Monday, July 27 through Sunday, August 2, 2020
Issue No. 339
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A New Beginning? Perhaps...
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Dr. Andrew Fauci, a
lead member of the Trump Administration's White House Coronavirus Task Force
,
threw out the first pitch at the New York Yankees
vs. Washington Nationals game to start the 2020 MLB season
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Shelter from the Storm
by Pete Elman
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They say that baseball is art
and, like plays, movies, books and songs, all great art should have a beginning that captivates our imagination and makes us want to see it through to the end. And it should have a satisfying, strong, riveting ending.
Thursday night was supposed to be the shining example of how our national pastime can be a resilient and artistic example of the American experience, representing the triumph of hope over helplessness. If only that were true.
In the nation’s capital, my hometown, where the government used to work for the people but now sees
people as the enemy,
a compelling story was unfolding. Throwing out the first pitch of this, the most bizarre and surreal of seasons, was America’s doctor, Anthony Fauci.
The legendary Dr. Fauci, a high school point guard in the 1950s in New York City, (“the greatest city on the world,” according to
Hamilton--
now
that
is art), is the most revered health expert in the United States. He is the man who stared down the AIDS virus when it was raging; no mean feat, considering the opposition.
“
Ever since 1990 we’ve been partners in fighting diseases, and our enemies now are hesitant politicians and anti-science radio hosts. So we are Fauci’s great defenders against the anti-science. And the world is better for it,”
ACT UP’s Peter Staley said recently.
Tony Fauci is an American hero and last night he threw out a pitch that can charitably be described as a bit outside--and nobody minded at all.
Alex Rodriguez, he of the elite steroid, classless and cheating cadre of ex-players, managed to put his foot in his craw when he said of Fauci, “He’s America’s point guard.” What 340 million Americans would give if that were really the case, A-Rod. You should have said
, “Dr. Fauci, sidelined by a sociopathic manager, can only watch from the bench as the country goes down the tubes.”
At least that would have been the truth, something completely lacking in D.C. lately.
Then the game started. The Yankees vs. the Nationals-- perfectly made for TV. (It better be, because there were zero fans in the stands.) The evil empire, the Bronx Bombers, the most successful franchise in sports who, as if they weren’t already totally loaded, went out and dropped $324 million on one of the best pitchers in the game, Gerrit Cole, an Orange County kid who grew up worshiping the Yankees.
Drafted by the Yanks after high school, only to listen to his Dad, a Yankee fan, insist that he go to college (UCLA), Cole went first overall in the 2011 draft to the Pirates; five years later he signed with the Astros, where he thrived before arriving in the Big Apple.
The scene was set—ah, the glorious return of baseball! The defending champs, a 2019 feel-good story, were hosting an empty stadium. Cole was up against the indomitable whiff master, Max Scherzer. The two had faced each other in game one of last year’s Series, where in game seven with the championship on the line, Cole dutifully waited and watched from the bullpen, ready to come in and save the day, while manager A.J. Hinch rode the sabermetric train to hell and left poor dead-armed Will Harris –-now a member of the Nationals—to melt down on the mound.
There were some auspicious signs last night. The Nats’ future MVP, Dominican wunderkind Juan Soto, was benched—he had tested positive. And after a somewhat uneventful five-and-a-half innings, which featured shots of about 30 fans quaffing brews from a rooftop beyond right field—not wearing masks or socially distancing, I may add—the heavens opened. Thunder, lightning, dugouts flooded, the works. There was no way the game could continue. The Yankees won, 4-1, as if it meant anything. The box score listed “No persons in attendance.”
Ouch.
When the clouds burst over the stadium, it seemed fitting. In a parallel universe, I was wishing that the downpour would drown the virus, or at least the criminals who have turned their backs on it. But alas, that was just a pipe dream. The irony was inescapable. This opening day did not start well or end well. Sure, distractions are welcome in these times and, like most of us, I am jonesing for baseball. But not when it looks like this.
Tonight at the venerable Coliseum, site of my greatest sports memories, our Oakland Athletics will take the field. This was supposed to be their year. I’m hoping that their debut will be more artistic than what I witnessed last night. That’s all any of us can hope for in these dog days of summer—shelter from the storm.
Pete Elman
Oakland
July 24th, 2020
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From 2000-2005 I wrote a column for the late great Oakland Athletics Fan Coalition (OAFC) entitled Elman Swings, a play on the fact that I'm a musician. Some of you may remember the OAFC, an East Bay organization that at its peak had several thousand members devoted to keeping the A's in Oakland and guess what? They succeeded! -- Pete Elman
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Gems
Over the years we have reviewed thousands of photos to bring you the finest work from some of the Bay Area's top sports photographers. Each week during the Coronavirus-induced sports lull we will bring you one of our favorites.
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Award Winning Photo!
While on assignment for the
Ultimate Sports Guide
in 2017, photographer Rich Yee covered the Grand National Rodeo at the Cow Palace and took this remarkable photo. The photo was submitted by the Cow Palace to their Western Fairs Association photo competition and won third place in the category but
ALSO
won the People's Choice Award, meaning the photo appeared on the front of the 2018 spring Western Fairs Association magazine as well. The caption read “Emmanuel Lataste, a professional acrobatic Bull Jumper from France, is part of the Flying U Rodeo which performed at the Grand National Rodeo in San Francisco in October. Standing only 5'-7," Lataste jumps an average height of 5'-9", narrowly sailing over his hard-charging foe.” We remain understandably very proud of
Mr. Rich Yee.
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The BEST Bay Area sports photos from
Michael Zagaris, Ed Jay, Rich Yee, Darren Yamashita,
Ron Sellers, Alex Ho, Rob Edwards, Kenneth Wong,
Timothy Reynolds and Larry Rosa
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Where The Bay Comes To Play!
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Letters to the Editor
Hey, Editor!
Did you buy a cardboard picture of yourself to be placed in the stadium for A’s games? And can baseball really be baseball without the roar (and shouted insults) of a real crowd? (I think car racing can work without fans at the tracks, but boy, I dunno about other sports played in front of an audience of flesh-and-blood fans.)
My congrats on the use of the Bay to Breakers photo with all the RBG runners. Bless ‘em all! Hope you are safe and well.
--Dave Esler
Old Tri-X shooting photojournalist who covered a lot of professional auto races back in the ‘60s
Dear Editor:
I indeed found the Washington Pigskin article laughable but I wonder how many pigs will find it offensive. Doesn’t PC mean “pigs care,” an alternate phrase for Pigs Lives Matter?
--Woody Weingarten
Correction for Michael Zagaris, aka “Z”
Several issues ago we credited Rock Star sports photographer Michael Zagaris, aka "Z", with shooting 39 Super Bowls, 13 World Series and 13 All-Star games. It turns out we were wrong. Mr. Zagaris has shot 42 Super Bowls!!!
-- The Editors
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"It's an ocean planet. As the oceans go, so goes the planet."
-- Bill Carvalho, Wild Planet founder and president
Wild Planet Foods has been honored with TWO awards by Whole Foods Market -- Global Supplier of the Year AND Environmental Stewardship! The annual awards recognize suppliers who embody Whole Foods Market's mission and values through a proven commitment to quality, environmental stewardship, organic integrity, innovation,
and partnership.
More Awards and Counting!
Prevention
-- 100 Cleanest Packaged Food Awards
Men's Health
-- 125 Best Foods for Men
Prevention
-- Eat Clean Best Packaged Foods
Every Day with Rachael Ray
-- Brand New Buy
Better Homes and Gardens
-- Catch of the Day
Clean Eating
-- Clean Choice Awards
Natural Health
-- 3rd Annual Good Food Awards
Runner's World
-- Good Catch
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Mookie Betts -- An Elite MLB Star
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Mookie Betts agrees to 12-year, $365M extension with Dodgers
On Wednesday, July 22, Los Angeles Dodgers All-Star outfielder Mookie Betts agreed to a 12-year, $365 million extension of his one-year contract, essentially placing the potential 2021 free agent in Dodger Blue for the remainder of his career. Seen here batting against the San Francisco Giants in 2016 as a member of the Boston Red Sox, Betts is a four-time Gold Glove recipient and has posted four consecutive seasons with 100 runs, 40 doubles and 20 home runs. He is considered by most baseball authorities to be one of the elite players in the game. Caption and photo by Kenny Karst.
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Panel Discussion on A's Stadium Site
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Metropolitan-Greater Oakland Democratic Club
Program Announcement: Tuesday July 28, 2020
Dear MGO Members and Friends:
Please join us at our next monthly program presentation and membership meeting:
Tuesday, July 28, 2020, 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. / Online
Topic: Controversy over the A's Stadium Site
Participants:
Dan Lindheim,
former Oakland City Manager
Andy Dolich,
former Oakland A's Executive Vice President
Mike Jacob,
Vice President, Pacific Merchants Shippers Association
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This event will be on Zoom. Register/Join at
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. A vote will be held on the club's position on a date after the presentation. Members should attend this meeting in order
to be able to vote.
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I bat lefty, but throw with my right. I have played for both the Oakland Athletics and San Francisco Giants, hitting 10 home runs for SF in 2019.
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Giants Fan Cutouts
Your Opportunity to be in the Ballpark
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Be in the ballpark this season – sort of. While fans can't attend games at Oracle Park in person, your image can still be in a seat! For $99, select a seat and upload a smiling photo of yourself wearing your Giants gear. Then look for yourself in the stands while watching Giants games on television.
Select a seat near your favorite celebrity or Forever Giant whose cutouts will be scattered throughout the ballpark:
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Metallica
Carlos Santana
Tony Bennett
E-40
Joe Montana
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George Kittle
Jimmy Garoppolo
Rob Schneider
Multiple Forever Giants
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Use our helpful
Photo Submission Guide
to take and upload the best photo. There are many ways to take a great cutout photo... and a few ways to not! Photo upload instructions will be emailed separately after purchase
.
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Don’t miss your chance to be at the Oakland Coliseum this season!
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A's Fans!
Don't miss your chance to be at the Oakland Coliseum this season. In accordance with local health and safety guidelines, unfortunately fans will not be permitted to attend games, however, you can still grab a seat at the game with our Coliseum Cutouts program. Upload a photo of yourself in A's gear and you may spot yourself in the stands while watching games on TV this season.
You can purchase a cutout for $89 per cutout or a special Foul Ball Zone cutout for $129. If a Foul Ball Zone cutout gets hit with a foul ball, we will send you that ball. Plus, with every purchase of a cutout, you’ll also receive two complimentary tickets to our first exhibition game at the Coliseum during the 2021 season. Proceeds from Coliseum Cutouts benefit the Oakland A's Community Fund.
Coliseum Cutouts will be authenticated and recognized by MLB as official "virtual fans." Due to limitations, not all sections and rows are available for this program and we cannot accommodate seat requests. Your cutout will remain in the ballpark for the 2020 regular season and you'll have an option to pick it up following the season. Please note, we cannot guarantee the condition of your cutout after exposure to weather and outdoor elements.
For best practices on submitting your photo, please reference our
Once you receive the link in your confirmation email at the completion of your purchase, please upload your photo online.
While it won't be the same without you there, we're excited to highlight the best fans in baseball during this memorable season. Thanks for your support.
Play ball,
Dave Kaval, Oakland A's President
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This Day in Sports -- August 1, 2019
Oakland A's 5, Milwaukee Brewers 3
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In a study of superb intensity, third baseman Matt Chapman is ready to pounce in any direction. In both 2018 and 2019 Chapman won the Platinum Glove Award, the Fielding Bible Award, and the Gold Glove Award, while also winning the Wilson Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2018. Additionally, he was an All-Star for the first time in 2019. Oakland outran the Milwaukee Brewers in the late innings in the evening of Aug. 1, 2019 to win 5 to 3. To view a game photo album, visit our
Facebook Page
and be sure to LIKE us or visit
www.ultimatesportsguide.net
.
Photo by Rich Yee
.
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Odds to win the 2020 World Series
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San Francisco Giants -- 300/1
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Oakland Athletics -- 30/1
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For Your Handy Use
2020 San Francisco Giants Schedule
2020 Oakland A's Schedule
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Top Harbor wins the Everett Nevin Stakes at Pleasanton, ridden by William Antongeorgi III, trained by Tim McCanna and owned by Jarnig, Marshall or Schweiger. The 5 1/2 furlong race went in 1:05.45.
Photo credit:
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Earthquakes to face Real Salt Lake in MLS is Back Tournament Round of 16
Match set for Monday, July 27 at 5:30 p.m. PT on FS1
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SAN JOSE, Calif. - The San Jose Earthquakes will face Real Salt Lake in the
MLS is Back Tournament
Round of 16 on Monday, July 27 at 5:30 p.m. PT, presented by Intermedia. The match will be broadcast on FS1, KNBR 1050, 1370 KZSF and TuneIn Radio.
The San Jose Earthquakes won Group B with an undefeated 2-0-1 record (7 pts.). The Quakes finished in a scoreless draw with the defending MLS Cup champions Seattle Sounders FC on July 10 before earning back-to-back wins over Vancouver Whitecaps FC (4-3) on July 15 and Chicago Fire FC (2-0)
on July 19.
With all three Group Stage matches counting towards the regular season stats and standings, the Earthquakes are now 2-1-2 in the regular season, tied for their best start through five matches since 2012 (2016). The Group Stage also saw forward Chris Wondolowski score twice, extending his own MLS record to 161 career goals.
Should San Jose defeat Real Salt Lake, the club would face the winner of the Round of 16 match between Columbus Crew SC and Minnesota United FC in the Quarterfinals.
The Knockout Stage presented by Audi features eight Round-of-16 matches, played as doubleheaders on four consecutive evenings (July 25-28), followed by four quarterfinal matches (July 30-August 1), two semifinal matches (August 5-6) and the
MLS is Back Tournament
Final on August 11.
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A Sportscaster's Memories
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Will Clark hit a home run off of Nolan Ryan in his first at bat in 1986
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The ‘Humm-Baby’ Giants of the late 1980s
By Bruce Macgowan
Sportscaster Bruce Macgowan, Bogey, wife
Colette and daughter Molly
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The two men
who might have saved baseball in San Francisco came from vastly different backgrounds but both were what we call baseball ‘lifers.’
General manager Al Rosen and manager Roger Craig arrived in late 1985, at the tail end of a dreary 100-loss season. Rosen was a former star player in Cleveland and later a front office leader with the Yanks. Craig was a former Brooklyn Dodger and New York Mets starting pitcher who was later the pitching coach of Sparky Anderson’s 1984 World Series champion Detroit Tigers. The two men combined their skills to take the Giants out of a mostly dark era, the early 1970s through the mid 1980s.
Covering what Roger Craig called, the ‘Humm-Baby’ Giants was a particularly enjoyable assignment, partly because of the quirky personalities and variety of talent this team featured.
In 1986 youngsters Will Clark, Robbie Thompson, Chris Brown, Mike Aldrete and several others energized a club that already featured such veteran holdovers vets as Chili Davis, Jeffrey ‘Hac-Man’ Leonard, Jose Uribe, Mike Krukow and Bob Brenly.
Clark was particularly unusual. The Mississippi State and 1984 US Olympic team star arrived with a bang, slamming a long homer to dead center field off the legendary Nolan Ryan in his first at bat in the big leagues in the 1986 season opener. Meanwhile, Krukow enjoyed his best season ever as he was selected to the All-Star team while winning 20 games. ‘Hac-Man’ was a steady force in the outfield and cultivated the brooding, intimidating personality of someone from the tough inner city. Chili Davis was an ebullient, fun loving switch hitter who ended up playing for nearly 20 years in the big leagues. Uribe was the quiet but underrated slick fielding shortstop anchoring the defense. And catcher Bob Brenly was the unofficial quarterback of this team, providing a calm leadership role behind the plate that later led to a short but very successful managerial stint with Arizona.
Covering this team was also rewarding because they had terrific success on the field for five straight years. The Giants contended for a playoff spot each season while winning two National League Western Division titles and the 1989 pennant.
Clark was the most outspoken and intense member of this diverse group of athletes. ‘Will the Thrill’ was a natural hitter with one of the sweetest swings in baseball. He also had what was called, ‘The Nuschler Face,’ an angry looking grimace along with eyes that featured a seemingly unhinged and disturbing glare. Clark would focus this look on opposing pitchers and sometimes even reporters.
“I don't need no one to kick me in the ass, okay Bruce!? I do my own ass-kicking!” he once told me when I asked him if the team needed a pep talk or a ‘jolt’ from Roger Craig to get them out of a slump.
Will also had a good sense of humor. Once he described for reporters a spectacular catch by right fielder Candy Maldonado in this manner: “Candy ran back to the warning track, leaped up, caught the ball, hit the fence and then 'UUURRRGGGHHHH!' (Clark made the sound of a plane or car smashing up,) Crashed and burned on the warning track! That good enough for you guys?”
My favorite Will Clark moment? A game winning, upper deck home run at Candlestick Park in a week night game against the Houston Astros. It was the Giants’ fifth straight win and it came during an early August stretch of the 1987 season that put them in first place to stay. Clark did something ballplayers, outside of perhaps Reggie Jackson, didn't do in those times.
“I actually stopped for a few seconds and didn’t step out of the batter’s box after I hit it out. I dropped the bat and just stood there. I had to admire it,” he admitted afterwards with a slight smile.
There was certainly a lot of admire about those ‘Humm-Baby’ Giant teams. They brought the baseball excitement back to Candlestick Park!
Sportscaster Bruce Macgowan has been in the media world for over 44 years, starting in Auburn and Eureka (CA). Assignments drew him to New York City and also back to the Bay Area, where he spent 18 years with KNBR 680 AM. Other assignments have included NBC Sports Bay Area, KGO and KCBS radio. Bruce is now working on a book which will give fans a special look at some of the great Bay Area teams over the last 40 years and the athletes and games he's covered.
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In the last seasons of the Oakland Raiders in Oakland,
Ultimate Sports Guide
photographer Ed Jay collected images and stories of some of the Raiders most passionate and beloved fans. To view and read their stories, click on
this link
and revisit your all-time favorites. Above,
Mark Acasio, aka Gorilla Rilla
.
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Who Am I?
Former San Francisco Giants catcher
Stephen Vogt!
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Stephen Vogt is currently a catcher for the Arizona Diamondbacks. Vogt previously played for the Tampa Bay Rays, Oakland Athletics, Milwaukee Brewers, and the San Francisco Giants and was an MLB All-Star in 2015 and 2016. He was selected by Tampa Bay in the 12th round of the 2007 MLB draft. After missing more than a year due to a 2018 shoulder injury, he joined the Giants, his childhood favorite team. Vogt finished 2019 in San Francisco with some of the best offensive numbers of his career, including a .263 batting average, his highest since 2014. He signed a one-year contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks in November of 2019. To view a game photo album, visit our
Facebook Page
and be sure to LIKE us or visit
www.ultimatesportsguide.net.
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High School Sports Step Back
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The Pittsburgh Pirates football team celebrates after a victory last year
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In light of the state’s recent COVID resurgence
, the CIF (California Interscholastic Federation) is shifting to a two-season format running from mid-December to late June. How will it affect the sports season?
In a decision last Monday, which was hardly a surprise, the CIF announced it would not begin its 2020-21 sports calendar until at least December. The remodel basically takes the traditional three sports seasons and mashes them into two.
“The beauty of this plan is that we’re able to provide hope for our student-athletes. It shows them that they can still perform and there’s a safe plan in place for them to accomplish what they want to do this year", said Dougherty Valley-San Ramon principal Evan Powell.
The plan is not without its challenges, however. “I would be shocked if anybody involved in this didn’t think there was still a shot it may not happen,” said Leo Lopoz, Vice President of Athletics at De La Salle and commissioner of the East Bay Athletic League.
Fall sports will include football, cross country, water polo and boys and girls volleyball. December 14 will be the official practice start date for most of those sports throughout NorCal. The first competitions will happen as soon as the calendar turns to 2021.
Spring sports have practice start dates ranging from Feb. 26 to March 22 and include basketball, soccer, baseball, softball, wrestling, track, swimming, lacrosse, boys and girls golf, and boys and girls tennis. Basketball, soccer and wrestling are traditional winter CIF sports that conclude by mid-March.
LIVE: SportStars NOW app!
Now you can get our new app FREE in the Apple and Android stores. For recruiting exposure, there's nothing like a strong media presence. That's why we created the APP.
Use #sportstarsnow in your Instagram posts and they will appear on the SportStars NOW app. Get noticed today!
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The 2019 Fall/Winter edition of the
Ultimate Sports Guide
, a San Francisco Bay Area sports reference publication published twice a year for avid Bay Area and Northern California sports fans, is in the house. The
Ultimate Sports Guide
is distributed free of charge or may be ordered via subscription. Each seasonal edition provides professional and collegiate team coverage through commentary, photo essays and player profiles. To order, visit
www.ultimatesportsguide.net
or send $5 to:
Ultimate Sports Guide
,
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Back Issues
not to be missed!
Offering superb photography and
entertaining chronicles
*
Click
here
for 2019 editions.
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WEEKLY SPORTS CALENDAR
Monday, July 27 through Sunday, August 2, 2020
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Games for most major and minor league sports, including collegiate and high school teams,
have been cancelled
.
Monday, July 27
Oakland A's vs. Los Angeles Angels, 12:40 p.m.
San Jose Earthquakes vs. Real Salt Lake, 5:30 p.m.
Tuesday, July 28
San Francisco Giants vs. San Diego Padres, 6:45 p.m.
Oakland A's vs. Colorado Rockies, 6:40 p.m.
Wednesday, July 29
San Francisco Giants vs. San Diego Padres, 6:45 p.m.
Oakland A's vs. Colorado Rockies, 12:40 p.m.
Thursday, July 30
San Francisco Giants vs. San Diego Padres, 6:45 p.m.
Friday, July 31
San Francisco Giants vs. Texas Rangers, 6:10 p.m.
Oakland A's @ Seattle Mariners, 6:40 p.m.
Saturday, August 1
San Francisco Giants vs. Texas Rangers, 6:10 p.m.
Oakland A's @ Seattle Mariners, 6:10 p.m.
Sunday, August 2
San Francisco Giants vs. Texas Rangers, 1:05 p.m.
Oakland A's @ Seattle Mariners, 1:10 p.m.
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Enjoy the
Under the ultra-skilled leadership of Cal graduate Ricky Liu, a team of talented Cal students assembled the elegant
Ultimate Sports Guide
website for your readers. Ricky's team included Natalie Leung, Yafei Liang and Kasey Woo. Visit
www.ultimatesportsguide.net
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Need a website designed or tuned up?
We can help!
Write: sportstoday@ultimatesportsguide.net
or call (510) 845-2035
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Join Us As A Sponsor!
Economical and rewarding.
Write: sportstoday@ultimatesportsguide.net
or call (510) 845-2035
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The vast majority of student-athletes dreaming of athletic stardom won't make it to the pros. Yet, the discipline and skills they've developed while balancing a sport and academics make them ideally s
uited for satisfying careers elsewhere. In
20 Secrets to Success for NCAA Student-Athletes Who Won't Go Pro
,
the authors draw on personal experience, interviews, expert opinion, and industry data to provide a game plan for student-athletes through key transitions at each stage of their careers, from high school through college and beyond. Modeled on Stephen Covey's
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
, this book provides a much-needed strategy for achieving career success. Readable and concise, it will be a valuable tool for students, parents, and sports administrators. To order,
click here.
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5980 Stoneridge Drive, Ste. 122
Pleasanton, CA 94588-2723
CalBRE License #:01770629
Agent 510.512.2145
Office 925.847.8900
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Ultimate Sports Guide
P.O. Box 4515
Berkeley, CA 94704
510-845-2035
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The
Ultimate Sports Guide
is very appreciative to the ongoing contributions made by former staff photographer Kenny Karst, now retired. Mr. Karst continues to contribute through helpful ideas and his archives.
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