Give me a "P", Give me a "T", Give me an "A"

Debbie is off to San Diego attending the National PTA convention. Debbie is the Hunter Council President for the 2008-2009 school year. It has been 8 years since Gabe graduated from High School, but Debbie is serving stronger than ever in her PTA activities. For eighteen years, Debbie has served in some leadership capacity for the PTA, and has been a voice of support for our teachers and more funding for our public schools in the Granite School District. Debbie is respected by both our State Senator and State Representative for her support of public schools, and each year attends the Education Luncheon at the State Capitol. Debbie is very much respected for her diligent and unwavering support of the PTA and all the good that they have been able to accomplish.

Debbie and the "PTA girls" were able to go to Sea World, and attend a session in the San Diego Temple while attending the convention.

Zoo Adventure

Dear Mom and Dad,

While you are on your own adventure gliding along the canals of Venice, Italy, we too were on our own adventure with Grandma and Grandpa Guymon at the Hogle Zoo. We had a great time seeing all of the different animals, especially the white alligator. Cai was our leader, leading the way with his map, making sure that we never took a wrong turn. Cole made sure that we saw all of the animals, and was the bravest of all when he touched the snake! Cate reminded us when it was time to break-away from the animals for an ice cream cone and a ride on the zoo's train. We had a really fun day with Grandma and Grandpa at the zoo. Hope you had as much fun today as we had. We are excited to welcome you home from your trip next Tuesday.

Love you lots,

Cai, Cole, and Cate

So-long to Shea Stadium

Two trips to the Big Apple in 5 days;

that's what I have done this past week. Today I went to an afternoon game between the NY Mets and the AZ Diamondbacks. One of my lifetime goals is to attend a home baseball game of all the major league teams, and since this is the last year that the Mets will be playing at Shea Stadium, I wanted to attend a game at Shea before it too is demolished by the wrecking ball, suffering the same fate as Ebbetts. What a great game! At least the first seven innings were great as I cheered on the Mets. Johan Santana pitched a masterful game; a two hit, ten strike-out shutout through seven innings prior to being taken out for a pinch-hitter in the bottom of the seventh. The Mets had a 4-0 lead going into the top of the eighth inning when the Diamondbacks striked-back to show why they are leading the National League West. The Diamondbacks were too much for the Met's bullpen, and the Diamondbacks won the game, 5-4, in ten innings. Two-time Cy Young Award pitcher Johan Santana showed why he is among the best pitchers in the major leagues.

Shea has been one of the great baseball stadiums of the last forty-six years. Baseball greats like Casey Stengel, Gil Hodges, Tom Seaver, Gary Carter, Tug McGraw, Dwight Gooden, and Mike Piazza have all worn the blue and orange uniforms of the Mets. And who can forget the 1986 Mets beating the Red Soxs in seven games becoming the World Champions. Shea has a storied place in baseball history, and today, I was fortunate enough to see the Mets in their final year at Shea. At the end of the season, the wrecking ball will destroy Shea, but like Ebbets Field, Shea Stadium will live on. Shea will forever have a lasting legacy of baseball in New York City.

Finding Ebbets Field

For a Dodger Blue fan who only knew them from their days at Chavez Ravine in Los Angeles, Ebbets Field in Brooklyn is a legendary place where previous Dodger greats like Jackie Robinson, Pee Wee Reese, Lou Campanella, Gil Hodges, Duke Snyder, and the World Champion 1955 Dodger team played. From 1913 until 1957 when the Dodgers moved to Los Angeles, Ebbets Field was the home of the Brooklyn Dodgers. Completing a life-long desire, today I set out on an adventure to find what remains of this legendary stadium.

Taking the subway to Prospect Park and the Flatbush section of Brooklyn, I knew would get me within a couple blocks of Mckeever and Sullivan streets, where the above historic picture of Ebbets Fields was taken. Exiting the subway station, it was easy to see the 22 story projects of the Ebbets Field Apartments which replaced the demolished stadium. I knew that the only reference to Ebbets Field was a small plaque that was placed into one of the walls of one of the project's buildings. So off I went to find the last reference of the legendary stadium.

Walking up McKeever Place, which was the third base side of the stadium, there was no sign of any plaque. Rounding on Montgomery Street, the left field wall of Ebbets, proved the same, no plaque to be found. Turning onto Bedford Avenue, the right field, again provided the same results. The last hope was that the plaque must be on Sullivan Place, somewhere along the first base side of Ebbets. But...no plaque, somehow I had missed the elusive plaque, so, turning around, I retraced my steps. Walking back around what would have been the right field wall on Bedford, hidden behind an overgrown bush on a corner of one of the project's buildings, was the small plaque stating "this is the former site of Ebbet's Field." The small plaque, overgrown with bushes, was not what I had hoped to find. The nondescript epitat on the plaque seems so inadequate, so lacking, for such a historical place as Ebbet's Field. For this was the sight of a black baseball player, Jackie Robinson, breaking the color-barrier of professional sports in 1947. This was the sight of the 1955 World Champion Dodgers, their only world championship in Brooklyn. Somehow, Ebbet's Field deserved better. Ebbet's represents to me the golden era of baseball, our national pasttime. Only Wrigley Field in Chicago, and Fenway Park in Boston have survived that era.

Walking away from McKeever and Sullivan streets left me with a sadness. My pilgrimage to Ebbet's Field, was now complete. My desire to walk on the legendary field had now been fulfilled. I could cross another item off my life's to-do-list. In my mind I could hear the cheers that filled the air in a bygone era, and I could envision the ghosts of the Brooklyn Bum's as the players of the Dodgers were affectionately known as. With one final look, I realized that sometimes nostalgia may best be left for the mind to envision, and not for the eyes to behold.