Bob Cene Memorial gets under way today

Bob Cene Memorial gets under way today

STRUTHERS

The annual Bob Cene Memorial begins today and runs through Sunday.

Thirty-one teams are registered to compete in the tournament, which will be played at several sites around the Valley, including Cene Park.

Michael Shuba, the son of the late George”Shotgun” Shuba, is scheduled to throw out the first pitch of the tournament in the honor of his father, a former Brooklyn Dodgers outfielder.

A 1946 photograph known “The Handshake of the Century” shows George Shuba at home plate shaking Jackie Robinson’s hand. That handshake is considered a groundbreaking moment in MLB history.

As a token of appreciation for honoring his father, Michael Shuba plans to have a print of that moment for every player participating in the tournament.

Calhoun named MEC Men’s Coach of Year

Youngstown State head men’s basketball coach Jerrod Calhoun has been named the Mountain East Conference Men’s Sports Coach of the Year for 2016-17, the conference announced on Wednesday.

Calhoun led Fairmont State to a 34-3 record and a berth in the NCAA Division II national championship game before becoming YSU’s head coach on March 27. In addition to playing for the national title, the Fighting Falcons won their first regular season conference championship in 21 years and established a new school record with 34 victories.

Calhoun was also named the Basketball Times National Coach of the Year and MEC Men’s Basketball Coach of the Year for his efforts.

Fundraiser set for female student-athletes

The Youngstown State Department of Intercollegiate Athletics is sponsoring a Night at the Races event on July 8 to raise funds for scholarships for female student-athletes.

The event will be held at A La Cart Catering in Canfield from 6-9:30 p.m., and it is open to the public. The racing festivities will include 10 horse races plus a bonus 11th race that will be bid on that night. There will be a minimum bet of $2 for each race, and the total winnings in each race will be determined by the amount of money bet. There will also be a 50/50 raffle and door prizes.

Tickets are available for $25, which includes dinner and entrance to the event. Alcohol will not be sold but can be brought to the event. The cost to sponsor and name a horse is $40 with a chance to win back $80 if that horse wins. An Emperor Penguin sponsorship that includes inclusion on a banner displayed at the event and a listing in the event program plus naming rights to a horse and two tickets is available for $300.

Those interested in attending the event or sponsoring a horse should email Associate Director of Athletics Elaine Jacobs at eajacobs@ysu.edu.

Fall sports meeting for Niles parents next week

niles

The Niles McKinley Athletic Department will host the OHSAA Fall Parents Meeting on Thursday, June 29.

The meeting will be held at Niles McKinley High School and will start at 6:00pm. This meeting is for any student/parent of Niles Middle School and Niles McKinley High School who plan on participating in athletics for this fall season.

Boris Becker declared bankrupt in Britain

london

Boris Becker was declared bankrupt by a British court on Wednesday after the former tennis player failed to pay a long-standing debt.

A lawyer for the six-time Grand Slam champion pleaded with a Bankruptcy Court registrar in London for a last chance to pay a debt that Becker has owed to private bankers Arbuthnot Latham & Co. since 2015.

The registrar, Christine Derrett, said there was a lack of credible evidence that his debt would be paid soon. She refused to adjourn the case for another 28 days and announced a bankruptcy order.

Staff/Wire reports