By Eddie Baker
Sports Editor
4/23/09
Speaking at Curry College recently for Curry’s communications-department course called Radio/TV Sports Broadcasting was well-known Boston Globe writer Dan Shaughnessy. He said newspapers today have much more interactivity with their readers, who are now able to comment immediately on his columns.
In a column Dan wrote about New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady appearing to be fed by his supermodel wife, he made the implication that Tom may be going soft. Dan said he had over 900 e-mail replies to the column and many were not favorable. However, he added that you have to have thick skin, which he thinks he has, so he can take the criticism.
Dan went on to say that 10 years from now, he doubted that print editions would be printed. He feels that newspapers would become a strictly online entity.
When Dan is not writing for the Globe, he is a regular contributor on local and national radio and TV reports. He said reporters today must integrate themselves in all media.
At Curry, the Radio/TV Sports Broadcasting course is taught by longtime WBZ-TV news and sports anchor Scott Wahle. The college’s broadcasting program is one of the oldest in the country, going back to 1932.
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As of April 15, the Curry College baseball team, under well-known Milton baseball enthusiast and coach Dave Perdios, has a record of 21-3, which gets them ranked No. 20 in the country in Division 3 baseball.
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Glad to see that well-known former Milton Little League coach and baseball enthusiast Mike Gormley is feeling better and able to watch some games. Mike had not been feeling so hot lately.
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By now, most of us know that longtime Town Treasurer, jogger and avid golfer Kevin Sorgi is retiring. Well, they are having a party for Kevin on Friday evening, May 1, at Lantana in Randolph. At this writing, there are still tickets available. They can be purchased for $35 from well-known Milton star Jim Mullen at Town Hall. Cocktails will be served beginning at 7 p.m. and dinner is at 8 p.m. There will also be entertainment.
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A lot of Milton stars have told me that they are going to Nantucket this weekend, April 24 to 26, to see the Daffodil Festival. It’s a great take, especially if the weather is good.
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A lot of you Milton athletes who shop at BJ’s Wholesale Club will not have as far to go, as construction of a new BJ’s location is under way at the old Patriot Ledger building in Quincy’s Crown Colony.
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Former Roxbury Latin and Milton Legion star John Spatola has been an important link in Boston College’s success this spring in baseball. John has been playing both the outfield and first base, as well as pinch-hitting, for the Eagles.
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Well-known Milton long-distance runner Susan Bortolotti would like to say thanks to all those who inquired how she was doing or sent her a card after she was laid up after a recent fall. She is feeling better now, we are happy to report, and soon should be back running again. Susan is the mother of those well-known Milton athletes.
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Did you know that this is Milton High School baseball coach Ted Curley’s 18th year of coaching varsity baseball at the high school?
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Back after another Florida vacation, where they saw the Red Sox in spring training, are former St. Gregory’s and Boston College stars Jim McCusker, Jack Horrigan, Don Agnetta and Paul Dolan.
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Milton long-distance runner Stephen Affanato passed up the Boston Marathon this year in order to spend more time on his campaign for park commissioner. He and Thomas McCarthy are vying for the seat.
Longtime (10 years) Park Commissioner Terry Driscoll is not seeking re-election this year. However, he will work at the Park Fishing Derby slated for Saturday morning, May 9, at Turners Pond. As of now, the pond will be stocked with trout but not salmon.
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Former longtime and successful Milton High boys’ lacrosse coach Mark Puzzangara has left to be the coach at Scituate High School. Mark, who lives in Hanover, teaches in the Scituate school system, so the move cuts down his traveling.
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All of the Boston Red Sox home games this year that were originally listed as starting at 7:05 p.m. will now start at 7:10 p.m.
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As most of you basketball fans know, the University of Connecticut women’s basketball team started and finished at No. 1. The undefeated team, which many fans thought was the best women’s college team ever and didn’t lose a game, was weekly ranked No. 1 for the entire season. Some Milton stars have told me that if this was back in the ’70s, when the men’s teams weren’t so big, the UConn women could have given them a great game.
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Tom Gunning, the great sports organizer of the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s, is once again running for town assessor, an office he has held for quite a few years now. Former St. Agatha and Merchants star Bruce Bird says that Tom, who was his softball manager, isn’t a bad guy but his jokes leave a little to be desired. Tom is being challenged by Todd Greenwood in the election.
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Persistence really pays off. Hobey Baker Award winner Matt Gilroy was a walk-on hockey player at Boston University. But he worked hard and became a highly sought-after (now drafted) pro player after his junior year. He returned to BU for his senior year, though, and was the captain of the Terriers. He won the most prestigious award in college hockey.
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A lot of Major League Baseball fans in Milton would not mind seeing the Baltimore Orioles, Tampa Bay Rays and Toronto Blue Jays battle it out to get in the playoffs. As long as the Yankees didn’t make it, it would be OK with some Red Sox fans.
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Although the Milton High girls’ softball team isn’t ranked in the top ten Division 1 teams (Milton plays Division 1 in girls’ softball), it had four girls picked as “players to watch” in the division. They are the Sumner sisters, McKenzie, a senior third baseman, and Morgan, a junior outfielder; Devin Kelly, a senior catcher; and Brenna Callahan, a sophomore pitcher.
This Saturday, April 25, at 9 a.m., Milton High takes on one of the top softball teams in the state when they play Dighton-Rehoboth. The team is on the road next week when school resumes, playing Newton North and Walpole. They are home again against Natick on Friday, May 1, at 3:45 p.m.
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We thought BU basketball coach Dennis Wolf was doing the best job he could with the team he had and should not have been fired. However, the university made a good choice in hiring the top assistant at Villanova, which has had a successful basketball program for years.
That said, BU should try to upgrade its schedule with some better opponents and play most of its home games at beautiful Agganis Arena.
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If some of you Milton athletes like pit bulls, there are some nice ones available at the Milton Animal Shelter.
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Well-known Hilltopper star Tim Knightly is looking forward to a big boating season.
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Our congratulations to Patriot Ledger All-Scholastic running back Paul Connor for making the Ledger’s All-Scholastic team in indoor track. Paul moved up from shorter races to be king of the 600.
Congratulations also to Milton High senior Liz O’Connor for making the Ledger’s All-Scholastic team in basketball.
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Matt Dunn, the youngest of the sports-playing Dunn brothers, scored a goal in lacrosse last week against Keene State. Matt, who has played defense in his four years at the University of Massachusetts at Boston, got an unassisted score, the first of his career.
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The Tedeschi’s store on the corner of Randolph Avenue and Brook Road has some nice, inexpensive baseball caps. Take a look at them.
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Commonwealth Figure Skating Club has announced its annual Ice Capers Show. This year’s theme is “The British Invasion” and features related songs. The show will be Friday, April 24, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, April 25, at 2 p.m. at Zapustus Arena in Randolph. The skaters will delight you with their spins and jumps. Miltonians Sophia Cousineau, Isabelle Driscoll, Madelyn Driscoll, Olivia Erickson, Kristen Mills and Stephanie Ward will be skating. For more information, call (781) 963-4053.
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Milton residents Lauren Tarpy and Sarah McLaughlin helped Notre Dame Academy pull out a win against rival Fontbonne in softball last week. Tarpy went 3 for 4 at the plate with two RBIs and played solid defense at second base. McLaughlin went 2 for 4. The Cougars beat the Ducks, 4-3.
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The Milton High girls’ lacrosse team is 4-2 at the start of this week. Kate Shea and Kasey Bilodeau each scored three goals in a win over Newton North last week.
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Last year’s sensational Milton High freshman tennis player Ariana Launie is back playing No. 1 for the high school. At this writing, the team is 4-2.
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Well-known Milton athlete and Milton High teacher Jim Bowes has been named the new football coach at the high school. Jim was an assistant football coach a few years back at Milton and was also an assistant at Curry College.
(Ed Baker can be reached at miltonsports@hotmail.com.)