Tuesday, June 28, 2011

AURORA HOLES IN ONE, JUNE 2011

AURORA | Holes in one on Aurora golf courses in June as reported to The Aurora Sentinel. To submit holes in one, fax to 720-449-9033:

JUNE 28, 2011

Golfer: Bob Klopotek
Golf Course: CommonGround Golf Course
Hole, yardage: No. 6, 125 yards
Club used: Pitching Wedge
Witnesses: Nancy Bayle, 2 others

Golfer: Nick Mason
Golf Course: CommonGround Golf Course
Hole, yardage: No. 6, 188 yards
Club used: 7 Iron
Witnesses: Kane Webber, Brad Bessler, Chad Bell

JUNE 19, 2011

Golfer: Chris Rabern
Golf Course: CommonGround Golf Course
Hole, yardage: No. 12, 185 yards
Club used: 5 Iron
Witnesses: Unknown

JUNE 18, 2011
Golfer: Rob T. Willing
Golf Course: Springhill Golf Course
Hole, yardage: No. 6, 165 yards
Club used: 4 Hybrid
Witnesses: Carl DeVanti, Dan Shaver




Golfer: David Hudson
Golf Course: Springhill Golf Course
Hole, yardage: No. 14, 185 yards
Club used: 8 Iron
Witnesses: John Gaudin, John Herro

JUNE 17, 2011

Golfer: Mary Watson
Golf Course: CommonGround Golf Course
Hole, yardage: No. 12, 107 yards
Club used: 11 Wood
Witnesses: Tammy Bearden, Leigh Hogan, Nancy Land

Golfer: Phil Marquis
Golf Course: Fitzsimons Golf Course
Hole, yardage: No. 5, 90 yards
Club used: 58 Wedge
Witnesses: Bill Dean, Robert Boyle

JUNE 16, 2011

Golfer: Stan Bond
Golf Course: CommonGround Golf Course
Hole, yardage: No. 14, 169 yards
Club used: 6 Iron
Witnesses: Al Sanders, Bob Worrel, John Alfred

Golfer: Chad Barnett
Golf Course: Murphy Creek Golf Course
Hole, yardage: No. 17, 198 yards
Club used: 3 Iron
Witnesses: Mark Harrison, Bryan Youngs, Ryan Vaughn

Golfer: Aaron Roberts
Golf Course: Springhill Golf Course
Hole, yardage: No. 17, 138 yards
Club used: 56 S/W
Witness: Lewis Boyd

Monday, June 6, 2011

Bird, Aurora players await MLB Draft

Grandview star Greg Bird, a catcher/first baseman, is a potential pick in the top five
rounds of the 2011 Major League Baseball Draft, which runs June 6-8. 

With just a few hours remaining before the 2011 Major League Baseball Amateur Draft, Grandview's Greg Bird is certain of one thing he won't be doing after the three-day process is over: chasing bears.

The Wolves' 6-foot-3, 215-pound star catcher/first baseman is expected to be the first Colorado high school player off the board in the 50-round draft, which also includes players from the college ranks, and could end up netting a lucrative contract offer if he is selected early enough.

Gatorade's Colorado player of the year in baseball won't be letting the process affect his sanity, afterall he has already signed a scholarship offer to play at the University of Arkansas. Bird has been projected to be picked anywhere between rounds No. 2-5 in the draft, which begins at 5 p.m. Monday and continues Tuesday and Wednesday.

"Coach (Grandview's Dean) Adams always tells me, you're in a win-win situation; you get drafted, sign for a ton of money and go play baseball like everybody dreams about or you go to Arkansas and get to play baseball in a great program," said Bird, a left-handed hitter who hit .553 with 12 home runs and 37 RBI as a senior. "Whatever happens, you won't find me running around in a forest chasing bears."

Bird got something of a preview last season when highly-touted teammate Kevin Gausman, a standout right-handed pitcher, went through the process. The hard-throwing Gausman dropped further than expected, falling all the way to the sixth round and the 202nd overall pick. Negotiations broke down and Gausman ended up going to Louisiana State, where he was 5-6 with a 3.51 ERA for the Tigers.

"Watching what happened with Kevin last year, it's all about whoever takes you," said Bird, who is playing in the California Collegiate League over the summer. "We have a pretty good idea of how things are going to go down, but I've learned not to get too excited or get your hopes up too high. The draft is always filled with surprises."

While Bird is a virtual lock, several other Aurora prep standouts have a chance to be selected as well.

Among those would could get a call are Bird's Grandview teammate Jerod Smith (a Univ. of San Diego signee), Regis Jesuit's Connor McKay (Kansas) and Drew Merten (Lamar C.C.), Cherokee Trail outfield prospect Mikel Mucha (Wichita State) and Michigan-bound Smoky Hill pitching star Matt Ogden.

Some college players with Aurora ties could also go, a group led by former Regis Jesuit pitcher Steve Dennison out of Wheaton College.

Dennison — a 6-7 left-handed pitcher, a 2007 Regis Jesuit graduate — was taken in the 34th round of last season's draft (1,037th overall) by the Florida Marlins, but chose to return to school. He went 3-4 with two saves and a 6.20 ERA in 14 appearances with the Thunder.

Cherokee Trail grad Zach Dando, a right-handed pitcher who played the past two seasons at Central Arizona College, is also a possibility.

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Negro League traveling exhibit coming to Aurora

AURORA | Baseball history buffs will get a treat Aug. 10-Sept. 23, as a traveling panel exhibition focusing on the history of baseball's Negro leagues will be housed at the Aurora Public Library and the Aurora History Museum.

Based on the permanent display on the Negro league as the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y., "Pride and Passion: The African-American Baseball Experience" — a product of the American Library Association — is focused on the trials and tribulations of African-American baseball players in the late 19th century as they played the game they loved in their own professional leagues before Major League Baseball allowed them in.

A main focus of the exhibit is Jackie Robinson, who broke the color barrier when Branch Rickey signed him to the Brooklyn Dodgers. Other notable Negro league stars featured include Satchel Paige, James "Cool Papa" Bell, Josh Gibson and others.

Admission to the exhibit, which is scheduled to make 51 appearances across the country, is free and there are a variety of book discussions and related events scheduled for the exhibit's entire stay. Memorabilia from Denver-based Jay Sanford and John Kohl collections is also scheduled to be a part.


RELATED PROGRAMS TO "PRIDE AND PASSION"

  • Aug. 14, 2 p.m.: "Pride and Passion Kick-off Event" featuring baseball historian and collector Jay Sanford his program "African-American Baseball"
  • Aug. 17, 10:30 a.m.: Discussion of "Veracruz Blues," a book by Mark Winegardner.
  • Aug. 24, 2 p.m.: "America's Pasttime: Baseball," presented by Active Minds at the Aurora Central Library. pre-registration is required (303-739-6626).
  • Aug. 28, 2 p.m.: "Kids Baseball Day." Kids can dress up as vintage baseball players, go on a scavenger hunt and win a prize.
  • Sept. 6, 1 p.m.: Discussion of "Jackie Robinson and the Integration of Baseball," a book by Scott Simon.
  • Sept. 7, 10 a.m.: Children's story time
  • Sept. 13, 7 p.m.: Discussion of "The Soul of Baseball: A Road Trip through Buck O'Neil's America," a book by Joe Posnanski at the Aurora Central Library.
  • Sept. 18, 2 p.m.: "Meet Mack the Knife," featuring stories from Mack "The Knife" Pride Jr., a Negro League pitcher with the Memphis Red Sox and Kansas City Monarchs (1955-1956).