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Wednesday, March 29, 2006

Youth Benefit Tournament

I just got the schedule for the weekend. Rather than send you the
confusing bracket information, I'll just tell you that we play Saturday
at 9:00, 11:00 and 12:00, so our day will be over by 1:00 Saturday
afternoon.

All games will be at the Virginia Highlands complex at the
corner of 15TH Street and Joyce Street and across 15th Street from the
Nordstroms parking garage in Pentagon City. (Think you can find it Mike
Mattoon? UHH MAYBE TOM) please be there by 8:30 to warm up.

Our first game in Sunday's double elimination tournament will be
determined by how we do in bracket play on Saturday. Games Sunday will
start at 10:00 am, but our first game could be as late as 11:00. We
play until we have lost two, with the last possible game of the day
scheduled to start at 7:00 pm. The Exporters are in the opposite bracket, so we
may get to face them again.

The team tournament fee is $200.00, which I am fronting. To cover the
cost, I'd like each guy to chip in $10.00 for each day played, i.e
$10.00 for either Saturday or Sunday, and $20.00 for both days. If this
is any kind of a problem for anyone, please let me know.

TOM

Thursday, March 23, 2006

Trophy Presentation

We had a good turnout last night, and were able to present the trophy
from last fall to Dana. We shared good food, good drink and bad stories
about our favorite umpire, Kenny. Thanks to all who made it.
For those who were unable to join us, we missed you. Pictures are below:

Our owner with the Co-MVP of the 2005 season.



The future 2B for the Stripes, Mattthew Hatfield.


Tuesday, March 21, 2006

Team update from Tom

I was going to do it tomorrow, Tuesday, but the weather looks terrible.
So let's do it on Wednesday this week. I'm starting at 7:00 in the
hopes that some people with conflicting early commitments can swing by as
soon as they are available, but I should be there by 6:45. Stars & Stripes
has indicated interest in sponsoring us again this Spring, so I am
hoping for as reasonable a turnout as possible. Please let me know
whether or not to expect you at the party. I know that Mark Ulrich is
out.

Also please let me know whether or not you will play in the Youth
Benefit Tournament on April 1 and 2. To remind you of the format, on
Saturday we play three games, usually reasonably close to each other in
the early part of the day. On Sunday, we play a double-elimination
tournament, with seeding determined by our results on Saturday. I would
like to have a critical mass of players from our team, then augment as
necessary with walk-ons, team friends and family members. I know that
Mike Chapman, Chris Boniface and Al Peterson are not available.

Friday I received the practice request information. My intention is to
sign up for two nights during the practice period, hopefully starting
at 7:00 or 8:00. We will only have an hour for each, so I will try to
schedule both fielding and batting practice. I will keep everyone
posted.

Participation in the voluntary batting practice Saturday morning was
somewhat scant. Thanks to Dave Buttner for showing up. Between the Ex
Traders, the Exporters and my coed team, the SIIA BYTES, we had five of
us at Cameron Run. Jay came there after finding out that Upton Hill had
not opened as scheduled Saturday morning. Actually, this wasn't
necessarily bad because the machines kept jamming. I plan to go to
Cameron again this coming Saturday morning, and welcome anyone who
wants to join me.

Mark Ulrich will not be able to play with us this season. He is
undergoing a significant operation on his right elbow this week. Mark,
we will miss you, and hope you can join us as often as possible to bend
your other elbow.

I helped conduct the Arlington tryouts last Saturday, as I have done
for the last couple of years. While I do not actively recruit for our team
at the tryouts, I do keep an eye out for players who I think would be a
good fit for us. Two years ago I met Mike Chapman there. Last year I
met Chris Boniface. I look for decent, versatile players who appear to be
good guys, as both Mike and Chris truly are. Dave brought us Lee
Defibaugh in the Fall, another guy in the same mold, so we are really
not looking to add players. However, on Saturday, I identified one or
two guys that might fit with us and add infield and outfield depth and
youth. I haven't asked either to play with us this Spring yet, and
hopefully will be able to evaluate one or both of them during the youth
benefit tournament.

Tom

Monday, March 13, 2006

Update from Tom

I just received notification that we have been accepted in the Monday
night division we played in last year. Our first game will be Monday,
April 17, schedule yet to come.

The batting cages at Cameron Run and Upton Hills Parks open Saturday at
10:00 am. I intend to be at Cameron Run by 10:30, and welcome any and
all of you to join me. Bring your gloves and we will throw some in the
parking lot in addition to taking swings in the cages. This is our
first
(voluntary) practice of the year. If anyone would like to head up a
practice at Upton Hills, please let me know, otherwise we can all just
go to Cameron. I encourage everyone to spend as much time in the cages
as they can this season.

As soon as they allow me to, I will sign up for a couple of practice
times with Arlington County.

The Youth Benefit Tournament will be held Saturday and Sunday, April 1
and 2. I intend to enter our team in that tournament and will ask for a
preliminary nose count next week.

Finally, I have been having trouble connecting with the Stars & Stripes
to arrange a sponsorship for this season, so there is a real
possibility
they may not sponsor us. At the same time, Arlington has significantly
increased the fees this season. If we are unable to obtain a sponsor,
the team fee for the Spring season will fall in the range of $50 to $60
per player, depending on the number of regular players we have on the
team.

If I can connect with Stars & Stripes, we will set up a team party
sometime before April 17.

I look forward to seeing everyone again.
Tom

Top (L to R): Mike Mattoon, Dave Buttner, Alan Boyd, Al Peterson, Dan Meehan, Tom Meldrum (El Hefe)

Bottom: Al Schneider, Jeff Donald, Lee Defibaugh, Andrew Kessler, Chris Boniface, Jim Foti

Not Pictured: Mike Chapman, John Gulisano, Jeff Morris, Ed Reich

Fall 2006