Canes Win Little Canaries 2011 Holiday Tournament

While most of us were sitting on our fat asses over the Holidays, eating bon bons, seventeen teams of 6th grade boys from all over the Lehigh Valley were running up and down basketball courts at William Allen High School. In games played between December 26 and 31st, the Bethlehem 'Canes came out on top, winning each of their five contests.

On Friday night, the 'Canes were down 10 points to Allentown's Downtown Youth Center when the buzzer sounded at the half. But this Liberty High School feeder team dug down and exploded in the second half, winning by ten.

On New Year's Eve, as parents nursed hangovers, the Canes squared off against Allentown's East Side Youth Center in the Championship game. East Side was exhausted, having played three games earlier that day as a result of being in a loser's bracket. So the Canes came out on top, but every one of them would tell you the game could have gone the other way if East Side had more rest.

They will meet again.

I Hid Out in Pottstown This Weekend

On Friday, I posted a story about an Office of Open Record's Order, requiring Northampton County Council member Tom Dietrich to produce a note (or a reasonable facsimile) that he

exchanged with Council member Ann McHale during the course of a public meeting. Had it been an email, there's no question it would be produced. But Dietrich was unwilling to share its contents, both during the meeting and in response to a Right to Know Request filed the very next day.

Had this been a truly private exchange, I'd have no interest. But I have good reason to believe that Dietrich, an elected Council member, was accusing another member of that body with bribery during a public meeting. There's not much point to having an open records law or a Sunshine Act if a communication like that can be  hidden from public eyes.

In response to this Order, which comes from an independent state agency, I've been attacked non-stop with some really vicious comments by a mob purporting to speak for "the People." That job's already been taken by a state legislature, which was elected by "We, the people." They adopted the Right-to-Know law. They established the Office of Open Records, which enforces that law. I'll listen to what the OOR says, and let the mob bray.

While a mob debased themselves all weekend with childish taunts and looking for rope, I was in Pottstown with a much more mature group - 6th graders. My grandson's Bethlehem 'Canes basketball team was playing teams from Southeast Pennsylvania and Jersey in the ninth annual Hoop Group Turkey Tip-Off. My grandson had been looking forward to this tournament, and was actually ticking off the days before it started. But ironically, their championship game on Sunday was against a next door neighbor, Allentown's East Side Youth Center. These boys all know each other, and have played together on different Summer leagues and other teams over the years. Bethlehem 'Canes walked away with the trophy and a coveted Under Armor T-shirt, but they were all good to each other.

They fought like hell on the court, but if one of them was knocked over, he would often be helped back to his feet by the person who moments before was swinging his elbows to make sure he had the ball.

They were playing at the prestigious Hill School, which looks more like an armed fortress than an educational institution. Surrounded by fences, the only thing it needs is a moat. When I finally found the right building, I was confronted by something more terrifying than a pikeman. Guarding the door was a student, and the password was $12, about twice the price of most high school games.

When I finally got in, I thought I was at an old English boarding school. The walls are decorated with team pictures from 1912 and 1913, but there was a modern gym, weight room and even a pool.

The kids had a blast. On Saturday, they were all treated to lunch by one of the coaches. While parents and kids wolfed down pizzas, I took advantage of the break to do some exploring along the Schuylkill River Trail, which extends from Pottstown to Reading. About two miles into my run, the macadam gives way to crushed stones in Berks County, blanketed by golden leaves.

It's a pretty little town. As a bonus, I was able to access free WiFi just about everywhere, except at the prestigious Hill School.

Now, you may ask, did a weekend at exclusive Hill School make my grandson and his friends any smarter?  Let me answer that by telling you what he and his friends did on Sunday night. They all went bowling and met Snooki at the Pigpen. She even posed for a pic with my grandson.

Hey, it's better than a strip club.

Hurricane or Not, the Bethlehem Steelers Played

Can you say you ever played football or were a cheerleader in a hurricane? Young men and women from Northampton and Bethlehem can make now that claim. Despite ominous skies, rain and a hurricane warning, the Bethlehem Steelers played the Konkrete Kids on Saturday. Since most of the Steelers expect to end up with the Liberty Hurricanes, they probably liked the forecast.

Fortunately, the weather held, although a ref warned everyone that if he saw one just one flash of lightning, he was ending it.

An 11 Year Old Boy's Weekend

Saturday morning, at 11 AM, the 'Canes 6th grade Summer basketball team played their championship game against a talented bunch of young men from North Pocono. Though the 'Canes were down by 9 points at one time during the second half, they managed to claw their way back and win the game by 3 points. Of course, the parents made complete asses out of themselves, but the kids on both teams were great.

My grandson, Dat, went right from that game to Bally, Pa, for a baseball tournament. The 11U 'Canes were pitted against 8 other teams like the LV Baseball Academy and the Forks Township Young Gunz. They played twice on Saturday and three times on Sunday. They lost the championship game to the Northeast Titans, who hail from the Poconos. That game did not even start until 9:30 PM on Sunday, and I did not get home until 12:30 AM.

It was a long weekend, made longer by the rain. On Saturday, teams just played through the light rains. But on Sunday, the fields were such a mess that all games were delayed by 3 hours. So when I arrived in Bally at 10 AM, I was the only person there. I walked throughout town, learning that Bally has the oldest Catholic school in the state and more active industry than some bigger LV municipalities.

Right before Dat's game was supposed to start at 1 PM, the Catholic skies opened up and baptized everyone. The fields were a mess and I thought they would just call it a day. Nope. They worked on the fields, had them dry in about 2 hours, and the games finally got underway.

Then it got unbearably hot and sticky. As day turned into night, the heat was replaced by a new enemy. Catholic bugs invaded, taking bits and pieces of us with them, along with a few ball players.

Women who had refused to use the port-a-potties all day began making beelines for the two johns at the far end of right field, where kids had been going all day.

And the games went on.

Then people noticed an unfamiliar smell. The women were convinced it was those johns, but it was fertilizer from a nearby farmer's field. The aroma was a punishment for playing on Sunday.

It also seemed like every game played went into extra innings.

When the championship game finally got underway at 9:30 PM, nobody was sure the lights would stay on. Tournament directors were worried they would just automatically shut off at 10 PM, but players began making the sign of the cross and that seemed to appease the baseball gods.

I wanted to tell you about Friday night's tea party, which was no picnic. I'll give you my report about that later today, after I get some rest.

While I'm konked out, my grandson will be up early to visit the Eagles baseball football camp. From there, he has football practice and is itchy to get involved in a wooden bat baseball tournament in two weeks.

Could you imagine what kids would be like if they drank coffee?

Bethlehem's 11U 'Canes Win Mother's Day Classic

Look at 'dem bums.

They look awful happy in a Sunday afternoon picture, but things sure didn't start out that way. On a chilly Saturday morning, the Bethlehem 11U 'Canes, a feeder team for Liberty High School, started their tournament season as they always do. By losing their first game.

This motley crew is an assortment from Little Leagues all over Bethlehem. And as you might expect, they're used to Little League rules, where there's 40' between every base and no leading is permitted.

But when they faced the Forks Township Young Guns at 9 AM in ECBT's Mother's Day Classic at East Allen's Bicentennial Park, they learned it's a lot harder to get on base when you have to run 50'. And it took them, and their coaches, several innings to catch on to that leading concept in a tournament involving seven teams from New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania with names like the MuckDawgs.

So naturally, the 'Canes started off by giving up four runs in the first two innings. They did wake up somewhere in the middle of the fourth, but it was too late. They finished Game 1 at the losing end of a 6-5 score.

That's when they started clawing their way back, rolling over Pro-Skills Silver by 16 to 3 and sending the Red Land Nationals to no-man's land, 11 to 3.

Next the 'Canes would face the Staten Island Aces, who should be called the Staten Island Asses. Their coaches, dressed in matching shades and Hawaiian luau shirts, looked like they belonged on the Sopranos. And before the game, I overheard one of them saying they have to rip our hearts out and show no mercy.

Alrighty then.

At first, things seemed fine. The Asses were up 2 to 0, and the Sopranos were actually cheerful. But one swing of the bat, and things change fast. Before they could make an offer that no one could refuse, the 'Canes who were on top 3-2.

That's when the Sopranos started protesting every call and making idiots out of themselves, annoying the umps. But it was still a tight game. They loaded up first and second. Then the second base runner headed for third. A throw came in to third baseman Justin Schmoyer and, in a cloud of dust, the runner was called out.

At that point, the Asses exploded. Two of the three coaches came out to argue the call, cursing and yelling. Both were ejected, but the players and parents were applauding them and jeering the umps.

I'll tell you a little secret. They were right. The runner was safe. I was sitting right by third, and Justin never touched the kid, nor did he have the ball before that little Ass was on third. Justin later told me that even he know the kid was safe.

But the ump called him out so he was out.

Baseball is kinda' like a courtroom that way.

Anyway, the 'Canes ended up winning the game by 1 run and would advance to the 'ship. The Asses were awarded a third place trophy, but the kids threw it on the ground and stomped all over it until it was shattered.

I don't blame the Little Asses. I blame the example set by the Big Asses.

After all that chaos, the final game was anti-climactic, but the 'Canes won, 9-6.

Team members include, in no particular order, David Bertolotti, Alex Laudenslager, Jake Wagner, Kyle Picht, Dat Lambert, Justin Schmoyer, Jake Unangst, Zach Besz, Jason Hughes, Harrison Fandel, Jarret Burcin, Josh Snead, Gabe Abino and Sam Kraihanzel.

Book Sale For Abigail

Book Sale For Abigail

Bethlehem 5th Graders Create Hurricane Over Thanksgiving

Did it seem windy to you this weekend? A hurricane hit the Lehigh Valley, and the eye of the storm was at Bath's In The Zone. Boys and girls from all grades descended on this Lehigh Valley Basketball Mecca for a tune-up tournament.

My grandson is with Liberty's 5th grade "Hurricane" travelling team this year. They won, and looked just a tad scary. They combined power, speed and deception. Kinda' like the real thing.

Because things happen so fast for me, I only have a few good shots. I made up a little montage comparing a real hurricane with the basketball team. My favorite part is when Jo-Jo pointed to something and then smacked the ball right out of the hands of a Saucon Valley Panther.

Completely fooled him.