There Is Good News in Sports Again!

Good News In Sports is back. I’ve consolidated Good News In College Sports and Good News in Pro Sports into one blog covering stories from all over the sports world that you can truly enjoy reading. No steroids, police blotters, or contract holdouts here. Only people who are making a positive difference by their actions or example. Check it out at www.goodnewsinsports.com

Going On Hiatus

If you've visited here recently, you've noticed this blog has not been updated for a while. I have made the difficult decision to put this blog on hiatus while I work on a non-sports related project that is requiring too much of my time to keep up with things here. I don't know when I'll be back, but it won't be ahead of August. Check back then for an update.

Thanks for visiting Good News In Pro Sports.

Charitible Work by the Chicago Shamrox

Chicago Shamrox rookie Bill McGlone played last Saturday's National Lacrosse League game against the Philadelphia Lynx for free. He donated his game check to the Headstrong Foundation, an organization that helps fund cancer research, in memory of his former college teammate Nick Colleluori.

“I am donating my salary for the Philadelphia game on Saturday to the Headstrong Foundation on behalf of Nick,” McGlone said. “Even at the end of his remarkable life, Nick was more concerned with everyone else and how they were feeling. I hope that this donation will keep the story of Nick’s memory and what a great person he was.”

The Shamrox organization then donated $5 from tickets for their game with the New York Titans went to the New York Police & Fire Widows’ & Childrens’ Fund.

Click here to read the Inside Lacrosse story "Chicago's McGlone to donate game's salary."

Inkster Balances Family and Demands of the Road

One of the more difficult aspects of being a professional golfer is the travel--nearly every tournament is a "road game." It's even tougher when your a wife and a mommy, but Julie Inkster has managed to keep a strong focus on her family while winning seven majors among her 31 career tournament championships.

"My parents didn't have a lot of golf influence on me. Their greatest influence was I learned how to raise kids and live my life," Inkster says over the phone from her Los Altos, Calif., ranch home, where a basketball hoop stands in the driveway and a golf net rests next to the pool. "I love my job, but my family has always been No. 1."

In the professional sports world, the phrase "I've got to take care of my family," is often used as justification for a contract holdout. It's refreshing to see an athlete still near the top of her game who truly wants to take care of her family.

Click here to read the USA Today article, "Family support keeps Inkster on top."

LaRon Harris Trying to Bounce Back From His Mistakes

LaRon Harris' football career has been moving in reverse. After high school, he landed a scholarship to Tennessee, then flunked out of school and wound up at Northwestern Oklahoma, an NAIA school. Nothing against Northwestern Oklahoma, but that's not where you want to wind up if you harbor dreams of playing in the NFL.

Remarkably, Harris may still wind up being selected in next month's NFL draft. After working hard to manage his weight and his anger issues stemming from a broken home, he recently wowed scouts in a workout and perhaps landed on a few draft boards.

Click here to read the ESPN.com feature "Just trying to make a name for himself," to see how Harris allowed opportunity to slip away and what got him turned around to reclaim it.

MLB Honors Contributors to Both Baseball and Civil Rights

From the MLB.com website:

Major League Baseball could mount a "Thanks a million, Buck" campaign. To do so, it would have to stand in line behind the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, which beat everyone else in paying tribute to its late chairman.

But Buck O'Neil will soon get his due.

On Saturday, Major League Baseball will pay homage to Buck for his contributions to America's national pastime. He will be one of three recipients of its inaugural Beacon Award in Memphis, Tenn.

Commissioner Bud Selig, NAACP chairman Julian Bond and a star-studded lineup of baseball and political dignitaries will present Beacons to Buck, filmmaker Spike Lee and Vera Clemente, the widow of Hall of Fame right fielder Roberto Clemente.

The award honors people's contributions to civil rights and reflects their historical ties to baseball. People who knew Buck said he contributed as much as anybody else in history to both.

Click here to read the MLB.com story, "O'Neil to receive Beacon Award."

Portland Sea Dogs Give Back to the Community

It particular instance, the Portland (ME) Sea Dogs, the Double-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, is literally giving something to the town--a bronze monument.

The monument, which stands nine feet high and measures 11 feet long by four feet wide, depicts a family attending a baseball game including a father figure holding tickets to the game, a male child dressed ready to cheer for the Sea Dogs, and a mother figure carrying a small female child.

The American Baseball Family Group is a gift to the City of Portland from Daniel Burke, the Owner of the Portland Sea Dogs, to thank the community for its outstanding support through the years.

Click here to read "Sea Dogs to present monument to city" on the official minor league baseball web site.

Major Leaguers Share Their Faith on Film

A new film, "Champions of Faith: Baseball Edition," is being premiered in Phoenix today.

According to a preview, “these superstars of America's favorite pastime speak frankly about family, faith, sacrifice, leadership, humility and the many virtues and spiritual lessons they have learned from the game.”

Including within the movie will be high-definition game highlights alongside the players’ testimonies, which will allow viewers to see the public and personal lives of the subjects and how God has affected those.

Nearly 30 MLB stars and coaches have contributed to the film. Some of the most noteworthy figures include Mike Piazza, Sean Casey, David Eckstein, Jeff Suppan, Craig Biggio, Juan Pierre, Tom Glavine, Mike Sweeney, Jack McKeon, Ivan Rodriguez, Jim Leyland, Mike Scioscia, Sandy Alomar Sr., Rich Donnelly, and Darrell Miller, among others.

Click here to read more about the film in the Christian Post article, "Major League Baseball Stars Put Faith in the Spotlight."

Here is the official site for "Champions of Faith."

The NBA's All-Undrafted Team 1990-2006

To demonstrate that there is hope for the undrafted, Empty the Bench has compiled an "All-Undrafted Team" going back to 1990. I'm linking to it here because there are several stories on this list of players who ultimately achieved success in the NBA because of their hard work and perseverence. Players like 5'5" Earl Boynkins, defensive ace Bruce Bowen and Ben Wallace, an unkown center with big hair who played at Virginia Union college are positive examples of how work ethic and determination can still lead a person to realize their dreams.

Click here to read "The NBA's All-Undrafted Team 1990-2006" from the website Empty the Bench.

Wade Will Remodel Gym at Old High School

The Miami Heat's Dwayne Wade continues to add to his reputation as one of the good guys in professional sports. Most recently, he announced plans to remodel the gym at his old high school, Richards High in Oak Lawn, IL, a suburb of Chicago.

Wade had some help at the pep rally at the school when he made the announcement--singer/actress Jennifer Hudson and singer Kayne West joined him for the festivities. It's nice to hang out with talented people, isn't it?

Click here to read the SI.com article, "Wade to remodel old high school gym."

Thanks to Hoops Addict for the tip.

Robinson Impressed by MLB's Urban Youth Academy

Baseball Hall of Famer Frank Robinson, along with former Orioles' teammate Don Buford, recently toured the Major League Baseball Urban Youth Academy in Compton, CA and liked what he saw.

"I'm very impressed with the facility and the setup here," Robinson said after touring the fields and checking out the locker rooms and educational facilities. "It incorporates just about everything to do with baseball -- softball, youth-league themes. There are regular fields here and the setup is very workable, where it doesn't take you a lot of time to get to where you need to go here. I'm very impressed by it, and this is something that has been long overdue.

"Your mind races forward when you look at this and just think, 10 years from, 15 years from now -- what this will mean to this area. ... The kids who will be coming through here and the opportunity to give them instruction on how to play the game correctly and also preparing them on how to go on to college? I was also taken by the fact that they have umpire instruction, ground crew instruction and that was very impressive," Robinson said.

The folks at the Compton facility will likely be seeing a lot of Robinson, a Los Angeles resident, in his new role as a special advisor to the MLB executive vice president of operations Jimmie Lee Solomon.

Click here to read more about the Compton facility and Major League Baseball's efforts to bring the game to underpriveleged communities in this article from MLB's official site, "Robinson awed by Youth Academy."

Tennis Star Vaidisova Helping Provide Clean Water for Africa

Nicole Vaidisova, one of the Top 10 women's tennis players in the world, has joined on as an ambassador for PlayPumps International, a non-profit that is bringing water to millions of African children and families, as World Water Day approaches on March 22.

"When I heard that more than a billion people in the world lack access to clean drinking water, and every 15 seconds a kid dies from diseases related to unsafe water, I wanted to get involved," Vaidisova said. "The idea behind the PlayPump is simple: kids play, and water pumps. These special pumps give clean water to people who need it, and give kids a chance to play."

Click here to read more about PlayPumps and how Vaidisova is working with them to help those much less fortunate in Africa have access to one of the most basic needs people have, clean drinking water, in the articla on the WTA site, "Vaidisova Serves Up Clean Water for Kids."

Pro Lacrosse Team Helps Fight Child Abuse

The Portland Lumberjax, a member of the professional indoor National Lacrosse League, are teaming up with the Children's Trusts Fund of Oregon and Dark Horse Comics (a major comic publisher) to create a comic book intended to help raise awareness regarding the prevention of child abuse.

The story features Jax transition player Adam Bysouth, defenseman Brodie Merrill and goalie Dallas Eliuk discussing the issue of child abuse which affects over 900,000 children every year.

"This opportunity was appealing to the LumberJax, because not only are we able to partner with two reputable organizations, but it is a unique and creative way to raise awareness about this nationwide issue," Bysouth explained.

The plans are for 20,000 copies of the comic book to be distributed across the state.

Click here to reat the story on the NLL's offical website: "Lumberjax Battle Child Abuse."

NBDL's Idaho Stampede Steps Up to Help Out an Ailing Veteran

Wendi Armstrong returned to Idaho from her third military tour in the Middle East in 2005.

Two years later, the 32-year-old Idaho Air National Guard veteran rarely has the energy to venture out of her home.

Even on good days, Armstrong walks with a pronounced limp and on bad days she must use a wheelchair.

Doctors have told her she may eventually need a wheelchair full time.

The good news part of this story started when the Idaho Stampede basketball team, a member of the NBA's Developmental League, stepped in.

They partnered with the Associated General Contractors and U.S. Bank to pay for a $45,000 remodel as part of their Operation Opening Doors program, Stampede Managing Investor Bill Ilett said.

The program helps wounded and ill military members and last year paid for new flooring for an Eagle Marine reservist paralyzed in a roadside bomb attack.

Click here to read the Idaho Stateman's article, "Team remodels house for ailing veteran."

Thanks to the NBDL official site for the tip.

NFL Completes 2007 USO Tour

It may not have been Bob Hope at Christmas, but the NFL continued a tradition going back more than 40 years by sending players overseas to visit U. S. troops. The contingent consisted of the league's Director or Community Affairs David Krichavsky, Atlanta tight end Alge Crumpler, Tampa Bay linebacker Shelton Quarles, Kansas City guard Will Shields, and New England tight end Ben Watson.

Krichavsky wrote an extensive diary about the trip for the NFL.com website. Click here to check it out.