Sportsdate 7 - 1 - 2009
No this is not going to be another of those the heat is here so the Rangers are folding columns. I will leave that to the sports commentators in the Metroplex. This is more personal. I wrote a piece a couple of months back about going to see the Rangers. I praised the franchise for finally getting it. Much like on the baseball side of operations, the business side takes a step forward and two steps back in the ever going Texas Rangers two step. Read the rest of this entry »
Sportsdate 6 - 30 - 2009
Hogzilla and others have been inquiring about where we have gone here on the blog. I apologize for lack of posts. After a week with the family in Disney World, I returned to a death in the family out of town. Summer is the slow time of year here in Texarkana for sports with the high school action finished, so local blog material is limited.
This week, I plan to take my son and father to a Rangers game so look for a blog about the experience. Until then hang in there Texarkana sports fans. Sometimes no news really is good news.
T. Kirk
Sportsdate 6 - 6 - 2009
Texarkana, Arkansas’ Bo Bigham had three hits in todays University of Arkansas 9 to 8 victory over Florida State that sends the Hogs into the College World series. The freshman infielder has been a big part of the Dave Van Horn (former TC skipper) and the Hogs’ late season resurrection since being inserted into the line-up.
T. Kirk
Sportsdate 6 - 6 - 2009
I have had the good fortune the last few years to go to the Texas State Baseball tournament and cover Liberty Eylau, Hooks, and Pleasant Grove play for the state baseball championship. In all three cases they have come up just short of their goal. When LE won, I did not make the trip, but when they lost in the finals I was there.
This year Pleasant Grove will return along with Texas High. I am presently employed by PGHS, and years ago I taught at THS. They will be joined in Austin by Lufkin High School one of my previous teaching stops. Needless to say I will be rooting for them to sweep classes 3A, 4A, and 5A.
All three may have a better chance because I will not be in attendence. Schools I hold great love for struggle to win the big one in Austin when I am in attendence. So the fact that I allowed by wife to book us into Disney World this next week thinking that the state tournament was this past week is a bittersweet irony for me. However my absence may boost the chances of all three since my hard luck fan karma will be in Florida.
My physcial being will be in Orlando enjoying the Magic Kingdom and city while it hosts the NBA championship next week, but my heart will be in Austin. I will be enjoying the joy of my two children as they soak up the happiest place on the planet while I root from afar for the Hawks, Tigers, and Panthers.
If all three win in my absence I will be expecting all teams that I root for to pay for my future vacations during their championship weeks.
T. Kirk
Sportsdate 6 - 4 - 2009
The Texas High Tigers were tamed by McKinney North and their submarine pitcher this evening here in town on the THS campus. North won the game 2 - 1. The Tigers were held scoreless until Nathan Sorenson’s solo home run in the bottom of the seventh. The Regional series for a trip to Austin moves to McKinney for what the Tigers hope will be a double header Saturday afternoon.
As this is being blogged, it appears Maud will split their double header with the Overton Mustangs over in Mount Pleasant tonight. After winning the opener, they trail the Mustangs 8 - 1 in the nightcap. Their third and final game for a trip to Austin will be in Tatum on Saturday.
Also as I put this to bed, the Texarkana Gunslingers lead the Coastal Kingfish 12 to 3 in the bottom of the eighth. Tonight the Gunslingers offered fans free admission to try out the CBL under new local ownership this season. A total of 646 fans took the team up on the offer giving the team by far their largest crowd of the season.
Gunslinger attendence was even more impressive considering the fact that Texas High was playing right across Summerhill Road before a standing room only size crowd, and the city of Texarkana was offering a free movie in Springlake Park tonight.
Pleasant Grove had the night off as their Saturday opponent Princeton held it’s graduation ceremonies this evening. They play again Saturday in their Class 3A Regional showdown. The Hawks lead the series 1 - 0, and can punch their ticket to Austin with a win over the Panthers on Saturday in Mount Pleasant.
T. Kirk
Sportsdate 5 - 28 - 2009
If you have ever seen a cat catch a bird, you would have reconized many similarities with tonight’s Texas High Tigers 7 to 4 victory over the Rockwall Heath Hawks. Because the cat likes to play with his prey, there is always a chance the bird might get away, but on most ocassions in the end the cat dines on the bird.
Texas High spotted the Hawks a 3 to 0 lead in the top of the first and then used three homers to track down, and polish off the kids from the banks of Lake Ray Hubbard. Tiger pitcher Randall Fant may not have had his best stuff, but he battled through for the win.
Freshman pitcher Jovan Hernandez kept Heath in the game, but eventually the Tigers left hand laden line-up began to crush the ball, and the young right hander’s dreams for the evening.
While the Tigers were taking care of round one here locally tonight, the Pleasant Grove Hawks traveled to Kilgore tonight to battle Kenndale. Without their ace and cleanup hitter Micahel Wacha in the line-up the Hawks got by Kenndale 1 to 0. PG junior John Phillips hurled the shutout for the Hawks.
Both Texarkana teams will be on the road Friday evening in rematches. If Wacha remains sidelined, Kenndale has a chance in Kilgore. The Rockwall Heath Hawks on the other hand best be careful where they light, the big cats will be lurking lakeside.
T. Kirk
Sportsdate 5 - 26 - 2009
Texarkana Gunslingers sweep weekend series against the Coastal Kingfish. Texas High eliminates Mesquite Poteet in dramatic fashion. Pleasant Grove literally is forced to battle it’s way through a weekend playoff series against district rival Pittsburg, and the Maud Cardinals elminate the state’s number 1 ranked Class A team Price Carlile.
Saint Louis claims the title of baseball town America, but Texarkana may soon wish to challenge that. There is a decent chance that two city teams could make the state tournament, and Maud from just up the road could be joining them.
In recent years Liberty Eylau, Hooks, and Trinity Christain have represented the city in state title games. As good as the football is here in Texarkana, I will always argue that this is a baseball town.
If you are not enjoying the best of baseball times here, you must not get baseball. That is too bad because Texarkana is getting the best that the diamond has to offer.
T. Kirk
Sportsdate 5 - 19 - 2009
It was a good night for Texarkana baseball. I had the good fortune to watch Pleasant Grove manhandle the Lucas Lovejoy Leopards. They ten run ruled the kids from Collin County 11 to 1 in Mount Pleasant. Jon Phillips picked up the win for the Hawks, while ace Michael Wacha pitched the final inning to stay sharp for this weekend’s showdown with district rival Pittsburg in the next round of the playoffs.
Texas High traveled to Mesquite tonight and won a huge game against 4A power Waxahachie. The highly touted Indians have their two top players headed to Texas and OU to continue their careers next year, but the Tigers ended their high school careers this evening 3 to 0. Josh Turley who is headed to Baylor next year pitched a outstanding game for THS.
T. Kirk
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