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BARROW JOURNAL
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2008
Christmas wish list for Braves
I have forfeited all of my
gifts from family and
friends this year in favor
of the following gifts I want
Santa to deliver to the Atlanta
Braves.
This was tough in light of
the worsening economy - I
could have used a new shirt,
that John Deere easy-hitch
implement for my tractor, and
a couple of new locomotives
for my electric trains. I give
them all up for ...
•Two additional starters in
addition to Javier Vasquez.
If Hudson gets back his old
stuff, this should round out
a nice starting rotation -
Jurrjens being the fifth man.
(By the way Santa, in our
generous spirit, we would like
you to take Jo-Jo Reyes with
you and give away - free - to
any team. The only condition
is that he never return.)
•The return of a healthy
Matt Diaz and Peter Moylan.
I figure that these two could
account for at least one
run more per game for the
Braves.
Diaz was a throw away
from the Kansas City Royals
and was tearing up the league
for the Braves until his injury.
Please bring him back to us,
all wrapped up just like new.
Moylan is a great side-armer
who could send them down in
order consistently. We'd really
like this Aussie back.
•The return of the 2007 Jeff
Francoeur. Enough said.
•A very sentimental wish
for me is the return of John
Smoltz. He deserves it. I do
not want to see Smoltz end his
career by injury. He deserves
going out in style to exem
plify the great career he has
built.
No, Santa, he doesn’t need
to be a starter for us, the closer
role would suit me just fine.
This guy is such a fighter. His
presence in the clubhouse is
an inspiration to the rest of
the team.
Please Santa, bring us back
John Smoltz if only for one
final season.
•A season record for ejec
tions from the game for
Bobby Cox. For the umpire
who thinks the 2009
season will be even
better than the last, I
wish for a Bobby Cox
who will drive them
crazy.
I am seeing worse
and worse umpiring
and we need a spokes
man for us, and who
better to keep the men
in blue honest than
our beloved manager,
Bobby Cox.
•Hall of Fame Status for Lou
Burdette. I have been advocat
ing this for many years.
The man who nearly single-
handedly won the 1957 World
Series, Lou Burdette, deserves
this status. This is not to take
away the contributions of the
other team members.
Aaron (my hero in life)
was great along with Eddie
Mathews, Del Crandall and
Wes Covington. But it was
Burdette who won the series
going 3-0 with two shutouts.
I want to see “Bird Cage” in
the Hall.
•The return of high divi
dends from the farm system.
For about 10 years, Atlanta
was blessed with farm teams
(A, AA, AAA ball clubs)
which were well run and nur
tured.
In fact, the early and mid
1990s Braves were made up
of a considerable number of
farm team talent. Somehow,
somewhere, that system went
to pieces and needs to be
rebuilt post haste.
•An atmosphere at The Ted
which doesn’t make me feel
like I’m under suspicion of
creating, or about to create,
a crime.
I don’t go to the ballpark
much anymore partly because
of this. The between-innings
security force stands at atten
tion facing the crowd, scowl
ing and just waiting for some
evil-doer to come out onto the
field. News for major league
baseball: you need the secu
rity force at the gates before
things like Ml6s and 105s
enter the park, not afterward.
Now my list of things I want
for major league baseball.
•The return of the National
Anthem played by
the organ. I have
had my fill of raw
talent trying to
warble our nation
al tune. I wish to
stand silently, in
reflection, while
the old Wurlitzer
plays on. Please,
no recordings. I
want it live.
•The return of
the double header.
Greed ended the double head
er as I used to know it.
Years ago - and I know
this is hard to believe - one
would pay the standard price
for a ticket and be able to
see two games. There was a
30-40 minute break between
games (the first game usu
ally would start at noon at
Sportsman’s Park in St. Louis)
and the crowd would be enter
tained by the Anheuser Busch
Clydesdales — the brewery
was a short walk from the
ballpark — who would circle
the field.
Imagine 40,000 people ris
ing to their feet, cheering as
these magnificent equines
entered from a gate in right
field. Pulling the famous
Budweiser beer wagon, com
plete with a Dalmatian or two
alongside the teamster, the
Clydesdales made their jour
ney around the park for all
to see.
Finally, and after a thun
derous standing ovation, fans
would either sit and talk about
the action we just saw (game
one), or, head to the conces
sion stand for a shot of hot
dogs and soda. Then, boom!
Out would come the home
team again and game two was
under way.
Santa, keep the turtle doves,
the partridge the polka-dot
ted neck ties. Please leave
me some help for the Braves
and major league baseball in
2009.
John Rieken is an avid
baseball fan and contribut
ing columnist for the Barrow
Journal. E-mail comments
about this column to jrieken@
windstream.net.
\ V..’
Lii
john w.
rieken
ATHLETIC HONOR
Winder-Barrow High School student-athletes recently received their lettermen jack
ets during an in-school ceremony. Photo by Jessica Brown
WBHS defeats rival, former coach
ANOTHER WIN
Winder-Barrow’s Trent Memeritte drives in against
Monroe Area Friday night. Photo by Jessica Brown
BY CHRIS BRIDGES
An old rival and a former
coach paid a visit to Winder-
Barrow High School Friday
night.
Both left with a loss as the
Bulldoggs defeated Monroe
Area 62-45 to improve to
6-1 during the early por
tion of the 2008-09 season.
Shun Thurmond paced the
WBHS attack with 14 points
while teammate D.J. Butler
finished with 12 points.
“It’s always nice to beat
Monroe,” said BuIIdogg
coach Eli Connell, who iron
ically is a Monroe Area grad
uate having playing for Billy
Hendrick and the Purple
Hurricanes. “It means some
thing to everyone. Coach
(Ron) Garren does a great
job. We were fortunate to get
out with a win. Whenever we
play Monroe we are always
glad to simply win.”
Garren is a former Winder-
Barrow head coach who is in
his third season leading the
Monroe Area program.
The Bulldoggs led 23-12
at the end of the first quarter,
which was another quality
start Connell looks for.
“Monroe did a good job
of getting back in the game
right before halftime,”
Connell said. “We then made
a good run at the end of the
third quarter.”
The BuIIdogg coach was
also pleased with his team’s
defense effort, noting the
fact the opponent was lim
ited to only 45 points.
“That in itself shows you
played well defensively,” he
said.
Friday’s win followed a
66-60 victory against Salem
last Tuesday. Jodd Maxey
scored 29 points in that con
test while Butler added 14.
WBHS will step out of
region play this Friday when
it hosts Flowery Branch at
7 p.m. The Bulldoggs will
then compete in a holiday
tournament at Southwest
DeKalb Saturday against
Griffin at 2 p.m.
The holiday tournament
continues Monday and
Tuesday.
Barrow night planned at UGA basketball
Barrow County Chamber
of Commerce members,
employees and their fami
lies will be able to attend
two University of Georgia
basketball games at a dis
counted rate.
The games are desginated
with tickets being $5 and
$1.
Tickets for the Lady
Bulldogs game against
Mississippi State on Feb. 1,
2009 will be available online
for just $1 through Jan. 29.
In addition, tickets for the
as “Barrow County Night” mens’ game against LSU on
jp Runners Fit
Braselton, Georgia
www.RunnersFit.com
Extended Holiday Hours!
Runners Fit will
have extended
hours from now until
the end of 2008!
New Hours:
Monday - Saturday
10 a.m.-8 p.m.
Sunday
12 p.m.-5 p.m.
Christmas Apparel Sale
Buy one piece of apparel at regular price and
receive a second piece of apparel of equal or
lesser value at half off!
(Offer expires 12/31/08, excludes sale items)
Runners Fit
2625 Old Winder Hwy, Plaza 211
(2 miles west of Chateau Elan, next to Barberitos)
770-967-0755
The area’s only specialty running, walking, and fitness store!
Feb. 4 may be purchases for
$5 online through Feb. 3.
Tickets may be purchased
through the website www.
georgiadogs.com with the
promotional code barrow-
dogs.
WIMO to broadcast AHS, WBHS games
WIMO Big Stick Radio (1300 AM) in Winder
will announce several local high school bas
ketball games in coming days, station general
manager Scott Pinner said.
WIMO is set to broadcast Friday’s Winder-
Barrow home game against Flowery Branch.
The station will also air the games Apalachee
High School plays in the Oconee County
Christmas Tournament Dec. 27, 29 and 30.
In January, WIMO will return to the bas
ketball scene with the WBHS-Flowery Branch
rematch on Jan. 3.
OPENING FRIDAY, DECEMBER 19
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64 E. May Street - Next To Captain D’s
Mon. - Sat. 10-7, Sun. 1-6