IN THE NEWS
01
ECU Hall of Fame to Receive Four New Members
Four new members will be inducted into the East Carolina University Athletics Hall of Fame during an enshrinement ceremony Sept. 19 inside the Pete and Lynn Murphy Center. The Class of 2014 includes baseball record-setter Billy Best...
02
Hot Stove a new experience for Texas Rangers pitcher Harrison
Although he grew up not far from Raleigh, home of the first Hot Stove League in North Carolina, Matt Harrison had not heard of the idea before being asked to speak at Saturday’s 10th annual banquet for the Leland organization.
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Ex-Yankee Richardson talks of faith, family at Hot Stove banquet
"That was pretty amazing to hear Bobby Richardson speak," Harrison said. "That was the first time I had heard him speak. It's very humbling to hear him talk about how that changed his life."
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Leland Hot Stove marks 10 years at annual banquet Saturday
After Nelson Best heard of a Hot Stove League in Raleigh more than 10 years ago, he quickly thought about bringing the idea a little bit to the southeast. The organization, with a name that comes from the term given to talking about baseball in the offseason, was the only one in the state at the time. As an avid baseball fan, Best thought the idea could work locally...
Welcome Back
The Cape Cod Baseball League welcomed eight of its greats back to the Cape with the induction of the Hall of Fame Class of 2012 at Chatham Bars Inn on Saturday. The day was marked by stories of host families and old college pranks, visions for the future, fond memories of the past, and even a haunted house...
Former Scorpion joining Cape Cod League honorees
As a baseball scout, Billy Best always looks forward to the annual trek to the prestigious Cape Cod League to eyeball prospects. But two months ago, he did something atypical on the trip: He visited the league's Hall of Fame Museum and surveyed the bronze plaques and their resemblance to previous inductees...
07
Frankoff shares life in the minors on his blog
Seth Frankoff, a former UNCW pitcher, writes two monthly minor league baseball blogs for athleticsfarms.com. The entries focus on the daily life of a professional player and the achievements of the Stockton Ports – The Oakland Athletics' Single-A affiliate in the California League...
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Hot Stove speaker LaRocque a baseball jack-of-all-trades
At age 59, Gary LaRocque, Saturday's keynote speaker at the annual Leland Hot Stove League, has done virtually everyting in professional baseball. Now as a senior special assistant to St. Louis Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak, he is entering his 38th season, transitioning from a 14th round pick of Milwakee in the 1975 Major League Baseball Draft to pro coach, minor-league field manager, regional scout and scouting director...
09
Hot Stove banquet hits executive level
Leland Hot Stove officials asked Brunswick Community College baseball coach Robbie Allen for candidates to serve as keynote speaker for the group's annual banquet in 2013. Allen suggested one of his former minor league managers: Gary LaRocque, who makes his off-season home in Greensboro and is a special assistant to the general manager for the St. Louis Cardinals...