By: Frank Carpano
North Kingstown swimmer Elizabeth Beisel has advanced to the semifinals of the World Championships in Rome. The semifinals will take place at noon Eastern time (6pm in Rome). If she advances to the final, that race will run on Saturday at noon our time. Beisel is also scheduled to compete in the 400 IM on Sunday.
NBC 10 will televise the competition Saturday and Sunday.
by: Frank Carpano
The Lincoln Little League team has advanced to the regionals in Bristol, Ct. Lincoln beat Johnston National for the second consecutive night to win the Rhode Island state title. 11-6 was the final score. The title deciding game was quite a display of power. Johnston National’s Gian Martellini hit 3 homeruns in the losing effort. Lincoln’s Jake Petrin and Tyler Duquette hit homeruns for the state champs.
by: Frank Carpano
One of the great things about sports is that it sparks debate. Usually good natured back and forth regarding which team, player or event is the best or worst of all-time.
As a part of WJAR-TV’s 60th anniversary celebration I was asked to produce a list of the top 10 local sports stories of the past 60 years.
I began with a list of about 30 things. Way to many to fit into our “top 10”. So I started to narrow down the list. No easy task.
Now that the final results are in, I felt it necessary to explain myself.
So here are the reasons behind my top 10 (actually 11) local sports stories of the past 60 years.
(in no particular order)
Rocky Marciano: If boxers could declare a “Home field”, then Providence was it for the great Rocky Marciano. Between 1948 and 1952, Rocky fought and won 29 times at Providence’s Rhode Island Auditorium. If it wasn’t already, that helped put Providence on the boxing map.
PC NIT wins: I wasn’t in Rhode Island during this time, but from what I’m told there is nothing to compare to the outpouring of affection when the Providence College Friars won the NIT tournament in 1961. Back then, the NIT was “the” college basketball tournament. When the Friars returned from their championship win in New York City, fans lined route 6 at the Rhode Island-Connecticut border to welcome them home.
33 inning game: the Pawtucket Red Sox and Rochester Red Wings still hold the record for the longest game. This one happened in 1981. I can remember the night it started vividly. I was working the Saturday night before Easter. I kept calling the McCoy Stadium pressbox leading up to our 11pm newscast. The answer was always the same “The game is still going!” After the 11pm show I drove to my parents home in Wilton, Connecticut and never gave the game a second thought until the next morning. It was then that I learned how late it went. Unbelievable!
1983 America’s Cup: For 132 years, the New York Yacht Club hold on the America’s Cup was unmatched. Every 3 years, challengers would line up to get beat by the NYYC’s Defender. But in 1983 that all changed. Australia 2, with its radical keel design beat Dennis Connor and Liberty to wrestle the cup away. The 7th and deciding race aired live on NBC 10. The first time ever a sailing race had aired on live television.
Vinny Paz: During our 60 years there was no more charismatic of controversial athlete than Cranston boxer Vinny Paz. Love him or hate him you had to admire his guts, especially the way he battled back fvrom a broken neck suffered in a car accident to return to the ring. A 5 time world champion, Pa retired with 50 wins.
Mount Saint Charles Hockey: From 1978 until 2003 the Mounties lead by head coach Bill Belisle won the state little league championship every year. 26 straight state hockey titles. And the incredible thing is that they didn’t run away with the title every year. Many years they had to comeback to win,
Cranston Western Little League: In 1996 the Cranston Western Little league team won the United States title in Williamsport, Pa. They weren’t the biggest team in the tournament, to the contrary, they were a small group of boys with big hearts. And their families appeared to have as much fun watching them as the kids did playing the games. Thousand greeted their return at the Cranston Stadium rally. No Rhode Island team has been able to match that accomplishment.
Sara DeCosta: In 1996 Sara DeCosta was a member of the US Women’s hockey team that won the Olympic gold medal at the Winter Games in Nagano, Japan. Sara is the first native Rhode Islander to win an Olympic gold medal. DeCosta went on to win a silver medal 4 years later at the Winter Games in Salt Lake City.
Patriots win the Super Bowl: On February 2002, the Patriots won Super Bowl 36, beating the Rams 20-17 on a last second 48 yard field goal by new Eng;and’s Adam Vintieri. Nuff Said!
CVS Charity Classic: Billy Andrade and Brad Faxon are two local PGA Tour pro’s who take “giving back to the community” very seriously. For 11 years they have teamed with Rhode island corporate giant CVS to produce the CVS Caremark Charity Classic. Each year they bring professional golf’s biggest names to Barrington to play in the Charity classic. The biggest winner? The local charities who have benefitted from over 10 million the event has raised for the non profits.
That’s 10. but I save the best for last. In my mind, the number 1 story of the past 60 years.
2004 Red Sox: In 2004 the Boston Red Sox snapped an 86 year drought and won the World Series. We were in St. Louis when they closed out their series with the Cardinals.
I dare say that nobody will have a problem with this being my Number 1.
Agree, Disagree? Did I leave something out…..email me
Courtesy of Boston Red Sox
RED SOX TO HONOR HALL OF FAMER JIM RICE AND RETIRE HIS NUMBER 14
DURING PRE-GAME CEREMONIES ON TUESDAY, JULY 28
BOSTON, MA— The Boston Red Sox today announced plans to retire Hall of Famer Jim Rice’s uniform number 14 as a tribute to his exceptional career in a Red Sox uniform and in honor of his induction into The National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY. The ceremony will take place prior to the Red Sox-Athletics game at Fenway Park on Tuesday, July 28.
“As a fan of the game and a steward of this great franchise, it is an honor to be a part of the Red Sox during this special moment in the team’s history. On behalf of our partners and the entire organization, we want to congratulate Jim Rice on his upcoming induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame and finally taking his rightful place among the greatest players in the game,” said John Henry, Principal Owner. “The retirement of his number will be a fitting way to honor one of the most dominant hitters to ever wear a Red Sox uniform.”
It will be the seventh number to be retired by the franchise, joining Bobby Doerr (#1), Joe Cronin (#4), Johnny Pesky (#6), Carl Yastrzemski (#8), Ted Williams (#9), and Carlton Fisk (#27). The number of Jackie Robinson (#42) has been retired by all teams in Major League Baseball.
Jim Rice was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York on January 12, 2009, becoming one of 32 Red Sox players to receive the honor. He is the 48th electee to spend his entire career with one team and just the fourth to do so with Boston, joining Bobby Doerr, Ted Williams and Carl Yastrzemski. He will be enshrined in Cooperstown on Sunday, July 26 along with former outfielder Rickey Henderson who spent the 2002 season in a Red Sox uniform.
“It will be a thrill to welcome Jim Rice back to Fenway after his induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. As one of only four Hall of Famers to spend his entire career with this organization, Jim will be joining an elite group of players whose contributions to Red Sox history are etched in the memories of generations of fans,” said Tom Werner, Chairman. “And we are very fortunate that he continues to be a part of Red Sox games by bringing his more than three decades of baseball experience to the NESN broadcasting team.”
Over 16 seasons from 1974-89, Rice batted .298 with 382 home runs and 1,451 RBI in 2,089 games, earning eight All-Star selections along the way. He placed among the top five in American League Most Valuable Player voting six times during his career, more than any other player between 1963 and 2005, and won the award in 1978 when he hit .315 with 213 hits, 46 home runs, 139 RBI, and a .600 slugging percentage. The former Red Sox captain also collected 406 total bases in 1978, still the only A.L. player to reach 400 since Joe DiMaggio in 1937 (418).
“This is a moment of celebration for all of Red Sox Nation – young and old. Our fans have known for a long time that Jim Rice, one of the greatest offensive baseball players in recent history, belongs in the Hall of Fame,” said Larry Lucchino, President and CEO. “We look forward to celebrating his achievement with our fans at Fenway Park, when Jim’s number 14 goes up permanently on the right field façade.”
Rice, who was one of the first inductees into the Red Sox Hall of Fame in 1995, ranks among the club’s all-time leaders in at-bats (3rd), hits (3rd), home runs (3rd), RBI (3rd), games (4th), runs (4th), doubles (6th), triples (6th), slugging percentage (8th) and walks (8th). He has been a member of the organization since he was selected with the 15th overall pick in the first round of the 1971 June draft. In 1974, he won the International League Triple Crown, batting .337 with 25 long balls and 93 RBI for Pawtucket.
Following his playing career, he was a roving minor league hitting instructor for Boston from 1992-94, a major league hitting coach from 1995-2000, and continues to serve the team today as a special assignment instructor, a role he has held since 2001. He also works as an analyst on NESN’s pre and post-game Red Sox coverage.
RED SOX RETIRED NUMBERS
1—Bobby Doerr (formally retired May 21, 1988)
4—Joe Cronin (formally retired May 29, 1984)
6—Johnny Pesky (formally retired September 26, 2008)
8—Carl Yastrzemski (formally retired August 6, 1989)
9—Ted Williams (formally retired May 29, 1984)
14—Jim Rice (to be formally retired July 28, 2009)
27—Carlton Fisk (formally retired September 4, 2000)
42—Jackie Robinson (formally retired by Major League Baseball April 15, 1997)
JIM RICE’S MAJOR LEAGUE CAREER RECORD
YR. CLUB BA G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB TB SO SB
1974 Boston .269 24 67 6 18 2 1 1 13 4 25 12 0
1975 Boston .309 144 564 92 174 29 4 22 102 36 277 122 10
1976 Boston .282 153 581 75 164 25 8 25 85 28 280 123 8
1977 Boston .320 160 644 104 206 29 15 39 114 53 382 120 5
1978 Boston .315 163 677 121 213 25 15 46 139 58 406 126 7
1979 Boston .325 158 619 117 201 39 6 39 130 57 369 97 9
1980 Boston .294 124 504 81 148 22 6 24 86 30 254 87 8
1981 Boston .284 108 451 51 128 18 1 17 62 34 199 76 2
1982 Boston .309 145 573 86 177 24 5 24 97 55 283 98 0
1983 Boston .305 155 626 90 191 34 1 39 126 52 344 102 0
1984 Boston .280 159 657 98 184 25 7 28 122 44 307 102 4
1985 Boston .291 140 546 85 159 20 3 27 103 51 266 75 2
1986 Boston .324 157 618 98 200 39 2 20 110 62 303 78 0
1987 Boston .277 108 404 66 112 14 0 13 62 45 165 77 1
1988 Boston .264 135 485 57 128 18 3 15 72 48 197 89 1
1989 Boston .234 56 209 22 49 10 2 3 28 13 72 39 1
16-Yr. M.L. Totals .298 2089 8225 1249 2452 373 79 382 1451 670 4129 1423 58
Frank Carpano
the Boston Herald is reporting that the Boston Celtics have reached agreement on a 2 year contract with free agent Rahseed Wallace
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
turnto10.com Terms and Conditions | Work With Us
