NY Yankees honor Va Tech

BLACKSBURG -- Mike Pohle was a Philadelphia Phillies fan. When he first met ardent New York Yankees fan and fellow Virginia Tech student Marcy Crevonis, they bickered about baseball.

Pohle was one of the 32 victims killed in the April 16 shootings.

Crevonis, who was his fiancee, was among the excited fans at English Field Tuesday when the Yankees played the Hokies in an exhibition that was arranged in the wake of the shootings.

But first, she went to the campus memorial, and waited with about 100 other fans for the Yankees to come by to pay their respects.

"I want to see them go by Mike's stone," said Crevonis, a sophomore from McLean, Va..

She placed a Derek Jeter jersey next to Pohle's stone. Pohle, who was from New Jersey, liked the Yankees' star shortstop even though Pohle was a Phillies fan.

Crevonis not only wore a Yankee hat but also a T-shirt she made. It had Pohle's name and "New York Yankees in Blacksburg" on the front. Pohle's photo was on the back, along with the date he was killed.

When Jeter stopped near Pohle's stone, she got him to take a photo with her. She also got Jeter, third baseman Alex Rodriguez and a few other Yankees to sign the back of her T-shirt.

It was the greatest moment in her life, she said later.

After the Yankees left the memorial, Crevonis picked up her Jeter jersey, and kissed Pohle's stone.

"It means the world to me that they took the time out of their busy days to come to Tech," she said. "I love the Yankees, but if I could trade the Yankees' not coming for Mike, obviously I would do that.

"So it's a bittersweet day. But it's a good day. The Yankees are here."

The Yankees won the seven-inning game 11-0 in front of 5,311 fans and almost 100 media members, including those from ESPN and CNN.

"Arguably this is the most important game I've played in my Yankee career because it makes you realize all the important things about life," said Rodriguez, who spent part of the game in the Virginia Tech dugout autographing baseballs. "To come here to Virginia Tech and kind of unite with them for one day is very important.

"This is probably the proudest day I've ever been to wear a Yankee uniform."

Yankees manager Joe Girardi said visiting the memorial "brought tears to my eyes." He was moved even more during the game when, as he briefly went up in the stands to sit next to Tech football coach Frank Beamer, the sister of someone who was killed in the shootings thanked him for coming.

Orioles Enable Record 30 runs!

With a bullpen like this the Orioles just as well ask for a volunteer from the fans to pitch.

Thu Aug 23, 2:06 AM ET
NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Texas Rangers smashed the American League record for runs in one game with the biggest offensive outburst in the Major Leagues for 110 years when they routed the Orioles 30-3 in Baltimore on Wednesday.

"We have met the enemy and he is us."

It's what I have said all along about the Virginia Tech tragedy. Our Government -state, local and federal- is the problem. See my earlier post. And read this link!

Yankees make $1 million donation to Tech memorial fund

As a Oriole and Met fan I never thought I'd ever admire the Yankees - but I do!

By KYLE TUCKER, The Virginian-Pilot© May 23, 2007 |
In yet another impressive display of national support for Virginia Tech in the wake of April's campus shooting, the New York Yankees are donating $1 million to the Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund.
The Virginia Tech logo was to be painted on the field at Yankee Stadium and worn on players' caps in a game against the Boston Red Sox.
Charles Steger, the university's president, was scheduled to throw out the ceremonial first pitch, and he was joined at the game by athletic director Jim Weaver and members of the school's police and rescue squads.

When Our Government Protects Us From Ourselves

When Our Government Protects Us From Ourselves

This has been a week of unbelievable sadness caused by a mentally ill college student that tragically snuffed out the lives of 32 students and faculty members at Virginia Tech. As a Virginia Tech alumni, and having interfaced with the mental health care community for too many years I feel particularly qualified to comment on the ranting and ravings of the media. No, I’m not a psychiatrist, psychologist, nor a TV or radio reporter that would want us to believe they know all the answers. But I am a caregiver for a family member that has had mental problems for more than 50 years.
We are hearing from many “experts” that are looking for a simple explanation of a complex problem. I do not pretend to know why this man did what he did, and why his earlier behavior was not considered dangerous to those around him. I certainly disagree with those who believe Tech President Steger could have prevented the tragic outcome without having access to the crystal ball belonging to the cable news media. I commend our Governor Kaine for appointing a group of highly qualified persons to help find answers that will prevent this type of violence in our schools and colleges, and perhaps elsewhere. I am hopeful that this committee will look well beyond Virginia Tech and at our mental health system, its practitioners, its institutions, and our legal system.
First psychiatrists – we’ve heard several speak through the media this week – analyzing and explaining how and why Ho did what he did. Interesting – yes. Meaningful – perhaps. But this much I do know. Of at least a dozen shrinks I’ve had contact with over many years there is very little agreement regarding not only treatment methods, but often in the diagnosis itself. So who do you listen to? I get the feeling that those doctors speaking on the airwaves are more interested in a personal agenda that will enhance their reputations. Please Committee – be careful. Mentally ill people do not walk around announcing their intentions with a sign or barcode on their forehead.
Our Government – Privacy laws and our legal system are flawed from the start. It’s a hodgepodge of laws created to crowd our courts with law suits, and to line lawyer’s pockets, but does little to protect ordinary citizens while placing obstacles in his or her path. Case-in-point: I’m a caregiver of my spouse that requires monitoring and continuous medical care. My spouse has a poor memory and tends not to tell the truth by omission or otherwise. Even I, and certainly not her health care specialists, are able to predict her actions.
Ok – back to the Virginia Tech tragedy. It might be appropriate for the Government to use the phrase from the old Pogo cartoon: I have met the enemy and he is us. I believe that the committee should take a hard look at all of the laws and rulings intended to protect us from ourselves. Those pertaining to the mental health system and privacy must have a proper balance between truly needed privacy, the welfare of the individual, and the safety of innocent third parties. We do not need more laws, but better laws. We must empower our educators to do the right thing without being fearful of “big brother” government and lawyers. Yes, there should be a universal code of behavior that our teachers can actively follow without the fear of reprisal.
The Government should not overzealously protect us from ourselves by creating obstacles in our daily lives. Privacy laws should be applied with some logic. Certainly a professor should not have access to a student’s banking account data, but access to the student’s mental health records? Of course he should, especially when sound behavioral reasons exist.
Please Committee, do the right thing!

Tragedy at Virginia Tech

BLACKSBURG, Virginia (Reuters) - At least 32 people were killed and more than two dozen wounded at Virginia Tech university on Monday in the deadliest campus shooting in U.S. history.

It sickens me to see these most tragic and senseless murders at my beautiful alma mater. My heart and prayers goes out to the families of the victims and to the entire student body and faculty of this great university.

Hokies Off To Good Start!

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) -- It felt just like old times for Virginia Tech. The 16th-ranked Hokies blocked a punt, forced a fumble and returned an interception for a touchdown.

For one day, anyway, Beamerball was back. The Hokies' dominating defense and special teams set up two of Branden Ore's three TDs in Tech's 35-10 victory over North Carolina on Saturday.

Orioles: Wrong sport.

It's no wonder the Orioles continued their losing ways. They lost this one by one touchdown to two touchdowns to the last place Devil Rays.

Tampa Bay 14, Baltimore 7

By FRED GOODALL, AP Sports Writer
July 21, 2006

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) -- Hit by hit, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays shrugged off the frustration of a season-high seven-game losing streak.

Jorge Cantu hit a grand slam and drove in five runs, putting a 3-for-23 road trip behind him to help the Devil Rays beat the Baltimore Orioles 14-7 on Friday night to end the longest skid to open the second half of a season in the AL since Detroit lost its first eight following the All-Star break in 1995.

What's A Hokie?

WHAT'S A HOKIE?
The answer leads all the way back to 1896 when Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College changed its name to Virginia Polytechnic Institute. With the change came the necessity for writing a new cheer and a contest for such a purpose was held by the student body.

Senior O.M. Stull won first prize for his "Hokie" yell which is still used today. Later, when asked if "Hokie" had any special meaning, Stull explained the word was solely the product of his imagination and was used only as an attention-getter for his yell. It soon became a nickname for all Tech teams and for those people loyal to Tech athletics.

The official university school colors - Chicago Maroon and Burnt Orange - also were introduced in 1896. The colors were chosen by a committee because they made a 'unique combination' not worn elsewhere at the time.
The official definition of "hokie" is "a loyal Virginia Tech Fan".

Baseball Humor

Now that the Orioles have stumbled out of 1st place in the AL-East, it's hard to find any humor, but here's an oldie:

Two men loved baseball very much. They pondered, "Is there baseball in Heaven?" One day, one man was run over by a car. A month later, the other received a mysterious phone call. He picked up the reciever and heard his friend's voice. The friend said, "I have good news and I have bad news. The good news is that they do have baseball in Heaven. " The bad news is that you're pitching tomarrow.

The moral of the story: Stay out of the rotation.

Orioles are still at it.

Orioles 4, Reds 3
Jun 10, 2005
Melvin Mora hit a three-run homer, outshining one of baseball's greatest collections of power hitters and leading the Baltimore Orioles to a 4-3 victory Friday night over the Cincinnati Reds. The Orioles are visiting Cincinnati for the first time since the 1970 World Series.

Military Base Closures

This letter appearing in the Chicago Sun-Times makes a lot of sense to me:

Foreign bases should be first on cut list

May 24, 2005

The independent commission reviewing the Pentagon's recommended list of base closings has voiced sharp skepticism over the plan. I concur, and I would like to add some additional reasons for concern. I would also like to suggest an alternative to the Bush administration's current plans for military base closings across America, which are expected to bring extensive losses of jobs and a variety of other hardships to many American communities.

The U.S. military spent the first quarter of 2005 evaluating the effects of closing 425 domestic military bases, but apparently did not examine or consider the advantages of closing U.S. bases in foreign countries. Last time I looked into it, there were more than 700 U.S. military bases abroad, located in more than 100 nations and separate territories. These U.S. military bases abroad should in many cases be considered for closure in preference to the closing of domestic bases, for a variety of reasons.

It requires massive outlays of money to build, maintain and staff all of these foreign military bases, so that closing U.S. military bases overseas could save us a great deal of money. Furthermore, closing foreign military bases would improve goodwill toward Americans around the world, since one of the major factors behind hostility toward America today is the pervasive presence of the U.S. military in foreign nations. Closing U.S. bases abroad could do a great deal toward healing the hatreds that have fomented terrorism against the United States.

The United States is by far the strongest military power in the world today. We can generally expect to cope successfully with military problems abroad by employing rapid response forces and dealing with the majority of issues at the time and place that they occur. Let's look into all of the advantages we would gain by closing more foreign bases instead of closing bases here in the United States.

Caroline Herzenberg,
Hyde Park

Baseball, My favorite sport!

How do you like those Oriole!
The Orioles lead the American League East -- with the biggest cushion in the league, no less -- because of the stunning emergence of Brian Roberts (.368!) and, in large part, because the powerful Yankees have stumbled through their first losing April since 1991.

May 1, 2005

BALTIMORE (AP) -- Melvin Mora hit a pair of home runs, Miguel Tejada homered for the fourth consecutive game and the Baltimore Orioles won their eighth straight Sunday, beating the Tampa Bay Devil Rays 7-4.

Times change

In the late 20's, movie audiences were getting tired of hearing about the decadent lifestyles of the Hollywood elite. The public was also getting tired of "wild" movies featuring flappers, smoking, drinking, and gangsters.
In 1930, the movie industry decided to regulate itself. They instituted a moral "code" which was completely voluntary. As expected, very few studios followed this code.
Some of the rules included....

1) no swearing
2) no vulgar terms
3) no revealing undergarments
4) don't show the intimacies of married life
5) don't use questionable words (pregnant, hot, tomcat, virgin)
6) the good guys must win in the end
7) no screen kiss can last longer than 7 feet of film

For the most part, these rules remained in effect for the next 35 years, until the movie rating system (G, PG, R, X) replaced them in the late 60's.

Commentary by Hokie Bob:
1 & 2. Acceptable language in the movies and TV now includes terms that would not have even been heard in private conversations.
3. Nudity, hence no garments, has become acceptable.
4. Intimacies by unmarried couples of any combination of sexes is OK.
5. Who's the good guy is in the eyes of the beholder.
6. The length of the kiss has actually been decreased or eliminated entirely, thus allowing for more time for what follows.

And finally - the violence. The graphic and gory scenes of today's "entertainment" never existed back then. But hey, smoking in the movies and TV has been cut down!

Yes, times change as do our standards.

Yogisms

1. You can see a lot by observing.
2. Never answer an anonymous letter.
3. It gets late early out there.
4. 95% of the game is half mental.
5. It ain’t over ‘til it’s over.
6. We made too many wrong mistakes.
7. It’s like déjà vu all over again.
8. If you come to a fork in the road take it.
9. No one goes there anymore – it’s too crowded.
10. He hits from both sides of the plate. He’s amphibious.
11. The other teams could make trouble for us if they win.
12. The towels were so thick I could hardly close my suitcase.
13. You better cut the pizza in four pieces because I’m not hungry enough to eat six.
14. If you don’t know where you are going you might wind up someplace else.
15. Always go to other people’s funerals, otherwise they won’t go to yours.

Stengelisms

Stengelisms

1. The Mets have shown me more ways to lose than I ever knew existed.
2. Mister, that boy couldn’t hit the ground if he fell out of a plane.
3. You have to go broke three times to learn how to make a living.
4. Now there are three things you can do in a baseball game. You can win or lose or it can rain.
5. Can’t anybody here play this game? (observing the hapless Mets that he managed)
6. Never make predictions, especially about the future.
7. Don’t drink in the hotel bar; that’s where I do my drinking.
8. All right everyone, line up alphabetically according to your height.
9. I was not successful as a ballplayer, as it was a game of skill.
10. We are in such a slump that even the one’s that aren’t drinking aren’t hittin’.
11. A shave please, but don’t cut my throat. I may want to do it later myself.
12. The way our luck has been lately, our fellas have been getting hurt on their days off.
13. Bobby Brown reminds me of a fellow who’s been hitting for 12 years and fielding one.
14. If we’re going to win the pennant, we’ve got to start thinking we’re not as good as we think we are.
15. Oldtimers weekends and airplane landings are alike. If you can walk away from them, they’re successful.
16. Look at him. He doesn’t drink, he doesn’t smoke, he doesn’t chew and he doesn’t stay out late – and he still can’t hit.
17. The trouble is not that players have sex the night before a game. It’s that they stay out all night looking for it.
18. See that fella over there? He’s 20 years old. In 20 years, he’s got a chance to be a star. Now that fella over there, he’s 20 years old, too. In 10 years he’s got a chance to be 30.

Rantings of an Old Hokie

This blog is a work under construction.

This is being developed by an "Old Hokie" who graduated from Virginia Tech in 1950, nearly 64 years ago. Much has occurred during those years that has changed my outlook on life, and can be useful to many readers of this blog. I hope to provide humor, some of my photography, and opinions of how things have changed since my childhood.