READING THE EYE AND "I" CHARTS AROUND L-B-S-U

  
If you are circling around the campus sporting venues these days don’t rush out to see your eye doctor wondering if all those athletes look a bit smaller than you had hoped.

In the summer LBSU turns itself into one of the world’s best campgrounds.  For example although the swimmers, soccers, , softballers, and trackers are all done still in action is the world famous 49er camp, where kids do a little bit of everything as well as specialty sports camps for volleyball, baseball, basketball, and tennis.  Of course LBSU being the Harvard on Bellflower the Beach also has academic enrichment camps, writing, art and math camps plus Camp Nugget for 5-12 year olds with disabilities and special needs. 

I never had that many choices but I do remember summers in West Virginia at a Y camp where my folks sent me for all three sessions.  Of course each session had the same script, best cabin each night got to raid the kitchen (translated pre-poured and pre-baked  milk and cookies) you rode the horses on the trail (they go slow outbound and run like, well really fast, when the smell the barn on the way home) and of course sporting competitions like swimming. 

I can recall that the beach to the lake had a lot of rocks but by the third session I figured out that if I kept my sneakers on I would be half way to the finish line.  Boy were mom and dad surprised to see my blue ribbon—third session BR that is.

 
NAME GAME DUST—Volleyball’s Melanie Fleig has transferred leaving even more green on the court this fall. If Erika Chidester stays on the DL the only senior will be setter Jillian Mazzarella who played her fist two seasons at Baylor.  Ten of the squad are freshmen or sophomores so expect some rough edges on the usual slick Brian Gimmillaro offense.

Baseballer Adam Heether has 15 homeruns with Beloit in his minor league work,  Eddie Soto (former Fullerton star) and Wendi Whitman (former Stanford sub) have been hired as soccer assistants, and basketball signed San Diego freshman Mark Hall who will replace expected shooter Jazz Henderson and hold the fort until Onye Ibekwe gets eligible around Christmas.

Back to the bases, the high hopes for the 2005 baseball hit parade is on the broad shoulders of Don Barbara who was an original Dirtbag and as a senior in 1990 led the nation in hitting at .474. He had 102 hits that season, 69 runs and 27 doubles but history is one thing and last year’s .297 team average, modest .373 on base percentage, and a mere 39 stolen bases in 61 games needs work.  Oh yeah, three of the top four hitters are gone. 

The almost last word goes to hoop booster Dennis Pitts who writes, “Just a quick note to tell you about a fun and easy way to raise money for Long Beach State Athletics. On, Wednesday, August 4th, Joe Jost's will turn over all of the proceeds form food and beverage sales on that date to Long Beach State athletics. This should be a fun way to support Long Beach State Athletics. “ Another plus, Joe’s is marking their 80th Anniversary, a long time for a small saloon.

Finally this wrap-up report from the Summer Pro League which bounced out of town last weekend.  Too many stats and stars to report on so we consulted Vinny the Sports Card guy for his final report.  “A good summer, I know that when on opening day I have more guys around my table than watching the game!”  Oh yes, and the top seller wasn’t any one of the new super rookies, or even a job changing coach.  Nope Vinny said, “The best sellers were the old guard--Bird, Magic, Kareem.  I wish I had more of their stuff.”  The Kareem third year card fetched the biggest number but nobody shied away from jerseys of former Lakers, like that Big Aristotle character.—DR. DAN

 
your eye doctor wondering if all those athletes look a bit smaller than you had hoped.
If you are circling around the campus sporting venues these days don’t rush out to see

In the summer LBSU turns itself into one of the world’s best campgrounds.  For example although the swimmers, soccers, , softballers, and trackers are all done still in action is the world famous 49er camp, where kids do a little bit of everything as well as specialty sports camps for volleyball, baseball, basketball, and tennis.  Of course LBSU being the Harvard on Bellflower the Beach also has academic enrichment camps, writing, art and math camps plus Camp Nugget for 5-12 year olds with disabilities and special needs. 

I never had that many choices but I do remember summers in West Virginia at a Y camp where my folks sent me for all three sessions.  Of course each session had the same script, best cabin each night got to raid the kitchen (translated pre-poured and pre-baked  milk and cookies) you rode the horses on the trail (they go slow outbound and run like, well really fast, when the smell the barn on the way home) and of course sporting competitions like swimming. 

I can recall that the beach to the lake had a lot of rocks but by the third session I figured out that if I kept my sneakers on I would be half way to the finish line.  Boy were mom and dad surprised to see my blue ribbon—third session BR that is.

 
NAME GAME DUST—Volleyball’s Melanie Fleig has transferred leaving even more green on the court this fall. If Erika Chidester stays on the DL the only senior will be setter Jillian Mazzarella who played her fist two seasons at Baylor.  Ten of the squad are freshmen or sophomores so expect some rough edges on the usual slick Brian Gimmillaro offense.

Baseballer Adam Heether has 15 homeruns with Beloit in his minor league work,  Eddie Soto (former Fullerton star) and Wendi Whitman (former Stanford sub) have been hired as soccer assistants, and basketball signed San Diego freshman Mark Hall who will replace expected shooter Jazz Henderson and hold the fort until Onye Ibekwe gets eligible around Christmas.

Back to the bases, the high hopes for the 2005 baseball hit parade is on the broad shoulders of Don Barbara who was an original Dirtbag and as a senior in 1990 led the nation in hitting at .474. He had 102 hits that season, 69 runs and 27 doubles but history is one thing and last year’s .297 team average, modest .373 on base percentage, and a mere 39 stolen bases in 61 games needs work.  Oh yeah, three of the top four hitters are gone. 

The almost last word goes to hoop booster Dennis Pitts who writes, “Just a quick note to tell you about a fun and easy way to raise money for Long Beach State Athletics. On, Wednesday, August 4th, Joe Jost's will turn over all of the proceeds form food and beverage sales on that date to Long Beach State athletics. This should be a fun way to support Long Beach State Athletics. “ Another plus, Joe’s is marking their 80th Anniversary, a long time for a small saloon.

Finally this wrap-up report from the Summer Pro League which bounced out of town last weekend.  Too many stats and stars to report on so we consulted Vinny the Sports Card guy for his final report.  “A good summer, I know that when on opening day I have more guys around my table than watching the game!”  Oh yes, and the top seller wasn’t any one of the new super rookies, or even a job changing coach.  Nope Vinny said, “The best sellers were the old guard--Bird, Magic, Kareem.  I wish I had more of their stuff.”  The Kareem third year card fetched the biggest number but nobody shied away from jerseys of former Lakers, like that Big Aristotle character.—DR. DAN