December 30-31

Friday afternoon: Jenny and Helen were along for the final home game of the calendar year, the Trenton Titans were the opponent. Jamie Burkholder joined us as well, as a Flyers fan (like me) he wanted to see the Titans since they are the Flyers' ECHL affiliate. The Royals' struggles on home ice continued on this night as Trenton jumped out to a 3-0 lead before the game was eleven minutes old. Goals by Ryan Cruthers and Yannick Tifu got the Royals back into the game in the second period, Cruthers' second goal of the night evened it at 3-3 early in the third. Unfortunately the comeback had no payoff as the Titans scored a late power-play goal to win it 4-3, Joe Palmer took the loss in net for the Royals. It was a notable night for Cruthers, his first goal was his 50th as a Royal and his assist on Tifu's score made him the club's all-time assist leader breaking the tie with Graig Mischler he had established on Wednesday. In fifteen home games the boys are just 3-9-3, the overall mark is 12-13-6. The club will play its next three games on the road, the next home date is in January on Friday the 13th. On Saturday the ladies and I had our usual lunch date, in the evening we were in Hershey for the annual New Years Eve game. The Norfolk Admirals were the opponent, the game started at 6:00 (one hour earlier than usual for a Saturday) so everybody had extra time to get to wherever they were going to ring in 2012. For me that would be the comfort of my own home with no fanfare whatsoever. Hershey won the game in OT shootout 4-3, we'll be there again on January 7th when the Adirondack Phantoms visit. Take care, thanks for reading.

December 28-29

The rainy conditions moved out overnight, Wednesday was cold and windy. Jenny and I were on the road north in the afternoon for the Sovereign Center in downtown Reading. The Royals went 2-0 on their most recent road swing, on this night the Elmira Jackals were the opponent. The Royals held two separate one-goal leads but could not hold the advantage as the Jackals won it in OT shootout 4-3. Todd Griffith, Yannick Riendeau and Rob Kweit scored for the Royals, Mark Owuya took the tough-luck loss in net. It was a milestone night for Ryan Cruthers, his assist on Kweit's goal was his 96th as a Royal tying him with Graig Mischler (2003-2005) for the all-time franchise lead in that category. That point was also his 145th overall which makes him the club's all-time leading scorer surpassing the mark established last season by Ben Gordon (currently playing in Dusseldorf, Germany). The Royals had won four straight after ending that nine-game winless streak earlier in the month, they'll look to get back into the win column on Friday at home against Trenton. Saw on the internet where McCaskey defeated York in the championship game of the tournament by the eye-catching score of 104-85. Winning a holiday week tournament means little in the long run, what matters is recording a solid win over a quality opponent. The club's record improves to 5-3 (2-1 in league play), the next game is on January 3rd when we play at Penn Manor. Not much going on Thursday besides lunch with Jenny, in the afternoon some snow flurries were blowing around but it amounted to very little besides making the streets wet. Take care, thanks for reading.

December 26-27

Went to the mall on Monday morning for lunch, with all the post-holiday sales going on the place was a zoo. On Tuesday it was dark and rainy, Jenny and I had lunch at a local sub shop since she was in town on business. In the evening we were at McCaskey for basketball, this was the opening night of our annual holiday tournament. In the opener York beat Franklin Learning Center (from Philadelphia), in the nightcap JPM was victorious over Robeson HS (also from Philly) 71-48. This is the first year Robeson has been in our tournament, we didn't know a lot about their program other than they were 7-0 thus far this year. JPM was down by four at the quarter but rallied to lead by nine at the half. After the break the Red Tornado pulled away and won it easily, Coach Powell played the reserves for most of the last quarter. Everybody played and all scored but one, Devonne Pinkard led with 18 while Brian Newsome had 11 and Luis Fuentes added 10. The win improves the club's mark to 4-3, they will meet York in the tournament championship game on Wednesday. It should be an excellent game but whatever happens will occur in my absence, I'll be at the Sovereign Center as the Royals host the Elmira Jackals. Take care, thanks for reading.

December 23-25

This is a time of year that I freely admit I could easily do without, for the most part I find it horribly depressing. In my younger years I enjoyed the season as much as anyone else. Many years ago something happened to me during the month of December that was as traumatic as anything I've ever experienced, it is something I would never wish on another human being. It was at that point that everything associated with this time of year ceased to be important, I'm not exaggerating when I say that everything changed in a sudden fashion. I honestly wish I could view it the way I once did (and it certainly is not my intention to drag anyone else into the sewer with me) but it just isn't in me anymore. I must acknowledge that it's gotten better over the past several years because of Jenny's presence in my life, the season matters to her so I try for her sake. She and her mother came to our place for the day on Sunday, in the past they've been invited to a relative's house but for some reason that didn't happen this year. The day itself was not a huge deal outside of gift exchanging plus lunch and supper but at least we got to be together, I'd rather be with Jenny than apart from her any day. As the world slowly returns to normal this week will be busy with basketball at JPM on Tuesday, the Royals at home Wednesday and Friday plus a game in Hershey on Saturday. Take care, thanks for reading.

December 21-22

Wednesday evening at the Lancaster Ice Rink for a high school hockey game as Central York met Hempfield. Don Tankesley's son Devyn is a junior at Hempfield, he's one of their top players. This was expected to be a showdown (CY was 7-0-0 coming in while Hempfield was 6-0-1) but the game was never really in doubt as Central York took a quick lead and won going away 7-2. Devyn figured in both goals for Hempfield, scoring one and assisting on the other. I rarely get to see him play since most of the games are on nights I'm busy so one takes advantage of what opportunities there are. On Thursday morning Jenny was in town for an appointment, we met and had lunch at the mall. Later in the afternoon we went over to McCaskey to meet up with the team bus, from there we drove down to Q-ville for the game at Solanco. There are some nights when things happen that are absolutely unexplainable, this was one of them. On this night JPM lost 74-70 to a team that was winless coming in. Take nothing away from Solanco, they played like world champions and earned the victory fair and square. The story of this game was our club's effort which was addressed at length in the locker room after the game. What was said in there will stay in there, let's just say that the mood was not a happy one. The loss drops us to 3-3, right where we were last year at this time (the only difference being that we're 2-1 in the league instead of 3-0). It started to rain during the game, when we came out of the building it was coming hard. I took Jenny home (she only lives two miles from the school) then headed back to the city to call it a night. The boys are back in action on Tuesday the 27th in our annual holiday week tournament. Take care, thanks for reading.

December 18-20

Not much going on Sunday outside of pro football on TV. On Monday morning Jenny had an appointment in Willow Street, her niece took her there and I brought her home for a lunch date at the pizza parlor. On Tuesday it was chilly and rainy, in the evening we were at JPM as the Red Tornado hosted Elizabethtown in a divisional crossover. This was an ugly down-and-dirty type of game, at one point a shoving match broke out which was quickly diffused by the officials and the coaching staffs. It was not an artistic success by any means but a win is a win as JPM took it 72-62. Luis Fuentes was high scorer with 16, Aaron Swinton and Brian Newsome had 11 apiece and Calvert Gantz had 10. With the victory the club moves above .500 overall at 3-2, 2-0 in league play. The boys play again on Thursday as we travel down a familiar road to a familiar town, the game is at Solanco High School in Quarryville. After that the team will host the annual holiday tournament on the 27th and 28th with divisional play set to begin on January 3rd. Take care, thanks for reading.

December 17

In Quarryville with Jenny on Saturday morning, after lunch we came back to the city. The Pennsylvania Class AA championship football game was played on this day, for the second time in three years the Lancaster Catholic Crusaders earned gold with a 17-7 victory. The game was televised, we saw the end of it once we were back in town. This championship win for LCHS caps a 16-0 season, over the past three seasons the club's record is an incredible 42-2. The program will face new challenges in 2012 as it moves up to Class AAA in terms of enrollment and into Section One of the LL League. The competition will be exponentially tougher as a result but the Crusader program is very strong, there's no reason to think they won't be able to hold their own. Later in the afternoon we were on the road to Reading as the Royals finished their four-game miniseries with the Wheeling Nailers. After a 6-3 road win on Friday the Royals finally broke through at home by an identical count of 6-3. It was Teddy Bear Toss night for the benefit of Toys For Tots, the United States Marine Corps ROTC helped to collect the donations when the first goal was scored. Dale Mitchell scored the "teddy bear" goal in the fourth minute of play so we got it out of the way quickly, it was the first of his two scores in the game. Yannick Tifu also hit the net twice, newcomers Todd Griffith and Andrew Favot added single tallies in support of winning goaltender Mark Owuya. The win ends a six-game winless streak at home as the overall record improves to 10-12-5, the next home game is on Wednesday the 28th. As we were downtown at the Sovereign Center the McCaskey boys were at Reading High for the first of four games I will miss this season. Later in the evening I saw on the internet where JPM lost 77-76. That drops the club's mark to 2-2, the boys play at home on Tuesday against Elizabethtown. Take care, thanks for reading.

December 15-16

It was rainy and chilly on Thursday morning, I had a 10:00 appointment at the auto service center.. From there it was down to Q-ville for a visit and lunch with Jenny, on the way home the rain started to come harder so it was a good day to stay in and dry. On Friday afternoon I was at JPM as we boarded the bus for the first road game of the season. The Red Tornado opened league play with a decisive victory over Ephrata, the boys literally doubled up the opposition by a final of 94-47. We were up by seventeen after the first quarter and were never seriously threatened. Eleven was the lucky number on this night, we had that many players in uniform and they all scored. Five of the guys hit double figures as Aaron Swinton, Diante Cherry, Calvert Gantz, Devonne Pinkard and Deron Johnson all scored exactly eleven points. In a game like this the reserves get almost as much playing time as the regulars, Derrick Dixon (who scored 20 points in the junior varsity game) made his first varsity appearance of the season and scored eight points. The JV game was one-sided as well, JPM won 75-47 to stay unbeaten at 3-0. The boys won't have a lot of time to savor the victory, they are back on the bus on Saturday for another non-league game at Reading High. I will be in Reading on Saturday as well but in a different building, the Royals are at home against Wheeling. Take care, thanks for reading.

December 13-14

Tuesday evening hoops at JPM as the Red Tornado hosted Chester. Steve Powell is a Chester alum from the class of '68, we've been playing them every year since he's been head coach at McCaskey. They are perennially one of the top programs in the state, all they did last year was win the state championship. On this night the JV game started twenty minutes late because Chester was late arriving and of course it went into overtime before McCaskey won it 53-51. That game by itself was worth the price of admission, I've always felt that a good JV game stokes the crowd for the varsity game to follow. In the main event of the evening Chester showed why they're the state champs as they downed McCaskey 71-61 in a game that was closer than the score would indicate. Eight players got in for JPM and seven of them scored, Diante Cherry had 18 and Calvert Gantz had 15. The game didn't start until 8:40 because of the JV OT, it wound down at 10:10. The loss drops the Red Tornado to 1-1 on the young season, league play begins on Friday with a divisional crossover game in Ephrata. On Wednesday night the McCaskey girls played their first home game as Reading High came to visit. I don't get to see the girls play often since most of their games coincide with when the boys play. Not a good night for JPM, the junior varsity lost by seven and the varsity game was uncompetitive from the word Go as RHS won by thirty. The girls begin their league slate on Friday as well with a home game against Ephrata. Take care, thanks for reading.

December 11-12

Jenny and Helen were along on Sunday afternoon as we headed to the Sovereign Center for the Royals game with Wheeling. The club's winless streak ended with a victory in Wheeling on Friday but the Royals could not sustain the momentum as the Nailers won on this day by an identical 4-2 score. Dennis McCauley and Dale Mitchell scored for the Royals, Mark Owuya was the goaltender of record. The loss extends the Royals' winless streak at home to six games (0-4-2), in twelve games at the SC the club is just 2-8-2. The boys next play on Friday as this four-game miniseries with the Nailers continues on the road, they will meet yet again in Reading on Saturday the 17th. On Monday morning I was at the health campus to have some blood work done, it was something the doctor suggested when I got my flu shot in November. The rest of the day was spent in the warmth and quiet of home but the next two nights will anything but with basketball at JPM. The boys host Chester on Tuesday, on Wednesday the girls' team will play its first home game as they host Reading High. Take care, thanks for reading.

December 10

Saturday morning: saw on the internet where the Royals' unsightly winless streak ended on Friday night as they won in Wheeling 4-2. The rematch is on Sunday at the Sovereign Center, after that the teams meet for another home-and-home set next weekend (nothing like four straight games against the same opponent). In the afternoon we were at JPM as the Red Tornado opened basketball season on the good side with a 64-55 win over Harrisburg. Everybody remembers the game in Harrisburg last year when a 70-70 tie somehow became a loss for JPM, on this day in Lancaster such hi-jinks were nowhere to be seen. Four players hit double figures for McCaskey as Diante Cherry had 10, Blaise Glover scored 11, Calvert Gantz contributed 16 and Devonne Pinkard had a game-high 19. Devonne is a junior transfer from Lancaster Catholic, he was one of their top players last season. He's one of two newcomers on the varsity roster, the other is senior Deron Johnson. Deron is an interesting story-he played JV two years ago, sat out last year and earned a roster spot this season. It's good to see the club win its opener against a quality opponent, on Tuesday they will host Chester in another tough non-league matchup. Got word later in the afternoon that LCHS won its state semifinal playoff game, they will play for the state championship on the 17th. Take care, thanks for reading.

December 8-9

The rain cleared out overnight, Thursday morning was sunny but cold and windy. Stopped by the athletic office at McCaskey to get a copy of the basketball rosters now that they are official. The season-opening varsity roster features twelve players (five seniors and seven juniors), ten of them played at the varsity level for JPM last year. The junior varsity squad has eleven players including three returnees from last season. Had lunch with Jenny in Quarryville, in the evening we were at the Sovereign Center as the Trenton Titans made their first regular-season appearance in Reading since 2007. The Trenton franchise began as the Titans in 1999, over the past few years the team had a different nickname which was largely unpopular with the fanbase (the original nickname was restored during the off-season). On this night at the SC the Royals' winless skein reached nine games as Trenton won in overtime 3-2. Dale Mitchell gave the club an early 1-0 lead but the Titans led 2-1 in the third period before Dennis McCauley scored the tying goal. In overtime the Royals killed a Trenton power play opportunity before the Titans netted the game-winner in the final seconds. Mark Owuya returned to the lineup after a six-week stint in the AHL and took the tough-luck loss in goal. The Royals are now 0-5-4 in their last nine, the saving grace is that you earn a standings point for losing in OT or a shootout (0-5-4 is better than 0-9-0) but in the record it's still a loss. The boys play Wheeling in a home-and-home set this weekend, the game in Reading is on Sunday afternoon. Not much going on Friday, stopped in at practice at McCaskey in the afternoon as JPM gets ready for the Saturday afternoon home opener against Harrisburg. Take care, thanks for reading.

December 4-7

Not much going on Sunday, with rare exception Sundays tend to be rather slow this time of year. On Monday I was with Jenny for lunch in the morning, later in the day I was over at McCaskey. The boys were traveling to Wilson High School for a scrimmage, I went along for the ride. WHS is in West Lawn (just outside Reading), it felt strange riding north on 222 in a vehicle I wasn't driving. At a scrimmage there are no stats kept so I was not there in any official capacity, it was just an excuse to get out of the house and see the guys play one more time before the season starts. We got underway at 6:00 and played eight ten-minute running-time periods, the clock only stopped for foul shots and time outs. With it all we were done at 8:00 so the teams got their money's worth. Tuesday and Wednesday were uneventful which was just as well, both days were largely rainy and miserable. The Royals are at home on Thursday and Sunday, the first official game for JPM is on Saturday at home. Take care, thanks for reading.

December 2-3

Friday afternoon: on the road north with Jenny and her mother as the Wheeling Nailers made their first appearance of the season at the Sovereign Center. The Royals' winless streak continued on this night as the Nailers won it 5-1. Dale Mitchell scored the lone goal for the Royals in the third period but that was long after the issue was decided. Joe Palmer started in net and surrendered three goals in twenty-one minutes of play, Karel St. Laurent finished it in relief. After ten games the club's record on home ice is 2-7-1, not good no matter how you look at it. On Saturday we did our usual lunch at the shopping plaza in Q-ville, in the evening we were in Hershey for the third consecutive week. The Portland Pirates were the opponent, they are the AHL affiliate of the Phoenix Coyotes. From 1977 to 1983 the Flyers had their AHL club in Portland, at that time the franchise was known as the Maine Mariners. This night in Hershey was the annual Teddy Bear Toss night, we'll have ours in Reading on the 17th. The Pirates scored the first goal but it was the only one they got as Hershey won 7-1, our next game there is on the 31st against Norfolk. The Royals played on Saturday night in Elmira and lost 3-1, the winless streak now stands at eight (0-5-3) as the overall record drops to 7-11-4. The boys will have a chance to get some quality practice time, the next game is at home on the 8th against Trenton. The LCHS Crusaders won their state playoff game on Saturday afternoon, if they win their semifinal matchup on the 10th they'll have the opportunity to play for the state championship on the 17th. Take care, thanks for reading.

December 1

The first day of the last month of 2011. With Jenny in Q-ville in the morning, we had our usual Thursday lunch date at the downtown pizza parlor. In the evening I was over at McCaskey for the first scrimmage of basketball season, the boys hosted Susquehanna Township (from suburban Harrisburg). Nine returnees played for JPM including Brian Newsome, Calvert Gantz, Jalen Washington, Shaki Staten, Christian Davidson, Blaise Glover, Luis Fuentes, Diante Cherry and Aaron Swinton. It was particularly encouraging to see Aaron playing, the last time we saw him was in September when he injured his knee playing football. That was eleven weeks ago but on this night he was moving well and showing no ill effects whatsoever. The club will have one more scrimmage before starting the season on December 10. The regular season schedule is twenty-two games as usual, as it stands right now I'll be absent from four because of the Royals (in other years it's been five or six so this season we got lucky). The non-league portion of the schedule features the yearly gauntlet of Harrisburg, Chester and Reading High, the annual holiday tournament plus a game against Cedar Cliff (another Harrisburg-area school) in January. It's a tough road but the only way to find out about yourself is to play against stiff competition. Take care, thanks for reading.

November 27-30

At this time of year the end of street hockey season always signals a bit of a slowdown, not being at the rink four nights a week makes a difference. Had there been games on Monday we would have been OK but Tuesday was rainy from morning into the early evening. Stopped at the hospital in the morning, a young man who plays in the league was recently admitted. His name is Austin, he's seventeen years old and he was involved in an automobile accident as a passenger. His father Don was there, he played in the league years ago so we've all known each other for a long time. Austin's injuries were extensive and it will be awhile before he goes home but he was in good spirits and by all accounts the recovery is going well. On Wednesday Jenny and I headed north to Reading as the Royals hosted Elmira. Earlier in the week the club acquired the services of forward Yannick Tifu, he made his Royals debut on this night. Tifu has played against the Royals many times and been roundly disliked as an opponent, he's the "in-your-face pain-in-the-ass" type of player every successful team needs. He didn't figure in the scoring in this game but his presence was noticeable. So far this season the Royals have had trouble holding leads, that was the case on this night as well. The club took an early 2-0 lead on goals from Louis Liotti and Dennis McCauley only to fall in shootout fashion 3-2. Joe Palmer took the loss in net as the club's winless streak reaches six games (0-3-3). The boys are just 2-6-1 on home ice, they'll look to get things turned around on Friday when the Wheeling Nailers come to town. Take care, thanks for reading.

November 25-26

Jenny and I had a rare Friday lunch together in Quarryville, she's usually in town on Fridays on business but not on this day because of the holiday. She and Helen were with me in the evening for the Royals' rematch with Chicago. A longtime Royals fan passed away unexpectedly on Thursday, her name was Marilouise Vicari. She was at the game on Wednesday night, she was 57 years old. On this night her friends turned her seat in the arena into a memorial, cards and flowers were placed there in her memory. Jenny took the news hard when I told her on Thursday night, she knew Marilouise and often talked of what a nice person she was. We had a moment of silence before the game in her honor, her daughter Sarah dropped the ceremonial first puck. In the game itself the Royals lost 4-2, Denny Urban and Ryan Cruthers were the goal scorers. Karel St. Laurent played the first two periods in goal and took the loss, Joe Palmer worked a scoreless third period in relief. Saw on the internet where the LCHS Crusaders won the district title on Friday evening, they defeated the team that had eliminated them in '10 (many would say that is the sweetest kind of victory). They will play a state quarterfinal game on December 2nd. On Saturday the ladies and I were in Hershey for AHL hockey, the Lake Erie Monsters (from Cleveland, Ohio) were the opponent. Cleveland has a long history in hockey, from 1936 to 1973 the Cleveland Barons were one of the AHL's hallmark franchises. The Monsters won the game 5-4, they rallied from a two-goal deficit to score the winner in the closing seconds of regulation. The Royals played in Elmira on Saturday night and lost in overtime, they are 0-3-2 in their last five games. The Jackals visit Reading on Wednesday the 30th. Take care, thanks for reading.

November 21-24

It rained overnight into Monday morning, I was in Quarryville for lunch at the pizza parlor since we won't be there on Thursday. It rained again lightly during the afternoon, according to the radar and forecast we had a window of opportunity in the evening for street hockey. This night featured the second game of each division's finals, we got started at 6:30 and managed to get both games played in spite of slick rink conditions and some spotty mist. The rain returned in earnest later in the evening and continued all day Tuesday, all controversy was removed as the scheduled games were postponed. On Wednesday Jenny was in town on business, she and I were joined by Jamie Burkholder for the Royals game at the Sovereign Center. The Chicago Express made its first-ever appearance in Reading, they are a first-year franchise based in suburban Hoffman Estates, Illinois. The Express' head coach and several of the players are former Elmira Jackals, this game had the feel of that rivalry all over it. After going 0-1-1 on the road over the weekend the Royals' home record dropped to 2-5-0 with a tough 3-2 loss. Matt Schepke and Marvin Degon scored for the Royals but it wasn't enough to save Joe Palmer from the loss. The teams will meet again on Friday at the SC, the Royals will play two games in Chicago in January. When I got home there was a phone message from Ron, the street hockey playoffs ended on Wednesday evening. I went to the rink on Thursday morning to secure everything for the offseason, we won't be there again until April. The rest of the day was slow and quiet at home with pro and college football games on TV. Take care, thanks for reading.

November 19-20

Saturday morning in Q-ville with Jenny for lunch, in the evening we headed west on route 283 for our first AHL game of the season in Hershey. We were supposed to be there on October 30 when they hosted Binghamton but the snow and rescheduling of the Royals game that weekend changed those plans. When we arrived I went to the box office to exchange the unused tickets from the 30th for another game, I've done it before under similar circumstances. On this occasion  it was a combination of rocket science and brain surgery to get it done, I must have stood at that window for close to ten minutes. The substitute game is also against Binghamton, that will be near the end of the season. On this night the Albany Devils were the opponent, the game went through overtime and a shootout before the Devils prevailed 6-5. Albany has been in the AHL since 1993 but Hershey is by far the league's most tenured franchise, they've been around since 1938. When they started they played at the Hershey Arena (lovingly known as "the old barn"), I saw my first game there in 1968. The current building opened in 2002, like most newer buildings it has that corporate feel to it that a lot of older fans don't like because the intimacy of the Old Barn just isn't there anymore. Everyone talks about progress but it's not always for the good. Sunday was a quiet, uneventful day at home, for the first time in two months there was no street hockey, Royals game or anything else going on. Sometimes it's good to take a day to relax, with street hockey playoffs continuing and the Royals at home as well this week will be busy. Take care, thanks for reading.

November 17-18

The rain was gone by daybreak on Thursday, it turned chilly and windy in the morning. Had my usual Thursday lunch with Jenny at the pizza parlor, in the evening we were at the rink for the start of each division's Finals. The East game got the night started at 6:30, it took an hour and ten minutes to play it (thirty minutes of actual play and forty minutes of whining about every call). The West game was much more sensible, no less intense but with a different mindset. As a rule the teams in that division come to play the game, some of the East boys are just there to bitch about every little thing. With it all we were done by 8:45 or so, with a sharp wind and temperatures in the low 40s it was a good time to call it a night. On Friday it was another football night at Rossmere as the Crusaders of Lancaster Catholic hosted Trinity (from suburban Harrisburg) in a district semifinal. The teams met back on September 2, on that night LCHS prevailed in overtime. Many were predicting a similar contest this time around but it was not to be as the Crusaders took control early and won in resounding fashion 60-7. It was 39-7 at the half, the mercy rule was invoked midway through the third quarter. LCHS scored seven rushing touchdowns, three by Roman Clay and two each by Brandon Hollister and Carmelo Cruz. Andrew Dzurik passed for two touchdowns, one to Cruz and the other to Charles Sweigart. Amid predictions of a tight game (and perhaps an LCHS loss) nobody could have expected it to be so utterly one-sided especially when Trinity was the defending district champion. For the Crusaders the victory means a trip to Hershey on the 25th for the district championship game and a shot at a berth in the state playoffs. Take care, thanks for reading.

November 14-16

Monday morning at the mall for lunch and a visit to the auto service center. One of my tires looked slightly under-inflated, I had them all checked just to be on the safe side. In the evening we were at the rink for one street hockey playoff game. The East Semifinals started on the 7th and continued on the 9th, one series required a deciding game on this night. The game went into double overtime but it was ended in the first minute of the second OT period. On Tuesday morning Jenny was in town on business, we had lunch and ran an errand during her break time. In the afternoon there was rain to the north and west of the county but we were not touched at all, at 5:00 we headed to Reservoir Park for West Semifinals. This was game #2 of each series, the games had been rained out on the previous Thursday. We had some light rain during the evening but nothing too severe, just enough to be a nuisance. Both of the game #1 winners prevailed on this night as well, the West Finals begin on Thursday the 17th. The rain came harder overnight and continued all day Wednesday, the entire day was a washout. The East Finals had been scheduled to start on this night but the rain put the whammy on that, the game was reset for Thursday so both Finals will start on the same day. The rain is supposed to be gone by the afternoon on Thursday with cooler temperatures to follow. Take care, thanks for reading.

November 12-13

Saturday morning as usual in Quarryville with Jenny, she and Helen were with me in the afternoon as we headed north on 222 for the first time in the month of November. The Royals hosted Elmira in the second game of the weekend miniseries, the momentum from the Friday win did not carry over as the Jackals won 4-2. Seasons change and players come and go but these two teams have a history, the early part of the game was very testy but things eventually settled down as the teams concentrated on playing hockey. Olivier Labelle and Matt Schepke scored for the Royals, Karel St. Laurent was the goalie of record. On Sunday afternoon we were back at the Sovereign Center for the weekend's rubber match, the Royals atoned for the disappointing Saturday result with a 6-2 win. Yannick Riendeau scored two goals, Dennis McCauley, Ryan Cruthers, Rob Shearer and Olivier Labelle also lit the lamp. Olivier's score was a milestone, it was his 54th as a Royal establishing a new franchise record. The old mark of 53 was set by original Royal Brad Rooney in '03 and tied by Dany Roussin in '08 and Ben Gordon and Andrew Sarauer in 2011. Joe Palmer won his second game in the series, he played the Friday game in Elmira as well. The boys play two games on the road this week, the next home game is on Wednesday the 23rd when the Chicago Express makes its first appearance ever in Reading. Take care, thanks for reading.

November 7-11

Street hockey playoffs for the East Division started Monday and continued Wednesday, the West got started on Tuesday. On Thursday it was raining in the morning, I went south to Quarryville to visit Jenny and have lunch. The forecast called for the rain to continue into the evening and that is exactly what happened, the West playoff games were postponed and moved to Tuesday the 15th. On Friday it was football night at Rossmere Stadium, district playoff action as the LCHS Crusaders hosted Boiling Springs (from the Carlisle area, about fifty miles west-northwest of Lancaster). The Crusaders kept their unbeaten season alive with a 61-7 rout, it was 55-0 at halftime with the mercy rule in effect at that point. Sean Titus scored four touchdowns for LCHS, three on pass receptions from Andrew Dzurik and another on an interception return. Roman Clay had two rushing TDs while Brandon Hollister, Carmelo Cruz and Marc Royer scored one each. It was a milestone victory for Crusader head coach Bruce Harbach as he recorded his 100th win, in ten seasons at LCHS his mark is 100-24 (an .806 winning percentage, not too shabby). With the win the club advances to the second round and another home game on the 18th which I'll be available for since there is no hockey in Reading that night.. The Royals won on Friday in Elmira to complete a 3-2 road trip, they will host the Jackals on Saturday and Sunday (nothing like three games in three days against the same opponent). Take care, thanks for reading.

November 5-6

Not much going on Saturday, a visit and lunch with Jenny was about it for the day. This was the weekend for changing the clocks, it always takes me about a week to get used to the hour difference. On Sunday I was at the rink at 2:30, we played the final regular season games for the East Division. The day turned out to be shorter than planned, the first game at 4:00 was the only one played. The second and third games were forfeited, one team only had three guys show up and another called ahead to tell us they wouldn't be coming. With it all we were done and home by 5:30, I figured we'd be there until 7:00 at least. Playoffs for the East begin on Monday night, the West will get started on Tuesday. Take care, thanks for reading.

November 4

Friday night at Rossmere Stadium for the first time in four weeks, the Lancaster Catholic Crusaders finished a 10-0 regular season with a 51-7 win over Elco (from Myerstown in Eastern Lebanon County). Before the game we did the usual Senior Night activities not unlike the previous week at McCaskey. The game itself was one of the more competitive the Crusaders have had this season, at halftime it was (only) 21-0 and the mercy rule was not invoked until the final two minutes of the third quarter. LCHS scored six rushing touchdowns: Roman Clay had four, Brandon Hollister and reserve quarterback Mac McCafferty had one each. Sean Titus caught a scoring pass from starting QB Andrew Dzurik and placekicker Satchel Ziffer added a field goal to round out the scoring. This marks the second consecutive unbeaten regular season for LCHS, in 2010 the season ended with a loss in the district semifinals. In '09 the club lost in the third week of the season but never tasted defeat again en route to a state championship. District playoffs start on the 11th, the Crusaders will again be a top seed so we'll see what happens this year. Saw on the internet where JPM finished its season with a win in Ephrata, after starting 0-6 they recovered to win three of their last four. It means little in the short term but it's something to build on for 2012. Take care, thanks for reading.

October 31-November 3

Stopped by the rink on Monday morning, it was still about 70% snow-covered from the weekend. We had no games scheduled for the evening because of Halloween, history has shown us that it's better to stay home on that night and let the troublemakers pick another target. After supper I was there for about an hour to do some shoveling around the perimeter. Jenny was in town on Tuesday on business, after we had lunch together I went back to the rink and finished the job. With temperatures in the low 50s and sunshine there had been a lot of melting, it took about ninety minutes or so to clear what was left. The games on Tuesday and Wednesday night went off as scheduled although the surface was slippery from the moisture on the under-surface. Jenny was in Willow Street on Thursday for an appointment, we did lunch at the pizza shop in Q-ville. In the evening we finished the week at the rink as the West Division completed its regular season, they start their playoffs on Tuesday the 8th. The East teams finish their schedule with make-up games on the 6th, their playoffs will get underway the next night. The weather forecast for the next several days is good, after the weekend we just had we can use it. Take care, thanks for reading.

October 30

The storm system cleared out overnight, the day started clear and sunny with temperatures right around the 40-degree mark. Went to Q-ville for Jenny and Helen, the roads were fine for the most part so there were no travel issues at all. We arrived at the Sovereign Center in good order for the 3:05 faceoff as the Gwinnett Gladiators visited from Duluth, Georgia for the only time this season. Before the game the Royals organization retired the first sweater number in club history as #22 was raised to the rafters in honor of Larry Courville. Larry broke into pro hockey in 1995, he played parts of three seasons in the NHL with the Vancouver Canucks. He came to Reading in 2002, retired from playing in 2008 and became the Royals' head coach the following season. In his playing days Larry was the guy that you loved as a teammate but hated as an opponent, the kind of player every good team must have. On this day he was looking for his 100th win as Royals head coach but it was not to be as Gwinnett won the game 2-0, Joe Palmer took the tough-luck loss in goal. The club's record stands at 3-3-1 (a Friday night win in Trenton included), they now head to the road for five games before returning home on November 12. Take care, thanks for reading.

October 29

I think it's safe to assume that for years to come the date 10-29-11 will not be fondly remembered. It began to rain at some point overnight, by morning sleet and snow were mixed in. Every forecast I could find on the internet and on television said that the snow was to become heavier and continue for most of the day. I called Jenny and told her I wouldn't be down for Saturday lunch as usual, with the roads south of the city in bad shape there was no point in taking any chances. Of course this also meant she and Helen would miss the game in Reading as well, none of us were particularly happy about that but it's just not worth the risk. It's one thing for me because I'm working (I am expected to be there) but for the ladies there's no reason to chance accident or injury over a hockey game. In the afternoon word came down that the game was still on, at 3:30 (one half-hour earlier than usual) I left for the drive north. 222 was one lane just about all the way to Berks County, it took the better part of an hour to get to Reading. When I got to the parking garage the attendant told me the game had been postponed, since I was already there I went into the building to get the official word. Apparently there were power outages in the immediate area including the Sovereign Center itself, the game was called for that reason. It was rescheduled for Sunday afternoon at 3:05, by then the weather is supposed to be much better so Jenny and Helen will be able to come after all. The drive home was much easier, the snowplows were out so 222 coming south was clear. With it all I was home by 5:45 and more than willing to call it a night. On the TV news they were saying this was the snowiest October day for this area in history and the first time we had snow this early in the season since 1972. I am more than willing to wait until 2050 for it to happen again. Take care, thanks for reading.

October 28

Friday evening at McCaskey for the final home football game of the season. After a 7-4 record and a postseason berth in 2010 it's safe to say that 2011 has been a huge disappointment, the club's record fell to 2-7 with a 35-14 loss to Manheim Township. Before the game we honored the twenty-five (that's 25) seniors on the squad and the senior cheerleaders as well, at halftime the senior members of the band and color guard received their kudos. The game itself was never really in doubt, Township scored early and often to take a 35-0 lead at the half. The entire second half was played under the mercy rule, MT never scored again but they didn't have to. The only points for JPM came in the final quarter, Jonathan Hulyo connected with Diante Cherry for a pair of TD receptions. The team will finish its season in Ephrata on November 4, then in early December we'll see some of the guys in the gym when basketball gets underway. It's the last weekend in October and believe it or not SNOW is in the forecast, they are saying that Saturday could be very messy. It is way too early in the season for that stuff (of course for me anytime is too early, I hate snow) but maybe we'll get lucky. I guess we'll know soon enough. Take care, thanks for reading.

October 24-27

Another usual week thus far with street hockey on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings. Rain moved in during the early morning on Thursday, Jenny and I had lunch at the pizza parlor in Quarryville. In the afternoon the rain was coming hard as I headed north to the Sovereign Center, the Royals hosted the South Carolina Stingrays. Not a good night for the home boys as the Royals lost 4-1. Casey Haines scored the lone goal, Karel St. Laurent (just back from Providence) got the start in net and took the loss. After a 2-0-1 start the boys have lost two straight in regulation, they will look to right the ship on Friday in Trenton before returning home for a Saturday date with the Gwinnett Gladiators. On the drive home the rain was gone but it was markedly colder, temperatures only in the low 40s. Take care, thanks for reading.

October 23

North to Reading on Sunday afternoon for the second game of Opening Weekend, the Florida Everblades were in town. The Royals' momentum from the Saturday win died quickly on this day as the 'Blades won easily 7-2. Matt Caruana and Ryan Cruthers scored for the Royals, Joe Palmer took the loss in goal. Palmer is with the club on an ECHL contract, he was in the league last season with Toledo. The season is only four games old but the roster movements are already in full swing, we currently have eighteen players active and six players absent. Goaltender Karel St. Laurent (Providence), forward Kyle Neuber (Toronto) and defensemen Derrick Lapoint and Ray Macias (Springfield) are in the AHL, forward Richard Purslow and defenseman David Strathman are on the injured list. The boys are off until Thursday the 27th when they host South Carolina, the Gwinnett Gladiators come to town on the 29th. In Lancaster we had a full day of street hockey makeup games going in my absence, when I got back to town I went there for the duration. The first game started at 4:00 (right around the time we got started at the SC), the last game ended before 9:00. The East teams have four games left, the West have three games to play. Take care, thanks for reading.

October 22

Lunch in Quarryville with Jenny in the morning, in the afternoon she and her mother were with me as we headed north on 222 to the Sovereign Center. It's hard to believe this is the Royals' eleventh year in the ECHL already, I can remember when the club started like it was yesterday. The Cincinnati Cyclones were the opening-night opponent, they were making their one and only appearance in Reading this season (unless we happen to see them come playoff time in April, we all know the postseason history these two clubs have). On this night in Reading (and for just the fourth time in franchise history) the Royals were victorious in the home opener as they defeated the Cyclones 3-2 in regulation time. Matt Caruana scored the game-winning goal, Casey Haines and newcomer Rob Shearer also lit the lamp. Shearer has played in Europe for several years, before that he played five seasons in the AHL with Hershey. Rookie goaltender Mark Owuya picked up the win, he's a native of Sweden on assignment from the Toronto Maple Leafs. The club's record stands at 2-0-1 in the early going, the boys are at home on Sunday afternoon against the Florida Everblades. The 'Blades played in Trenton on Saturday night and the 'Clones are playing there on Sunday, their team buses will probably pass each other on the Pennsylvania Turnpike sometime overnight. Take care, thanks for reading.

October 17-21

Typical week for the most part so far: on Monday morning Jenny was in Willow Street for a foot doctor appointment, we had lunch together afterward. On Thursday we did our usual at the pizza parlor in Quarryville. On Thursday night we finished the fifth week of street hockey at the rink, for the second consecutive week the East division was rained out on Wednesday. Every team in that division has played ten games, they have makeups on October 23 and November 6. The West teams have eleven games in the books with makeups on the 23rd only. On Friday evening it was football night at McCaskey, Cedar Crest was the opponent for the annual Homecoming activities. After a win the previous week on the road the Red Tornado make it two straight with a 35-20 decision over CC. Diante Cherry, Josh Ransing and Jonathan Hulyo scored rushing touchdowns for JPM, Hulyo also threw two TD passes (one each to Quashaun Davis and Christian Davidson). After six weeks of porous defensive efforts that unit is coming together, the team won't be in the postseason this year but it's something to build on for the future. The boys are at home again on the 28th against  Manheim Township, that is the final home game of the season. Take care, thanks for reading.

October 13-16

The rain was still around on Thursday as I went to Q-ville for lunch with Jenny. In the afternoon it rained again, with more in the forecast we decided to postpone the evening's street hockey games. On Friday it was still damp and rainy, with both JPM and LCHS playing on the road I decided to stay in and stay healthy. Saw online later in the evening that both teams won, the victory for McCaskey (28-18 over Warwick) was their first of the season. In a way I'm sorry I missed it but the weather forecast was the main consideration. JPM is at home each of the next two weeks, I'll be back with Lancaster Catholic on November 4. Saturday the 15th was another slow day save for lunch with Jenny. The Royals started their regular season on the weekend, they picked up three points on the strength of a win and an OT loss. The home opener is on the 22nd against Cincinnati. On the 16th we played our final regularly-scheduled Sunday of street hockey, all twelve teams were in action. We got started at 4:00 and finished around 9:15, Don worked the first three with Derek and the last three with Ron. Every team in the league has now played nine games with six remaining. The games postponed on the 12th and 13th will be made up as a full day of makeups on Sunday the 23rd. Take care, thanks for reading.

October 10-12

Jenny and Helen were with me on Monday afternoon as we headed back north to the Sovereign Center. This was the Royals' annual meet and greet night, an opportunity for the fans to meet the players and get autographs and photos. The players sat in groups of three or four at tables spaced out along the concourse, the ladies made their way through the line while I walked along the periphery (since I'm a game-staff member I thought walking through the line would look flimsy). I was pleasantly surprised by a few fans who actually approached me for my autograph, I guess that shows they appreciate what I try to do. I always sign on those rare occasions when I'm asked, it doesn't happen a lot but I never blow anyone off because my ego doesn't work that way. Jenny got all the players' autographs plus head coach Larry Courville, assistant coach Tim Branham and mascot Slapshot as well. By 9:00 I was back in Lancaster, I stopped by the rink to see how the night went in my absence. Ron and Wally were getting things wrapped up, they said it was a typical East Division night: a lot of penalties and a lot of whining. On Tuesday night I was there for the West games, Don and Derek refereed with Wally running the clock. On Wednesday morning rain moved into the area, the evening's games were postponed. The rain is supposed to hang around over the next few days, we'll see what happens. Take care, thanks for reading.

October 9

Sunday afternoon on the road north to Reading for the first time in a month, hard to believe hockey season is here already. After an overtime win in Elmira on Saturday the Royals played their lone home exhibition game against the Trenton Titans. When the Trenton franchise started back in 1999 the club was known as the Titans, the New Jersey Devils became the NHL partner in '07 and the team nickname changed accordingly. When that association ended over the summer the first thing the new management did was restore the original name. The Royals have several players on the roster who played in Reading in '10-11 including defensemen Louis Liotti, Rob Kwiet and Denny Urban plus forwards Casey Haines, Matt Caruana, Olivier Labelle, Ryan Cruthers and John Scrymgeour. Most of the veterans sat out on this day as players on the bubble got a chance to play in an effort to make the club. The Royals made it two for two on the weekend as they won the game via overtime shootout 2-1. The lone goal in regulation was scored by newcomer Matt Schepke, rookie goaltender Karel St. Laurent picked up the win. St. Laurent is on assignment from Providence of the AHL, he played junior hockey in Canada last season. The ECHL season begins for the Royals on Friday the 14th on the road, the home opener is on Saturday the 22nd. Take care, thanks for reading.

October 7-8

Friday evening: at Rossmere Stadium for the first time in three weeks as the LCHS Crusaders hosted Pequea Valley. PV is a small, rural school district in the eastern end of the county, their football program started in 1998. At that time they had no on-campus playing facility, they played their home games at Rossmere. Since I was with LCHS at that time I also worked Pequea games when I was available, that association ended amicably in 2003 when their own stadium opened (I always said I was just keeping the seat warm until they got their own place). On this night in Lancaster it was all Crusaders from the word Go as LCHS won 56-14. It was 49-0 at the half, the entire second half was played under the mercy rule. Six of the Crusader TDs were scored on the ground thanks to Roman Clay (three), Brandon Hollister (two) and Marc Royer (one). Sean Titus caught a TD pass from Andrew Dzurik, reserve QB Mac McCafferty connected with Charles Sweigert for another score. The win keeps LCHS unbeaten on the year at 6-0, I'll be back there for one more game on November 4. It was Homecoming Night, after the game they had a fireworks show (guess where I was while it was going on). Saw on the internet where McCaskey lost yet again, this time to Penn Manor 48-14. On Saturday I was in Q-ville with Jenny and Helen as we did lunch and ran some errands. They'll be along on Sunday as we head to the Sovereign Center for an exhibition game, the Royals host the newly-renamed Trenton Titans. Take care, thanks for reading.

October 3-6

Typical week thus far with the usual morning stuff and street hockey in the evenings. Jenny was in town on Tuesday on business, we had lunch at the local sub shop. On Thursday we did lunch at the pizza parlor in Quarryville. With the close of business at the rink on Thursday night the league is at the virtual midpoint, every team has played seven games with eight to go. On East Division nights Ron Mongeau and Jon Gerber have been the regular officials, Don Tankesley and son Derek work on the nights the West plays. Derek and Jonny each play in the opposite division, Don and Ron are both former players now retired (as am I but not many people remember when I played, it was so long ago my uniform number was "XXVI"). The league continues on Monday, the following week we'll play on Sunday as well. On Friday I'll be at Lancaster Catholic for football as the Crusaders host Pequea Valley, on Sunday we'll head north on 222 as the Royals play an exhibition game against Trenton. Take care, thanks for reading.

October 1-2

Saturday morning in Quarryville with Jenny for lunch, the rest of the day was spent at home with college football and major league baseball playoffs on TV. It was all just as well, it was a chilly, windy day with rain in the late afternoon. Sunday started with more of the same, the early afternoon rain was nothing more severe than a nuisance. At 2:30 I went to the rink as we had a full day of street hockey on the schedule. This day and October 16 are in effect make-up dates since we started a week later than planned, we got underway at 4:00 and were done by 9:15. We had more on-and-off rain but never enough to threaten play, just enough to make it miserable. With it all I was home by 9:30, after a hot shower I was more than willing to call it a night. The league will continue this week with the usual Monday/Wednesday format for the East and Tuesday/Thursday for the West. Take care, thanks for reading.

September 27-30

Jenny was in town on Tuesday morning for an appointment, the access van brought her in from Quarryville. Afterward she and I went to the mall to walk around before lunch, I took her home from there. On Thursday I was at her place for a visit and our usual lunch date at the pizza parlor. On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings we played street hockey at the rink, we had no more suspensions although a few guys were bucking for one. Two weeks are in the books, we'll be playing games on Sunday the 2nd to get week #3 underway. On Friday evening it was another high school football night at McCaskey, the losing streak continued as the Red Tornado lost to Hempfield 38-12. On this night the defensive woes were only half the story as the offense had little success as well. The two JPM touchdowns were on pass receptions, Kelvin Cunningham from Jonathan Hulyo and Diante Cherry from reserve quarterback Collins Gantz (both extra point attempts failed). The loss drops the club to 0-5, certainly a disappointment from what was expected. After an 0-10 mark in 2008 and 1-9 in '09 the program experienced a renaissance in 2010 as the club went 7-4 and qualified for the district playoffs. The boys will play on the road the next two weeks, the next home game is October 21 when Cedar Crest comes to Lancaster. Take care, thanks for reading.

September 26

The usual Monday morning errand run got the day started, in the evening we were at the rink for street hockey as the league's second week got underway. The East Division played on this night, we had our first suspensions of the season as one guy went over the penalty limit and two others got nailed for fighting. We were done by 9:00, when I got into my car I put the ballgame on the radio and heard it was tied in the eighth inning. I decided to drive over and see the rest of it in person. I only saw the last two-and-a-half innings but that was a game in itself, in this "win or go home" contest the Revs and the Barnstormers went into extra innings tied at 1-1. In the top of the tenth York broke it open with four runs to take a 5-1 lead, in the bottom half the BSers replied with three of their own but the Revs held on to win it 5-4. The victory gives the Revolution the series three games to two, as the 2010 Atlantic League champions they now get the opportunity to defend that title. The series starts on Wednesday with the first two games on Long Island, game #3 would be in York on Friday. For the Barnstormers the season is over but they had a fine year of their own as they qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 2006. All told it was quite a night, I had left for the rink at 5:00 and didn't get home until 10:30. Take care, thanks for reading.

September 24-25

Saturday morning with Jenny in Quarryville for lunch, several of the back roads in the southern part of the county were flooded from the Friday rains. In the afternoon Marty came into town, he and I went over to North Prince street for Atlantic League playoff baseball. The Barnstormers and the York Revolution both qualified for the postseason, this best-of-five series is their first-ever playoff meeting. The series began on Wednesday in York, the Revs won the first two games at home. After a postponement on Friday the third game was played on this night, the BSers staved off elimination with a 5-1 win. On Sunday evening I was back at the ballpark for game #4, the BSers held serve on their home field with a 6-1 victory to even the series. The deciding game is on Monday in Lancaster, I almost certainly will not be there since we'll be running street hockey at the rink. The winner will advance to the championship series versus Long Island, the first two games would be on the Island with the last three in either York or Lancaster. We'll see how it all plays out through the week ahead. Take care, thanks for reading.

September 21-23

Not much going on Wednesday until the evening, the East Division played at the rink. There was rain in the area, we got a shower around 5:00 or so but the night itself went untouched. On Thursday morning I was with Jenny for our usual lunch date, in the evening we finished the week at the rink with the West Division in action. Friday began with steady rain in the forecast, it was coming down as I was at lunch and continued through the afternoon.. By 5:00 there was no word of postponement of the game at McCaskey so I headed over to the stadium to get organized. From then until around halftime it rained steadily, the second half was played with virtually no precipitation but the damage was done as the field was a quagmire. The Red Tornado dropped to 0-4 on the season with a 34-13 loss to Wilson (from suburban Reading) as the defensive issues continue. Aaron Swinton was out with a knee injury suffered against LCHS, by all accounts he is done for the season and may miss time from basketball as well. JPM's two touchdowns on this night came courtesy of Quashaun Davis, one on a punt return and the other on a pass reception from Jonathan Hulyo. The Red Tornado is at home on September 30 against Hempfield. Take care, thanks for reading.

September 20

It rained overnight into the early morning, I took a drive northwest to Hershey to get our hockey tickets for the AHL season. Jenny and I will be doing our usual ten-game package mostly on Saturdays when the Royals are not at home. We'll see nine different visiting clubs in Hershey, the only one we'll see a second time is the Adirondack Phantoms (the Flyers' AHL affiliate, they visit in January and March). Our first game is October 30 versus Binghamton. In the evening we were back at Reservoir Park, the West Division made its season debut. The format for the West is exactly the same as the East Division, with six teams we play three games every Tuesday and Thursday starting at 6:15. Don and Derek refereed on this night, Wally was running the clock. More rain is forecast over the next several days, we'll just have to take it as it comes. Take care, thanks for reading.

September 17-19

Quiet weekend save for a visit and lunch with Jenny on Saturday and a brief clean-up visit at the street hockey rink on Sunday. Monday was somewhat busier, in the morning I had a dental appointment (trust me, there are better ways to start a week), in late afternoon I had a reservation at the health campus (nothing serious, just something a guy my age should have checked periodically). All things went well, by 5:45 I was at the rink for the opening night of the Fall season. The East Division played on this night, they will play on Wednesdays as well. There are six teams in the division, each night features three games starting at 6:15. Don and Ron officiated, Wally ran the clock and with it all we were done by 9:00. The West Division makes its debut on Tuesday weather-permitting, there is talk of rain during the daylight hours. Take care, thanks for reading.

September 15-16

It was raining on Thursday morning as I headed south to Quarryville for lunch with Jenny and Helen. This day was Helen's birthday, she is 74 years young. After lunch we went to the fairgrounds and walked around for a bit, the annual Solanco Fair started on Wednesday. The rains returned in the afternoon and the temperatures dropped sharply, I decided to forgo the ballgame and stay home. On Friday it was clear and dry, in the evening I was at Rossmere Stadium as the Lancaster Catholic Crusaders played their first home game. LCHS came in at 2-0 on the season, on this night they hosted McCaskey for the first time since 1988. Back then the schools were division-mates, in '89 Catholic came to JPM one final time before the series was discontinued. It lay dormant until 2010 when LCHS came to McCaskey and won 17-7. On this night JPM's defensive woes were on full display as the Crusaders won 56-28. It was 14-7 LCHS at the half, all hell broke loose in the third quarter as the teams combined to score seven touchdowns. All told the Crusaders scored five rushing TDs, three by Roman Clay and one each by Brandon Hollister and Carmelo Cruz. Sean Titus caught two TD passes from quarterback Andrew Dzurik, Charles Sweigert added a touchdown on an interception return. Josh Ransing and Jonathan Hulyo scored on the ground for JPM, Hulyo also threw for two TDs, both to Quashaun Davis. With the win the Crusaders move to 3-0 as they move into division play in Section III of the L-L League, in 2012 they'll move to Section I and once again become a divisional opponent for JPM. The Red Tornado drops to 0-3 and it's not difficult to pinpoint the problem. The club has scored an average of 29 points per game thus far, they have surrendered an average of 48 points. That's not good no matter where you play. JPM plays at home each of the next two weeks, my next game at LCHS is October 7th. Take care, thanks for reading.

September 12-14

In my last post I mentioned the Opening Day doubleheader in Reading next April, although it's unusual there is logic behind it. Opening weekend in 2012 is Easter weekend, since we won't play on Easter it was decided to reschedule that game as part of a double-dip on Opening Day. We'll start that day at 4:00 so it will be a combination Opening Day/Night. Not much going on Monday or Tuesday, on Tuesday evening Don and I firmed up the Fall street hockey league. We'll have two divisions of six teams each, we'll play three games each Monday through Thursday beginning at 6:15. We'll also play two Sundays (October 2 and 16) to make up for starting a week later than planned, the first games are on Monday the 19th. On Wednesday evening Dick Myers came into town, he and I went to the Barnstormers game as they hosted the Camden Riversharks. It began to rain lightly in the fourth inning, by the end of the fifth it was coming hard. The game was stopped and never resumed, the BSers picking up the abbreviated 3-2 win. I may be there again on Thursday if the weather holds up, they are talking about more rain during the day. Take care, thanks for reading.

September 11

On the road in the afternoon for the ballpark on Centre Avenue in Reading for what would prove to be the final game of the season. The New Hampshire Fisher Cats won 4-2 to take the series and advance to the EL Finals. Tuffy Gosewisch gave the R-Phils a 1-0 lead with a second-inning home run, NH scored twice before Michael Spidale's RBI double tied it 2-2 in the seventh. In the ninth inning the 'Cats scored twice more to take the lead they would never lose, the R-Phils were retired in order in the bottom of the inning to end it. Mike Cisco took the hard-luck loss in relief of Tyson Brummett. The 'Cats will meet the Richmond Flying Squirrels in the championship series starting on Tuesday in Manchester, NH. The forty-fifth year of Reading Phillies baseball is now in the books and it was noteworthy in many ways. The ballclub finished with a winning record and qualified for the playoffs for the second time in three years. The franchise led the EL in attendance at 456,957 for 68 home dates, an average of 6719 per date. Matt Rizzotti won the Big Stick Award as the team's leader in home runs (24), Tuffy Gosewisch won the Gold Glove Award for fielding prowess, Austin Hyatt was the team's Pitcher of the Year (a league-leading twelve wins), Derrick Mitchell won the Unsung Hero Award, Tyler Cloyd won the Player Of The Game Award, Chris Kissock and B.J. Rosenberg were co-winners of the Community Service Award and Michael Spidale was voted team MVP. The 2012 season begins at home on April 5 when the Portland Sea Dogs visit for a doubleheader (on Opening Day-yes, you read that correctly). Take care, thanks for reading.

September 10

With Jenny in Quarryville for lunch, she and Helen were along in the afternoon for the drive to Reading. After eight games on the road to finish the season and two more in the playoffs the R-Phils were at home for game #3 of the series with the New Hampshire Fisher Cats. We had better than 5600 in attendance but they had little to cheer about as the R-Phils lost 1-0. The 'Cats scored the game's lone run in the fifth inning and made it stand up to take a 2-1 edge in the best-of-five series. In three games thus far the R-Phils have outscored the 'Cats 11-5, the problem is all of the runs came in one game (New Hampshire's other victory was by a 2-0 score). It sets up a win-or-else game #4 for the R-Phils on Sunday in Reading, if they can force a fifth and deciding game that would be on Monday back in Manchester. We'll all know in about twenty-four hours. Take care, thanks for reading.

September 9

Out and about in the morning, I noticed an unusual object in the sky overhead. It was bright, shiny and looked familiar, then I realized what it was: THE SUN (well, it has been several days since we've seen it). In the evening I was at McCaskey for football as the Red Tornado hosted York. This was the high school version of the War Of The Roses much as the Barnstormers and the Revolution play it in pro baseball. For the second straight week the JPM offense put on a show but the defense was again the downfall in a 41-33 loss. Jon Hulyo threw three TD passes, two to Diante Cherry and one to Aaron Swinton. Swinton scored three touchdowns in three different ways, he also ran for a score and returned a kickoff for a touchdown as well. The loss drops the club to 0-2 and the road does not get any easier, on the 16th they meet Lancaster Catholic at Rossmere Stadium. It will be the Crusaders' home opener and for me the start of my fifteenth year doing the PA there when I'm available. JPM and LCHS met in 2010 for the first time since 1989, that game was at McCaskey and it was a strange feeling for me. I can imagine the game at Rossmere will be even stranger. The Eastern League playoffs are finally underway, after dropping the first game in New Hampshire the R-Phils rebounded with a win on Friday so the two games scheduled for Reading are all systems go. Game three is on Saturday with game four on Sunday, the R-Phils holding home-field advantage in what has become a 2-of-3 series. Take care, thanks for reading.

September 6-8

This week thus far has been a mess with a capital M both literally and figuratively. They were predicting rainy conditions as the remnants of a tropical storm moved up the coast, that system stalled over the Eastern seaboard and made the last weekend of August look tame by comparison. From Monday evening through Thursday morning the precipitation continued at various levels of severity, by Thursday afternoon rising waterways and severe flooding were the topics of every television news broadcast. With it all the start of R-Phils' playoff series in New Hampshire was delayed until Thursday, the games in Baseballtown are now on for Saturday and Sunday (if needed). In the meantime Jon Mitchell had arranged a substitute for me at McCaskey for the football game on Friday. With the baseball postponement I informed him that I would be available to work Friday but I preferred to let him and my substitute decide whether or not I should. It's a similar case to the Royals playoff game I attended but didn't work back in April. Jon told me that my sub was willing to defer to me but I would have understood had he wanted to work it, that's why I wanted them to decide. So as it stands JPM will host York on Friday night, Saturday I'll be in Reading and on Sunday we'll be back there if need be. The forecast for the weekend is not completely favorable, there is the chance of a stray shower or thunderstorm but it appears that the worst of the week is over. Take care, thanks for reading.

September 3-5

Saturday morning in Quarryville with Jenny, we had lunch at the shopping plaza. In the evening I was over on North Prince Street as the Barnstormers hosted the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs. I parked in a satellite parking lot a block away and walked over from there, since it was a fireworks night that was the prudent thing to do. The BSers won 9-0 in a game that took only two hours and fifteen minutes to play, that's almost unheard of these days especially in the Atlantic League. When the game ended I was out the front gate pronto, as I always say "you watch the fireworks, I'll beat the traffic". On Sunday Jenny and Helen were with me for the BSers game, it was a 6:00 Sunday night start. The Blue Crabs turned the tables on the Barnstormers on this night, the final score was 9-1. Monday was Labor Day, the unofficial end of summer. When I was a kid we always returned to school on the day after so I've always viewed it in that light. It was also the end of the Eastern League's regular season, in late afternoon the R-Phils clinched a playoff spot with a victory in Binghamton. The ballclub went 6-2 on the season-ending road trip so they certainly earned it, with a final mark of 74-68 they will meet the New Hampshire Fisher Cats in a best-of-five semifinal series starting Wednesday in Manchester. The first game in Reading would be game #3 of the series which is on Friday the 9th weather permitting (they are calling for iffy weather all this week). I called Jon Mitchell (athletic director at JPM) immediately so he can work on finding a substitute for me that night, I hate to be absent but the professional obligations must come first. It started raining later in the evening, it was expected to continue overnight. Take care, thanks for reading

September 2

Had a haircut on Friday afternoon, the last one I had was before we went to Elmira. After almost six weeks it was getting shaggy especially around the ears so it was more than overdue. Later in the day Dick and I met another friend for the twenty-five mile drive east to Coatesville. McCaskey and Coatesville have met on the gridiron many times over the years, it's all part of playing a strong non-league schedule. The night did not go well for the Red Tornado as Coatesville won going away 47-27. On the offensive side there's a lot to like about JPM, the team has some strong talent that will put points on the board. On the other side of the line there is work to be done, too many missed tackles and big plays against will spell "l-o-s-s" just about every time. Quarterback Jonathan Hulyo was involved in all four touchdowns for JPM on this night, he rushed for one score and passed for three. Diante Cherry caught two balls for TDs, Quashaun Davis had the other TD catch. It won't get any easier for McCaskey in week #2 as York will come east to Lancaster on the 9th. I may be absent from that game if the R-Phils qualify for playoffs, they are still in the running but nothing has been settled. We shall see what we shall see. Take care, thanks for reading.

August 31-September 1

Made the usual errand run on Wednesday morning, in the evening we were at the street hockey rink at Reservoir Park. This was the organizational meeting for the Fall league season, if all goes well we'll get started on Monday the 12th. We had about ten teams represented but there are always those who never attend the meetings. On Thursday I was with Jenny in the morning, after lunch I brought her back into Lancaster to a friend's house. She visited during the afternoon and took the access van home before supper. Thursday evening was slow and relaxing with two meaningless pro football exhibition games on TV. It's hard to believe it's September already, the high school football season starts this weekend. Both McCaskey and Lancaster Catholic are on the road, LCHS will be in Harrisburg for a game against Trinity while JPM travels to Coatesville. Dick Myers is going to that game, I'll be riding along with him (a rare opportunity to see a road game). McCaskey plays at home on the 9th against York, LCHS opens at home on the 16th (against JPM). Friday Night Lights are back. Take care, thanks for reading.

August 28-30

The rain and wind continued overnight into Sunday, at some point during the early morning our neighborhood lost power. I was out of bed on a nature call sometime before sunrise and every light on the block was out. With the electricity out my mother and I went to a local eatery for lunch, she didn't want to chance opening the refrigerator door and letting what cold there was escape. The power was not restored until midway through the afternoon, by then the rain was gone, the wind velocity settled and the sun actually came out. Monday was slow much as Sunday had been, the morning errand run was about all that happened. On Tuesday Marty came into town, we went over to York for the ballgame as the Revolution hosted the Camden Riversharks. This was in all likelihood my last time in York for the season unless they have a home playoff game on a date that works for me. The Revs won the game in walk-off fashion, a three-run homer in the ninth turned a 5-4 deficit into a 7-5 win. There's a good chance the Revs and the Lancaster ballclub could meet in the playoffs, the BSers are already qualified and York is right in the race so who knows what may happen. The Barnstormers are at home this weekend, Jenny and I will probably be there on Sunday. Take care, thanks for reading.

August 27

It was overcast on Saturday morning, Jenny and Helen were with me as we headed to the ballpark for the doubleheader. When we arrived we found out that the day/night format had been scrapped in favor of a straight twinbill. The latest forecast indicated the rain would arrive sometime in the afternoon so the idea was to get in and out as quickly as possible. We got started at 1:05, the R-Phils defeated Portland in the opener by a count of 6-2. Derrick Mitchell had two hits and three RBI, Carlos Rivero had an RBI hit, the other two runs scored on a double play and a fielder's choice. J.C. Ramirez pitched five innings for the win, B.J. Rosenberg finished it for the save. The second game started shortly before 4:00, most of it was played in a steady light rain. The R-Phils could not complete the sweep as the Sea Dogs salvaged a 4-2 win. Michael Spidale had three hits and an RBI, Derrick Mitchell picked a ribbie on a fielders choice. Derrick Loop made the spot start and took the loss, Jake Diekman and Mike Cisco pitched in relief. We were done shortly before 6:30, with the rain falling it was clear the proposed evening game would have never happened. This day concluded the home portion of the schedule, the final mark at home was 36-36 (one extra home game thanks to the May rainout in Portland), the overall record is 68-66. The ballclub is still in contention for the postseason, what happens with the eight games left on the road will tell the story. After a supper stop we headed south into Lancaster County as the rain and wind picked up in intensity. With it all I walked through my front door at 8:30 and was damn glad to be there. The weather is supposed to improve sometime Sunday, time will tell. Take care, thanks for reading.

August 26

Friday afternoon: back at the ballpark for game #2 with Portland. The R-Phils went down for the second straight night, this was a tough 4-3 come-from-ahead loss. The ballclub scored three runs in the first inning on the strength of a John Suomi two-run single and a Matt Rizzotti RBI on a bases-loaded walk. Unfortunately that lead did not hold as the Sea Dogs scored single runs in the third and sixth innings before pushing home two runs in the ninth to win it. Tyler Cloyd pitched seven strong innings and deserved a victory but it was not to be as Justin Friend took the loss in relief. It was another long game, we started at 7:05 and wound down at 10:25. Better than 9500 in the yard, as they stayed for fireworks after the game I headed west on route 12 towards the 222 junction. The plan for Saturday is to play the day/night doubleheader as planned but nobody seems to know exactly what the weather will bring. We're supposed to get the day game going at 1:05 with the night game at 6:35, what is to transpire is anyone's guess. As they used to say in television, "don't touch that dial". Take care, thanks for reading.

August 25

Thursday started with rain in the area, it was raining while I was with Jenny in the morning. There is a hurricane forming in the Atlantic Ocean that is expected to move north along the East Coast over the weekend, the weather forecast is not encouraging. In the afternoon I headed north on 222 as we started the final homestand of the regular season, the Portland Sea Dogs were the opponent. Before the game it was announced that due to the impending weather conditions Sunday's game has been moved to Saturday afternoon as part of a day/night doubleheader. Day/nighters are rare at the minor league level, we haven't had one in Reading since 2003. After winning two of three in New Britain the R-Phils' playoff push took a step back on this night as Portland took the opener 8-4. Tuffy Gosewisch had two hits and two RBI, Fidel Hernandez had a run-scoring hit, another run scored on an error. Tyson Brummett took the loss in a game that took three-and-a-half hours to play. We had some rain in the middle innings but the game was never stopped (although a case could have been made for it at various points), we had better than 7500 in attendance. The series continues on Friday night at 7:05 then on Saturday we play the day/nighter at 1:05 and 6:35 weather permitting. Take care, thanks for reading.

August 22-24

Monday and Wednesday were very quiet and uneventful, the two days served as the perfect bookends for a busy Tuesday. Over the weekend Dick Myers and I had discussed going to Salisbury, Maryland on Tuesday, with his car in the shop I did the driving. Barry Giberson joined us, he lives just north of Quarryville (not too far from Jenny). Dick, Barry and I have all known each other for a long time: from 1974 to 1977 I did the PA for a recreational softball league at Bing Conlin Field in Lancaster, Barry played in the league and Dick was a regular attendee. We picked Barry up at his place and headed southeast into Elkton, Maryland, cut east into Newark, Delaware and due south from there virtually the length of the state into Salisbury. It was a long trip both in miles and time, it took close to four hours to go 150 miles. The ballclub in Salisbury is officially known as the Delmarva Shorebirds, they are the Orioles' affiliate in the South Atlantic League. Their opponent on this night was the Lakewood Blue Claws, the Phillies' SAL club (we saw the 'Claws earlier this season in Hagerstown). The Blue Claws won the game 3-0 but we never saw the end, they were delayed by light failure at the outset and again in the fourth inning. By 9:00 they were only in the sixth inning, with the long drive home looming we decided to cut out early. The drive back was shorter in terms of time (less traffic on the road at that hour) but it was still 150 miles, by the time I got to my place it was almost 12:45 in the morning. This was the first time I ever saw a game in Salisbury (they've been around since 1996), since they're an Orioles club I'm glad I finally got there but it's not a trip I'm looking to repeat anytime soon. Take care, thanks for reading.

August 21

On the road at 10:00 for the ballpark as we finished the series with Altoona. This was our first day game at home on a Sunday since June 19 and the first on any day since July 11. The R-Phils completed the three-game sweep with a 3-1 win over the Curve to improve to 65-62 on the season. Carlos Rivero hit a two-run home run in the first inning, Brent Clevlen added a solo shot in the fourth. Those three runs were all Tyler Cloyd needed as he pitched seven innings of shutout ball with ten strikeouts to earn the win, Les Walrond worked the eighth inning and Justin Friend closed it out for the save. The game was played in good order, we started at 1:05 and finished at 3:35. It was another "Kids Day", we had better than 5700 in the house. The ballclub has fifteen games left on the schedule, they travel to New Britain for three games this week before returning home for four with Portland on the weekend. On Monday the 29th they head to Akron for four games and Binghamton for four as well, the season wraps up on Labor Day Monday. There were storms in the forecast on this day but the only rain I saw was on the way home after the game and later in the evening. Not much on the schedule over the next three days, I may get to a game elsewhere but nothing is for certain. Take care, thanks for reading.

August 20

Saturday morning in Quarryville with Jenny, after lunch she and Helen were along for the ride to Reading for game #2 with the Altoona Curve. The R-Phils are in the running for a playoff berth, if they make it this game may be remembered as the match that lit the fuse. The ballclub took an early 2-0 lead on a Brent Clevlen RBI groundout and a Tuffy Gosewisch base hit but by the ninth inning the Curve led 6-3. In the bottom of the ninth Paco Figueroa and John Suomi reached base, they both scored on Steve Singleton's double to make it 6-5. Brent Clevlen followed with a double of his own to score Singleton with the tying run, Fidel Hernandez's base hit scored Clevlen with the winning run to cap an improbable 7-6 win. Justin Friend was the winning pitcher following B.J. Rosenberg, Chris Kissock and Jake Diekman. A crowd in excess of 9500 was in attendance, the largest crowd of the season and eighteenth largest in modern franchise history. The victory puts the club at 64-62 for the season and it's a huge step forward but with sixteen games left to play the only thing for sure is nothing's for sure. The game started at 6:35 and wound down at 9:45, the big crowd stayed for fireworks while the ladies and I hit the road. The series wraps up on Sunday at 1:05, the first Sunday day game we've had at home in nine weeks. Take care, thanks for reading.

August 19

Friday afternoon: on the road north as the Altoona Curve came to Reading for a three-game weekend series. A line of storms passed through Berks County in early evening but amazingly missed the ballpark completely, we started right on time at 7:05. The R-Phils won their second consecutive game as they defeated Altoona 11-1. Four different players recorded two RBI each: Tuffy Gosewisch (home run), Steve Singleton (two doubles), Carlos Rivero (two singles) and Matt Rizzotti (two-base hit). Derick Mitchell had three doubles and an RBI, Brent Clevlen had a run-scoring hit as well. Amid the offensive pyrotechnics was a solid performance from Austin Hyatt, he went six innings allowing only two hits and striking out six to earn the victory. Mike Cisco worked the final three frames to pick up the save as the ballclub moved back above .500 at 63-62. We had better than 7900 in the house for a fireworks show but as usual I was out ASAP. The game ended around 9:45, I was back in Lancaster by 10:30. The series continues on Saturday night, Jenny and Helen are planning to come along. Take care, thanks for reading.

August 17-18

At some point in the future we may look back on the events of August 17, 2011 and place the blame firmly on the weather bureau in Portland, Maine. Had it not rained in Portland on May 19 we would never have been subjected to what happened in Baseballtown on this night in August. We played a doubleheader that got started at 6:05 and finally ended five hours and thirty-three minutes later. The R-Phils lost both ends of it as Portland took the opener 5-4 and the nightcap 5-3. In game #1 Carlos Rivero hit a solo home run, Matt Rizzotti had an RBI double, Tuffy Gosewisch had a run-scoring base hit and Ozzie Chavez picked up a ribbie on an infield groundout. B.J. Rosenberg lost it in relief of J.C. Ramirez. In the second game (which began at the princely hour of 9:20) the Sea Dogs took a 5-0 lead and made it stand up. Carlos Rivero went yard again, Chris Lubanski had an RBI sacrifice fly, the third R-Phils run scored on a wild pitch. Derrick Loop made the spot start and took the loss, Chris Kissock worked in relief. We had 5300 in attendance but much less than that by the time we finished, with it all I had the pleasure of walking through my front door at 12:25 on Thursday morning. Some thunderstorms moved through the area overnight but by sunrise they were gone. On Thursday Jenny and I had our usual lunch date at the pizza parlor in Quarryville, later in the day I was back at the ballpark as we wrapped up the series. The R-Phils rebounded nicely with an 8-3 win before close to 5500. Tuffy Gosewisch had three hits including a home run and three RBI, Fidel Hernandez had a hit and two RBI. Michael Spidale hit a solo home run, Carlos Rivero and Paco Figueroa had run-scoring hits also. Les Walrond won it in relief of Joe Esposito, Justin Friend worked the last inning. There were storm warnings up for the Reading area but the game was uninterrupted, I was home before 11:00. The homestand continues through the weekend as the Altoona Curve comes to town. Take care, thanks for reading.

August 15-16

Monday was a very slow day as expected, the morning errand run was about all that happened. On Tuesday Jenny was in town on business, we got together for lunch. August 16 is a big day on Jenny's calendar, it's her birthday. She never asked for a specific gift this year but she wasn't disappointed with what I got for her. We've been together for almost ten years and my life would be empty without her, I love her with all my heart. In the afternoon I was on my way to Reading for the start of a six-day stand, the Portland Sea Dogs were in town. The R-Phils lost two of three on the road over the weekend, they entered the night dead even on the year at 60-60. They got the homestand started on a good note with a 7-4 win over the Sea Dogs in front of close to 6800 on Fan Appreciation Night. Tuffy Gosewisch hit a three-run home run, Brent Clevlen added a homer and two RBI. Carlos Rivero (back from AAA Lehigh Valley) hit a solo home run and Derick Mitchell had an RBI hit as well. Tyler Cloyd won it with relief from B.J. Rosenberg, Jake Diekman and Justin Friend (save). The game took better than three hours, I walked in my front door at 11:00. On Wednesday we may well still be there at that hour, we have a doubleheader starting at 6:05. The teams were rained out back in May on the R-Phils' last visit to Portland so the game is being made up in Reading, we had a similar situation last year with Binghamton. Doubleheaders are bad enough to begin with, when they happen because of a road rainout it borders on cruel and unusual punishment. The saving grace is that both games are seven innings by rule so maybe we can get a couple of quickies. I wouldn't mind. Take care, thanks for reading.

August 12-14

Friday afternoon: Marty called, he was coming into town for the Barnstormers game. He came by my place before 6:00 and we rode over to North Prince Street together. This has been a strange year for me with BSers games, this night was only the seventh time I've been there so far and they have all been on weekends (no Monday through Thursday games at all). The Long Island Ducks were the opponent, they won the game 4-3. On Saturday I was with Jenny in Quarryville, after lunch she and Helen cane back to the city with me. The plan was to go to the ballgame in the evening but it didn't work out quite that way. In the afternoon it got very dark and windy with off-and-on rain, around 4:30 or so it just opened up and poured. We talked it over and Jenny said she wasn't into going over there and getting caught in a rain delay (the thought didn't exactly thrill me either). The forecast for the evening wasn't much better so we elected to forgo the game, after some supper I took them home so they would be there before dark. The game went on in our absence, I saw in the Sunday paper where with rain delays figured in they weren't done until almost 11:00 so we made a good choice. On Sunday morning it was more of the same but by afternoon the weather improved dramatically so I decided to go to the game since it was a 6:00 start. It was overcast with occasional peeks of sun, the game was played without issue as the Ducks won 6-4 to sweep the series (they had also won on Saturday). Another routine three-hour Atlantic League game, it ended shortly after 9:00. Monday figures to be very quiet (nothing on the schedule), the R-Phils start a six-day homestand on Tuesday. Take care, thanks for reading.

August 11

Had lunch with Jenny on Thursday morning, after that I brought her into Willow Street for an appointment (her niece was going to bring her home later). From there I took my car to the service center, it is being serviced and inspected on Friday. My mother met me there, I used her car for the drive to Reading in the evening. On this night in Baseballtown the Bowie BaySox finished a three-game sweep with a 5-2 win over the R-Phils. The pattern in this game was very similar to what had happened in the first two games of the series. On Tuesday the ballclub trailed 5-0 and never got even, on Wednesday it was 3-0 before they pulled even only to lose in extras. On this night it was 5-0 before the R-Phils broke through in the eighth inning, Matt Rizzotti knocked home a run on a groundout and Chris Lubanski picked up an RBI when he was hit by the pitch with the bases loaded. J.C. Ramirez took the loss in another marathon that started at 7:05 and ended just before 10:30. We had better than 8800 in the park for Ladies Night activities and post-game fireworks but as is my norm I was out of there ASAP. The ballclub's record now stands at 59-58, just 30-31 at home. The boys will be on the road for the weekend, we're back home on Tuesday the 16th. Take care, thanks for reading.

August 10

Wednesday afternoon: Jamie Burkholder joined me for the drive to Reading, he is (like me) a Phillies fan and an Orioles fan as well. It was 80 degrees at game time with no rain in sight, the game wound down three hours and thirty minutes later. For the second consecutive night the R-Phils lost to the BaySox, on this occasion it took extra innings before Bowie prevailed 6-4. The BaySox led 3-0 in the sixth inning before the R-Phils rallied to tie it, a two-run tenth inning gave Bowie the win. Newcomer Chris Lubanski had three hits and a run scored for the R-Phils, Steve Singleton and Tuffy Gosewisch contributed RBI doubles and Michael Spidale had a run-scoring triple. Tyler Cloyd worked six innings as the starter, Les Walrond (two innings), B.J. Rosenberg and Justin Friend (one inning each) worked in relief with Friend taking the loss. A crowd of close to 6200 in attendance on Dog Night, many of Man's Best Friends were in the house as well. The series wraps up on Thursday then the boys head back out on the road until Tuesday the 16th. Take care, thanks for reading.

August 7-9

Sunday was a quiet day, with nothing going on I never left the house. Monday was much the same save for an errand run and a morning visit to the dentist, they took some impressions for some work to be done in September (and I will again go on record as saying that I positively loathe dental work). On Tuesday morning storms moved through the area from the southwest, the rain was severe at times but by afternoon it had cleared out. I headed north on 222 for the ballpark as the R-Phils opened a series with the Bowie BaySox. The BaySox are the Orioles' EL club, this series is their lone visit to Reading in 2011. Around 5:00 it got very dark, the grounds crew put the tarpaulin on the field just in time for the rain to move in from the northwest. It rained hard for a time but once it moved out it was gone for good, we started on time at 7:05. The R-Phils lost to Bowie 5-4, the Baysox scored all of their runs in the first inning and made them stand up for the win. Austin Hyatt started on the mound and was clearly not at his best, he worked less than one inning and suffered the loss. Michael Spidale had three hits and two RBI, newcomer Brent Clevlen hit his first R-Phils home run and had two RBI as well. With Terry Evans and Stephen Susdorf both injured and likely done for the season the ballclub needed outfield help, the Phillies organization recently signed Clevlen and fellow outfielder Chris Lubanski as free agents. The boys will look to square the series on Wednesday night. Take care, thanks for reading.

August 6

With Jenny in the morning, after lunch she came back to the city with me. The Lancaster Lightning (the local semi-pro football team) had a home game in the evening, I was going to work it since I was available and Jenny wanted to come along. The Lightning plays its home games at a recently-opened athletic complex north of the city, we were there at 5:30 for the 7:00 kickoff. The complex has no permanent public address system, the team arranged for a portable system that unfortunately did not work. The company that supplied it hurried in a replacement but it wasn't up and running until the end of the first quarter. Showers and thunderstorms were in the forecast, it started to rain during the second quarter and by halftime it was pouring. The second half was played in rain that ranged in intensity from light to steady, Jenny came into the press box to escape it. The Lightning won the game, they defeated the (Washington) D.C. Explosion 20-18 on a touchdown pass with four seconds on the clock. I took Jenny home and was back in Lancaster by 10:30, the rain continued all the way and was still coming as midnight approached. Not much on the schedule for Sunday and Monday, the R-Phils are back home on Tuesday. Take care, thanks for reading.

August 5

Earlier in the week Marty had called, he wanted to know if I was interested to going to York on Friday evening. I met him at the local shopping center at 4:45, the game started at 6:30 as the Revolution hosted the BSers. In the world of pro baseball the Atlantic League is considered near the bottom of the ladder but on this night it didn't matter as the fans in attendance (both from York and Lancaster) were treated to a hell of a game. The Revs scored in the first inning to take the early lead, the Barnstormers tied it in the third. In the bottom of the inning the Revs took a 3-1 lead, the BSers got one back in the sixth to make it 3-2. In the eighth inning the 'Stormers scored three runs to go up 5-3, the Revolution quickly replied with two of their own to tie it at 5-5. In the ninth inning the Revs had the bases loaded but could not score, in the tenth inning the same scenario arose but this time a clutch base hit ended it as York prevailed 6-5. The game took three and-a-half hours to play but nobody was complaining, everyone there got their money's worth. There was a Reading connection to this game, the winning pitcher for the Revs was former R-Phil Geoff Geary. He pitched in Reading in 2000 and 2001 and had major league time with the Philles from 2003-2007. With the drive east across the river after the game we got back to Lancaster around 10:45. Take care, thanks for reading.

August 4

Went to Quarryville in the morning to visit Jenny, we had lunch at the pizza parlor. In the afternoon I was back in Baseballtown as we wrapped up the series with Harrisburg. We got underway at 6:05 with the completion of Wednesday's suspended game, the score stood at 1-1 after eight innings. The R-Phils' run had come in the second inning on Wednesday when Derrick Mitchell doubled and scored on a Tim Kennelly base hit. The matter was resolved in the bottom of the tenth inning as the R-Phils won it 2-1. John Suomi singled and advanced to third base on an Ozzie Chavez base hit. Chavez was caught off base and in the ensuing rundown Suomi scampered home with the winning run. It took forty-one minutes to finish the game, the regularly-scheduled game started at 7:22 (only seventeen minutes late, not bad under the circumstances). In this game offensive highlights were few and far between as the R-Phils lost by an identical 2-1 score, the only run scored on an error and a wild pitch. B.J. Rosenberg took the loss in relief of Tyler Cloyd, Les Walrond had won the suspended game in relief of Wednesday starter Austin Hyatt. It was a night for post-game fireworks but as usual I was out of Dodge as quickly as I could be. The boys head back out on the road for the weekend, after an off-day on Monday we'll be back on Tuesday the 9th as the Bowie BaySox come to town. Take care, thanks for reading.

August 3

Wednesday afternoon: back at the ballpark in Reading for game #2 with Harrisburg. It was an overcast day with the looming threat of showers and thunderstorms. The popular Phillie Phanatic was the main attraction as we got underway right on the dot at 7:05. There was some light rain before the game started, in the fourth inning it returned and picked up in intensity. We managed to play eight innings before the weather forced a halt to play at 9:45, the game was suspended with the score tied at 1-1. We'll pick it up right where we left off on Thursday at 6:05 with the regularly-scheduled game to follow. For the record we had better than 7400 in attendance but if they want to see the rest of the game they'll need to join us on Thursday. Jenny had talked about coming to this game to see the Phanatic but decided against it because of the weather forecast. As it turns out she made a good choice. Take care, thanks for reading.

August 2

Jenny was in town on business in the morning, we got together for lunch. After a week apart it felt good to put my arms around her and hold her close to me. While I was in Elmira we were never further apart than the telephone but it's not the same as being together in person. In the afternoon I headed north on 222 as the R-Phils returned home after a 2-2 road trip and a well-deserved off-day on Monday. The ballclub had some roster movement before the game as Carlos Rivero and Freddy Galvis were promoted to the Phillies' AAA club in Allentown. They were replaced by Steve Singleton (promoted from Lakewood in the South Atlantic League) and Ozzie Chavez (a former R-Phil signed as a free agent from the Atlantic League, he was playing in Lancaster with the BSers). In the game itself the club rallied from an early deficit to defeat Harrisburg 8-4. Tuffy Gosewisch hit a solo home run in the second inning but Harrisburg led 4-1 into the sixth inning. An RBI hit by Tim Kennelly made it 4-2 before Singleton delivered with a grand slam home run to give the R-Phils a 6-4 lead. Run-scoring hits from Matt Rizzotti and Derrick Mitchell clinched the win for Tyson Brummett, Les Walrond and Justin Friend worked in relief. The game started at 7:05 and took almost three hours to play, we had more than 8200 in the house on an 87-degree night. The series continues on Wednesday and Thursday. Take care, thanks for reading.