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The ADVANCE, February 24,2021/Page 9B
Spring Training
by
Loran Smith
Major League spring
training a year ago was
moving along at a busi-
ness-as-usual pace when
suddenly, like a bolt out
of the blue, the virus shut
down one of the most
popular staples of this
grand old game.
There was doubt
that the season would
be played. When the
dust settled, there were
games—even the World
Series took place—but
there were no fans.
At this point, there
are indications that fans
will return, perhaps, for
spring training. In years
past, I always got a lift
around Valentine’s Day,
knowing that there likely
would be an opportunity
to drive down to Florida
when the temperatures
back home brought about
shut-in status for all too
many. A couple of times
there has been the good
fortune to also include a
few days in Arizona.
If you peruse a map
of the Phoenix area, you
can readily see that geog
raphy is favorable in that
the teams are bunched
tightly in the greater
Phoenix complex. What
you don’t realize, un
til you get there, is that
traffic can be a killer. It
can take an hour to go 15
miles. Traffic is an issue
in Florida, too especially
in the Tampa Bay corner
when you have to go over
the Courtney Campbell
Causeway to Clearwa
ter and Dunedin where
the Phillies and Blue Jays
have organized spring
training for years. The
distance is but 9.9 miles,
but at peak traffic times,
you may spend two and a
half hours reaching your
destination.
The Braves, a long
time fixture at Disney’s
Wide World of Sports
complex, South of Orlan
do, were initially happy
with their digs, but bus
travel was a colossal pain
for the team. That led to
their taking possession of
a new complex in 2020 at
North Port in South Sara
sota County—the mail
ing address is a box num
ber in North Port, but the
physical address is listed
as Venice.
It is about as nice of a
spring training facility as
there is in Florida, some
of that having to do with
the fact that it is the new
est. Several new ballparks
have come about lately
with one of the classiest
being the Red Sox facility
at Fort Myers where the
Lee County government
built JetBlue Park at Fen
way South for Boston and
Hammond Stadium for
the Twins.
The new stadiums
have a pristine appear
ance and fans flock to
watch their favorite team
play in the sunshine, but
there is opportunity for
other options such as golf
and fishing. You can play
golf in the morning at
classic layouts or boat a
prized Snook and arrive
at the nearest big league
stadium in time for first
pitch.
The late Phil Niek-
ro considered the best
spring training site to be
West Palm Beach where
the Braves trained for
34 years. Only an hour
northwest there is Lake
Okeechobee where you
find plentiful and highly
regarded fishing grounds.
There are many small
lakes in between.
Last year, I was able
to add a new endeavor
to spring training when a
former Georgia tight end,
Bill O’Leary, took me into
the central part of the
state for a bedazzling tur
key hunt where I was able
to claim a prized Osceola
turkey.
There are a number of
former big league person
alities, who have retired to
Arizona and Florida. One
of the most memorable of
experiences came several
years ago when long time
Mets announcer Lindsey
Nelson introduced me by
phone to the legendary
Red Grange, who lived
out his life in Indian Lake
Estates, which is 70 miles
south of Orlando.
On several occasions,
Red and his wife Muggs
were hospitable hosts
when I took spring train
ing trips and stopped by
to see them. We talked
football while Muggs
prepared snacks for us
to enjoy over insightful
and illuminating con
versation. Red thought
Charley Trippi was the
greatest football player
he ever knew. Although
he had reminisced about
his record $100,000 con
tract many times before,
he patiently recalled them
again for a friend of a
friend.
One of my favorite
stories from Red, had to
do with the Bears playing
the Redskins in Wash
ington. The senior sena
tor from Illinois invited
Red and a teammate by
to meet President Calvin
Coolidge.
When the senator in
troduced the players, he
said, “Mr. President these
guys are with the Chi
cago Bears.” With that,
Coolidge greeted them
and said, “Hiya fellows,
I always did like animal
acts.”
VHS
continued from page 2B
on a run with Mann and
Vaughn getting shots to
go. Mann closed it to 49-
47, and Toombs came up
with a steal, but a big
block by Johnson for VHS
kept Toombs from tying
the game.
Hill added to the
VHS lead to make it 51-
47, but Wardlaw worked
hard under the basket for
the Bulldogs and closed
that to 51-49. Whited
gave VHS a 54-49 with a
three with just 1:30 left in
the game.
Mann did a great job
down the stretch for
TCHS at the free-throw
line. He made two to
close the lead to 54-51.
VHS missed a few free-
throws in the final minute
and with just 16 seconds
left Toombs got the ball,
down by three. With 9
seconds left Whited
blocked a shot, but then
with just 1 second on the
clock, Mckinney hit a
three from the corner to
tie the game at 54-54 and
send it to overtime.
In the first overtime
Mckinney gave Toombs
the lead on another three
at 57-55. VHS tied the
game and went ahead on
a Hill three-pointer with
just one minute to go at
60-57. Mann made two
more free-throws, and
then Toombs took the
lead on a fast-break bas
ket by Mann, 61-60.
Mckinney made a
pair of free-throws with
just 25 seconds left to put
TCHS up 63-62. Mann
added two more from the
line to lead 65-62. Owens
then drove in with just
five seconds left and was
fouled. Owens hit the
free-throw to tie the game
back at 65-65 and send it
to double overtime.
There was not much
scoring in the second
overtime as the score was
tied at 69-69 under a min
ute to go. Whited was
fouled late in the period
and made two free-throws
to put VHS up 71-69 with
just 12 seconds left. With
just two seconds to go
Vaughn found Pierson
under the basket for
Toombs to tie the game at
71-71 and send the game
to triple overtime.
Early in the third
overtime Dailey hit a shot
for VHS, his first since
the third period. Mann
tied the game at 73-73
with 2:30 left, and then
he gave Toombs the lead
with two minutes left.
Upshaw slammed one
down for a four point lead
77-73 with one minute
left.
Mckinney added a
free throw and then he
put another on the board
for a 79-74 lead. Mann
then stole it and slammed
it for an 81-74 lead in the
final seconds of the game
to secure the win for the
Bulldogs.
Toombs got the win
83-77 over the Indians to
end VHS season.
VHS was led by Dai
ley with 18 points, John
son added 13, Whited
posted 11, and Hill and
Owens each scored 9.
VHS ends the season with
a record of 13-8.
Chick-fil-A Vidalia Announces its 6th Annual Road Race
Benefiting the Paul Anderson Youth Home and WinShape Camps
Locally Owned Chick-
fil-A Hosts 10K, 5K
and 1 Mile Races to
Support Community
Nonprofit Ministry
Organizations
The public is invited
to participate in the 6th
Annual Chick-fil-A Vida-
lia Road Race on Saturday
morning, March 6. The
event will include three
races of varying lengths,
10K, 5K and 1 mile, with
all proceeds benefiting
Paul Anderson Youth
Home and WinShape
Camps for Communities.
The Paul Anderson
Youth Home is a Chris
tian residential program
and on-campus school
for young men between
the ages of 16 and 21
struggling with behav
ioral problems and issues
of discipline, anger and
depression. WinShape
Camps for Communities
is a professional organiza
tion that exists to impact
young people through
experiences that enhance
their Christian faith, char
acter and relationships.
"We are so grateful for
the many volunteers, rac
ers, sponsors, and Chick-
fil-A Vidalia who are all so
eager to support and par
ticipate with us to make
this such a highlight each
year," said Glenda Ander
son, co-founder of Paul
Anderson Youth Home.
Early registration and
packet pick-up will occur
from 4-7 p.m. on Friday,
March 5, at Chick-fil-A
Vidalia, located at 2349
E. First St., Vidalia, GA.
Race-day registration will
begin at 7 a.m., Saturday,
March 6, with the 5 and
10K races beginning at
8 a.m. and the 1 mile at
9 a.m. COVID-19 pre
cautions will be in place
throughout the event.
"We may provide the
route, t-shirts and snacks,
but the Vidalia commu
nity looks forward to this
event every year, and they
bring the positive energy
that takes this race to the
next level," said Britt Mc-
Dade, restaurant operator
of Chick-fil-A Vidalia. "It
is so rewarding to see peo
ple come together in sup
port of two phenomenal
ministry organizations,
and we happily plan to
continue our partnership
with the Paul Anderson
Youth Home and Win
Shape Camps for Com
munities for many years
to come."
Registration for the 1
mile and 5K races is $30
per person until Sunday,
Feb. 21, and $35 on race
day. The 10K race is $35
per individual until Sun
day, Feb. 21, and $40 on
race day. For more infor
mation on registration
and team sign-ups, visit
runvidalia.com.
The race is made pos
sible by the support of
generous sponsors. Spon
sors include Altamaha
Bank & Trust, Pineland
Telephone Cooperative,
Spivey Orthopedic Clin
ic, Zorn & Son Insurance,
David Sikes, Toombs
County Commission
Chairman, Smile Doctors
Braces, Altamaha EMC,
Brewton-Parker College,
Canoochee EMC, Chap
man Pharmacy, Nathan
and Courtney Perkins,
Progressive Landscape
& Irrigation and Woody
Folsom Auto Group.
ABOUT PAUL
ANDERSON YOUTH
HOME
Founded in 1961
by weightlifting world
champion Paul Ander
son and his wife, Glenda,
the Paul Anderson Youth
Home (PAYH) is a Chris
tian residential program
and on-campus school
for young men between
the ages of 16 and 21
struggling with behav
ioral problems and issues
of discipline, anger and
depression. PAYH is ac
credited by the Commis
sion on Accreditation of
Rehabilitation Facilities
(CARF). In addition to
counseling and character
development, PAYH of
fers an accelerated learn
ing program enabling
residents to graduate with
a high school diploma
and technical certifica
tions. To date, over 1,400
young men have attended
the program. The Home
is located at 1603 McIn
tosh St. in Vidalia, GA. To
learn more about PAYH,
call (912) 537-7237 or
visit www.payh.org.
ABOUT WINSHAPE
CAMPS FOR
COMMUNITIES
WinShape Camps for
Communities is a profes
sional organization that
exists to impact young
people through experi
ences that will enhance
their Christian faith, char
acter and relationships.
Being supported by local
churches and faith-based
organizations, camp
ers from Kindergarten
through 9th grade attend
a week-long day camp ex
perience in over 70 com
munities throughout the
nation. Whether your
kids like soccer or sci
ence, there is something
for everyone. WinShape
Camps for Communities
combines sports, recre
ation, arts, bible study,
and worship into one
unforgettable week. For
more information, visit
https://camps.winshape.
org/.
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