baseball and football misc.

First, a Christian article about Brian Stokes, who served in the Marines in Iraq, and then played football at Appalachian State: http://www.bpsports.net/bpsports.asp?ID=5566.

Here's a great story from the Royals game a week ago Wednesday against the Twins, involving Royals players Mike Sweeney (a Christian) and David DeJesus:

Sweeney and DeJesus had each talked earlier in the day to 11-year-old Matt Herndon, a Kansas City youngster scheduled to undergo brain surgery today in Dallas.

“I asked him how he was doing,” Sweeney said, “and he told me I was his favorite player … He asked me if I could hit a homer for him. I said I’d try, and I promised we’d all pray for him.

“That’s why I was running so hard around the bases (after hitting the homer). My arms were tingling. I could feel the spirit (of prayer) moving through me.”

DeJesus promised no homers, although he had three of the Royals’ nine hits, and was struck again by the impact players have as role models.

“It’s amazing,” he said, “how much a phone call matters. He told me this was one of the greatest days of his life. I told him when he gets back to Kansas City, to come to the ballpark and we’ll all take care of him.”

So maybe it wasn’t just Soria in the late innings. Perhaps providence lent a hand and made sure that, no, even the Royals couldn’t lose this game. No matter what the bullpen did....

“This one feels great,” Sweeney said, “for a lot of reasons.”

Here's the article: http://www.kansascity.com/164/story/84307.html (originally found at: http://mlb.mlb.com/pa/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070427&content_id=1933062&vkey=mlbpa_news&fext=.jsp).

Next, Cubs minor league pitcher Donnie Veal, who pitches for the AA Tennessee Smokies. He's keeping an journal this season on the Minor League Baseball site, and the Cubs site has links to it also. Here's a quote from an e-mail that he answered in his most recent entry:

Since they keep players on the move so much, how do they make time for them to go to church? -- Jerry E.

We don't usually have time to get to church on Sunday. Unless you are able to find a church you like within a week or so because we are on the road all the time. Every team offers Chapel every Sunday at the ballpark, and I attend that every week.

Here's the article: http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070427&content_id=234453&vkey=news_milb&fext=.jsp&partnered=rss_chc. Here's the link to his journal's main site, along with 3 other minor leaguers (I'll add this link to my links): http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/features/journals/y2007/index.jsp. Also, here's an article about him from the Cubs site during spring training for more information about him: http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070323&content_id=1855988&vkey=spt2007news&fext=.jsp&c_id=chc.

Also, a note about Cubs catcher Michael Barrett, a Christian, helping to raise money for Derrek Lee's foundation to help find a cure for the disease that affected Lee's daughter:

Good cause: Michael Barrett will take part in a silent auction at Gino's East restaurant to benefit Project 3000 on May 1-6. Among the items to be auctioned are a white "W" flag signed by the entire Cubs team. The auction will be held at Gino's East at 162 E. Superior Street in Chicago, and fans are invited to come to the restaurant to bid on the items. The other items to be auctioned include a Barrett catcher's mitt, chest protector and cleats, Cubs jerseys, bats and balls, and four tickets and a field pass to a Cubs game this season. Winning bidders not present May 6 will be contacted by the restaurant. Barrett will take part in a meet and greet at the restaurant on May 6 from 7-10 p.m. CT.

Project 3000 is the nonprofit organization Cubs first baseman Derrek Lee established to find a cure for Lebers Congenital Amaurosis, a form of blindness which afflicts his daughter, Jada.

Here's the article: http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070427&content_id=1933567&vkey=news_chc&fext=.jsp&c_id=chc.

Lastly, a quote from former Ohio State football player and new Colts draft pick Anthony Gonzalez on being drafted by the Colts:

Gonzalez agreed. He said he was "hoping and praying'' he would be drafted by the Colts....

Here's the quote: http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070429/SPORTS03/704290394/1004/RSS02.