Tag Archives: baseball

Jane Arrested, McCartney Divorce Settled and Cancer for Another Beloved Star?

By Jane, I mean of course, The Punisher’s Thomas Jane. He joins the list of many celebrities who have been pulled over for drinking and driving. Jane, who is married to Medium’s Patricia Arquette, was pulled over for speeding in Kern County, California, then charged with DUI because his blood alcohol level was above the .08 percent. On a side note, Jane was excellent in the movie 61*, playing Mickey Mantle opposite to Barry Pepper’s Roger Maris. The McCartney divorce has finally been settled. Heather Mills was awarded $48.6 million, which when converted from Paul McCartney dollars to real people … Continue reading →

Star Updates: Billy Crystal Strikes Out and Melissa Joan Hart Strikes Again

When I last wrote about Billy Crystal he was about to suit up in Yankee pinstripes and sah-whing with the big boys against the Pittsburgh Pirates in an exhibition game. Well, sah-whing he did earlier today against Pittsburgh’s Paul Maholm. And as his equally famous buddy Robin Williams looked on Crystal’s bat actually came in contact with one of Maholm’s fastballs and bounced past first baseman Adam LaRoche into foul territory. So much for a second career. Crystal may have struck out, but the funny man who wore No. 60 on the day before his 60th birthday still got a … Continue reading →

Billy Plays Ball and Patrick Plays Doctor

Spring is here (well, almost) and the boys of summer are just beginning to play ball… including Billy Crystal. Yes, Billy “You look Mahvelous” Crystal will be donning pinstripes come Thursday when the New York Yankees play the Pittsburgh Pirates in an exhibition game. The actor, who is a die-hard Yankees fan, recently signed a one-day, minor league contract with his favorite team and will be working out with the likes of Jason Giambi, Derek Jeter, and Andy Pettitte on Wednesday. Then, 24 hours later Crystal will wear uniform No. 60 for the game (in honor of his 60th birthday … Continue reading →

Prevent Pitching Injuries

Baseball season is on the horizon. Every year, it seems like more and more young pitchers end up with serious injuries to their arms — like torn rotator cuffs. So how do you protect your baseball star? A study from Methodist Hospital in Houston, Texas found that something as simple as playing catch during the off season can cut down on the risk of pitching-related shoulder injuries. David Lintner, the head team physician for the Houston Astros was involved with the study. Lintner pointed out that many high school athletes play multiple sports. They often go from a fall sport … Continue reading →

Author Interview: Steven Reilly, On Coaching

Thank you for joining us for part three of our interview with Coach Steven Reilly, author of “The Fat Lady Never Sings.” If you missed parts one or two, click here to catch up. Steven, you worked closely with coach John DeFrancisco on the Derby High School championship team, and I can tell he was a very influential person in your life. What did you admire the most about him? His resilience as a person, his loyalty to his friends and family and his sense of humor. He really could have been a comedian. Whenever he’s invited to roast somebody … Continue reading →

Author Interview: Steven Reilly, After the Championship

Today we are joined once again by Steven Reilly, assistant coach and author of the book “The Fat Lady Never Sings.” If you missed part one, click here. Steven, when we left off yesterday, you were telling us what happened to some of the key players after they won the championship. What about you? What did you do? After the 1995 season, I decided to move on and assisted at Emmett O’Brien Regional Technical High School in neighboring Ansonia. In 1997, I went to Seymour High to be an assistant coach with Bob Kelo where I continued to coach the … Continue reading →

Author Interview: Steven Reilly

Yesterday I reviewed “The Fat Lady Never Sings,” a nonfiction sports memoir written by Steven Reilly. Today we are joined by Steven in this interview for Families.com. Steven, I’m glad you could be here, and thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. Tell me, are you still coaching today? Yes. I’m currently an assistant at Derby High School. If Derby doesn’t make the State tournament, then I scout for Seymour High School. I also coach a fall baseball team which is a combination of Derby and surrounding town players. Once the clocks change and the World Series ends, … Continue reading →

The Fat Lady Never Sings – Steven Reilly

“The Fat Lady Never Sings” is a nonfiction sports memoir by Steven Reilly, who assisted in the coaching of the Derby high school baseball team in the 1990s. Also a lawyer, Reilly found a sense of completion on the ball field that was missing from his professional life and returned to the team year after year, working with eccentric but powerful coach John DeFrancisco, affectionately known as D. The book takes place in Derby, Connecticut, a town that worshipped its high school football team. After a twenty-year winning streak, you can see that there would be a lot to worship … Continue reading →

Surprise Baby Announcements

Despite the multiple headlines that alluded he was far from the ideal husband, reports confirm that New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez and his wife are adding to their family. Surprise! I guess this means the couple is staying together after all. The two-time American League MVP released a statement yesterday that revealed that his 34-year-old wife Cynthia is expecting a baby next spring. “Cynthia and I are overjoyed to announce this addition to our family,” Rodriguez said. “We realize what a special gift children are, and feel very blessed to welcome our second child.” A-Rod and his wife … Continue reading →

Daytime Playoff Baseball

What a wonderful time of year. There is a chill in the air, the colors in the trees are as varied as your toddler’s moods and there is baseball being played under the still warm afternoon sun. Major League Baseball games, once played primarily during the day, have long since abandoned their core daytime audience – kids – and now schedule 95% of all games during the evening. Sure, the primetime slots maximize ad revenue but those late games have done more to hurt the sport then most folks realize – as most of today’s youth would name another sport … Continue reading →