Jim’s Journal, June 12th, 2024

Major League Baseball last night saw the Reds lose to their Ohio rivals the Cleveland Guardians, 5-3.  Steve Kwan hit a 2-run double for Cleveland, Tristan McKenzie pitched 5 and a third innings, and Emmanuel Clase pitched the 9th inning to earn a save. The Ohio rivals square off again tonight, with left-handed pitcher Nick Lodolo starting for the Reds, against right-hander Tanner Bibee for the Guardians.  The broadcast comes to you tonight at 6:40, on the Sports Voice, 103.9 FM, WRBI.

 

In college track & field this past week, Dillsboro native Grace Quinlan, competing for Indiana State’s Sycamores, has done well in the NCAA’s outdoor high jump competition at the national championship meet in Eugene, Oregon.  She got there by finishing 10th in the eastern first round of competition.  Grace cleared 5′ 7 & ¾”, then 5’9 ¾”, last weekend, before finally taking 17th place nationwide.  That’s the highest finish by a Sycamores women’s jumper at the N-C-Double A’s in 9 years.  The honorable mention All-America recognition she earned for that performance only adds to a great season for Quinlan, who also broke ISU’s own high jump record when she cleared 5’11 ¼” in another meet.

 

The Southeastern Indiana Swimming Association’s 8 swim clubs have a series of competitions continuing this summer.  Earlier this week, defending league champion Milan beat Jefferson County of Hanover, 712 points to 340.  That gave Milan a nice rebound from a loss to Decatur County last week, with Milan winning 8 of the 11 relay races.  Individually, Taylor and Brody Stock and Lindsey Franklin each won 4.  Noah Begley, Elizabeth McKittrick, Caiden Felver, JJ Mutz, and Lainey Stock won 3 each, and Alexis Schiller won 2 individual events.  Today, Milan will face Switzerland County, in Vevay.

 

In the big statewide “showcase” scrimmages for Indiana girls’ basketball players at Ben Davis High in Indianapolis tonight, numerous college coaches will be checking players out for potential scholarships.  Participants whose high school games you’ve heard on WRBI include from Greensburg, Claire Larrison, Leah West, Aly Powers, and Mylie Wilkison, along with North Decatur’s Madi Allen.  Top boys’ players have their showcase in a couple weeks, on the 28th.

 

As you may have heard from ABC News, pro basketball legend Jerry West has died at age 86, the cause not disclosed.  He played in the NBA 14 years after graduating West Virginia University in 1960, his professional career exclusively with the Lakers.  West was drafted as they moved from Minneapolis to Los Angeles.  His silhouette dribbling a ball has been the NBA logo since early in his career, one in which he averaged 4th all-time in scoring at just over 27 points per game, close behind Michael Jordan and 2 of his Laker teammates, Wilt Chamberlain and Elgin Baylor.  Again, former pro basketball star Jerry West, who after his playing days became a coach and general manager, has died.  He was 86 years old.