Congratulations to Buffalo Bisons management for making what could quite possibly be a multimillion-dollar commitment to improve the state of
high school baseball in their city.
Bisons co-owner Mindy Rich made the announcement on Monday, saying she wanted Buffalo's public schools to have the best high school baseball program in the northeast. To that end, the Bisons intend to upgrade facilities, supply equipment and uniforms and hire assistant coaches for the district's 12 schools.
In addition, the Bisons will help provide transportation, run camps and sponsor summer leagues. Rich and husband Bob Rich Jr. also recruited New Era Cap Co. to help supply equipment and work on renovation of Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium.
The timing of the announcement was not lost on Buffalo News columnist Jerry Sullivan, who noted that Major League Baseball recently celebrated the 60th anniversary of Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier. The percentage of blacks in the big leagues peaked at about 30 percent in the 1970s but is now down to 8.4 percent as young athletes gravitate toward football and basketball.
Celtics fire Telfair: The NBA's Boston Celtics have quickly distanced themselves from troubled guard Sebastian Telfair, announcling he was being waived in the aftermath of being arrested in Yonkers and charged with carrying a loaded gun in his car.
Telfair, the 13th pick in the 2004 draft after a stellar career at Lincoln High in Brooklyn, pleaded not guilty to a charge of felony second-degree possession of a weapon, and was released on $7,500 bail Friday.
