Fernando Arroyo of Luther Burbank High (1970) / Courtesy photo

Butch Metzger and Fernando Arroyo—two rival pitchers from the old Metro League who eventually  pitched in the major leagues—head the list of eight ballplayers and one journalist to be inducted in the  2013 Class of the La Salle Club Baseball Hall of Fame.

Also inducted in this year’s Baseball Hall of Fame will be: Tom Dicktakes, Joe Gill, Mike Green, Leon  Lee, Nick Peters, Gene Sackett and Gary Szakacs.

The 59th annual Hall of Fame event is set for Saturday, April 27 at Christian Brothers High School Field  House. It will begin with a no-host social at 5:30, followed by a sit-down dinner at 6:30.

Arroyo, a three-sport star at Luther Burbank High (1970), compiled a 24-37 career mark while pitching  eight seasons in the American League for Detroit, Minnesota and Oakland.  He also played 13 seasons  in the Mexican Winter League, where he once pitched a record 17-inning contest. After retirement, he  coached in the minor leagues for Detroit, Florida and Oakland, and spent two years in the Taiwan  Major League.

Dicktakes (Sacramento High 1954) played bush baseball into his ‘40s, culminating his long career with a  championship with the Sacramento Smokeys in 1981. He is better known as “Twin Cam Tommy” for  developing a high-powered overhead cam nitro dragster that has topped out at 240 mph.

Gill (Bishop Armstrong 1963) recently passed away after a long illness. He starred for the Falcons and  Southside American Legion, played at USF where he was drafted and played one season in the New  York Yankees minor league system. He coached Christian Brothers baseball team from 1993 to 2006,  leading the Falcons to two Division II North section titles.

Green (Bishop Armstrong 1962) was twice voted the area’s top baseball player while leading the  Falcons to a 22-2 record in 1962. He twice hit over .400 and went 9-0 his senior season with a 0.28 ERA  and 127 strikeouts in 75 innings—all area best stats for pitchers.

Butch Metzger of Kennedy High (1970), taken at a New Faze youth baseball camp in 2010. / Photo by Rick Cabral

Lee (Grant 1971) starred at Grant High and Haggin-Grant Legion when those teams had some of their  best seasons. He spent seven seasons in the Cardinals farm chain before playing nine years in Japan,  often dominating that league in tandem with brother Leron Lee (Grant 1966). He is the father of  former major leaguer Derrek Lee (El Camino 1993).

Metzger, who prepped at Kennedy High (1970) and twice made All-City as a pitcher, pitched five years  in the major leagues for San Francisco, San Diego, St. Louis and New York Mets. He was selected the  National League 1976 (Co-)Rookie of the Year and tied a major league record of winning 12 consecutive  games without a loss. Metzger also played in Night League and Men’s Baseball League and was a staple  of the Sacramento Smokeys pitching staff.

Peters—Beginning in 1962 the San Francisco-born sportswriter covered the Giants for 45 years,  including his last newspaper stint with the Sacramento Bee from 1998-2007. He also covered most  major sporting events involving Bay Area teams, including the 49ers and Raiders Super Bowls, the  Warriors championship and many others. In 2009, Peters was elected to the writer’s wing of the  National Baseball Hall of Fame.

Sackett (McClatchy 1969) was the perennial catcher for the Lions and Post 61 Legion in the late ‘60s.  He played one season in the Dodgers minor league system, and coached locally as an assistant at  Christian Brothers High for eight years, including their Division I North Section title in 1988.

Szakacs (Mira Loma 1969) led his team to the Capital Valley Conference title in 1969 and played  professionally three minor league seasons, two with the Phillies organization. A fixture in the Night  League and Winter League, from 1973 through the early 1990s Szakacs was a mainstay on the  Sacramento Smokeys.    Tickets for the Hall of Fame banquet are $25 per person. To order online, go to:    http://www.cbhs-sacramento.org/eengine/index.php/alumni.

For more information call Chairman Joe  McNamara at 916/813-5699.  The La Salle Club is a non-profit organization that has raised funds for Christian Brothers High School  since 1939. The Club inducted its first Hall of Fame member—former Sacramento Senators’ manager  John “Buddy” Ryan—in 1953. Since that time, more than 460 individuals have been inducted into the  Sacramento Baseball Hall of Fame.  For the complete biographies of the 2013 inductees and a list of all Hall of Fame members, go to:  http://www.baseballsacramento.com/LaSalle_Club_Baseball_HOF.html

Rendering of the new performing arts center, slated to open spring 2014. Photo courtesy Christian Brothers High School.

Christian Brothers High School is about to break ground on a $6.6 million performing arts center and hired a new theater arts director to help build up the program.

According to school president Lorcan Barnes, on April 4, Christian Brothers will break ground on a 350-seat, state-of-the-art performing arts center, scheduled to open in spring 2014. The building is part of the school’s Building on the Tradition Campaign Phase 2, the first part of which was a $4.5 million field house that was opened in November 2008.

The auditorium in the center features an acoustic space designed with the primary goal of not getting in the way of performers, says Ron Slabbinck, director of media, visual and performing arts for Christian Brothers. “If there’s a student on stage, they will be able to be seen and heard,” he says.

And it also features a “fully advanced state-of-the-art theater structure,” Slabbinck says, including sound and lighting booths, catwalk, and dressing rooms and full scene and set shop behind the stage. “(It has) everything you would want in a theater space — it will be the envy of pretty much any high school in the area with its features and design,” he adds.

Slabbinck says the center will also include a band classroom and choral classroom, plus gallery space for showcasing visual arts that have been incorporated into the lobby and throughout the theater. “We have students who are absolutely incredible artists, performers, and creators that they will finally have a place that will frame their talents in such a beautiful way,” he says. “We have amazing kids and they deserve a space like this.”

To help build the theater program at Christian Brothers, the school recently brought on board Connor Mickiewicz, its new theater arts director, who started this past August.

Students check out the beginning of the building of the new performing arts center. Photo courtesy Christian Brothers High School.

Mickiewicz says the theater program this year began with a “Theater 101″ type class with about 30 students, many of whom had never performed before. However, he says the response from students to the class has been very positive. “From where we started in August to what they’re doing now with their scene work and monologues, I’ve seen improvement — it’s pretty magical to see them grow as artists,” he explains.

Additionally, students have been taking part in theatrical productions this year. In the fall, students performed a production of “Godspell,” and Mickiewicz and his students are currently working on a production of the 1930s comedy “You Can’t Take it With You,” which will be performed April 18, 19, 25-27.

While the performing arts center is under construction, the students’ productions are held at New Helvetia Theatre at 10th and R Streets. Mickiewicz founded New Helvetia Theatre in 2009, where he acts, directs, and produces.

Slabbinck says students have been very receptive to Mickiewicz and how he teaches and directs theater, and having him on board plus the building of the new performing arts center has helped created a “buzz” on campus and stir student interest in the theater program. “We have more students engaged and involved in auditioning for theater productions than I have seen in probably eight years,” he adds. “I think this year has been highly successful — I think it’s upward and onward from here.”

Mickiewicz says since the theater will be larger, more kids can be involved with performing arts. Additionally, he says students will have an opportunity to learn technical theater, such as lighting, sound and set design, “which very few kids have an outlet to do,” he adds.

As the theater program grows, Slabbinck would like to see it become a four-year curricular program with a branch for performance and a branch for technical theater. “If someone lives in the Sacramento area and they think about visual, media and performance arts on the high school level, the first school that comes to their mind should be Christian Brothers — that’s my vision for where this all leads,” he says.

The Youth Art & Design Expo at the California State Fair has a number of impressive entries this year, with many from Sacramento County students. / Photo by Susan Laird

For the last 158 years, Californians have proudly celebrated the talent and bounty of this great land at the annual California State Fair.
Whether in good times or tough ones, somehow the good folks of the Golden State manage to “step up to the plate” and show why there is always hope for the future.
Case in point, a number of Sacramento County’s youth artists – those in middle school and high school – submitted art work for the Youth Art & Design Expo. This is juried art show at the State Fair. And the young people did very well.
In fact, there were some 840 entries from Sacramento County’s young people that were judged good enough to win ribbons for first, second and third places, plus honorable mention. Not every entry was awarded a ribbon, so honorable mentions from this juried show are a significant accomplishment.
The titles of the submitted works are lively and imaginative – and seeing the creativity and talent of this younger generation is a great encouragement to fairgoers, as well as fun entertainment.

Here are a few of the schools in the Valley Community Newspapers readership area that are represented at this year’s fair:
West Campus High School
Pocket resident Isabel Moniz won first place for “Ode to Nature” (Pen, Pencil & Printmaking) and a third place ribbon for “Feathers” (Pen, Pencil & Printmaking). Arden Middle School
Jessica Allen received an impressive seven ribbons for multiple entries in different art categories at this year’s fair. Her 3D sculpture, “Googlie,” received an IMCO Ceramics Award and a second place ribbon. Two more 3D sculptures, “Chicken” and “Peace of Pie” received honorable mentions. Jessica received two third place ribbons for “Lucid Mindset” (Pen, Pencil & Printmaking) and “Glow” (Photography). She received an additional honorable mention for “Tree of Life” (Pen, Pencil & Printmaking).
Sam Brannan Middle School
Erinn Wong won a second place ribbon for “My Memory of Grandma Po Gee Lo” (Scrapbooks & Collections).
California Montessori Project
Sarah Bauer won two first place ribbons for her photography in the age 5 to 9 category. Her images of “Graffiti Wall” and “One Lonely Light” are on display. She received an honorable mention for “Chinese Restaurant.”
Christian Brothers High School
Morgan Gable won a second place ribbon for “Moon and Sun” (Wood items) and an honorable mention for “Cabin Sweet Cabin” (Any Other Craft or Hobby).
Julia Grajeda won the Best of Class trophy and a first place ribbon for her “Travel Backpack” in the Any Other Sewing Project category. She won two additional first place ribbons for “Plaid Sweatshirt” (Single Clothing Item) and “Pretty Pink Pillow” (Any Other Sewing Project). Julie also won a red ribbon for “Tie-Dye Tote Bag” (Any Other Sewing Project) and a third place ribbon for “Purple Skirt” (Single Clothing Item).
Crocker Riverside Elementary
Annabelle Long won a first place ribbon for her watercolor painting, “Hungry,” and an honorable mention for her painting, “Awe.”
Del Dayo Elementary
Ressa Eliza Artz received three ribbons at the fair: first place for “The Call of Autumn” (Quilts), first place for “Carmelo Mission” (Digitally Manipulated Photography) and an honorable mention for “Pondering Woodpecker” (Photography).
Nathaniel Heron received a third place ribbon for his entry, “Frosty Friend” (Mixed Media).
Mary Deterding Elementary
This local school had a significant number of entries at this year’s fair.
Liliana Adkins won a second place ribbon for her Mixed Media category entry, “Transformation.”
Azul Baker received an honorable mention for “Wild Warrior” (Any Other Craft or Hobby).
Christopher Chang won third place for “Eagles’ Eye” (Paintings).
Harper Colby won a first place ribbon for his “Sea Turtle Seascape” (Paintings).
Benjamin Davis received an honorable mention for his “Ramshead Still Life” (Watercolor).
Sophia Deboer received an honorable mention for “New York” (Pen, Pencil & Printmaking).
Mark Elliott won a second place ribbon for his Pastel & Charcoal entry, “Chimera.”
Bella Espinosa won two first place ribbons for “Pastel Piece” (Pastel & Charcoal) and “Plants in the Sunlight” (Watercolor).
Kailey Hall won the Prismacolor Art Excellence Award and a first place ribbon for “Leaves And Caterpillars” (Pen, Pencil & Printmaking).
Jack Harris won third place for “Still Life In Spain” (Watercolor).
William Heron won first place for his “Self Portrait” (Watercolor).
Tucker Marlin received an honorable mention for his Mixed Media entry, “The Super Gumball Machine.”
Ethan McHugh won two third place ribbons for “Monsters at Sea” (Mixed Media) and “Red Eyed Bird” (Pastel & Charcoal).
Ashley Poole won a second place ribbon for her 3D Sculpture entry, “The Spirit Of The Walrus.”
Levi Rankin won the Fay Schusterman Award and first place for his Mixed Media work, “Dragons Of The Sun.”
Hunter Witham received an honorable mention for “Pastoral Seraffito” (Mixed Media).
Hallie Yong received an honorable mention for her Pastel & Charcoal entry, “Cupcakes for Sale.”
Vivian Zerkle won a second place ribbon for “Washington Monument” and a third place ribbon for “Cherry Blossom” both in the Photography category. She received honorable mentions for “Sinningia bullata” (Photography) and “Botany And A Bug” (Watercolor).
Genevieve Didion Elementary
Derek Yuan won a first place ribbon for “Pacific Fair” (Mixed Media), second place ribbons for “Sunset On The Shore” (Watercolor) and “After Snow” (Pastel & Charcoal). He received honorable mentions for his Pastel & Charcoal entries, “What A Blossom!” and “Enjoy The Vacation, Enjoy The Life!”
Evan Yuan won a first place ribbon for his Mixed Media entry, “Three Pals.”
John F. Kennedy High School
Kelly Peng received honorable mentions for her Pastel & Charcoal entries, “Chinese Orchid” and “Spring Bird.”
Briana Santiago won a first place ribbon for “No Two Alike” (Mixed Media).
Casey Wong won a third place ribbon for her 3D Sculpture entry, “Scenic Lantern” and received an honorable mention for “Bridge Of Hope” (Wood Items).
Matsuyama Elementary
Gabriela Ham won two third place ribbons for “Cherry Blossom Hills” (Mixed Media) and “Spring Fountain” (3D Sculpture). She received an honorable mention for “Easter Bunny” (Paintings).
Lauren Ham won second place for “A Day In Fruit Garden” (Pastel & Charcoal). She received honorable mentions for “Rose And Butterflies” (Watercolor) and “My Neighbor’s Dog” (Pastel & Charcoal).
Janice Ng won a first place ribbon for “Myths of Dragon” (Mixed Media) and a third place ribbon for “Birds’ Paradise” (Pen, Pencil & Printmaking).
C.K. McClatchy High School
Maxwell Bauer’s photography was well received at the fair. Maxwell won first place for “Primary Houses,” a third place ribbon for “A Modern Concert” and an honorable mention for “Rows.”
Sierra Brown won a blue ribbon for “Spirals of Smoke” (Photography) and a second place ribbon for “A Cat Always Nose” (Photography). Sierra received honorable mentions for “Another Day on the Farm” (Photography) and “Jack the Rabbit” and “Overflowing” (both 3D Sculpture).
Mira Loma High School
Sarah Liu received honorable mentions for “Two Orchids in Bloom” and “Hibiscus With Leaves,” both in the Pastel & Charcoal category.
Mission Avenue Open School
Jake Reuter received an honorable mention for “Crysanthimum” (Pastel & Charcoal).
Tina Reuter won a first place ribbon for “Your Heart Is In My Hands” (Pastel & Charcoal).
Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic School
Caroline Crowley received an honorable mention for her Watercolor entry, “Penguino.”
Cecilia Crowley won a first place ribbon for “Birch Trees” (Paintings) and two honorable mentions for “Beaded Garden” (3D Sculpture) and “Time” (Wood Items).
Presentation School
Jake Melavic won first place for “Coit Tower In Spring” (Watercolor).
Megan Melavic received two honorable mentions for “Owl” and “Sea Life” (both Pastel & Charcoal entries).
Rio Americano High School
Aaron Boulger won first place for “New Orleans Entertainer” and third place for “Domino Sugar” (both Photography). He received an honorable mention for “Mather Bunkers” (Photography).
Leah Curry won a second place ribbon for “Water Drop Rose” (Watercolor).
Austin Hicks won Best of Class and first place for “Taxi Tails” (Photography). Austin also won first place for “You Caught Me” and second place for “A Warning in Red” (both Photography).
Saint Francis High School
Always a powerhouse in the world of the arts, the Troubadours proved that they continue to have “the right stuff” at the State Fair. Art is just a one semester requirement at St. Francis, but over 80 percent of the student body take additional art classes.
Tessie Berghoff won third place for “The Dark Rose” (Pastel & Charcoal).
Katie Chappelle won third place for her untitled work in Photography.
Jessica Cosca won second place for “I’m Thirsty” (Photography).
Megan Daly won first place for “Synesthesia” (Pastel & Charcoal).
Morgan Finegan won second place for “Tears” (Pastel & Charcoal).
Megan Foy received an honorable mention for “Maya” (Paintings).
Jessica Gutierrez won third place for “Flora” and received an honorable mention for “Laconsentida” (both Photography).
Grace Hollingsworth won first place for “Angel” (Photography).
Clarissa James won third place for “Above Bunny Falls” (Paintings).
Jinyan Li received an honorable mention for “Blessed Mother” (Paintings).
Victoria Ogorodnikov received an honorable mention for “Spence In The Kitchen” (Pastel & Charcoal).
Bianca Quiroz received an honorable mention for “True Beauty & Snow Queen” (Digitally Manipulated Photography).
Gabriella Riegos won second place for “Tomassy” (Digitally Manipulated Photography).
Melanie Rogers-Mantel received honorable mentions for “Venice In Blue” (Paintings) and “Self Portrait” (Pastel & Charcoal).
Natalia Smith won third place for “Tiger” (Pen, Pencil & Printmaking).
Kenall Spector received an honorable mention for “The White Moon” (Digitally Manipulated Photography).
Danielle Villaluna won first place for “A Bus In London” (Pastel & Charcoal) and received an honorable mention for “Gypsy” (Mixed Media).
Sydney Wall won a third place ribbon for her “Self Portrait” (Photography).
Frances Wiese won a third place ribbon for “Native To The Sun” (Mixed Media).
Saint Ignatius Loyola Parish School
William Legrand received an honorable mention for “Foothill Cottage” (Paintings).
Kaj Olson won a third place ribbon for “Velvet Two” (Photography).
Saint Mary Elementary School
LeeAnn Matthews received much recognition for her sewing talents. LeeAnn won first place ribbons for “Blue Dot Skirt” (Single Clothing Item) and “Pillow Fight Pack” (Any Other Sewing Project), second place ribbons for “Calico Flower” (Quilts) and “It’s a Hoot” (Quilts) and a third place ribbon for “Groovy Dot” (Single Item Clothing).
Amelia Ross received an honorable mention for “Hearts On A String” (3D Sculpture).
Fiona Ross won a third place ribbon for “Green Scarf” (Needlecraft).
Shalom School
Oliver Black won first place for his 3D Sculpture entry, “Folding Cup.”
Daniel Levine won third place for “Hamburger” (3D Sculpture).
Zoe Osorio received an honorable mention for “Blooming” (3D Sculpture).
Sutter Middle School
Benjamin Bauer won a third place ribbon for “Tic-Tac-Toe” and an honorable mention for “Patterns” (both Photography).
Santana Garcia won two third place ribbons for “Puddle of Youth” and “You Make Beautiful Things” (both Photography). Santana also received an honorable mention for “Nature’s Heart” (Photography).
Caitlin McLaughlin won third place for “Beautiful Treasures” and received an honorable mention for “Unique” (both Pen, Pencil & Printmaking).
Aaron Won won first place for “Escape” and received honorable mentions for “Mysterious Garden” and “Reflection” (all Watercolor).
The California State runs through July 29 at Cal Expo, located at 1600 Exposition Boulevard in Sacramento. Fair hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday through Sunday. Visit www.bigfun.org for admission and Midway information.

This summer, Jesuit High School’s Head Coach Dan Carmazzi will join the faculty at Christian Brothers High School as co-athletic director, faculty member and assistant football coach.

CB ALUMNUS DAN CARMAZZI will return to Christian Brothers High School this summer, as co-athletic director, faculty member and assistant football coach. / Photo courtesy, Jesuit High School

He has extensive experience in the coaching arena. For more than three decades, Carmazzi was a member of the Social Studies and Physical Education departments at Jesuit High School, as well as that high school’s head football coach.

“Dan has dedicated most of his professional life to Jesuit, and we are grateful for his service to our Jesuit High School community and his efforts with our student-athletes,” said Jesuit High School principal Brianna Latko.

A 1971 graduate of Christian Brothers High School, Carmazzi started his coaching career at his alma mater before going to Jesuit as an assistant football coach in 1977. He assumed the duties of head football coach in 1981, and went on to earn an overall record of 230-102-3.

Carmazzi was selected as the CIF State Model Coach of the Year in 2004 and helped develop three NFL quarterbacks: Ken O’Brien, Gio Carmazzi and J.T. O’Sullivan. During his tenure, the Marauders reached the City Championship five times and won two CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Championships and nine league titles. Carmazzi also excelled as a teacher in the classroom.

“We wish Dan well as he returns to his alma mater to finish his career,” said Chris Fahey, director of athletics at Jesuit High School. “It was our expectation that Dan would return as our head football coach next year, so his decision came as a surprise. But we understand Coach Carmazzi’s reasons for seeking new challenges and we respect the decision he has made.”

“We are pleased to have Dan join the CB community. He brings a wealth of coaching knowledge and teaching experience with him,” said Christian Brothers President Lorcan Barnes. “We look forward to continuing to build our athletic program in the years ahead. Bringing Dan on board is an investment in excellence that will serve our students well for years to come.”

“I would like to thank Lorcan Barnes and Mary Hesser for extending to me the opportunity to return to Christian Brothers,” Carmazzi said. “I will always have tremendous respect for, and be grateful to, the Jesuit High School community for educating my sons and giving me the opportunity to teach and coach these past 35 years. But, a part of me has always wanted to return to Christian Brothers. Christian Brothers provided me with an excellent education and athletic experience under the guidance of such outstanding teacher coaches as  Dick Sperbeck, Ron Limeberger, Jack Witry, Dave Hoskins, Mel Fontes, John Zupan and Ralph Villanueva. This is a good time for me personally to make this transition and affords me the opportunity to give back to the school.”

Carmazzi will join Jill Bennett, CB’s athletic director for the past nine years.

“I am really looking forward to returning to CB blue and working with Jill Bennett to lead the athletic program,” Carmazzi said. “I’m excited and optimistic about the future direction of Falcon athletics.”

Getting their hands dirty for a good cause, Christian Brothers High School’s ceramics students, artists, teachers and even a few novices are working to create ceramic bowls in support of the ninth annual River City Food Bank Empty Bowls Luncheon.

STUDENT ARTISTS at Christian Brothers High School in Sacramento are working to create ceramic bowls for the 9th annual River City Food Bank Empty Bowls Luncheon. / Photo courtesy, Christian Brothers High School

On Feb. 22, approximately 40 students will be setting their alarm clocks for an early wake-up to ensure they arrive on time for the school’s fifth annual Bowl-a-Thon. The 6 a.m. event is the final push in CB’s efforts to complete the 300 bowls promised for this year’s luncheon.

“While teenagers aren’t typically known as early risers, they show up for this event enthused about the art and energized to support the cause,” said CB ceramics teacher, Robert Boriskin.

“It’s worth it to wake up early for a good cause,” said senior Katie Hunt who has already contributed two bowls to the event. “When you think about how many people in this community go to bed hungry, it is worth it to sacrifice a little sleep to help.”

Nathan Kauffman, a junior, volunteers at the Sacramento Food Bank every other Sunday.

“I’m really glad to have the opportunity to help the River City Food Bank,” he said. “They do a lot of good for this community and it’s a fun way to help others.”

“The Christian Brothers’ philosophy of service is alive and breathing deeply in Robert Boriskin’s ceramics classes,” said Eileen Thomas, executive director of River City Food Bank. “He not only helps the students create amazingly beautiful bowls, but he takes the time to teach them the ‘reason.’ There is need in our community and we can all help through our own gifts and talents. His care and commitment is manifested in every bowl he throws and he models that for every student in his classroom. The Empty Bowls event has been blessed by Mr. Boriskin and CB students these past five years and River City Community Services is very grateful.”

“I am so proud of the students,” Boriskin said. “They work year-round to create bowls. More importantly though, they really take the time to learn about hunger in our community and embrace the opportunity to help. I’m looking forward to the Bowl-a-Thon and to continuing our support of River City Food Bank and the work they do for the community.”

Empty Bowls is River City Food Bank’s largest fundraising event to raise awareness in the fight against hunger in Sacramento County. The 9th annual event will take place on March 5 and 6 at a new location: the Sacramento Convention Center. The evening soup supper features wine, appetizers and gourmet soup from Classique Catering and bread and desserts donated by some of Sacramento’s finest restaurants. Luncheon guests will enjoy a simple meal of soup from great local restaurants, bread, cookies and water. All attendees will select one of over 1,500 beautiful handmade bowls donated by professional potters, glass artists, wood turners, and area students to take home with them as a reminder of the many in our community that are hungry and face an empty bowl each day. Tickets may be purchased online at www.rivercityfoodbank.org.

Editor’s note: This is part two of a two-part series highlighting local baseball players who live in the publishing area of Valley Community Newspapers. Read the first part of this story at www.valcomnews.com.

The Noah’s Bagels Baseball Gang, as described in part one of this series, meets weekly at Noah’s Bagels in Town and Country Village and features a variety of local baseball players of the past.

Below are the names and memories of some of these former players.

Walt Fitzpatrick: “I grew up in Napa and I went to California Concordia College (in Oakland), which is really a combination of high school and college. I played baseball there from 1949 to 1953. My mom (Elsie Fitzpatrick) moved (to Sacramento) in 1949 and I played here in the summers of 1949, 1950 and 1951 in the 100-pound league. That’s when I met most of these guys (in the group). I wanted to play for Southside Legion, but I didn’t go to Christian Brothers (High School). I played on the Bill Irwin team down in Oakland and the Sacramento Solons Rookies in 1952 through 1954. I played in the County League, Rural League and the Tri-County (League). I played a total of 10 years of semi-pro ball, and also in the Army.”

Joe Sheehan: “When I was a kid, I was born and raised down by McKinley Park and (the notable local baseball family) the McNamaras lived right around the corner from me, and we played on all the youth teams at McKinley Park. I played third base. I played (baseball) for Christian Brothers High School, Southside Legion, Sacramento (Junior) College, and after college, I played in the Army in 1955 and 1956. The best team I ever played on was the Sacramento (Junior) College team. We were state champions in 1952. I played on the team with some of these guys (in the group), including Cuno Barragan.”

Mike Lateano: “I was an Oak Park boy and I graduated from Sac High in June 1950 and I played football, basketball and baseball at Sac High. I was all-city in football, but baseball was actually my first choice as far as what I really liked. And when I went to Sacramento Junior College, I played football, basketball and baseball there. I was drafted during the Korean War and went overseas and played service ball. When I came out to Sacramento State, we won a championship there in about 1957 or 1958. I also played bush baseball, the county league and the Rural League, and played for the Solons Rookies and such.”

Gary Mason: “From 7 or 8 years old, most of us started playing the sand lot ball. If there was a vacant lot on the corner, we made a baseball diamond out of it. We used to play in Oak Park at McClatchy Field, Land Park, 21st and C (streets), McKinley. We played at all the places. I played until about 14 or 15 and then I got out of it and went into other things. Growing up, I really liked (Joe) Dimaggio and later on, (Mickey) Mantle. A good friend of mine was Harry Bright, who played for the (New York) Yankees, then came out here and managed the Solons.”

Tony Latino: “I grew up in Oak Park. I played on a lot of teams and I could play anywhere. I caught, played shortstop, I pitched. Whatever they needed, I did. I had an uncle who played for the Brooklyn Dodgers. After I played sports, I got into fast-pitch softball and coached for years. In the old times, things were tough, we were all together, we all knew each other. It was a lot of fun. I really like being a part of the (Noah’s Bagels) group. There are a lot of good stories, a lot of good memories.”

Jim Barudoni said that he briefly played baseball for the Sacramento Solons and enjoyed his greatest success in baseball as a member of the national champion University of Southern California team of 1958 and the following year’s team, both of which were led by the legendary coach, Rod Dedeaux.

Jim Westlake: “I grew up at 2331 P St. Probably my favorite player growing up was my cousin, Wally (Westake). He was in the majors (from 1947 to 1956). He spent most of his years with Pittsburgh and then he played in the 1954 World Series with the Cleveland Indians against the New York Giants. I played high school baseball (at Christian Brothers High School) and then I played on the junior college team in 1952 and 1953 and in 1953, we won the state championship and Nick Capachi (another member of the “baseball gang”) was on that team. And the year before that, I played with Cuno (Barragan of the “baseball gang”) for Sacramento Junior College. I played a lot of bush (league) baseball around town in all the leagues. I met a lot of great guys. I think that’s the real joy, the real benefit at any level in baseball is the guys who you meet. You form lifelong relationships.”

Rick Costello: “I pitched at Chico State in 1953 and I played softball in the service and we got in this tournament (in Alaska) and then I came out (of the Army) and played one more year at Chico State and after graduation, I went down to Southern California and played for the El Monte Indians. It was kind of like semi-pro. I had a tryout with the L.A. Angels of the Pacific Coast League. It was a three-day tryout and I made it all the way to the third day. In 1965, I came to Sacramento and I played in the Mexican league. We (were sponsored by) the C and C Club (at 326 15th St.).”

Bill Werry: “I grew up in Oak Park playing in the youth leagues and city league and I played (American) Legion ball for Post 61 for three years and I played high school ball at McClatchy High for three years. (While with Post 61), we played the state championship finals at Edmonds Field (at Riverside Boulevard and Broadway) against a team from Los Angeles called Crenshaw Post and they had some pretty good players, who went up to (play) Major League ball. Over the course of two seasons (at McClatchy High), we won 41 or 43 straight ball games. I made all-city as a catcher for three years and when I got out of high school, I signed with the Dodgers organization, which at that time was the Brooklyn Dodgers. It was a minor league contract and I played three years of minor league ball. My first year was in 1955 with Bakersfield in the California state League.”

Good times as a group

Fitzpatrick said that reliving baseball memories is an enjoyable experience for members of the group, which also includes Bob Alejo, Pete Campos and Ron Pyle.

“The common denominator is baseball and this goes back 60 years and we all kind of grew up together,” Fitzpatrick said. “It’s always a good time (meeting with the group).”

Agreeing with Fitzpatrick, Lateano added, “We have a lot in common – not just baseball – because we grew up in this town. We like to reminisce. Hopefully we can continue this (group) for several more years.”

lance@valcomnews.com

After a somewhat disappointing 6–5 record last season, Christian Brothers’ varsity football team has a new head coach with some big goals set for 2011.

CB SENIOR Ryan Peabody is this season’s senior quarterback for Christian Brothers High School. He will lead the Falcons against rival Jesuit High School at this year’s Holy Bowl on Sept. 17. / Valley Community Newspapers photo, Tom Paniagua

Long-time assistant George Petrissans has taken over for Andre Johansen and wants his team to win a few playoff games instead of being eliminated in the first round like they’ve been the last four seasons and in five out of the last six.

Petrissans lost a lot of seniors from last year’s team, but does have some key players returning, most notably senior quarterback Ryan Peabody, who was a part-time starter a year ago. With the graduation of Jerimiah Sims, the job is Peabody’s.

“Ryan has a mixture of intangibles,” Petrissans said. “He’s extremely intelligent and is athletic and he’s a leader that brings a lot to the team.”

Peabody is excited to be the No. 1 guy this year.

“I’m definitely very excited for the season,” Peabody said. “Our head coach was the offensive coordinator last year and he’s put some new things in to spread the ball out. We’re looking pretty good and we’re trying to get better.”

Joining Peabody in the backfield is senior fullback Chris Hedum and junior running back Avante Yarber, who will miss part of the season as he recovers from a fractured ankle. Until he returns, Petrissans said it will be running back by committee, led by junior Cory Lutz.

“Avante has great speed and quickness and a unique set of talents,” Petrissans said.

Petrissans is also high on his receivers, juniors Jalen Walker and Omari Gray alongside senior tight end Chris Lusich, who played fullback a year ago.

“I think Jelan is someone to watch out for,” Petrissans said. “He’s fast and has good size (6’0”, 175 pounds) and can go up and get the ball.”

Up front senior Alex Wagstaff is the leader of the offensive line at left tackle, while senior right guard Kyle Castaneda is another returning starter. Michael Rose will start at center and Vinny Johnson plays right tackle. Either Justin Cappello or Nate Ashby will start at left guard.

After running the ball about 80 percent of the time last year, the Falcons plan to do some more passing this year.

Four starters return on defense, including Lusich at inside linebacker and Wagstaff at defensive tackle. Senior Jonathan Lockwood also returns at inside linebacker and lines up next to Lusich, while senior CJ Goodier returns at cornerback.

Hedum joins Wagstaff on the interior line with Johnson and Castaneda playing on the ends. Senior Marcos Raymundo plays outside linebacker, while junior Avery Baker starts at cornerback. Danlee Hightower starts at safety.

One thing the Falcons have going for them is that they’re developing nicely into a team instead of bunch of individuals.

“We’re young, but we’ve come together,” Wagstaff said. “We have no superstar. We will play hard and all of us love football. We’re more cohesive this year and because we have no superstar, that will force us to play as a team.”

The Falcons placed third in the Capital Valley League last year behind Del Campo and Casa Roble. Petrissans wants a league championship and a playoff win. He says Del Campo and Casa Roble are always tough opponents, while Rio Linda and Oakmont will also be in the mix.

“Coach is always talking about how hard work pays off,” Lusich said. “He’s been preaching togetherness and teamwork and with that we will overcome and adapt to adversity.”

Peabody added, “I think the key for us is execution. When we execute our game plan on offense and our defensive strategies, we’re pretty good.”

While the Falcons are looking for playoff success, there’s also a big non-league game on their schedule every year that holds great importance and that’s the Holy Bowl, the annual battle with Jesuit High School.

“When you get close to 18,000 people at the game, you know it’s a big rivalry game,” Petrissans said. “No matter what people think of the talent on either team, the game’s always close. There’s a lot of emphasis on the game. If we play hard and play with enthusiasm and with good energy, good things will happen.”

The players for sure love the Holy Bowl.

“In terms of football it’s just another game, but it’s always fun to play in front of that many people,” Peabody said. “It’s an exciting game.”

“It’s obviously an important game,” Wagstaff said. “It’s a whole different experience as a junior. You get to feel what the rivalry is all about.”

Lusich added, “It’s definitely a fun game to play in. You have the drumline leading you in and there are 18,000 fans and your adrenaline is pumping. It’s a pretty amazing feeling; one you won’t forget.”

It’s been four years since Jesuit’s varsity football team has had a winning record.

THE JESUIT MARAUDERS look to repeat their 2010 Holy Bowl win over rival Christian Brothers. / Photo courtesy, Jesuit High School

For some programs, that might not be a big deal, but to Jesuit it seems like a lifetime since the team went 8–3 and made a trip to the postseason in 2007. The following year the Marauders slipped to 5–5 and the past two years the Marauders have posted 4–6 records.

This year head coach Dan Carmazzi is hoping a switch to the spread offense will help the team put some more points on the scoreboard, and the Marauders will also have to improve defensively if they want to reach the postseason.

“Record-wise (4–6) is not what we shoot for,” Carmazzi said. “Obviously, we’d like to have a better record than that. We had a really solid offseason and the kids did a great job in the weight room and we also did some passing leagues.”

The Marauders lost 30 seniors off last year’s squad and have only 16 players returning so young and inexperienced are two words that describe this year’s squad. Junior Thomas Sperbeck, last year’s junior varsity quarterback, and senior Mason Pigman are battling for the starting job at quarterback. Sperbeck, son of Sac State coach Marshall Sperbeck, is the odds on favorite to be the starter.

“Thomas is very mobile and he’s a competitor,” Carmazzi said. “He’s accurate and makes good decisions. He’s a great athlete, as he reached the section meet as a long jumper and a high jumper last year.”

Senior Cameron Todd is the team’s top returning rusher, while Pat Barrientes returns at fullback. Fellow seniors Scott Rogers and Parker Abercrombie will start at wide receiver with senior Jared Elenberger holding down the job at tight end along with senior John Frank. Sophomore Lake Lutes, all 6-foot, 5-inches of him, will see plenty of action at wide receiver and could be a big threat for the offense.

Abercrombie, who also starts at safety, said he likes this year’s offense.

“Offensively, both quarterbacks are capable to step up and both have good leadership qualities,” Abercrombie said. “We hope to catch some teams off guard with our spread package, as we have a lot of playmakers on offense, including a strong receiving core.”

The offensive line is led by senior George Vrame, a returning starter at left tackle. Senior Blake Rogers will start next to Vrame, while the center will either be senior A.J. Calnero or junior Rafael Aguilar. Garrett Strohmaier, a junior, starts are right tackle, while the right guard position is still being decided.

Perhaps the top offensive player is senior kicker Andrew Nave, who Carmazzi said might be the school’s top recruited player.

The Marauders have several two-way players, as Todd (outside linebacker), Barrientes (cornerback), Abercrombie and Sperbeck (safety), Blake Rogers and Strohmaier (defensive tackle) and Calnero and Vrame (defensive end) play key roles on defense.

The leader on defense is senior middle linebacker Nathan Zielke. At 5’9” and 170 pounds, he’s not going to physically intimidate opponents, but make no mistake, he’s all business.

“Nate’s our top returning tackler and his motor is always running,” Carmazzi said. “He’s undersized, but he’s tough and aggressive.”

If Zielke is the team’s top tackler, Frank is right behind him at safety. Junior Casey Reilly will play defensive end, while junior Connor Frey is a starter at outside linebacker. Junior Matt Ternan will play a lot in the secondary, while senior Steven Tavenner starts at cornerback.

“Defensively, our line is solid and we’ve got great camaraderie, we talk a lot and we pursue and attack the ball,” Abercrombie said.

After finishing tied for third place in the Delta River League a year ago with Oak Ridge and Sheldon with a 2–3 record, the Marauders know to finish higher, they will need to beat the playoff teams. Last year the Marauders picked up league wins over Ponderosa and Sheldon, while losing to Oak Ridge, Folsom and Pleasant Grove.

“We’ve got to beat the playoff teams,” Carmazzi said. “We haven’t been able to beat the top-ranked teams and that’s our goal this year.”

Abercrombie added, “I have high expectations for this team. “We’re definitely planning on making the playoffs and pushing for a section title run. We want to win Holy Bowl, which is big for us, and we want to beat some of the top teams in our league.”

Jesuit did win a big non-league game a year ago, when they defeated Christian Brothers, 18–15 to win the annual Holy Bowl.

“The Holy Bowl is a great tradition that I’ve been apart of on both sides since I graduated from Christian Brothers and now coach at Jesuit,” Carmazzi said. “It’s great to go out there and play in front of 12 to 15,000 fans and the kids eat it up. Both teams get great community support and it’s one of the highlights of the year. Whenever I talk to alumni, they don’t ask what our record is; all they want to know is if we won Holy Bowl.”

“It’s a very emotional game and both teams leave everything on the field,” Abercrombie added. “There are a lot of emotions going into that game and it’s something that we’ll tell our kids about someday.”

Since 1969, the Christian Brothers Falcons and the Jesuit Marauders have met each fall on the gridiron for the annual classic Holy Bowl. This year will mark the 41st competition between the rival schools.

Dubbed the “Holy Bowl” because both schools are Catholic, this event is the largest Catholic event in the entire region, with some 18,000 people attending. That is nearly 700 more people than Power Balance Pavilion can seat for a full-capacity Sacramento Kings game.

The crowd is not limited to eager parents of players. Alumni from both high schools attend, as well as members of the St. Francis High School community. Alumni of now-defunct Catholic high schools, such as Loretto and Bishop Manogue, also attend to cheer family members on.

This year’s Holy Bowl will be held at Sacramento City College on Sept. 17. Kickoff for the freshman game is at 3 p.m., JV kickoff is at 5 p.m. and Varsity kickoff is at 7 p.m. Visit www.cbhs.ca.campusgrid.net, www.jhssac.org or http://t.co/uKacoO4 for game ticket information.

On Sept. 9, Christian Brothers High School will be transformed into a festival of food, fun, beer, wine and live music.

SOMETHING TO ROAR ABOUT. Members of the Sacramento Mountain Lions Cheerleading Squad attended last year’s Wine, Beer & Food Extravaganza. This popular event benefits tuition assistance at Christian Brothers High School. Over 1,600 Sacramento area residents, athletes and celebrities will be in attendance at this year’s event on Sept. 9. / Photo courtesy, Christian Brothers High School

Now in its 24th year, the Wine, Beer & Food Extravaganza is a well-established Sacramento tradition that draws crowds of over 1,600 to the campus for open tastings from vintners and craft breweries – along with ample foods and desserts by area restaurants and caterers.

Setting this event apart is its festive, casual atmosphere and live bands in two venues – a beer garden and wine tasting area. New this year, guests can also enjoy a cigar along with bourbon and port tastings in the Cigar Lounge.

Not only will guests sample great food and beverages, they will sample great music too. The evening starts out with the jazz sounds of the New Originals Trio. In the Wine and Restaurant Area, the Dane Drewis Band will get the party started. And once everyone is warmed up, Mustache Harbor will perform “Yacht Rock Explosion” music in the Beer Garden that will rock this late summer evening with “sweet sounds as smooth as the summer sea.”

The Wine, Beer & Food Extravaganza will be held Friday, Sept. 9 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Christian Brothers High School, located at 4315 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. in Sacramento. Event shuttles will be available from East Sacramento, Downtown and Midtown locations. For ticket information, visit www.cbhswinetasting.com.

All proceeds benefit tuition assistance at CBHS, so celebrate the last days of summer with an evening of wine, food and fun and help support this most worthy cause – and let the good times flow.