The FirstEnergy Stadium Minors to Majors

     FirstEnergy Stadium is such a unique place to start at when you want to go into the sport of baseball. For the minor league team was the lowest level and produced a lot of interesting players. Many famous players who we know of today started here like Robert “Denny” Doyle, 1968, second baseman, No. 15; Jimmy Rollins, 1999, short stop, No. 11; Ryan Howard, 2004, first baseman, No. 6; Mike Schmidt, 1971, third baseman, No.24; Larry Bowa, 1967-8, short stop, No. 10; Gregory Luzinski, 1970, left field, No. 19; and Guillermo “Willie” Hernandez, 1975, relief pitcher, No. 48.



The FirstEnergy Stadium 1950s
                                                                                          Photo by Mark Souders



     FirstEnergy Stadium is a 9,000-seat baseball-only stadium in Reading, Pennsylvania and the oldest home in the Eastern League. It assumed that distinction after Toronto's AA affiliate departed from Yale Field (1927) in New Haven, Connecticut, following the 2003 season. The home of the Reading Phillies is 36 years the senior of any other park in the EL. Harrisburg's Commerce Bank Park (formerly River Side Stadium), built in 1987, and is the league's second oldest park.



     Apart from being the longest affiliation in all of Minor League Baseball since 1967, the Reading Phillies ‘AA’ team, there is another team also paralleled and that is the Lakeland Flying Tigers. This team is from Lakeland, Florida and is a single ‘A’ team.

      While the facility has undergone a series of renovations over the years, the original seating bowl, dugouts and exterior brick wall have all remained and continue to provide tangible links to the past.

     Reading's Municipal Memorial Stadium was used for much more than just Minor League Baseball: High school football games, circuses and concerts changed the scenery at the stadium several times per year. On March 28, 1945, Reading City Council voted unanimously to purchase 27 acres of ground known as Cathedral Heights for the purpose of building a municipal stadium. In July 26, 1947 the grading of the land began and by 1949 the initial stages of construction could be seen. With a final price tag of $656,674, the stadium was completed on April 15, 1951. Named in honor of the service men and women who gave their lives for our country, Reading Municipal Memorial Stadium was dedicated on July 15 that same year.



The Outside view of FirstEnergy Stadium today 2012

                                  Photo courtesy by Reading Phillies.com



     Following another year without a team, in 1965, the Philadelphia Phillies agreed to affiliate with Reading. The relationship remains to this day and is the third longest between a Major League franchise and a farm team.

     In the fall of 1999, Reading Municipal Memorial Stadium was renamed GPU Stadium. In March the following year, a statue in the form of giant dog tags was placed outside the main entrance in a special rededication ceremony to honor the county's veterans. Before the 2002 season, GPU Stadium was renamed FirstEnergy Stadium, giving the ballpark its third title in 53 years.



     FirstEnergy Stadium retains the old-time ballpark feel that baseball fans cherish. The park has been known as “Americas Classic Ballpark” making it well known and attendance now is over 430,000 compared to 1950’s with 75-100,000 spectators. That equates to over 6,400 attendees per game and 69 games a year.

     There have been many different celebrity appearances over the years with such people as Taylor Swift, the country singer and her family who used to attend when she was little and sit on the third base side field level seats. Many other city officials of Reading, senators, and Philadelphian officials also attended the games.



Behind home plate at FirstEnergy Stadium today 2012

                                 Photo courtesy by Reading Phillies.com



     There are many things that go on at the stadium besides baseball to name a few kids happy half hour at Phunland, happy hour $1 off beer plus pre-game concert, $1 hot dog day, Run the Bases- all fans run around the bases after the game, and family night 4 for $49 deal.



     There are many game days that schedule a unique giveaway, which are to name a few Ryan Howard fleece blanket, R-Phils team baseball card poster, Cole Hammels back pack, Father’s Day Richie Ashburn style hat, Reading Indians throwback hat, R-Phils team baseball card set, Ryan Howard pillow case, and a Harry Kalas talking bobble head figure are given out to selected fans during entrance to the stadium.. 

     There is real grass at the stadium and not Astro-Turf to make it unique. “We have five to six guys on the crew and maintain it to the maximum,” said Stan Douglass, grounds crew manager and award recipient for being the best. “I make them work the field all the time to keep it healthy and make sure that it is right for the fans.”



Bill Coren number one coach for Strath Haven High School

     Middle-school teacher Bill Coren has provided the Upper Darby School District with 35 years of dedicated service. Coren has taught 8^th grade at Beverly Hills Middle School right after attending college and has thoroughly enjoyed it, he said.



Strath Haven track coach Bill Coren and girls team
                                                               Photo by Mark Souders

COA Qualifier Strath Haven's coach, Bill Coren

                                                     video by PennTrackXC.com



     Coren is originally from Springfield, Delaware County and began his education in the Springfield School District. After graduating from high school, he pursued a degree from Dickenson College with a B.A., Saint Joseph’s University for his master’s, and University of Pennsylvania for his Doctorate degree in education.

     Coren has received an award for Pennsylvania State Coach twice and has won some state titles over the years. In his profession he has earned 350 wins and 20 losses as a track-and-field and cross-country coach.

     Now as Strath Haven High School’s coach, retired from teaching at the middle school, is getting paid for the sport of cross-country and track-and-field for about twenty years. He coaches spring and winter with both sports.

     Now that Coren has become the age of 61 he said he is eager to move on with zest and courage to see his career through to the end.  At coaching, he is still providing service to the kids to help them to win and have fun, his number one priority.

     Coren talked about what it was like to be one of the most exciting and vibrant coaches for the Upper Darby and Strath Haven School Districts during a recent interview.

Q: Why did you choose athletics to be your career?



COREN: I was a teacher for eighth grade Upper Darby High School and just out of college and was asked by the school to come in and coach football, wrestling, and track. At that time I wanted to coach because that was a fun thing to do. In college I wanted to be a lawyer and taught half a year to students. I really enjoyed myself. I told my wife that I am not going to law school. I’m going to be a teacher instead.

Q: When did you decide that this is what you are going to do?



COREN: I had started teaching and there were programs open, coaching. I wanted to do it with the kids!  There is an ego emotion to want to do this also. It is more important for kids to have fun than to win, but winning also makes it fun! There was a most recent survey done about playing sports saying you are there to have fun rather than to win!

Q: At what age did you start doing this career?

COREN: I started in the year 1970 at age 22. You do not have to have a degree to do this. I had a college background when I started, but did not have to have schooling to do coaching.

Q: Did you get inspired when you were in school to do this?

COREN: I was an athlete in high school, but was not a great one at it. I wanted to be a coach and to become one. My uncle was a football coach and also my godfather. They sort of had fun with what they were doing! This was the most influential inspiring time of my life.

Q: What sports in school did you participate in?

COREN: I ran cross country, participated in wrestling, and ran track in high school. In middle school I just wrestled. Later in college I did not participate in anything except in my fraternity with league ball.

Q: What is a normal day for you at your job?



COREN: I come into the Athletic Director’s office in the morning. I call-in about 10:30 – 11:00 a.m. to see if anything is happening and school is ok. At about 2:00 p.m. I come in and sit around for half hour and talk to the director. I figure out what work-outs are going to be for that day and type up a lineup for kids so that they know what section they are in for the meet, what time they run, etc. Practice is at 3:15 to 4:45 p.m., Monday through Thursday. Friday and Saturday is our meets which last from 3:30 to 1:30 a.m. My wife has to tolerate all of this.

Q: When you are winning in a meet, do you strive to better yourself more or stay that way until the meet is over?

COREN: I try to keep the score down as much as possible. I run the good kids against the bad kids. I try to shut them out from winning. It is not a game to run up the score against another team. Winning 120 to 10 rather than 130 to 10 is the way that I think it should be.

Q: Is that a hard job to do being a coach?

COREN: There is a lot to it, but it’s more fun than difficult. I don’t think a person off the street who comes in and takes the coaching program will be nearly as successful. Once there is a program set up then we just seem to get good kids. Part of this is a tradition, part coaching, and therefore kids that have good talent come out to try out and get on a team.

Q: Did you have to go to college to be a coach?

COREN: Probably not. I would say, no. To be a teacher you have to go to college. You can be a coach without ever having to go to school and reaching a degree. You have to have the knowledge. A lot of schools in Philly have coaches with just a teacher’s degree. They would pick a person for the coaching job that has some sort of degree over someone that does not have one.

Q: What do you prefer, playing indoors or outdoors?



COREN: Distance running girls do two weeks outdoors on their own and workouts indoors. When spring comes along, both cross-country and track are outdoors. I don’t care where we work out whether indoors or out. I don’t prefer one over the other.

Q: How do you use your leadership skills to help cross-country and track strive to win a meet?

COREN: Kids usually reflect the coach. If the coach is a leader and expects to win, then that is what the kids expect. At Strath Haven, we know our reputation. We are here to have fun number one priority, but to win is number two. And we keep it fun. The shirts the girls wear have flowers on them. For the girls, I make it so number one priority is the sport that they are playing, number two is boys, and number three is school when it comes to playing a sport for us. Good leaders have good teams. They have talent. Strath Haven is a great place to coach!

Lower Merion Aces battle Pencrest Lions for PIAA District I Class 4A



Lower Merion Aces show Pencrest Lions whos boss
                                                              Photo by Mark Souders

Lower Merion Aces and Pencrest Lions Game
                                                                  Video by youtube.com

      Nearly a thousand basketball fans packed Lower Merion High School’s Bryant gymnasium to see the Penncrest Lions (31) and Lower Merion Aces (2) boys’ teams play the PIAA District 1 Class 4A playoff game Friday night, Feb. 17, 2012 at 7:30 p.m. with a win for the Aces 57-32. This win enables Lower Merion to compete in the playoffs for State Division title.

     Lower Merion has a league record of 20-2-0 against Penncrest’s league record of 11-11-0.  Penncrest’s team, Eddie Baxter, No. 1, a 5-foot-11 forward with eleven points, Jim Allen, No. 4, a 6-foot-1 forward with 8 points, and Kalvin Simpson, No. 25, a 6-foot-6 guard with 5 points. Lower Merion’s team, Darryl Reynolds, No. 31, a 6-foot-7 forward with 12 points, and Raheem Hall, No. 34, a 6-foot-2 guard with 14 points.

     “It was a good game, and I think I have a lot of respect for Penncrest and their coach Mike Doyle,” said Gregg Downer, head coach for Lower Merion’s boys’ basketball team.

     “Sometimes this game goes long and deep, and sometimes you play a little tight, but at the end of the day we come back again tomorrow,” Downer said. “We play to win and that’s our philosophy!”

     “Such a big part of what we do, break inside, and break outside and just losing the ball to a rebounder,” said Mike Doyle, head coach for Penncrest’s boys’ basketball team.  “It was so crowded, they’re seniors and it’s part of a legacy to be playing for 60 years and going to the districts four years in a row! The players and I had tears in our eyes in the locker-room!” 



Lower Merion Aces battle Chester Clippers for State Title

     Nearly six thousand basketball fans packed Villanova pavilion gymnasium to see the Chester Clippers (1) and Lower Merion Aces (2) boys’ teams play the PIAA District 1 Class 4A final playoff game Friday night, Mar. 2, 2012 at 9:00 p.m. with a loss for the Aces 61-53. This win enables the Clippers to win the State Division title.



Lower Merion Aces and Chester Clippers entrance
                                                                Photo by Mark Souders

Lower Merion and Chester Clippers Game highlight
             Video courtesy by MsBee0001's channel youtube.com 



     Chester has a league record of 27-0-0 against Lower Merion’s league record of 20-2-0. Chester’s team, Rondae Jefferson, No. 23, a 6-foot-7 point-guard with 15 points, Darius Robinson, No. 2, a 6-foot-1 guard with 15 points, and Erikk Wright, No. 35, a 6-foot-4 forward with 10 points. Lower Merion’s team, Darryl Reynolds, No. 31, a 6-foot-7 forward with 21 points, Raheem Hall, No. 34, a 6-foot-2 guard with 14 points and B.J. Johnson, No. 35, a 6-foot-5 guard with 6 points.

     The first quarter started out with Lower Merion’s Darryl Reynolds, No. 31, with 4 points, B.J. Johnson, No. 35, with 2 points, JaQuan Johnson, No. 1, with 2 points and Yohanny Dalembert, No. 40, with 1 point for a total of 9 points. Chester’s Erikk Wright, No. 35, with 6 points, Rondae Jefferson, No. 23, with 4 points, Darius Robinson, No. 2, with 4 points, and Kareem Robinson, No. 1, with 2 points for a total of 16 points to end the quarter.

     The second quarter started with Lower Merion’s Raheem Hall, No. 34, with 4 points, Darryl Reynolds, No. 31, with 2 points, and B.J. Johnson, No. 35, with 2 points for a total of 7 points. Chester’s Tavaune Griffin, No. 34, with 4 points, Erikk Wright, No. 35, with 2 points, Rondae Jefferson, No. 23, with 2 points, and Darius Robinson, No. 2, with 1 point for a total of 9 points to end the second quarter.



     The third quarter started with Lower Merion’s Darryl Reynolds, No. 31, with 9 points, Raheem Hall, No. 34, with 4 points, and Justin McFadden, No.25, with 2 points for a total of 15 points. Chester’s Kareem Robinson, No. 1, with 6 points, Rondae Jefferson, No. 23, with 5 points, Darius Robinson, No. 2, with 2 points, Richard Cranberry, No. 32, with 2 point, and Tavaune Griffin, No. 34, with 2 points for a total of 17 points to end the third quarter.

     The fourth quarter started with Lower Merion’s Raheem Hall, No. 34, with 8 points, Darryl Reynolds, No. 31, with 6 points, Yohanny Dalembert, No. 40, with 4 points, B.J. Johnson, No. 5, with 3 points, and Justin McFadden, No.25, with 1 point for a total of 22 points. Chester’s Darius Robinson, No. 2, with 9 points, Tymier Butler, No. 11, with 4 points, Rondae Jefferson, No. 23, with 4 points, and Erikk Wright, No. 35, with 2 points for a total of 19 points to end the fourth quarter.

     “The game was pretty intense, Lower Merion came in pretty hard,” said Rondae Jefferson point-guard no. 23 Chester High School. “In that time they fought like every possession of the game so that they could win.” “It was just a pretty tough game, we just had to… It came down to the wire, we pulled it out!” Jefferson made 18 points for the game and highlighted the game with a fast recovery. A junior at age 13 and from Chester, Pa., he is a star for his team. Being a point-guard he is a leader in every sense of the word with telling the team what to do and how to do it.

     “It was just a pruning, I felt like it progressed some of it I am biased, but umm it was a good game,” said matt from Lower Merion High School. “They were obviously the better team because they came out on top, Chester High had a lot of simple mistakes in the beginning and we did too, but obviously Chester High is the better team.  I think Lower Merion was very aggressive and nervous. We are out of the division title, but are still no. 2 seed for the state playoffs. We have to play three more games till the end of the state title.”

Basketball color to change?



Famous Historic basketball
Photo courtesy by  Wikipedia

Spalding Platinum ZkPro
Photo courtesy by Wikipedia



     The basketball, built from panels of leather stitched together with a rubber bladder inside. A cloth lining was added to the leather for support and uniformity. A molded version was invented in 1942. From 1967 to 1976, the American Basketball Association (ABA) used a distinctive red, white, and blue basketball that is still seen from time to time. Now that the colors have changed, the basketball exhibits an orange color with black bands.

     From the late 70’s till now the basketball is different shades of orange with a composite material as the covering. What made the basketball change in color from red, white, and blue to orange? Is it because that orange is a universal color and can be seen better.

     With the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) the ball must be orange and white. With the National Basketball Association (NBA) the ball must be orange in color.



     Could the basketball be standard for everyone, woman and men, be red, white, and blue with a slight change for the women? What is the orange color for and why was it changed?  To be seen better, a universal color, or to get away from being red, white, and blue?

     Organized basketball leagues have rigorous specifications for the balls to be used in an official competition game. The deciding factors are weight, inflation pressure, bounce, circumference, color, and materials. Most of the leagues today use similar specifications for their balls which are a size 7 for the men’s and size 6 for the women’s by manufacturing.

     Can the basketball have a universal color as in the early years with being red, white, and blue rather than being orange? What does orange do for basketball rather than the earlier colors of red, white, and blue?