MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Gregory Sager]

The oddities who were a part of Browns lore, with or without Bill Veeck, were a part of the fabric of major league baseball. Most baseball fans love the Eddie Gaedels and the Pete Grays; they're what give the sport color and a sense of personality. The idea that baseball fans would stay away from the ballpark because of what you deem "a circus or a 'freak show'" strikes me as a contradiction in terms. The vast majority of self-described baseball fans are not humorless statheads with no patience for anything out of the ordinary.

I'm not a hardcore sabermetrician, but I am definitely a stathead as far as baseball is concerned. But if you ask me about Oscar Gamble, I won't bring up his slugging percentage; I'll talk about the gargantuan afro he used to sport that made it impossible for him to get his hat down on his head. I won't mention Marty Cordova's batting average; I'll talk about the time that he went on the disabled list because he burned himself after falling asleep in a tanning bed. And I really enjoy the fact that the Cubs are the only major league franchise to have had a pitcher with eight fingers (Mordecai Brown) and one with twelve fingers (Antonio Alfonseca). This is the human element that makes the game truly interesting.

The Browns stunk -- but the town never supported them in the first place.

[Knightstalker]

Oscar Gamble, I remember when he was a Yankee and the first time I saw him take his batting helmet off and that fro popping out, classic.

[Titan Q]

Keelan Amelianovich and Adam Dauksas have been invited to a 3-day camp in Germany next month.  They will play on a team that includes Northern Illinois U. grad Todd Peterson (Pekin H.S., brother of Todd, IWU '96).  There will be scouts from several European teams at the camp and each should know more about their overseas basketball opportunities shortly afterwards.

Dauksas and Amelianovich are both represented by Court Side.

http://www.court-side.com/

[Titan Q]

Heard some chatter recently that Carthage is close to getting a big impact senior transfer.  The person I spoke with felt this player would have a chance to be the best player in the CCIW next year.  Never heard the name -- just remember it is a Racine, WI product who has been at a D1 for 3 years, and I think plays shooting guard.  Maybe someone can connect the dots.

Also heard Kyle Jeffery will be returning to Carthage, despite some talk of him leaving.

I can't confirm either report.

[dansand]

Keelan Amelianovich and Adam Dauksas have been invited to a 3-day camp in Germany next month.  They will play on a team that includes Northern Illinois U. grad Todd Peterson (Pekin H.S., brother of Todd, IWU '96).  There will be scouts from several European teams at the camp and each should know more about their overseas basketball opportunities shortly afterwards.

Dauksas and Amelianovich are both represented by Court Side.

http://www.court-side.com/

Todd Peterson's brother is Todd? This is my other brother Darrell.

[Warren Thompson]

The oddities who were a part of Browns lore, with or without Bill Veeck, were a part of the fabric of major league baseball. Most baseball fans love the Eddie Gaedels and the Pete Grays; they're what give the sport color and a sense of personality. The idea that baseball fans would stay away from the ballpark because of what you deem "a circus or a 'freak show'" strikes me as a contradiction in terms. The vast majority of self-described baseball fans are not humorless statheads with no patience for anything out of the ordinary.

The Browns stunk -- but the town never supported them in the first place.

Long live the Browns and the spirit of Ned Garver!

[dansand]

The oddities who were a part of Browns lore, with or without Bill Veeck, were a part of the fabric of major league baseball. Most baseball fans love the Eddie Gaedels and the Pete Grays; they're what give the sport color and a sense of personality. The idea that baseball fans would stay away from the ballpark because of what you deem "a circus or a 'freak show'" strikes me as a contradiction in terms. The vast majority of self-described baseball fans are not humorless statheads with no patience for anything out of the ordinary.

The Browns stunk -- but the town never supported them in the first place.

Long live the Browns and the spirit of Ned Garver!

My Mom went to school with Ned Garver in Ney, OH!

[Titan Q]

Keelan Amelianovich and Adam Dauksas have been invited to a 3-day camp in Germany next month.  They will play on a team that includes Northern Illinois U. grad Todd Peterson (Pekin H.S., brother of Todd, IWU '96).  There will be scouts from several European teams at the camp and each should know more about their overseas basketball opportunities shortly afterwards.

Dauksas and Amelianovich are both represented by Court Side.

http://www.court-side.com/

Todd Peterson's brother is Todd? This is my other brother Darrell.

Scott Peterson -- transfer to IWU from Northern Illinois and 6th man on IWU's 1996 Final Four team...and practicing orthodontist in B-N.   The slip may have been due to the bad ring "Scott Peterson" now has.

[Warren Thompson]

My Mom went to school with Ned Garver in Ney, OH!

And I saw Garver pitch for the San Antonio Missions back in the late 1940s ....

[dansand]

I knew who you meant Q, I just couldn't pass that one up.

In attempting to "connect the dots" on the possible Carthage transfer, the only ('05-06) junior from Racine playing Division I basketball that I could find is Matt Lojeski of Hawaii. Although he played two years at Eastern Wyoming JC, so he doesn't fit the 3 years at D1 criterion. If it is him, he did put up very good numbers for the Rainbows, although I'm having a tough time believing someone would leave Hawaii for Kenosha (no offense meant to anyone from Kenosha).

[Titan Q]

I knew who you meant Q, I just couldn't pass that one up.

In attempting to "connect the dots" on the possible Carthage transfer, the only ('05-06) junior from Racine playing Division I basketball that I could find is Matt Lojeski of Hawaii. Although he played two years at Eastern Wyoming JC, so he doesn't fit the 3 years at D1 criterion. If it is him, he did put up very good numbers for the Rainbows, although I'm having a tough time believing someone would leave Hawaii for Kenosha (no offense meant to anyone from Kenosha).

Dan, I am not sure about that "3 years in D1" thing...I'm positive the player will be a senior next year though.  My info is pretty sketchy I realize.

[kenoshamark]

Bob,  I'm guessing the player you are talking about is David Tolefree.   He would be a senior but he is from Kenosha (St. Joseph H.S).   He bounced around at the D1 level and I think the school was Centenary.  My understanding is he needs to finish a class from their before he can enroll at Carthage. 

He is around 6'3" and would be a two guard.  Terrific shooter and definitely would have a major impact in the league. 

Interesting that you mention that Jeffery is staying at Carthage.   I've been hearing rumors to the contrary for the past two months and was hoping to see something official to confirm one way or the other.

Big Mike Hart is also listed as coming back.  Add Hart, Jeffery and Tolefree along with Bowens and you have a interesting nucleus.   

Schlemm is no longer listed on the roster which isn't a surprise based on his diminshing minutes at the end of the year.  So much talent ....if only he could have kept his head on the court.

[Gregory Sager]

Bob,  I'm guessing the player you are talking about is David Tolefree.   He would be a senior but he is from Kenosha (St. Joseph H.S).   He bounced around at the D1 level and I think the school was Centenary.  My understanding is he needs to finish a class from their before he can enroll at Carthage. 

He is around 6'3" and would be a two guard.  Terrific shooter and definitely would have a major impact in the league.

I've been sitting on this one, per Bosko's request, since February when Bosko first told me about him. He is extremely high on Tolefree. A 2001 Kenosha St. Joseph grad, Tolefree played at a juco, Lake Land College in Mattoon, IL, before going to Centenary. He played one year for the Gents (2004-05) and averaged 4.2 ppg, 1.0 rpg, and 1.5 apg coming off of the bench. His highest-scoring game was 16 against IUPUI, a game in which he started due to an injury to Centenary's regular shooting guard. He was listed on the Centenary roster at 6'2", 185.

Here's a Green Bay Press-Gazette story about Tolefree's best friend at Kenosha St. Joe that also talks about Tolefree:

http://www.uwgb.edu/univcomm/news/inthenews/INTHENEWS2004/morris2-04.htm

Tolefree would be the second recent CCIW player to transfer into the league from Centenary. Former NPU forward Irving Richardson was also a former Gent.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

(no offense meant to anyone from Kenosha).

Why not?

[Gregory Sager]

although I'm having a tough time believing someone would leave Hawaii for Kenosha (no offense meant to anyone from Kenosha).

Dan, shame on you for saying this without ever attending one of Kenosha's legendary luaus. The deep-fried and batter-dipped pineapple, and the poiburgers, are to die for. And the hula squad from the Kenosha Chrysler engine plant has won DaimlerChrysler's Employee Ethnic Dance Contest each of the past three years. Of course, I think that the judges are unduly influenced by the fact that the hula squad's grass skirts are made out of shredded automobile floor mats.