(from press release)

The Bowie Baysox will honor members of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League with AAGPBL Tribute Night on Saturday, May 30, 2009, as the Baysox host the Harrisburg Senators at 7:05 PM at Prince George’s Stadium.

The following former AAGPBL players are scheduled to appear:

• Sarah Jane “Salty” (Sands) Ferguson
• Ruth “Rocky” (Kramer) Hartman
• Gloria (Cordes) Elliott
• Joanne McComb
• Gertrude (Alderfer) Benner
• Joyce Steele
• Ruth “Richy” Richard

The players will be honored during on-field ceremonies prior to the game. The ladies will toss out ceremonial first pitches and will meet and greet fans after the national anthem. They will also be available for autographs and photos with fans throughout the game.

The AAGPBL — the world’s first recorded professional women’s baseball league — was founded in 1943 by Philip K. Wrigley and consisted of up to 10 teams from the Midwest. The league lasted until 1954 and was immortalized in the hit 1992 movie “A League of Their Own” starring Tom Hanks, Rosie O’Donnell, Geena Davis and Madonna, and directed by Penny Marshall.

The Baysox are in the midst of their 17th season as the Double-A Eastern League affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles. Individual game tickets and ticket packages are available now at www.baysox.com or by calling the box office at (301) 464-4865.

The Baseball Card Movie is a YouTube video “about busting packs, baseball cards, being a collector and how value changes over time.”  You definitely do not want to put these in your bicycle spokes!

Directed by Casimir Nozkowski and featuring Joe Rock and his store, Baseball Card Dugout, in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn.

(from press release)

Minor League Baseball attracted more than five million fans to its April games for the ninth straight year. The 11 full-season leagues and 136 clubs, despite starting a week later than last year, drew 5,259,405 fans.

The average April crowd for the 1,414 openings was 3,720. The last time the domestic Minor League Baseball regular season began on April 8, as it did this year, was 2004. That year an average of 3,480 fans attended April games, 240 a game fewer than this year’s crowds.

Given the state of the economy, the fact that this year’s average through April is only 0.7 percent, or 25 fans, below last year’s number of 3,745 patrons a game is promising. Last year, more than 6.6 million fans attended games in April, thanks to 366 more openings, as MiLB was on its way to a fifth consecutive all-time record-breaking annual attendance total.

“While our overall attendance is below a year ago, we are encouraged that the opening-for-opening average attendance is off only a fraction of one percentage point,” said Minor League Baseball president, Pat O’Conner. “We are committed to working with our communities, and legions of fans, to make sure that Minor League Baseball is available and affordable in each of our cities. We are proud to provide recreational options for the country in these difficult economic times.”

Six leagues averaged more per opening than they did in 2008, including three circuits that posted double-digit improvements in their average April crowds over last year. The Florida State League led the way with a 23.1 percent spike in its average crowd, followed by the Midwest (11.2) and Eastern (10.1) leagues. The other leagues showing improvement were the South Atlantic (8.8), International (7.4) and Southern (4.6).

A Shortstop In China – a documentary chronicling Cal Ripken, Jr.’s inaugural overseas diplomatic assignment as US Goodwill and Sports Ambassador – will be broadcast tonight in high-definition on the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN) immediately following the Baltimore Orioles vs New York Yankees post-game show.

From the official website:

A Shortstop in China features Hall of Famer Cal Ripken, Jr., on his first diplomatic trip as an American Public Diplomacy Envoy for the State Department. This one-hour documentary. . .showcases Cal’s efforts to create a personal dialogue with youth around the world through the universal language of sports. The feature also provides a unique glimpse into the unprecedented economic and political growth of an emerging global powerhouse.

Along with footage from the 11 [baseball] clinics Cal and former Oriole B.J. Surhoff held from Beijing to Guangzou, the documentary also features Cal accepting his appointment from former Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice and a variety of interviews. . . .

Here is the extended trailer:

A DVD of the documentary is expected to be released shortly.

(from press release)

Shane Victorino of the Philadelphia Phillies has been presented with this year’s Lou Gehrig Memorial Award, sponsored by the Phi Delta Theta International Fraternity, headquartered in Oxford, Ohio.

The yearly award is given to the Major League Baseball player who best exemplifies the giving character of Hall of Famer Lou Gehrig, who was a member of the fraternity’s Columbia University chapter. The award was first presented in 1955 and is permanently maintained at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York.

Victorino will be presented the award at Citizens Bank Ballpark on Saturday, July 4, 2009, when the Phillies take on the New York Mets at 4:05 PM. The presentation will be a part of “4ALS,” a day celebrated throughout Major League Baseball to honor the 70th anniversary of Gehrig’s “Luckiest Man” speech and to raise awareness for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease.

“Traditionally, the Gehrig Award has recognized veteran players who have made an impact through a long-standing relationship with their community,” said Sean Wagner, spokesman for the Lou Gehrig Memorial Award Committee and associate executive vice president of Phi Delta Theta. “The fact that Shane has won this award at such an early stage in his career demonstrates the incredible impact he has had in the fight against ALS as well as on the city of Philadelphia, and speaks volumes about him as an individual.”

As starting centerfielder of the 2008 World Series champion Philadelphia Phillies, Victorino had crucial hits and defensive plays and became the first player in Major League Baseball postseason history to have a home run, double, and two steals in a game. He also hit the first grand slam in Phillies postseason history. During the regular season, Victorino achieved career highs in starts, at-bats, runs, hits, doubles, RBIs, home runs and walks.

In 2006, Victorino’s participation in the Phillies Phestival helped raise $600,000 for ALS. In 2008, Victorino became an active supporter of the SaVes4ALS program which raises thousands of dollars for the Philadelphia chapter of ALSA via events such as “Dining and Dancing with the Stars” and through the fundraising program that earns donations from sponsors based on pledge levels for every save recorded by the Phillies bullpen.

“When Shane makes a commitment, you can count on him to do his very best work and rely on his positive attitude,” said Suzanne Bruce, co-founder of the SaVes4ALS program. “We are proud to have him recognized for his support and efforts in this meaningful way.”

Victorino involves himself with a number of other causes outside of ALS. He is one of three Action Team Captains for MLB, promoting volunteerism in schools throughout the country. Locally, Victorino hosts “A Round to Remember”, a celebrity golf tournament featuring local celebrities which raises funds and awareness for the Alzheimer’s Association Aloha chapter.

With teammate Chase Utley, Victorino co-hosted the Philadelphia Futures “Get In The Game” charity bowling/billiards tournament in April of 2008, raising over $150,000 for Philadelphia Futures, a mentoring program for inner-city high school students. In 2007, the Police Athletic League recognized Victorino’s community service by awarding him an honorary badge.

“I was inspired by the work being done through the SaVes4ALS program and other important causes in our community. I am honored to be the recipient of this award, but it is really a team effort. I am glad to be a part of these organizations that make a tremendous difference. They are the real champions, and I congratulate their staff and supporters for their continued commitment,” said Victorino after hearing that he was to be honored with the Gehrig Award.

For detailed information about the history of the award and its recipients, visit www.LouGehrigAward.org.