Alaska Tradition Took A While To Finish

((HT: KTUU-TV Anchorage))

One of the cool things about Alaska is that, at the Summer Solstice, they play a midnight baseball game on a field that has no lights- because, in the Alaska Summer League, you don't really need them...

Except this year... the game had to be postponed after 10 innings because of cloud cover...

Bet that's a first for you...

But for those of you who care...

The Alaska Goldpanners won the 106th annual Midnight Sun Baseball Game- a 2-1 decision over the Oceanside Waves in 11 innings. The game was resumed at 6:00 Wednesday evening after the the umpires suspended play at roughly 1:20 that morning.

Carolyn Hall Jensen had to wait a while to finish this piece...
 

What's up Doc?

Dwight "Doc" Gooden was a major league baseball player back in the mid-1980's and early 90's. He was very successful at an early age, winning the 1984 Rookie of the Year award and the 1985 Cy Young Award. But Dwight Gooden also had...and has a history of breaking the law.

This time, Tuesday night in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey. He crashed his car, apparently under the influence of drugs with a child in the vehicle.

The story from the New York Post RIGHT HERE

((Dwight Gooden back when he played for the Yankees//Courtesy: New York Post File))

Gooden has had issues with drug abuse dating back to the mid-80's. In 1987, he tested positive for cocaine and spent time in drug rehab. 1994 brought a 60 day suspension after he failed 2 substance abuse tests. He went to the Betty Ford center and proceeded to fail more tests upon his return.

The point is...he's got a pretty darn long rap sheet and this certainly won't help. At one point he was "The Future" of New York baseball. Now he has become just another former athlete who needs help and doesn't know how to deal with the world.

Ironically, according to the story in the Post, Gooden and Darryl Strawberry are supposed to be inducted into the New York Mets Hall of Fame later this summer.

Check out an interview with Gooden and Strawberry done in January of this year. Thanks to SNY and MetsBlog.com along with the You Tube:

Jose Offerman "Strikes" Again

Former Major League Baseball player Jose Offerman might want to consider anger management classes. In 2007 he was shown on video going after a two players in a Minor League Game with a bat in an Atlantic Leauge Game. By the way...though charged with second degree assault in that episode, he never served time.

Now comes Saturday night in the Dominican League. Offerman, the manager of the Licey Tigers apparently didn't like a call at first base in Saturday's game. He became sufficiently mad enough that not only did he take a swing at the umpire, Daniel Rayburn, he dropped him...although if you watch the video...we aren't sure if he connected because it looks like Rayburn took a dive like a hockey player.

It isn't know whether or not Offerman will be charged, it depends a bit on whether Rayburn wants to press charges or if there actually was any contact.

((Jose Offerman in less angry days//Courtesy: baseball-almanac.com))

The story from AllHeadlineNews.com RIGHT HERE

Check out the video and judge for yourself. Thanks You Tube:



PM UPDATE: The umpiring crew, from the United States, has left the country and resigned from their posts in the Dominican League, according to Enrique Rojas of ESPNDeportes.

Threats were made, according to a source, to the umps as they left the field.

"It's unheard of that passion in sports reaches levels on intolerance and violence in professional sports as exhibited by a successful athlete, who many Dominicans admire and love," said Leonardo Matos-Berrido, president of the Dominican League, who was present at Saturday's game and saw the incident. "The Dominican League, its associates and executives offer our national fans and all the Dominican people, who strongly support baseball, our excuses for this regrettable event."

Still no word on charges from Rayburn...