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CHAMPIONS!CHAMPIONS!SEE PAGES CWS2, CWS3 AND 7 FOR FULL COVERAGESEE PAGES CWS2, CWS3 AND 7 FOR FULL COVERAGE

Ted Kirk / The Associated PressXxxxxsi blaeugia

OMAHA, Neb. — South Carolina coach Ray Tanner sat there, stunned. There wasn’t much the veteran coach could say .

“It’s not usual that I’m at a loss for words, but ... I’ve never had the opportunity to sit in this position before,” Tanner said.

Taking a moment to applaud coach John Savage, Tanner praised the UCLA team and conveyed that USC’s victory in the 11-inning battle required great effort.

“You start in February with 300 teams and you get a chance to go to postseason, and maybe to a Super Regional, and then you have things go right for you and you go to Omaha. And you get to play in the national championship series,“ Tanner said. “And you’re the last team standing.”

Whit Merrifi eld’s RBI single in the bottom of the 11th capped another late-inning comeback for USC and catapulted the Gamecocks to a series victory in the National Championship over UCLA, the school’s fi rst national title in a men’s sport.

“I worked the count in my favor and got a fastball,” Merrifi eld said. “Even though it was kind of down, I got the barrel on it, and it fi nally went the other way and shot it into the gap. And it fell for me. And it was a great feeling.”

It concluded a miraculous season for Tanner and USC (54-16), who battled from defi cits through much of the year. But the team that lost four of its f irst 10 games and four of its last five to end the regular season and conference tournament hoisted the national championship trophy— the fi rst team to accomplish such a feat in the sport’s 118 years of competition.

“We trailed in all three regional games, we trailed in Super Regional games, we were one pitch away from not being here today. It’s just a great run,” Tanner said. “You have to have a lot of things happen for you and you have to have the right kind of people around you. But it’s not impossible to be sitting where we are. But the odds are against you being here.”

Trail ing UCLA (51-17) by a run in the eighth with the tying run standing on second, UCLA first baseman Dean Espy botched a Bobby Haney ground ball, bringing around the tying run and keeping the Gamecocks alive.

That set the stage for closer Matt Price , who battled back from loading the bases to strike out leadoff hitter Niko Gallego on three pitches to end the inning.

After the teams traded scoreless frames in the 10th, nine-hole hitter Scott Wingo forced a leadoff walk to begin the bottom half of the 11th before advancing into scoring position on a wild pitch. After Evan Marzilli moved him to third, Merrifi eld laced the biggest hit of his career into right fi eld, sending the USC fans in attendance into a frenzy.

“We play like this all year. And we battle,” Price said. “And we come out in big games and pitching is unbelievable.”

South Carolina trailed after the seventh inning in each round of the tournament. They trailed against Bucknell. They trailed on the road at Coastal Carolina. They were down to their final strike of the season against Oklahoma. And they trailed to UCLA in the

championship.And yet, they got it done.“These guys ... they have great resolve.” Tanner said.

“They have great respect for the game ... They take ownership. They care about each other. They pick each other up.”

Making the run more improbable was USC’s resolve to battle out of the loser’s bracket. After falling to Oklahoma in the opening round, Carolina became the only team in the history of the CWS to win six consecutive games on its way to the title.

“I know this: When you have anxiety and tension, you can’t perform,” Tanner said. “And I think my teams have been that way at times because of me. And I try not to be that way anymore. These guys have been great for me. And they approach the game every day the right way. We didn’t win them all, but we won a large majority of them.”

As a result, the Gamecocks not only closed out their season with a victory, but Rosenblatt Stadium with a victory. The home of the College World Series since 1950, the contest will be held in a new facility next season.

That proved special to Tanner and Merrifi eld, who capped Rosenblatt’s historical run in his last “at-blatt.”

“To be able to survive and win the last game is really incredible,” Tanner said. “I know the new stadium will be very special and a great facility. But this is history. And we’ll be a part of the College World Series and

Rosenblatt for a long, long time.”It was a stunning f inish to the game, as Savage

elected to pitch to Merrifi eld and not load the bases in order to force a double play. With Merrifi eld standing at the plate and only one down, the Bruins were forced to pitch to either him or CWS MVP Jackie Bradley, Jr. The matchup could have called for loading the bases, as right-handed reliever Dan Klein would have faced the right-handed hitting Christian Walker, instead of the lefty Bradley.

They elected to go with the fi rst option.“I was a little surprised that they didn’t walk me and

Jackie to load the bases and maybe force a doubleplay ball,” Merrifi eld said. “But, you know, when I saw the catcher squat down, I knew I had something to prove. They wanted to get me out.”

It failed. And as a result, allowed South Carolina to leave Omaha as the No. 1 team in college baseball.

“It’s so hard to get in this position, especially with the landscape of college baseball right now,” Tanner said. “The state of South Carolina and the Southeast, [there are] so many good programs and so many athletic directors who care. It’s a sport of emphasis and it’s incredible.

“I’m ecstatic to be a part of this program and winning the national championship.”

Gamecocks win College World Series USC obtains fi rst mens national championship in school history

Chris CoxTHE DAILY GAMECOCK

Eric Francis/ The Associated Press

Third baseman Adrian Morales celebrates as Jackie Bradley Jr. scores the winning run against the Oklahoma Sooners.

Comments on this story? E-mail [email protected]

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSPAGE CWS2 WEDNESDAY, JULY 7, 2010

A spor t s team can draw inspiration from a many things. It can come from a injury to a star player or the thought that no one believes in them.

For the USC baseball team, it was a 7-year-old boy.

Bayler Teal lost his battle

with cancer June 24, 2010 — the same day Carolina defeated Oklahoma, 3-2.

A lifelong Gamecock fan, Bayler was invited to throw out the fi rst pitch at a home game at Carolina Stadium this season. As the regular season went on, his health deteriorated. Players and coaches kept in touch with the Teal family and decided to dedicate their entire postseason to the young man .

“He really became a part of our program,” coach Ray Tanner said. “He was always in our thoughts and prayers. We

would get updates on how he was doing when we traveled. His dad would stay in constant contact with coach Holbrook. So he really was a part of who we are, and we thought about him so many times.”

After Bayler passed away, the University and community helped out to the Teal family — donating money to fl y them out to Omaha where the family cheered on Bayler’s favorite team in the Championship Series against UCLA.

“Our players do a great job of reaching out to people in our

community and volunteer work and hospital visits. And Bayler; Bayler just came to us,” Tanner said.

Players also showed their support. After Michael Roth pitched his three-hitter against Clemson, he could be seen with a “BT” on his hat in honor of Bayler. The sophomore lefty even mentioned Bayler’s story to ESPN reporter Erin A ndrews in t he postgame inter v iew a nd was v i s ibly getting choked up about the subject.

The rest is history. USC won

the National Championship and the Teal family was able to be a part of the celebration in Omaha. It goes to show that someone, no matter how smal l , can cont r ibute to a championship run.

“I gotta believe right now he’s probably smiling right now and a happy camper looking down upon us,” Tanner said.

Donations can be made to the Bayler Teal fund at www.baylersprayers.org.

Chris BilkoSPORTS EDITOR

Bayler Teal provides hope and perspective

for baseball team


Nati Harnik / The Associated Press

Ted Kirk/ The Associated Press

WEDNESDAY, JULY 7, 2010 VOL. 103, NO. 141 ● SINCE 1908

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INSIDE

Gamecock students and alumni now have the ability to access job availabilities and internships from their cell phones. JobMate — a popular online resource for locating jobs, internships, interviewing opportunities and career fair events — has upgraded its notifications system so students will be able to receive important notifi cations via text message.

Erica Lake, the assistant director for employer relations, said she believes the new text messaging system will be a success.

“Students will have their own option whether to opt in or not so it’s not forcing them to add their phone number to the systems list,” she said.

The system is designed so students who sign up for JobMate have the option to receive text message alerts to their cell phones if they so choose.

JobMate is a great resource in advancing students careers. It includes an online job bank where students have the opportunity to search for opening positions related to their majors, whether they are looking for part-time or full-time work. Internship opportunities are available as well.

“USC students are very fortunate because employers post opening positions on JobMate just for Carolina students and alumni,” Lake said. “It’s a

one-stop shop.”The new text messaging system will allow

recipients to receive messages in three different options: from the offi ce, from the system and most frequently from job agents. Offi ce notifi cations will alert students on RSVPs of career fairs, reminders of campus interviews and the specific things each individual requests to receive information or reminders about. System notifi cations are those alerts of outages and changes. Job agents will alert students if there is job availability that meets their criteria.

Lake said she believes students will fi nd the text notifi cations useful and more engaging than e-mails. However, e-mail notifi cations will still be sent.

After learning of the text message alert system, third-year public relations student Candace Reese said she plans to sign up for a JobMate account.

“The text messaging system sounds good,” Reese said. “I think the new system will be more likely to catch students’ attention.“

Jobmate currently has 17,864 active student and alumni accounts and 5,515 current active employer accounts. As of Monday, June 7, Jobmate has had 89 students opt in to receiving text message notifi cations to their cell phones.

JobMate accounts are absolutely free. Students can sign up on the website at: www.sc.edu/career by clicking on the JobMate icon. A basic access account can be created, which students will only have access to job availabilities and internships, and once a student has a basic access account they can request a full access account by bringing their resume to the

career center. Full access accounts give students more features, such as on-campus recruiting opportunities, participating in on-campus interviews and resume referrals, RSVP for events, and other features.

Lake encourages all current students and alumni to sign up for Jobmate. She also strongly encourages students to add their cell phone numbers to the account to receive text message notifi cations to have a faster way of gaining the important information that Jobmate has to offer. Lake reminds students that the Career Center counselors are available Monday through Friday, no appointment necessary, from 1 to 4 p.m. if students need any assistance.

W hen the USC basebal l team traveled to Nebraska on June 17, they carried hope. W hen t he team ret u r ned f rom Omaha June 30 they carried the NCAA National Championship trophy.

W it h l i t t le not ice , t he Universit y and the cit y of Columbia pu l led together to show the players, coaches and t ra ining staf f a hero’s welcome. An initial welcoming celebration was held June 30. More than 13,000 fans crowded into the Colonial Life Arena to greet the team and view a replay of the Gamecock’s fi nal triumph over UCLA.

With f lashbulbs glittering throughout the arena, not a seat in the house empty, the crowd began chanting before the team even entered with the trophy. Coach Ray Tanner and several players spoke about the team, the win and their

gratitude toward the fans.“This really hadn’t sank in

yet until I walked into this place,” said starting catcher Ky le E nder s . “ It ’s rea l ly

amazing.”Gov. Mark Sanford carried

the celebratory momentum through the week, declaring July 1 Gamecocks Baseball

Nat ional Champions Day, which was commemorated by fl ying the team’s fl ag over

City converges on Capitol to celebrate National Champions

Brittany S. ScottTHE DAILY GAMECOCK

Ellen MederEDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Community celebrates baseball victory during

homecoming events

Career Center adds mobile updates to alert students about employment

JOBMATE LAUNCHES TEXTING SERVICE

Ellen Meder/ THE DAILY GAMECOCKA crowd gathers at the Capitol Friday after the parade. The team received a key to the city of Columbia.

PARADE ● Continued on 3

Kristyn WinchSecond-year print journalism student


S o u t h C a r o l i n a basebal l coach Ray Ta n ner won more t h a n t h e C o l l e g e Wor ld S er ie s t h i s w e e k . G o v. M a r k Sanford presented him with the Order of the Palmetto, the highest civilian honor awarded in South Carolina, on Thursday, July 1.

T h e G a m e c o c k f lag soared above the Statehouse that day, right underneath the

United States fl ag and South Carolina state fl ag.

Sanford began his speech Thursday by saying that “the action speaks for itself.”

A c c o r d i n g t o Sanford, the national championship is “an inspirat ion to every young person in South Ca rol i na , whet her they are Clemson fans or USC fans, whatever their stripe or color, a nd to t hat l a rger notion of persistence a nd not g iv i ng up in l i fe. A s much as anything, that’s what this proclamation is about.”

Tanner did not brag du r i ng T hu rsday ’s ceremony, but d id share his pride for his

team.“I’m very honored

and humbled by this opportunity today,” Tanner said.

Tanner mentioned i n h i s speech t hat a l t h o u g h Te x a s Christian University was the early crowd favor ite in Omaha, once t he team was eliminated, the people of Omaha chose to support USC.

“The city of Omaha embraced us. I heard so many people say, ‘I love your players. I love who they are and what they represent,’” Tanner said. “I said that’s how we are in t he s t ate of Sout h Carolina.”

Tanner feels t hat h i s t e a m’s v ic tor y

may help people see the state in a different light.

“We are so proud to be representatives of this state on a national stage,” Tanner said. “I hope people across the

country understand t he s t ate of Sout h Carolina a little better now.”

Kristyn WinchNEWS EDITOR

Gamecock triumph on national stage source of pride for South Carolinians

Coach Ray Tanner receives state’s highest civilian honor

Mary Ann Chastainv / The Associated Press

Gov. Mark Sanford presents Coach Ray Tanner with the Order of the Palmetto at the Statehouse Thursday, July 1.


The Da i l y Gamecock encourages its readers to recycle their copies of the newspaper after reading.

The Daily Gamecock ● JULY 7, 2010

PIC OF THE WEEKBrains, brawn of USC athletes recognized nationally, regionally

Winning the College World Series to capture the title of 2010 NCAA B a s e b a l l N a t i o n a l Champions is certainly earning the Gamecocks a lot of long-awaited r e c og n i t io n a c r o s s t he boa rd . Sl ight ly l e s s r e c o g n i z e d , though, was the fact t h a t t h e b a s e b a l l t e a m a l s o e a r n e d acknowledgment as the team with the highest GPA of the eight teams t h a t m a d e a C W S appearance.

M i c h a e l R o t h , a

second-year business student and Gamecocks f i r s t b a s e m a n a n d pitcher, was na med the CWS indiv idual h ighest GPA wit h a 3.82.

At the parade held in honor of the National Champions on July 2, Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin made note of the baseball team’s ach ievements in the classroom as well.

“These young men scored the highest GPA of any team,” Benjamin said. “They are a direct r e f le c t ion o f t he i r parents, the University and of the character that Ray Tanner instills in them every single day.”

USC a l so had t he most student-athletes o n t h e S E C 2 0 10 S p r i n g A c a d e m i c Honor Roll with a total of 109 students from nine Gamecock spring sports teams, including

19 baseba l l players . USC has ta l l ied the most student-athletes on four out of f ive of the last SEC Academic Honor Roll releases.

“Our baseball victory d e m o n s t r a t e s t h a t excellence has become the expectation, not just the dream, at Carolina,” sa id USC Pres ident Harris Pastides in an e-mail to faculty, staff and students on July 1. “In so many facets of student achievement, athletic performance, f a c u l t y a n d s t a f f accomplishments, we are being recognized a s o n e o f t h e t o p u n i ve r s i t i e s i n t he nat ion . We look to sustain this momentum and bu i ld upon our s u c c e s s e s t o m a k e a l l t he Un ivers it y ’s constituents justifi ably proud.”

Ellen MederEDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Spring sports top SEC Academic

Honor Roll,Roth named

College World Series individual

highest GPA


T he Sout h Ca rol i na C e nt e r s o f E c o no m ic Excellence Program recently voted to approve the building of three new technology centers at universities.

The University of South Carolina is one of three schools chosen for a new

technolog y center. The center — which will focus on data analysis, simulation, imaging and visualization — will be built using South Carolina Education Lottery funds.

According to the CoEE’s web s i t e , t he C oE E i n Data Analysis, Simulation, Imaging and Visualization wi l l design “innovat ive algorithms that can improve the flow and interpretation of data collected by a variety of advanced equipment, such as electron microscopes,

e a r t h r e mot e s e n s i n g satellites, and supercomputer hydrodynamic simulations.”

T h e t e c h n o l o g y a t t he center w i l l help to make large amounts of data understandable and usable f rom equ ipment s u c h a s e l e c t r o n microscopes, satellites and supercomputers. According to The State, the centers “a i m t o s p u r s t a r t u p businesses.” Universit ies must match state money with private funds or federal grants.

“The proposed CoEE builds on existing strengths at USC and is relevant to a wide range of scientifi c and research endeavors ... It is projected that the proposed CoEE will ultimately create a local workforce of hundreds of trained professionals,” said the on-site review panel in its review of the merits of this CoEE.

Clemson and MUSC also received funding.

Kristyn WinchNEWS EDITOR

Lottery funds help provide new technology centersUSC among three S.C. universities receiving grant

Anna Smith / THE DAILY GAMECOCK

Technology centers will be funded in part by the lottery.Comments on this story? E-mail [email protected]

Ellen Meder / THE DAILY GAMECOCK

Hot air balloons fi ll the sky in Blythewood, S.C., for the Fourth of July weekend. $5 hot air balloon rides were among the attractions at Balloons, Blues and Bar-B-Que

The Daily Gamecock ● JULY 7, 2010

t he Statehouse. The last team to have it s colors hoisted above the Capitol was the national title-winning Clemson football team in 1981.

The fi nal offi cial wave of celebrat ion came Fr iday, Ju ly 2 when the City of Columbia h e l d a t i c k e r - t a p e p a r a d e d o w n M a i n St reet , c u l m i nat i ng in an address on the Statehouse steps. The event was put together with little over 48 hours of planning and drew an estimated 40,000 fans.

M a y o r S t e v e B e n j a m i n o p e n e d t he rem a rk s b e fore present ing t he team with the key to the city and proclaiming the day as “Coach Ray Tanner Day a nd G a mecock

Baseball Day.”“If there’s one virtue

we can take from their accomplishments, it’s that of perseverance,” said University board m e m b e r W i l l i a m H u b b a r d a s h e addressed the crowd. “ Yo u ’ v e m a d e t h e summer of 2010 one we will never forget.”

A f t e r A t h l e t i c Director Eric Hyman read a poignant e-mail from a fan, Tanner took the podium to the glee of the audience

“You have been the greatest,” Tanner told the crowd, “and now you get the opportunity to celebrate the number one baseball team in the United States.”

Pl aye r Jay Br ow n c o m p l i m e n t e d t h e Gamecocks’ stadium, coaching staff, team and

fans before the crowd beg a n cha nt i ng t he name of Jackie Bradley Jr. , who was na med the CWS MV P. The chant ing d idn’t stop there though. As Whit Merr i f ield, who is a ninth round MLB draft pick of the Kansas City Royals, took the stage the crowd pleaded “One more year,” again and again.

The event wrapped up after Scott Wingo led the crowds in a barking c h a nt . T hou g h t he parade crowd dispersed rapidly, pride over the basebal l team is st i l l glowing in businesses a r o u n d C o l u m i b a a n d o n t h e l i p s o f Gamecocks around the state.


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PARADE ● Continued from

Bobby Sutton / THE DAILY GAMECOCK

A decorated vehicle is featured in the Gamecocks homecoming parade held July 2.

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Though it is not necessary for every media outlet to print or broadcast public service announcements, it seems that it is their responsibility to at the very least refrain from encouraging reckless behavior — public disservice announcements.

Over the weekend a promotional clip was aired on local classic rock radio station WWNQ — Flashback 94.3 FM. The clip said what amounted to “Listen to Flashback without your seat belt on. Columbia has some of the best hospitals in the state.” This irresponsible message was perhaps intended to get listeners to harken back to the times when they

fi rst listened to the Rolling Stones, but encouraged them to dispense with safety. Flashback 94.3 would have been just as ridiculous had they told listeners to hop in the car and wash down their Beat les set with a few Budweisers. Compounding the station’s

indiscretion is the fact that the announcement aired over a holiday weekend, during which traffi c accidents and incidences of drunk driving peak. The station does not even stream their broadcast on the Internet, increasing the likeliness that listeners were in a vehicle when they heard the message.

Put simply, urging the public to ignore serious laws that are in the interest of public safety is completely unacceptable. If radio stations are so out of touch with their listeners that they are willing to put them in serious danger, it is no surprise that radio, as a medium, is falling out of favor.

After watching the Miss Teen South Carolina and Miss South Carolina pageants that took place over the holiday weekend, I have been thinking about what motivates

young women to participate in beaut y pageant s , and, ultimately, try to make it in show business. One possible source of motivation: stage parents. Stage parents are those moms and dads who feel the need to push their children to pu rsue ca reers in t he entertainment industry. Often times, these parents actions seem to be driven by their own hidden desires for celebrity and

failed attempts at stardom.As an active participant in the community

theatre circuit since fourth grade, I have met dozens of stage parents. Since my very fi rst audition, I’ve been in competition for parts with kids who really didn’t care about getting cast, but their parents dragged them there because of their own selfi sh motives. I’ve seen children cry, scream and hit their parents because they really didn’t want to get in front of a director and read from a script.

It’s sad to me. My parents never pushed me to try out for plays or musicals. I had the drive and desire to be a star since I

watched my first Shirley Temple movie at my grandma’s house. Too bad I had to put up with all the snotty-nosed brats who were forced to take dance and voice lessons since age two to please their parents.

I ran into a young girl today who took lessons from the same voice teacher as I did in high school. The girl, 16, told me she is trying out for “American Idol” in two weeks. I know her mom, who is the ultimate stage mom, has something to do with that. She enrolled her daughter in acting classes, dance classes and voice lessons when she was fi ve years old. She keeps a blog to document every local and national audition and competition the girl enters and sends mass e-mails encouraging family and friends to vote for her kid online. She drives her daughter to every audition and pleads to stay, even when directors put signs on the door that say “no parents allowed.” This girl doesn’t act like she hates the pressure her mother puts on her, but she’s been auditioning like a pro for so many years she probably doesn’t realize her mom is manipulating her.

I feel parents should let their children fi nd out their interests for themselves rather than force their unfulfilled dreams upon them. One of my favorite actresses, Kristin Chenoweth, recently said, “If you can’t see yourself doing anything else at all, defi nitely do acting.” If kids can see themselves having careers in other fi elds besides show business, their parents should let them pursue those areas instead.

For many, environmentalism is a classic example of liberal hippie ideology. Relegated to tree huggers and naïve anti-industrialists, the “green” movement tends to be perceived as lacking the legitimacy, which it arguably deserves, amongst conservative Republicans. Meanwhile, Democrats laud environmental regulation as the solution to all of America’s problems. For most, these two ideologies seem diametrically opposed, but they have a great deal more in common than many would admit.

The most obvious common factor is a heavy emphasis on local economies. The community is strengthened by fostering the development of local economies as embodied by small business and local agriculture. It is no longer subject to the whim of national corporations and is less drastically affected by the actions of the federal or even state governments.

Local power, in terms of the state or community level, has often been associated with Republicans and conservative ideology, but for the traditional Republican conservative, this actually may be more diffi cult to practice

than to preach. Republican support of business has reversed the party’s role from the protector of local institutions to the protector of national interests. The support of lesser and lesser taxes and continued deregulation has undermined the strength of local inst itut ions against national corporations.

Gas stations perhaps symbolize t h i s t h e b e s t . T ho u g h a n overwhelming majority of gas stations are locally owned and operated, they are all tied into franchise-style contracts that l ink their local business to a national (often multinational) corporation. The local station ow ner essent ia l ly ow ns and operates the convenience store while he purchases oil from a large distributor — such as BP, Shell or Exxon-Mobil — that

controls all aspects of how the fuel is marketed. Initially this may seem advantageous for the station owner. The owner gains customers based on brand loyalty or the reputation of a major chain. It draws in customers who purchase convenience store goods and the owner takes his share of the gasoline sales.

But the problem is that the negative often outweighs the positive. When a major vendor fails to maintain its positive reputation, such as BP during its dealings in the Gulf of Mexico, the local operator is hung out to dry. Through no fault of his own, he will lose customers. The nat ional brand’s fa i lures wil l end a single station, or hundreds of stations, due to boycotts and general outrage at the national corporation. Suddenly, the disadvantage is losing your business — something nearly impossible to recover.

And so it seems two opposed ideologies are necessary to reconcile these kinds of issues to prevent these tragedies. The conservative needs to accept that regulation is good. It protects small business from the hazards of big business. It protects the local communities, such as Detroit and its suburbs or the Gulf Coast, from being destroyed by a confl uence of disastrous corporate downfalls. But at the same time, the liberal must accept that sweeping national regulation is not the only solution. Often it can permeate too deeply into the local level and disrupt the fl exibility and adaptability that makes the community so powerful. To fi nd a strong balance between these two would be truly “green.”

In May 2010, Apple Inc. usurped Microsoft’s throne as the world’s largest technology company. The total value scorecard read Apple: $221 bi l l ion; M icrosof t : $219 billion. Somewhere men are laughing and somewhere children shout, but there is no joy in Redmond — mighty Microsoft has struck out.

B u t b e i n g number one has its drawbacks. We learned from “ S p i d e r m a n” t h a t w i t h g r e a t p o w e r c o m e s g r e a t responsibil it y. A nd for those “ S t a r Wa r s ” nerds out there

who know their Expanded U n i v e r s e , e v e n L u k e Skywalker became a Sith . Apple, the company ranked by Fortune as the most admired company in the world for the past three years, is also turning to the dark side. The iPhone 4 even has a way of holding it dubbed the “death grip.”

In Nicholas Kristof’s June 26 column in The New York Times, “Death by Gadget in Congo,” he reveals that Apple is one of several electronics m a n u f a c t u r e r s b u y i n g coveted “conflict minerals,” such as tantalum, tungsten, tin and gold, from Congolese warlords who use the money you spent on the new iPhone to finance murder and rape. Kristof has seen some barbaric things, yet here he says “I’ve never reported on a war more barbaric than Congo’s, and it haunts me.”

The recent su icides of mistreated Chinese workers at Foxconn, a manufacturer of the iPhone and other Apple products, have also blemished Apple’s shiny exterior. Just read this May 26 headline from The Sydney Morning Herald: “I promise not to kill myself: Apple factory workers ‘asked to sign pledge.’”

But is this criticism really fair? “Conf lict minerals” a re a l so u sed by ot her companies such as Intel. Foxcon n a l so produce s products for Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo. Why should Apple be held to a different standard?

It ’s because Apple has always branded itself as the outsider - the place where you can wear Hawaiian shirts to work every day. Steve Jobs was even k nown to walk around the office barefoot. But it seems more and more that his billion dollar toes are trampling on the little guy.

Does that make Apple any different from Microsoft? No, it just makes it more similar. Regrettably more similar. Welcome to the top Apple, I just hope you remember the morals that got you here.

PAGE 4WEDNESDAY, JULY 7, 2010

EDITORIAL BOARD

Viewpoints EditorRYAN QUINN

News EditorKRISTYN WINCH

Design DirectorBOBBY SUTTON

Copy Desk ChiefSAMANTHA EDWARDS

Sports EditorCHRIS BILKO

Photography EditorKERI GOFF

Editor-in-ChiefELLEN MEDER

Conservative, liberal ideologies both need ‘green’Republicans’ defense of community

links their cause to environmentalists’

Company appearing more like Microsoft

Children forced to follow dreams parents wish they had achieved

Top-ranked Apple sours to new lows

Kristyn Winch Second-year print journalism student

FrankAveryFourth-year politicalsciencestudent

Ryan QuinnThird-year print journalism student

‘Stage parents’ limit kids’ freedomA PINCH OF WINCH

Urging the public to

ignore serious laws

that are in the interest

of public safety is

unacceptable.

94.3 should buckle up with common sense

CORRECTIONSIf you fi nd an error in today’s edition of The Daily Gamecock, let us know about it. E-mail [email protected] and we will print the correction in our next issue.

The goal of The Daily Gamecock’s Viewpoints

page is to stimulate discussion in the University of

South Carolina community. All published authors

are expected to provide logical arguments to back

their views.

The Daily Gamecock encourages readers

to voice opinions and offers three methods of

expression: letters to the editor, guest columns

and feedback on dailygamecock.com.

Le t te r s and gues t co lumns shou ld be

submitted via e-mail to [email protected].

Letters must be 200 to 300 words in length and

include the author’s name, year in school and area

of study.

We also invite student leaders and USC faculty

members to submit guest columns. Columnists

should keep submissions to about 500 words in

length and include the author’s name and position.

Guest columns are limited to three per author per

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The editor reserves the r ight to edit and

condense submissions for length and clarity, or

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All submissions become the property of The

Daily Gamecock and must conform to the legal

standards of USC Student Media.

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spring semesters and nine times during the summer with the exception of

university holidays and exam periods. Opinions expressed in The Daily Gamecock

are those of the editors or author and not those of the University of South

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 7, 2010

“Baseball is 90 percent mental. The other half is physical.”

— Yogi Berra

Ellen MederEDITOR IN CHIEF

Take me out to the ballgameThese baseball films are sure to knock

your movie night out of the park

Since becoming national champions, a baseball frenzy has taken hold of Gamecocks near and far.

With the college season wrapped up, many of us are still itching for some of America’s pastime. While the following fi lm suggestions may not measure up to the thrill of watching our 2010 baseball team, they’re sure

to knock it out of the park.

S u r e , “A L e a g u e o f T h e i r Own” focuses more on a group of trailblazing women getting the right to play on the fi eld during the WWII era rather than simply the game, but this one is a classic. Starring Tom Hanks and Geena Davis this really is an ensemble fi lm full of character and spirit. Plus, there’s always the infamous line by Hanks’ character Jimmy Dugan: “There’s no crying in

baseball!”

Though you probably haven’t watched “The Sandlot” in “forrr-evvv-errr,” now is the perfect time to revisit this childhood favorite. Watch Smalls, the new kid in town, and a rag-tag group of neighborhood boys spend all summer between the community swimming pool and playing ball in a small dirt lot, living for the game. When they launch a prized baseball over the sandlot’s fence and within reach of “The Beast,” the boys must work together to retrieve it. It’s only then that they really learn what it means to be a team. Full of references to baseball

lore this is a feel-good fi lm.

By the end of “The Pride of the Yankees” you might be reminding yourself of the rule you learned in the bullpen as you reach for a tissue. Deeply sentimental, the plot follows the life and career of Lou Gehrig from his childhood through his moving “Luckiest Man” speech in Yankee Stadium on Independence Day 1939. The fi lm stars Gary Cooper but also has appearances from real life Yankees Babe Ruth and Bill Dickey.

“Field of Dreams” is the start of Kevin Costner’s baseball movie double play. This adaptation of “Shoeless Joe” by W.P. Kinsella follows an Iowa corn farmer who builds a baseball field which summons the ghost of Shoeless Joe Jackson and seven other players from the Chicago White Sox players who threw the 1919 World Series. Throw in a dash of father-son bonding and an overall theme of the allure of baseball as a game and this is a

must-see.

Considered by many to be an authentic portrayal of baseball, “Bull Durham” gives audiences the inside scoop on the minor leagues on and off the fi eld. A love triangle develops between catcher Crash Davis (Costner), wild rookie pitcher “Nuke” LaLoosh (Tim Robbins) and a team groupie (Susan Sarandon). In the end it’s the combination of actor chemistry, realistic baseball shots and noticeable lack of sports fi lm clichés that make Bull Durham the champion of baseball movies. No wonder it’s so accurate: writer and director Ron Shelton is a

former minor leaguer himself.

So, it’s not a movie, but catching a Columbia Blowfish game is much more exciting than renting DVDs. As part of the Coastal Plain League the Blowfish will be playing at the Capital City Stadium off of Assembly Street through the end of July. Not only do you get to see college players from all over the Southeast, but the stadium also has great specials on ballpark food favorites including Two For Tuesdays and Thirsty Thursdays. Visit

blowfi shbaseball.com for details.

First Base:

Second Base:

Extra Innings:

Third Base:

Bullpen:

Home Plate:

“Knight and Day” is a playfully off-k ilter action caper whose sole purpose often seems to catapult Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz back into the certifi able A-list of celebrity. The movie is overstuffed with witty banter, breakneck action set pieces and a glossy chemistry between the two stars, yet it all too fl eetingly delves into the kind of unhinged insanity its leading man seems to be reaching for.

In a summer awash with disappointing or mediocre fi lms — Pixar’s “Toy Story 3” aside — “Knight and Day” comes as a surprise: a movie as goofy and senseless as its titular pun.

Cruise gets this, but he almost gets it too well. Cruise’s wacky supporting turn as movie producer Les Grossman in 2008’s “Tropic Thunder” won him praise left and right for sublimating his movie star glamour for a sickening, foul-mouthed caricature.

If Grossman was everything Tom Cruise isn’t, his lead turn here as Roy Miller is everything Tom Cruise “is” — every smile, every lock of hair, every body motion, every line of dialogue seems to channel “Tom Cruise: Movie Star.” In the movie’s manic opening act, this works wonders and helps give the fi lm its buoyancy, but as it draws farther into the action, Cruise becomes less the film’s center and more just an element of its production.

What keeps “Knight and Day” from being as frenetically enjoyable as it strives to be is that it’s trying to make a major Hollywood blockbuster feel like an improvisation. It wants us to feel continually caught off guard by the eccentricities of the action and the rapidity of the banter, but it can’t help feeling overly familiar.

That’s not to say that the movie isn’t tremendous fun at times. It knowingly plays up its MacGuffi n

— a central plot element that is both everything the story is about and of absolutely no importance — and sensibly plays the dynamic between Diaz and Cruise’s, which is at times magnetic.

But it’s still two movies at once — a super-serious action spectacle, and a no-holds-barred spy film parody. Take an action sequence set on a freeway late into the fi lm’s fi rst act, in which Diaz’s character drives an SUV down the wrong side of the road as Cruise shoots baddies from the hood of the car.

On one hand, it’s a joy to watch Cruise play straight face (or relaxed and goofy face) to Diaz’s freak-out. On the other, the stunts and chaos are well-staged action, but rarely do these elements seem perfectly conjoined.

Director James Mangold, whose last film was “3:10 to Yuma,” reaches high and manages to control all the elements of the production while still giving his stars space to roam within the frame. Of course, that also ends up being the central contradiction the fi lm poses: Can something this expensive put every cent on the screen in tightly controlled spectacle and still find room for the megastars to comfortably play off each other?

While it may not be a consistent fi lm, it’s still entertaining, and it’s great fun just to watch Tom Cruise play himself with such uncontained glee. The whole thing may feel concocted to its last smirk, but at least it’s a knowing smirk.

CRUISE PLAYS CRUISE IN ACTION

★ ★ ★ out of ✩✩✩✩✩

Director: James MangoldStarring: Tom Cruise, Cameron DiazRun Time: 109 minutesRating: PG-13, for sequences of action violence and brief strong language

Knight and DayNOW IN THEATERS

Jimmy GilmoreTHE DAILY GAMECOCK

Courtesy of 20th Century Fox

Actors Cameron Diaz and Tom Cruise co-star in the action-packed fi lm “Knight and Day.”


LISTEN TOTHIS

Summertime songs that are running

through headphones atThe Daily Gamecock

this week

“Lend Me Your Face” by Fight Like Apes

“California Love”by 2Pac featuring Dr. Dre

“Monster”by Lady Gaga

“Laredo”by Band of Horses

“Summer Breeze”by Seals and Crofts

“No Love”by Eminem featuring Lil Wayne

“Tricky, Tricky”by Lou Bega

“Gay Bar”by Electric Six

“Summer Wind”by Frank Sinatra

“Money”by Easy Star All-Stars

“In the Summertime”by Mungo Jerry

Across1 Very attentive5 Kibbutz dance9 Throat ailment14 Blond race in “The Time Machine”15 Hatchets16 Under-the-bridge folklore villain17 Cold sufferer’s decongestant19 Reach a cost of20 Prevail over, at an auction21 Paddock pop23 Internet address punctuation24 Gobi Desert locale26 Four __: luxury hotel28 18-Down washing places32 Breakfast area33 Canonized woman of Fr.34 Early anesthetic38 FGs often end them39 Stiffl y formal42 __ League43 Dressing table vessel, perhaps45 It’s “the word”46 Ballet bend47 Honeymoon mecca51 Nightclub enforcer54 Be in on55 Superlative ending56 Fast food tycoon Ray58 Gemini rockets62 “You can’t get __ from here”64 Creamy bowlfuls for chips66 Barbershop quartet voice67 New York canal68 Words after shake or break69 Bosox rivals70 Society newcomers71 Cell phone message

Down1 Vegas alternative2 1966 N.L. batting champ Matty3 Newsgroup message4 Curtain restraint5 Most robust6 Losing tic-tac-toe row7 Weight room count8 St. Francis of __9 Barely ran?

10 Show about Capote11 Sonata fi nale, often12 Pop singer John13 Garden layouts18 Spoon companion of rhyme22 Cartoon Chihuahua25 Against27 Old boom-creating speedster, briefl y28 Gearshift topper29 Greek “i”30 Mix, as a salad31 1965 Freedom March city35 Country singer Faith36 Pernicious37 Whiskey choices39 Candy bar that makes you chuckle?40 Ankara native41 Issues (from)44 Country stopover46 Examined, cat-style48 __ Lingus49 Felt one’s way50 Stodgy old-timer51 Wilma’s pal on “The Flintstones”52 Milo of “The Verdict”53 Knoxville sch.57 Part of TLC59 Christie’s “Death on the __”

60 Nadir’s opposite61 High-ranking NCO63 Seoul soldier65 Poke fun at

Todays solution:

07/07/10

07/07/10

Todays solution

WhiteboardBy Bobby Sutton / The Daily Gamecock

HOROSCOPES

1234567890-=

PAGE 6 WEDNESDAY, JULY 7, 2010

The SceneUSC@

www.ColumbiaCharlotteShuttle.com • (803) 783-5123$49 each way • Pick up/drop off at USC

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Students!Students!

ARIES You get the chance to talk about your pet ideas today. What seems natural to you may not gel for others. Try different words.TAU R U S Ta k e e v e r y o p p o r t u n i t y t o c h a t with loved ones. Share i n s i g ht s a nd e x p l a i n u n u s u a l c o n c e p t s . GEMINI Time spent at home reaps huge benefi ts. You don’t have to invest a lot of cash to satisfy secret desires and build optimism.C AN CER You’re deep into creat ive thought . It may be personal, but doesn’t need to be secret. Yo u ’r e f o r t u n a t e t o talk to your girlfriends.L E O To d a y y o u ’ r e c o m f o r t a b l e i n a

publ ic s it uat ion. Your ho me work g o t do ne , and you’re completely prepared for your role. VIRGO You find yourself at the center of productive activity. You have more creat ive ideas than you can use at the moment. F i l e s o m e f o r l a t e r .LIBRA Your imagination’s bursting to figure out the practical side of a major transformation. A partner has solutions that you love.SCORPIO What seemed like a small task expands to fill the available space and t ime. By focusing on de t a i l s you br i ng it back dow n to s i ze .S A G I T T A R I U S Y o u need to manage today’s

tasks one at a time. Later opportunities come up in just the order you need them. Don’t get arrogant.C A P R I C O R N P l a c e relaxation and recreation high on the agenda today. Even though work takes second place, clear your desk of urgent issues fi rst.A Q U A R I U S P a y at tent ion to you r co-w o r k e r s . T h e y h a v e lots of ideas that f ill in g ap s you d id n’t e ven know existed. Pick and choose f rom opt ions .P I S C E S Wo r k o n a p r o j e c t w i t h a t e a m member early in the day. You smooth out wrinkles before presenting to the larger group. They love it.

Thursday, July 8“TYPEFACE”6 p.m., $7

Nickelodeon Theatre,937 Main St.

Friday, July 9ROALD DAHL’S “WILLY WONKA”

8 p.m., $22/$16 studentsWorkshop Theatre,

1136 Bull St.

Saturday, July 10CONCERTS IN FINLAY PARK:

MYSTIK VIBRATIONS8 p.m., free

Finlay Park, 930 Laurel St.

Sunday, July 11ARIES SPEARS8 p.m., $18

The Comedy House,2768 Decker Blvd.

Monday, July 12COLUMBIA BLOWFISH VS.

WILMINGTON7:05 p.m., $6

Capital City Stadium,301 S. Assembly St.

Tuesday, July 13HEALTHY CAROLINA FARMERS

MARKET10 a.m. to 2 p.m., free

Davis Field, 1400 Greene St.

Wednesday, July 7“HAIR”

7:30 p.m., $25Trustus Theatre, 520 Lady St.

6/22/10- Sam Dyson leads Carolina to 11-4 victory over No.1 Arizona State.

6/24/10- Carolina knocks out Oklahoma on a 11th inning walk-off single by Brady Thomas.

6/26/10- In a repeat of the 2002 CWS, USC eliminates Clemson in two games after a pitching gem by reliever

Michael Roth.

6/29/10- USC lifts the National Championship trophy after sweeping heavily favored UCLA in two games.

Chris BilkoSPORTS EDITOR

USC Baseball Season TimelineRelive the Gamecock’s

highs and lows on the roadto becoming the 2010

NCAA National Champions

2/19/10- Season opens with a 10-3 victory against Duquesne.

3/6/10- Team holds a 6-4 record after losing series to the East Carolina Pirates and archrival Clemson Tigers.

3/21/10- Gamecocks sweep fi rst SEC series at home against the Tennessee Volunteers.

4/11/10- Carolina caps off two series wins on the road against Auburn and Vanderbilt.

4/16/10- Blake Cooper out-duels much heralded prospect, Drew Pomeranz, to lead USC to 5-0 victory over Ole Miss.

4/30/10- Brady Thomas hits a walk-off home run in the 11th inning to defeat Alabama 9-7.

5/9/10- Team loses fi rst SEC series againstthe Kentucky Wildcats.

5/16/10- USC sweeps the Arkansas Razorbacks,a regional host, in Fayetteville.

5/22/10- Gamecocks fall short of SEC East title in defeat by Florida in two out of three at home.

5/27/10- USC knocked out of SEC tournament after scoring only one run in two games.

6/6/10- Team wins all three games of the Columbia regional after trailing in each contest.

6/13/10- Christian Walker and Matt Price emerge as stars as USC defeats Coastal Carolina in the Super

Regional.

6/20/10- Gamecocks lose first game of CWS to Oklahoma 4-3 after massive rain delays.

Sam Bennett / THE DAILY GAMECOCK

Whit Merrifi eld hustles down the fi rst base line against Mississippi State.

Chris Keohane / THE DAILY GAMECOCK

Blake Cooper throws from the mound in his win against the Ole Miss Rebels.

Kara Roache / THE DAILY GAMECOCK

Ray Tanner and Jack Leggett at the Clemson series.

Ted Kirk / The Associated Press

The Gamecocks celebrate their victory over Clemson in the CWS.

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PAGE 8 The Daily Gamecock ● WEDNESDAY, JULY 7, 2010

I was pulled over in Missouri on my way home from Omaha. As the offi cer approached my car, he noticed the University of South Carolina sticker on my window and the South Carolina license plate.

“You guys headed back from the World Series?” he asked.

After sheepishly nodding and passing along my driver’s license, the officer returned to his car where he went through my information.

After returning a few minutes later, he passed back my license and had some surprising words.

“Yeah, I thought you boys were going to win it in the ninth with the two, three and four hitters up,” he laughed. “But you guys got it done. Congrats on the National Championship. Now slow it down.”

I had never been happier to get a $100 speeding ticket.That’s because South Carolina, after over a century of

athletic futility, fi nally reached the pinnacle of collegiate athletics with their College World Series title — the fi rst

in the program’s history.As a native son of the Palmetto State,

I’ve seen my fair share of pain, heartache and one-too-many close calls that went the other way. But surprisingly enough, that never seemed to happen as USC tore through the bracket on its way to the championship.

Perhaps USC’s good fortune is due to a cultural change or is the result of getting hot at the right time. Either way, Carolina

fans aren’t complaining.There were so many different spots where USC could

have utterly collapsed. Despite a seven-run lead in game one of the championship series, the Bruins loaded the bases in the ninth without recording an out, forcing USC to go to its bullpen. In years past, the outcome may have been different than a measly run scoring double play.

In game two, the Bruins loaded the bases in the ninth in a tie game before Matt Price struck out leadoff hitter Niko Gallego to end the inning. In years past, that may not have happened.

A lot has been made over the supposed end to the “Chicken Curse” placed on the University by Ben Tillman,

who helped establish Clemson University. Whether that was or wasn’t the reason for USC’s lack of athletic prowess up until this point, it can’t be used as a crutch anymore. Now that the Gamecocks have reached the top of baseball, fans can’t point to a curse for upcoming failure.

It’s also a wakeup call to other coaches on campus. Baseball coach Ray Tanner just proved that the University can accomplish even the most improbable of feats. He’s paved the way for other coaches and student athletes to believe in that as well.

The National Championship in baseball may have done wonders for the fans, but it should do even more to the other sports at USC. They’ve proven it can be done despite even the toughest of odds.

Now we’ll see how those other sports use this to springboard themselves to success in their own sports.

It’ll be interesting, that’s for sure. And if it doesn’t happen, it won’t be because of a curse. The title should instill a sense of belief in all sports at USC, and as a result may guide them to success in their own sports and own national title appearances.

And maybe, just maybe, when I make that similar trip to go watch that sport’s title game appearance, I’ll remember to slow it down.

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSPAGE CWS3WEDNESDAY, JULY 7, 2010

Two hours after Whit Merrifi eld erased a century-plus of men’s athletic futility at the University of South Carolina with one line drive base hit to right field I lay down in my bed knowing two things: I was going to write something for this, the National Championship e d i t io n o f T he D a i l y G a me c o c k , a nd I h ad absolutely no idea what I was going to say.

I b eg a n lo ok i ng for inspiration. I found it on my bedroom wall: a poster of the 1955 Dodgers team photo alongside Marianne Moore’s famous poem about the team, “A Hometown

Piece for Messrs. Alston and Reese,”

Though Walter O’Malley p ac k e d up Br o ok l y n’s beloved hometown Dodgers and moved t hem 2,785 miles west to Los Angeles in 1958, the fans remained some of the most passionate, supportive and loyal fans ever. To say they endured a lot of heartbreak would be an understatement.

“Dem Bums” lost the World Series fi ve times from 1941 to 1954 — each time to the hated New York Yankees — and suffered possibly the most famous defeat in baseball history: losing the National League pennant

to the archrival New York Giants on Bobby Thomson’s “Shot Heard ‘Round The World.”

The fans never lost faith, though. They never dwelled on the negatives. They wiped away the tears, bit their lower lips, kept their heads up and said in unison, “Wait ‘til next year.”

In 1955, “next year” fi nally came. The Dodgers beat the Yankees in a seven-game Fall Classic. Finally, Brooklyn had the right to call itself a champion.

Thinking about that team as I fell asleep last Tuesday night, it hit me. I never saw those Dodgers play. I never

saw those Dodger fans — blood running blue and white — live and die with their team and, after years of pain, receive a payoff that went beyond even their dream of dreams.

But I had.I saw the Gamecocks play.

I saw the Gamecock fans — blood running garnet and black — live and die with their team and, after years of pain, receive a payoff that went beyond even their wildest dreams.

This poem, inspired by Moore’s classic piece and last Tuesday’s performance, goes out to all of those Gamecock fans fi nally seeing the payoff.

Bury the curse and its wretched pastFor Carolina is champion at last

Crowned when Whit lined it to rightBringing Scotty Wingo home into the light

Dogpiles and hugs ensuedIt was Ray that Erin and the cameras pursued

The fi rst game USC suffered defeatBefore Sam Dyson took down the Sun Devils in the heat

From there, there was no magic lackingStarting when Brady Thomas sent the Sooners packing

Win it for Bayler , they all saidA 2002 sequel in the making and hated Clemson lying ahead

In Game One, Michael Roth, taking an order rather tallBaffl ed Leggett’s boys, more than answering the call

But, one more win remained before the grandest stageNo fear though; Morales’ single in the eighth helped turn the page

Then Matt Price put the Tigers downWith Walker’s diving snag giving the Upstate one last frown

Two wins away now and on to UCLANo worries in the opener; Bulldog Blake had himself a day

A mere 27 outs until hardball NirvanaIt looked dicey, but Haney’s chopper was a miracle worthy of the Madonna

Then the grandeur of the bottom of the eleventh inningWhen in Rosenblatt’s fi nal hour, all the pain subsided for time everlasting

Hold your heads high now and foreverBecause garnet and black are now hues of winning endeavors

Omaha glory and lifelong dreams of Carolinians renderedNames that will never be forgotten; Marzilli, Brown, Beary and Kyle Enders

Ebert, Taylor, Jones, Bangs and Jose Mata, among othersAnd with Jackie Bradley, Webb and more returning for another

A repeat is not any more impossibleThan how many thought this one improbable

Take off the goat-horns, you band of GamecocksBecause no more can you be the target of mocks

No, only cheers and ovations for you historic men nowSo go ahead; and eternally take your bow

Gamecock sports teams should take note of what can be accomplished

Chris Cox Fourth-year print journalism student

USC baseball disproves ‘Chicken Curse’ with National Championship title

Fans receive payoff after years of loyalty

Poetry pays homage to triumphs

of underdogs

James KratchTHE DAILY GAMECOCK

THEN & NOWSouth Carolina started playing baseball in 1892.

But it took until 2010 to win the school’s fi rstCollege World Series title. A lot has changed in

the time that it took to win the school’s fi rstchampionship since its inaugural year.

1892:President: Benjamin Harrison

First basketball game is playedat a YMCA in Massachusetts.

Thomas Edison receives two-way telegraph patent.

Pledge of Allegiance is fi rst recitedin unison at public schools.

Stanley Cup is fi rst donated by Frederick Stanley.

Poets Walt Whitman andAlfred Lord Tennyson die.

USC begins playing baseball.

2010:President: Barack Obama

Lebron James chooses betweenCavs, Nets, Knicks and Heat.

Google launches its Nexus One smartphone.

U.S. Court of Appeals for Ninth Circuitupholds words “under God.”

Chicago Blackhawks win fi rst title since 1961.

Ke$ha’s “Tik Tok” spends nine weeksat the No. 1 spot on music charts.

USC wins fi rst National Championship.— Compiled by Chris Cox

Eric Francis, Ted Kirk, Nati Harnik / The Associated Press

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