Monday, June 7 through Sunday, June 13, 2021
Issue No. 384
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Contents
Columns
Hardly Trivial by T. Buff
Games
Oakland A's 6, Colorado Rockies 3, Saturday, June 5
San Francisco Giants 3, Chicago Cubs 4, Sunday, June 6
San Francisco Giants 4, vs. Chicago Cubs 3, Saturday, June 5
San Francisco Giants 6, vs. Los Angeles Angels 1, Monday, May 31
Features
Grand Stand Perspective, by Mitch Juricich
Organizations
Oakland Roots
San Jose Earthquakes
San Jose State University
Sonoma Raceway
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San Francisco Giants 3
Chicago Cubs 4
Sunday, June 6, 2021
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San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey went 3-for-4 with an RBI in the Giants' 4-3 loss to the Chicago Cubs on Sunday, June 6 at Oracle Park
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Cubs third baseman Patrick Wisdom, a product of Saint Mary's College in Moraga, hit two home runs, driving in three of the Cubs' four runs.
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San Francisco Giants 4
Chicago Cubs 3
Saturday, June 5, 2021
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San Francisco Giants 6
Los Angeles Angels 1
Monday, May 31, 2021
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San Francisco Giants pitcher Johnny Cueto struck out five over seven innings of work as the Giants defeated the Los Angeles Angels, 6-1, at Oracle Park on Monday, May 31. Caption and photo by Darren Yamashita.
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Oakland A's 6
Colorado Rockies 3
Saturday, June 5, 2021
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49ers, A's & Giants Schedules |
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Vote Giants. Vote Daily. Vote Today!
Help send your Giants to the top this summer and vote in the 2021 Google MLB All-Star Ballot. During the first phase of voting, fans can help their favorite players advance to the final week of balloting as the top 3 players at each position per league, plus 9 outfielders, will move on. Once complete, vote totals will reset and fans will decide who will start the 2021 MLB All-Star Game presented by Mastercard in Colorado. Vote daily at mlb.com/vote and on Google by searching "MLB All-Star vote" or the name of your favorite Giants. The first phase of voting ends June 24 - it's time to push your team to the top!
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Glenn Burke Pride Night: June 11
In celebration of the legacy of Glenn Burke, the first openly gay player in Major League Baseball and A's alum, we are renaming our annual Pride Night after him. Join us on Friday, June 11, and celebrate the Bay Area's LGBTQ+ community with friends, families, and allies during Glenn Burke Pride Night
at the Coliseum.
"Glenn Burke was a trailblazer, and we are excited and honored to recognize his legacy and impact on the game of baseball by naming our annual Pride Night after him," said Oakland A's President Dave Kaval. "Glenn Burke Pride Night will continue to be a time of celebration and inclusion at our ballpark as we come together with friends and allies."
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Kyle Larson (5) won the Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway on Sunday. Born in Elk Grove, Calif. this is his first victory at his local track.
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Kyle Larson, who started on the pole, dominated the action in the NASCAR Cup Series race in his No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevy Camaro, winning the first two stages and leading a race-best 57 laps on the iconic 2.52-mile, 12-turn road course to take his third victory of the year, ninth win of his career and first-ever victory at Sonoma. Photo by Rich Yee.
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A Look at the Sports Weekend |
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Lexi Thompson squandered a five-shot lead in the final round of the
76th U.S. Women’s Open
Grandstand Perspectives
by Mitch Juricich
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The Women’s U.S. Open
Once again The Olympic Club, San Francisco’s Crown Jewel of golf courses, has denied a fan favorite from capturing a national championship. Lexi Thompson now joins fellow runners-up Ben Hogan, Arnold Palmer, Tom Watson and Payne Stewart as players who didn’t quite get it done on the Lake Course.
Here’s a tip for any future fan favorite who enters the back nine on Sunday with a substantial lead:
1 – Finish the 10th hole.
2 – Immediately withdraw from the tournament.
3 – Careen over a few feet to the nearby snack shack.
4 – Order one of the famed burger dogs with everything and a twelve pack.
5 – Sit down, wolf down the burger and proceed to get hammered!
Believe me, it beats adding your name to the aforementioned list!
Two other winners were Megha Ganne who was the low amateur in the Open with a great attitude, an award-winning smile and a Stanford scholarship in her back pocket. The other winner was Stanford women’s golf coach, Anne Walker, who slipped that scholarship in Ganne’s pocket! Walker also had another future Cardinal in the event....AS WELL AS the current NCAA Individual champion, Rachel Heck. Somehow I have to find a way for coach Walker to buy me a lottery ticket...
San Francisco Giants
I don’t know how the Giants are doing what they are doing. Mind you, I’m not complaining, but raise your hand if you saw this coming. If your hand is up..liar, liar, pants on fire. I know the pitching is good, they all seem to hit home runs, the defense is above par and the old timers are playing wonderfully. Will this last into the post season? The guess here is that it will. But there will be constant “torture!”
I do have one question – where are Bart and Ramos? 2021 was supposed to be their year. They can’t be busts, can they?
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San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. Photo by Rich Yee
San Francisco 49ers
Full disclosure: I am a Jimmy G. guy. In fact in my house he is referred to as Jimmy Jesus. I think my wife has a crush on him too, but that’s a story for a different time.
With Trey Lance in the fold, the quarterback position is as solid as it has been in years. And Jimmy G. has been handling the situation in the most professional way. I have said this since the 60s, “I have never looked forward to a 49ers season more than this one!” This time I REALLY mean it!
I do have three concerns. Now bear in mind that I am a worrier. I watch movies for a fourth time and worry about the ending. I fret about an uphill putt from six inches. A twenty point Warriors' lead with two minutes to go in the fourth quarter will send me right to the Rolaids! Having said that...
*What if Bosa isn’t Bosa?” His knee injury was severe and even though his rehab seems to have been great, what if he can’t quite get to the quarterback like he used to?
*What about the secondary?” We drafted very well for this group but they are newbies. How much will Richard Sherman be missed with that unit, as well as in the locker room?
*What about the depth at wide receiver?” Samuel and Aiyuk have been terrific but they both have been hurt. If Hurd is healthy, I’m good here. If not....Julio Jones could have helped.
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Editor's Note
Have a favorite Sports Moment you would like to share?
With perhaps with a photo or two? Send a brief description along with any photos and we'll make room to share it.
Why not bring those memories back to life?
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Hardly Trivial by T. Buff |
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Better late than never. I'm catching up with the BaseBall History by Ken Burns on PBS. So much in the game has changed. The players were so much closer to the fans. Imagine running into Yogi Berra as he used public transportation to get to Yankee Stadium. I can only imagine how tough it was for this star New York Giants player to get back and forth to the Polo Grounds
when he was playing.
Which player led the New York Giants in home runs for
18 consecutive years?
(See answer below...)
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Earthquakes Sign SuperDraft Selection
George Asomani
Asomani was selected in the second round of the 2021 MLS SuperDraft
SAN JOSE, Calif. - The San Jose Earthquakes announced today that the club has signed second-round MLS SuperDraft selection George Asomani to a one-year contract with club options for 2022, 2023 and 2024. Asomani, a native of Ghana, will not be placed on the club's active roster and therefore will not occupy an international roster slot.
"We felt fortunate to be able to select George in the second round of the SuperDraft and believe he has promising qualities we can build on," said Earthquakes general manager Jesse Fioranelli. "After the draft, he concluded the 2020-21 season with North Carolina State before arriving in San Jose and impressing with his work ethic and athleticism. We intend to be patient with George's development and want to accompany him as he continues to grow at the MLS level of competition.
"We would like to acknowledge NC State's support, in particular coach Kiefer, for helping pave George's collegiate pathway to a unique life perspective. We know his college degree and the opportunity to go pro means a lot to George and his family in Ghana."
Asomani, 22, was selected 39th overall in the 2021 MLS SuperDraft. He spent two years at North Carolina State University, tallying one goal and one assist in 32 appearances (all starts) across the 2019 and 2020 seasons. Asomani was named to the 2019-20 ACC Academic Honor roll and also the Preseason All-ACC Watchlist in 2020. Additionally, he led the team to its third consecutive NCAA tournament appearance for the first time since 1992.
Prior to NC State, Asomani played two seasons at Monroe College in New York, where he was a two-time NJCAA All-American and the 2018 Regional Championship Player of the Year. He was also part of the New York Cosmos' system prior to joining Monroe College.
George Asomani
Pronunciation: AH-so-MAH-nee; Position: Midfielder; Height: 5-6; Weight: 135 ; lbs.; Born: March 16, 1999; Hometown: Accra, Ghana; Preferred Foot: Right; College: North Carolina State University; Roster Designation: International
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San Jose State University’s Lili Urvari named Honorable Mention All-America
Bridgeport, Pa.--- Senior Lili Urvari, the San Jose State University leader in assists and steals, was named an honorable mention All-America women’s water polo player for the second consecutive season.
The 2021 graduate was second in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF), the most talented women’s water polo conference nationally, in number of assists (29) and tied for second in steals (38).
The Hungarian native was the national co-leader with her 2.1 steals per match average and was eighth nationally in assists per match at 1.6.
The 2021 MPSF honorable mention all-conference honoree also led the Spartans, which finished 16th in the final Collegiate Water Polo Association poll, with eight field blocks and was third in goal scoring with 13.
Urvari is the first Spartan to receive multiple All-America honors since 2015 when Timi Molnar was named a four-time All-America player and Clara Espar Llaquet received her second All-America recognition in two years.
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In the Shadow of Obscurity |
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Author Arif Khatib (above left)
As a person who has traveled the world and chronicled his journey, and recently completed his memoirs for his family, Arif Khatib set out to create a book that would combine three of his passions: sports, history and social justice, while shining a much-needed light on the contributions of forgotten and unheard-of athletes of color. The Shadow of Obscurity: Toiling in a Reluctant Society realizes his vision.
Author Pete Elman (above right)
Pete Elman is a musician, journalist, author and teacher. Originally from Washington, D.C., he grew up loving rock and roll, sports and history. His father, a Justice Department lawyer who argued cases in the Supreme Court—most notably Brown vs. Board of Education—imbued in young Peter a strong sense of social justice.
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(L-R) Arif Khatib, Dr. John Carlos, Jeff Wilson in Atlanta for Mr. Khatib’s book and film screening tour |
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Zoom Course
I will be teaching a six-week zoom course based on the book, In the Shadow of Obscurity!, Toiling in a Reluctant Society, by Arif Khatib and myself, Pete Elman. The class will start June 17 from 7-9 pm every Thursday for six weeks, through July 21. Each week I will look at two of the subjects from our book and will have three guests, including co-author Arif Khatib. This promises to be a terrific class. To sign up, click here.
-- Pete Elman
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Where The Bay Comes To Play! |
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The BEST Bay Area sports photos from
Michael Zagaris, Ed Jay, Rich Yee, Darren Yamashita,
Ron Sellers, Alex Ho, Rob Edwards, Kenneth Wong,
Timothy Reynolds and Larry Rosa
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Oakland Roots fans are passionate, energetic and unlike any other fan base in the world. We want to continue this tradition while maintaining our identity as a powerful, inclusive and conscious club.
Oakland Roots are committed to providing a safe environment.
Tickets, though limited, are still available. We look forward to seeing you at Laney on June 19th as we take on Sacramento Republic FC.
In addition to the Code of Conduct, here is a list of prohibited items.
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Hardly Trivial Answer by T. Buff |
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Mel Ott
Melvin Ott led the National League in home runs a then-record
six times and led the Giants a major league record 18-years
in a row (1928-1945).
Since 1959 the National League has honored the league's annual home run champion with the Mel Ott Award. The Polo Grounds has quite the history. https://bit.ly/3vYxi6i will take you to
Suggestions? Caught me off-base for misinformation?
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Recent Facebook Albums to Enjoy |
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For the best real estate listings homes and property on
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Consider!
Social Media Maven wanted by
The Ultimate Sports Guide!
The Ultimate Sports Guide needs people (as in more than one) familiar with basic social media technology and e-marketing. Utilize your technical skills to advance your career, add to your resume and learn from sports industry professionals. Send a note and resume to sportstoday@ultimatesportsguide.net
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Back Issues
not to be missed!
Offering superb photography and
entertaining chronicles
Sports Today - #383 -- May 31 - June 6
* Click here for 2019 editions.
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Weekly Bay Area
Sports Calendar
Monday, June 7 through
Sunday, June 13, 2021
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Monday, June 7
Tuesday, June 8
San Francisco Giants @ Texas Rangers, 5:05 p.m.
Oakland A's vs. Arizona Diamondbacks, 6:40 p.m.
Wednesday, June 9
San Francisco Giants @ Texas Rangers, 11:05 a.m.
Oakland A's vs. Arizona Diamondbacks, 12:37 p.m.
Thursday, June 10
San Francisco Giants @ Washington Nationals, 4:05 p.m.
Oakland A's vs. Kansas City Royals, 6:40 p.m.
Friday, June 11
San Francisco Giants @ Washington Nationals, 4:05 p.m.
Oakland A's vs. Kansas City Royals, 6:40 p.m.
Saturday, June 12
San Francisco Giants @ Washington Nationals, 4:15 p.m.
Oakland A's vs. Kansas City Royals, 1:07 p.m.
Sunday, June 13
San Francisco Giants @ Washington Nationals, 10:05 a.m.
Oakland A's vs. Kansas City Royals, 1:07 p.m.
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Enjoy the
Under the ultra-skilled leadership of Cal graduate Ricky Liu, a team of talented Cal students assembled the elegant Ultimate Sports Guide website for your readers. Ricky's team included Natalie Leung, Yafei Liang and Kasey Woo. Visit www.ultimatesportsguide.net
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This is an eBook available in .epub or .mobi file formats.
Navigating a career in any business is highly complex, especially in the world of sports and entertainment. Knowing how to separate the logo on your business card from your personal identity is a valuable skill for creating your own career path. Building a career in the sports industry is easier said than done, especially since the business is extremely addictive. Cool corporate logos and titles should never control your true sense of self; your name on the card is much more important! Welcome to the world of LOL, or “Loss of Logo.”
Written for aspiring sports professionals, current sports industry professionals, and any career enthusiasts who are chasing the fancy logo and corner office, LOL, Loss of Logo: What’s Your Next Move? offers valuable takeaways for everyone. Comprised of powerful perspectives from 38 multitalented industry professionals, this book will give you the tools to succeed in the industry, with or without your logo.
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Many people -- maybe even you -- have been getting out on their bikes more during Shelter-in-Place. "Check for Bikes" clings and bumper stickers are great ways to keep bicyclists safer out there on the road by promoting awareness by drivers to share the road. Keep safe out there and keep your neighbors safe by using or passing along vinyl clings for inside a car window or windshield and
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with questions or to order.
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The Ultimate Sports Guide is very appreciative to the ongoing contributions made by former staff photographer Kenny Karst and Robert Moselle. Mr. Karst, now retired, continues to contribute through helpful ideas and his archives.
Mr. Moselle is now lending his extensive editorial experience and marketing savvy to the publication.
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