Hollywood is helping Utah celebrate some of its baseball and softball heritage.
Thursday night, the Salt Lake Trappers were feted at SpringMobile Ballpark. It’s been 25 years since the Trappers, then of the Pioneer League, set the pro baseball record with 29 straight wins.
Actor Bill Murray, then a part owner in the rag-tag independent team, was on hand Thursday to enjoy the moment.
Friday night, actress Geena Davis helped the Salt Lake Bees pay tribute to the 20th anniversary celebration of the hit film, “A League of Their Own.” The event also recognized the Utah Shamrocks, one of the top women’s fast-pitch softball teams in the country from 1935-78.
Current USA Baseball Women’s National Team coaches were also on hand. Following the Bees game, the Utah Film Center sponsored an outdoor showing of “A League of Their Own.”
And speaking of Hollywood, when can we expect film treatments of both the Trappers and the Shamrocks?
Great Games
Today is the opening of the Olympic-style Transplant Games of America in Grand Rapids, Mich.
More than 1,000 organ recipients and donors will compete in a vareity of sports, and 19 Utahns will participate now through Tuesday.
The group includes Rick Lilly of Layton, who received a kidney transplant from his father 14 years ago, and will compete for the third time, and Brayden Seymour of West Haven, who received a liver transplant as a baby and has the longest transplant on the team at 24 1/2 years.
Events include 5K, badminton, basketball, bowling, cycling, golf, racquetball, swimming, table tennis, tennis, track and field, as well as volleyball.
Tidbits
Clay Sniteman, a physical therapist with Sundance Physical Therapy, is in London this month to participate in the 2012 Summer Olympic Games. Sniteman, who spends much of the year working with the world’s greatest tennis players as a trainer on the ATP World Tour, will provide the same services during the tennis events at the London Olympics. ...
Jazzman Derrick Favors will be the star of the Junior Jazz road trip through western Utah this coming week. He’ll be part of 13 basketball clinics in 13 different Utah cities and towns over a five-day span. No doubt Favors will be in shape when training camp begins. ...
Robyn Felder is the new volleyball coach at Dixie State College. She replaces Darice Pratt, who resigned after her husband, Trent, accepted an assistant baseball coaching position at Brigham Young University. ...
Sean O’Connell has joined KFNZ-AM 1320 as a sports talk host. “OC” is a former Weber State football player and current MMA participant. ...
The NBA recently released a list of its overall international top selling jerseys list. Five-time NBA champion Kobe Bryant has the most popular NBA jersey internationally. Chicago’s Derrick Rose, Miami’s LeBron James, Boston’s Kevin Garnett and Orlando’s Dwight Howard, round out the top five.
International stars such as Los Angeles Lakers’ Pau Gasol from Spain, Dallas’ Dirk Nowitzki from Germany, San Antonio’s Tony Parker from France, and Minnesota’s Ricky Rubio from Spain made the top 15. ...
Among the many preseason awards being handed out for college football, one caught my eye: The Allstate AFCA Good Works Team. The award name speaks for itself. Among the 2012 nominees are Utah State linebacker Jake Doughty, BYU running back Michael Alisa, and University of Utah punter Sean Sellwood.
Chris J. Miller is sports editor for the Standard-Examiner. He can be reached at 801-625-4261 or cmiller@standard.net
Comments