And Now For Something Completely Different
Today is a day off for the Cubs. Much as many of us would like to see player or management moves made today, I suspect we'll wake tomorrow to the same sad cast and crew.
So today, I wanted to present to you something positive, something that will, I hope, remind all of us why we are Cubs and baseball fans, and in so doing, do something for some people who really need help.
My daughter Rachel has a good friend who is a HUGE Cubs fan. Her name is Jenna and she is 12 years old, and a year from now, she will be Bat Mitzvah. As part of preparation for that, she has created what is called a "Mitzvah Project". For those of you who aren't Jewish, this is basically doing good deeds in the community, for those less fortunate than you are.
And, as you might guess from a kid who's a baseball fan, it's baseball-related. Here, in Jenna's own words, is her project:
Since my Bat Mitzvah is coming up next August, it was time to choose a mitzvah project. I decided to find projects that involved my love of baseball. This summer I volunteered for Keshet's Buddy Baseball Program. Keshet provides educational and recreational programs for children with special needs like autism. I enjoyed this because I could help kids with special needs enjoy baseball by helping them hit the ball or run the bases.
I also decided that I wanted to raise money for some of my favorite charities. I created the Jenna Shaw Bat Mitzvah Mitzvah Project. I have decided to have an auction and auction off my favorite autographed baseballs on eBay. I am excited because the Cubs and their sponsor Walter E. Smithe chose my mitzvah project to be part of their "Best Seats in the House" Contest. They have given me their 2 seats right behind home plate for this season's Sunday September 17th game against the Reds to use in my auction. The highest bidder gets to not only sit behind home plate, but also pose for pictures on the field and have their name on the scoreboard. Although the Cubs are not having their best year, it still is a great thing to do!
Money raised from my auction will go to 3 charities. The first charity is Cubs Care. They help underprivileged kids play baseball by sponsoring programs throughout the city. The second charity I want to give money to is ADHD research. I have ADHD and it makes it hard to learn. I would like to help others with this. The third charity I want to give money to is Keshet's Baseball Program. From spending time with these kids this summer, I was so touched by how much the baseball games meant to them and their parents.
The auction will begin on September 5, 2006 and will run for 7 days on eBay, ending at midnight on September 12th. I hope you will check out the site and bid on these items. Thank you so much for helping make this auction a grand slam.
This auction is not yet posted. I have been assured by Jenna's parents (who are posting the items) that it will be up in the next day or so. To find the auction items click here, on eBay's "Items by Seller" link, and enter "mitzvahproject" (no quotes) as the seller's User ID.
Check it out. You might find something you'd like to have for your personal collection, and if you do bid and win, know that you are contributing to what I think is a very worthy cause.
UPDATE [2006-9-1 15:59:11 by Al]: I accidentally misspelled the eBay user name above. It is "mitzvahproject". Items will be posted soon.
51 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
I love it.
wow
by mike bornemann @ Bleed Cubbie Blue on Aug 31, 2006 10:07 AM CDT reply actions
'bout time
Nice job
Good to see at such a young age.
by Johnny Callison was a Cub on Aug 31, 2006 10:29 AM CDT reply actions
Wow
Cant wait 'til Kurt sees this post
by Santos Sorrow @ Bleed Cubbie Blue on Aug 31, 2006 11:13 AM CDT reply actions
This just is
Thanks for this...
Maybe this is a good omen for the Cubs, too.
You can also accurately reflect the current...
I hope
Wow
The...
by timeforachange on Aug 31, 2006 3:39 PM CDT up reply actions
Which reminds me
Go Neifi Go!
Will Carroll was on WGN 720 recently
- He was calling for wholesale change from Team president to manager.
- He was saying that the orginzational philosphy for pitchers has to be changed because so many young pitchers get hurt in the Cubs system and he says that doesn't seem to happen to other clubs.
- He brought up Dusty's "clogging the bases" quotes about OBP. Rightfully slamming it as ridiculous.
- He ranted about Jaque Jones not being able to hit the cut off man or throw decently. At this point Waddle did pipe up and start saying that Jones has put up some offensive numbers. But Kaplan seemed to discount this because Jones not hitting the cut off man isn't playing "winning baseball".
- He asked why Ronny Cedeno isn't playing 2nd base every day. Kaplan said that when they traded for Isturis that everyone in the cubs management team told him that Cedeno was going to be their 2nd baseman next year. So when Isturis goes down, instead of keeping Ronny at 2nd to learn the position during meaningless games they move him back to short because "it wouldn't be fair to the pitchers".
- He lamented Dusty continuely running out Neifi to play while he was hear instead of young guys like Theriot. In fact he went through each of Theriot's call ups and how many at bats he got during each.
- He said the worst thing for the Cubs was not that Cub fans were picking up the phones and ranting angrily on their radio show every night. It was that most Cub fans had become apathetic about the team which was much worse.
- The overall point he articulated was that the Cubs didn't seem to have any orginzation wide plan and that they had to get a management team in here with a plan or nothing will change.
Hopefully Hendry was listening to that
Am I the only one...?
..."but he's only 5'5" tall. I don't think he'd make a good Center for our basketball team in Jersey."
"What are you talking about?!?! He's the tallest man in the whole city of XiaXing!!!!"
Maybe it's just me, but I really find his numbers sub-par, especially for RF and ESPECIALLY for a player who is guaranteed two more years of the job while entering his mid-thirties. ~.280/26/72-ish numbers with sometimes cripplingly bad throws and baserunning just doesn't seem like "problem solved" to me.
Just the fact that someone looks at those numbers and says it's decent output speaks VOLUMES about the Cubs offense in recent years. Jacques Jones may be one of the taller men in XiaXing, but he still can't play Center for my basketball team.
"Life is just one crushing defeat after another until you just wish Flanders was dead."
by The Jade Scorpion on Sep 1, 2006 7:51 AM CDT up reply actions
RC/25
Too lazy to look up/compare other stats.
Hey, good for Jenna!
So Will Carroll thinks we should be more vocal with our displeasure? Hmmm. Anyone know the snail mail address for the Cubs? Should we write to the Trib instead? I'm willing to spend the time to send a letter.
As I've said before....
firstinitialllastname (at) cubs (dot) com
Remember, it's MACPHAIL
Or, the snailmail address is:
Wrigley Field
1060 W. Addison
Chicago, IL 60613
I thought....
by timeforachange on Aug 31, 2006 3:41 PM CDT up reply actions
Actually.....
"Bitching has done absolutely nothing. As I said in my post yesterday, you can yell as loud as you want, but management is going to do as it pleases."
http://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/story/2006/7/25/51247/1762
by timeforachange on Aug 31, 2006 3:54 PM CDT up reply actions
you did say that Al
Well then...
Now, maybe constructive criticism CAN do something. I've tried to do that, and will continue to.
Constructive criticism and bitching....
by timeforachange on Aug 31, 2006 4:19 PM CDT up reply actions
You may very well be right about that...
I don't know her
Thank you Jenna, and may you always be held in good graces.
by Faith plus 1 on Aug 31, 2006 2:02 PM CDT reply actions
Any and all...
by cubfan4life on Aug 31, 2006 4:27 PM CDT reply actions
Not worthy of it's own thread
To all Tiger fans going to this weekend's games against the Angels:
Show Dombrowski and Leyland how unhappy you are with Neifi Perez by booing him everytime he steps on the field. This was one of the worst trades in team history, worse than any deal Randy Smith ever made including Phil Nevin for Nick Skuse. Perez is killing this team, and the powers that be need to be taken to the woodshed over this one.
Leyland's love affair with Neifi Perez needs to be broken up. Perez s.uc.ks, what does Omar Infante need to do to prove that he should be our starting 2nd baseman until polanco returns. He was worked his A$$ off filling in for Polanco all year and he had 2 hits today with a HR off Johnson in yankee stadium. He can hit, perez cannot.
neffi perez is terrible! at least 2 of the 1st 4 runs the yanks scored today would not have been scored with a decent shortstop. the a-rod bloop would have been caught by carlos g if he was at short. perez also cut off thames' throw to 2nd on the abreau (i think it was abreau) double that would have gotten the runner if it wasn't cut off. perez has been bad at 2nd base as well. his range seems limited, and he bobbles balls all the time. he doesn't look like a gold glover (or even a wooden glover for that matter). he has no bat. why does leyland pigheadedly continue to force him into the lineup
Well you gotta hand it to him, he manages to bring together the entire fanbase of the teams he plays for...in an effort to get rid of him.
Rotoworld
Infante played second with Neifi Perez at shortstop today. Perez went 0-for-3, leaving him with a .156 average, no extra-base hits, one run scored and one RBI in 32 at-bats over nine games for the Tigers. Infante, meanwhile, finishes August with a .400 average in 35 at-bats. Of course, he doesn't have Neifi's ability to charge balls from second base, make the barehanded play and then miss getting the runner at first base by just a step or two.
by VS on Aug 31, 2006 5:52 PM CDT up reply actions
Hey Al -
If I recall correctly
by sanantonecub on Aug 31, 2006 7:43 PM CDT up reply actions
You are correct.
general campaign to increase revenue".
Ah
It's official
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2568201
by LT on Aug 31, 2006 9:10 PM CDT up reply actions
Yes
by FLCubsFan on Aug 31, 2006 9:16 PM CDT up reply actions
Phil has GOT to be happy ... because
It's like the guy just won the Superball drawing!
Good luck, Phil!
by Littlerock Rynofan on Aug 31, 2006 10:52 PM CDT up reply actions
That's how...
I'm very impressed. I'm so impressed I'd even bid on a Neifi one.
Im Glad
Nevin traded
Larry Bowa
by jimhickman on Sep 1, 2006 9:11 AM CDT reply actions
On a side note
"Khagendra Thapa Magar, 14, is only 20 inches tall and weighs 10 pounds."
Jim, where are your scouts? Shouldn't they be covering something this big?
"According to Min Bahadur Thapa, president of the Khagendra Thapa Magar Foundation, they are expecting to receive a reply from London-based Guinness World Records in the next few days."
..and the Chicago Cubs to offer him a huge contract to play SS in lieu of Ronny Cedeno.
by Faith plus 1 on Sep 1, 2006 9:45 AM CDT reply actions

by 


















