ATTITUDE FUELS SERIES CAN-DO TEAM HEADS TO MICHIGAN.Byline: GIDEON RUBIN Special to the Daily News PALMDALE -- Kelsie Blankemeyer is among seven District 51 Big League softball softball, variant of baseball played with a larger ball on a smaller field. Invented (1888) in Chicago as an indoor game, it was at various times called indoor baseball, mush ball, playground ball, kitten ball, and, because it was also played by women, ladies' teammates who at one point played together for perennial perennial, any plant that under natural conditions lives for several to many growing seasons, as contrasted to an annual or a biennial. Botanically, the term perennial Golden League power Quartz quartz, one of the commonest of all rock-forming minerals and one of the most important constituents of the earth's crust. Chemically, it is silicon dioxide, SiO2. Hill High. Others on the team played for less successful programs such as Antelope Valley This article is about the Los Angeles County region. For the census-designated place in Wyoming, see Antelope Valley-Crestview, Wyoming. The Antelope Valley and Palmdale. But during the summer months, none of that matters. ``We get along on and off the field; we're all really good friends,'' Blankemeyer said with a smile. The friendship factor is in keeping with a District 51 tradition that began in the mid- mid- pref. Middle: midbrain. 1990s, when it emerged as an elite national program. It has, by all accounts, spawned another tradition. District 51's team travels this week to Kalamazoo, Mich., for the Big League World Series, where it makes its eighth appearance in 11 years. District 51 is the defending World Series champion. It has appeared in three title games in 11 years, winning championships last season and in 1996. It lost to Michigan in 2000. The team's cohesiveness has been especially pronounced this season. Third baseman third baseman n. Baseball The infielder stationed near third base. Noun 1. third baseman - (baseball) the person who plays third base third sacker Blankemeyer, an Antelope Valley College Antelope Valley College is a comprehensive community college located in Lancaster, California, USA. It is operated by the Antelope Valley Community College District, with a primary service area of 1,945 square miles covering portions of Los Angeles and Kern counties. sophomore, is among five players competing on the Big League team for a third consecutive season, the result of a rule change allowing players who were 18 on Dec. 31 of last year to remain eligible. In previous years, the Years, The the seven decades of Eleanor Pargiter’s life. [Br. Lit.: Benét, 1109] See : Time cutoff date was July 31. Pitcher Laura Calvert (Quartz Hill/AVC), first baseman Brooke Stix (Quartz Hill/AVC) second baseman/pitcher Nicole Torres (Quartz Hill/AVC) and catcher Rebecca Zapata (Palmdale) are the others. Outfielder Alaina Devenney (Quartz Hill) and shortstop/pitcher Johanna Ilejay (Palmdale) are among seven returnees. Calvert won't join the team in Kalamazoo because of college enrollment obligations. Blankemeyer believes the team's cohesiveness correlates directly with its success. ``We communicate really well. It's like we know what each other's thinking when we're on the field,'' Blankemeyer said. ``When someone's down, we know how to pick each other up.'' The benefits extend beyond moral support. ``There's a comfort zone when you've played with each other and ... you know how everybody hits and their habits,'' longtime long·time adj. Having existed or persisted for a long time: a longtime friend; a longtime resident of Detroit. longtime Adjective District 51 manager Walt Patison said. ``The on-deck batter can tell the next batter, `Hey, you're pulling your head,' or `You're dropping your shoulder.' '' Zapata said teammates take pride in making newcomers feel welcome, too. ``It helps the team when you feel comfortable with your teammates that you have,'' Zapata said. ``We let everybody in, so it's not like there's a `clique (mathematics) clique - A maximal totally connected subgraph. Given a graph with nodes N, a clique C is a subset of N where every node in C is directly connected to every other node in C (i.e. C is totally connected), and C contains all such nodes (C is maximal). factor.' '' Patison said creating that environment figures prominently in the selection process. ``We don't just look for talent,'' he said. ``Of course, we want talented players, but we also look for attitude and we look for character because that's what you've got to build on. They've got to get along, so attitude and character is No. 1. Talent comes in after that. I won't have a girl who won't get along with the team or thinks she's better than anyone else. I don't care
"Don't Care" is a 1994 (see 1994 in music) single by American death metal band Obituary. who she is.'' It is especially important considering the team has players from seven area high schools (all six Golden League schools, and Paraclete). ``The beautiful thing to me (is) that they can play against each other and pound each other all year long and then they can come together and be one solid team,'' Patison said. ``That's what's always been special about this team.'' gideon.rubin(at)dailynews.com (818) 713-3607 CAPTION(S): 3 photos, box Photo: (1 -- 3) Rebecca Zapata is congratulated by teammates and watched by an umpire A person chosen to decide a question in a controversy that has been submitted to Arbitration but has not been resolved because the arbitrators cannot reach agreement, or one who has been chosen to be a permanent arbitrator for the duration of a collective bargaining agreement. as she steps on home plate after hitting a home run for the Palmdale District 51 All Stars, who beat Oregon District 1 in the Big League All Stars Western Regional opener 10-0 last weekend. Right, Jessie Dunn pitches in last weekend's game. Left, catcher Zapata waits for the ball as Oregon's Catherine Miller tries to score. Jeff Goldwater/Staff Photographer Box: (1) ROSTER (2) no caption (Big League Softball World Series) |
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