Local Teams

The Evanston RoundTable Lions coached by Beth Miller (top right) won their division with 11 wins and one loss. Playoffs start the week of June 24.

Team Tommy Nevins Wins EBSA's MajorLeague Champtionship.

Team Tommy Nevins defeatedUrban Orthodonticsin the championship game on June 10. Coaches Jim O'Neil, Jim O'Donnell and Coach P.A.led the 13th-ranked team to four tournament victories.They credited their wins to great team work, withtimelyhits and strong defensive efforts from all the players: Hunter Bailey, Max Boyce, Manuel Gonzalez, Benjamin Maloney, Canute McKenzie, Sam O'Donnell, Mackenzie O'Neil, Juan Patino, Sebastian Pendry, Daniel Sanchez, Matthew Swarczewski, Maalik Todd and Kevin Villegas. Photo courtesy of Team Tommy Nevins.

EBSA 2007 Pony League Winners.

The Evanston Firefighters Local 742 completed its strong tournament run by winning the Championship over Orrington Realty on June 17 by a score of 9-6. The Firefighters were led by strong pitching performances from John Kountoures, Patrick Klaiber, JT Vilus and Connor "the Closer" Enochs.The Firefighters jumped out to an early lead with a leadoff double by Omari Whitmore and a two run double by Patrick Klaiber. Orrington Realty came back and closed the gap to 7-6 entering the fifth inning. The Firefighters then played strong defense with great plays by third baseman Michael Grassle and shortstop Connor Enochs and an outstandingperformance by catcher Omari Whitmore. Joe Clough, JT Vilus and Gabby Brieva of the Firefighters contributed throughout the tournament with timely hitting. Other Firefighters players contributing to the victorious tournament run were: Jesse Chatz, Anthony Jones, Adam Maloney and the speedy Connor Cole. Evanston Firefighters Local 742 was coached by Greg Klaiber and John Chatz and assisted by Gary Cole. Orrington Realty fought to the final out, and had the game-tying run on deck in the bottom of the 7th inning before the Firefighters prevailed. Orrington Realty had an excellent season and a strong playoff run.

Sudsy Bike Race Comes to Evanston

Mayor Lorraine Morton said she is glad the City will host one leg of the International Cycling Classic in July.

The 17-day Point Premium Root Beer International Cycling Classic (ICC) bicycle race will stop in Evanston on July 22. The ICC consists of 17 bicycle races in 17 cities from Blue Island, Ill., to Green Bay, Wisconsin from July 13 to July 29.

The ICC is the country's largest multi-category cycling event.

In Evanston the race course is planned to run downtown on a one-mile, hour-glass-shaped course starting one block east of the Davis Street train stations. Participating restaurants on the course will offer food outdoors.

"Evanston is world class. Bringing the excitement of a professional sports race such as this will showcase our dynamic downtown and the ability of our City to host an international competition," said Mayor Lorraine Morton.

"We are very excited to be the title sponsor of an international sporting event like the Point Premium Root Beer International Cycling Classic," said Ray Grady, president of Hospitals and Clinics, Evanston Northwestern Healthcare.

"Evanston Northwestern Healthcare's leadership in sponsoring this event is bolstered by the fact that business and community groups are supportive of this event and are involved with making it a success," said Chris Mailing , vice president of the Turin Bicycling Society and director of operations for the Race.

Alumni football players from the 1960's and 1970's are mounting a campaign to name the ETHS football field after their coach Murney Lazier, who, in his 18 years at ETHS, posted a 127-15-4 record and won 13 Suburban League championships. Former Chicago Bear Emery Moorhead (1972) and former School Board President Willie Miller (1971) are spearheading the effort along with many former Wildkits, including Dave Kauppi and Tom Corcoran (1971). In July the school may consider a proposal to name the field.

Race Against Hate.

A record 2,204 participants in this year's Ricky Byrdsong Memorial 5K Race Against Hate completed the five kilometer run/walk and youth mile, an increase of nearly 450 people over last year.

Participants in the Race, which took place on June 24, included Mr. Byrdsong's widow, Sherialyn, their three children, and numerous Byrdsong family members and friends.

Ms. Byrdsong and CBS-2 News reporter Derrick Blakely were honorary emcees for the event.

"Ricky would have been 51 years old today," Ms. Byrdsong said after the Race. "I know many of you here today knew my husband, "and I cannot express how much it means to me and to our family that you all come back year after year in remembrance of him and in celebration of our togetherness as a community. Thank you for your support. We're here to declare that racism and hatred will not be tolerated, and we'll be here every year."

Mr. Byrdsong was gunned down by a white supremacist on July 2, 1999, while walking in his neighborhood in Skokie with his two youngest children. The killer shot at 29 others - also killing a Korean-American doctoral student and wounding 8 others in a two-day, two-state rampage.

The Habitat for Humanity Bike Challenge

Shira Miller (center with bike) and her group stayed overnight on June 19 at the St. Paul Lutheran Church. They are raising awareness for Habitat for Humanity in an eight-week cross-country journey. For more information on the Bike Challenge visit http://hbc.habitatgnh.org

By Dan Edelstein

On June 2 Evanston native Shira Miller and 29 other college students left New Haven, Connecticut for a 5,000 mile bike ride to benefit Habitat for Humanity. The eight week trip will end in Portland, Oregon.

"Over the academic year, students must raise at least $4,000 apiece in order to be involved. I raised my money primarily by writing letters to local businesses, family members, and friends," said Ms. Miller.

Every day of the trip ends in a different town across the country. "We have about three or four days off in which we will help Habitat organizations build houses. Otherwise we give seminars and talks to locals about our mission," says Ms. Miller.

Ms. Miller says each day starts at around 5 or 6 a.m. After breakfast, the travelers ride until 4 p.m., stopping for a break every 20 or 30 miles to have a snack and talk to curious people about their trip. They take showers at local buildings, such as schools, and churches house and feed the riders each night. In the evenings they give slideshows or speeches to local residents to raise awareness for their cause. After some much needed relaxation they sleep, awaiting the next day's ride.

Ms. Miller and her group passed through Evanston on June 19 and slept at the St. Paul Lutheran Church.

The Habitat for Humanity Bike Challenge is the largest student-run organization to benefit Habitat said Ms. Miller. Created in 1995 by Yale student Anthony Brydon, the Challenge's aim is to raise money and awareness for the organization. Mr. Brydon took it upon himself to bike from Washington, D.C., to San Francisco in order to raise awareness for Habitat. This organization has blossomed into an annual event where three groups of 30 students each bike to three different places across the country starting in New Haven. Ms. Miller's group goes to Portland, another goes to Seattle, Washington, and the last goes to San Francisco.

For more information, to be involved, or to donate to the Bike Challenge, visit http://hbc.habitatgnh.org. To follow Ms. Miller and her group, visit http://oregonbiketrail.blogspot.com.

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