South Oakland has a healthy respect and disdain for our long time rivals in Brookline who have been busy collecting seasonal unemployment and tossing beer kegs and cinder blocks at one another as part of an intense off-season conditioning program.

I imagine words insinuating milkshake drinking were thrown about while Oil management sauntered about Brooks Brothers buying polo shirts during lunch hour, and unwittingly hit ‘reply all’ on on of their team iPhones.

Big Oil plans to throw their ace tonight against Brookline with a game against the defending champion Ducks on Wednesday.

Clearly they think we’re a bunch of pussies. I don’t know what other conclusion can be logically drawn.

 In other news, I finally saw There Will Be Blood, and the Oilers homepage finally makes sense. Solid flick.

Well played there for sure.

Ironically, the Black Sox picked  their new team slogan, “Use a fucking piano leg with a nail in it if you have to,” from another Daniel Day Lewis movie, Gangs of New York.

If it doesn’t get rained out it should be a good one tonight at Spring View, as the revamped Big Oil squad takes on the always dangerous, Black Sox in a 2010 semifinal rematch.

Quack.

No word if suspenders are part of the uniform.

Jack White for President.

Ducks,

Register online at pittsburghnaba now and send money if you still owe outstanding dues.

Once again,

send checks made out to Ben Gwin to

Ducks Baseball

PO box 9181

Pittsburgh, PA, 15224

Still waiting on the final cost per player. My fault there.

There are several players who have paid me nothing, this is not ideal.

If nothing changes it’s going to be over 250 thanks to the uniforms, but they look great and we won’t have to get new ones for eight more years.

This number should drop.

You won’t have to buy a hat if you still have last year’s and want to save a few bucks.

Anyone who wants a breakdown of costs let me know and I’ll pass it along.

If you’re sick of lame posts about admin shit that (almost) no one wants to help with and finances, then send in your money and I’ll get back to writing lame posts about amateur baseball that no one wants to read.

Seriously we will forfeit games if we have to.

*

See Win Win. It’s hilarious.

Quack.

I have to say I was a bit disappointed. But hey, I’ve been busy too, so I understand that most folks are swamped once January rolls around… putting away the holiday decor, returning those god-awful sweaters your aunt bought you, digging through the backlog at work, and working off those chocolate-candy-booze-infused extra pounds.

But in all seriousness, the questions I posed in my last post were not rhetorical.  I really want to know. And in a certain sense, I believe it’s really important to form, verbalize, and actually announce to the world, our dreams/hopes/visions for the future.  Because a dream undeclared will likely remain just that… a dream.  But one voiced aloud, for one’s self and others to hear, ponder on, and process… is far more likely to be manifest into reality.

This is why Martin Luther King, Jr. announced his “dream” on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial to a crowd of hundreds of thousands (and millions more via television)… to effect real change.  Nearly five decades later, with enormous progress made, we still find inspiration in his words.

So tell me… what’s your vision for our city?  What would you like to see change?  And how will you help achieve that reality?

As a kickstart to this little exercise, I thought I’d mention that Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is this Monday, January 17th.  In addition to recognizing and honoring the incredible achievements of the civil rights leader, the day has also been set aside as a National Day of Service.

What is the MLK Day of Service?

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is: ‘What are you doing for others?’“

Each year, Americans across the country answer that question by coming together on the King Holiday to serve their neighbors and communities.

The MLK Day of Service is a part of United We Serve, the President’s national call to service initiative. It calls for Americans from all walks of life to work together to provide solutions to our most pressing national problems. (from MLKDay.gov)

There are lots of ways that each of us, individually, can contribute to make Oakland a better place for all of us, collectively, to live. OaklandSeen has a nice recap of some local service opportunities in their recent post Give Back / Pay Forward by Anna Edmondson.

• One that I’m particularly inspired by is the Habitat Restoration project at Martin Luther King Jr. Shoreline.  Apropos, right?! Volunteers will help continue the beautification and restoration of this tidal marsh & shoreline habitat by planting native shrubs, weeding invasives, and removing debris.  Workday is Saturday, January 15th from 10am – 1pm. (map here)

Martin Luther King, Jr. Regional Shoreline

I paid a recent visit to this park, my first time, and was really surprised.  I hadn’t even known of its existence as it’s located in a semi-industrial area near the Oakland Airport.  Similar to Cesar Chavez State Park near the Berkeley marina, the area was previously an old landfill (aka dump!), but since has been restored to its natural environment, comprising over 71 acres of tidal and seasonal wetlands.  Native plants have recolonized and many species of migrating and non-migrating birds have reestablished themselves.

Part of the larger 500 mile long San Francisco Bay Trail, there are miles of short walking/biking trails along the waterfront and through the marshes with several bridges and a large observation tower.  It’s a great spot for bird-lovers, but also for picnicking, fishing, hiking, and biking. Check it out…

Our Game is Wednesday at 9pm at SpringView, not Monday as I originally thought.

This is the first time South Oakland has reached the league semifinals since 2004.

Congrats to the Militia for running over the Canes.

Barchie is a beast.

guest post from militia55 on the way

more later

Quack.

An AA division regular season champion anyway, the Sox earned the one seed sweeping the HURRICANES! 2 games to 0, at Spring View.

Sox won game 1, 3-2 and game 2, 6-3.

Kenny Powers hit a game winning home run of Rafalski  in the 8th inning of game 1.

The Hurricanes are in the Ducks bracket. They will play the Militia in the quarterfinals unless something goes terribly wrong and the Titans upset Michigan.

The Ducks could play the Hurricanes in the semi finals if South Oakland beats the Knights and the Maulers over the weekend.

The South Oakland Ducks and the Pittsburgh Bulldogs are two good amateur baseball teams. Both teams are part of the Pittsburgh NABA. I play on the Ducks. Many of my friends play on the Bulldogs.  When I don’t play for the Ducks, I play on the Bulldogs in a different league for old men.  That league is run by a douche bag and another guy who latently cheats to improve his team at the expense of others— I call that a conflict of interest.

A douche bag looks like this:

The Bulldogs drink quite a bit.  When I drink my brain turns into a coffin filled with green and yellow balloon animals, so I quit. Joe is a Bulldog. Joe runs the Pittsburgh NABA without conflict of interest; he recapped the last Ducks Bulldogs game because the Bulldogs won. Joe accidentally hit himself in the ankle with a foul ball in Monday’s game against the Ducks. In that game, the Ducks beat the Bulldogs 19-6.  Because the Ducks won, I am writing this recap to be posted on the Bulldogs site.

Normally, when I write blogs, they look like this:

The Rebels is a stupid name for a team

{pic of stupid rebel team altered with computer software.}

Sort-of-funny caption.

Now some mildly clever nicknames…

And so on…

Quack.

Because this recap is also for the Bulldogs site, I am poorly imitating an author I admire.

Listen:

The first place Ducks have won ten straight games, and are playing well enough to win the division.  The team is carving a niche as a talented, but hard working, blue collar team which is exactly what the Ducks manager hoped would happen. The Bulldogs are also in first place in their division and have a similar reputation.  I call these divisions Campbell and Wales because I like hockey.

In the first inning of the game against the Bulldogs, Ducks ace James Tessyier, allowed a run. This doesn’t happen often.  Going into the game, James had only allowed three runs in 25+ innings. That’s why he’s our ace.

An Ace looks like this:

In the bottom half of the first inning, The Ducks scored three runs when Jams Fago hit a home run.

This is what happens when I remember the home run backwards:  James moonwalks out of the dugout and high fives everyone, then jogs backwards around the bases, uses the force to pick up his bat and waits for the bushes in center field to spit the ball back at him before he slingshots it into the Bulldogs pitcher’s hand.  The Bulldogs pitcher was Brian Strom. He is my friend and a good pitcher and baseball player. He is not, however, the Bulldogs ace.  Later in the first, Ducks short stop Anthony DeFilippo hit a ball to the fence in left and was thrown out at second base. So it goes.

3-1 Ducks after 1.

The Bulldogs scored two more runs in the second to tie the game at three runs apiece going into the bottom half of the inning. Then the Ducks scored two more runs when Captain America hit a double. Captain America is Mark Guthrie’s somewhat clever nickname.

Captain America’s shield looks like this:

Guthrie  only hits doubles. Gwin lined out to the short stop. So it goes.  Cinefra reached on an error, and stole second. Captain America scored when Tim Lipp hit a sac fly.  Then Rob Cool hit a double that was nearly a home run. He wanted to hit a home run real bad because he and James Fago are in love and both want very badly to be the best player on the Ducks. This competition makes the Ducks better.

Ducks 5-3 after 2.

The Bulldogs made three straight outs in the third inning with the help of a nice double play. The Bulldogs catcher is from Youngstown  or some other decaying mill town. He hit into the nice double play and did not have any hits in the game.

The kids in Youngstown look like this:

Mike Tyson also lives near Youngstown. The inside of Mike Tyson’s brain looks like this:

In the bottom of the third, the Ducks scored four runs.

Chris Wojton recorded his fifth  hit in his last six at bats, then he stole second.  At some point in the game, the Bulldogs catcher had derogatory things to say about the caliber of play of the baseball team at Waynesburg University and our shortstop Anthony Defillipo and by proxy several Ducks who also play baseball at Waynesburg University. After Wojton stole second, he advanced to third on a passed ball. A passed ball is when the catcher misses the pitch and hurts his team. With one out, Guthrie walked, and the Ducks executed a hit and run. Wojton scored.

When Wojton makes good plays I use this picture:

Gwin stole second base. Guthrie scored on Cinefra’s single and Gwin went to third.

If Gwin had been thrown out at second he would not have scored on Tim Lipp’s single to the right side.

Tim Lipp plays college baseball at Gannon, and is willing to play out of position to help the Ducks win more games. Tim Lipp was thrown out at second, so it goes. Mike Cinefra scored from third on the throw.

9-3 after three.

In the top of the fourth, Rob Cool threw out a guy at home trying to score on a fly out to center.

In the fourth inning, the Ducks scored ten runs. These Ducks had hits in that inning:

Jesse Smith, Anthony Defilippo, Chris Wojton Nick Homa, KT Murphy, James Fago, Baconator, and Ken Cool.

TC Jones had an RBI.

Rick Whalen was hit in the back. Everyone laughed. Rick is OK.

Ken Cool is our assistant coach. He was hit in the back while coaching third earlier in the game. We all laughed. Ken is OK too.

19-3 after 4

In the fifth inning the Bulldogs showed why they are a good team. They did not quit. Vinny Gala is a good hitter and we could not get him out. The Bulldogs scored three runs in the last inning but still lost by 13 runs. So it goes.

RIPKVJr.

The Ducks play a double header Saturday Morning at 8am against the Militia at Gateway Middle School in Monroeville.

Quack.

South Oakland (11-5, 4-1) sits in first place in the Wales Conference.

The Ducks seventh straight win prevented Brookline (9-5, 4-2) from effectively clinching the division, setting up a show down for the division for the division title with the Black Sox: time and place tbd.

James Tessyier (4-0) pitched a complete game shutout.

Tim Lipp and Jesse Smith had rbi for South Oakland.

Ken Cool, once again, dominated.

Recap forthcoming.

boobs.

Game three between the Ducks and Black Sox remains unscheduled.

Quack.

South Oakland Ducks(10-5, 3-1)

vs.

Brookline Black Sox (9-4, 4-1)

9pm

SpringView Field

I updated our about page,(there’s a nice synopsis of our team history there now) and while i thought about the significance of the Ducks, the Black Sox appeared at every run-on sentence. They’ve beaten us every way imaginable.

Last year’s playoff loss to the Sox was probably the best pure baseball game in Ducks history – ten innings, blah blah, Slavonic’s game winning hit etc.

They beat us when I coached, they beat us when Jones coached,  we’ve never won the division (even when we won our lone title when Ken Cool was only ten years old) and we’ve never taken a playoff series from Brookline.

This is the year that changes.

Brookline beat us by 8 or something in May, a game we played without Duffy, Casale, Scioscia,  Berdine, Ken Cool, Defilippo, Tessyier, Fago,  Lipp, Alex Harsh and…

Rob Cool Jr.

(pictured above with 2008 PGH NABA Championship Belt )

Subplots rip through seasons like scars, there’s a story behind each one. Adam Smith left for the Eagles, but no one really cares because the Eagles are still stuck in the cellar, despite the myriad of chart-topping hits they put out in the 70′s, Joe Walsh’s solid but inconsistent solo work, and the odd obsession with Don Henley among  several generations of adults with otherwise normal taste in music.

Smith and TC are best friends compared to Kenny and Rob.

I’ve taken anonymous comment heat for bringing in 4 players from the team that went 22-1 last season, and also  filling spots vacated by Spagnola and Adam Smith with Tessyier and Fago.

Our roster is big, but ask the Eagles how they like playing with eight guys and forfeiting every third game.

They only had four show up vs. the Militia, a division game and they can’t put a lineup out there. They should add Depo and Bob Faust.

What a joke. There are guys who want to get in the league and still, teams forfeit.

[Congrats to the Bulldogs for beating the Canes.

Vinnt Gala is the best first baseman in the league by a mile.]

Winning turns question marks into exclamation points, hyphens and other fun punctuation marks which can be made into faces and things, and the .079 hitting, ex-Ducks fourth string first baseman who was the most vocal in his closed-mindedness and unwillingness to take a back seat and welcome new teammates in order to win more games, is no longer a Duck.

The cancer is gone.  It’s ironic given that the way we’ve been blowing out teams, that the nameless douche bag would have played a decent amount of ball had he stuck around, but boy did he show me what a dick I am by not playing ball this summer, despite my attempts to get him on another team.

Transition.

***

V-neck City next year.

It is if some smart ass blog spent two years fucking with the best team in the league creating odd conspiracy theories about bird worship in an attempt to rally an undermanned squad against a superior opponent, and some retard took it seriously.

I shouldn’t say retarded.

Anyway, last year  Sox upset the most talented team in the league in the Wales Finals, swept them 2-0. No one expected it.

Imperial disbanded, and those players who didn’t flee to the fed league and parts unknown, joined either the Ducks or the Black Sox.

Warren, Sloan, and that other pitcher went to Brookline.  Ken and Rob Cool, Scioscia and Defilippo are Ducks.

The rivalry will reach new heights at 9pm tonight

This game is the culmination of eight years of South Oakland Ducks Baseball and seven years of futility against the Sox. This is the best shot we’ve ever had at a title and it hinges on winning tonight at the Duck Pond, and beating the Sox again whenever we reschedule that rain-out.

Ducks ace James Tessyier brings his perfect record and 0.37 era to the hill against Sox ace Peter “Pan” Chalfin who we beat once last year, and twice lost to by one run.

The Ducks have won six straight. The Sox won 20-1 or something today and beat the Eagles 6-1 over the weekend they have won four in a row.

Bring the Hate.

It’s time for a new order in the Wales Conference.

Bad News for the Black Sox.

]]> http://southoaklandducks.net/2010/06/25/game-fifteen-recap-bring-on-the-black-sox-ducks-7-knights-2/ Fri, 25 Jun 2010 04:39:27 +0000 mightyeskimo http://southoaklandducks.net/2010/06/25/game-fifteen-recap-bring-on-the-black-sox-ducks-7-knights-2/ Rob “Baconator” Baumgartel pitched five scoreless innings, Ken Cool had two blistering hits and the South Oakland Ducks made short work of a second straight A opponent, beating the Knights 7-2 on Monday.

The game we’ve all been waiting for is on the horizon. Our team was assembled with the goal of overtaking the Sox and winning the various titles at stake with the league’s current format.

Monday’s game is a playoff game.

Ducks/Knights recap:

After Baconator retired the side in order in the first, The Keymaster had some trouble throwing to second early in the game. The ducks sent nine batters to the plate in the first inning, and scored five runs in the opening frame.

Cinefra started the five inning first with a single, then he stole two bases, during Duffy’s at bat, and Rob Cool singled him home.

DeFilippo loves running for Fago and leads the nation in steals. He also gave us this quote during one  of the last two blowout wins:

“I wish we could just play the Black Sox every game.”

The Ducks stole seven bases in the first inning.

Rob Cool took home on a past ball or something.

Lipp drove in two, Ken Cool had an RBI.

Baumgartel worked out of a jam in the second, striking out three batters in the inning.

5-0 Ducks after two

In the third, Rob Cool doubled, Fago drove him in.

6-0 after three

If there is a sequence I’d like to define my career as a Duck, it would be one in which I am hit by a pitch, then break up a double play with a boarderline slide, allowing a run to score later in the inning.

That happened in the fourth when I was beaned in the head to load the bases with no outs.

Cinefra drove in a run with a sac fly.

7-0 Ducks after four.

Wojton would throw his helmet after he was caught stealing.

Nothin’ to #u&% with

In the top of the fifth there was a shot  towards the gap between first and second; Berdine was there:

Hands.

The Knights scored two unearned in the sixth.

Fago struckout the side in the top of the seventh.

7-2 Ducks. Game.

Our season is on the line Monday. We have to win our last two games vs. the Black Sox to have a chance at the Wales Division and the AA title.

To win the AA title we have to finish first in the Wales, then beat whomever finishes first in the Campbell in a best of three series.

The division winners each receive a bye and the # 1 and 2 seeding respectively in the league wide tourney at the end of the season.

Quack.

]]> http://southoaklandducks.net/2010/06/21/gameday-15-ducks-vs-knights/ Mon, 21 Jun 2010 16:51:45 +0000 mightyeskimo http://southoaklandducks.net/2010/06/21/gameday-15-ducks-vs-knights/

Let’s get this going again. It’s time.

South Oakland Ducks (9-5, 3-1)

vs.

Allegheny Knights (1-13)

9pm

SpringView Field

Back in the day, the Knights were stacked, but could never get over the hump: Barchie, Fago, Guthrie, Cool, Sorosky, Tremel, a bunch of kids from the Rakers, they were solid and constantly took the last playoff spot from the Ducks.  They played in a historic two-site playoff game involving rain delays and power outages in what amounted to a three day loss to the eventual league champion, Confederacy. They were the Orioles for a season, causing my dyslexic brain to hemorrhage whenever i had to differentiate between them and the Oilers (Phantoms, Pythons was also a toughie).

The Knights are one of 16 teams that has folded (in this case they’ve re-manifested as an expansion team ) changed names, or merged with another team since 2003.

The original Knights lineage since ’05:

Knights-Orioles-Knights-Rakers and _wlz-Gray Bats-Militia.

It’s not easy to keep a team going for eight seasons.

We should all take some pride in playing on the only team that’s been around since the league’s inception.

(Ducks all-time record now stands at 75-80-2, but are in the process of recording a third straight winning season.)

The 2010 Knights’ lone win is against 18A Division leader, Big Oil.

Since James Fago and James Tessyier have joined South Oakland prior to the Oilers game, the Ducks have won five straight.

Bad News for the Knights.

]]> http://southoaklandducks.net/2010/06/20/gameday-14-ducks-at-titans/ Sun, 20 Jun 2010 04:48:20 +0000 mightyeskimo http://southoaklandducks.net/2010/06/20/gameday-14-ducks-at-titans/ South Oakland Ducks of the North Side

at

North Shore Titans

5:30 pm

Bellevue Field

Ducks: We will wear our yellow, weekend day game away jerseys.

Titans footage:

I have no idea what to make of that.

Tessyier is on the hill.

Guth and Jones are reportedly in Vegas.

Godspeed.

Happy Father’s Day.

Bad News for the Titans.

]]> http://southoaklandducks.net/2010/06/18/friday-beck-video/ Fri, 18 Jun 2010 22:03:19 +0000 mightyeskimo http://southoaklandducks.net/2010/06/18/friday-beck-video/

I’ve estimated the Ducks all-time record at 74-80-2

Among other things, we’re chasing .500.

This article looks interesting.

Quack.

We’re catching them on the second half of a double header. They play the Maulers in game 1.

The Militia are facing federal prosecution for importing illegal Canadian immigrants and have lost two of three to the Sox and three straight division games.

The Black Sox are now in first place in the Wales Conference. If things play out as the rankings dictate, Brookline and South Oakland will play next Monday for first place and both teams will have won several games in a row.

Big Oil beat the Bulldogs 2-1 and squeaked out two, one-run victories over the Knights. I don’t even know what to deduce from that except what is already common knowledge league-wide.

They’ve got nothing without that lefty and they cheat.

THE HURRICANES! haven’t played the Bulldogs yet, but they lost by more than one to the Oilers, so it’s fair to say the Bulldogs will beat them, although, the HURRICANES!!!! Beat the Ducks by 7 and 10 runs respectively, and the Bulldogs only beat us by 4 so maybe they will play to a scoreless tie?

Either way, the Oilers should just be in the Campbell Conference and the Militia are basically fucked in the division race unless they sweep the Eagles, take the last two from the Ducks, and get help.

They will be officially eliminated if we beat them once more. They’d be able to finish no better than 5-4 in the division, and will lose tie-breakers to both the ducks and sox.

It’s shaping up to be a two-horse race for the division.

We will need the Eagles to beat the Black Sox if we don’t take the last two games from them.

Bring on Kenny Powers.

That’s gonna be some intense ball.

Not that we’re overlooking any opponents; that’s how losses happen.

Quack.

]]> http://southoaklandducks.net/2010/06/15/game-thirteen-recap-dr-jones-vs-mr-smith-round-two-ducks-14-eagles-0/ Tue, 15 Jun 2010 23:26:26 +0000 mightyeskimo http://southoaklandducks.net/2010/06/15/game-thirteen-recap-dr-jones-vs-mr-smith-round-two-ducks-14-eagles-0/ The Ducks have been bi-polar this season: losing streaks of 3 and 2 preclude two 4-game win streaks.

Manic Depression.

There have been two waves of new player arrivals this summer. The first to start the season and the second after the Warriors game. In both instances it took some time for the flock to come together, for that oft-spoke-of, intangible, all-important “Chemistry” to manifest, to become something palpable and real we could wrap our wings around.

We’re beating on teams now, two consecutive ten-run rule victories over division opponents.

Last night the hitting was contagious, the defense was steady and Mark [Captain "Last thoughts on Woody" America] Guthrie turned in another solid outing to raise his record to 2-2, and lower his era to 1.37.

TC Jones recorded an RBI single in the 4th and is batting 1.000 against Adam Smith for his career, while striking him out once in the first Ducks/Eagles’ game this season.

The grudge match, which probably means more to me than either of those two, makes for solid blog post material.

Essentially, Smith left the Ducks because he disagreed with TC’s managerial style.

Smith has not defeated the Ducks since leaving the team, the Eagles are 4-7, while the Ducks are 8-5 and in first place.

The Ducks have outscored the Eagles 24-5 over two games.

TC Jones has the 3rd highest winning percentage over two years of any Pittsburgh NABA manager.:  14-12-2, and then 16-8 for a 30-20-2 record.

The coach with the highest winning percentage over two consecutive seasons is also a Duck.

No idea who #2 is, and I’m not going to look it up.

My all-time record as coach is not good, but it’s improving.

The Ducks play the Titans on Sunday at 5:30 at Ohio River Blvd. Field, the Knights at 9pm next Monday night, then, after a week off, Ducks vs. B-Sox at the Pond.

Bring on Kenny Powers and the Fightin’ Florians.

6/28 9pm at Spring View.

That’s the game we have to have.

Without further hyperbole, the recap:

Guthrie allowed the only Eagles hit of the game with two outs in the first. Then, after an error, he K’d Adam Smith to end the inning.

South Oakland sent ten batters to the plate in the first:

Five walks surrounded DeFilippo’s rbi single, Nick Homa followed Chris Wojton’s rbi base-on-balls with a two run single.

5-0 Ducks after 1.

Guthrie puts the Eagles down in order in the second, and the Ducks sent nine batters to the plate in the second.

Mike Duffy is batting .437; he led the inning off with a single, stole second and scored on DeFilippo’s second hit of the game.

Nick Berdine followed Flip’s single with an RBI triple to right, and scored on Lipp’s single to center.

Adam Smith entered the game as a relief pitcher at some point.

8-0 Ducks after 2.

Guthrie faced three batters in the 3rd.

Gwin finally got a hit, singling to lead off the bottom of the 3rd, the first of two on the night for the arthritic catcher.

Duffy followed with a single, Rob Cool did not get a hit, then Casale hit one up the middle which was thrown away by Smith, loading the bases for Defilippo who drove  in another run with his third hit on the game.

Then TC “Boyle” Jones stepped to the plate with Casale on third and Drop City’ed a 1-2 pitch into left for the Ducks’ 11th run.

11-0 Ducks after 3.

The Eagles were Baconated in the top of the 4th.

The Ducks added 3 more runs in the bottom half: “Slick” Rick Whalen and Murphy walked to open the inning, Gwin singled to right, and Whalen scored on a throwing error, that I probably credited as an RBI for myself because I have no respect for the sanctity of pgh naba baseball.

Duffy singled in Murphy.

Guthrie walked to load the bases. Flip drove in Gwin with a fielder’s choice.

Flip.

3 for 4, 3 rbi, 2R.

14-0 Ducks after 4.

Tessyier pitched the 5th: three up three down.

Desperado.

Game, Ducks.

Quack.

South Oakland (7-5, 2-1) takes an early lead in the Wales Conference

The Ducks have won three games in a row  by a combined 24 – 7

write up to follow

Quack.

]]> http://ninetyhoods.wordpress.com/2010/04/29/parting-shots-old-lamar-advertising-building/ Thu, 29 Apr 2010 01:34:52 +0000 maxpollock http://ninetyhoods.wordpress.com/2010/04/29/parting-shots-old-lamar-advertising-building/

Towards the western end of South Oakland, near the 376 highway, there’s an abandoned building that used to house Lamar Advertising’s regional headquarters. The building sits on a lot where 35,000-40,000 cars pass everyday and receive their first, or last, impression of Oakland. The building would be an eyesore if it wasn’t so damn pretty. You can’t really make it out from the picture, but in the top right corner, it looks like Shepard Fairey got his hands on the building at some point.

This earth-mover outside looked like it hadn't done a lot of moving lately

View from the ground floor

Wall detail

Pretty bird

Switchboard controls

The room got dark every time a cloud passed overhead

Left: Andy Warhol’s childhood home. Right: Andy Warhol’s childhood home to Andy Warhol

Typical street in South Oakland until you consider that Dan Marino used to chuck foosballs down it.

And of course, a tour of South Oakland’s famous folks wouldn’t be complete without a shot of Magee Women’s Hospital, where Les (my bout it girlfriend) was brought into this world.

Oakland is often referred to as Pittsburgh’s ‘second-downtown.’ Turns out it’s the third biggest ‘downtown area’ in the state of Pennsylvania behind Philly’s Center City and, well, Pittsburgh’s real downtown. Luckily for me, Oakland is split up into four neighborhoods. Today, I went to South Oakland.

If you would like to volunteer in any of these events or have general questions, email sbsaemail (at) yahoo.com.

Saturday July 5, 2008 10AM ~ Street Clean up. Volunteers needed to pick up trash on Dawson St. starting at the Blvd of the Allies to Frazier. All of the supplies needed for the clean up will be provided by OPDC. Other streets in South Oakland that would like to participate can contact us at the e-mail address or phone number provided below. Thanks for the supplies OPDC!

Saturday July 12, 2008 10AM ~ Adult First Aid and CPR/AED training and certification. The Pgh EMS will be coming to South Oakland to train and certify ALL Adult South Oakland residents. This will be held at The Dan Marino Field House on Frazier St. and is FREE to all South Oakland residents! The training will last 3 to 4 hours and the certification is good for two years. R.S.V.P is highly recommended as space is very limited. We ask that you R.S.V.P by July 7, 2008 12PM. (must be 18 or older) A few hours of you time can give your family or your neighbors’ family 50 more Birthdays, Christmas’s and hugs to celebrate if you know how to respond in an emergency. A Big Thanks is in order to the Pgh EMS Department!

~In loving memory of Stan~

Saturday July 26, 2008 at 12PM ~ SBSA Quarterly Meeting. Come join your fellow South Oakland neighbors to discuss upcoming events, volunteer opportunities, address local safety concern and how to effectively create a plan to solve any ongoing problems, meet our Zone 4 Safety Officer and more! Refreshments will be on hand as well as safety giveaways and a drawling for a prize for all that attend! All of these services are FREE to our residents just for being Super South Oakland Neighbors!

Wednesday July 30, 2008 1PM at The Dan Marino Field House ~ Family Fire Safety Class. Meet the folks from the Pgh Fire Department and learn how to keep you and your family safe in case of a fire or even better yet learn how to prevent a fre from starting in the first place! ALL family members are welcome and it is FREE to ALL South Oakland residents! R.S.V.P is strongly recommended as space is limited. Please R.S.V.P by July 25, 2008 12PM. An hour of your time could save you and your families life not to mention your pets, neighbors, the firefighters lives who come to a call and the home you can’t afford to replace. A BIG Thanks is in order to the Pgh Fire Department!

Saturday August 2, 2008 10AM ~ Street Clean Up. Volunteers needed to pick up trash along Dawson St. starting at the Blvd of the Allies to Frazier St. All supplies needed for the clean up will be provided by OPDC.. Anyone can participate and you can request help for cleaning up your street by contacting the SBSA at the address or phone number below. Thanks for the supplies OPDC!

Tuesday August 5, 2008 6PM until 9PM~ The 25Th Annual National Night Out Celebration! Volunteers needed! This will be South Oakland’s 2ND year celebrating the unity between The citizens and the Pittsburgh Police, Fire Department, EMS and all other first responders. We will be celebrating a going away party for drugs and crime while we get to know the ones who serve and protect us every day. So turn on your outside light on to show your support and come to the Dan Marino Field House! We will have games, prizes, safety giveaways, music, special quests to meet the children of South Oakland and FREE ice cream to the first 100 people and kids to sign or SBSA Guest Book. The first 50 children to sign our quest book will also receive a FREE safety gift bag. Don’t forget about Fido, bring your dogs on by and see what the SBSA is doing to help keep our furry friends safe. You can fire up the BBQ out in your front yard and show your support from home. Well fed neighbors are happy neighbors! Regardless if you can attend or not; we ask kindly to turn on your outside lights around 6PM through out the night to show your support. It doesn’t have to be dark to turn them on. First responders will be driving around and be able to see that you care. This is the only day out of the year that we have a chance to say thanks to the men and women who risk there lives for us, so lets show Pittsburgh how we say THANK YOU,SOUTH OAKLAND STYLE! All first responders and their families (and their pets ) are strongly urged to attend! (Children should be accompanied by an adult and all pets must be on a leash.)

Saturday August 9, 2008 Frazier Field 10AM ~ South Oakland OPDC Community Day/SBSA Safety Booth. Volunteers are needed to assist at our booth for the Annual OPDC Community Day celebration. We need help with set up, clean up, distributing information and volunteers to watch the booth for relief breaks. You can make your own schedule and the atmosphere is fairly casual, so come out with us to represent the SBSA and have fun participating in the OPDC Community Day events as well! (Contacts are listed below)
COMING SOON! ~ First Aid and CPR training for pets!

Personal Self Defense training for adults!

And much more!