Archive - Aug 2011 - Sports Article
August 5th
As the associate head coach at Norwalk (Conn.) Community College, Patrick Vigilio enjoyed a front row seat to see Erik Bedard go from an unknown with tried-and-true Canadian roots to a bona fide staff ace.
âErik was a hockey player for the most part. Most kids in Canada are because they donât have high school baseball up there,â recalled Vigilio in a telephone interview Friday. âHe was throwing in the mid 80s when he started out, but through hard work he was able to take his game to the next level, obviously.â
August 4th
LINCOLN --- Itâs been nearly two months since Bruce Foster finished in a tie for second place with his brother, Jeff, at the 2011 Spartan Death Race, a 45-hour ultra-endurance test through a grueling 40-mile course in Pittsfield, Vt., but their accomplishment has still been the talk around Lincoln.
The brothersâ success has also reached a point where workout enthusiasts of all ages, sizes, and abilities have asked them if they could train with them and follow the extra-tough training regimen they used to prepare for and succeed in the Death Race.
August 3rd
CUMBERLAND - It's always the same. For most of his 30-plus years playing softball, nothingâs changed for Kirby Murphy each time he faces an opposing pitcher.
Before he approaches the on-deck circle, he takes three warm-up swings with three different bats. He then walks near the batterâs box with the bat that heâs going to use and swings that three times. He then signals for a time out and takes two more swings inside the batterâs box before heâs ready to go.
August 2nd
CUMBERLAND â After a much-deserved 10-day break from competitive baseball, recent state champion Cumberland American begins its quest for a trip to Williamsport, Pa., for the Little League World Series this weekend. The All-Star squad faces Massachusettsâs titlist Andover National Saturday afternoon at 2 in the opener of the New England Regional Tournament at Breen Field in Bristol, Conn.
August 1st
PAWTUCKET â The topic was Ryan Lavarnway and the most prolific home run hitters to ever to suit up for the Pawtucket Red Sox. After all, when youâve amassed 13 round trippers in 43 games â Lavarnwayâs mashing rate heading into Mondayâs action â you start flashing back to names like Jim Rice, Sam Horn, Phil Plantier and Izzy Alcantara and the baseballs they made vanish.
WEST WARWICK â As Jim Dawber watched a mentally and physically drained Ryan OâDell unleash pitch after pitch, a conclusion to Sundayâs marathon of baseball at McCarthy Stadium unfolded in his mind.
âOh wow,â the Cumberland Post 14 manager thought to himself. âWeâre going to win the championship, and heâs going to win the MVP.ââ
Speaking through visible emotion a short while later, Dawber came to grips with the crushing reality.
âIt didnât play out that way in real life,â he said.
