_________________________________________________________ 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 00422 _________________________________________________________ Volume XI, Number 28 Publisher and Author October 5, 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: MELISSA GIBBONS ARTICLE FROM 2000 This year 2008 Melissa Gibbons and Rosie Weaver are being considered for induction into the NWB Hall of Fame. Ballots and applications with statements were distributed Friday, October 3 to the National Selection Committee with returns requested Monday, October 6. Seventy-five percent (75%) approval of those voting is required, and selections will be announced in future issues. While we await committee results, there were prior articles on Gibbons and Weaver, and they are being distributed over this weekend as accessory background information. Melissa Gibbons in this issue of Fame Forum #422. "Distance and Desire," Volume III, Number 60, November 17, 2000 Rosie Weaver in the prior issue of Fame Forum #421. "Flamin', Throwin', Cracklin' Rosie," Volume VIII, Number 29, December 5, 2005 "DISTANCE AND DESIRE," Volume III, Number 60, November 17, 2000 Colorful steep hills embrace clear bright skies as autumn is never quite the same after seeing the early morning sun awaken the heart of eastern and central Pennsylvania. Ridge upon ridge upon ridge... roll like waves, but remain unmoving in stillness as the ocean frozen upon the darkness of this land before dawn. Trees stretch straight upward with trunks below attached at the same steep angle to the hillsides. They add softness to the peaks and smooth dramatic breaks between the valleys. From the ridge tops, there are distant vistas. Along the roads and trails there are quick turns, fast streams, and beautiful colors at sunrise, especially during autumn. The best time to appreciate and understand our nature is somewhere like this when the sun begins to bring its light and warmth, it covers the tops of the hills first and the tallest trees. The valleys below with villages and towns are still dark and quiet as the earth turns to a new day. The rhythms of the road are only familiar background music, barely audible, as Apollo's song unfolds all around sensed and absorbed not just by sight; but sound, taste, and touch are affected by the perceptions of this place. Life begins here in the silence and majesty of these hills. Ancient land refreshed daily, never ending, while Copland captured the expression and Bernstein played the score. The Appalachians and Blue Mountains give birth to ideas and serve as inspiration, and in that sense personify the spirit of America. There is also the spirit of baseball here among these hills and valleys. To the north in the Catskills and in the center along the Susquehanna are two landmarks to our sport nestled in these hills at Cooperstown and Williamsport. This region is bracketed by baseball, at the eastern edge of the escarpment was the first organized game in Hoboken on June 19, 1846, towards the southeast the first women's professional game was played in Camden on May 4, 1890, and two other national Halls of Fame are north and west. Within this region, it is only natural to think about and play baseball. Within this region, along the many scenic drives are sites and shrines that honor our sport. Within this baseball region at the crossroads of eastern Pennsylvania, in the Lehigh Valley and Allentown, resides one special exceptional player that we currently honor. She has traveled all over Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Maryland to play the game she loves. And, when at play she pitches, and remained undefeated for the 2000 season with her team the league-leading New Jersey Nemesis. For outstanding performances and contributions, she was recognized this season with a national MVP Award from the NWB Hall of Fame nominated by manager Ronnie Geyer, who co-founded the Nemesis two years ago. Mel (Melissa) Gibbons, ace-pitcher with the Nemesis, from this time-honored region of eastern Pennsylvania brought continued success to her teammates when she took the mound during all of her games this season. Regarding her accomplishments, the following quotes were from Fame Forum, "Gibbons Receives National MVP Award," Volume III, Number 58, November 3, 2000. GIBBONS RECEIVES NATIONAL MVP AWARD "The strong right-hander, Gibbons, was a valuable asset to her Nemesis team for the entire season reflected in her perfect record when taking the mound. Her performances enabled the team to achieve the best regular season record in the Eastern Women's Baseball Conference at 10-1 and .909, which are pennant winning statistics in any league." "Manager Ronnie Geyer was exceptionally pleased with Gibbons' throwing abilities, which were well trained and honed in professional baseball. Regarding Gibbons' prior experience, Geyer mentioned, 'She pitched for both the New Jersey Diamonds of the Ladies Pro Baseball League and the Philadelphia Pride.'" Her performances on the field should be of no surprise for she is a natural athlete, and started playing baseball at the age of 6 with her first tee-ball game. In high school, she played baseball, basketball, and soccer. For one year in college, she was on the softball team, but she mentioned that, "When I played with the LPBL (Ladies Professional Baseball League), I lost my eligibility so I could no longer play baseball or softball in college." For her accomplishments in 1996, she received a MVP Award from the Philadelphia Pride LPBL team. When asked about her favorite position, the response was as expected, "Pitcher, of course!" She then followed with her reason, "As pitcher you have total control of the game, and who doesn't like to have total control." She also mentioned that her favorite team is the Yankees. As for a baseball hero, her responses were, "I can't say I have a hero in baseball, but my hero in all aspects of life is my dad. If I had to pick someone in baseball based on their style of play and attitude I would say Derek Jeter." Gibbons currently is a second semester junior at Slippery Rock University majoring in sports management with a minor in business. In addition, she works at the Butler County family YMCA. Along with her responsibilities, she referees youth basketball, and manages the adult volleyball league. She is proud of her two brothers Kyle 13 and Mike 11, who also play baseball. She happily notes that, "Both my mom, dad, and brothers have been my biggest fans throughout my baseball career. When times were tough they were always there. I wouldn't have gotten as far as I have in life or sports without my family. I owe all my success to them." She also has a favorite quote which reflects her spirit of achievement and provides inspiration, "The distance between success and failure can only be measured by one's desire." These are appropriate thoughts to remember offered by an exceptional player, a true professional and high achiever, from a region of America with a long history of baseball. Melissa Gibbons is an honored recipient of this national MVP Award for the 2000 season recognized and appreciated by many teammates and managers. 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 October 1, 1903 First modern World Series Game. October 1, 1932 Babe Ruth World Series "called shot." October 1, 1961 Roger Maris 61st homerun record. October 1, 1963 Mark McGwire birthdate, MLB player. October 2, 1908 Addie Joss pitches perfect game. October 2, 1920 Pirates and Reds play triple-header. October 3, 1872 Fred Clarke birthdate, MLB Hall of Fame. October 3, 1899 Gertrude Berg birthdate, radio pioneer. October 3, 1974 Frank Robinson named Cleveland manager. October 4, 1955 Brooklyn Dodgers win only World Series. October 4, 1969 First League Championship Series. October 5, 1824 Henry Chadwick birthdate, MLB Hall of Fame. October 5, 1959 Maya Lin birthdate, architect. October 6, 1905 Helen Wills birthdate, tennis player. October 6, 1926 Babe Ruth 3 homeruns in World Series game. October 6, 1985 Phil Niekro 300th win. October 7, 1856 Moses Fleetwood Walker birthdate. October 7, 1904 Chuck Klein birthdate, MLB Hall of Fame. October 8, 1949 Sigorney Weaver birthdate, actor. October 8, 1956 Don Larsen pitches World Series perfect game. October 9, 1890 Aimee McPhearson birthdate, revivalist minister. October 9, 1898 Joe Sewell birthdate, MLB Hall of Fame. October 9, 1940 Joe Pepitone birthdate, NY Yankee player. October 10, 1900 Helen Hayes birthdate, award winning actor. October 10, 1924 Washington Senators win only World Series. October 11, 1900 Eddie Dyer birthdate, World Series MLB manager. October 11, 1939 Maria Bueno birthdate, tennis champion. October 12, 1906 Joe Cronin birthdate, MLB Hall of Fame. October 13, 1754 Molly Pitcher birthdate, Revolutionary War soldier. October 13, 1876 Rube Waddell birthdate, MLB Hall of Fame. October 13, 1903 Boston wins first World Series. October 14, 1905 Giants all shut-out World Series. October 15, 1830 Helen Jackson birthdate, US Indian Commissioner. October 15, 1945 Jim Palmer birthdate, MLB Hall of Fame. October 16, 1900 Goose Goslin birthdate, MLB Hall of Fame. October 16, 1969 Miracle Mets win World Series. October 17, 1848 Candy Cummings birthdate, MLB Hall of Fame. October 17, 1859 Buck Ewing birthdate, MLB Hall of Fame. October 17, 1956 Mae Jemison birthdate, Endeavor astronaut. October 18, 1836 Ellen Scripps birthday, newspaper owner. October 18, 1977 Reggie Jackson 3 World Series homeruns. October 19, 1876 Peter Brown birthdate, MLB Hall of Fame. October 20, 1931 Mickey Mantle birthdate, MLB Hall of Fame. October 20, 1942 Christiane Volard birthdate, Nobel Prize. October 21, 1928 Whitey Ford birthdate, MLB Hall of Fame. October 21, 1975 Carlton Fisk 12th inning World Series homerun. October 22, 1907 Jimmie Foxx birthdate, MLB Hall of Fame. October 23, 1906 Gertrude Ederle birthdate, Channel swimmer. October 23, 1931 Jim Bunning birthdate, MLB Hall of Fame. October 24, 1871 Louis Sockalexis birthdate, MLB player. October 25, 1889 Smoky Joe Wood birthdate, MLB player. October 26, 1899 Julius Johnson birthdate, MLB Hall of Fame. October 27, 1922 Ralph Kiner birthdate, MLB Hall of Fame. October 28, 1886 Statue of Liberty dedicated. October 28, 1926 Bowie Kuhn birthdate, MLB Commissioner. October 29, 1859 Charles Ebbets birthdate, Dodgers owner. October 29, 1891 Fanny Brice birthdate, singer and dancer. October 29, 1953 Saint Louis Browns became Baltimore Orioles. October 30, 1916 Leon Day birthdate, MLB Hall of Fame. October 31, 1912 Dale Evans birthdate, television star. D. FAME FORUM ISSUES Volume XI, 2008 Season Publications Number 28, Melissa Gibbons Article From 2000, October 5. Number 27, Rosie Weaver Article From 2005, October 4. Number 26, 2008 Nominations for Induction (NWB/HoF), October 3. Number 25, Move Over Bobby Thomson, (EWBC final), September 22. Number 24, 2008 NWB Hall of Fame Induction Form, September 4. Number 23, Niner at the Plate (Casey II), August 4. Number 22, K.C. Higgins at the Bat (Casey), July 31. Number 21, Base Ball To Day, Polo Grounds, July 25. Number 20, Hit the Ball: Act One, Scene One, July 23. Number 19, Batting Beauty (Esther Williams), July 19. Number 18, Playing and Pitching Parodies, July 16. Number 17, Swinging in the Rain (Freed hits), July 14. Number 16, Begin the Ball-Guine (Porter hits), July 11. Number 15, Puttin' on Your Mitts (Berlin hits), July 3. Number 14, 2008 NWB Hall of Fame Induction Form, June 29. Number 13, Judy, Judy, Judy (Johnson), June 12. Number 12, Tales of Narda: The Guessing Game, May 10. Number 11, Clifford Plays Some Hoops (Auerbach), April 21. Number 10, Tales of Narda: Lady with the Light, April 13. Number 09, Tales of Narda: Turning the War Club, April 2. Number 08, Playing for a Higher Authority (Natural), March 22. Number 07, Prayerful Pearl (Janis Joplin), March 14. Number 06, Reigning at Ringside in Ritchie (boxing), March 11. 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 __________________________________________________________