_________________________________________________________ F A M E F O R U M N E W S L E T T E R N A T I O N A L W O M E N 'S B A S E B A L L H A L L O F F A M E National Syndicated Column (contents are protected) Copyrights(c), NWB Hall of Fame, 1998-2008 TXU877085, TXU959430, TXU973266, TXU013972, TXU986753, TXU949885, TXU004037, TXU022893, TXU026161, TXU047111, TXU050230, TXU061149, TXU088068, TXU120937, TXU148132, TXU163784, TXU170668, TXU196853, TXU211917, TXU216769, TXU234252, TXU253116, TXU260664, TXU276615, TXU288273, TXU311442, TXU348663, TXU346055. Issue Number 00399 _________________________________________________________ Volume XI, Number 05 Publisher and Author February 28, 2008 Richard C. Jaffeson Washington, DC HallFame@usa.com http://www.eteamz.com/hallfame _________________________________________________________ 2007 NWB HALL OF FAME INDUCTION KRIS "LEFTY" RANISZEWSKI SEE THE WEBSITE FOR ALL "HALL OF FAMERS" http://www.eteamz.com/hallfame/albums DIDRIKSON, HOWARD, SCHILLACE, DANCER, FERGUSON, WINTER, WRIGHT, LUKASIK, MILLIKEN, BALLENTINE, GEYER, WALLACE, CIULLA, GUIDACE, MACURIO, SHELDON, BEAUCHAMP, HUDSON, BRENNEMAN, FERENO, SWEENEY, NELSON, DOMINGUEZ, TRIOLO TED WILLIAMS WEBSITE http://www.saveted.net _________________________________________________________ A. COLUMN: TALES OF NARDA (BOOK 8): ORIGIN OF THE MAGIC BAT No one knows for certain when this extraordinary tree was planted in the Quigley's backyard, except that it has been there for a long, long time in its current configuration, as far back as anyone can remember before any homes were constructed or there were even paved roads. Some say its origin stems from colonial times, but this too is highly speculative since no accurate records exist to attest to its initial creation. There are only mythical marks and rings deep within the tree itself which may never reveal internal secrets to mere strangers while it still stands. In order to comprehend, we must be able to perceive and imagine the magic contained inside. However, when such trees mature, which takes a considerable number of years, they extend their sturdy branches upward for more than two hundred feet. The brilliant green leaves and colorful bright red fruit create a delightful atmosphere generating health and warmth to those who seek shelter under its outstretched bows and stay to breathe its rarified air. How deep the roots of these trees descend is also uncertain, since no one before has ever explored that far underground. Some say they may reach to the beginning of time or perhaps connect to other worlds. And, it is also said that wherever they grow, nothing evil dare enter within one hundred miles of these magnificent plants. Of course, most people are unaware of their presence while they busily conduct their daily affairs, and do not know how to differentiate between these trees and ordinary apple or cherry, except that they appear taller and somehow glow towards evening. For those who see the spirit of life in others and their surroundings, they may observe and sense such things in nature. Local lore postulates this particular tree maintained by the Quigleys, since no one may truly own them, was brought here many years ago as a seedling from London. How it was transported to Virginia colony, and who accomplished this marvelous feat is unknown and inevitably lost to history, however this tree flourished in the New World. Like many long-lived giants as the Wye Oak on Maryland's eastern shore or the sequoia General Sherman in California, this tree with the passage of time encountered many famous individuals. In its earliest days, luminaries including George Washington and Thomas Jefferson rode past when it first began to sprout and develop its magic. For this tale to begin, we need not return that far, but only two decades or so to the backyard of a stately home owned by an admiral engaged in frequent naval assignments which circumnavigated the globe. Those cruises took him great distances to the Far East and Indian subcontinent. We join a young girl, his daughter, who is playing near her favorite tree where she encountered a new neighbor who hopped the fence to visit and make friends. "Hellooo," a bright cheery voice offered a greeting as the new neighbor straightened up from his jump and added, "What's your name?" "Hellooo yourself! I'm Narda!" she proudly beamed while brushing herself off in an unsuccessful attempt to look more respectable in this unexpected encounter. As usual, she was grinning and covered with scarps of leaves and dirty soil from running around her favorite tree as fast as she possibly could. "What a funny name!" he proclaimed. Narda normally would have considered that a rude remark and have snapped right back. But, he said it in such a way and his face was so engaging that she accepted it as a compliment, and interpreted the reply as if he meant her name was unique, which it was, and something to be regarded with respect. "I've yet to discover anyone else with it," she returned his smile. "It IS special! There is never any confusion in classes at school. Hey, Narda, that's me!" "Can't say I have either, at least as a person that is," and he stuck out a skinny arm to shake and followed with, "What's your father do?" "Oh, he sails around the world. He's the Admiral of India, or something," she laughed. "There's no such thing," he responded. "The last Viceroy was Lord Mountbatten. British! India has been independent for a long while, ever since World War II." Narda could see this new fellow would be challenging, and perhaps useful in studying for history quizzes. Naturally, she assumed his parents were with either State or CIA. "What do you do around here for fun?" he further inquired not wishing to pursue dialogue pertaining to the high seas, and he was more interested in her magnificent tree. He began circling the tree paying more attention to it than to his new acquaintance, which she noticed. "Oh, that's been here for ages before they even built the neighborhood. I like playing under its broad branches, and it seems to talk to me and glow in the dark. But, no one else believes me. Do you?!" "Yes, indeed I do!" he excitedly exclaimed. "This is a very special tree. It is magic!" "Hey, what do you mean?" she energetically demanded. "Just as I said," he smiled, "it has magical powers." "I'm not letting that go," Narda grew more concerned. "What exactly do you mean?" she repeated. "The original tree of this kind came from another world," he explained, "it was brought here transported in one of its apples which was planted in London. The apples bring good health and knowledge, and the trees are spiritually connected to one another and beyond our world. They also have the uncanny ability to ward off evil. You are most fortunate to have one of your very own in your backyard. And, I'm extremely pleased to have moved next door." "Well, it has always been here," and she looked at her tree differently now, "even before they built our house." The neighbor began to explain there were several stories about the original tree that was located in another world from which the one in London and this were the offsprings. He indicated those stories were full of adventure with young people their age who were able to visit that land. They traveled there whenever they wanted to see magical things like talking animals, and through those experiences began to better understand life. The author of those tales used talking animals to reveal insights into human nature. He emphasized four primary virtues of prudence, temperance, justice, and fortitude; and indicated the greatest iniquity was pride or vanity, which could be countered by humility. In his version of "Natural Law," anyone could determine right from wrong, and talking animals demonstrated dilemmas and resolutions through his stories. One's values determine actions. However, in this story, it was starting to become dark, and the neighbor had only briefly scratched the surface regarding tales about the tree. "Well, that's all interesting," Narda considered his remarks, "but I don't think my tree is that magical." "Why is that?" he was most curious. "There was a big windstorm last weekend," she explained, "and one its limbs fell down." She pointed to the tree, "It couldn't even protect itself from a storm." "The tree in London was also blown down many years ago soon after World War II," he indicated. "It withstood Nazi bombings, but it too eventually succumbed to nature. True, they are long-lived, but these things do happen. The wood was saved because it retained magical powers, and its timber was made into a wardrobe. Do you still have that limb?" "We called the county to pick it up," she indicated. "but they haven't come by yet." "I'd like to see that limb," he seemed most eager. "Well, it's just a limb," she casually commented as they walked to the side of the house, "not much to make into a piece of furniture, or wardrobe, or something." The neighbor examined the remains which were glowing, since it was near sundown. "Marvelous, marvelous," he muttered. "What do you mean?" she leaned over closer to him in order to see better. "This would be just the right size for a baseball bat," he proclaimed. "Dad has a wood lathe in the basement, which he just unpacked." "You mean turn this limb into a bat," Narda screeched, "just like in 'The Natural?' Roy Hobbs had 'Wonder Boy' with a lightening bolt carved into the barrel." "Better than Hobbs' bat," he broadly smiled, "because it's from this tree! You'll hit anything!" "Come on!" Narda was excited for she loved baseball. "Let's saw off the right amount," the neighbor began to plan, "after dinner I'll trim and shape your bat, but you'll have to do the rest." "Yeah, I know," Narda concurred, "sand, finish, and coat it properly. Deal!" "Kee-rect!" he grinned, "after all it will be your magic bat, and it should last forever." And, so this part of our adventure concludes with the bat in the making. It should be noted that Narda with this wonderful magic at her side became a star baseball player for the Virginia Flames, and also concurrently obtained a doctorate from the University of Maryland. In 2003, she received a national MVP award from the NWB Hall of Fame, and her accomplishments were noted in the story, "Phi Lambda Alpha House," Fame Forum, Volume VI, Number 31, December 7, 2003 (see website and excerpt below). http://www.eteamz.com/hallfame/files/C-Dec03A.txt "Phi Lambda Alpha House," (concluding excerpt) Fame Forum, Volume VI, Number 31, December 7, 2003 In addition, two more players received national MVP awards in 2003, Donna Middleton and Narda Quigley. Otter uncovered confidential nomination statements submitted by JoAnn Milliken which read as follows. "Donna's strength is in her versatility, as the consummate utility player. She can literally play any position, and she has played every position for the Flames. She has pitched for us on a number of occasions, has often been our catcher, and played every infield and outfield position. The great thing is that Donna plays every position well." "Narda is also a versatile team member, playing both outfield and catcher, and she is learning to pitch. Narda is a demon on the basepath with her famous hook slide. She plays in dirt better than anyone on our team. She is most endearing for her spirit. Narda really sparks the team, makes us laugh by creating nicknames for everyone, and spouting words of wisdom for our batters." Congratulations to the Flames (F-Phi, L-Lambda, A-Alpha, M-Mu, E-Epsilon, S-Sigma) MVP players Donna Middleton and Narda Quigley. They are recognized for consistent exceptional [magical] performance. At the University of Maryland, she earned a PhD in business management in November 2003. Some say that there was magic associated with this too for that domain was once ruled by Rudy the Lion with advice from Edwin "The Man with Two Brains," and rumor has it that some wisdom was obtained from Princess Judy "The Flaming Redhead from the Land Down Under;" but these are yet untold stories. UMCP DISSERTATION SUMMARY Candidate: Quigley, Narda Roxanne Advisors: Locke, Edwin A., and Tesluk, Paul E. Programs: Management and Organization Keywords: Business Administration, Management (0454), Psychology, Industrial (0624), Business Administration, General (0310) Issuance: 11-Nov-2003 Topics: "Relationship between leader core self-evaluations, team feedback, leader efficacy, transformational leadership, team efficacy, team goals, team action and transition processes, and team performance." Abstract: "This research attempts to explain how internal team leaders can help teams perform in high stress, dynamic environments. Specifically, the aim of the research was to examine a chain of relationships starting from the team leaders' core self evaluations and ending in team performance." "Several core research questions were examined, including: Do leaders' core self-evaluations and self-efficacy serve as important antecedents of transformational leadership? Is transformational leadership an important antecedent of team efficacy? How does team efficacy lead to higher levels of team performance?" "First, I reviewed the extant relevant literature. Second, I derived from this review a theoretical model which proposes that both leader core self-evaluations and team feedback may influence leader self-efficacy and transformational leadership. Transformational leadership may then influence team efficacy, which in turn may influence performance through its impact on team goals and team action." Note: The above article was significantly modified from the C.S. Lewis series. "Chronicles of Narnia" and "Narnia" are trademarks held by the C.S. Lewis estate limited. Lewis, 1898-1963, authored seven books by that title, was a professor of English literature, and eventually became a renown commentator on religion. This article is a parody and adaptation retitled as "Tales of Narda," who is Narda Roxanne Quigley, PhD. This Narda was a member of the Virginia Flames, and currently plays women's baseball in Philadelphia. From 1941-1944, C.S. Lewis delivered a series of weekly radio broadcasts for the BBC in London. Themes dealt with morality and religion, such as, "Right and Wrong," and "Natural Law," and were presented in 10-15 minute segments. In 1951, the entire collection was produced as one volume. Available free from the NWB Hall of Fame are ribbons with "Jackie's Nine Values," by Jackie Robinson, and Ben Franklin's, "Thirteen Virtues" (see the website homepage for an order form). http://www.eteamz.com/hallfame B. NWB HALL OF FAME PRODUCTS These baseball items are available from the NWB Hall of Fame: commemorative buttons (2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, and 1999), t-shirts, caps, and bats. Free commemorative ribbons are available. The website main page has an order form, and the photo page displays several items. http://www.eteamz.com/hallfame C. HISTORIC TIMELINE February 26, 1887 Grover Cleveland Alexander birthdate, MLB Hall of Fame. February 26, 1935 Babe Ruth signed with Boston Braves. February 27, 1877 Spike Briggs birthdate, MLB owner. February 27, 1964 April Heinricks birthdate, soccer star. February 29, 1736 Ann Lee birthdate, established American Shakers. February 29, 1972 Hank Aaron signs first $200,000 contract. March 1, 1917 Dinah Shore birthdate, entertainer. March 1, 1973 Robyn Smith first win at Aqueduct. March 2, 1909 Mel Ott birthdate, MLB Hall of Fame. March 3, 1860 Monte Ward birthdate, MLB Hall of Fame. March 3, 1872 Willie Keller birthdate, MLB Hall of Fame. March 3, 1962 Jackie Joyner Kersee birthdate, Olympic athlete. March 4, 1891 Dazzy Vance birthdate, MLB Hall of Fame. March 4, 1897 Lefty O'Doul birthdate, MLB executive. March 4, 1939 Joanne Carner birthdate, golf champion. March 5, 1939 Samantha Eggar birthdate, film actor. March 6, 1885 Ring Lardner birthdate, sportswriter. March 6, 1900 Lefty Grove birthdate, MLB Hall of Fame. March 6, 1940 Willie Stargell birthdate, MLB Hall of Fame. March 7, 1938 Janet Guthrie birthdate, race car driver. March 7, 1942 Michael Eisner birthdate, MLB executive. March 8, 1922 Carl Furillo birthdate, MLB player. March 8, 1943 Lynn Redgrave birthdate, film actor. March 9, 1912 Arky Vaughn birthdate, MLB Hall of Fame. March 10, 1860 Charlie Dryden birthdate, MLB sportswriter. March 10, 1993 Sherry Davis hired to announce Giants games. March 11, 1892 First basketball game in Springfield, MA. March 12, 1946 Liza Minelli birthdate, entertainer. March 12, 1962 Darryl Strawberry birthdate, MLB player. March 13, 1886 "Home Run" Baker birthdate, MLB Hall of Fame. March 13, 1929 Helen Callaghan birthdate, baseball player. March 14, 1914 Harry Caray birthdate, MLB announcer. March 15, 1888 Fred Lieb birthdate, MLB sportswriter. March 15, 1912 Cy Young retires with 511 wins. March 16, 1876 Nelly Saunders and Rose Harland prizefight. March 16, 1906 Lloyd Waner birthdate, MLB Hall of Fame. March 17, 1917 First women's bowling tournament. March 17, 1956 Mae Jemison birthdate, Endeavor astronaut. March 18, 1953 Boston Braves approve move to Milwaukee. March 18, 1927 George Plimpton birthdate, sports writer. March 19, 1871 Joe McGinnity birthdate, MLB Hall of Fame. March 19, 1927 Richie Ashburn birthdate, MLB Hall of Fame. March 19, 1998 Rupert Murdoch purchases LA Dodgers. March 20, 1973 Roberto Clemente induction MLB Hall of Fame. March 21, 1934 Babe Didrikson pitches inning in exhibition game for the Philadelphia Athletics. D. FAME FORUM ISSUES Volume XI, 2008 Season Publications Number 05, Tales of Narda: Origin of the Magic Bat, February 28. Number 04, Clifford's Favorite Store (Ballentine), February 15. Number 03, Bases Loaded, Reel Two, (baseball movies) February 12. Number 02, Bases Loaded Remake (Sunset Boulevard), February 2. Number 01, That Was the Year That Was, January 2. http://www.eteamz.com/hallfame/handouts E. NWB HALL OF FAME PROGRAMS The National Women's Baseball Hall of Fame, an independent not-for-profit organization established September 1998, is situated in suburban Washington, DC. The objective is to recognize achievements of women in regulation baseball. The NWB Hall of Fame offers these programs for participants in regulation baseball with organized leagues. Managers are are encouraged to recommend recognition awards and suggest articles on their teams, players, or events. Applications are available through email and are posted on the website. NWB HALL OF FAME INDUCTIONS Nominations for the NWB Hall of Fame are due September 30. Inductions may include four current and one previous players by formal application or candidate statement. NATIONAL MVP AND MANAGER AWARDS MVP player and manager award requests are due December 31. Season nominations should be by a manager or administrator. One MVP player per team may be selected annually. Membership covers transmission of newsletters, announcements, invitations, applications, and access to all website pages. Membership is $9.00 renewed annually, and an application is available on the NWB Hall of Fame website. _________________________________________________________ NATIONAL WOMEN'S BASEBALL HALL OF FAME Richard C. Jaffeson, Executive Director PO Box 15282, Chevy Chase, Maryland 20825 301-847-0102 HallFame@USA.com http://www.eteamz.com/hallfame "National Women's Baseball Hall of Fame" is a registered trade name with the State of Maryland. MD672265, October 19, 1998. Programs, articles, and contents presented herein are protected under provisions of the U.S. Copyright Office, Library of Congress. Fame Forum registrations are listed below. TXU877085, TXU959430, TXU973266, TXU013972, TXU986753, TXU949885, TXU004037, TXU022893, TXU026161, TXU047111, TXU050230, TXU061149, TXU088068, TXU120937, TXU148132, TXU163784, TXU170668, TXU196853, TXU211917, TXU216769, TXU234252, TXU253116, TXU260664, TXU276615, TXU288273, TXU311442, TXU348663, TXU346055. Copyrights(c), NWB Hall of Fame, 1998-2008 __________________________________________________________