Throughout his lifetime, Walter O'Malley was a trailblazer. And now, even after death, he continues to be a pioneer among his kind. As owner of the Dodgers, he was instrumental in bringing baseball to the West Coast. And now, with his induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday, he becomes the first Penn alumnus ever to be enshrined in Cooperstown.
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Sports
Penn hoops fans staying on campus for Thanksgiving weekend can still satisfy their hunger for college basketball - they just shouldn't expect to see much of the Quakers. The Philly Hoop Group Classic will, for the second year, be taking place Thanksgiving weekend at the Palestra, according to an e-mail from Pete Kirschner, Director of Team Tournaments for The Hoop Group.
Last week, Sports Illustrated compiled a list of the Top 25 College Sports Programs for the 2007-08 year. Surprising many, 14-time Director's Cup defending champion Stanford did not land on top of the list. More surprising to Ivy League fans, though, may be the team coming in at thirteenth: Princeton.
Sports Brief | Golf program to face more restructuring
The Penn Athletics Department posted job openings for its vacant men's and women's golf coach positions on the NCAA's "Career Center" on Monday. Each position is listed as a 10 month, full-time job. Both positions will report to the Senior Associate Athletic Director, which would be Alanna Wren Shanahan or Mary DiStanislao.
Penn hoops fans staying on campus for Thanksgiving weekend can still satisfy their hunger for college basketball - they just shouldn't expect to see much of the Quakers. The Philly Hoop Group Classic will, for the second year, be taking place Thanksgiving weekend at the Palestra, according to an e-mail from Pete Kirschner, Director of Team Tournaments for The Hoop Group.
Last week, Sports Illustrated compiled a list of the Top 25 College Sports Programs for the 2007-08 year. Surprising many, 14-time Director's Cup defending champion Stanford did not land on top of the list. More surprising to Ivy League fans, though, may be the team coming in at thirteenth: Princeton.
In a press release on its web site, the University of Albany announced its basketball schedule for the upcoming season. And highlighting its non-conference home schedule is Penn, who will travel to Albany on Nov. 29 to take on the Great Danes. The meeting will be the first-ever between the two teams, though Penn holds a 9-1 record against America East opponents.
Fencing coach Dave Micahnik has one impressive resume. Three Olympic appearances and a National Championship as a competitor would be one thing. Tack on the 1981 men's and 1986 women's NCAA championship as a coach and that starts to catch people's eyes. Throw in coaching 40 All-Americans, a number of Olympians, a 664-202 coaching record and 34 winning records in as many seasons, and you get a true Hall of Famer.
Zach Klitzman | In Spain for the summer, I ran with the bulls
PAMPLONA, Spain, July 12 I'm not one of those people that has a list of things to do before I die, but if I did I'm sure attending the Running of the Bulls would have been on it. Well after this past weekend, I can cross that accomplishment off of my hypothetical list.
Pierre De Coubertin, founder of the modern Olympics, once summed up his opinions on the Games in a legendary quote. "The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not winning but taking part." It took eight years on the National Team and a missed qualification for the 2004 Athens Games, but 2002 College graduate Tom Paradiso is set to take part in the Olympics as a member of the United States rowing team in the lightweight four event.
The Penn alumnus most likely to win a rowing gold medal never rowed for the Quakers. And as a nod to the University's diversity, he won't be rowing for the United States, either. Andrew Byrnes, who earned his Masters of Science from Penn in 2006, will be rowing for Canada in the heavyweight men's eight event in Beijing.
United States Olympic athletes often take up their sports at a young age, practicing for over a dozen years before competing at the Summer Games. Gymnast Shawn Johnson began perfecting her craft when she was three years old. Swimmer Michael Phelps got in the water at age seven.
Some Quakers alumni saw their dreams of Olympic glory fall short at last week's U.S. Track and Field Olympic Trials in Eugene, Ore. Leading the group was 2004 graduate Brian Chaput, an NCAA champion in the javelin throw during his time as a Quaker. At last week's trials, none of the American javelin throwers obtained the Olympic 'A' standard of 268 feet, 4 inches.
Golf coach Vaughn steps down after 12 years at Penn
The men's and women's golf teams are in for another coaching shake-up this year. Francis Vaughn, the head coach for both the men and women, resigned from his duties last week. Vaughn, with Penn for 12 years, cited the increasing obligations of his business ventures as the primary reason for stepping down.
At least one Penn athlete has participated in every Summer Olympics since the 1900 Paris games. And, thanks to two rowers, that streak will continue through to next month's Games. Tom Paradiso (Col '02) and Susan Francia (Col '04) qualified for the men's lightweight four and the women's eight, respectively.
On June 27, outgoing senior Mike Hall received one of 58 NCAA postgraduate scholarships for his academic performance and athletics success. The scholarship - valued at $7,500 - is given by the NCAA to 29 male and 29 female student-athletes participating in spring sports.
The men's basketball team continues to get even bigger. No, they didn't sign a seven-footer, the team is just gaining players. Last Monday, men's basketball head coach Glen Miller officially announced the five incoming freshmen who will make up his latest recruiting class.
Last year's award may have been somewhat more prestigious, but women's lacrosse head coach was honored yet again by the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches' Association. On July 1, Brower was named the IWLCA Mid-Atlantic Coach of the Year, honoring her achievements with the Quakers this season.
A casual passerby may have been confused if he witnessed the baseball game at Meiklejohn Stadium on Friday. Both teams wore jerseys identifying themselves as Penn and none of the athletes looked quite old enough to go to the school. And that's beside the fact that the only colleges still playing NCAA baseball at the time were the national tournament semifinalists.
It may not be the national championship she coveted, but women's lacrosse goalie Sarah Waxman will take this award just the same. For the second consecutive season, Waxman was named the C. Markland Kelly Goalie of the Year by the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association.





