FANFARE,

FANFARE,

Thanks to sportswriter Steve Wilaj for his piece about Bayann Jadallah and her teammates on Canfield’s 11-12-year-old softball all-star team that ran in Thursday’s edition (“Jadallah balances softball, fasting”).

Like many, I like to think we are born with a tendency toward tolerance, understanding and respect and that we learn prejudice, bigotry and discrimination. Bayann’s fellow athletes seem to bear this out with their support and encouragement. No judgment, no mocking, no emphasis on differences between followers of Christianity, Judaism or Islam.

Appreciation also goes to the coaches and especially the parents of these girls who certainly promote this example of team spirit.

Maybe we all ought to take up softball.

John Polanski

Mineral Ridge

FANFARE,

Congratulations to Andy Timko his staff and the Astro Falcon players for winning the 2016 Bob Cene Memorial Tournament.

Thank you to Bob Cene Jr. and Ryan Cene for their support of the event.

It took many other people to make the Cene Memorial a success and I would like to recognize and thank Scott Ruark, Tom Otto, Bob Beam and Steve Leslie.

Also thanks to Don Watt, Ron Bovo and their grounds crew at Cene and Roosevelt Park.

Others to thank are: John Mang and his umpire staff; Catlin Otto and her scorekeeping crew; Announcers Red Baker and Andrew Fallat; sccoreboard operator John Grace; Frank Cimmento and his concession stand crew; Cassie Mosure Oles for her beautiful rendition of our national anthem; and to all the gate volunteers.

Ken Quinn

Tournament Director Bob Cene Memorial Tournament