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By Ron P. Coderre
This week’s RPC shout out is sent along to Ryan Rumrill who is working on his associate’s degree at Quinebaug Valley Community College. During his spare time Rumrill, who was previously the Putnam High School scorer for basketball, can now be found across town at Putnam Science Academy. He serves as an assistant coach and statistician for the Mustangs.
If you follow Major League baseball as I do, it’s always interesting to see how players from Eastern Connecticut are performing. The majority of minor and major league players currently affiliated with professional teams come from Norwich and south. Regardless, it’s interesting to follow their career paths.
Rajai Davis, who last season played for the Toronto Blue Jays, entered the free agent market this year. Although Bleacher Reports earlier stated he didn’t have much opportunity of hooking a big contract, he surprised the BR folks and everyone else this week as he moved on from Toronto.
It was recently announced that the 33-year-old Davis was signed by the Detroit Tigers to a two-year pact in the vicinity of $9 to $10 million. The Tigers, who are attempting to bring more overall speed to the club, appear to be very excited about signing the speedy Davis. Last season, the Tigers pilfered only 35 bases as a team, while Davis was second in the American League in stolen bases with 41 only four behind the league leader Jacoby Elsbury who was then with the Red Sox.
The Tiger brain trust plans on platooning Davis in left field, which suits him to a tee. He’s the type player who’ll take advantage of any situation presented to him. In the past he’s played all three outfield positions very adeptly. It’s possible that will happen with the Tigers.
Detroit is the fifth team that Davis has played for. He was originally signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates and has since played for the San Francisco Giants, Oakland A’s and Toronto. A graduate of New London High School, Davis played for coach Roger Bidwell at UConn-Avery Point for two years prior to turning professional.
Anyone who knows or has ever met Davis will attest that he’s a quality individual and complete team player. It’s great to see that he’s being rewarded for his work ethic.
She’s Going to Disney World
Shortly after the first of the year Putnam’s Elizabeth Buzalski will be heading to Florida. The trip, which may have some vacation components to it, ultimately has a much more serious purpose.
Buzalski, who only started running last year, has been training in preparation for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Half-Marathon taking place at Walt Disney World on Jan. 10, 2014. Buzalski is part of the LLS Team in Training that is raising funds with a goal of curing and better treatments for leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma. She’s doing her part to be ready for the approximately 13-mile run but she needs everyone’s help in raising money for the cause.
If anyone would like to support Buzalski with a tax deductible contribution they can contact her at 860 230-3105 or go directly to her fundraising page, http://pages.teamintraining.org/vtnt/wdw14/ebuzalski. This is an opportunity to assist a dedicated young lady in her endeavor while supporting a worthwhile cause.
“I Was at Patriots-Browns Game”
Many years from now there will be people sitting around reminiscing about last week’s New England Patriots comeback 27-26 victory over the Cleveland Browns. With only 2:29 remaining on the clock the Pats trailed the Brownies by two touchdowns, causing many of the loyal New England fans on hand to head for the exits and parking lots.
The local trio of Atty. Marty Weiss, Obie Hewitt and Tim Aubin were among the thousands who took the early exit figuring the game was over and the Browns would upset the favored Patriots. Wrong! As the trio was plodding to the parking lot they heard the roar of the crowd as Tom Brady led the locals to a late game score.
The trio was still confident that the game would go to Cleveland, when suddenly they heard another explosion of cheers from the stadium. They soon found out that an onside kick by Steven Goskowski and some more Brady heroics meant one of the greatest comeback victories in the history of not only the Pats but probably the NFL. Unfortunately they missed all the heroics.
I’ll take bets that 10 or 20 years from now they’ll be telling their grandchildren or old friends that they were there for the finish of the game. Much like all those folks who claim they were at Fenway Park for Ted Williams last home run but in reality only 10,000 fans were on hand that day. Today, more than 100,000 individuals lay claim to have witnessed that four-bagger.
Update on College Performers
The big news with local college players this week is the selection of former Putnam Science Academy “big man” Paul Brooks as the MASCAC Basketball Rookie of the Week. The 6-foot, 9-inch. Brooks, who now plays at Worcester State, had a standout week despite the fact that the Lancers only posted a 1-3 record as a team.
Brooks averaged seven points and nine rebounds including a pair of double-double efforts. In a loss at Western Connecticut State University, Brooks had 10 points and 10 boards in a Herculean effort. He followed that up with a 12-point, 11-carom performance in a 96-56 win over UMaine Augusta in the Ed Hockenbury Tournament.
In the first eight games of the season, Brooks is averaging 5.8 points and 5.8 rebounds per contest with a team leading seven blocks. He’s eighth in the MASCAC in total rebounds with 46 and 10th in average, while connecting on .512 per cent of his shots. The Lancers are a disappointing 1-7 on the year as they enter a big cross-town matchup with Clark University.
Our friends at Quinnipiac University, Ike Azotam and Ousmane Drame continue to play great basketball for the 5-3 Bobcats. The team is third in the nation in rebounding margin behind Indiana and Arizona. Azotam leads the MAAC in rebounding with 10.8 per contest, while Drame is fifth at 8.1 a game. In a recent loss to Rider, Azotam had 24 points and Drame four.
Putnam’s Glenn Senecal, who is an assistant coach for the Central Connecticut State University women, is smiling these days after the ladies beat the University of Vermont 82-68 to raise their record to 5-3.
Finally, another former player of coach Tom Espinosa, Jonte Rutty, who plays for Georgian Court University in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference, is enjoying a very productive freshman season in New Jersey. In a recent loss to Pace University, Rutty registered 11 points in his season-best effort by adding a team leading seven rebounds.
From The Annals of Putnam Sports History
December 1906: In basketball Putnam High School defeated Southbridge High 35-27 in Southbridge. Windham 22 – Putnam 12 in Willimantic and Killingly 38 – Putnam 5 in Danielson. (Information contributed by Willie Zamagni)
RPC’s Closing Thought For The Day: Life is a grindstone – whether it grinds you down or polishes you up depends on what you’re made of.