Play Ball!

It’s opening day of the Major League Baseball season with the Yankees to host the Tigers at 1pm in one of six scheduled games. However that one and several of the others could be impacted by the weather with the Yankee Stadium forecast calling for a 50% chance of rain and temperatures in the low 40’s at game time. The Mets open their season Friday night in Miami against the Marlins while the Phillies season and home opener is set for 1pm tomorrow. You do have to wonder why baseball does not make a greater attempt to stay away from season openers in the mid-west and northeast when the weather is often miserable for the first week or two of the season.

Parents of Autistic Children is holding a fundraising walk this Saturday at FirstEnergy Park in Lakewood. Registration begins at 11am with the walk to get underway at noon. This is the first of four walks in the next couple of months around the state for POAC, who provides free training and recreational events year-round to help those with autism and their families. The need is great in New Jersey, where 1 in every 94 children is diagnosed with autism…more than AIDS, diabetes and cancer combined. POAC relies strictly on donations as they receive no government support despite being the largest provider of free autism training and education in the state. For information on Saturday’s walk at the home of the BlueClaws you can visit www.poacwalk.org

The Brick Memorial Football Alumni Club is hosting an “alumni social” on Saturday, April 9th at the Knights of Columbus on Cedar Bridge Road beginning at 4pm. Organizers are seeking to reach former Mustang players, coaches and supporters for this first-time gathering to celebrate the program’s success and renew friendships. For information you can contact Paul Walski at Veterans Memorial Middle School or head coach Walt Currie.

At least on the surface you have to applaud Monmouth University officials over the hiring of King Rice as their new men’s basketball coach. The 42-year old former North Carolina Tar Heel has never been a head coach before but has an impressive resume as an assistant, including the last five years at Vanderbilt. What I like is that he’s a fresh face and has a great opportunity to put his own stamp on a program that should compete annually for the Northeast Conference championship
and put fannies in the seats at the 4,000 seat MAC.