As a “beach baby” newly enthralled with the sport of golf, I sought to combine my two favorite diversions via a trip to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.  Renowned the world over as a Mecca of premier golf courses, the area boasts no less than eighty courses! With such a dizzying array of choices, I, of [...]

As baseball has evolved over its long, rich history, statistics have assumed increasing relevance, becoming nearly as hallowed as sacred relics in the hearts and minds of fans.  As a young boy, for instance, I was acutely aware that Cy Young had achieved 511 wins, that Joe DiMaggio had a 56-game hitting streak, and that [...]

Born Teddy Samuel Williams in San Diego on August 30, 1918, the eldest son of May (nee Venzor) and Samuel Stuart Williams came into the world with a diverse ancestry.  His father’s heritage was Welsh and Irish, while his mother’s family hailed from Mexico.  Teddy came by his name in honor of former U.S. President [...]

Last night, the New York Yankees won the World Series for the 27th time in their storied history, defeating the Philadelphia Phillies who had won it the previous season for just the second time in the team’s 126 years of existence.  The Series was a study in contrasts.  The Yankees were making their 40th World [...]

Life is replete with obstacles, some physical, but many more psychological.  These barriers restrain us geographically, economically, socially, spiritually, and in others ways that, perhaps, we do not even perceive.  Some obstacles are societal or cultural in nature – the result of a general consensus of thought; others are imposed by individuals and impact only [...]

Wandering through my local library on a recent visit, I stumbled upon “The Yankee Years” by Joe Torre and Tom Verducci.  A lifelong Phillies’ fan with an anti-New York sports team bias, I am probably among the least likely candidates to read a book like this one.  Yet, as an enthusiastic baseball fan (it is [...]

The Simon and Garfunkel song “Mrs. Robinson,” popularized in the satirical, coming-of-age comedy The Graduate, depicts the experiences of a woman undergoing rehabilitation for alcohol dependency at some type of institution.  In 1967, the year of the film’s release, that institution was probably some type of psychiatric facility, likely one run by a religious order [...]

The top story in the sports world on July 31, 2009 was that Red Sox slugger David Ortiz tested positive for the use of performance enhancing drugs … in 2003!  Such a disclosure begs the question:  what was the second most significant sports “news” story of the day?
 
Following similar revelations regarding baseball superstars Jose Canseco, [...]

I began officiating youth, high school, and competitive adult sporting events about five years ago.  And, I love it!  I love the interaction with the participants and the realization that the role that I play helps to maintain the integrity of the games and assures both sides that they are being treated fairly.  I’m not [...]

I love poker, and that’s an understatement.   As a game that is constantly changing, poker simply fascinates me.
 
Not fully acquainted with the rules of the game, the first time that I played it, I couldn’t follow every move.  However, I gained an immediate appreciation for this game of nerves and strategy.    If you yourself [...]