Sports & Leisure Magazine Summer Issue 2015

As expected, the Buffalo Sabre’s selected Jack Eichel with their first round pick, second overall, in the NHL’s 2015 Entry Draft. While the rest of the NHL is fawning over Connor McDavid, the Edmonton Oilers choice at first overall, Buffalo is focused on Eichel as the franchise player the team has waited for over the past two seasons.

With the draft-day acquisition of center Ryan O’Reilly, it can be expected that the Sabres will ease Eichel into their lineup early in the season, possibly on the third line, playing a limited 10-12 minutes per night as he acclimates himself to the NHL. He may be only 18 but has the physical strength typical of a 25-year-old. Eichel played well at the 2015 IIHF World Hockey Championships playing against older players, including many current and former NHL players, and looked strong going head-to-head against Pittsburgh star Evgeni Malkin playing for Russia. So it would be no surprise if he adjusts rather quickly to the NHL and established himself as the teams second line center.

Draft day haul for Buffalo SabresBy George Kuhn

Acquiring Eichel and O’Reilly completed a successful draft weekend for Sabre’s GM Tim Murray. Coach Dan Bylsma and his players can be forgiven if they begin to jump for joy when looking at the team’s depth chart at center. The team is strong down the middle with O’Reilly, Eichel, Zemgus Girgensons and Sam Reinhart penciled in to anchor the first through fourth lines respectively. Reinhart, whose performance last year was so inadequate in his nine-game NHL tryout that

Murray was disconsolate over his performance, has made marked improvement and looks ready to join the big leagues. He showed up at development camp noticeably stronger with improved skating and dominated the prospects scrimmage with a pair of goals and a helper. Although he’s marked as a center, he may be pushed over to one of the top-six wing spots since center ice is rather crowded.

What can Eichel be expected to contribute as a

Sabres general manager Tim Murray has earned a reputation for having a no-nonsense attitude towards his responsibilities as an NHL GM. He solidified that reputation by clearing enigmatic Russian players Nikia Zadorov and Mikael Grigorenko out of the organization in acquiring center Ryan O’Reilly. The Russians were traded along with the prospect J.T. Compher and the 31st pick in the 2015 draft for O’Reilly and left winger Jamie McGinn.

O’Reilly is one of the top two-way centers in the NHL and has been an object of the Sabres’ desire for some time. The Sabres scouted him heavily late in the season and Murray acquired him by only losing inconsistent youngster Zadorov from his NHL roster. At age 24 O’Reilly has good size at 6-foot-1, 210 pounds but has never reached the 30-goal plateau in a season. In 2013-14 he put up 28 goals and 36 assists followed by down numbers last season of 17 and 38. Still he’s remained one of the NHL’s best face-off men, an area where the Sabres have been weak for years and a key to puck possession.

Ryan O’Reilly in, enigmatic Russians out in blockbuster dealBy George Kuhn

O’Reilly will immediately assume the role of No. 1 center while recently drafted centers Jack Eichel (No. 2 overall, 2015) and Sam Reinhart (No. 2 overall, 2014) get acclimated to professional hockey. O’Reilly will see more ice time in Buffalo than he did in Colorado where he shared responsibilities with three other talented centers. This should lead to an increase in his scoring totals. With O’Reilly, Eichel and Zemgus Girgensons penciled in to likely to start the season as the 1-2-3 centers, the Sabres now have the luxury of sending Reinhart to Rochester for development if needed although his strong play in development camp makes that seem unlikely.

Reinhart was vastly over matched in his nine-game NHL apprenticeship last season. While he had a strong season in junior and at the World Junior Championships he was not nearly as dominant as one would expect from a player with his pedigree. It seemed like a stretch to believe that he would be ready for NHL duty right away. Reportedly more than a few players noted Reinhart’s deficient skating at last seasons

training camp and it seemed likely he would be headed to Rochester again this October to build his game up to NHL standards.

But Reinhart arrived at development camp a new man with a physique chiseled from time spent in the gym. His skating was noticeably improved. After dominating the prospects scrimmage with two goals and a helper, it seems likely Reinhart will start the season in Buffalo. Although a natural center, he will probably debut as a top six winger since the Sabres are crowded at center.

Should Reinhart be assigned to Rochester it’s not necessarily a disappointment. Thomas Vanek, Jason Pominville, Ryan Miller and Jason Spezza were all-star players who benefited from some AHL seasoning. Even Brett Hull spent a season in the minors before scoring 844 NHL goals.

O’Reilly’s versatility will also help when Reinhart develops into a top-six NHL scoring forward as expected. If Reinhart centers the second line behind Jack Eichel, O’Reilly can slide over to play left wing where he is also competent.

As Eichel grows into his

role as a franchise player, the idea of Girgensons playing against third-line competition after playing first-line last year should have Sabres brass giddy with excitement. This gives the Sabres the strongest center ice corps they’ve had since the 1990s with Pat LaFontaine and Dale Hawerchuk.

For their part, Colorado was strong at center and needs to allocate salary cap space to improve defensively so O’Reilly became expendable. The Avalanche had him slotted in last year at $3.5 million but an offer sheet from the Oilers for two years with $6.5 million in the second year drove his salary higher and made him expendable in the mile high city.

The Sabres signed O’Reilly to a seven-year $52.5 million contract extension that begins in the 2016-17 season. Reportedly, the Avs are happy to be rid of the drama surrounding O’Reilly’s contract. The Sabres are happy to add him and had the cap space available to meet his demands. It’s more money than he is worth but the Sabres gladly signed the check.

The Sabres also acquired left wing Jamie McGinn who slots in on the third line. McGinn scored 19 goals two seasons ago but has been injury prone. He is coming off back surgery that caused him to miss 61 games last year. McGinn, also 6-foot-

1 and 210 pounds, was a second round pick of San Jose, 36th overall in 2006. McGinn’s strong 2013-14 season (19-19-38) in his only full NHL season shows that he can score. He is an effective power forward who will be embraced by Sabres fans for his style of play if he can stay on the ice. He has one year left on his contract. The acquisition of McGinn likely means goodbye to Angola native Patrick Kaleta who has been a loyal foot soldier and bleeds Sabres blue and gold.

Sometimes a trade is addition by subtraction and in the case of Zadorov and Grigorenko the Sabres have two less headaches on their hands. Zadorov is a tremendously skilled player who should spend some time in the AHL and while his brief time with the Sabres showed tremendous potential, it was also coupled with off-ice issues. It may be unfair to attach the enigmatic Russian label but Zadorov was inexplicably late to return from vacation during the all star break. Similarly, Grigorenko arrived with a reputation for offensive skill but on the ice showed a lackadaisical style, coupled with his slow foot speed that prevented him from making an impact in the NHL. With his recent threats to go back to Russia and play in the KHL, it seems the no-nonsense Murray had enough. Grigorenko is now reunited in Colorado with

Patrick Roy, his junior coach with the Quebec Remparts where he enjoyed his greatest success.

The loss of Zadorov opens up a big hole on defense, although his role was more of a high end prospect than a solid contributor. Acquiring veteran defender Carlo Colacovio fills a third pair slot. He was a first round pick of Toronto (17th overall, 2001) but his career has been something of a disappointment. He has been signing a series of one-year contracts in recent seasons as a depth blueliner. Buffalo also signed him for one year. GM Tim Murray has said that he would like to add another left shooting defenseman, perhaps Stanley Cup-winning Jonny Oduya from the salary-cap strapped Chicago Blackhawks.

Murray has done a masterful job rebuilding the Sabres after dismantling the team over the past season and a half. Are the playoffs a realistic expectation this year? Buffalo finished with 54 points last season when Pittsburgh earned the final playoff spot in the east with 98 points. The Sabres would need a 44-point improvement to get there, which seems like a lot to expect for next year. The playoffs may still be out of reach for now but a big jump in the standings is reasonable to expect. A lot depends on their goaltending but Sabres fans will get their first glimpse at the future and it is certainly looking up.

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SPORTS & LEISURE MAGAZINE July/Aug 2015

Photo by Jake FrenchIn just his first week of practices and scrimmages, center Jack Eichel is already showing Sabres fans why the team selected him second overall at this years draft.

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With a new coaching staff in place – including head coach Rex Ryan, offensive coordinator Greg Roman and defensive coordinator Dennis Thurman – and a roster loaded with new names on the offensive side of the ball, there’s certainly a number of questions as the team heads to camp on July 31 in Pittsford, N.Y.

This much is known: Barring an unforeseen event – particularly a devastating injury – the big-name players will be where they should be, which is in a starting role. That, of course, includes the likes of Mario Williams, Kyle Williams, Marcell Dareus, LeSean McCoy, Sammy Watkins and Eric Wood, to name a handful. And the defense, which was ranked No. 4 overall in 2014, should once again be stout.

Naturally, the biggest question this team faces heading into training camp revolves around the quarterback position. First-year Bills Matt Cassel and Tyrod Taylor will battle with third-year pro EJ Manuel for a chance to open the season as the team’s starter.

Aside from quarterback, though, there are three players to watch in other positional battles as team’s revamped offense continues to take shape.

Cyrus KouandjioThe second-year pro –

taken in the second round of the 2014 draft – spent 15 games on the inactive list during his rookie season. But he followed up on that disappointing debut by spending nearly his entire offseason at the LeCharles Bentley Offensive Line Performance Training Center.

The hard work, at least initially, seems to be paying off as Ryan lauded the 21-year-old Kouandjio during the team’s June minicamp sessions. Ryan even had Kouandjio ahead of incumbent starter Seantrel Henderson.

“Well I think the work that Cyrus has done overall in the offseason probably puts him ahead right now,” Ryan said. “But again, the race isn’t over by a long shot, so we’ll see. Seantrel has got to show that he can handle it, you know: mentally, physically – all of it – and then get out here. Obviously he’s a guy that started 16 games last year, so I think competition is going to be good, and you know, Kouandjio has got to show that when the pads come

Positional battles abound as training camp approaches for BillsBy Charles Roberts

on that he can handle the physical aspect of the game.”

In addition to his head coach Kouandjio also caught the eye of his new offensive coordinator.

“I think he’s making a lot of progress,” Roman said. “That’s the number one thing – guys coming in every day…showing up number one…showing up on time…working hard and showing improvement. And that’s what he’s done.”

Percy HarvinThe first-year member of

the Bills – acquired during the offseason by way of free agency – was initially thought to be penciled in as a slot receiver, but it seems the coaching staff likes him on the outside.

With Sammy Watkins locked in as the team’s No. 1 (also playing on the outside), having Harvin on the opposite side, assuming he earns the starting job during training camp, would likely push Robert Woods to the slot, a space in which Chris Hogan saw significant time in 2014.

“Obviously Sammy we know is the bell cow, but we know a guy like Hogan, [Marquise] Goodwin…those roles will be played out, you know,” Ryan said of his receivers. “Robert Woods, Percy Harvin – it’s a heck of a group.”

However, Harvin, who played under Ryan last year as a member of the New York Jets, will definitely have to prove he’s an every-down receiver to keep Hogan off the field.

“We just like Chris Hogan, I can tell you that much,” Ryan said. “He’s one of the leaders in the offseason-conditioning program: he’s in phenomenal shape; he’s a smart guy; and obviously we know the kind of route

runner he is. He’s got great hands, so you would think that, hey you know, he may have a niche with this team. But you never want to limit a guy’s role, and you don’t want to [say] you know, ‘Hey, he’s entrenched in this role,’ because quite honestly let the competition decide what kind of role a guy is going to have…unless it’s a guy like Sammy Watkins or somebody like that, then it’s a no brainer.”

Karlos WilliamsThe rookie running

back out of Florida State – a fifth-round selection – will compete for a spot in an already busy backfield. His play this summer will certainly have an impact on the Bills’ depth at the position.

McCoy and veteran Fred Jackson are expected to be the team’s No. 1 and 2 backs, respectively.

To make the team, Williams will likely have to bump either Anthony Dixon – who played under Roman in San Francisco – or Bryce Brown, the talented but fumble-happy back, off the roster.

Noteworthy: The Bills and Cleveland Browns will hold joint practice sessions at 10 a.m. on Aug. 17 and 6 p.m. on Aug 18 at St. John Fisher College.

“Joint practices give you more of a chance to evaluate players and do different things,” Ryan said in the team’s announcement of the joint practice sessions. “It peaks the competition. We want these two days to be productive and we are excited to work against the Browns.”

Tickets to the sessions are complimentary, but will be required for entry.

Photo by Mike Majewski

Karlos Williams could have a significant impact on how the depth chart fills out at his position.


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Editor Jeffrey LevineFeature Writers Paul Adamo, Robert Caico, Rick Davenport, Mike Fox, Paul Gotham, Ivan the Impaler, Joe Kirchmyer, George Kuhn, Jeffrey Levine, Christopher Fee, Adam McGill, Brian Michalek, Ron Montesano, Len Mytko, Dave Ricci, Charles Roberts, Dave Sully, Todd Etshman, John Williams, Mark Zarbo, Rick Zurak (golf editor)Chief Photographer Jeff BarnesStaff Photographers Nick LoVerde, Joe Valenti, Mike Majewski, Holly Malinowski, Jake FrenchCover photos Percy Harvin, Karlos Williams and Jack Eichel by Jake FrenchAdvisory Board Phil Haberstro, Adam Lingner, Denny LynchContributing Writers Jared Buyer, CPFT, Ryan Esguerra, Anthony Fiorello, Jack Godzuk, Ivan Godzuk, Mark Harzynski Sr., Randy Krolewicz, Holly Malinowski, Landin Murphy, Bob Plezia, Mike Sorenson, Eric VenatorLayout & Cover Alex Getz, Meg Kinsley, NYGMSonline.comGraphic artist Liz Seivert, Shannon O’HaraCopy Editors and Office Assistants Len Mytko, Justin Vernold, John WilliamsPlease send your letters, questions, and comments to: Sports & Leisure Magazine, 192 Louvaine Dr, Buffalo, NY 14223 or e-mail [email protected]. Please include your name, address and phone number or your letter can’t be published. All letters and responses become the property of Sports & Leisure Magazine, they may be printed, and are subject to editing. Sports & Leisure Magazine is circulated throughout Western New York and Southern Ontario. All rights and trademarks reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without the express written consent of the publisher is strictly prohibited. ©1997 - 2015 Sports & Leisure Inc.Facebook: Sports and Leisure Magazine.

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With the 2015 NHL Draft offi cially in the books, the Sabres walked out of Sunrise Florida as one of the clear winners of the weekend. Although it was no surprise that Buffalo took generational center Jack Eichel out of Boston College with the second overall pick, not many fans could have predicted that another coveted center, Ryan O’Reilly would be prized away from the Colorado Avalanche for enigmatic Russian youngsters Nikita Zadorov and Mikhail Grigorenko along with prospect J.T. Compher and the 31st overall pick. After the draft, the team came to terms with their new No. 1 centerman and locked him up at a very reasonable rate for the next seven years.

Looking to add a few more bodies to head coach

Dan Bylsma’s bench, GM Tim Murray found a familiar trading partner with his uncle, Bryan Murray, and the Ottawa Senators. In exchange for the 21st pick, the Sabres shored up their goaltending situation with Robin Lehner while also adding serviceable center David Legwand.

Time will only tell how these moves, coupled with Murrary’s mid-season trade for winger Evander Kane will turn out. Often the draft is fi lled with surprises and to see how this has played out the modern NHL we go through 45 years of fi rst overall picks to confi rm if the best player was actually picked fi rst overall a majority of the time.

The Bills also have their off-season work cut out for them as they enter mini-camps before packing up

for St. John Fisher College and starting training camp at the end of July. While some positions can be safely inked in, the largest question looming is who will be under center when the season starts. First year Bills Matt Cassel and Tyrod Taylor will try to distinguish themselves from third-year pro E.J. Manuel and the offense is sure to look very different this year, for better or worse. Although not as fl ashy, there are numerous other camp battles going on such as Cyrus Kouandjio trying to come back from injury and earn a start on the line, free agent wide receiver acquisition Percy Harvin working on the outside and rookie Karlos Williams looking for touches in an increasingly crowded backfi eld.


On July 5, the United States Women’s National Team hoisted the 2015 World Cup, and Western New York fingerprints dotted soccer’s most prized trophy. From Rochester native Abby Wambach to Western New York Flash former and current players Carli Lloyd and Sydney Leroux, the region’s contributions are undeniable: Wambach added the only missing trophy in her case; Lloyd set a new standard for offensive production; and Leroux gave glimpses of the future.

Wambach showed that the fourth time can be the charm. After coming up short in three previous trips at the World Cup, including a loss in the 2011 finals to Japan, the most celebrated woman in the sport finally claimed the missing jewel in her illustrious career. Wambach, the 2012 FIFA World Player of the Year with 183 goals in 249 matches, added the World Cup to a pair of Olympic gold medals.

Lloyd, criticized by former USWNT team coach Pia Sundhage prior to the World Cup, became the first woman in history to score a hat trick in a final as the U.S. avenged the 2011 loss with a 5-2 victory over Japan. Lloyd tallied twice in the game’s first three minutes and added her third in the 16th minute with a blast from fifty yards away to beat the Japanese goalie who had left the box to provide support for her defense. The 32-year-old netted six goals in the tournament and garnered the Golden Boot.

Leroux logged minutes in pool play matches against Australia, Sweden and Nigeria. The 25-year-old also came off the bench in the semi-finals against Germany.

Wambach, playing a drastically different role than in years past, scored one goal in the tournament.

Wambach and Lloyd help bring home Women’s World CupBy Paul Gotham

Coming off the bench, the Our Lady of Mercy High g r a d u a t e served as i n s p i r a t i o n for a team destined to claim the United States’ third World Cup and first since 1999. In a fitting gesture, Lloyd deferred to W a m b a c h when the 35 - y e a r- o l d former captain entered the final and put the captain arm band on her teammate.

Lloyd and W a m b a c h p l a y e d together on the 2013 Western New York Flash, which finished tied atop the NWSL with a record of 10-4-8. Wambach finished second in the league with 11 tallies and eight helpers. Lloyd found the back of the net eight times for the Flash. Leroux as well as national team reserve Whitney Engen are on the Flash this season.

A ticker-tape parade in New York City and 10-match celebration tour are planned. NYC last honored a group of athletes in 1984 when the Olympic medalists received the star treatment. This event will mark the first time an entire women’s team will grab the spotlight in Manhattan. The team will open its tour on Aug. 16 in Pittsburgh, with eight of the dates still to be finalized. The national team played Mexico at Rochester Sahlen’s Stadium last September and also celebrated its 2012 Olympic Gold medal in the Flower

City, selling out the match in 20 minutes. The Flash have five remaining home games on their 2015 regular season including July 25 and 29. Both games have a 7 p.m. start.

Lloyd scored both goals in the 2012 Olympic gold medal game. The New Jersey native netted the lone goal in the 2008 gold medal game. Sundhage commented before the World Cup that Lloyd was a difficult player to coach.

For now, talk of Wambach will focus on the future of the sport’s all-time leading scorer. Wambach has suggested in interviews that next year’s Olympics are a possibility. This World Cup, however, will likely be her last.

Follow Paul Gotham @PickinSplinters.

There’s no denying that draft day is the most important day of your fantasy football season. So get a jump on the competition even before training camp begins with a few questions that you should ask yourself before becoming the proud GM/owner of your new fantasy franchise.

Q: Whom should I pick No. 1 overall?

A: Adrian Peterson. He’ll be rejuvenated and probably wants to show that he is still a force to be reckoned with. Plus keep in mind that just three years ago he ran for 2,097 yards so a return to 1,500-2,000 yards is a jog in the park for him with the right frame of mind. If you’re still undecided between Eddie Lacy, Jamaal Charles and Peterson at the top, take the one back who wears purple.

Q: Will anyone have an Odell Beckham-like breakout this year?

A: Miami’s DeVante Parker and Oakland’s Amari Cooper could become instant stars, as could San Diego’s Melvin Gordon or Todd Gurley of the Rams when he’s healthy. Both Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota should start right away as well, but one quarterback to watch out for is Minnesota’s Teddy Bridgewater. He finished his rookie season strong last year and the aforementioned Adrian Peterson is back, too.

Q: Gronkowski or Graham?A: Gronk simply because

he’ll likely see more targets his way. And that’s even without Tom Brady to open the season. Seattle likes to run the ball too much so it could be a stretch to say Graham gets over the 1,000-yard plateau and have more than 10 touchdowns as a Seahawk right away. Gronkowski, however, gets his yardage and touchdowns no matter how many games he plays in or misses.

Q: Do the Cleveland Browns have any fantasy relevance?

A: Unless you’re drafting on the defensive side of the ball, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a good dependable one on offense. Maybe Terrance West or rookie Duke Johnson turn into capable rushers for them,

Fantasy football:Question and answer timeBy Leonard J. Mytko

but if you’re penciling in a few players to try and count on, just be sure those pencils have good erasers on them.

Q: Will Rex Ryan make LeSean McCoy a rushing champ once again?

A: Well, he’s certainly playing for the right coach, but not the right division. The Patriots, Dolphins and Jets should all be pretty stout against the run so don’t expect him to duplicate what he did two years ago when he ran for a league-high 2,146 combined yards and 11 scores. A good season for the three-time Pro Bowler fantasy-wise would be for him to reach about 1,500 yards and register double-digit touchdowns.

Q: Which no-name will come out of nowhere and have a great season?

A: Look for the Saints new starting tight end Josh Hill to make a big splash this year. He had only 14 catches last season, but scored on five of them and will no doubt see his targets shoot way up now with Jimmy Graham gone.

Q: Does Kenny Stills have WR1 value with the Dolphins?

A: It’s a long shot, but possible. With his speed, the ex-Saint certainly has a shot to fill the void left by Mike Wallace as Miami’s big-play wideout if Ryan Tannehill becomes a better downfield thrower. I’m guessing the wealth gets spread around in offensive coordinator Bill Lazor’s system so one week it could be Stills, the next one could be Jarvis Landry,

Greg Jennings and so on.

Q: Is Peyton Manning still a No.1 quarterback?

A: Absolutely. Don’t let his age or second-half struggles deter you just yet. He’s a safe option to bounce back and the offense is still locked and loaded despite the losses of Julius Thomas and Wes Welker. Draft him with confidence to still play at a high fantasy level this season at least.

Q: Will anyone get the ball to Brandon Marshall?

A: Going from Jay Cutler to a very suspect quarterback situation in New York looks super shaky on paper, but this isn’t Rex Ryan’s Jets anymore so it wouldn’t be all that surprising to see him put up some decent numbers as long as he stays healthy. And a 1,000-yard campaign would make him the first player with four different teams to accomplish that mark.

Q: How does Reggie Bush affect Carlos Hyde’s draft value?

A: He’ll likely lose some production with Bush in town, though Hyde could thrive if he gets off to a fast start. Personally though, I would avoid players from this team altogether since the 49ers are completely in transition with a tough schedule as well. Even their addition of wideout Torrey Smith has trouble spots written all over it in a division with Richard Sherman and Patrick Peterson now.

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UB’s Jonathan Jones (left) on the podium at the NCAA Division I Track & Field Championships. He’s holding up his trophy in one hand and giving the “horns up” in the other. The Penn State student-athlete on the right is Darrell Hill. He placed second to Jones at the championships.

Jones, a 2015 University at Buffalo graduate, continued his record-breaking ways, winning gold in the shot put and becoming the first national champion in UB’s Division I history. Now a six-time All-American, Jones had a school-record heave of 20.78 meters on his second attempt to take top honors at the 2015 NCAA Outdoor Championships hosted by Oregon. Jones placed fourth as a sophomore at the outdoor championships and third this indoor season. He edged his school record of 20.75 meters set at the USATF National meet in 2014 and improved his season-best mark of 20.70 meters on the day.

Photo by Jeffrey Levine

Before Carli Lloyd stunned the world by scoring a hat trick at the World Cup Finals for the US Women’s National Team, she was finding the back of the net for the Western New York Flash to the tune of 16 goals over two seasons.

Photo by by Joe ValentiWith 54 touchdowns in 54 career starts, Rob Gronkowski is the No. 1 tight end.


Baseball has been a big part of Kevin Lester’s life for a very long time. He’s played it, coached it and has worked as a professional scout for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Kansas City Royals. He served as bullpen catcher for the Buffalo Bisons for a handful of years and even appeared in the movie “The Natural” as a member of the New York Knights. And since 1986 he’s served as official scorer for The Herd.

But the highlight of his baseball career arrives on Friday, July 17, when he enters the Buffalo Baseball Hall of Fame along with former Bisons players Greg LaRocca and Chris Coste.

“I’m a baseball junkie, and I love doing the Bisons games,” Lester said from his comfortable chair in the Bisons press box. “There are 72 home games a year and I’ll

As official scorer, the buck stops with Kevin LesterBy Joe Kirchmyer

probably do 65, and if I don’t do one it’s because it’s a day game and I have school or there’s an athletic banquet. But it works. I’ve been a multi-tasker my whole life.”

In addition to serving as official scorer, Lester is the athletic director at Williamsville South. “I’ve been a high school athletic director and/or phys ed teacher in Williamsville since 1971, and have been the athletic director since 1985. I’ve coached baseball, football, basketball, wrestling, golf and volleyball. I also have three sons — all teachers — who all played sports at Williamsville South.”

Helping him raise the boys while he juggled an extremely busy work schedule was his wife, Janet, who passed away five years ago from pancreatic

cancer. They were childhood sweethearts.

“I’ve been coming to this ballpark since 1982, probably an average of 65 times a year,” Lester said. “I’ve had some great days here but I believe, by far, that July 17 will be the greatest day I’ve ever had here. I wish my wife Janet was here to see it. You don’t earn something like this by yourself. There was a lot of time spent away from my family and Janet was a big part of it. My sons were all batboys here, too, so it’s always been a real family place for us.”

“Going into the Hall of Fame with some of the guys on that wall is amazing. I’m going in as a contributor and not as a player, but I guess it doesn’t matter how you get in as long as you get in,” he added with a big laugh. “The fact I’m going in as a

contributor I hope means that I’ve had something to do with the success of this place. I’ve taken ownership in it and I believe in it. The Rich family has been outstanding. The front office, Mike Buczkowski, Jon Dandes, the managers — they have all been so great to me and my family. So to be honored like this is something I just never expected. My thoughts out there [on July 17] will be about the sacrifices Janet made to allow me to do this.”

While he will take a well-deserved night off on July 17 to enjoy the game from the stands with his family, on those other days when he sits down in the press box as official scorer it’s all business.

“As the official scorer you have to watch every pitch,” Lester said. “And I will tell you this — I take this job

very seriously. These guys, probably more in baseball than any other sport, live and die by statistics. Every player deserves to have me watch every play, whether it’s a ball that’s hit, the guy that’s fielding it or the pitcher that’s throwing it. Every stat, to these guys, is so important, and I’m the guy who watches everything and judges it as fair and honestly as I can.”

“There are going to be times when there are disagreements, but I’ll always go talk to the manager,” Lester added. “Fortunately, it doesn’t happen a lot, but sometimes you get crazy things happening — and every player will believe it should be a base hit and every pitcher thinks it should be an error. When you have a 50/50 call, one guy is going to be happy and one guy is going to be mad.

There’s nothing wrong with keeping your opponents on their toes by doing the unexpected.

That was the mindset Buffalo Beauts general manager Linda Mroz had when her team took part in the historic first draft of the brand new National Women’s Hockey League.

The Beauts came away with five solid selections from the draft held on June 20 in Boston. Most notably, the team took defenseman Courtney Burke (University of Wisconsin) with their first pick (No. 4 overall) as well as West Seneca native and Nichols School grad Emily Janiga (Mercyhurst College) with their fourth pick. Although the Beauts’ game-plan had been to add some offensive pop at forward with their first pick, they picked fourth behind the New York Riveters, Connecticut Whale and Boston Pride, Mroz. Once the top three ranked forwards – Alex Carpenter (Boston University), Hannah Brandt (University of Minnesota), Kendall Coyne (Northeastern University) – came off the board in rapid succession, the Beauts had to change their game plan on the fly.

“The top three Carpenter, Brandt and Coyne all went bang-bang-bang and I was like wow,” Mroz said as she talked about the opening round. “You go in with a game plan and with Buffalo getting the last pick...it’s a little different strategy. I really believe that the girls that we drafted are going to make a huge impact on the

Buffalo Beauts prepare for historic first seasonBy Dave Ricci

Buffalo team.”Burke, the top

rated blueliner in the draft, is certainly a solid starting point for the Beauts. She’s also no stranger to WNY hockey fans as she helped Team USA win the gold medal at the U18 Women’s World Juniors that was held at the HARBORCENTER in January.

“The reason that I went with Courtney Burke is that I guess I was a little bit biased because she’s a defenseman,” said Mroz, who was a standout blueliner during her playing days at Nichols School. “She holds the blueline well. She moves the puck. She has good hockey sense. With Burke in the first round the other GMs were like wow that was a curve ball. I said you guys don’t want to take a top defenseman?”

As a whole the Beauts, who will call the HARBORCENTER home when their season starts in October, came away with a balanced team as they also took three forwards and a goalie. In round two, the Beauts took forward Sarah LeFort (Boston University) followed by goalie Amanda Leveille (University of Minnesota) in round three. The last two rounds were all about Mercyhurst and continuity with Janiga taken in the fourth and her

linemate, Jenna Dingeldein, taken in the fifth and final round for Moz.

“Being drafted is unbelievable,” Janiga said, “but being drafted (by) my hometown team is such an honor.”

A smooth-skating forward with a keen eye and nose for the net, the 5-foot-10 Janiga, a junior, led Mercyhurst and all of College Hockey America with 27 goals and 45 points this season.

On July 1, the Beauts made their first official free agent signing when they agreed to a deal with two-time Olympic silver medalist goalie Brianne McLaughlin.

“It’s a special feeling to be a part of something new and helping it to grow to be something great,” McLaughlin told the NWHL.com

McLaughlin, who competed for Team USA in the 2010 and 2014 Olympic Games, was a four-year starter at Robert Morris University. She holds the NCAA mark of 3,809 career

It’s as simple as that, but I’m the guy in the middle who justifies why it was a hit or an error.”

Despite being pressured from both sides, Lester stands behind his decisions even when people are unhappy with the call.

“One thing I’m very proud of is that I’ve never ducked anybody,” Lester explained. “If I get a call from (Public Relations Director) Brad Bisbing and he says a manager wants to talk to me, I go right down there and introduce myself and say ‘You’ve got a question on a call? Tell me what you think and I’ll tell you what I saw.’ They may not get the answer they want, but they will always tell me they respect the fact that I came and talked to them. I deal with them on a professional basis and they have been very congenial with me.”

After almost three decades in the press box, Lester still looks forward to coming to Coca Cola Field.

“I don’t look at this as a job, I look at it as a gift. I watch great baseball in my hometown, get paid a little money for it, I’ve made great friendships and I’ve had my family involved.”

It doesn’t get any better than that. July 17 is just the icing on the cake.

Joe Kirchmyer is president of West Seneca-based Kirchmyer Media LLC. To contact Joe, please email [email protected].

Photo by Joseph KirchmyerKevin Lester, the Bison’s longtime official scorer, is about to enter the Buffalo Baseball Hall of Fame.

Photo Courtesy of Mercyhurst Sports InformationAfter a standout career at Mercyhurst college, hometown fans will recognize Nichols alumni and West Seneca native Emily Janiga as she dons a sweater for the Buffalo Beauts of the newly formed National Women’s Hockey League.

continued on page 8


The Sabres recent acquisition of Ryan O’Reilly was a classic draft weekend blockbuster trade.

Sometimes blockbuster deals are made on the floor on draft day, such as the1999 draft where Brian Burke orchestrated a complex series of trades so the Canucks could land the Sedin twins with the second and third overall choices. But the greatest potential draft gamble of all time began in 1976, took four years to unfold and involved the rights to Wanye Gretzky, arguably the greatest scorer the game has ever seen.

The arrangement was the brainchild of Sam Pollock, the legendary general manager of the Montreal Canadiens, who won the Stanley Cup championship nine times in 14 seasons. In the 1970s, Pollock mastered the recently implemented NHL amateur draft by trading older veteran players to the NHL’s downtrodden teams for draft picks used to acquire top-shelf young talent. One of his most impressive trades was in 1971 when Pollock wanted to draft Guy Lafleur, then a Quebec Major Junior Hockey League super star. He made a deal with the California Golden Seals for their first draft pick in 1971, figuring the Seals would finish in last place, which would give Montreal the top pick in the amateur draft. But in the 1970-71 season, Los Angeles was in last place with California slightly ahead in the standings. So Pollock traded Ralph Backstrom to the Kings. Backstrom helped the Kings finish ahead of the Seals securing the top pick for Montreal. Lafleur became the star player for Montreal’s late 1970s dynasty team that won four consecutive championships from 1976 to 1979.

In 1976 Pollock was already planning his next dynasty. He wanted another first overall pick to add a top prospect to his talent pool and saw the 1980 draft as the perfect opportunity. He had his sight set on a skinny 14-year-old Wayne Gretzky who would become draft eligible in 1980. Gretzky had dazzled the hockey world literally in Pollock’s backyard at the 1973 Quebec pee-wee tournament with 26 goals.

Pollock saw the Colorado Rockies as the trading partner best suited to execute his vision. As the Kansas City Scouts, the team finished their1975-76 second last to the Washington Capitals with 36 points in 80 games. The Scouts franchise was then relocated to Denver as the Colorado Rockies, who began play in the 1976-77 season.

Pollock offered the Rockies two players from

Trading for Wayne GretzkyBy George Kuhn

the Nova Scotia Voyageurs, Montreal’s AHL farm team. The Voyageur’s were reputedly strong enough to beat some NHL teams. The 1976 Vs dressed 16 players who would later play in the NHL. They were led by Ron Andruff (42-46-88), Guy Chouinard (40-40-80) and Pierre Mondou (34-43-77). Pollock offered Colorado GM Ray Miron Andruff, the V’s leading scorer, and Sean Shanahan, another forward, for the right to swap Colorado’s top pick for Montreal’s. But not for that year, rather Pollock wanted the option for 1980, the year Gretzky would become draft eligible.

The logic for the deal was simple for the Rockies. If they didn’t improve the team in 1976, then the management team probably wouldn’t even be there in 1980. So getting two prospects from talent-rich Montreal was a no-lose scenario for them.

Miron had been hired as the Rockies GM in August of 1976. The team had no coaches or scouts and only two months to prepare to ice a team for the NHL season. The Rockies were under pressure to be competitive in a burgeoning Denver sports market that also included the former ABA Nuggets debuting in the NBA and the NFL Broncos, who would appear in the 1977 Super Bowl.

Miron was a career hockey guy who favored developing young players while team president Munson Campbell was a business executive and a graduate of Yale who worked for the New York Times and an NYC advertising agency before becoming the managing director of the California Golden Seals in 1973. He would stay with the Rockies through 1982 even after the franchise had moved to New Jersey as the Devils. Campbell wanted the team to be competitive now and his vision prevailed when

the trade with Montreal was completed.

The Rockies ended up finishing last in 1980 as Pollock had hoped but his plans were thwarted two years earlier in 1978 when a 17-year-old Gretzky signed a personal services contract with Nelson Skalbania of the World Hockey Association’s Indianapolis Racers and was later traded to the WHA Edmonton Oilers where he signed a 21-year personal services contract with owner Peter Pocklington.

These personal services contacts were a shrewd move by the WHA teams because they guaranteed that no NHL team would be able to secure Gretzky’s playing rights by drafting him where he certainly would have been the first player selected. With an impending merger of the two leagues, deemed the 1979 expansion, owning Gretzky’s playing rights was a valuable bargaining chip that virtually assured Pocklington that his Oilers would become an NHL team. While the contract didn’t guarantee Gretzky would play in the NHL it became a moot point when Gretzky was ruled exempt from the entry draft and entered the league in 1979 remaining Oilers property.

Under the eligibility rules at the time of Pollock’s 1976 trade, Gretzky would not have been draft eligible until 1981. These draft eligibility rules were changed in 1979 when legal reasons forced the NHL to make 18-year-olds draft eligible. All players born before Jan. 1 1961, as well as younger players who had played in the WHA in 1978-79, were eligible for 1979. Under these new rules, the draft was renamed the NHL Entry Draft because the draft now included professional players. Gretzky, despite being born on Jan. 26 1961, was draft eligible in 1979 under the “younger players who had played in the WHA in 1978-

79” clause. But the personal services contract denied his services to any team that would have drafted him.

Pollock left the Canadians organization by 1979 when they executed their option to swap first round picks with the Rockies. GM Irving Grundman made the colossal mistake of drafting Doug Wickenhieser rather than local Montreal junior Denis Savard. While Wickenhieser never lived up to being the

number one pick, Savard went on to become one of the most dynamic and exciting players of the high scoring 80s.

Although the personal services contract spared Gretzky from being included in the 1980 amateur draft, Pollock had the incredible foresight to swing for the fences when he had the vision back in 1976 to try and add “The Great One” to his Canadiens roster. Some have questioned how Pollock could have predicted that the eligibility rules would change but no one should presume anything was beyond Pollock’s foresight or influence.

Once when his Canadiens had a Sunday showdown against the Bruins at the Forum with both teams playing the night before, he convinced the Washington Capitals to reschedule their Saturday game against Montreal to an afternoon time slot. By the time Boston took to the ice for their evening game, the Canadians players were back in Montreal comfortably resting up for their game the following day while the

Bruins slugged it out on the ice. Such was the influence Pollock had in the NHL.

With NHL amateur draft eligibility rules limiting the draft to players age 20 and over, a lawsuit was brought in 1977 by Ken Linseman, a junior player with the OHL Kingston Canadians. He challenged the draft on the theory that since Ontario labour law considered him an adult at age 18, The NHL could not bar him from earning until age 20. While the suit was dropped when Linseman signed with the WHA, the NHL could see the writing on the wall and changed the draft eligibility to age 18 beginning with the 1978 draft. It’s no stretch to believe that Pollock foresaw this evolution in drafting amateur players and prepared his team to acquire Gretzky the same way he acquired Lafleur. But events spiraled out of his control. Otherwise the Canadians probably would have continued to dominate the 80s like they had in the 70s. Such is the power of the NHL entry draft.

Thirteen-year-old Wayne Gretzky with Montreal Canadiens legendary Jean Beliveau at the famous Quebec peewee tournament in 1974.

Hours before the final horn sounded on game six of the Stanley Cup Final, sirens were already blaring across Chicago.

With a tornado warning in effect, heavy rains pouring down and over a foot of water pooling under viaducts on some of the city’s busiest roads, the United Center was eerily calm as fans waited for the puck to drop on the most important game of the season.

After scratching out a gritty 2-1 win in Tampa two nights before, the Blackhawks returned to their home barn with a 3-2 advantage in the best-of-seven series against the Lightning, ready to win the cup at home for the first time since 1938.

Buffalo native Patrick Kane started the game for the Blackhawks at right wing bookended by Brandon Saad at left and centered by Brad Richards. After a tense back-and-forth first period, #88 didn’t disappoint. At the tail end of the second, Kane carried a pass over the blue line on the far right side, put on the breaks and skipped a pass to Duncan Keith skating through center ice and up the middle. The all-world defenseman let a wrister go from 40 feet out, which was kicked aside by Lightning goalie Ben Bishop, only to have #2 follow his shot and lift one into the top corner to put the Hawks on the board first.

Chicago Blackhawks bring home another Stanley Cup championshipBy Jeffrey S. Levine

Kane, however, was saving his best for last. With time winding down in the third period and the Blackhawks holding a precarious 1-0 lead, Saad took the puck at his own blue line, blazed up the left side into the offensive zone and left a drop pass for Richards. Freezing the goalie with a look that said I’m going to shoot, Richards instead lazered a no-look pass over to an unmarked Kane on the right dot. With his stick already waist high, Kane didn’t hesitate as he one-timed it past the Tampa netminder. The play developed so fluidly that the puck was already in the back of the net by the time Bishop turned to square up with Kane.

Tampa had their chances as well but just couldn’t find a way to finish. Captain Steven Stamkos defied physics as he hit one off the post in the first period and was

robbed by Corey Crawford’s left pad at the start of the second on a breakaway. In the waning minutes of the third period the Lightning threw everything they had at the Hawks. Bishop skated to the bench as Stamkos joined the Triplet line – Tyler Johnson, Ondrej Palat, Nikita Kucherov – to mount one last sustained attack. Their best opportunity came at the 18:03 mark as Palat took the puck away from Keith and rang a shot off the post. Corey Crawford survived the barrage of shots from Johnson, Kucherov and defenseman Anton Stralman as cheers erupted from the hometown crowd.

It was a gutsy performance for the upstart Lightning, especially with Bishop playing on a torn groin and Johnson with a broken wrist, but the Blackhawks wore them down over the course

Montreal planned as far back as 1974 to acquire draft rights for Wayne Gretzky.

continued on page 12

Photo by Jeffrey Levine

Alternate captain Patrick Sharp posing with the Stanley Cup.


While Connor McDavid appears to be a sure-fi re NHL star in the making, it may be surprising that the top selection in the NHL Entry Draft is often not the best player from their draft class. Only two goaltenders have been drafted in the top spot since 1970 and forwards easily outnumber defenseman three-to-one. This place is almost exclusively reserved for the high-scoring star forward. If you think it’s easy to pick the best player from all that available talent, think again because there are more disappointments than successes on the list of top picks in NHL entry draft history.

Year First Pick Best Player1970 Gilbert Perreault Same1971 Guy Lafl eur Same1972 Billy Harris Steve Shut, 4th1973 Denis Potvin Same1974 Greg Joly Brian Trottier, 22nd1975 Mel Bridgeman Don Edwards, 89th1976 Rick Green Bernie Federko, 7th1977 Dale McCourt Mike Bossy, 15th1978 Bobby Smith Same1979 Rob Ramage Ray Bourque, 8th1980 Doug Wickenheiser Paul Coffey, 6th1981 Dale Hawerchuk Same1982 Gord Kluzak Doug Gilmour, 134th1983 Brian Lawton Steve Yzerman, 4th1984 Mario Lemieux Same1985 Wendel Clark Igor Larionov, 214th1986 Joe Murphy Brian Leetch, 9th1987 Pierre Turgeon Joe Sakic, 15th1988 Mike Modano Teemu Selanne, 10th1989 Mats Sundin Nicklas Lidstrom, 53rd1990 Owen Nolan Jaromir Jagr, 5th1991 Eric Lindros Peter Forsberg, 6th1992 Roman Hamrlik Sergei Gonchar, 14th1993 Alexandre Daigle Chris Pronger, 2nd1994 Ed Jovanowski Daniel Alfredsson, 133rd1995 Bryan Berard Jerome Iginla, 12th1996 Chris Phillips Zdeno Chara, 56th1997 Joe Thornton Same1998 Vincent Lecavier Pavel Datsyuk, 171st1999 Patrick Stefan Henrik Zetterbergk, 210th2000 Rick DiPietro Henrik Lundqvist, 205th2001 Ilya Kovalchuk Same2002 Rick Nash Cam Ward, 25th2003 Marc-Andre Fleury Ryan Getzlaf, 19th2004 Alex Ovechkin Same2005 Sidney Crosby Same2006 Erik Johnson Jonathan Toews, 3rd2007 Patrick Kane Same2008 Steven Stamkos Same2009 John Tavares Same2010 Taylor Hall Tyler Seguin, 2nd2011 Ryan Nugent-Hopkins Gabriel Landeskog, 2nd2012 Nail Yakupov Filip Forsberg, 11th2013 Nathan McKinnon Too soon2014 Aaron Ekblad Too soon2015 Connor MacDavid Too soon

NHL Entry Draft:Is the top pick alwaysthe best playerBy George Kuhn

Photo by Mike Majewski

Patrick Stefan may have been the fi rst pick of the 1999 Entry Draft, but Henrik Zetterberg at 210th, turned out not only to be the best value but the best player from the class.

rookie? With the acquisition of O’Reilly, the Sabre’s don’t need Eichel to carry the team. A 50-55 point season while playing a solid two-way game and developing prowess on face-offs would be a success. Eichel and O’Reilly fi ll out fi ve spots on the top two lines with Tyler Ennis, Matt Moulson and Evander Kane. Where Reinhart ends up is up to coach and GM.

The Sabres also acquired goalie Robin Lehner from Ottawa along with veteran center David Legwand in exchange for the 21st pick in the fi rst round. Murray was with Ottawa when the Sens drafted the 23-year-old Lehner with the 49th pick in 2009. Not a bad deal for Ottawa to fl ip their extra goalie and moved up 28 spots in the draft order. In addition, the Sabre’s took Legwand and his $3.5 million salary off the Sen’s books. While Legwand can fi ll a mentoring role here, he was no longer wanted in Ottawa and isn’t really

Eichelfrom page 2

saves.The four NWHL teams are

still fi lling out their rosters with free agent signings.

Women’sfrom page 6

The Sy racuse A r m y

Recruit ing B a t t a l i o n

has concluded another successful U.S. Army Reserve National Scholar Athlete Award season. This school year the Army was honored to present 87 Scholar Athlete Awards at 45 western New York high schools. This award recognizes the fi nest of the school’s student body.

The students whom the Army Reserve honors this year have achieved the winning combination—excellence in both academics and athletics. They have achieved a balance that many people aspire to, but only a handful achieve.

The U.S. Army Reserve National Scholar Athlete Award was created in 1981 by the Army Reserve to honor our Nation’s top students.

More than 200,000 high school students have received the scholar/athlete award, so today’s recipients join a long list of distinguished scholar/athletes—students who are team captains, debate champions, student offi cers, community leaders, and Olympic athletes. “The Scholar Athletes have put forth that extra effort to, as we used to say, be all they can be,” said Captain Timothy Fitzgerald, the Commander for the Buffalo, N.Y. Army Recruiting Company. The Army is proud to announce the names of these students from the class of 2015.

Class of 2015 US Army Scholar Athletes

needed here either.It seems that Murray

overpaid for Lehner but he has stated that he doesn’t think he did. Murray prefers large goaltenders and at 6-foot-4 and 235 pounds Lehner fi ts that mold. Being familiar with Lehner from his days in Ottawa, Murray must feel he knows his man and sees his potential as the No. 1 goalie in Buffalo despite Lehner’s unimpressive recent NHL numbers. Lehner played 36 games in 2013-14 with a 3.05 GAA and 0.913 save percentage. He played 25 games last season with a

Sy racuse A r m y

3.02 GAA and 0.905 save percentage, well below this year’s league average of .0.915.

Lehner is the goalie whose promise caused Ottawa to trade Ben Bishop to Tampa Bay but was injured on Jan. 17 when he collided with teammate and former Sabre Clarke MacArthur. Lehner’s injury replacement was Andrew Hammond who went on a 20-1-2 streak earning him the nickname “The Hamburgler.” Hammond’s strong play made Lehner expendable and poised for a fresh start in the Queen City.

Each team will be allowed a roster size of 18 and another four that they can keep on as practice players. Mroz said there is still the process of getting the league’s name out there, picking up sponsors and other behind-the-scenes work to do as

the leagues moves closer to opening night. But the buzz of being on the ground fl oor of something special is driving everyone.

“Things are coming together. It’s a slow process,” Mroz said. “Puck drops October 11 in the

HARBORCENTER so we have a lot of ducks to get in a row before I can sit in my chair and say OK and take a (relaxing) breath.”


It was only 15 years ago that baseball purists began complaining that juiced baseballs were the reason that final game scores often resembled those of a typical NFL game. Since then, of course, we’ve learned it was the players themselves that were juiced, and MLB’s i nc r e a s i n g l y- s t r i n ge n t crackdown on performance-enhancing drugs has left us with final game scores that now instead resemble those of a typical NHL game. As recently as 2010, 12 MLB teams totaled 750 or more runs. At the halfway point of this year, every team that plays their home games south of the US-Canada border is on pace to score fewer than 750, with only the Blue Jays apparently unaffected by this irrefutable trend. Welcome to the new Golden Age of Pitching.

With pitching records

Fantasy baseballBy Mike Fox

falling more frequently than baseballs hit in Marcus Semien’s general direction, you’d think it would be easier than ever to assemble a dominant fantasy staff, but there’s still no such thing as a sure thing. Stalwarts like Max Scherzer, David Price, Zack Greinke and King Felix continue to produce at or even above their expected levels, while reigning Cy Young champs Clayton Kershaw and Corey Kluber have been…OK, but have combined for only eight wins over the first half of the 2015 season. Those who hitched their wagons to supposed safe bets like Jered Weaver, Mas Tanaka, James Shields or Stephen Strasburg have received even less for their investment. Luckily, nature hates a void, and a seemingly endless stream of exciting new talent is stampeding to the forefront

of the pitching world.Any short list of fast-

blooming pitchers would have to include Dallas Keuchel, Gerritt Cole and Chris Archer. Each showed enough potential last season to garner consideration as at least an SP3 in 2015 drafts, but those who spent the extra buck or reached a round early are now owners of studs who have become the undisputed aces of their respective teams.

Cole has been on fantasy

wish lists since the P i r a t e s tabbed him with the No.1-overall pick of the 2011 draft. As he quickly a d v a n c e d through the P i t t s b u r g h system to the majors, his rise to stardom was more a matter of “when”

than “if.”Archer’s climb came with

considerably less fanfare. He spent the better part of seven years toiling quietly in the minors for the Indians, Cubs and Rays. Despite finishing third in AL Rookie of the Year voting in 2013, and a solid-if-unspectacular 2014 sophomore campaign, he still seemed to be flying low on the radar. We won’t make that mistake again, as clearly Archer and his blazing fastball are here to

stay.Keuchel is arguably the

most surprising star of the bunch. He muddled his way through five minor-league seasons before being absolutely abused for the first year and a half after his promotion the majors – and I’m talking 5.00 ERA, 1.50 WHIP abuse. You’d expect him to be a power pitcher based on his 6-foot-3, 210-pound frame, yet his fastball rarely sees 90 mph. What he does bring to the table is an ability to eat innings while pounding the bottom of the strike zone with off-speed pitches. He gave us a warning shot last year (12-9, 200 IP, 2.93 ERA, 1.18 WHIP), and has been even better this year, including a spike in strikeouts. Late bloomer, yes, but Keuchel and the rest of his Houston teammates are on the rise.

Any discussion of young pitchers has to include the

Alan Barraclaugh doesn’t have much by way of wallet, but he certainly doesn’t lack in heart. At least that’s the impression he left on a photographer in Buffalo.

On a late-spring Thursday afternoon, the sun beat down on the bald crest of Barraclaugh’s head; sweat beaded and dripped into the salty-colored, horseshoe-pattern of hair that stretched backward from one ear to the other.

Barraclaugh was outfitted in shorts, a light jacket and a V-neck T-shirt that exposed a bit of white chest hair and a hemp necklace with a crucifix. He had a backpack draped over his left shoulder that overflowed with what appeared to be the day’s survival kit, including a heavier coat and a bottle of water.

With his feet in older tennis sneakers, Barraclaugh walked along Pearl Street in downtown Buffalo and mumbled to himself; his head was down, and he seemed a bit irritated. It was about 11:45 a.m., and he wasn’t quite sure how he would pay for his next meal, he said later.

However, a reminder of a friend he made recently – a tall, athletic-looking, bearded photographer who was out cruising around on an oversized skateboard – quickly changed Barraclaugh’s demeanor.

“The guy on the board,”

Daniel Norris justkeeps livin’By Charles Roberts

Barraclaugh said with a smile, exposing a set of bright white teeth from behind his mostly grey beard. “What a great guy.”

Using a Cannon 5D Mark III equipped with an 85-millimeter lens, the guy on the board shot a portrait image of Barraclaugh, and the two struck up a conversation about life.

The guy on the board later revealed himself as Daniel Norris, the top prospect in the Toronto Blue Jays system, and currently a member of their Triple-A affiliate Buffalo Bisons.

Norris, a 22-year-old left-handed pitcher, is also the guy who made international headlines earlier this year for his decision to live off just $800 per month while residing in a 1978 Volkswagen Westfalia microbus, which he named “Shaggy.”

The guy on the board – who once collected a $2 million signing bonus – is known equally for his action off the field as he is on the mound, where he zips fastballs at speeds close to 95 miles per hour.

But it was one of his passion projects – photography – that brought him to meet Barraclaugh.

“It was one of the days where there was a lot of fog around here,” Norris said. “So I got on my skateboard and started running around, taking some photos.

“But then it was pretty cool. I rode past this guy right over here by the stadium, and he kind of just caught my eye. He said, ‘Cool board, dude.’ So I stopped and started talking to him a bit and asked if I could take his photo. And he said: ‘Sure. No problem.’”

Norris’ curious mind quickly turned generous.

“He was just so nice and such a gentleman, and I wanted to help him out a bit,” Norris said. “But I was in workout stuff and didn’t have anything on me except my camera. So I asked him if he’d stay there for a minute, and I went back to the clubhouse [at Coca-Cola Field] to grab some money and Peter Pan Peanut Butter Crackers for him. He was just really happy.”

The guy on the board – who is attempting to pitch his way back to playing major-league baseball – pulled through for the guy who lives meal-by-meal.

“He was on his skateboard and he saw my sign and he obviously wasn’t from around here,” Barraclaugh recalled with a smile. “The sign just says: ‘Broke. Please help.’ And then he helped me out, and I was just so thankful. He was a pretty cool guy, and he made me laugh.”

Barraclaugh and Norris could not be further apart in age, appearance and socioeconomic status. But both seemed to have drawn inspiration from each other.

Norris, who lives by

expressions such as “just keep livin’,” said he admired Barraclaugh’s positive attitude, despite living meal-to-meal.

Norris expresses that curiosity about the world through his photography, a decent amount of which he shares on social media (@DanielNorris18 on Instagram and Twitter), including photos of Barraclaugh and panhandlers in other cities.

“A lot of times [while I’m on a road trip], you’ll be out to breakfast or something – and I like to people watch – and you’ll see people and wonder what they’re doing in life,” Norris said. “And, you know, we’re pretty blessed to be doing this, so it kind of keeps things in perspective. And even though I got sent down [from major-league Toronto to Buffalo], we’re still very blessed to be here.”

NY Mets, who just keep churning out talent, and now boast a rotation that would be the envy of any major league manager (or fantasy team owner). In 2013, Matt Harvey was the NL’s starting pitcher in the All-Star Game, and has made a seamless return from Tommy John surgery. In 2014, it was Jacob deGrom who garnered Rookie of the Year honors. This year’s unveiling began with the promotion of Noah Syndergaard, who has responded to the tune of a 3.38 ERA and 1.16 ERA while averaging a strikeout per inning over his first eight starts, followed by 24-year-old Steven Matz, who dominated during his minor-league career, and has been almost untouchable in his first two starts with the Mets. And, for those who prefer old fat gum-chewing pitchers, they also have Bartolo Colon.

1. At 49, who holds the record for most consecutive appearances with at least one strikeout by a relief pitcher?

a. Craig Kimbrelb. Wade Davisc. Aroldis Chapmand. Huston Street2. Only two pitchers have

ever struck out 10 or more batters in eight consecutive starts; Pedro Martinez and whom?

a. Chris Saleb. Clayton Kershawc. Roger Clemensd. Tim Lincecum3. Who is the only pitcher

ever to win four consecutive strikeout titles in both the AL and NL?

a. Nolan Ryanb. Johan Santanac. Randy Johnsond. No one has ever done it4. Who is the most recent

player to lead his league in stolen bases for three consecutive years?

a. Jose Reyesb. Michael Bournc. Carl Crawfordd. Kenny Lofton5. Who is the most recent

player to lead his league in home runs for three consecutive years?

a. Ken Griffey Jr.b. Albert Pujolsc. Barry Bondsd. Alex Rodriguez6. Over the past 80 years,

only three players have recorded 240 or more hits in a season; Wade Boggs, Ichiro Suzuki and whom?

a. Craig Biggiob. Dustin Pedroiac. George Brettd. Darin Erstad

MLB triviaBy Mike Fox

7. Only two players in the last 70 years have had at least 160 RBI in a season; Sammy Sosa and whom?

a. Manny Ramirezb. Albert Bellec. Ryan Howardd. Miguel Tejada8. Who is the most recent

player to record at least 55 doubles in a season?

a. Matt Carpenterb. Miguel Cabrerac. Andrew McCutchend. Troy Tulowitzki9. The 150-run plateau

has been reached 44 times in MLB history, but who is the only player since 1949 to reach the 150-run mark?

a. Mike Troutb. Grady Sizemorec. Jeff Bagwelld. Johnny Damon 10. There have been 19

occasions in which a player has struck out at least 189 times in a season. How many of those have come in the last 10 years?

a. 19b. 17c. 15d. 10

Answers1. c 2. a 3. c 4. b 5. d6. d 7. a 8. a 9. c 10. b

Clayton Kershaw’s quest for another Cy Young Award faces a growing list of challengers.

Photo by Charles RobertsDaniel Norris strikes a pose with the skateboard that he was riding when he met Alan Barraclaugh.

Photo by Cbl62Miggy Cabrera has led the AL in doubles twice in his illustrious career.


The 1999 and 2007 Stanley Cup playoff runs are imprinted on the minds of Sabres fans as exciting but disappointing times. It is easy to understand why there is so much buzz about Jack Eichel joining Evander Kane, Tyler Ennis, Zemgus Girgensons, Brian Gionta and the rest of the young and promising Sabres. For a baby boomer like me, 1970 was an equally exciting time as the inaugural season for the NHL’s newest franchise. After three decades of the minor leagues, Buffalo hockey was going to the big leagues.

The inaugural Sabres team was led by head coach Punch Imlach, with veterans selected in the NHL expansion draft and rookies from the amateur draft, the first overall pick being phenom Gilbert Perreault of the Ontario Hockey

Jack Eichel buzz reminiscent of the formation of the SabresAssociation’s Montreal Junior Canadiens.

As a kid, it was so much fun ripping open wax packs of 1970 Topps hockey cards purchased at my neighborhood corner grocers hoping to get any of the 11 Sabres mostly pictured in their blue road

jersey. Included in the set were the Perreault rookie card (current Beckett “book value” $40) and cards of veterans Paul Andrea (Penguins jersey), Bob Baun (Red Wings jersey), Reg Fleming, Bill Inglis,

Summer often means nice weather and plenty of food, either off the grill or from a picnic basket, but some people are taking that abundance to an entirely different level.

Whether it’s at local contests like the National Wing Eating Contest, the nationally televised Nathan’s International Hot Dog Eating Contest or simple individual-based food challenges, extreme eating is growing as a global phenomenon. With places like YouTube containing troves of footage from competitive eating competitions featuring professionals, celebrities, Internet personalities and everyone in-between, the public reaction to competitive eating has been a mixture of shock, humor and disgust.

Competitive eating can often be utterly unbelievable, such as witnessing a single human being eat 69 hot dogs in 10 minutes (the world record held by Joey Chestnut). Imagine what it feels like to consume such an immense amount of food. Even if bacon, pizza or ice cream is your favorite food, eating five pounds of each might have you thinking a little differently.

A different kind of sportBelieve it or not,

competitive eating is a legitimate sport. In fact, professional athletes can compete in multiple organizations all across the world. Together they vie for thousands of dollars in prize money and the title of ‘World Champion.’ The three main speed eating organizations include: Major League Eating (MLE), The International Federation of Competitive Eating (IFOCE) and All Pro Eating. Many of the top-eating competitors participate exclusively in Major League Eating, an umbrella group of the IFOCE.

Just as in any other sport, professional eating athletes

train for competitions. They put immense amounts of dedication and practice into their craft, affirming that eating so much food is a tremendous physical and mental challenge.

Before contests, many eaters go through phases of fasting and ‘loading’ where they purposely stretch their stomach. Increasing the size of one’s stomach is important as expanding on its elasticity allows one to have room for more food. This can be done by consuming large amounts of liquid such as water, milk or even protein supplements in a short period of time. Besides water, some athletes will ingest large amounts of

Phil Goyette, Skip Krake, Don Marshall, Gerry Meehan, Howie Menard and Paul Terbenche.

I don’t remember wondering why Baun

and Menard were on Sabres cards, because these two guys never played a game for Buffalo. Menard was selected 18th of 20 in the expansion draft from the California Golden Seals on June 10, but on Oct. 1, nine days before the start of the

low calorie foods like salad or vegetables. Interestingly, the technique of chewing colossal wads of gum is also used to increase jaw strength.

Although one might assume a larger person is better equipped for downing such unbelievable amounts of food, the opposite is actually true. It is now commonly believed that excess body fat actually impedes the natural expansion of the stomach during a competition. Thus, many competitors exercise on top of their training regime for eating in an effort to keep body fat levels to a minimum.

In addition to being trim, many of the most notorious eaters are entertaining characters. With interesting personalities and varying backgrounds, it’s clear the

sport of eating draws from a wide scope of people. Joey “Jaws” Chestnut is currently the number one world ranked eater. He holds world records for most hot dogs eaten (69), as well as bratwurst (70) in a span of ten minutes. Likewise, he has consumed four and a half pounds of steak in just less than nine minutes, 141 hard-boiled eggs in eight minutes and nearly 14 pounds of pork rib meat in twelve minutes.

Sonya Thomas “The Black Widow” is perhaps the greatest female competitor in history. A petite woman, weighing in at only 98 pounds, Thomas got her nickname for regularly defeating men who are four to five times her size. Her slim build may not seem ideal for eating vast amounts of food but being so slight of

COLLECTINGMEMORIES WITHRANDYKROLEWICZ

Photo by Brian ChuSonya Thomas at a crabcake eating competition.

By Landin Murphy

season, he was traded back to the Seals for cash. Baun had an even more interesting journey “through” Buffalo. Early into the 1970 season he found himself at odds with his Red Wings coach and was placed on waivers. He was claimed by the Sabres, who immediately traded him to the St. Louis Blues. Baun refused to report to St. Louis and nine days later was traded to his former team the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Many years later I became aware of hockey cards from O-Pee-Chee, who had a marketing agreement with Topps to distribute cards in Canada. The card backs were written in both English and French, and there were seven Sabres not in the Topps set: rookie Randy Wyrozub, my first favorite Sabre (hmm?) and vets Roger Crozier, Tracy Pratt, Mike McMahon, Cliff Schmautz, Floyd Smith and Jim Watson. Baun was not on a Sabres card, rather his headshot was pictured on

I want to use this space to thank my predecessor, Mr. Mike Dyer, for the friendship we developed through reading his column and talking at local sports memorabilia shows where he regularly had a table of cards for sale at very generous prices. Mike, a former sports writer for prominent New York City newspapers, had an opinion on everything from how the Buffalo teams will fare in the upcoming season to who should and should not be in the Baseball Hall of Fame, of which he had the honor of casting an annual ballot. Mike will be missed in the Buffalo collecting community

and I wish him and his wife a happy, healthy, long and warm life down south.

In 2013 I took a leap of faith and started the “Western New York Baseball Card and Other Sports Memorabilia Club” using Meetup.com. Since then, I have met dozens of wonderful fellow collectors at “our meeting place,” the second Wednesday of the month Sports Card Show held at the Leonard Post Jr. hall at 2450 Walden Ave. in Cheektowaga from September to May. Stop by to see fellow collectors. We are set up in the back, maybe we can make a trade. Or check out www.meetup.com/Western-New-York-Baseball-Cards-and-Other-Sports-Memorabilia.

build allows her stomach to expand much more easily than those of the heavier competitors. Thomas holds more than 25 records in competitions across the world.

Another famous competitor, Takeru Kobayashi, all but single-handedly revolutionized the sport of speed eating. In the early 2000s, contestants of the Nathan’s National Hot Dog Eating Contest, the nation’s most highly publicized eating event, would max out at around 25 hot dogs. That total was an impressive feat at the time but not for Kobayashi. In his rookie year he doubled the previous world best. In a 2001 contest that wasn’t even close, he ate such an unfathomable number of record-breaking hot dogs that event organizers ran out of number plaques used to display how many he had eaten. As a result, the scorecards had to be handwritten as the competition went on. Kobayashi has held more than 16 world records for a wide variety of feats. He even claims to have out eaten a 1089-pound Kodiak bear during part of a televised special event.

Events featuring professional speed eating competitors abound in Western New York. To see all the live action, or perhaps even try for yourself, visit eatfeats.com/calendar/ to find an event close to home.

a Maple Leaf card in a blue jersey. The OPC Perreault rookie card has a book value of $100, probably due to lower production runs of the OPC cards and the wild popularity of hockey in Canada. I am now pursuing these OPC cards to complete my “set” of the memorable 1970-71 Buffalo Sabres.

Photo by KcpwikiThe wall of fame at the Nathan’s International Hot Dog Eating Contest, the best-known event in competitive eating.

On Sept. 11, four new honorees will be inducted into the Ring 44 Hall of Fame at the 19th Buffalo Veteran Boxers Association dinner at Ilio DiPaolo’s Restaurant in Blasdell. This year’s inductees includes:

Jack GreenJack is the son of former

pro fighter and local trainer Johnny Green. Jack served as President of Ring 44 for 15 years and not only served Ring 44 but also the boxing community as a whole. He gracefully represented Buffalo boxing wherever he travelled and humbly accepted any credit by letting people know it was the Ring 44 members and boxers of WNY who deserve any accolades. With trademark fedora and tailored suits, Green is recognizable in any community of New York State and he is proud to say he represents boxing in WNY. He selflessly helps out local boxing clubs by volunteering his services as a ring announcer, community spokesman for upcoming shows or just making an appearance with a friend or family member.

Eddie NiemannEd started his boxing

career at the age of eight at the Town Boys Club in the Riverside section of Buffalo. Niemann became the first Golden Glove champion from the club in 1966 winning the 126-pound novice class title. Niemann turned 18 years old soon after that and spent two years in the armed forces. He returned to the ring in 1969 and, in 1971, lost in the open 132-pound Golden Gloves final to Larry MacGregor of Buffalo. Eddie avenged his loss in 1972, taking the 132-pound open Golden Gloves Championship by defeating the Canadian Champ, Robert Prouxl. By this time, Niemann was a crowd favorite and racked up many knockouts along the way. He was named fighter of the night many times around town and fans flocked to the cards he was on. In 1972, Niemann decided to turn pro and won his first and only two fights as a paid boxer. Injuries and a career in law enforcement led to a brief pro career but his love and dedication to boxing didn’t stop there. In 1989 – when the Buffalo/Niagara District included Ontario, Canada – “Hizzoner” Mayor Jimmy Griffin presented Ed with the PAL Can-AM boxing award. Niemann also helped Paul Wielopolski train six Junior Olympic Champs at the Police Athletic League

When James V a n D e m a r k was 14, doctors discovered an anomaly in his lower lumbar that forced the hockey- lov i ng Minnesota native to stop playing. Coming from a family that valued music as well as athletics, VanDemark then took up the study of the double bass. Now, decades later, the New York Times has called him, “One of the most brilliant virtuosi ever to perform on the double bass.” VanDemark, the Times continued, was hailed at his Lincoln Center recital debut as “an exceptionally gifted string player and a musician of taste, intelligence and the best spontaneous musical instincts, with an unerring sense for exact intonation.”

The native of Owatonna, MN, showed an incredible musical talent, performing a solo debut with the Minnesota Orchestra just 18 months after leaving the hockey rink. Without graduating high school, his musical prowess allowed him to attend the University at Buffalo and, at age 23, he was named professor of double bass at the prestigious Eastman School of Music in Rochester. Currently, VanDemark serves as chair of the String Department at Eastman as well as the chair of the Musical Arts Major, Eastman’s interdisciplinary academic honors program. He has performed across the country and is a sought-after guest at summer music festivals.

Despite having to hang up his skates, VanDemark never gave up his interest in athletics, becoming a regular at ROC Boxing and Fitness Center in Rochester. He tries to work out at the gym at least three times a week when in town with ROC Boxing coaches Dominic Arioli and Tim Kelly, a former New York State Golden Gloves competitor. “For me it is

Boxing bassistBy Mike Sorenson

quite transforming to go to the gym a lot. I want to be good at it, just like I would in anything I do. I first went for conditioning and fitness,” VanDemark said of his interest in boxing. As he went deeper into the movements of a boxer, he believed aspects of the sport translated to music as well. “Hitting a heavy bag or a speed bag, you need to develop a rhythm, the same as in playing a musical instrument.”

For a man who makes his living with his hands playing and teaching the double bass, VanDemark said “I have never had a fear of injuring my hands. It’s all in the wrapping.” Enjoying the physical conditioning aspects of shadow boxing, sparring and training as a boxer, and discovering the crossover benefits of the sport to music, VanDemark decided to introduce some of his students to the boxing gym.

“Music students spend most of their time in the rehearsal studio,” VanDemark explained. Seeing the need to give his students a break from their musical routine, he brought his idea for boxing workouts for musicians to Arioli. “We started with three females about three years ago.” The women found that punching in rhythm at a basic level translated at a high level to their music, he stated.

Kelly, one of VanDemark’s trainers at ROC Boxing, was asked about having a

62-year-old boxing student. “James is looking to be consistent in his boxing,” Kelly said. “He is very structured and will do anything I ask him to do. He knows what he can and cannot do, and James wants to keep excelling, he wants to keep improving; for his health, his skill and his knowledge. James is an inspiration to me.”

In 2011, about 20 music students joined VanDemark’s initial program at ROC boxing, located less than two miles from the Eastman campus. Collectively, the students reported improved posture and cardiovascular fitness, which proved beneficial to playing long, demanding passages that require equal parts precision, dexterity and power. Many of the bassists also noted a decrease in their level of stress, something that every college student and musician alike can appreciate.

Despite all the coverage VanDemark has received from sources as varied as the Wall Street Journal and ESPN, perhaps the best summary of what boxing can offer bass students comes from Andrew O’Conor, then a senior, talking about his experience in the Campus Times, the Newspaper of the University of Rochester: “Performing is very nerve-wracking because everyone’s staring at you. But so is someone punching you in the face.”

Local boxing happeningsGym on Austin Street.

Quinney BrothersIn 1959, Al and

Mannish Quinney became the second set of brothers to win open Buffalo Golden Gloves titles in the same year. They were billed as being from Lackawanna, Buffalo and Niagara Falls, Ontario at different points in their careers. Manny won the 175-pound novice title in the 1957 Buffalo Gloves. He followed that up the next year by winning the 175-pound Open title with a third round stoppage of Dan Stafford from Buffalo. Manny again won the 175-pound open title in 1959 with a decision win over Ray Whetstone making him a champion in three straight Golden Glove tournaments. In the 1960 Gloves, Manny would win his fourth straight and final title by outpointing Vince Vavasori of Hamilton, Ontario.

Al Quinny started his Golden Glove career as a 135-pound novice in 1958. He was the runner-up that year when he lost a decision to Al Coppola of Buffalo. Quinny would move up to the 147-pound open class in 1959 and took top honors by earning a decision over Joe Leroy of Hamilton, Ontario before 11,692 fans at Memorial Auditorium. In 1960, Al won his second straight 147-pound open title again defeating Joe Leroy in the finals.

In 1961 Al and his brother both turned professional. AL finished with an 18-7 record while Manny went 14-4-1.

Anthony Du Du ParisiParisi was one of the finest

and busiest cornerman in the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s. He handled well-know Buffalo boxers such as Lou Scozza, Bobby Tracy, Frankie Schoell and many others under the management of Hall of Fame manager Bert Finch. Parisi also was a fight manager and promoter in his later years. He arranged Lou Scozza to box future world champion James Braddock in San Francisco, a fight Scozza won in the seventh round. In the 1940s he managed the careers of many local fighters and had the No. 4 rated heavyweight in Henry Flakes. He also worked with the Muscato brothers and Henry Brimm in the late 40s into the early

50s. There are countless boxers, both professional and amateur, that had their careers guided by Anthony (affectingly known as “Du Du”) Parisi for over 30 years.

••••Seneca Niagara Casino

held their first boxing card in seven years in front of a national TV audience on June 26th. Rochester’s Kenny Abril took on NABA super welterweight titlist Dennis Hogan. Abril (14-8-1) lost the 10-round decision but put up a good showing despite fighting for the first time in over a year and a half. Conversely, this was Hogan’s ninth fight during that time span. Heavyweight Excell Holmes (2-6-1) of Buffalo was stopped in one round by Jarrell Miller (14-0-1) of Brooklyn. Rochester’s Hoshuan “El Nino” Sambolin won a four-round decision in his professional debut. El Nino dropped his opponent twice on way to a workmanlike decision. If Seneca Niagara can get good attendance like this one they may put on quarterly shows.

••••Dean Eoannou who

coaches the University of Buffalo Boxing Club has added impressive hardware to his gym.

••••Kristen McMurtree and

Wendy Casey competeded in the woman’s national Golden Glove tournament in Fort Lauderdale, FL July 6-11th. McMurtree won gold in the 123 lb novice division when she stopped her opponent in the third round. Casey, a former Ring 44 amateur boxer of the year winner, took silver after defeating two opponents by unanimous decisions but came up just short in the finals. A great showing for these two.


Photo by Kurt Brownell

Virtuoso bassist and amateur boxer James Van Demark proves that rhythm and flow is the same in whatever discipline you pursue.

Photo by Mike Sorenson

Manny Quinney (shown here) along with his brother Al will posthumously be induced into the 2015 Buffalo Boxing Hall of Fame.

By Bob Caico


Strength and conditioning expert, John Schweikhard will be putting on a MUST attend seminar if you are an avid fan or participant of weight training. The seminar will include an explanation and a practical application of the late great, Mike Mentzer’s heavy duty workout. It will be performed by local bodybuilding, powerlifting, and Olympic lifting Champion, Josh Perry.

John will explain the differences between Olympic weightlifting, powerlifting, and bodybuilding and how they can be used together, or for specific sports, or on their own competitively or non-competitively.

Western New York’s own Tyler Gordon, who last week won the Silver

Strength and conditioning seminarCommunity Sports Report

Medal in the 52Kg class at the USA Weightlifting Youth Nationals, will be putting on an Olympic lifting demonstration, with John explaining during demonstration.

Ron Heft, Dual Master’s State Powerlifting Champion (NYS and PA.) will be giving an exhibition with his flawless squat technique on the modern day Powerlifting competitive squat.

Last, but not least, Larry Opiela, formerly of “He-Man” fame will be giving a question and answer seminar on his insights and secrets of nutrition. His ideas will guarantee finite definition.

The seminar will be held on Sunday, August 16, 1:00-3:30 P.M. at Steel Mill Gym, 1234 Abbott Road,

Phot

o by

Jak

e Fr

ench

August 16th 2015

1:00-3:30 PM

$25.00Includes protein

bar & water

STRENGTH & CONDITIONINGSEMINAR!

3 FULL PRACTICALS• Olympic weightlifting • Powerlifting • Bodybuilding

Steel Mill Gym • 1234 Abbott Road, Lackawanna, NY 14218For more info, John Schweikhard, 716-913-0007

John Schweikhard.

OFF-ICEHOCKEYFITNESS WITHJAREDBYER,CPFT

The warm weather is finally here and the time to take advantage of the outdoors is now. Taking your fitness program outside may just be the kick you need to shake off those winter blues. Aside from walking and biking there are many opportunities to boost your wellness. Some of the benefits of outdoor fitness include:

• Fresh air: Get away from that stale recirculated air in your home and office.

• A nice tan: A natural healthy glow looks great on everyone.

• A remedy to seasonal depression: (SAD) 9-months of limited sun is a bummer.

• Healthy dose of vitamin D: want more energy and an immune boost? D is the key!

Our metabolism naturally drops in response to the warmer weather as the need to generate heat to keep warm fades away. Our bodies turn to cooling off versus staying warm for survival, so if you want that beach body you’d better increase your activity levels.

Here are some great ways to get a metabolism boost: (Always consult your physician before starting an exercise program).

WOG: Walk-Jog Intervals vs long distance slow running create faster results. Try walking for 30 seconds then jogging for 30 seconds for a total of 20 minutes.

Cross-training: Mix up your workouts and keep your body guessing, variety is the spice of life.

Track Performance: Use a smartphone app to track activity and exercise to keep you motivated and progressing. Activity

Can you ditch the gym this summer?

monitors are a great way to increase compliance.

Join a Group: There are tons of social activity groups in WNY, just check out Meet-Up.com for a variety of fun activities with like-minded people. (See WNY Self-Health & Fitness).

Playground Fit: Turn your local playground into an outdoor gym. Try these activities to get started:

Park benches for dips, step-ups or plyo/box jumps, monkey bars for pull-ups/push-ups, obstacles as hurdles.

Our lack of sunlight in WNY creates serious deficiencies in vitamin D which is known to cause seasonal affective disorder (SAD) along with many other health issues. Exposing your skin to the right amount of sunlight can be just what the doctor ordered, as many MDs are finding low levels in our community. Ask your MD to test your levels as many people need to supplement with 4-8,000IU locally to bring their numbers up to a healthy level.

Staying on track with a healthy diet during summer months can be a

real challenge. Parties and local festivals expose us to limitless empty calories that our bodies easily store as excess body fat. If weight loss is your goal, the best advice is to avoid diet foods (Zero calories makes zero sense unless you are drinking water), and worry more about the number of chemicals in your food vs how many calories they contain. A simple approach is called “No-Label Nutrition” where most of the foods you eat have no ingredients, like fresh fruits and veggies that don’t require labeling or preservatives. Local farmers markets are a great way to eat better and support local businesses. Focus on eating healthy 80 percent of the time by planning ahead, the other 20 percent is reserved for times where you don’t have healthy options. It is always better to eat something rather than starving yourself as you are bound to overeat at your next meal.

Get out and get FIT! Thanks for reading. For more ideas and future articles email [email protected].

Lackawanna.Something for everyone!

A protein bar and water are included in the $25.00 admission. For more information call John Schweikhard at 716-913-0007.

Photo by Jared ByerPlaygrounds are NOT just for kids.

of one of the most exciting and grueling series in recent memory. Crawford took home the second star of the night for his 25-save shutout performance with the first star going to Keith. The Conn Smythe Trophy, awarded to the Finals MVP, was also given to the defenseman for his stellar work in his own zone, timely offense and Herculean 30+ minutes of ice-time each game.

After the game, as reporters crowded the ice to get quotes from the players, Saad was asked what comes

next and he responded simply, “Enjoy the moment.” Two weeks later, GM Stan Bowman traded him to Columbus for center Artem Anisimov as part of a cap cutting measure, followed by Patrick Sharp being sent to Dallas for defenseman Trevor Daley. Unrestricted free agent defenseman Johnny Oduya may also walk due to cap constraints and many have speculated that the two-time world champion will be in a Sabres sweater next season.

Fans and analysts alike are increasingly using the word ‘dynasty’ when talking about the Blackhawks and after three championships

in six years they aren’t wrong to do so. Since the last lockout no team has done it better than Chicago and despite losing what will most likely be three key players, the Blackhawks still have a core that features captain Jonathan Toews, Kane, Marian Hossa, Keith, Brent Seabrook, Niklas Hjalmarsson and Crawford. Add to that promising youngsters like Teuvo Teravainen and Trevor van Riemsdyk, cap-cutting trades made out of necessity and concerted drafting/development of prospects and Chicago looks poised to content for the Cup for years to come.

Blackhawksfrom page 7

PGA professional Peter Fenn became a below-the-knee amputee seven years ago but decided that he needed to continue to play golf. That’s when he started the Buffalo Amputee Golf Classic. The event brings together amputees and non-amputees alike for a day on the links. Golf handicaps are used, and USGA Rules of Golf are applicable.

The BAGC awards gross and net prizes to amputee and non-amputee golfers. This year they reached their goal of being able to send three local children to Camp No Limits this summer and provided scholarships to a couple of students who are the children of amputees. Peter says Camp No Limits opens a lot of people’s eyes to what kids with limb loss can do. There are eight locations throughout the country, and Peter says in the next few years he’d love for Buffalo to be a ninth. For more information: www.nolimitsfoundation.org, www.buffaloamputeegolf.com.

2015 Buffalo Amputee Golf Classic


Arguably, the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, NY is the best known museum in America. But if you didn’t already know, there’s another museum less than an hour’s drive east of there that appeals to fans of The Great Sport of Professional Wrestling.

You should make it a point to visit: as the Brisco Brothers may have said, “It’s worth the drive....”

The Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame (PWHF) is nestled in Amsterdam, NY, less than five minutes off of Thruway Exit 27. The building itself is just a frogsplash away from the banks of the Mohawk River, and is open Saturdays and Sundays.

The PWHF inducted it’s 14th class on May 16th in Johnstown, NY. Here’s a list of this year’s honorees:

Pioneer Era (1800-1946):Joe Malcewicz Great Gama (Ghulam

Muhammad)

Television Era (1946-1984):Pedro MoralesWhipper Billy Watson

Modern Era (1985 - present):Curt (Mr. Perfect) HennigRick Martel

Ladies:Vivian Vachon

PRO WRESTLING HALL OF FAME: 2015 INDUCTIONBy Ivan the Impaler

Well, they screwed up again.

The New York State Assembly, for the 6th year in a row, failed to bring a bill to the floor that would legalize and regulate Mixed Martial Arts in this state.

The State Senate passed their version of the bill each of those last six years.

But not only has the assembly failed to pass it in that time frame, it hasn’t even been put up for a vote.

New York, where boxing, wrestling, judo, karate, kickboxing, muay thai and tae kwon do are legal, is the only state where MMA is illegal. So much about NYS being “open for business.’

As usual, less-than-altruistic politicians and

Laziness and malfeasance:Why New York Hasn’t legalized MMABy Ivan Godzuk

special interests are the biggest obstacles.

The Leader in Obstruction is the now-former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver (D- Manhattan). He refused to let the bill be sent to committee, let alone be voted on. Why? Initially, opponents espoused fears that it was “too violent,” although the safety record is far better than boxing. It was later revealed that opposition arose from unions which were miffed at the Fertitta Brothers (owners of Ultimate Fighting Championship) for running non-union casinos in Las Vegas.

Then again, perhaps it was the fault of Dana White, president of UFC, for not

offering Silver a bribe.Shelly Silver was indicted

on Feb. 19 of this year and now faces six criminal counts: honest services mail and wire fraud, conspiracy to commit honest services mail fraud, extortion “under the color of law,” extortion conspiracy and monetary transactions involving crime proceeds. He quit as Speaker but kept his seat in the assembly.

To be clear, the Finger of Blame is not being pointed at any one political party. Rank-and-file Democrats have almost been as supportive of legalization as Republicans. But it was a Democrat who blocked it (Silver) and a Democrat who still won’t bring it to

a vote (new Speaker Carl Heastie).

All but one of the Western New York Senate delegation supported MMA; Republican Cathy Young was the lone dissenter. For years, WNYers Tim Kennedy (D-Buffalo) and now-former Senator Mark Grisanti (R-Buffalo) were the first local senators to support the bill.

Then-Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos, (R- Rockville Centre), never hesitated to allow a vote while in his post. Of course, he was also recently indicted for reasons unrelated to MMA. But we digress.

Carl Heastie says he supports it, but in the flurry of last-minute legislation,

wouldn’t bring it to the floor. Several publications (Newsday, for one) reported he didn’t want to do so unless he had enough votes to pass it from Democrats alone.

So his “logic” is: better to not have a vote on it than let Republicans take some credit for helping it pass ?

Does he think folks will forget that it was a Democrat, Silver, who blocked it from a vote for 5+ years, or that he blocked it this session?

Many of the rank-and-file from the local assembly delegation are supporters of the bill. Majority Leader JosephMorelle (D- Rochester) is the main sponsor; other co- and multi-sponsors are John Ceretto (R- Lewiston), Joseph Gilgio (R- Olean), Mickey Kearns (D- Buffalo), Peter Lawrence (R- Greece), Crystal Peoples-Stokes (D- Buffalo), Ray Walter (R- Williamsville) and Angela Wozniak (C - Cheektowaga).

We’re not going to list the economic benefits MMA

would bring to the state, or how there probably will be an event in either Buffalo or Rochester in the first 12 months after legalization. We won’t even discuss that amateur fighting is legal in NYS, where the fighters don’t get paid and there is no mandatory medical protocol in place. Where’s the concern for the working man here?

The State Legislature won’t convene again until fall. Perhaps by then, Heastie will round up enough votes from his party or actually bring it the floor without them, knowing he has enough Republicans on board to pass it. The Senate will presumably pass it again. The bill would then go to Gov. Cuomo, who has been fairly quiet about his position. While some are hopeful he’ll support it, Heaven forbid he should actually take a position.

“Open for business.” But only if politicians bother to wake up and unlock the doors to the store....

Tag Team:The Fabulous Freebirds

Michael P.S. Hayes, Buddy Roberts and Terry Gordy)...

Colleague:Jim Crockett Sr.

International:Tomomi “Jumbo” Tsuruta

The inductees were not the only stars at the ceremony. Current WWE wrestler Curtis Axel (Joe Hennig) made the acceptance speech for his late father, Curt “Mr. Perfect” Hennig. Michael P.S. Hayes, resplendent in an all-red suit, gave a lively talk as part of the Fabulous Freebirds.

Lanny Poffo was poetic, as usual, while inducting Rick Martel. Dick “The Destroyer” Beyer spoke for Jumbo Tsuruta, while J.J. Dillon, manager of the Four Horsemen, told stories about Jim Crockett, Sr. Irish Davey O’ Hannon accepted on behalf of the ailing Pedro Morales, while Bruce and Ross Hart spoke for the late NWA Champ “Whipper” Billy Watson. Hall of Famer Paul “The Butcher” Vachon gave the induction speech for his late sister, Vivian.

Historian Greg Oliver of SLAM! Wrestling, who provided our photo, also gave the induction speech

for The Great Gama.Anyone inducted in

the hall is proud of it, and rightfully so. Dick Beyer said “Just like any sport.... you don’t go any higher in your profession (than being selected to the HOF). It means somebody thought enough of my wrestling to put me (here).”

New inductee Rick Martel, a former AWA World Champion, talked about his classic WWF feud with Jake “The Snake” Roberts. “I was a baby face for many years,” he recalled. “I decided to go on the bad side as ‘The Model.’ I really enjoyed (the feud with Jake); of course, I didn’t enjoy the snake on top of me! The blindfold match at WrestleMania in Los Angeles was great; I never had a match like that — the fans, the reaction; I was really proud of that match.” Rick concluded by thanking everyone at PWHF, adding he wanted to “especially thank the fans- without them, there would be no wrestling.”

The hall itself has two floor of wrestling memorabilia. A sampling of items includes numerous autographed photos, posters, programs, ring robes, equipment and books from North America and Japan. And speaking of books, there’s also a set of

the handwritten notebooks Mick Foley used in penning his autobiographies. Wrestlers will occasionally make appearances at the hall for autograph signings; Ken Anderson (Mr. Kennedy) will be there on July 25.

There are other halls of fame, such as the Tragos/Thesz Hall in Waterloo, Iowa, along with the WWE Hall of Fame, which exists somewhere in cyberspace. But the Amsterdam Hall includes pro wrestlers regardless of whether they had an amateur background, and unlike the WWE, politics don’t plan a role in eligibility.

Looking for a summer road trip? A weekend in Cooperstown and Amsterdam will provide hours of entertainment and immerse you in the rich history of America’s two favorite pastimes.

Yes, it IS worth the drive.••••

INTERNET BONUS: Visit our facebook page (Sports and Leisure Magazine) to read our internet exclusive on the Global Force Wrestling show in Erie, PA. on July 10. Jeff Jarrett was there as his new promotion gets ready for television tapings in Las Vegas.

UPCOMING EVENTSSun. July 19 - Smash

Wrestling - Franklin Horner Community Centre - Toronto, Ont., Canada - 5 PM

Sun. July 26 - Crossfire Wrestling - Merriton Community Center, 7 Park Ave. - St. Catherine’s, Ont., Canada - 3 PM

Thur. July 30 - Maximum Pro Wrestling - Chautauqua County Fairgrounds, Central Avenue - Dunkirk, NY - 6 PM

Sat. Aug. 1 - Jake “the Snake” Roberts (speaking, not wrestling) - 1811 Comics, 56 E. Spring St. - Williamsville, NY - 1 PM

Sat. Aug. 1 - UPW -

Headlocks & Homeruns 4 - Fireman’s Grounds, Perry Village Park - Perry, NY - 4 PM. Scheduled to appear: Tommy Dreamer, Danny Doring, Scotty 2 Hotty, Matt Sydal and more!

Sat. Aug. 8 - Kayfabe Dojo - Pineapple Jack’s, Spencerport Rd. - Gates, NY - 3:30 PM

Sat. Aug. 22 - ESW- St. Johnsburg Fire Hall - 7165 Ward Road - North Tonawanda, NY - 6 PM. Chris Hero challenges ”Big Time” Bill Collier for the ESW Title!

Sat. Sept. 19 - UPW - Eagle’s Club, 1200 Buffalo Rd. - Rochester (Gates), NY - 6 PM

Fri. Sept. 25 - WWE - Ricoh Coliseum, Toronto, Ont., Canada - 7:30 PM

Sat. Sept. 26- ROH - Keenan Center, 433 Locust Street - Lockport, NY - 7:30 PM

Mon. Sept. 28- (Tentative) - WWE Raw- First Niagara Center - Buffalo, NY - 7:30 PM

MASSIVE MEDIABe sure to watch the

Big Schmozz webcast on RocSportsNetwork.com or youtube...

Follow @Wrestlevision on the Twitter thing...Watch exciting episodes of Victory Wrestling Showcase on TWC Ch. 20 in Suburban Erie County....And oh yes, coming this month: after more than a decade of both planning and inactivity, we are almost proud to bring you: www.ivantheimpaler.com

Photo by by Greg Oliver, SLAM! Wrestling

Pro Wrestling Hall of Famers J.J. Dillon and Rick “The Model” Martel sign autographs at this year’s PWHF induction ceremony.

Commentary:


As live harness racing is winding down in Hamburg, Kevin Cummings has hit another gear and appears to be going into overdrive.

Cummings has had an outstanding season so far and although the final days of the 2015 season are drawing near he doesn’t appear to be slowing down. Since the season started in early January he has already had 53 multiple-win nights, producing close to a 25 percent clip for the winners circle. With seven wins in one night (March), Cummings also matched the track record of eight wins in a night, a record her previously set in 2005.

Nationally, Cummings is ranked 15th in driving wins and has made more than a million in purse money in each of his last nine seasons. Appropriately enough, he also cracked the 3,000-win plateau in March at Buffalo Raceway on a horse named Most Happy Rider.

Track announcer Michael Carter, the voice of Buffalo Raceway, called that milestone race and is doing a tremendous job in his second full season behind the mic. He started his career as a spot announcer at Rosecroft Raceway in Maryland and Colonial Downs in Virginia. When asked about Cummings quick start, Carter said that he wasn’t surprised. “After watching Kevin race I have to say he is Mr.Cool out there no matter how the race

WNY’s top reinsman:Kevin CummingsBy Mark Patrick Harzynski Sr.

is unfolding: if stuck wide; trapped on inside; leaving from the eight-hole or clear out front. The guy doesn’t sweat it, he gets every ounce out of his horses. And I’ve been calling his name a lot so he’s doing something very right.”

On top of the veteran drivers racing at Buffalo this season – Jack Flanigen, Ray Fisher Jr., Drew Monti, Jim Morrill Jr., Rockin’ Ronnie Beback Jr. – Cummings also had a whole new talent pool to face as a few other big names threw their hats into the ring. Frank Milby, the top driver at Rosecroft Raceway, flashed his skills on Buffalo’s half mile winning the very first race of the meet as a newcomer. Then there’s two-time National Dash Champion Shawn Gray and Billy Dobson, a regular driver at Saratoga Raceway who currently leads all drivers at Buffalo Raceway in Universal Driver Racing System percent.

With the high level of competition, every win

becomes that much more coveted. It’s also a real treat for the harness racing fans of WNY to get to view top-level talent battle it out four times a week until the driver wars end on July 26 during the Sunday Matinee.

In spite of all the competition, Cummings can still reach yet another driving milestone this season also at Buffalo Raceway.

With less than a dozen race nights left in the season, Cummings sits at 188 driving wins, tantalizingly close to the track record of 214 set by Morrill Jr. With 26 wins he can tie and with 27 he’ll set a new record. Considering Cumming’s current winning percentage of 23.2 percent and the fact that he races in almost every race, there’s certainly a chance he could outpace the record.

Then, after Buffalo Raceway, it’s on to Batavia Downs!

When American Pharoah became the first Triple Crown winner in the United States in 34 years it set off a celebration heard around the horse racing world. Now it’s time for the Canadian version of the Triple Crown. Shaman Ghost won the first leg, the $1 million Queen’s Plate at Woodbine in Toronto, and is now headed for Fort Erie Race Track and the second jewel of Canada’s triple crown, the $500,000 Prince of Wales Stakes July 28.

The last Triple Crown winner in Canada came in 2003 when Wando won the Queen’s Plate on polyturf, then took the Prince of Wales (Canada’s richest race

Prince of Wales Stakes Set For July 28 at Fort ErieBy Rick Zurak

on dirt) and then captured the Breeder’s Stakes on the grass at Woodbine. Shaman Ghost, ridden by jockey Rafael Hernandez, owned by Stronoch Stables and trained by Brian Lynch, will have an excellent chance to win the series for 3-year-olds foaled in Canada. The Plate win was the third for Stronoch Stables, which took top honors in 1994 with Basqueian and in 1997 with Awesome Again. Shaman Ghost is the son of Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Ghostzapper, so all the parts are in place for a big celebration at the Fort.

This is the 80th edition of Fort Erie’s biggest race and the red carpet is sure to be

rolled out, not just for the great horses and all their connections, but especially for the fans. After more than 75 years of running the Prince of Wales on the weekend, the race is set for a Tuesday afternoon. First post is 4pm with the “POW” schedule to go off in the 7pm range. It’s an unusual feature race day in the horseracing world, but it works for Fort Erie. This year they are expecting a record $2 million betting day according to Fort Erie CEO Rick Cowan.

As for the festivities, the day includes the $75,000 Rainbow Connection Stakes. There will be plenty of food to go around with

After a rocky start to the summer of 2015, anglers should start seeing more settled weather patterns and fish of all species setting up for the annual summer feed. Water temperatures continue to show slightly below normal, while water levels show above normal, especially after the good rains of June. This should set up July and August for some hot fishing action dreamt about by WNY anglers since one of the coldest winters in WNY history finally broke.

WalleyeLake Erie’s most popular

game fish has shown hit or miss action from Dunkirk to Buffalo, with the only consistent action coming from west of Barcelona Harbor to the PA State line. Fickle winds and frequent soaking rains scattered baitfish, forcing walleye schools to separate and pursue the pockets of bait like wolf packs, making for challenging fishing. However, the large migratory school of western basin walleye are now on the march east and a bonanza of sorts should ensue through July and August. Buffalo area anglers find success bottom bouncing on a slow drift most effective when working depths between 35-45 feet. Stickbait trollers also find good action in the same depths using chattersticks worked off lead core line, set back about five-colors to the water. As July marches on, expect walleye to pile up near the Canadian border and over the deeper waters between Silver Creek and Barcelona. Worm harnesses presented off dipsey divers deliver strikes throughout the day, but colors may vary hour to hour, so check baits and change up often until a pattern emerges for that day. Concentrate efforts between 50-80 feet, presenting either mid-water column, or near bottom, depending on sonar clues.

Chautauqua Lake walleye continue to rebound and

Mid-summer fishing dreams come trueBy Rich Davenport

if the troubles with blue-green algae blooms lessens this year, anglers could look forward to solid action through August. Slow drifting jigs tipped with leeches or night crawlers worked off the outside weed edges near deeper waters work best, with fish moving shallower at night. If this fishery continues to improve, regulations may resort back to 15-inch minimum length and five fish per day, per angler. Current limits are 18-inch and three fish per day.

BassBass season officially

opened across NYS on June 20, 2015, but catch and release anglers, and Lake Erie trophy trekkers see bass in patterns more akin to early June. The Upper Niagara River has shown excellent action around Strawberry Island, Beaver Island State Park and north of the old Grand Island Holiday Inn, holding impressive smallmouth and largemouth bass. A shallow running crankbait or Rat-L-Trap work best, but don’t overlook a top water presentation during early morning hours.

Inland lakes such as Chautauqua, Honeoye and Cassadaga offer some great structure-oriented bass fishing, with jig and pig combos or plastic worms Texas-rigged or Wacky-rigged with split shot tempt lurking lunkers into savage strikes. Largemouth bass show a growth in numbers across these lakes, but don’t overlook the Cassadaga smallmouth that hang off rocky points in each of the three lakes, as some very impressive sizes are attained by this lake’s bronzeback population. The Zara Spook is tough to beat when the bite is on top!

MuskellungeSeveral positive changes

to NYS Muskellunge fishing took effect this year, chief among them the earlier opening for musky on inland waters (this year, May 30),

accompanied by an increase in minimum keeper size to 40-inch statewide. This change was nothing short of sensational for inland fisheries like Chautauqua Lake, as more out-of-state anglers were present on that lake, according to Capt. Larry Jones of Mostly Muskies Charters. This earlier opener certainly resulted in some great angling opportunities, with Jones reporting an average catch rate of three to five fish per day during the opening week of the season. Great Lakes muskellunge fishing began on June 20, the “normal” season opener, but Niagara River, Lake Ontario and St. Lawrence River anglers are advised to remember the new minimum size is now 54-inches.

Casters should choose bucktail spinners or large jerk baits and time their outings with changeable weather patterns, as nothing gets a musky’s ire up more than a fluctuating barometer. Trollers running large crankbaits and plugs should concentrate off weed lines near deeper waters and work further out over the depths as July runs into August. Changeable light periods are best, especially evening to dusk.

Remember, take a kid fishing and give the gift that lasts a lifetime!

Happy Fishing!Rich Davenport is co-

founder of WeLoveOutdoors.com, an avid Outdoorsman and member of the NYSOWA. His works are also published in NY Outdoor News, Walleye.com and the Buffalo News. Rich is also the Recording Secretary for the Erie County Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs, Secretary of the Western NY Environmental Federation, member of the Erie County Fisheries Advisory Board and is the Co-Chairman and Region 9 Rep NYSCC Big Game Committee. Email [email protected].

Photo by Rich DavenportWalleye action starts heating up as summer hits full swing.

the Pig Out Roasters, Red Line BBQ and Hot Off the Grill favorites. The Molson Girls will be on hand as will the Rhyme N Reason bluegrass band at the Tiki Bar during the races. The Elton Lammie Band then performs after the races. The parking if free. Admission is free. What else can you ask for? Oh yeah, great weather, a fast track and a good time to be had by all. You can bet on it!

Photo by Steve RothKevin Cummings gets 3,000 wins on Most Happy Rider.

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In the U.S. Army you strengthen your skills and abilities, and you gain invaluable experience and training that will make you a well-rounded, stronger individual for the rest of your life. The array of opportunities and education, and the many different ways to serve make the Army a flexible experience that molds to your strengths, goals and interests. Become a stronger and more successful individual your family and community will look up to. There’s strong. Then there’s Army Strong. Find out more at goarmy.com

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Sports & Leisure Magazine Summer Issue 2015

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Transcript of Sports & Leisure Magazine Summer Issue 2015