MACA baseball stumbles at start of 3AA

Looks like the MACA baseball team had a dismal end to the season. The "Minnesota Scores" site reports just one game played by MACA following the regular season. Alas, a defeat. Evidently this is not double-elimination. 

Softball gets into double-elimination for the post-season and that can be complicated to follow. People outside of the parents can find it difficult to follow. At least that's how I assess things. 

The end came for coach Kirby Sayles' Tigers on the day after the Memorial Day holiday weekend. So we're talking Tuesday, May 28. We had the privilege of hosting the 3AA contest. We could not parlay home field into victory. So if there's no double-elimination, we're done for 2024. 

Should we feel stunned the Tigers lost so suddenly? "MN Scores" shares background on our season and it's pretty impressive. The Tigers can take satisfaction in their 14-6 final record. Not so lustrous was the record against section-level foes. That's 1-6. But in conference the orange and black did fantastic: 10-3 W/L numbers. Away from home we were 5-0. And at home: an upbeat 9-6. 

But in the end, we not only lost what appears to be our only post-season game, we scored zero runs in that game. Baseball is a sport where if you have your best pitcher on the mound and his arm is rested, you can really impress. And this is what the NL-Spicer Wildcats did in the Tuesday game. So it was a 7-0 outcome. 

Baseball and softball are now done for 2024 - summer takes over! Friday is the last day of May. Then we're surely into summer with June having arrived. And you know what's different this year? It feels like basketball season is on! That disorient you a little? I find it interesting and refreshing. 

Sure the WNBA has been around a long time. But you all know the difference for this season. The superstar from Iowa has come on the scene like no other rookie ever has. Sure, people feel guilty having to admit they never paid much attention to the WNBA in the past. They'll just hem and haw on that. Also they'll feel defensive, not wanting to admit that it took a certain type of player. 

Let's all acknowledge the simple fact that women's pro basketball has really become a "thing" as of this year. A rising tide lifts all boats. It's not just that Caitlin Clark has an appealing personality and might be said to be rather good looking/cute. She has those qualities but what might be overlooked is that she's an entertainer. She has those instincts. And as I have observed several times, she has no tattoos! So amen! 

So entering June we're talking serious pro basketball with the WNBA. In the men's sphere it appears the Timberwolves have faded. The women are just now hitting their stride. Basketball in summer! Why not? Of course the NBA playoffs have always seemed to go on forever. 

I recently commented to a Yahoo! News article that we can expect the next college women's season to enjoy an uptick in interest. Alas, I cannot name one member of the U of Minnesota women's basketball team. Hopefully that will change. Lindsay Whalen was no savior, that's for sure. 

 

Let's grade the press

Our MACA baseball team played New London-Spicer Tuesday which means we have to wait a full week to see a review of the action in the Morris newspaper. This is just totally unacceptable. Do you agree! Maybe you don't. I know the standards for judging timeliness could be very high when I was still with the Morris paper. I remember a Morris school administrator who could fly off the handle regarding this, to the extent that I thought the boundaries for taste were crossed. 

We had a faction in town that was fanatical about sports coverage, and another faction composed of the "academics" who pooh-poohed sports to begin with. You might say I've seen it all. 

Let's consider how the Morris newspaper is going to do covering section softball. How much of the section tournament has appeared thus far in the Morris paper? I mean, the games played in Marshall? Try the sports link on the Morris paper's website and what do you find there? Go ahead and check. Are you proud of what you see? The newspaper's priorities? Maybe you don't care. 

I am personally happy to write about MACA Tiger sports any chance I get. Bless everyone who has landed on my two blog sites to check it out.

New London-Spicer 7, Tigers 0

Well, who was the NL-Spicer pitcher who takes credit in this outcome? Fanfare for Grant Paffrath. My, he tossed a one-hitter gem against the Tigers. He's a senior right-hander. Jackson Hallman got to him for the one hit. 

New London-Spicer has the fifth seed and now they'll face No. 1 Minnewaska today (Thursday) at Marthaler Park, Glenwood. Minnewaska has the very highly-paid new athletic director, you know! 

The Wildcats are 15-6. They scored their seven runs vs. MACA on seven hits and committed one error. The MACA line score was 0-1-1. Hallman drew a walk in addition to getting his hit. 

Carson McCain was the big offensive force for NL-Spicer. McCain went three-for-four with two stolen bases, a run scored and two RBIs. 

Paffrath struck out five batters and walked just one. Drew Huebner took the loss for Motown. Drew did well with strikeouts as he achieved eight. He walked three and gave up four hits and five runs (four earned) in his five innings on the hill. Hallman pitched for two innings, fanned four batters, walked one and gave up three hits and two runs (one earned).

 

Image below: We're fired-up about the arts as well as athletics here at Morris Area! Wanda Dagen is boffo with her work in instrumental music. Your blog host is pleased to have contributed $2000 to support the band's New Orleans trip.

 

- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com

'Waska sweeps Benson whose nickname unresolved

The sun is out so get ready for post-season playoff softball this afternoon (Thursday). The site is Morris. Minnewaska Area will play new London-Spicer at 4:30 p.m. I walked past the softball complex yesterday and did not see standing water. We've survived the weather adversity of Tuesday. 

Now it's on to Section 3AA play in prep softball. The Lakers of 'Waska have struggled this spring. Their won-lost is 6-14. They are 2-3 in section, 4-10 in conference, 3-6 away from home and 3-8 at home. Can they perform a reversal for the post-season? I hope their fans are aware that the seating accommodations for fans here are almost non-existent. I suspect word gets around pretty well on that. 

Fans including the grandmas and grandpas are advised to bring their own chairs. We'll probably see fans sitting out by the outfield fence. 

You know a great place for organized softball? Big Cat Field right next door. I have seen the UMM Cougars play there. Accommodates super for fans. 

Minnewaska has struggled, yes, but they took two vs. Benson on May 14 at Benson. Benson is home of the. . . Should I type the nickname? Why can't that whole issue just be over with? There's an update as of this week. Here's the headline from Willmar radio: "Benson schools get another year to change Braves nickname." 

The Donald Trump strategy? Delay? 

We might easily surmise that this is just a way for Benson to strong-arm the state into coming forward with the money. Because, it definitely costs money to change a nickname and mascot. If Benson thinks the $ will ultimately come from state coffers - and you can really bet on it - they'll try to get as much as they can! More than needed! This is America. 

News articles on the subject are most often adorned with the graphic of the old unacceptable logo. We can objectively say it's unacceptable because that is what state law proclaims. We're talking "spirit of the law." My question is: Is Benson going to accept that? The spirit of the law? This might be done by advising P.A. announcers everywhere to avoid use of the name. 

How much longer? Benson needs $

Benson might leave the permanent symbols where they are and try to erase the name everywhere else. The current news update states that school districts such as Benson can have "another year" to replace American Indian mascots. 

The Benson superintendent who is dealing with this is Dennis Laumeyer. The article reports that in January, Laumeyer said they were seeking help from the legislature before moving forward and changing their sports teams' name from the Benson Braves. 

Well, "need help from the legislature." Naturally Benson could have seen this whole headache rumbling toward them many years ago. 

Benson appears not willing to act on principle, wouldn't you say? So it comes down to money and I'm rather sure Benson will get it in the end. In the meantime it's delay, just like with the Trump legal matters. 

Our state representative Paul Anderson commented about the one-year reprieve: "It's something that will help, although it just kicks the can down the road for a year." 

We might wonder how much "teeth" a state law such as this has. 

If Benson ends up simply refusing to comply - does nothing - well then my goodness what would happen? People get arrested and charged? Seriously?

'Waska beats Benson twice

The Lakers won by scores of 6-5 and 14-12 over Benson. Game 1 went into extra innings and saw 'Waska plate the game-winner in the ninth for the 6-5 triumph. The Lakers had to survive their eight errors! Their line score was 6-10-8. The Benson numbers were 5-5-4. 

Norah VanZee pitched all nine innings for the Lakers. She struck out eight batters, walked two and gave up five hits and five runs. None of the five runs were earned. The losing pitcher was Presley Nygaard. 

Jenna Drewes had two hits for 'Waska. She stole a base and drove in two runs. Ally Mogard walked, stole a base and scored a run. Ella Roering had a hit, a run scored and an RBI. Emma Poegel went two-for-three with one of her hits a double. She stole a base, walked and scored a run. Hallie Schulz went one-for-four. 

Carly Jergenson went two-for-four with a pair of stolen bases, plus she drove in two runs and scored one. Eliana Marthaler had a hit, drew a walk and scored a run. Avery Lewison tripled and scored a run.

 

'Waska 14, Benson 12

'Waska came out with guns blazing for Game 2, as they scored six runs in each of the first two innings. The Lakers survived five errors this time. Their line score numbers: 14-11-5. And Benson's: 12-8-1. 

'Waska employed two pitchers: Norah VanZee (the winner) and Mataya Mix (the save). 

Many Lakers contributed offensively. Jenna Drewes had a hit, a walk and a run scored. Melanie Lara had a hit in her only at-bat. Ally Mogard had no hits but she walked twice and was hit by pitch. She drove in a run and scored two runs. Ella Roering was one-for-four with a run and an RBI. Emma Poegel had a hit, two runs scored, an RBI, a walk and a stolen base. 

Hallie Schulz had a hit in her only at-bat. She got on base twice via walk. She stole a base, drove in a run and scored twice. Carly Jergenson went two-for-three with two runs scored, an RBI and a stolen base. Xi Li drew a walk and crossed home plate once. Eliana Marthaler doubled as part of a two-for-three showing. She walked, scored a run and drove in two runs. 

VanZee had a hit and an RBI. Avery Lewison went one-for-three with a run scored and two RBIs. Amanda Lohre drew a walk and scored a run. 

Presley Nygaard was the losing pitcher for Benson. For the "Braves?" I dunno about that.

Minnewaska grabs our AD

By now you all know that Minnewaska Area has "poached" our athletic director here in Morris. And everyone accepts as fact that our AD made his move to 'Waska because of money! Word is, he'll be making $40,000 a year more in 'Waska. I wish he had never come to Morris to begin with. We treated him as special for a short time. Now he's with a rival school. How can 'Waska pay so much more than Morris? I'll quote from an email from a friend last night:

 

Minnewaska does have a higher pay scale top to bottom because they have a higher tax base and thus more money to work with. Morris brags that they have the lowest tax base of all school districts in the area, but it also means that they pay staff less. 

 

- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com

Kaleb Breuer shows offensive mastery vs. LQPV

Tons of good news to report on MACA Tiger baseball. 

We're so fortunate to have the "Minnesota Scores" website as an asset. A fan can get oriented real fast to how their favorite team is doing. How are the Tigers doing? A look at our "MN Scores" page shows a long trail of W's from recent action. Nothing but W's over the recent past in fact. 

W, W, W, that's the norm. 

Into the playoff season? We'll have to see on that. We learn that the orange and black downed Lac qui Parle Valley decisively 12-2 on May 17. This left our record at 13-4. 

Unfortunately our section record is a disappointing 0-4. But we're a commanding 10-2 in conference. Oh my we're 5-0 on the road and 8-4 at home. 

The offensive story for the Tigers vs. LQPV was share-the-wealth. Nine Tigers rapped out hits. The game was classified non-conference. Kaleb Breuer entertained fans at Chizek Field with his three-for-three performance. Two of his hits were doubles. He drove in four runs and crossed home plate twice. Let's throw in a walk and a sacrifice fly. 

MACA burst out in front 6-1 in the first inning. A 4-1 advantage in the third pretty much put the game away. We tacked on single insurance runs in the fifth and sixth. Our pitching duties were shared by Alex Asmus (the winner) and Jackson Hallman (awarded the save). Alex pitched for three innings, fanned three batters and walked two. He gave up four hits and two runs, earned. 

Hallman also hurled for three innings. This Tiger set down four Eagles on strikes while walking just one. He gave up three hits and no runs. LQPV had four individuals in action on the pitching rubber. Their pitcher of record was Matthew Arndt. 

Breuer was part of an impressive assortment of MACA hitters. So let's celebrate the others. Alex Asmus was a perfect two-for-two with two stolen bases, plus he walked and scored a run. Riley Asmus had two hits including a triple, plus he got on base via HBP. He drew a walk and scored two runs. Andrew Marty had a hit, two runs scored, two walks received and a stolen base. Ozzy Jerome had a hit, a walk, two RBIs and two runs scored. 

Owen Anderson had a two-for-four line. He stole a base and scored a run. Hallman complemented his pitching with a hit, a run and an RBI. John Kleindl's bat resonated with a double. He stole a base, drew a walk, drove in three runs and scored one. Jack Kehoe socked a triple. 

 

Coach Kirby Sayles

Sharp in the field too

The Tigers scored their 12 runs on 14 hits. Just as impressive: the zero under errors! Coach Kirby Sayles smiled for sure! Lac qui Parle's line score was 2-7-1. 

Let's check to see if Bart Hill still coaches Lac qui Parle. Surprise! No he doesn't. Where does the time go? The LQPV fixture retired last season, ending a run of 27 seasons! My, I remember writing about him when he was an MAHS Tiger athlete. He's the brother of former Morris City Manager Blaine Hill. Bart was a winner as prep coach. He compiled a 378-211 record over his tenure on the baseball diamond. 

Hill is succeeded by his protege Darby Bjorgan. Bjorgan played under Hill in 1998-99. He cut his teeth as assistant coach under his mentor Hill for nine seasons. "You can't replace Bart Hill," the new coach said. But Bjorgan sees his own coaching style as being basically the same as Bart's. 

Bjorgan began his new role with an 11-9 win in six innings over Ortonville. The game was a lot more heartening than the one he experienced Friday in Morris. But that's how it goes sometimes. "That's how it goes" we might say to the Denver Nuggets coach! 

Let's acknowledge the Lac qui Parle Eagles who had hits in the Friday game: Dyllon Geiser, Kaden Mortenson, Davis Patzer, Kaden Molden, Landon Weber and Brock Bjornjelt. Patzer went two-for-three with a stolen base and an RBI.

Amazing Timberwolves!

Where were you when the Minnesota Timberwolves mounted their comeback Sunday? Still following live through TV, livestream or radio? I'll confess I abandoned the radio broadcast because it seemed to me it was game over. The Wolves seemed limp in falling into a terrible deficit. No hope? Well in sports, never assume such. 

I didn't check back on the game until this morning (Monday) to confirm how it turned out. To confirm the final score, the size of the deficit at game's end. I'll say this: the excitement of the Wolves has pushed aside Caitlin Clark in my mind for a day or two. My thoughts are back on the men! Unbelievable: the Wolves actually pulled out the victory in the road. In Game 7. 

Are you a believer now? I'd be especially happy now if Caitlin could get her first win with the "Fever" soon, maybe tonight in the re-match with Connecticut. I'd be on cloud 9. 

We can get ready for more T-Wolves action now. Go Wolves, go Fever! I might add "go Lynx." What would I like to see when the Lynx play the Fever? Good question. Caitlin has been such a boost for all of America in these trying times of Trump's legal matters. I'm all-in for her. Such staying power with going right from the NCAA Tournament to the pros: She is absolutely programmed to stay focused. She is an entertainer! 

The Trump legal matter simply never ends. "Hush money?" Is this good for America? Is Speaker Mike Johnson legitimizing pornography? Kind of sounds like it. He crusades for Trump in New York City. He's from Louisiana? What gives? Remember, Louisiana is a state of the old Confederacy. 

I hope our many loyal Trump supporters here in the Morris area could get their minds off politics and get swept up in the Timberwolves euphoria. It was a comeback for the ages on Sunday, n'est-ce pas? 

The Denver Nuggets built a 20-point lead over our Timberpuppies. The second half was on. What were the odds? The odds against a Wolves push to victory? The late Willie Martin would say "astronomical." Willie's daughter Sharon had her birthday yesterday (Sunday). I sent a happy birthday email to her. Big change coming for Sharon: Leaving the MAHS teaching staff. That's a shocker. Looks like maybe the stresses of teaching have accumulated? Can happen to the best of us. 

The Timberwolves pulled off the largest halftime comeback in a Game 7 in NBA history. We outscored Denver 60-37 in the second half to win 98-90. We're now in for the Western Conference finals. It has been two decades since we last climbed to this rung. Where does the time go? 

We went on a 19-3 run to escape the bleakest point of the semis contest at Ball Arena. The Nuggets failed to make a field goal for over six full minutes! Karl Anthony Towns led us with 23 total points and eleven boards. Next up for our blessed team: the Dallas Mavericks with Luke Doncic. There's a couple of "thingies" I'm supposed to put over the c's but I don't know how to do that. Action resumes Wednesday here in Minneapolis. Let's win Timberwolves and let's win Clark and the Fever! I'll root for the Lynx when I can. 

I wrote a regular column on the Timberwolves way back in their very first season for the Morris newspaper. Some people may have thought that was a little odd but that never stopped me. I took my father to a Season 1 game at the Metrodome! We lost a lot then but I enjoyed the games. I attended 3-4 games in the first year of Target Center too! I went with Rick Lucken to one. We miss Rick. I believe we dined at Rudolph's Bar-B-Que before the game. 

We thought concessions were expensive. Holy cow, I wonder what the prices are now.

Mike Odello took this photo of the recent Northern Lights display.

- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com

"CC" facing vicissitudes of big-time sports

No introduction needed (rolling stone image)

A comment that I posted to a Yahoo! News article on May 16:

For those new fans of the WNBA who are watching just because they want to see CC continue to be a superstar, I don't think this is the best path. Maybe she will be, but I think it's best for the new fans to pick a team and root for it.

 

"Dominator Dog" responded:

Continue to be what? She has been shut down the first two games with more shutdowns to come.

 

Sports fancies

Nothing like a Thursday night where the sports world is nearly consumed with WNBA enthusiasm. That was the state of affairs last night, May 16. The WNBA has been plodding along in obscurity. Maybe unfair but that's the way it is with sports entertainment. 

People all over were aware of the Thursday game that would of course have "CC" in action again. The former Iowa Hawkeye. So sad: people want CC's pro career to be a reprise of the fairy tale-like story from when she was at Iowa. We would all be so thrilled to see it happen. 

What was I expecting? You can never know in sports, but I had a feeling she might stumble a notch or two. She has had her moments thus far. She is so sharp with her passing that sometimes her teammates aren't expecting it. The Indiana coach is taking quite a bit of heat. Indiana got absolutely trampled Thursday night at Indianapolis. 

I wonder what the controversial sportswriter there will say. Doyel? That's his last name and why doesn't he spell it "Doyle?" He appears to have violated his own temporary "gag order" with his paper. "Gag order" has appeared throughout the media in connection with the hugely depressing Trump trial. One thing about the "CC mania" is that it takes our attention away from the surreal trial scenes in New York City. 

So Judge Merchan is biased? His daughter somehow figures into that. Doesn't his daughter have a right to be active with a political organization? Surely the Republicans won't object if there's a background of supporting Republicans or MAGA or any other entities within that smelly swill of the American public. 

We'll have a test out here with our congressperson being primaried from the right. Amazing. The incumbent did not even want to accept the election results in 2020. And now she's not good enough or loyal enough. 

 

Just do this

Right now the priority everywhere should be just to make sure that voting is open to everyone - no unreasonable roadblocks or intimidation. Republicans are talking like they'll be having poll-watchers everywhere. Have you ever seen this in Stevens County? Is it ever likely to happen here? Heavy-handed intimidation just by virtue of their presence? 

Hancock went wild voting for Trump in 2016. Will it happen again? Will they even vote for Michelle Fischbach? 

What about Judge Merchan being biased? Well, in the news this morning we learn that Supreme Court Justice Sam Alito had our American flag flying upside down with a "stop the steal" message exactly like Trump's. Our cherished American flag flying upside down? Isn't that sort of treasonous? I mean being done by a U.S. Supreme Court justice? Do they take an oath of being loyal to America? 

Do Alito and others like him, e.g. Clarence Thomas' wife, really want to see a total overthrow of the American government? To be replaced by what? A sheer autocracy? Maybe so. 

 

Escape into hoops

Well, for the time being we can feel some enthusiasm following the WNBA which historically gets so little notice. So here we are early in the season, heading toward June and we're fixated on basketball. 

The Timberwolves get a fair amount of attention and enthusiasm. But the women's basketball thing has become a phenomenon. If it were not for Caitlin Clark, I would not even know who Katie Lou Samuelson is. 

The Indiana "Fever" have lost twice with the second game being the ballyhooed home opener. I found a livestream video by someone using his phone at the arena. He could not show the actual game. It was a crude presentation but I didn't care. I felt like I was there at the Indianapolis arena. The enthusiasm just gripped me. 

"CC" is the only reason I went searching for any such video. I would be oblivious otherwise. And that is sad - I'm not proud to say it. 

None of us should feel any natural or moral obligation to follow a pro sports league. Circumstances have to build up for earning this. So, the memories are so fresh of Clark's Iowa experience which seems in looking back like a blessed fantasy. Really truly. The video highlights are going to seem stored in amber. 

We cannot rule out anything for Clark's pro career. Athletics is by its nature (pretty much) unpredictable. Right now on this late May day of 2024, Clark's image has fallen some. If you were expecting the girl to give a repeat performance of her other-worldly accomplishments with the Hawkeyes, you are going to be disappointed and deflated, at least over the near-term future. 

Can you hang in there? I am trying to show the proper attitude of appreciating all of women's basketball. Clark has clearly been the catalyst for all this. So I'm familiar with Katie Lou Samuelson and others. I also remind myself that our University of Minnesota women's basketball program ought to work harder to elevate itself. I'm happy for Iowa, a state with no big league teams, but Minnesota ought never accept a back seat to Iowa. 

I can't name one player with the Gophers, unfortunately. Didn't the Hawkeyes rather dismantle us? 

Let's focus on the present and what is likely to happen with Clark and the Fever. Will the bottom drop out for home attendance? That would be unfortunate. How will our "Lynx" do against the Fever? Sorry but I cannot name one player with the Lynx. I can name a player with Las Vegas and that's Kate Martin. Kate played side-by-side with Caitlin at Iowa. Maybe I'll start rooting just as much for Kate as for Caitlin. Kate can definitely pull her weight with the pros. 

Here I am writing at length with my wellspring being the WNBA. Isn't that terrific? I think so.

 

The biggest accomplishment? Here's Katie Lou

Be like Katie Lou?

Maybe Clark should actually sit out this pro season, the idea being she needed a rest from the rush of reaching the heights of college Division I play. Seriously, maybe she should have considered getting pregnant and having a child. Take a year off, have the child and then suit up again with the idea that she'll accept whatever role her coach wants. Katie Lou took off a season for this reason! Katie Lou looked pretty good Thursday for the Fever. 

Photo at right is from "Indy Star."

Clark and the fans could float back down to earth. We'd all realize that we cannot see a total reprise of the lighting-in-a-bottle magic of Clark's Iowa career. Call up the videos, those beautiful videos of the Hawkeyes with the short and sweet "Iowa" name on the front of uniforms. As I have written before, "it doesn't get any better than this." 

But "go Fever!" Oh, and "go Lynx!"

 

Addendum: Remember the song "All I Owe Ioway" from the 1945 movie "State Fair?" It was a Rodgers and Hammerstein composition.

 

- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com

Doubleheader sweep on the baseball diamond

We're in a time for giving considerable thought to our local public school. The big graduation day '24 is coming up. There's the referendum where I suppose we cannot assume anything as far as the outcome. Can we? My recent memory tells me the referendum (referenda?) are slam-dunk for passage in this community. I must say it seems surreal for someone like me, age 69, who remembers from the '60s when it was like pulling teeth to try to get a referendum passed. That is no understatement. 

Our school thoughts are always close to what is going on with co-curricular. Since the kids are what it's always all about, I'll place my focus now on Thursday baseball results. Wonderful to get the opportunity to type some kids' names. It has become much harder to find timely update info online. Today I am in luck, so I can report on a doubleheader sweep on Thursday in Tiger baseball. 

The action was here in Motown. A friend tells me this a.m. that the Tigers are "still in the hunt" for the conference title. An interesting expression: "in the hunt." Well we're in contention. Now I have to look up if it's "referendums" or "referenda." 

"You say potato" etc.

 

Game 1: Tigers 6, BOLD 1

The Tigers worked to a 2-0 lead by the end of three innings. We went on to score one in the fifth and three in the sixth. The lone BOLD run came home in the fourth. Our line score was six runs, eight hits and two errors. BOLD's numbers were 1-3-3. 

Drew Huebner was our winning pitcher. Wow, he fanned 13 batters! And he walked just one in his six innings. He allowed the one run but it was unearned. Looks like we might be relying on Drew in post-season. Jackson Hallman had his arm called on to pitch one inning. He set down two batters on strikes. 

Let's look over the offense, so here we see Andrew Marty with a walk received and a stolen base. Riley Asmus walked twice, stole a base and scored a run. Ozzy Jerome socked a double, drew a walk, drove in a run and scored two. 

Kaleb Breuer had a two-for-four line including a double. Kaleb stole a base, scored a run and drove in two. Owen Anderson came through at two-for-four with both his hits doubles. His bat made noise! Owen drove in a run. 

Alex Asmus joined the parade with two hits in three at-bats, plus he walked and drove in two runs. Johnny Kleindl added to the mix with a hit. Hallman worked the pitcher for two walks, plus he stole a base and scored a run. Ashdon Hacker stole a base, drew a walk and scored a run. 

The losing pitcher was Hayden Edwards. BOLD's hits were by Tate Sheehan, Max Benson and Emmitt Flann.

Game 2: Tigers 10, BOLD 3

Our offense really got unleashed! Ten runs on eleven hits in this 10-3 triumph to complete the sweep. The orange and black shot out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning. Then we came through with a big inning in the fifth: seven runs. BOLD was held scoreless until the fifth. 

We committed two errors while BOLD had four. The Asmus boys did our pitching. Riley was the pitcher of record. He worked five innings and gave up four hits while striking out seven and walking three. The one run he allowed was unearned. Alex Asmus hurled for two innings. He fanned a batter and walked two. 

The losing pitcher was Max Benson. 

We had a number of offensive contributions again. I am pleased to be able to share here. Andrew Marty went two-for-four including a double. He was also hit-by-pitch. Andrew stole a base, drove in three runs and scored one. 

Oh my, Riley Asmus got hit by pitch three times! That's amazing. Just accidents? Hmmm. Riley was able to hit when the ball came in normal: his boxscore line included a hit. He scored two runs. 

Ozzy Jerome had a hit, scored twice, drove in a run, drew a walk and stole a base. Kaleb Breuer had a hit and drew two walks. Kaleb also drove in two runs. 

Owen Anderson scored a run and stole a base. Alex Asmus had a hit, a run scored and an RBI. Johnny Kleindl had a hit and a run scored. Jonah Huebner went one-for-one with his hit a double. He drove in two runs. Ashdon Hacker was also a perfect one-for-one. Jack Kehoe had a hit and drew a walk. 

Landen Gibson worked the pitcher for a walk. And Jackson Hallman had a hit, a run scored and a walk. 

Three players each had two hits for BOLD: Hunter Malvin, Jack Kaiser and Emmitt Flann. Flann had a double.

 

Sharon Martin

Say it ain't so!

Visited Caribou Coffee this morning as I often do. Was pleased of course to see Sharon Martin in the parking lot. She has an ankle support these days but that's temporary. We need Sharon in good shape for walking her charming dog "Goldy." 

My encounter with Sharon brought me some shocking news. "Say it ain't so" but Sharon is resigning as a teacher! She'll be manager of the Willie's bakery dept. I told her how much I liked the fresh-baked muffins from there in the morning. Problem is, I have to have one every time I'm there in the morning! 

Leaving teaching! I could not imagine it, as I thought she really took to it. And that the kids took to her. However, sounds like the stresses of the occupation are catching up to her. How could any student or any student's parent possibly give Sharon a hard time? If you can't see eye-to-eye with her, you have problems. 

I went to high school with Sharon's older sister Edith. Was pleased to see Edith back in Motown for a visit recently. Edith and I graduated from Morris High in 1973. In those days I was a "stringer" for the Morris Sun Tribune newspaper under Arnold Thompson. I am a true old-timer having done work for Arnold. 

I wrote about Sharon and her twin sister Sheila when they played softball under coach Mary Holmberg. Sharon has a teasing way of referring to her twin sister as "my evil twin sister!" I am an only child and I try to understand such things. 

Will the upcoming school referendum pass? Is there really any suspense with these things any more? I doubt it. Everyone just has a ton of money I guess. I have Gossamer wings when I pay my property taxes (or maybe not).

Sharon Martin in the winter with "Goldy" in background.

 

- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com

Bruininks was here for sunny graduation

Our surroundings have sure been "wet" lately. Well, moisture promotes life, right? And surely things will dry out some as temperatures make their eventual creep upward for this time of year. It's the time of year when we can focus on graduations. I think it would be good for everyone's morale if we could have an outdoor UMM graduation. Weather has been a hindrance in too many years. 

We have been blessed in some years like when Bob Bruininks came here to speak. I remember that one especially well. Ah Bruininks whose last name required some acclimation for typing properly! It was easy after just a few times, at least for me. I did suggest the alternative phonetic spelling of "Brunix." 

Bob Bruininks of the U

You might remember Bruininks as the U president with the background of really loving our UMM Jazz Festival. The Festival equates with memories of the late Jim Carlson. Jacqueline Johnson spoke about how all college programs and the colleges themselves have built-in permanence and when someone exits, someone else simply steps in. She said the principle applied to herself obviously. She shared her remarks at the time Jim exited UMM. 

I know Carlson did not feel good about all the circumstances surrounding him at the time of his leaving. Many of us have to adjust to such things even if we have a hard time understanding them. Even if we see very little logic to it. Sometimes the world just changes too. There has been a drop-off in the number of college-age kids. We could once count on a flood of such kids to arrive on campuses in the fall. 

We could count on kids partying like crazy for Homecoming at a place like St. Cloud State. At present I feel the college and its community have succeeded in slaying the dragon of that image. I really do. So today if you mention "St. Cloud State" you are not guaranteed to arouse a smile based on the old image. And of course there were many students whose conduct was not consistent with that image anyway. 

I hear that the UMM Jazz Festival this year was quite fine. It may no longer follow the mold that Jim set up, but hey, there was a time when the institution had to end its "UMM men's chorus." Ahem, that just happened to be the ensemble that was closely associated with my late father. I cannot tell you in what year it ended. And I don't know for a fact that it ended because of the political issues with having such a gender-specific group. Would it have been OK if there was a female-only equivalent? 

Gender acknowledgment seemed essential back then. So, I remember the term "mixed chorus." Mixed with boys and girls of course. It's understood that my father wanted to establish the men's group, as one of his biggest claims to fame was having conducted the Apollo Male Chorus of Minneapolis. Back to the '50s! 

UMM has gone through changes like all higher ed institutions. Part of that, though far from being the only part, is the diminished number of college-age kids out there. Just as significant are the changes to our whole culture in the digital age of communications. We must hope UMM can adjust. I have opened my big mouth too much saying that UMM might have to adjust its fundamental mission, that fundamental mission having always been "liberal arts." Unfortunately, I guess, I expressed this viewpoint some even back in the pre-digital days. 

Of course we all endorse what the liberal arts basically represent. The question is whether such formal institutions need to be devoted to them, institutions with their instructors who can spin things in ways we sometimes find objectionable. And in the Internet age we have direct access to all the knowledge we might find useful in understanding our world. 

 

Illness report

We got sad news this week, as a UMM music event at our Morris Public Library had to be canceled. I saw the poster at the library with the handwritten "canceled due to illness" on it. So I inquired. Our friendly librarian Anne informed me: the illness was of the director Simon Tillier. I later heard he had to go to the hospital and was then sent to St. Cloud. 

Simon Tillier

It's Thursday afternoon as I write this, dearly hope that everything is panning out for director Tillier, he of the British sound to his voice. Mom and I might have started talking that way ourselves. You may be even more familiar with another trait of Simon's. Being all over on his bicycle! And this seems to cover every month of the year. A real intrepid soul. 

Simon is master of the clarinet. I hear this is the instrument of specialty for our high school band director too, Wanda Dagen. Wanda has some important concerts coming up. Check these out, put them on your calendar. 

The public library is where I check out the newspapers: Morris and Minneapolis. Anne told me "I never see kids with the newspapers." Ah, a signal for where society is headed with the media! Who could have predicted that Litchfield and Hutchinson would be literally losing their newspapers? Apparently no new buyers could be found. 

So what's up with the future of our newspaper here? It has been through substantial downsizing since the days I worked there. Sue Dieter reportedly told the staff how much better things would be with me gone. It sure didn't turn out that way. Signs of downsizing in various ways began cropping up not long after I left. UMM has chosen to have Dieter on its payroll. I view it as a bureaucratic position. Why didn't she stay with the paper? Was she given the option to stay? I mean, when the new ownership took over? 

I find it hard to root for Reed, sorry, because of his repeated points where he seems to imply the government ought to help newspapers. Or facilitate them or whatever. A partnering of government with newspapers is just folly IMHO. I think as inflation gets worse, as it almost surely will, more people will cut out the local newspaper from their expenses. 

Don't you think it's strange that the paper has this nice "sports" link on its website and this is almost 100 percent UMM Cougar news? That has baffled me for some time. I like seeing local sports news when it's fresh.

 

I observed this week's Stevens County Times at library, then sent this email to a friend:

 

WHAT GIVES? I looked at photo at bottom-left of front page. Take a look yourself. Four individuals in photo. Looks like Mr. K at right. Are these individuals identified in caption? As in "left to right," so we know who the heck the honored kids are? The paper has committed this type of oversight repeatedly. I would be called dumb in all sorts of creative ways if I did it. Dumb and lazy and whatever. I'd risk being shouted at.

Why can't the paper straighten this out?

Just went to Casey's for a snack, I came right out and told them right away I'm not in their rewards program.

- BW

 

I shared further with my friend about the paper's error and other things:

 

It pains me to realize how routine it was for me to "make my rounds" and take photos and jot down notes so everything was clear for a photo caption. It doesn't even take any special training. I would never have committed an oversight like you see in the new paper, and if I had, my God the insults I'd have to take from all over.

I am quite certain that life in Litchfield and Hutchinson will proceed quite fine when they have no paper. The fact that the papers are closing means that no new owners could be found. I don't like seeing Reed's opinion pieces about how the government needs to help newspapers. I can't think of a worse idea. But of course everyone wants government money.

The thing about covering local schools that about drives you nuts, is that they never can get enough money and the teachers can never get enough money. And the Morris teachers look so upset now, we all have to fear it will affect their performance and enthusiasm just like it did in the 1980s. The football coach is one of the leading complainers.

Harold LeVander

Minnesota had a governor once, Harold LeVander, Republican, who couldn't believe that the education establishment was never satisfied. He thought the state had done some good things for education. But no.

The newspaper will run a "correction" by simply running a thorough caption on their WEBSITE. Neat trick, they've done it several times. Maybe one of the people in the photo will write the caption for the paper, since the paper has trouble doing it.

- BW

 

My learned friend responded with this observation: 

Levander backwards is "Rednavel."

 

- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com