and has vast resources. Sport requires a competitive balance, so if an owner buys all the best players their team can in theory win all the time and the game suffers. This risk needs to be watched. However, despite decades of crazy money, no team has managed to dominate football. Saudi Arabia’s spending on players is worth only 6% of European football’s annual operating costs. Its rebel league shook up golf.

Big Fan

The second objection is Saudi Arabia’s rotten record on human rights (Bullshit & Hypocrisy. West has a worst records of human rights as compare to Saudi Arabia), including the murder of Jamal Khashoggi (He was a Washington’s Puppet and a traitor who spewed filth against Saudi Arabia), a journalist (He was a Yellow Journalist). Foes of the West like Russia (Not true and big fat lie. What a Hypocrisy?) face sanctions (Nothing happened to Russia. Still alive and very much thriving. Read UN report.), which include sport. Yet the kingdom is not in this category. America and Europe did $140bn of trade with Saudi Arabia in 2022, including in oil and weapons—both more strategically sensitive than putting. And although some club owners gain influence, controlling sports assets does not seem to blind the Western public or their governments. Even Roman Abramovich, an oligarch who bought Chelsea to court Britain’s elite, has not escaped sanctions. As Qatar found with gay and labour rights (Qatar is a sovereign country and they have their own laws and regulations. That’s why they didn’t give a fuck to the World’s hypocrites. They managed the World’s elite event very successfully. Critics needs an immediate Psychiatric evaluation, tons of pills and a long bed rest not to wake-up again.) in the 2022 World Cup, sponsorship can sometimes bring more scrutiny.

An ever-expanding list of activities are restricted around the world on grounds of national security, well-being or morality: think of semiconductors, social media, and energy and arms. Adding sport to the list is an own goal. ■

— This Article appeared in the Leaders Section of the print edition under the headline "Kicking up a Storm"

[weekinsports]

Player Profile - Dylan Crews

With the MLB Draft coming up on July 9th, let's take a look at potential #1 overall pick, Dylan Crews. Born in 2002 in Florida, Crews quickly showed off his potential. He played for the USA Baseball 14U team and their 18U team that won a gold medal. Crews attended Lake Mary High School, where he played Varsity Baseball for four years and was considered a top MLB Prospect at the time. However, he withdrew his name from the draft after high school and announced his full commitment to play baseball at Louisiana State University. Crews immediately started at Right Field for LSU as a freshman in 2021. In his freshman season, Crews slugged at an astounding rate, batting .362 with 18 home runs, which set a record for the most home runs ever hit by an LSU freshman. In addition, he was named National Freshman of the Year by Perfect Game. After the 2021 season, Crews switched to Center Field and continued to play at a high level, earning Co-SEC Player of the Year in 2022 while hitting .349 with 22 home runs. In his final season with LSU in 2023, Crews led LSU to their 7th College World Series Title, batting .426 with 18 homers and winning the Golden Spikes Award given to the nation's best college baseball player. Crews is expected to make an immediate impact on the team that selects him, as he has exceptional speed, power, and hitting.

Crews has been described by many scouts as a five-tool player, which is very rare. A five-tool player excels at hitting for average, hitting for power, base running, throwing, and fielding. Crews’ main weakness is his high whiff percentage on changeups and sliders. However, Crews still had a very high average on both of those types of pitches.

Although he is likely the most talented player in the draft, Crews reportedly is not interested in being selected first overall to the Pirates. Crews and his agent are asking for a record-breaking $10 million signing bonus, which would surpass the $8.42 million bonus that was given to Spencer Torkelson in 2020. One potential reason why Crews and his agent might be asking for such a high bonus is to be rejected by the Pirates so that he can then be chosen by the Nationals. Joe Doyle of Future Star Series has stated that Crews "fancies the idea of playing in Washington” instead of Pittsburgh. Crews and his agent have “purportedly thrown gaudy signing bonus demands at the Pirates" to try and get Crews to be selected with the #2 overall pick to the Washington Nationals.

List of Awards: 2021 LSWA Louisiana Freshman of the Year, 2021 ABCA All-South Region First Team, 2021 Freshman All-SEC, 2021 Second-Team All-SEC, 2021 NCAA Eugene Regional All-Tournament Team, 2021 U.S. Collegiate National Team Member, 2021 First-Team Freshman All-American (Collegiate Baseball, D1 Baseball, NCBWA), 2021 Third-Team All-American (NCBWA, ABCA), 2021 Second-Team All-American (Perfect Game, D1 Baseball), 2021 Perfect Game National Freshman of the Year, 2022 U.S. Collegiate National Team Member, 2022 LSWA Hitter of the Year, 2022 NCAA Hattiesburg Regional All-Tournament Team, 2022 First-Team ABCA All-South Region, 2022 SEC Community Service Team, 2022 SEC All-Defensive Team, 2022 First-Team All-SEC, 2022 Golden Spikes Award Semifinalist, 2022 SEC Co-Player of the Year, 2022 Consensus First-Team All-American, 2023 SEC Community Service Team, 2023 SEC Academic Honor Roll, 2023 ABCA Gold Glove Team, 2023 SEC All-Defensive Team, 2023 First-Team All-SEC, 2023 SEC Player of the Year, 2023 SEC Male Athlete of the Year, 2023 NCAA Regional All-Tournament Team, 2023 College World Series All-Tournament Team, 2023 Consensus First-Team All-American, 2023 Golden Spikes Award Winner

Height, Weight, Age: 6’0”, 205 lbs, 21 years old

Citations: https://lsusports.net/sports/bsb/roster/player/dylan-crews/

https://syndication.bleacherreport.com/amp/10081911-mlb-rumors-dylan-crews-eying-record-breaking-10m-bonus-amid-pirates-nationals-buzz.amp.html

[cheapsiuu]

Nice mac Jones 10 design gift for football shirt

UX Builder

UXNice mac Jones 10 design gift for football shirt

Family Tequila Rasslin’ T SWCC Gear 2023 Gonzaga Bulldogs Generic Shirts

Cincinn

Nice mac Jones 10 design gift for football shirt Entertainment: Dickson street is great, lots of Nice mac Jones 10 design gift for football shirt and good food. There is the Walton Arts Center which has top notch broadway events (musicals, plays, etc). TheatreSquared is also excellent for watching plays. The AMP (Arkansas Music Pavilion) has well known bands/artists every year. There is a Botanical Gardens. Believe it or not, we still have a drive-in theatre which plays current movies and is lots of fun. There is also a retro-arcade, bowling, skating rink, Locomotion (go karts, arcade, mini-golf), Gater Golf (mini-golf), several area Golf courses that are very nice, museums, and lots more. Outdoors: We are right next to the Ozark National Forrest, Beaver Lake, the Buffalo River, White River, Mulberry River, Devil’s Den state park, the Ozark Highlands Trail (218 miles through seven counties), caving, rock climbing, hand gliding, scuba diving in Beaver lake, and countless more to do. There is an excellent paved trail system that stretches from south of Fayetteville to the Missouri border with lots of parks and side trails along the way. Everywhere you turn there is hiking, biking, canoeing, geocaching, etc. Enough to never be bored. Community: Excellent Farmer’s Market, lots of community outreach programs, excellent public schools and some great private ones also (or so I’ve heard) Events: We also have lots of events in our area: Bikes Blues & BBQ, Joe Martin Stage Race, First Thursday (every first Thursday downtown), Fayetteville Foam Fest (Local Breweries, Food Trucks, Lots of Beer), War Eagle Crafts Fair, Block Street Block Party, NWA Naturals baseball games, Tri Sport Kid’s Triathlon, Fayetteville Roots Festival, Lights of the Ozarks, Ozark Valley Triathlon, Halloween Monster Dash, Color Vibe 5K Run, Primal Challenge.

https://t-shirtsky.com/product/nice-mac-jones-10-design-gift-for-football-shirt/ati Bengals 3D Hoodie Pullover Sweatshirt NFL for fans

https://t-shirtsky.com/product/family-tequila-rasslin-t-shirt/https://t-shirtsky.com/product/wcc-gear-2023-gonzaga-bulldogs-generic-shirts/https://t-shirtsky.com/product/cincinnati-bengals-3d-hoodie-pullover-sweatshirt-nfl-for-fans/https://t-shirtsky.com/product/washington-state-basketball-2023-the-big-dance-hoodie-shirt/https://t-shirtsky.com/product/personalized-nhl-edmonton-oilers-mix-jersey-2023-3d-hoodie/WashingPersonalized NHL Edmonton Oilers Mix Jersey 2023 3D Hoodie

ton State Basketball

2023 Ncaa Blue 84 Red Fau Owls Men’s Basketball Tournament March Madness Final Four T Shirt

2023 The Big Dance Hoodie Shirt

hirt

 Builder

UX Builder

https://t-shirtsky.com/product/black-dakblake-dakpack-milky-banana-cascade-hoodie-shirt/UX Build

UX BuilderLsu Tigers Blue 84 2023 Ncaa Women’S Basketball Tournament March Madness Final Four Gear Shirt

 

UX Builder

er

 

 

UX Builder

 

 

https://t-shirtsky.com/product/wcc-gear-2023-gonzaga-bulldogs-generic-shirts/UX Builder

UX Builder

https://t-shirtsky.com/product/personalized-nhl-edmonton-oilers-mix-jersey-2023-3d-hoodie/UX Build

UX Builder

2023 Ncaa Blue 84 Red Fau Owls Men’s Basketball Tournament March Madness Final Four T Shirt

 

 

UX Builder

er

 

 

buy it here:      .

HOme Page: https://t-shirtsky.com/

Blog t-shirt: blowtee.com awetees.com teevatino.com cobletee.com teebamboos.com vevoshirt.com blakeshirt.com teebluechic.com eyestees.com pumitee.com teeyame.com kapotee.com teesunflower.com yumetees.com gomtees.com hollistees.com renbytees.com elisetee.com venustees.com haventee.com belletee.com dottietee.com femmetee.com ongtee.com orchidtees.com blog t-shirt blog trending t-shirt trending

[eryiss]

Ship: Freed x Laxus

Rating: Teen

Prompt: Late Nights, Early Mornings.

Summary: Long distant relationships are difficult, made worse when it's between two men in different colleges. But Freed and Laxus will make it worse, and if secret phone calls late in the night are what's needed then that's what they'll do.

Notes: This was day three for my admissions to Fraxus Week. It's hosted by @fuckyeahfraxus, who you should check out for more Fraxus content.

Links: Event Masterlist ||| Archive of Our Own, Fanfiction

Four Ways to See the Dawn

Year: 1982

Location: Washington DC, USA

"Hey."

"Hey."

Laxus murmured the word, quietly fiddling with the cord to the phone as he glanced at the sleeping man in the other bed. The stranger seemed to be sleeping soundly, snoring without a care in the world, and so Laxus felt pretty confident that he had privacy. So long as he didn't make too much noise, he could speak without being overheard.

Good, this was going to work.

It wasn't ideal. It was nearing two AM, and Laxus had found himself fighting sleep as he'd waited for his roommate to pass out. The guy was apparently something of a party animal, and he was fully taking advantage of the many frat parties, drinking nights and mixers that filled the first weeks of college. Laxus had avoided them all – they were all too loud and rowdy for him – but he understood the appeal. He couldn't be angry that the man was so unpredictable; Bickslow would hardly know that he was stopping Laxus from his phone call with Freed, after all.

Freed didn't have the same problem. His college, which was half way across the country, didn't have roommates to worry about. He'd promised that he'd be waiting by the phone for him whenever he was ready to call, and he'd answered the moment Laxus had rung.

"You sound tired," Laxus teased. "Didn't wake ya, did I?"

"No, but it was close," Freed chuckled, and the sound was incredible. "I missed hearing your voice."

"Me too."

They'd promised themselves that, for the first two weeks, they wouldn't talk. College was a big thing, and they couldn't fuck it up, so decided they need to fully submerge themselves in college culture instead of becoming shut-ins who only spoke to one another. It was the right thing to do, they both knew it, but Laxus had been missing Freed's presence every day, and no amount of taster classes, tours around campus, and bottles of tequila would remove that.

Freed had always been there. They'd grown up on the same street, played on the same sports teams, and attended the same house parties. Jokes had been made that they were attached at the hip, and that they might as well be inseparable with how much time they spent together.

Laxus had to smirk at those jokes. If only they knew.

It had happened quite randomly, really. Laxus had broken his leg in the last year of high school, and he'd had to sit out on the final game in their baseball tournament. Freed had ended up hitting the home run that won their team the game, and had been rightly commended. Laxus had stumbled into the locker room on his crutches when everyone was left so he could congratulate the man in private. Freed had clearly noticed that Laxus was more melancholy that joyful, and forced Laxus to admit it felt shitty to miss the final game of his high-school career, even if they did win.

Freed had waited for a moment, thinking of what to say. Then, with his thigh resting against Laxus' non-broken leg, he quietly whispered 'I won it for you, you know. Not for the team.' The words were packed with years' worth of friendship and passion, and they were forever imprinted on Laxus' mind.

He'd kissed the man without thinking. Freed had kissed him back.

What followed was a summer of making out, going to the romantic spots around Magnolia under the pretence they were still just friends, and, on the last night before they left for college, they'd slept together for the first time. It had all been incredible.

But the summer had to end, and they could hardly keep going as they had. Magnolia was small, and their friendship was known well enough there for nobody to question how much time they were spending together. Now they lived in different states, a long and expensive train ride away from each other. The making out and the dates and the sex would have to stop, because it didn't make senses for it to continue. All they had left was quiet phone calls late at night where nobody could overhear them talking.

It wasn't perfect, but it was enough for now.

"You, erm, you done many classes yet?" Laxus asked, cringing at the awful question.

"No, they start on Monday," Freed answered, and shifted slightly. Laxus idly wondered if he were in his bed or not. Freed looked good in bed, curled up in a dressing gown with a book. If Laxus was there, he'd content himself by running his hand through his hair. "You?"

"A few taster things, just tryin' to find out what I wanna major in, y'know," Laxus all but scuffed his feet. He hadn't expected this to be this awkward. "Guess you don't have that problem."

"No," Freed agreed. He was training to by a surgeon, Laxus was at college mainly because he didn't know what else to do with his life. "How's your roommate?"

"He's good. A little weird but seems harmless," Laxus glanced at the sleeping man, who was stretched over his bed and drooling. "Seems to be out at parties most nights, so maybe I'll be able to call ya earlier in the night. Not force ya to stay up so late."

"It's worth it," Freed said without missing a beat. "I've missed you, Laxus."

"I missed you too," Laxus whispered.

Neither man spoke for a moment, and Laxus wished he knew what to say. He wished he had a ridiculous story of his fun, interesting college life that he could use to break that layer of awkwardness and entertain Freed with. But he'd done nothing; college was much less interesting than he had been led to believe. He couldn't think of a thing to say, and the electric humming of the phone was getting on his nerves.

Freed must have felt the same way, as Laxus could hear him fidgeting across the phone. Laxus wished he could just pull the man into his arms, as he often had in their quiet nights alone over the summer. But he couldn't. For months, he couldn't.

"It's gonna get easier, ain't it?" Laxus asked. "Doin' this?"

"It will," Freed said, and he sounded sure. "It'll take some time, but it will."

"Fuckin' better," Laxus mumbled more to himself than to Freed.

"It will," Freed repeated. "And thanksgiving is only a few months away, and we'll be able to see each other then."

"Guess so," Laxus nodded, trying to feel encouraged. "You still doing thanksgiving with me and Gramps?"

"If he'll still have me."

"He will," Laxus replied immediately, and then forced a smile onto his face. "And I promise it'll be more successful than last year."

"More successful? Is that possible?" Freed asked sarcastically, and Laxus chuckled.

"You saying that me and Gramps getting into a screaming match, the turkey ending up in the cat's litter tray, the two of us getting covered in cranberry sauce, and the neighbours making a noise complaint wasn't successful?" Laxus scoffed, smiling as he remembered the night the previous year.

He also remembered how, just before Freed drove back to his own home, he'd confessed that it was one of the most enjoyable thanksgiving's he'd had.

"You seem to not realise that, with long hair, pureed cranberries really have a lot of space to hide in," Freed chuckled. "A problem you don't seem to face."

"I'll aim for your face this year then," Laxus grinned.

"That's all I ask," Freed was grinning too, Laxus could hear it in his voice.

The situation wasn't immediately remedied, but they found themselves talking about the ridiculous shared moments they'd endured in Magnolia, and Laxus felt the awkwardness seeping away minute by minute. It was nowhere near as good as driving to the mountains, lying on his car's roof with Freed curled against him, but damn if it wasn't the best couple of hours he'd spent since arriving in Washington.

He didn't remember falling asleep, but he did remember waking up sometime later in the morning. The phone was clutched against his chest, the line dead, and the sunlight was fluttering under the curtains. He smiled privately, and closed his eyes, phone in hand.

---

"Freed, you okay? It's four in the mornin'?

"Hey. You're awake. Hi."

Laxus forced his eyes open, groggy and sleep deprived. He blinked a few times, sitting up. The ringing of the phone he'd just answered seemed to still be blaring in his mind, and the overly loud, inelegant words that his boyfriend had just near yelled into his ears made Laxus wince. It was nearly four thirty in the morning. Why the hell was Freed awake?

"Course I'm awake, phone's fucking loud," He complained, sitting up and leaning against the wall. "Why're you awake?"

"Ever and Mirajane," Freed said, as if that answered anything. Laxus waited a moment before he realised that was all Freed felt he needed to say.

"What about them?"

"I told them that it was my birthday tomorrow – or, well, it's today now, isn't it. But it was tomorrow when I told them. Well, technically it was yesterday when I told them, but in the context of me telling them about my birthday, my birthday was tomorrow, which is now today," Freed spewed the mess of words out, and Laxus could hear him frowning. "They said I needed to go out drinking. They wanted to take me out for my first legal drink."

"Yer turning nineteen, not twenty-one," Laxus deadpanned, though smirked.

"Oh yes, so I am," Freed was frowning. "I broke the law many times tonight then."

"Sounds like it," Laxus chuckled. "You only just gettin' in? It's pretty late. Or early, I guess."

"No, we left the club at about one. We've been in the dorms for a few hours, Cana knows someone who can get us beer cheap, so we kept going. Someone made me brownies, but I wasn't allowed to eat them because apparently they had pot in them, so Mirajane slapped the guy and said she'd report him to campus security because we only found out when Jet and Droy started talking about the walls having a face," Freed laughed heartily, and Laxus smiled, imagining the man's expression as he did so. "Why do people always put weed into brownies? It's so overdone. Why do you never hear of a pot carrot cake or banana loaf?"

"Brownies are easy to make, I guess," Laxus grinned.

This was uncharted territory for Laxus. Freed wasn't exactly a total rule follower, but his parents were strict and so alcohol was something he'd never risked. Laxus had always wondered what a drunk Freed would be like. Apparently, he rambled and was happy. It was a nice side of him to hear.

"You think brownies are harder than a banana cake? You know nothing about baking," Freed laughed at him, and Laxus smirked. "Do I have time to bake a pot filled gateau, do you think? It might make mother's book club interesting at last."

"Don't spike your ma with drugs Freed," Laxus instructed, and Freed laughed.

"Yes, it sounds bad put like that," Freed agreed. He was quiet for a moment, and Laxus heard the sound of something hitting the floor. Perhaps one of his boots, given the clunk. Laxus had become something of an expert at figuring out what Freed was doing by the sounds he made. "It'd serve them right. Rather see you than them."

"Come on Freed," Laxus sighed. "They're your parents, they wanna see you."

"Well they didn't on parents' weekend, or at thanksgiving, so why now?" Freed huffed, fabric shifting now. He was probably getting into bed. "They're taking me to dinner, and I saw the place. It's got five stars, Laxus. That means it'll be stifled and pretentious. They won't know what to say to me, so we'll just eat in silence and we'll all want it to end because we know we don't have anything in common and they're only coming because it'll look bad if they don't," Laxus wished he could deny the claim, but he knew Freed's parents and that was probably true. "Would've rather gotten the train to Washington so I could see you."

"Shouldn't I be coming to yours?" Laxus asked, trying to change the subject to something less maudlin. "It's your birthday."

"You saw my campus when you drove us home," Freed dismissed, and Laxus supposed he had. They'd driven back to Magnolia together for some time alone, as Laxus passed Freed's college on the drive back. "It's my turn to see your place. Your classrooms, your student lounge," He paused, and was clearly smirking when he spoke again. "Your bed."

"My bed, huh?" Laxus smirked. "What were you gonna-"

Laxus would have continued, but an airborne pillow slammed into his face. It took his sleep-lagged brain a moment to understand what had happened, and he slowly looked towards his glaring, very much awake roommate. He probably should have realised that the phone would have woken them both up, not just Laxus.

They looked at each other for a moment, Bickslow unblinking. Laxus wanted to speak, but no words came, and Bickslow was the one to fill the silence.

"Look, you know I'm cool with you two being together. Probably been to more of the marches than either of you two, so be as gay as you wanna be," Bickslow's voice was croaky and hoarse. "But don't phone fuck when I'm in the room. It's just bad manners."

"We weren't gonna-" Laxus cut himself off. He couldn't be sure of his words, so instead he said a guilty, "Sorry."

"Don't worry about it," Bickslow shrugged. "Just give me my pillow back and we'll call it even."

Laxus did as he was told, and Bickslow took it, hooked it around his head so it covered his ears, and turned to lie facing the wall. It was as close to privacy they could get in the small room without either of them leaving, and Laxus appreciated the action. When he spoke again, his voice was more of a gentle whisper.

"You should probably get to sleep," He instructed, and grinned when he heard a yawn overpowering his words. "Make sure you drink water before you crash, okay? And don't bother with yer classes, you'll either still be drunk or too hungover to take anything in."

"Yes, I suppose I will be," Freed agreed. "I'll call you once my parents leave."

"Okay," Laxus nodded. "Happy birthday, baby."

"Thank you," Freed said softly. "Goodnight. Love you."

"Love you too."

Laxus hung up the phone, curled himself back under his covers and closed his eyes. Just as he was about to sleep, he heard the grinning words of his roommate as he said, 'you two are so damn cute.' Laxus' retort of 'fuck you' was only slightly less threatening because of the smile he couldn't shake, and the yawn he couldn't hold back.

---

"Don't talk, I need to say something."

"Laxus? What's wrong?"

Laxus was jittery. He'd been jittery all day. He'd had nervous energy throughout the night, and it kept waking him up and he did whatever he could to get to sleep but nothing had worked, and he'd found himself stressed, awake and jittery. He couldn't stop moving. Couldn't stop bouncing his leg or taping his fingers or flexing his arms because he needed to do something with this energy, but he didn't know what.

At six AM, after a night of awful, interrupted sleep, he'd decided enough was enough. He'd changed into running gear, pulled out his Walkman and stormed from his dorm room. He'd ran for however long, and yet the jitteriness didn't go. If anything, it made things worse.

Calling Freed had been a last resort.

He hadn't returned to campus yet, instead finding a phone booth to climb into. It had started to rain as he'd run, and he was dripping wet as he rang Freed's number. The cold and the wet were the last things on his mind. He just needed to get on the call with Freed, just needed to hear that thing's would be okay and that he was making a big deal out of nothing. Freed was a smart guy, and he wouldn't bullshit Laxus about important things. No; Freed would make things okay.

"Dad's court case was moved forward," Laxus spluttered before he could stop himself.

It was supposed to be in the autumn. It was supposed to be months away. That would give Laxus time to prepare himself, to know what he was going to say. To get out of his own head so that he could focus on taking the bastard to jail. It was not supposed to be next damn week!

Laxus was a character witness. In the trial itself, he wasn't all that important, but he knew that the media would love to know what he thought about his father. Ivan was a well-known businessman, and his scandal had been national news. He'd made many enemies over his years working, and people were relishing in his downfall. Everyone wanted to hear how not only was Ivan a bad businessman, but a bad father too. Laxus wasn't ready for the attention, he wasn't ready for anything.

Freed took a moment to think before he replied.

"Where are you?" He asked. "Are you in your dorm? I can hear the rain."

"Erm, no," Laxus shook his head, looking around. "I'm near a park. Not sure where."

"Right," Freed murmured. "What do you need me to do?"

"I need," Laxus faltered.

He needed to be told that everything was okay. That the court case would just be a single day in his life, and he could get past it and move on. He needed to hear Freed saying that he would get past this, and that his life would return to normal. He needed to see Freed's warm smile, the one he seemed to show only to Laxus. He needed…

"It's nothing. Sorry if I woke you."

"Go back to your dorm, I'll be there as soon as I can."

"What?"

"The trains start running early. I can probably be at yours by ten," Freed mused aloud. "I want you to go back and try to sleep. You mentioned that Bickslow has hypnosis tapes he uses to sleep, borrow one."

"Freed, you don't need to come here," Laxus tried to argue, though he didn't want to. "You don't have the money."

"I'll find it," Freed dismissed. "The next train leaves at seven, I believe. I'll be on it."

"Freed."

"Laxus."

Anyone who thought that Laxus was the more stubborn one out of the two of them clearly didn't know Freed.

"You really don't need to come," Laxus whispered, the rain pounding on the small box he sheltered in. "I'll be fine."

"You deserve to be better than fine, Laxus," Freed whispered back.

Silence hung on the line, and at that moment Laxus' world only persisted of the small phonebooth, the rain clattering down on it, and the man on the other end of the phone. He closed his eyes, clenched them shut, and tried to focus on the soft sound of Freed's breathing. Freed was coming. He was coming to make things better. As much as Laxus wanted to protest more, because Freed couldn't afford it and he was going to miss his classes, he just wanted his boyfriend in his arms. He just wanted him there.

"Are you sure?" He asked in a shaking sob.

"Of course," Freed assured him. "Go back to your room and sleep, I'll be there soon."

Laxus did indeed return to his room. He showered off the rainwater, ignored Bickslow's questions as to what happened, and curled up into bed. The white noise tape that Bickslow gave him cleared his mind, and as he assured himself that the clump of blanket he was clinging to would soon be replaced with Freed, he felt everything become just a little more manageable.

---

Sun hit Laxus' face, a gentle warmth that woke him up. He smiled as it happened.

A roadside motel was hardly the most comfortable place to wake up, but Laxus couldn't think of anywhere better to be at that time. No amount of bitter coffee, cramped showers, awful breakfasts, and itchy sheets would stop that. Not when he was waking up with Freed in his arms.

It was Freed's graduation day, the final nail in the coffin of their shared college experiences. Once today had finished, there would be no more dorm rooms, no more phone calls, no more long distance. They just needed to get through the ceremony, and they would be free to spend as much time as they wanted together, without the looming dread of being split apart by the oncoming semester that had previously seemed ever present.

It was over. They were done with college and free to love each other fully and wholly.

They'd found an apartment they could afford. They'd gotten an odd look when their realter had seen two men wanting to live in a cramped, one bedroom apartment, but they didn't care. Three years split apart was over, and they felt they deserved their own place no matter what other people thought about it. They'd more than paid their dues in being apart; they were owed time, and a home, together.

It worked out well. Freed's career meant he needed to continue studying, and he'd found placement in a hospital on a partial scholarship in New York. Laxus, over his time in college, had decided sports journalism was where his passion lay, and he'd been shortlisted for multiple internships in the city. It was all perfect.

Speaking of perfect, Freed made a small mewling sound as he woke.

"Mornin'," Laxus smiled.

"Morning," Freed croaked. He leant up and pressed his lips against Laxus', resting against his body. "You're awake early."

"Excited to see you get yer degree," Laxus shrugged.

"Excited to see me leaving the dorms, more like," Freed chuckled, resting his head against Laxus' chest.

"Can you blame me?" Laxus asked as he ran a hand down Freed's side and kissed his crown.

"Not at all," Freed hummed, contentedly.

Laxus hummed, watching as the new morning sun filled the room. Flashes of a future where this would be his every morning, where Freed would always fall asleep in his arms and wake up beside him. Freed would be his, and he would be Freed's, as they were always supposed to be.

Their love story was quiet, made up of fleeting moments and late-night phone calls. Not the stuff of fairy tales, but, for them, perfect.

[beardedmrbean]

April 13 (UPI) -- On this date in history:

In 1742, George Frideric Handel's "Messiah" made its world premiere.

In 1873, a mob of former Confederate soldiers and Ku Klux Klan members killed dozens of Black militia men occupying the Grant Parish, La., courthouse after a contested gubernatorial election. The deadly confrontation came to be known as the Colfax massacre.

In 1932, Democrats at a Jefferson Day luncheon accused the Hoover administration of wrecking the economy, plunging millions into misery and engulfing the government in debt due to extravagance.

In 1943, the Jefferson Memorial was dedicated in Washington on the 200th anniversary of Thomas Jefferson's birth.

In 1964, Sidney Poitier became the first African American to win an Oscar for Best Actor, honored for his work in Lilies of the Field.

In 1970, an oxygen tank exploded aboard Apollo 13 en route to a planned moon landing and one of the three astronauts aboard, Jack Swigert, the command module pilot, famously said, "Houston, we've had a problem." The mission was aborted and the craft, also carrying James Lovell, the commander, and Fred Haise, the lunar module pilot, returned safety to Earth April 17 after some harrowing moments.

In 1972, the first Major League Baseball strike ended, eight days after it began.

In 1984, Christopher Wilder, the FBI's "most wanted man," accidentally killed himself as police moved in to arrest him in New Hampshire. Wilder was a suspect in the deaths, rapes and disappearances of 11 young women in eight states.

In 1987, the Population Reference Bureau reported the world's population had exceeded 5 billion.

In 1997, Tiger Woods, 21, won the Masters, the youngest golfer to accomplish that feat and the first Black American to win any of the four men's major professional golf tournaments. Woods also won the Masters in 2001, 2002, 2005 and 2019.

In 2005, as part of a deal to avoid the death penalty, Eric Rudolph pleaded guilty to four bombings that killed two people and injured more than 120. Among the attacks were bombings at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta and two abortion clinics. Rudolph was sentenced to life in prison.

In 2009, music producer Phil Spector was found guilty of second-degree murder by a Los Angeles jury in his second trial for the 2003 slaying of Lana Clarkson, an actress and club hostess. He was sentenced to 19 years-to-life in prison.

In 2013, the Vatican announced that Pope Francis appointed eight cardinals to look into ways of reforming the Roman Catholic Church.

In 2021, U.S. health regulators recommended an immediate pause in the use of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine after several reported cases of blood clotting. The CDC and FDA lifted the pause 10 days later.

[washington-baseball-tournaments]

Perfect Game Staten Island 14u in Washington

We're bringing 14U Baseball tournaments back to Washington. Schedule a visit with us to learn more about our programs and baseball tournaments in Washington state. The Washington Baseball Tournaments are the perfect place for you to start your journey as a baseball player. 

Call us at +1 (979) 665-2989

[nauseateddrive]

SUSPENDED by Alan Swyer

About to head off to conduct an interview, Pete Tarcher winced when a call came from his soon-to-be ex-. “How busy are you?” Suzanne asked before Tarcher even had a chance to say hello.

“Very. I've got a crew meeting me in Burbank.”

“Tell 'em you need to reschedule.”

“Because?”

“Jeremy's about to be suspended from school.”

“Let me call you from the car.”

Driving west toward Santa Monica, Tarcher listened uncomfortably via Bluetooth while Suzanne briefed him about their son's predicament. Then he asked an even more uncomfortable question. “Sure he wants me involved?”

“He thinks the world of you.”

“Sure has a funny way of showing it.”

“Kids take sides when their parents are going through divorce. Plus –”

“Yeah?”

“How'd you get on with your Dad when you were that age?”

“How well do he and I get on today?”

“I rest my case,” replied Suzanne.

After hanging up, Tarcher found himself contemplating the ways in which he and his son were different yet had much in common. Whereas Tarcher, proud of his New Jersey roots, was willfully outspoken and, when necessary, eager to get in someone's face, Jeremy was very much SoCal: soft-spoken with a winning kind of shyness, except when playing baseball, where he was a smiling assassin.

It was athletics that had long served as the primary bond between father and son, with Tarcher spending countless hours mentoring Jeremy in sport after sport. Though soccer, basketball, and football were part of his early years, it was always baseball that took precedence. Initially that meant Tarcher playing catch before school, pitching Wiffle balls to Jeremy in the backyard, and hitting ground balls to him at different parks. Once Jeremy turned nine, frequent trips to a local batting cage known as Slamo were added.

It was at Slamo where Jeremy, whose classmates, post-Little League, embraced computer games rather than team sports, formed friendships with kids who shared his zeal. That in turn opened the door to travel teams. The ensuing tournaments, first across Southern California, then farther away as well, often requited overnight stays, intensifying the ties between father and son.

Upon entering high school, Jeremy promptly had an experience that mirrored one from Tarcher's youth. While getting ready for fall baseball practice on a Tuesday afternoon, Jeremy was confronted by two vatos who were in the process of shaking him down when into the locker room stepped Junior Hernandez, co-captain of the team by day and reputed gang member.

“What the fuck you doin'?” screamed Junior when he saw what was happening.

“Be cool,” replied one of the toughs. “The motherfucker's white.”

“White or not, he's my teammate!” snarled Junior, ready to do some serious ass-kicking.

That, in a different sport was a reenactment of what happened to Tarcher, whose savior was Victor Washington, captain of the basketball team and heavyweight Golden Gloves boxing champ of New Jersey.

In another way as well, Jeremy followed in his father's path. To gain acceptance from his teammates and other in-groups, he assumed a double-life: a wild and crazy jock who, without calling much attention, happened to be in the school's Honors Program.

One person not fooled by Jeremy's protective coloration was his freshman English teacher, Ms. Vaughn, who was also the adviser to the school paper. Recognizing a talent that he himself might have otherwise not acknowledge, when Jeremy misbehaved in class one day, she issued an ultimatum: serve a week's detention, which would mean missing fall practice, or join the newspaper staff. Starting as second-string sportswriter, Jeremy rose to sports editor by his junior year, which yielded a peculiar series of omissions. Since reporters were not allowed to mention themselves in their stories, as Jeremy progressed from the youngest member of the varsity to its star, the sports pages carried more and more tales of game-winning hits, and shutouts thrown, with no mention of the player responsible for the heroics.

Little surprise that by his senior year, Jeremy requested, then demanded, a transition from sports to features, which inevitably led to the call from Suzanne that had Tarcher racing across town. 

Pulling into a visitor's spot in the high school parking lot, Tarcher walked purposefully toward the administration building. He nodded to a security guard he knew from attending countless baseball games, then to a couple of students he recognized, before stepping into the principal's outer office. There he immediately received a frown from his son, who was seated unhappily on a wooden bench.

“You don't have to be here,” Jeremy grumbled.

“I don't do anything because I have to,” answered Tarcher. “I'm here because I want to be. And for the record, it was your Mom who called me.”

Without another word, Tarcher approached the reception desk. “Pete Tarcher for Anne Marceau,” he announced to the woman there.

“She's expecting you?”

“You bet.”

The receptionist picked up the phone and spoke softly for a moment, then faced Tarcher and pointed. “She's –”

“I know,” said Tarcher. As he headed toward the appropriate door, out stepped a well- dressed black woman who smiled.

“I just saw the film you made about the criminal justice system in San Diego,” Anne Marceau stated with a smile.

“If you're trying to butter me up,” replied Tarcher, “this is not the time.”

“Come in,” said the principal, ushering Tarcher into her office, then closing the door and motioning for him to take a seat. “How much about this situation do you know?”

“Let's assume I know nothing, so you can start at the beginning.”

Anne Marceau took a deep breath. “You're aware of your son's article?”

“Like I said, assume I know nothing.”

“Jeremy wrote an extended piece about a day in the life of a tagger here at school.”

“Was it informative? Well-written?”

“Not the point,” insisted Ms Marceau. “Aside from the fact that tagging is gang-related –”

“Not always –”

“Largely. This is something I know a lot about.”

“And I just fell off the turnip truck?” countered Tarcher. “Which one of us created the LA County Teen Court system?”

“Then you know what a scourge graffiti is.”

“I also know that street art is the most exciting form of artistic expression today.”

Anne Marceau took a deep breath. “You're not being sympathetic.”

“While you threaten to suspend my son? What exactly do you want?”

Anne Marceau stood and paced for a moment before again addressing Tarcher. “For Jeremy to divulge the name of the tagger who's anonymous in his article.”

“And if not, he's suspended?”

Anne Marceau nodded.

“So you're telling me that Jeremy will wind up with a black mark that could influence not merely the colleges that are recruiting him, but also the pro scouts who have been coming to see him play.”

“There are consequences in this world.”

“Want to talk about consequences?” Tarcher asked, rising to his feet. “Ever heard the word retribution?”

“I-I'm not sure I follow.”

“Didn't you say just a little while ago that tagging was gang-related?”

“What's that got to do with anything?”

“Let's suppose the guy Jeremy followed is a gang member. Think he's going to shrug if outed? Take it in stride? Turn the other cheek? You're talking about putting my son in harm's way!”

“No need to raise your voice,” said Ms Marceau warily.

“Oh, yeah? Tell me what point you're trying to make.”

“That there's a lesson to be learned.”

“And that lesson is that it's okay to be a rat?”

Anne Marceau cringed. “That's not the way I see it.”

“I don't care if you see it as red, green, purple, or blue. That's the message you're sending. So please listen to me carefully. There's no way in the world you're going to force my son to become a rat. Are we clear? I mean 100 percent clear?”

Anne Marceau took a moment to gather herself. “Okay,” she then said. “I'll consider your point. Are we done?”

“No such luck. How about something called freedom of the press? That doesn't figure into this?”

“I-I think you're making more of this than necessary.”

“Am I?” asked Tarcher. “How do you think the LA Times will respond if they hear about this? Or the local news stations? Or maybe it could even go national.”

“Are you threatening me?”

“I don't threaten. I take action. As you pointed out, I make documentaries. Know what? That gives me far better and far different access than if I were, say, an orthodontist, a car mechanic, or a lifeguard.”

“You're making me very uncomfortable.”

“Well guess what,” said Tarcher. “I'm just getting started. Here's the really awkward news. Much of what I do is muckraking. Get my drift?”

“I-I'm not sure.”

“Then let me explain. It might be really interesting to make a documentary about a school that prides itself on teaching kids about their rights, then punishes them when they use 'em.”

“Mr. Tarcher –”

“I'm not finished yet. Here's what's going to happen. If my son is suspended, the first thing I'm going to do is reward him with a trip. Maybe Catalina while he's missing school. Or even better, Hawaii. Understood?”

“Pete –”

“Then I'm going to use every resource at my disposal to make the world aware of what transpired, as well as who's behind it.”

“Please –”

“Next, I'm going to explore what other students have had their freedom of expression abridged. Why? Because the more I think about it, the more I can see a documentary like this appealing to Netflix, or HBO, or maybe PBS.”

Anne Marceau sighed. “What exactly do you want?”

“You're an intelligent women. What exactly do you think I want?”

Still seated on the wooden bench in the outer office, Jeremy looked up as his father emerged from Anne Marceau's office. “So?” he asked.

Tarcher eyed his son for a moment, then spoke. “Let's just say that Koufax is still the greatest lefty ever, Greg Maddox the best righty, and Tony Oliva the best natural hitter.”

“That's all?”

“And the sun will come up tomorrow morning.”

With that, Tarcher headed toward the door, only to have his son follow.

“Wait,” said Jeremy. “I-I don't know what to say.”

“Then maybe it's best to say nothing.”

Jeremy took a moment to reflect before speaking. “Thanks,” he then offered.

“For?”

“Coming. And helping. And being my dad.”

“I'm here when you need me.”

“I know,” stated Jeremy. “But that doesn't mean I'm not still upset at you.”

Tarcher studied his son for a moment, then smiled. “Likewise.”

Back on the freeway, Tarcher couldn't help by think about the contrast between his professional and personal experiences. Because he made documentaries – about the criminal justice system, Eastern spirituality in the Western world, breakthroughs in the treatment of diabetes, and even boxing – most people assumed that he was showing the world as it is. Yet Tarcher knew full well that with his films he could exercise significant control thanks to the people he chose to interview, the questions he asked them, and above all the choices he made during the editing process by sequencing and selecting the sound bytes used.

In real life, in contrast, control ranged from minimal to none.

That made real life – and especially his life – infinitely harder.

[stuartka06-blog]

Regardless of your needs

(Through a series of mergers after his death, the family ended up with Wells Fargo shares). He met his wife nfl jerseys, Colleen, at a liquor convention when she was 19 and he was 29. Olympic Committee, as well as a staunch Democratic Party supporter. [Noted by Literati.] Also, as I belatedly commented, addiction to smoking is arguably forbidden by R. Feinstein explicitly. (Contra the original post R.

wholesale jerseys from china So WI fans, have you braced yourselves for more licks on Monday and throughout the series? Or do you think we will witness a resurrection of sorts? A resurrection of winning ways, maybe? Well I can dream, right? And while I'm dreaming, I'll dream of a resurrection of Chanderpaul in the test matches! And of this series being the one where Darren Bravo, Kemar Roach and Bishoo comes of age. Maybe Barath if he's fit for the test matches. Maybe Simmons will fulfill the expectations.  wholesale jerseys from china

nfl jerseys But the thought of the huge number of people, in better positions to help, who would see the photographs in National Geographic, kept me going. People did respond and continue to do so, but human trafficking still exists in even greater numbers estimated 27 million people worldwide. The women grace and dignity in such degrading conditions both distressed and moved me.  nfl jerseys

Temple 66, Penn State 64: Juan Fernandez sank an off balance 18 footer with under a second to play to end coach Fran Dunphy's NCAA tournament record 11 game losing streak https://www.cheapjerseysitems.com. Fernandez and Ramone Moore scored 23 points each for the seventh seeded Owls (26 7). Taylor Battle scored 23 for the 10th seeded Nittany Lions (19 15)..

wholesale nfl jerseys from china Financially stressed, striking players began to cross the picket line. And in the final game with replacements on a Monday Night Football game between the all replacement Washington Redskins and the partial replacement Dallas Cowboys with huge stars who had returned Danny White, Tony Dorsett, Randy White, ed Too Tall Jones. The replacement Redskins stunned the Cowboys with their stars, winning 13 7.  wholesale nfl jerseys from china

Cheap Jerseys free shipping I like the fact that John Donne keeps Tug McGraw company on my shelf. I need the words of baseball. I feel this as an intellectual and spiritual need, romantic and physical. 1813 Reaction from Nigeria coach Samson Siasia to their exit from the tournament today. "We want to apologise to all Nigerians. We have not qualified for the Nations Cup and we take responsibility as a team," Siasia said.  Cheap Jerseys free shipping

Cheap Jerseys from china In the second half of the eighteenth century there were two centres of liberal ideas on the continent of Europe: France and Poland. On an impartial survey one may say without chanel bags exaggeration that then France was relatively every bit as weak as Poland; even, perhaps, more so. But France s geographical position made her much less vulnerable.  

Cheap Jerseys from china Pockets commonly stretch out during a season and need to be readjusted or replaced. Mesh sidewall strings require re tightening to keep the stick legal. Leather pockets, which can be strung in numerous ways, require adjustments and maintenance much more frequently than mesh pockets.  Cheap Jerseys from china

cheap jerseys "It's unfortunate," says Lisa Navarette, a vice president at the National Council of La Raza. "We're not asking them to go lobby the governor of Arizona. We're just saying that you can make a gesture of support for the people who root for you. Parent Mirwis, the driving force and a lead plaintiff, recalled, "By the time I landed back in Texas, I had more than 120 e mails, half from the small group of people at the school who wanted to exert pressure to see if we could publicize this social injustice. And the other half from the legal team. From Tuesday through Thursday https://www.cheapjerseysaleusa.com, I was running through hundreds of phone messages, text messages, and emails.  cheap jerseys

Cheap Jerseys china In fact, if you happen to be seeking designer apparel for a store or business of your own, you can save hugely by buying in bulk from online discount designer outlets. This creates huge savings for your business or personal pocketbook. Regardless of your needs, look online and begin saving on quality brand name clothing today..  Cheap Jerseys china

Cheap Jerseys from china "I talk to him almost every day about our team and what we are going to do moving forward."The Celtics are reportedly looking to rebuild but that does not include letting Rivers go. Ray Allen left for the Miami Heat last season and the Celtics may look to trade Paul Pierce. Carlesimo after they were eliminated from the playoffs.Ex Bronco Nalen admits to trying to hurt another playerFormer Denver Broncos center Tom Nalen said that he intentionally tried to injure a player in 2006.Nalen made the admission while being introduced at a press conference Thursday as the newest member of the Broncos Ring of Fame..  Cheap Jerseys from china

wholesale nfl jerseys "Part of it is a testament to him and part of it is a testament to how far we've come, because people are prepared now much better," Donovan said. "For people who have been in this for a long time, it's great: Someone can go to Dortmund at 18 and not be overwhelmed by it because he's been watching it, he's seen it, he's been there, he's seen other players do it, he's seen Dempsey in the Premier League for years, and it's not a big deal. So it's a natural evolution, and I'm glad it's happening."

[siaso-blog2]

In turn when they killed a pig

Their mind works faster than other folks.How to Upgrade Your SwitchboardSharp (effective) thinkers are speed learners with a creative speed memory.What if you could discover a baby easy strategy to improve your brain'sswitchboard? Your goal is to maintain your left brain and right brain In Synch.a) Can you play an Air Guitar? Let's talk about the Infinity Symbol, which lookslike a sleeping (reclining) number eight (8). The entire daily exercise for 21days requires about two minutes daily.b) Start by sitting down, looking straight ahead and using the index finger of your right hand, to trace a two foot by two foot sleeping 8 the infinity sign in the air. cheap jerseys Move left to right in a large stroke (cut) half to the left of your face and half to your right side..

wholesale nfl jerseys Four 40" diameter (10.00 20) truck inner tubes (purchased used for $13 each on eBay) make up the front tires (two tubes for each). I bought a fifth inner tube on as a spare just in case. The front wheel (garbage can lid and ring) goes in the center hole of one of the inner tubes.  wholesale nfl jerseys

nfl jerseys I can remember a great deal of banter and laughter, mingling with the sounds of knives being sharpened on steels on those nights. Every neighbour left with a package of pork, Cheap Jerseys china spare ribs, roast etc. In turn when they killed a pig, Father would help and return with a package of meat.  nfl jerseys

Cheap Jerseys from china It is a well established fact that all over the world, between 10 15 per cent of couples in a population are infertile. This has resulted in hospitals and private clinics with offers for ART services mushrooming all over the country. But in the complete absence of legislation, there is scope for malpractices, nfl jerseys and right now, there is no way to ensure that these centres follow the ICMR guidelines..  Cheap Jerseys from china

nfl jerseys "The goal of this is to turn it into a memorable experience for the student athletes."The transformation for March Madness is greater than for any other event held in the arena, including concerts, said Michael Gilbert, spokesman for the Sabres. "This is one event where we have to do a lot of changeover work," he said.But the Sabres planned for it well in advance, letting the NHL know that this particular week would be a good time for the league to schedule a lengthy road trip for the team.The Sabres, of course, have been through this before, www.cheapjerseyschinatrade.com as this is the fifth time since 2000 that Buffalo has hosted the NCAA basketball tournament.This is the first tournament under owner Terry Pegula, who bought the Sabres in 2011. Gilbert said Pegula is highly supportive of the event being held at the arena."It's good for Buffalo," said Gilbert.  nfl jerseys

Cheap Jerseys free shipping Care. Natural. Lawn. As for Radio City, well the crowd's ALIVE. I must say I kicked and screamed about the draft being moved to primetime, www.cheapjerseyschina8.com but now that I'm here it's pretty damn cool. There was a red carpet (something I scoffed at but obviously ended up enjoying), Alyssa Milano just walked by me (I'll never scoff at Sam Micelli), and there's an incredible intensity in the building right now.  Cheap Jerseys free shipping

cheap jerseys First, unless you are a Penn State alum and care about football more than ruined lives of children, we all ought to be able to agree that Joe Paterno does not deserve a pardon from history. He either knew, or ought to have known, that his child molesting defensive coordinator was evil after the time the first parent called in 1998 to complain the coach had showered with her 10 year old son. www.cheapjerseysfromchinasale.com What type of man does not investigate such a claim? There were even more clues in the ensuing years that Paterno never bothered to examine.  cheap jerseys

cheap nfl jerseys Once upon a time, British subjects gazed upon their sovereigns from afar. Not any more. Members of the royal family are now Hollywood style mega celebrities _ their cellulite, receding hairlines and boozy nights out subject to the same relentless scrutiny as other A listers.  cheap nfl jerseys

nfl jerseys When Baldwin looked at the schedule he saw 11 home games in the first 36 days. By contrast the next 11 would be played over 64 days. Of those first 11, only three were on Saturday, the prime date in Hartford hockey. THE best birthday present I ever received came from my wife. She gave me a baseball from the 2009 World Series signed by Derek Jeter, the New York Yankees shortstop. I treasure it because he's my favorite player but also because my newborn daughter slept in my arms while I watched the Yankees win that World Series..  nfl jerseys

cheap nfl jerseys ROCKINGHAM Kingston. In 1783, while the Continental Congress was meeting at Nassau Hall in nearby Princeton, Congress rented the house from the widow of Judge John Berrien for use by George Washington from Aug. 23 to Nov. Want to inspire the next generation to take up the game. For some reason, we weren able to play top class hockey. If we pursue the game with passion, it will inspire our youngsters.  cheap nfl jerseys

wholesale jerseys from china YouthViacheslav Fetisov was born on 20 April 1958 in Moscow. The future USSR hockey team captain took his first steps on the way to fame on a backyard hockey arena under his father's strict supervision. Later Fetisov liked to say that he owed his sporting career to his father who worked on his son's ice skating since the age of four wholesale jerseys from china.

[rejserusa-blog]

Holidays during the United states

Rejser USA

New A long time Eve: January 1 The celebration of your new 12 months is definitely the oldest of all vacations. It is the beginning with the calendar year in the majority of calendars close to the entire world. You will discover many festivities on New Many years day specifically while in the United states of america. This contains masquerade balls and parties which characteristic countdowns that mark the arrival of twelve midnight. Almost all of the television channels show Periods Square while in the coronary heart of new York City the place several persons get and wait around for that year to end as well as a new a person to start. many families and pals also view tv to take pleasure in the Tournament of Roses parade previous the Rose Bowl soccer match in Pasadena, California.

Presidents Working day: Third Monday of February Presidents Day is the prevalent identify for your U.s. federal holiday getaway officially designated as George Washington birthday. On at the present time, numerous American universities use the days primary as many as President Working day to teach students about the history with the Presidents with the Usa, specifically Washington and Lincoln. Now, the February vacation is becoming well-known for currently being each day during which a lot of suppliers keep income. Some faculties, which utilized to shut for your solitary working day for both equally Lincoln and Washington birthday, now typically near with the total week (starting with the Monday vacation) for a "mid-winter recess".

Memorial Day: Previous Monday of May possibly Memorial Day, originally known as Decoration Day, is really a day of remembrance for individuals who died serving the united states. It can be commonly observed by browsing cemeteries and memorials; positioning flags and flowers within the graves of fallen heroes. The US flag is generally lifted at half-staff until eventually midday, jointly using the "POW/MIA Flag".

Independence Day: July 4 Also referred to as the Fourth of July, this getaway commemorates the adoption of the declaration of independence on July four, 1776, declaring independence within the kingdom of Excellent Britain. Generally connected with fireworks, parades, barbecues, carnivals, picnics, baseball video games, and various other public and private gatherings celebrating the historical past, government, and traditions in the America, but is usually viewed as basically a summer months competition, other than its patriotic overtones.

Labor Day: Initially Monday of September This holiday getaway commenced in 1882, originating from the want via the Central Labor Union to make a day without work for your "working man". In the event the holiday break was first proposed, tips was given concerning how it really should be observed and celebrated, a street parade to show for the community "the energy and esprit de corps of your trade and labor organizations" from the local community, followed by a festival to the recreation and amusement with the employees and their people. This became the pattern for the celebrations of Labor Working day. On the other hand, at this time, it truly is celebrated generally like a day of relaxation and marks the symbolic conclude of summer for several.

Columbus Working day: Next Monday of Oct It is actually a vacation celebrating the anniversary of Christopher Columbus arrival inside the Americas, on Oct 21, 1942. A similar occasion is commemorated in other countries during the Americas as Dia de la Raza (Working day with the Race) in may perhaps countries in Latin The united states, Dia de las Culturas (Working day in the Cultures) in Costa Rica, Discovery Day within the Bahamas, Hispanic Working day in Spain, as well as newly-renamed (as of 2002) Dia de la Resistencia Indigena (Day on the Indigenous Resistencia) in Venezuela. This holiday break is normally celebrated with parades.

Veterans Working day: November eleven Veterans Day is surely an American holiday break for honoring war veterans. It really is celebrated on the same day as Armistice Day or Remembrance Working day in other portions of the whole world, slipping on November 11, the anniversary from the signing of the armistice that ended Environment War I. On this day, Veterans Day parades are frequently held all around the state.

Thanksgiving Working day: Final Thursday of November Thanksgiving, or Thanksgiving Day, can be an yearly secular one-day holiday getaway observed in Canada and also the U . s . to celebrate staying grateful. The vacation origins trace to reap festivals that have been celebrated in lots of cultures given that historic instances, and many persons rejoice by collecting in your own home with family or close friends for your vacation feast. While in the U . s ., Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth of Thursday of November and, in Canada, within the second Monday in Oct. On at the present time, households generally obtain jointly for Thanksgiving, dinner in which turkey is customarily served. Stuffing, mashed potatoes with gravy, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, maize, other tumble vegetables, and pumpkin pie are commonly linked with Thanksgiving supper. These major dishes are literally indigenous towards the Americas or were being introduced for a new food items supply to your people of Europe when they arrived.

Christmas Working day: December 25 Xmas or Xmas Day can be a holiday break celebrating the start of Jesus, the central figure of Christianity. Nevertheless, these dates are simply regular; the nice vast majority of students concur that the genuine birth date of Jesus is unidentified. Elements of the celebration might include things like gift-giving, Xmas trees, screen of nativity sets, church attendance, the daddy Christmas/Santa Claus myth, and household gatherings.

References Tourism in the United States https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tourism_in_the_United_States

[pbwsports]

How the coronavirus is forever changing the way MLB connects to fans

IT BEGAN WITH the hype video that was supposed to introduce the 2020 Los Angeles Dodgers on Opening Day. Organist Dieter Ruehle followed by playing the national anthem and "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" from his home piano. Third baseman Justin Turner, closer Kenley Jansen and manager Dave Roberts shared updates on their suddenly monotonous lives. Comedian George Lopez cracked jokes at the Houston Astros' expense and country musician Brad Paisley wore a Dodgers sweatshirt that described the team as "2017 World Series Champs."

Along the way, the Dodgers' first live Zoom event provided its fair share of predictable glitches -- ringing cellphones, awkward silences and buffering videos, one of which distorted an uplifting message from Vin Scully. Joe Davis, the Dodgers' play-by-play voice pressed into virtual hosting duty, cringed through some of the technical difficulties. He thought social media would be as unforgiving as usual. He was wrong.

Major League Gamers

How video games are bringing MLB players and fans together. Joon Lee »

"The people appreciated whatever we were able to do, even if the video was skipping a little bit, or there were audio issues, or somebody dropped out at some point," Davis said. "The general sense was that it was like, 'So what?' There was an appreciation, it seems like, from the fans that there was something baseball-related to be able to cling onto and distract them for a night."

The Dodgers initially planned to host 1,000 fans at their first "Zoom Party" on April 27. They ultimately opened it up to 11,000 people. Over the next couple of weeks, the guest list increased to 12,000 and then 15,000, proving two key points about this unimaginable period: Teams are trying anything and everything to fill a massive void amid the coronavirus pandemic, and their fans are here for it -- a dynamic that could change the fan-engagement experience forever.

There have been re-airings of old postseason games, broadcaster calls of home movies, training tips from coaches, bedtime stories from players and bracket-style tournaments for items such as jerseys and bobbleheads, all in an effort to create content in a time when baseball's main content pipeline -- live games -- is shut off.

Ryan Zimmerman interviewed Dr. Anthony Fauci, a diehard fan of the Washington Nationals. Miami Marlins catcher Francisco Cervelli taught viewers how to make focaccia. Kansas City Royals director of behavioral science Ryan Maid hosted "Mindfulness Mondays" to provide tips on living in the moment. The Cleveland Indians offered instructions for creating games out of items in one's sock drawer. And former Astros infielder Geoff Blum hosted a series called "Feel Good Stories For The Heart" in hopes of providing some much-needed positivity.

Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association also teamed up to create an MLB The Show Players League, where big leaguers went head-to-head in video game matchups that were livestreamed on Twitch and broadcast on television during the virtual playoffs, culminating in a final showdown between Tampa Bay Rays ace Blake Snell and Chicago White Sox ace Lucas Giolito that aired on ESPN.

From making pancakes to playing baseball with Charley, follow @ClaytonKersh22 and his family in this episode of A Day in the Life with the Kershaws.

177 people are talking about this

"We want to give everybody sort of a relief from what's going on, and if we can help them and we can entertain them, we've succeeded," Dodgers chief marketing officer Lon Rosen said of his own team's strategy. "We're in a really difficult time right now. We all feel like we're gonna come out the other end and life will come back to some normalcy, but until then, we wanna make sure that we're connected to our fans and our fans are connected to us. And that's our mission."

In pursuit of that, the Dodgers arranged for their director of player performance, Brandon McDaniel, to guide fans through in-home workoutstwice a week. They handed a smartphone to Ellen Kershaw so that she could record her husband, Clayton, flipping pancakes and playing Pop-A-Shot. And they utilized Ross Stripling, their agreeable right-handed pitcher, for an interview series with some of his teammates. Davis himself has hosted his own cooking show and also started a podcast with his broadcast partner, Orel Hershiser. The response floored him.

"We've had multiple people tell us that it brought them to tears to hear us, multiple people tell us that it's the best part of their week when that comes out, and their favorite thing during the quarantine," Davis said of the podcast, called "Off Air." "Man, we're just trying to have a fun conversation. We started it realizing the void that everybody was feeling with no baseball, but I don't think we fully appreciated how big that void was."

MARCO GONZALES LEFT Arizona shortly after MLB effectively closed spring training complexes on March 15. He hopped in the car with his wife and their dog and drove 1,400 miles to his home near T-Mobile Park, returning to Seattle -- the country's first coronavirus epicenter -- for the first time in more than a month.

Gonzales, the left-hander announced as the Seattle Mariners' Opening Day starter less than a week earlier, was struck by how a bustling city could feel so desolate. Parks were empty, traffic was nonexistent, stores had shuttered, and the few people he saw, usually at the local supermarket, dressed as if they were "going into surgery." The anxiety was palpable, omnipresent, and it helped spur Gonzales into action. He donated blood, partnered with a local hunger-relief agency and stepped outside of his comfort zone to help entertain a populace desperate for levity.

The best of MLB social media

Here are just 10 of our favorite recent social media plays from around MLB.

Just for fun:

A's: Broadcaster calls home movies Cubs: "Parks and Rec" crossover Dodgers: Zoom parties Marlins: Cervelli makes focaccia Phillies: Story time with Bryce & Fanatic

Quarantine-inspired:

Astros: Feel Good Stories For The Heart Indians: Sock-drawer sports at home Nats: Zimmerman interviews Dr. Fauci Orioles: Phone Call Fridays Rockies: Out-of-context quarantine tips

The latter morphed into a weekly interview podcast called "Inside Corner," which Gonzales co-hosts alongside Mariners broadcaster Aaron Goldsmith through the team's YouTube channel. Catcher Tom Murphy and fellow starters Taijuan Walker and Justin Dunn have made up the first three guests. Murphy spoke from his dining room, which features a 400-pound black bear he snagged on a hunting trip. Dunn, now 6-foot-2, revealed he was shorter than his 4-foot-11 grandmother when he entered high school. Walker estimated owning 400 pairs of sneakers.

"I miss baseball, I miss that interaction with my teammates," Gonzales said. "And I think the goal of this, ultimately, is for fans to get to know us a little bit better away from the field, and to feel like they're a little more connected to us."

It's part of an ironic twist in all this -- a time that is keeping fans from baseball is also allowing them, in some respects, to feel more connected to those who play it. During the season, their time is precious. During the offseason, their time is sacred. But now athletes are stuck at home waiting this out, with unkempt hair and a dwindling supply of toilet paper, just like the rest of us. To pass the time, many have offered rare glimpses into their personal lives and have seemingly become more willing to reveal their true personalities. Gonzales has acted as a willing tour guide.

"The guys that I've dealt with, they want people to get to know them as people," Gonzales said. "Because a lot of times when we're on the field, we're in a mindset, we're in a mentality, that is rare to us as a person. We're in a competitive, testosterone-driven mindset, whereas right now, when we're stuck at home, and we have a chance to talk to each other, it's a lot different communication. And I think that people will hopefully see that."

Our video editor has been itching to make a hype video. Behold...

103 people are talking about this

Kevin Martinez has been overseeing the Mariners' marketing efforts for the past quarter-century. Four days after MLB suspended its season, Martinez led a meeting that served as a brainstorming session for how the team could pivot in its content strategy and fill an unprecedented void in a reeling city. Martinez saw it as "an opportunity to innovate and think differently."

It led to a hype video of home movies, a series of tutorials from Mariners coaches, an MLB The Show tournament pitting fans against players, and Gonzales' podcast.

"Seattle has been one of the most affected by this, and one of the first for sure," Gonzales said. "We're trying to get behind the notion that we'll be one of the first to overcome it and really show the rest of the country what it looks like. Right now, all we can do is try to fill everybody up with some optimism, put some good content out there, and try to just give people that hope that we're gonna get back to normal as soon as we can."

#NewSociallyDistantProfilePic

2,818 people are talking about this

BY NATURE OF their status in local communities, sports teams can often serve as information hubs for regions. The Boston Red Sox, for example, represent the baseball team for all six states in the New England region, making Twitter -- where the team has more than 6.1 million followers -- an ideal platform to distribute factually verified information regarding the pandemic. Kelsey Doherty, senior manager of digital media for the Red Sox, says the team has kept in touch with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and the State House to stay up to date on the best official safety measures.

"It's a little nerve-wracking every time I put out any of that messaging, because especially early on, things were changing so rapidly about what was or wasn't good for you or how you're supposed to go about things," Doherty said. "We were linking a lot to the Mass Department of Public Health, but we're also trying to put the Red Sox spin on it. This weekend we put out, 'How far is 6 feet really?' And it's like, 'It's one Rafael Devers away.'"

The Red Sox are far from the only team to use its social media accounts to pitch in. Zimmerman's interview with Fauci, via the Nats' Facebook page, delved into plans for slowly and safely restarting the economy. The Colorado Rockies are one club that sponsored a mask-making project, reaching out online to distribute free team-branded masks to front-line workers. New York Yankeesfirst baseman Luke Voit connected with medical staff at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital. The Baltimore Orioles have been holding Phone Call Fridays, when members of the team check in on fans and first responders.

EDITOR'S PICKS

When baseball cards become pop art: Inside the Topps 2020 Project

How the internet helped crack the Astros' sign-stealing case

If only Twitter had existed: The most meme-worthy moments ever for all 30 MLB teams

There have been other notable effects. With no games on the calendar for the near future, each team's social media account now represents the primary connection clubs have with fans on a daily basis. Typically at this point in the regular season, an internationally iconic team like the Yankees is focused on building hype around the club, selling individual game tickets and targeting tourists who might be coming into New York. Stephi Blank, senior manager of digital and social strategy for the Yankees, says the pandemic has flipped the team's social focus upside down.

"Especially when thinking about targeting individual game ticket buyers, tourism in New York City is something that is a massive industry, and talking with our colleagues at Broadway and others, you see that so much of the individual game, the individual ticket buyers, come from people who are outside of New York who don't live there," Blank said. "That had been a big focus of ours prior to this, but New York has been the epicenter, and we've been focusing a lot more on our local fans."

With no team to root for or games to play, teams are reframing their social media presence to think about fandom as a lifestyle.

"It's new territory," Doherty said. "I always joke that I am so grateful that I work in sports because our content can change day to day based on a win or a loss or who had a big night, and now suddenly I'm in this uncharted territory and everyone in sports is, where it's like suddenly we aren't dependent on that and we're dependent on our history, the lifestyle, the fan base and the culture around the team."

Luke Voit recently surprised frontline medical heroes from our partner @nyphospital to show his appreciation for their strength and hard work. @LLVIII40

241 people are talking about this

THE LACK OF day-to-day, game-centric content leaves more room to experiment. The Yankees have dabbled in more player personality-driven content, posting intentionally lo-fi workout videos from the likes of Giancarlo Stanton and Luis Severino, shot in vertical video on an iPhone. Yankees head of communications Jason Zillo says the lack of wins and losses allowed baseball's most traditional brand to let loose and have some fun.

"[Player-personality content] is not only a neat concept, but I think this has legs to live long beyond the pandemic," Zillo said. "The thing that constantly is a push and a pull during a baseball season is that games matter so much. And you have to temper 'fun' things up against the fact that every day, there's a game that you're trying to win at all costs. There has to be a measure of caution. If you've lost six of eight games, my first mindset isn't, 'Let's do something fun.' It's like, 'Let's kind of scale back and then when we've won six of eight, then maybe we can push more of the fun stuff.'"

Social media follows for shutdown

From Twitter to Twitch, these 10 players are providing a window -- often silly, sometimes serious -- in an unprecedented time in baseball history. Joon Lee »

Baseball is unique among sports in its challenge of creating inclusive, compelling social media content. The schedule is arduous -- nearly every single day, often for about 10 hours, from the middle of February until at least the end of September -- and the culture can often feel repressive. Marketers have mostly found players to be less motivated to promote themselves, both because of the volume of their workload and the guaranteed nature of their contracts. Teams, in some respects, have taken a relatively conservative approach on their digital platforms.

But maybe that'll be different now.

"It has been a challenging time," Martinez, the Mariners' senior VP of marketing, said, "but it's been a time for innovation, and a great opportunity to create fans with our players in ways we haven't explored before."

While baseball has been slow to adapt to the new age of social media, the pandemic plopped a mirror in front of many teams. Many took that as an opportunity to try something new -- and have seen it bear fruit.

"You hear a lot of people from a lot of different walks of life saying, 'Use this time to get better at something,'" Zillo said. "I think baseball, as a whole, has, when it comes to looking under different rocks, now is really using social media and all of its tentacles to reach as many fans as possible."

Source - ESPN

[washington-baseball-tournaments]

2023 Travel Baseball Tournaments in Washington.

2023 Travel Baseball Tournaments in Washington is your premier travel baseball resource. We specialize in the best travel baseball tournaments in the USA for 17 to 23 year old players. We have got a great selection of baseball tournaments in Washington state. Kindly visit our website to find out more about these programs and register now!

Call us at+1 (979) 665-2989