Bits & Pieces

By Kim J. Harmon

 

I have an uneasy feeling that 2005 might be a down year for Newtown sports.  Come on, it must be time for fate to even things out, right?

With the Newtown Babe Ruth 10-year-old All Stars reaching the Cal Ripken World Series, the Newtown High School boys’ and girls’ soccer teams winning CIAC Class LL state championships; three athletes committing to major Division I programs; and two all-time basketball scoring records being broken it seems as if the community has been blessed with remarkable success over the last year.

Can it continue?

I sure hope so because 2004 was a lot of fun and I would love to cover it all over again.

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Is it just me, or have the New York Yankees – from the groundskeeper right up to George Steinbrenner – completely lost their minds?

Not only are they are absolutely obsessed with acquiring a 41-year-old pitcher and giving him a two- or three-year contract extension (at about $16 million per, no less) they are, at the same time, looking to acquire 26-year-old Carlos Beltran (who only hit .268 last year) and giving him $16-$20 million a year.

And besides that, they are desperate to unload Javier Vazquez, who was 14-10 with a 4.91 earned run average last year (numbers which, if he were a free agent from Montreal or Florida, would be see Vazquez offered more than $10 million per year by the Yankees).

And with all this mess the team payroll could exceed $250 million in 2005 – which, as we all know, is no guarantee the Yankees will even make it to the World Series.

Utter madness.

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There may be snow on the ground (at least there is as of this writing), but the Newtown Babe Ruth Baseball League is preparing for the spring. Registrations are currently in progress with walk-in registrations scheduled for Saturdays, January 22 and 29, at the Edmond Town Hall. For further information, visit www.eteamz.com/newtownbaseball on the web.

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It’s time to get that golf swing in shape.

Players young and old can work out the kinks in their game with lessons held at Golf Quest in Brookfield. Junior players (ages 8 to 16) can meet from 4:30 to 5:30 pm on Mondays (January 3, 10, 17 and 24), Tuesdays (February 1, 8, 15 and 22) or Wednesdays (March 2, 9, 16 and 23) while adults (ages 16 and over) can meet from 6 to 7 pm on Mondays (January 3, 10, 17 and 24), Tuesdays (February 1, 8, 15 and 22) or Wednesdays (March 2, 9, 16 and 23). In each case, the cost is $100 for four lessons.

Call the Parks and Recreation Department at 270-4340 for further information.

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Just drop in.

That’s right, if you are itching to play a little basketball or even a little soccer the Newtown Parks and Recreation Department is sponsoring some drop-in programs.

Adult Coed Drop-In Soccer will meet on Saturdays from 7 to 8:30 am at the Newtown Middle School starting on January 8 (don’t worry – all skill levels are welcome, but open to Newtown residents only). Call Marlena Smith at 1-914-760-9307 for further information.

The there is Men’s Over 35 Drop-In Basketball and Adult Drop-In Basketball. Both are meeting right now, with the Over 35 program meeting Saturdays from 7 to 9 am at the Newtown High School and the Adult program meeting Fridays from 7 to 9 pm in the Newtown Middle School B gym (both are open to Newtown residents only).

Call the Parks and Recreation Department at 270-4340 for further information.

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The Danbury Bowling Association will sponsor a 2005 Singles Scratch Tournament on Sunday, January 9, at 1 pm, at Lore Lanes on Danbury Road in New Milford. Check in by 12 noon. The tournament is sanctioned by the American Bowling Congress.

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It’s never too early to start preparing for a half marathon.

The Greater Danbury Half Marathon/5k Road Race – expected to draw more than 1,000 runners – will be held Sunday, April 3. The race is an HVSports-sponsored event (HVSports seeks to promote, coordinate and host sporting events and activities that have a positive impact on the region’s economy and quality of life).

For further information, call Penn Gardner, Inc., public relations at 778-3944.