WPCNR SEAT-ON-THE- DAIS. June 10, 2008: The New York State Softball Officials  -- the men and women in blue who make the calls (without instant replay) experts in evaluating sportsmanship -- honored White Plains High School softball player Sandra Mastrangelo, with their Softball Officials' Sportsmanship Award, presenting Ms. Mastrangelo with a plaque saluting her  "for her team spirit, good will and sportsmanship as a player on the White Plains High School Varsity Softball Team in 2008."

Jack Lim,  "The Man in Blue"  (with microphone), former President of the NYSSO Hudson Valley Chapter, and Rita Marsella, far left,  Board Examiner, reads the Sportsmanship Plaque presented to Sandra Mastrangelo ,at the high school spring sports awards dinner last week.  Softball Coach Ted O'Donnell looks on with pride. Photo Courtesy, the Flooks Family.

WPCNR PRESS BOX. June 9, 2008 UPDATED 12 NOON EDT: A news conference held in honor of Sandra Mastrangelo, the all-universe catcher for the White Plains Tigers softball team, announced Ms. Mastrangelo has been awarded a four year full scholarship to Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, where she will continue her  distinguished softball career.

 Her Coach for the last five years, Ted O'Donnell who has had some great players through his decade as White Plains softball coach, said, "I never had a harder working player than Sandra," and said, "It's not a mystery the importance Sanra has played in the team's success, and still found the time to place 14th in her class." He predicted her character is so exemplary that she will make an impact in some way on society in the future.

Ms. Mastrangelo is the only scholarship recipient honored with such a news conference this reporter can remember  as having prepared written remarks to thank the crowd of players, parents, and fans who packed the conference. Attributing her success to hard-work and dedication, she honored her coach, her various mentors at the school with the words, "Your belief in me, has made me believe in myself."

Sandra and her Mom, Jody

Her fellow captain, Jackie Flooks prepared a "Hall of Fame Plaque" for her speaking eloquently of what she has meant to the team. Dom Sputo, father of Lauren Sputo, praised Ms. Mastrangelo for helping to break his daughter in as pitcher, and mentoring her the first two seasons.

The " Sandra Mastrangelo Hall of Fame Plaque"-- Created by her Softball Team Co-Captain, Jackie Flooks.The Plaque Reads:167 Consecutive Varsity Games & Scrimmages Played; Over 1,170 consecutive innings caught; 4 League Championships; 3 Time Sectional Semi-Finalist; 2 Time Section Finalist;  5 Time All-League;  4 Times All County; 4 Times All-Sectional; 2 Times All-State; 2 Year Captain; Con Edison Award Winner; 9 Times a Scholar-Athlete,(5 in Softball, 3 in Field Hockey, once in Track; 2008 New York State Softball Officials Organization Section 1 Sportsmanship Award; The Best Number 7 in the World.

The Hudson Valley Chapter of the New York State Softball Officials Organization has recognized Ms. Mastrangelo as a special kind of ball player. Jack Lim, the former President of the association, and frequent varsity umpire will be presenting her with a  Section 1 Sportsmanship Award on behalf of the umpires.

Ms. Mastrangelo told WPCNR she had always had an affinity for Brown University, and hoped to study in the medical field there. She said the softball team has a new coaching staff, and the team is coming on, saying they see her as either an infield or catching possibility.

For the fans who frequent O'Donnell's Bluff where fastpitch is played in White Plains, it just won't be the same without Sandra behind the plate; the bazooka snap throws to first, her flying leaps to grab bloop pops, her ferocious defense of the plate, and her ability to call a game, calm down a pitcher and get that little something extra out of her. Like Frank Chance, "The Peerless Leader" of the old Chicago Cubs, Ms. Mastrangelo makes everyone she plays with better from her own example of  hustle, intelligence, and poise in a pinch.

WPCNR PRESS BOX. By John F. Bailey. June 7, 2008: Caitlin  Schell  leaped  high in the circle after just getting Yorktown’s big boppette,  Cassie Reilly Boccia swinging on a 2-strike pitch with the tying runs on first and second for the second out in the last of the fifth in Saturday afternoon’s Class AA Section 1 Championship game.

 Schell still had a 2-0 lead and had to get the  Husker cleanup hitter, Tori Matzura to get out of the inning without having to face Casey O’Connor and Reilly-Boccia again for the rest of the way. The crisis seemed past.

WPCNR Sports. June 5, 2008: This just in from Yorktown. Yorktown High bats did in the White Plains Tigers today, with explosive hitting, while the Tigers failed to solve the Huskers pitcher. Yorktown moves into the Section 1 Class AA Final against the winner of the Arlington-North Rockland tilt.  This will be the opportunity for a second consecutive Section 1 Title for the Huskers

White Plains finished at 14-9 on the season, after catching Scarsdale for a share of the League 1-A Championship. With only two seniors graduating the Tigers can look forward to a bright 2009.

WPCNR PRESS BOX. By John F. Bailey. June 3, 2008 UPDATED June 4, 2008 9:40 A.M.: Two Indians on, nobody out, and the Tigers held a 2-1 lead Tuesday afternoon in the last of the seventh in the quarter final of the fastpitch Class AA Sectional in Wappingers Falls.

The hardworking Tiger in the circle,  Lauren Sputo was over 100 pitches. She went 3-1 to R. C. Ketchum’s clean-up lady, Jess Syska. Senior catcher Sandra Mastrangelo went to talk with Lauren they touched gloves. Sputo came back getting two called strikes for out number one.

Next up came the number five hitter, Amanda Machio who took three balls. Tiger catcher Sandra Mastrangelo went out to the circle again and laid on the gloves  with Lauren. Then,  boom! Boom! Boom! Sputo came back to get  Machio  on another called third strike on the corner.

Two out and Sputo into her 130^th pitch, was facing Chelse Boyes, who had blasted a triple in the second inning, walked, and looped a liner to left. The first pitch was over for a strike, then a ball, a swing and miss, and a foul, 1-2, the runners led away. Sputo delivered a nasty pitch across the thighs tying her up inside , Boyes  connected hitting the inside pitch off the fists past the circle.

WPCNR TRAINER'S ROOM. Special to WPCNR from Brian Jay, ACSM, IFPA, ISCA CPT, CSN, of Strata Health Club, White Plains May 25, 2008:  Recently in The New York Times Magazine, there was an extensive article on the soaring rate of women athletes' knee injuries compared to male athletes at the high school level. WPCNR invited Brian Jay of White Plains to address this serious subject and growing concern. Here are Mr. Jay's suggestions on how coaches can limit the risk of knee injuries in female sports. WPCNR introduces Mr. Jay:

Although some Women would disagree, Men are stronger then Women, at least from a physical standpoint. This is why the number of sports related knee injuries, (ACL injuries in particular), is much higher in Females then in Males.

As children grow into young adults, Boys' levels of the Testosterone rise significantly. Since Testosterone is the most important factor in muscle growth, boys will generally have more muscle then Girls, therefore protecting the bones, and to some extent, the tissue, and ligaments of the body more effectively then the Female counterparts.

WPCNR COURTSIDE. May 15, 2008: The tears of happiness were falling Thursday afternoon, as White Plains Tigers Angelei Aguirre who by force of will, her heart and  leadership and desire lead the Tigers to their fourth consecutive Section I Championship this year signed a Letter of Intent to attend the University of California at Berkeley on a four year full athletic scholarship.

From left, Mark Aguire, Mrs. Aguirre, Angelei, Coach Sue Adams and Athletic Director, Nick Panero at the big signing Thursday afternoon. On the dais, are the 4 Section 1 Basketball ChampionTrophies won by the teams Ms. Aguirre has played on for White Plains

Ms. Aguirre is the fifth member of the WPHS Tigers Girls Basketball Champions the last four years to receive a Division I academic scholarship. The other three, Kim Adams, Elise Bronzo, Danica Covington and Liz Flooks who lead the champions of 2007, 2006 and 2005 were in the audience clapping, crying, remembering.

WPCNR VIEW FROM THE UPPER DECK. By "Bull" Allen. May 12, 2008: Well,  pro football has a lot to explain.  It seems that 8 new video “sideline surveillance tapes” showing both offensive and defensive signals  of  6 games involving 5 opponents from the New England Phonies have been turned over to the pro football league offices by a former Phonies employee. We wonder what the Commissioner is going to do about these?

Old Yankee Stadium, 1956-- BVE  (Before Video Era)

The paragon coaching genius of the league – the defensive “guru” – the man whom of it has been said, give him two weeks of preparation and he can stop any offense, wasn’t that much of a genius without his tapes, was he? Well, now we know why, don’t we?

WPCNR VIEW FROM THE  EIGHTH AVENUE MEZZANINE. By “Goal” Gordon. May 7, 2008:

Let me tilt back my fedora, light up a Lucky, and pound this out on my  Royal Corona keys while in the quiet of the old Garden press gondola. The real  Garden. The one with the blue haze of cigar smoke hanging in the upper deck, when the ice was made by hand cart and the players played without helmets, when Gumper was in Goal and Andy Bathgate, Camille Henry and Andy Hebenton were my favorites, and the New York World Telegram and Sun called them the Blueshirts, and they used to run 1-inch ads in the sports sections, reading "Hockey Tonight Toronto 7 PM Fastest Game on Earth."

Madison Square Garden 1950s. Eighth Avenue and 49th Street.

Now that hockey, figure skating, (I remember the Ice Capades), has grown and now faces an ice crisis. I think The Rangers have the oppportunity to give back to the community a favor that will never be forgotten, and make a memory as warm as the 1994 Stanley Cup. A selfless gesture that will be appreciated so much by the community that has loved them so long.

What We Would Give for some Ice -- like Yost Arena in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Just 10 Hours Away

You see they have closed the New Roc rink in New Rochelle.  New Rochelle city government is reported thinking about building a new rink. Meanwhile New Rochelle High School, Rye,  and some other hockey teams, not to mention the Team Image of Yonkers, the Synchronized Skating 4th  Ranked National Team,  have no place to skate or practice. Most of the rink slots in Mount Vernon, E. J. Murray Rink, Westchester Skating Academy, Katonah Harvey School, and in Stamford and Greenwich are filled.

But there is a rink that is only used eight months a year.

And the New York Rangers are not using it now.

WPCNR RINKSIDE By Katharina Devitofranceshi, The German School, White Plains. May 4, 2008: Synchronized Skating: Those are two words you don’t hear very often and most likely tell you nothing (that is unless you’re in the 10^th grade of German School New York in White Plains, then you know all about it.)

The Skyliners of New York, the Tri-State Area's Zagreb Snowflake Trophy Junior Gold Medal Winners, skating in the Frasier, Michigan  Syncrhonized Skating Junior Qualifier in January. The Junior team holds tryouts tonight in Rye, and here a member of the team, attending the German School here in White Plains, Katharina Devitofranceschi reflects on the team's unforgettable journey, representing the USA in Croatia in March.

WPCNR FLORIDA SWING REPORT. From White Plains Softball Coach Ted O'Donnell. April 26, 2008: The White Plains Fastpitch Tigers come home today to play two  on O'Donnell's Bluff at White Plains High School today beginning at 11 A.M. They'll take on Patchogue and Bay Shore from Long Island. The Tigers are coming off a great Florida Swing highlighted by Sandra Mastrangelo, the Tiger catcher being named Con Edison's Athlete of the Month. Ted O'Donnell, Tiger coach files this report:

Mastrangelo Follow through!

WPCNR VIEW FROM THE UPPER DECK. By Bull Allen. April  19, 2008: Last Friday night, the Yankees Chien-Ming Wang started a ball game at Fenway Park against the Boston Red Sox. Nine innings later, Mr. Wang walked off the mound having shut out Boston, 2-0, with a complete game shut out. Do you believe it?

Do you realize how rare an achievement this is?  Well take it from me it is.

The Big Ball Park in The Bronx. 1950s. When it was Yankee Stadium.

WPCNR View from the Upper Deck. April 13, 2008: White Plains Varsity Softball Coach Ted O'Donnell took a busman's holiday Friday to see one of his former players, Kelly O'Neil, a first sacker for Holy Cross, play against Army at West Point. Here is his report on Ms. O'Neill's afternoon:

Once Upon a Time on O'Donnell's Bluff: On  the sunsplashed diamond, Kelly O'Neil held down first for the great Tiger "Three-Peat" softball teams of the early 2000s. Five years ago, this week, it is April 16, 2003:  Kelly O'Neil crouches at first, Kim Wood at third, as Tara Pollard pitches a no-hit, no run perfect game at Yorktown.  Yorktown sent 21 batters up and 21 went down.  Photo by WPCNR Sports

Kelly O'Neil Batting for the Holy Cross Crusaders