SPECIAL OLYMPICS PLAYERS MAKE SOFTBALL DIAMONDS SHINE.Byline: Gloria Gonzales Daily News Staff Writer Ten teams from all over the Southland south·land or South·land n. A region in the south of a country or an area. south  land·er n.Noun 1. converged on the field at Los Cerritos Intermediate School for the 1997 Ventura County Special Olympics Special Olympics International sports program for people with intellectual disability. It provides year-round training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type summer and winter sports for participants. 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' Tournament on Saturday. ``We're losing by three, but it's only our first game,'' said Craig Smith For the rugby player, see . Craig Smith (born November 10, 1983 in Inglewood, California) is an American professional basketball player. After playing for Boston College from 2002-2006, he was selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2006 NBA Draft. Jr., 28, the lead batter for Ventura's Transition to Independent Living Team. ``We always say, `Please God, let me win, but if I cannot win let me be brave in the attempt.' '' Smith joined about 150 other disabled and other players, coaches and volunteers at Saturday's tournament. At one point, all four diamonds on the large field hosted games, including the northeast diamond, where Smith's team, the Tigers, battled the Santa Paula Santa Paula (săn`tə pôl`ə), city (1990 pop. 25,062), Ventura co., S Calif., on the Santa Clara River in a fertile valley that yields citrus fruits, avocados, vegetables, flowers, nursery products, and walnuts; laid out 1875, inc. Special Olympics team. ``I love playing all sports,'' Smith said. ``But I really love this team.'' While waiting his turn at bat, one hitter batted in another run, bringing the score to 5-7, with the Tigers down by two. ``I'm on the deck!'' Smith shouted, seconds after his 52-year-old teammate Kathy Duffy sped across the plate, to score the second home run of her career. As Smith approached the plate with the bases loaded, his brother Chad coached him. ``Keep close to the ground, Craig, straight down the middle,'' Chad shouted from his position near first base. ``Special Olympics provides the only opportunity for these disabled athletes to participate in sports, something the rest of us might take for granted,'' said Bob Martin, the Ventura County director of the Special Olympics, as he watched from the sideline sideline See on the sidelines. as Smith took a swing at the first pitch and missed. Ventura County special Olympians range in age and ability from 8-year-olds just learning a sport, to a 77-year-old female bowler so committed to the game she owns her own ball and shoes, Martin said. Saturday's players included teens on up to 52-year-old Duffy of Ventura who played on the Transition to Independent Living team. ``Most can't play in school leagues and most of them aren't at the level of recreational leagues, so we're the only outlet,'' he added. ``Through this program they can participate in 18 different sports. Baseball's just one of them.'' On the diamond, Smith connected with the second pitch, sending a ground ball straight down between first and second, just as his brother had coached him. Smith and two other players rounded the bases and crossed home. ``We won! We won!'' Duffy shouted as she ran out on the field to join the team group hug group hug is a website that publishes anonymous confessions. Readers of the site are encouraged to "confess" using a simple form. All confessions go through a lengthy public screening process before appearing on the main page. forming near home base. Martin also noted that the work of dozens of volunteers make the Special Olympics possible. On Saturday, about 40 volunteers from Amgen, the Conejo Recreation and Park District and the Ventura County Special Olympics helped out by announcing the game, coaching, cheering and sometimes even filled in on teams. CAPTION(S): 2 Photos Photo: (1--color) Second baseman second baseman n. Baseball The infielder who is positioned near and to the first-base side of second base. Noun 1. second baseman - (baseball) the person who plays second base second sacker Larry Casson of Thousand Oaks Thousand Oaks, residential city (1990 pop. 104,352), Ventura co., S Calif., in a farm area; inc. 1964. Avocados, citrus, vegetables, strawberries, and nursery products are grown. fields a grounder in the Ventura County Special Olympics Softball Tournament. (2--color in CONEJO edition only) Linda Gomez of Thousand Oaks takes a picture of her husband, Ray, during the tournament for players throughout the Southland. Joe Binoya/Special to the Daily News |
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