Press of Atlantic City: Stone Harbor fan twice a witness to October history

Stone Harbor fan twice a witness to October history
(Source: The Press of Atlantic City, Oct. 9, 2010)

John Atwood is the rare fan who saw not only Roy Halladay's playoff no-hitter the other night, but also Don Larsen's World Series perfect game in 1956.

John Atwood didn't move from his seat until the ninth inning Wednesday night. That's when he stood with the rest of the crowd of 46,411 at Citizens Bank Park, with Roy Halladay three outs away from a no-hitter against the Cincinnati Reds in Game 1 of their National League Division Series.

One batter down.

Atwood, 64, looked around him. People stared at Halladay, then the scoreboard and then back to the mound. Atwood's family, sitting alongside him in Section 427, didn't speak. No wanted to say anything that would jinx history.

Two batters down.

That's when the memories flashed back to Atwood.

Press of Atlantic City: Yanks' home more than just a stadium

(Source: The Press of Atlantic City, Sept. 21, 2008) 


Baseball: The 'Bleacher Creatures' found more than just baseball at Yankee Stadium.


Editor's note: Susan Lulgjuraj was a season-ticket holder in Section 39 of the bleachers at Yankee Stadium for several years before moving to southern New Jersey. She still visits friends and roots for the Bronx Bombers.


With Yankee Stadium hosting its last baseball game today and a new park being built, Lulgjuraj spoke by phone to friends who have been sitting in the bleachers even longer than her. The Bleacher Creatures are a group of fans in right field from all walks of life who came together simply to root for the Yankees but found so much more.

48 hours to go.

The tears have already started.

It's the last Friday night game at Yankee Stadium, a night that has become a staple for the regulars through the years.

Most "Bleacher Creatures" were there Friday, including those who thought it would be too difficult to show up today for the final game in The Cathedral.

"I've been crying the whole weekend," said Tina Lewis, 46, better known in the bleachers as The Queen. "It's been 30 seasons. I practically grew up there. It's like losing your home."

The Section 39 Bleacher Creatures became famous for more than their raucous behavior. It wasn't for the battery-throwing incidents or the profanities directed at opposing players.

Press of AC: Mike Trout gets call-up to major leagues

(Source: The Press of Atlantic City, July 9, 2011)


When Debbie Trout's phone rang at 2 a.m. Friday, she worried as any mother would.

Her son, Mike, was calling. His tone was different than normal.

Was he OK? Did something happen to his girlfriend who was visiting him in Arkansas?

"I got the call," Mike Trout told his mother.

"What call?" she asked.

"I got the call, Mom," Trout repeated. "I got the call to the majors!"

Initially, Debbie didn't know how to react to the news that her 19-year-old son received a promotion to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

So she yelled.

Beckett: Women are collectors too

WOMEN ARE CARD COLLECTORS TOO

(SOURCE: Beckett Sports Card Monthly)

Walking on the floor of a card show is an interesting experience. There aren’t usually hawkers trying to get me to look at their wares. Rather they look behind me in hopes to find the child who dragged me to the show.

For the record: there are never children with me at card show and I didn’t go there kicking and screaming.

I’m a card collector. And, I’m a woman.

The surprise from many vendors can be laughable at times. When they finally realize I’m a customer with cash to spend, they’ll do whatever it takes. There is no discrimination now even though some can hardly believe a woman collects cards.

Then, they pull out their greatest collection of WNBA cards.

That’s when I usually walk away.

Beckett: Don West returns to his roots, selling memorabilia

DON WEST RETURNS TO HIS ROOTS, SELLING MEMORABILIA 

(SOURCE: Beckett Sports Card Monthly)

No matter the arena. No matter who is wrestling. Don West undoubtedly hears someone yell out one of his catchphrases.

“Gem Mint 10”

“The phones are locked up!”

Even though he works for TNA Wrestling hosting shows on the company‘s websites, West is known for the 10 years he spent selling trading cards and memorabilia late at night on the Shop at Home network with his aggressive style and gravelly voice.

West, 47, is getting back to his roots. As the face and voice of WildWestDeals.com, West is selling sports cards and collectibles once again.

“You don‘t know how much you miss something until you dabble in it again,” West said from his home in Nashville, Tenn. “I‘m glad to be doing sports card again. I love it. It‘s what I collect.”

The categories on WildWestDeals.com are like many other shopping sites such as Computers, Kitchen and Gadgets.

Press of Atlantic City: Matt Szczur giving on and off the field

Giving on and off the field / Cape grad, Villanova star donates marrow for girl

(Source: The Press of Atlantic City
Appeared: May 7, 2010)

VILLANOVA, Penn. - Matt Szczur did what most freshman football players do when they first get to Villanova University -- he registered to become a bone marrow donor. 

He didn't think much of it at the time and never expected the phone call he received last fall when he was told someone needed his help. But on Tuesday, he sat in a chair at Hahnemann University Hospital in Philadelphia with needles in both arms donating his peripheral blood cells to a little girl. 

"I wasn't even sure what the donor program was," Szczur said during a news conference Thursday on campus. "I was just going through the motions and getting my cheeks swabbed." 

The 2007 Lower Cape May Regional High School graduate learned he was a match for a 19-month-old girl with leukemia in November. He doesn't know anything more about her because of the National Marrow Donor Program's confidentiality clauses.