Major props to all of our local baseball and softball teams. Many came home with District banners. Lycoming County was well represented. This is a great time of year. It brings back so many great memories. I am a huge fan of Little League. I, too, experienced some post-season successes. My squad made it to
READ MOREThe Bowman Field faithful will have lots to look forward to this year as the Williamsport Crosscutters begin their fourth season in the MLB Draft League. As usual, there will be the fantastic line-up of interesting and unique promotions. One of the most interesting will be an appearance by WWE Wrestling Hall of Famer Tito
READ MOREThe welcome mat is out! Officially, spring begins this week. To be sure, it is a welcome sight, but in the transitioning world of sports, the changing of the athletic seasons defines the passing of time a bit more succinctly than do the pages of the calendar on the wall. ‘Athletic spring’ actually began a
READ MOREOriginally, there were eight holidays that everyone knew about. There were the major holidays of Christmas and Easter, along with Independence Day (July 4) and Thanksgiving Day (4th Thursday in November). The minor ones were: Lincoln’s Birthday (February 12), Washington’s Birthday (February 22), Memorial Day (last Monday in May), and Labor Day (First Monday in
READ MOREThanksgiving is the time of year when families gather far and near It’s been a tradition since 1620 that includes a feast of plenty, There’re many hugs for those we hold dear and football teams for which to cheer, Pause and reflect those memories great, enjoy the day, and celebrate! If your family’s Thanksgiving is
READ MOREWilliamsport’s Brandon Park has hosted many baseball games throughout its long history. Driving by the venerable location these days, if one looks closely, it might be possible to spot the immortal bird Phoenix, which is said to obtain new life by rising from the ashes of its predecessor. From the park’s northeast corner, a transformation
READ MOREThe members of the 1973 Bitburg, Germany Little League team were not yet born when Dean Martin’s 1956 hit song “Memories Are Made of This” spent six weeks atop the pop charts. But fifty years after their appearance in the Little League World Series, the title of that song will serve as the central theme
READ MOREEver since Carl Stotz tripped over a backyard lilac bush while playing catch with his nephews in 1938, the Little League program he envisioned was meant to give local youngsters the opportunity to play baseball. As Stotz sat on his porch steps to ease the pain of his wound he asked his nephews, “How would
READ MOREA long-time radio personality, a business developer and community activist, a dedicated sports volunteer, and several “unsung heroes” are among those to be honored at this year’s annual Lycoming County Brotherhood Alliance banquet to be held on Wednesday, May 3, at the Genetti Hotel. The guest speaker for the banquet has overcome some daunting obstacles
READ MOREThe Little League World Series is finally here. And for those ten days, the great city of Williamsport is the center of the entire sporting universe. Yes. It is a fantastic time of year. My father-in-law Iron Mike Coledo and Jensen snuck over for the opening ceremonies. I will have to do some research, but
READ MORERecord inflation, the worst 1st term start in presidential history, and hardworking Americans getting fleeced at every turn. And that’s just for warmups. All of the above make it a great week to stress some positives. So, let’s move right along and talk about some great accomplishments by folks in our area. South Williamsport’s Olivia
READ MOREAs reported in a previous column, Little League Baseball convened its International Congress in Williamsport earlier this month. The event is held every four years and is attended by more than a thousand volunteers from around the world to chart the course of the world’s largest organized youth baseball and softball program. During their four
READ MOREEarlier this month, as the area school’s doors closed for the summer, hundreds of senior graduates stoically marched into their ceremonies to the familiar strains of Pomp and Circumstance. Then they sat, listened to speeches, heard their name called, received their long-awaited diploma, and happily tossed their mortar-board tasseled caps into the air and departed, officially ending
READ MORE“Say it ain’t so, Joe,” proclaimed a newspaper headline referencing baseball player Shoeless Joe Jackson’s admission that he had helped fix the 1919 World Series between his Chicago White Sox and Cincinnati. One hundred three years later, I had a similar reaction when learning of the news that the Newberry Little League had severed its
READ MOREIt is a team sport playoff fact of life — unless a team wins its final game, its season concludes with a loss. Such was the ultimate fate of the 2021 Jersey Shore Bulldogs; however, the reality of its 41-16 defeat at the hands of state powerhouse Aliquippa was more about the championship caliber of
READ MOREEach year the Lycoming County Brotherhood Alliance recognizes individuals in the area who promote the spirit of brotherhood, tolerance, and community service at their annual banquet. Holding these annual affairs the past two years has proven problematic due to the COVID pandemic. This year’s banquet was slated for October, but a major uptick in COVID
READ MOREThe 2021 Little League Baseball World Series, best described by my radio broadcast colleague Ken Sawyer as “a Series like no other,” is now history. Baseball was played, a champion was crowned, and many memories were made by the 16 competing teams and the enthusiastic — but smaller — crowds that followed them. But, as
READ MOREUnfortunately, all good things must come to an end, and the Hepburn Lycoming Little Leaguers were bounced in the PA State Tournament. Sure. It hurt. But these twelve-year-olds are quite resilient. We bounced back after lunch. They accomplished so much, and I am super proud. What a ride for these 12 “Boys of Summer.” The
READ MORESo, the boys and I are still buzzing. The past few weeks have been nothing short of amazing. We have experienced all kinds of different emotions. It has been an unforgettable experience. What a journey for the coaches and kids as well as us parents. Jensen and his mates were victorious. They claimed the 2021
READ MOREIt may be my age. It may be my pride. It may be my lifelong experiences. In reality, it is no doubt a combination of all three that culminated in a more emotional than usual Fourth of July weekend. I watched baseball and fireworks, consumed hot dogs and apple pie, and, as corny as it
READ MOREExactly five years ago today, the Spencers were on a west coast pilgrimage. My lovely sister and ‘rents now live in West Hollywood, California. We found ourselves in the nosebleed seats of Dodgers Stadium. I guess you can say it was the usual MLB afternoon matinee. Slow, hot, somewhat crowded with stale peanuts and overpriced
READ MOREWithout any proven data to rely on, I would guess that there aren’t many Americans thrilled with ‘the new normal’ that is being introduced to our daily lives. It could be safely assumed that most would much prefer the pre-COVID norm that we have been living without for the past 16 months. However, glimpses of
READ MOREAs June hits the halfway point, with the official beginning of summer just a few days away, for those graduating students who’ve recently seen their high school days completed and their parents, it has been an emotional two weeks. Preparing for, and looking forward to, the end of that senior year is one thing; soaking
READ MOREWhat a difference a year makes! “Wait till next year,” is the often-repeated sentiment of sports fans whose teams didn’t perform up to expectations. Next year always does seem to roll around, but in an appreciative retrospect, ‘this year’ has it all over last year when it comes to the sports we all enjoy, and
READ MORETip of my Webb Weekly cap with the American Flag on the side to skipper Casey Waller and his South Williamsport Mountie baseballers. South recently won the Backyard Brawl for the first time since 2003 by defeating Montoursville soundly 12-6. Earlier on that Saturday, the Mounties defeated Loyalsock 1-0. It doesn’t get much better than
READ MOREBefore I get to the accomplishments through perseverance by some of our area athletes, I think it’s most important to give a tip of my Webb Weekly hat with the American Flag on the side to Dr. Robert Lombardi, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association. Dr. Lombardi went to the mat for all
READ MOREIt has been an interesting week on the local front. I seriously don’t know where to start. The County released their 2021 Budget on Monday. I wasn’t impressed. There were no major changes and a good bit is still missing. I won’t go into details as I am working on a future story. But I
READ MOREWith fall officially arriving this week, we are now into our third season of ‘COVID-company.’ It hasn’t been fun, but most of us are coping the best we can. September is the year’s most significant transitional month with warm summer days turning to cool autumn mornings with the harbinger of an arriving winter all to
READ MOREThis year there is an aching void in our summer sports calendar, and that is the absence of the annual Little League World Series due to COVID-19. We at Webb Weekly thought we would try in a small way to fill a little of that void by providing some memories of those involved in holding
READ MOREDecision time is fast approaching (if it hasn’t already hit prior to this Webb Weekly publication date). Major League Baseball is scheduled to ‘open’ their 2020 season this week, the NBA hopes to conclude their 2019-20 season under a bubble in Florida, the NFL is nervously approaching the opening of its training camps and the
READ MORE? With Lycoming County going green, many area Little Leagues are now scrambling. I mentioned to you a few weeks back that everything was at a complete standstill. Little League International had just pulled the plug on the 2020 World Series, and the future was unknown. Unprecedented territory for Williamsport’s favorite pastime. There have been
READ MOREMemorial Day is meant to honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the defense of our Country. Three years after the Civil War ended, on May 5, 1868, the head of an organization of Union veterans — the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) — established Decoration Day as a time for the
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