March 11, 2021
Dr. Anthony Fauci has called Boston Celtics legend Bob Cousy, a fellow Holy Cross alum, his “absolute hero.”
But did the nation’s top infectious disease expert help Cousy get a COVID-19 vaccine?
Or was it Sen. Joe Manchin, another high-profile friend of the 92-year-old basketball Hall of Famer? Or someone else?
Cousy says it’s a “mystery.”
At least, it was.
Palm Beach Post this week that officials in his hometown of Worcester reached out to him last month after hearing from “a little bird” that he had struggled to land a vaccine appointment, despite being eligible under the state’s rollout, which opened up eligibility to residents over the age of 75 on Feb 1.
Group of students, staff, parents to discuss hot-button issue
Telegram & Gazette
The use of Native American imagery and symbols by Massachusetts high school athletic teams has been a contentious and continuing issue since at least the late 1990s with change occurring at a glacial pace.
But dramatic and meaningful progress for those who believe such imagery is racially and culturally insensitive has been made the past six months, an offshoot of an energized social justice movement that began in the summer.
Here in Central Mass., it’s led to Nashoba Regional ditching Chieftains for a yet-to-be-determined mascot in July, Grafton switching from Indians to Gators in November, and North Brookfield dropping Indians, Athol dumping Red Raiders and Algonquin forming a study group to review its Tomahawks nickname in December.
Bill Ballou: Yankee Stadium elevator wasn t big enough for writers and Donald Trump s ego
By Bill Ballou
The events of last week in Washington, as unprecedented and horrible as they were, came as no surprise to some 20, maybe 25 baseball writers who covered Game 7 of the American League Championship Series at Yankee Stadium in 2003 and had a too-close, too in-person, but very telling encounter with future President Donald Trump.
The game itself is an ugly memory for Red Sox fans, a 6-5 victory for New York on Aaron Boone’s solo home run in the bottom of the 11th. At the time, nobody knew that it would be the final game for the old Red Sox of heartbreak and disappointment. It was just more of what had been the same for 86 seasons.
Except that Burns has been doing that for 82 years and turned 100 on Sunday.
She already pre-celebrated her personal centennial in 2020 with a high of 118 for a single string and a 316 triple at her home alleys, Sparetime Recreation on Church Street in Whitinsville.
Burns is a native of Millville and only four years younger than the town itself, which was incorporated in 1916 after breaking away from neighboring Blackstone. For a little place, though, Millville has good athletic tradition that includes more than candlepin bowlers.
Burns grew up a half-Worcester away from the home of Hall of Fame catcher Gabby Hartnett, and big-league pitcher Tim McNamara was a Millville boy, as well.
Worcester Railers get in Christmas spirit with Teddy Bear Toss, big T&G Santa donation
Teddy Bear Toss and Toy Drive on Saturday
By Bill Ballou
WORCESTER The city’s latest version of the Teddy Bear Toss will be both unusual, and unusually predictable.
Through the years it has always happened at the DCU Center, first with the IceCats, then with the Sharks and lately with the Railers. It has become an annual event and even though there is no on-ice version in 2020, the Teddy Bear Toss and Toy Drive will happen on dry land from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at the Fidelity Bank Worcester Ice Center on Harding Street.