Vick to wear mini Beebe helmet on injured right hand

Philadelphia--In an effort to protect his injured right hand, Eagles quarterback Michael Vick will wear a miniature Don Beebe helmet during this week's home game against the San Francisco 49ers. Vick nearly broke his hand in Sunday's game against the New York Giants at Lincoln Financial Field. The helmet was custom made by Don Beebe's Helmets for Tots, Inc. for Vick and will allow the Virgina native to grip a football (for snaps from center) through carefully positioned holes in the crown of the protective device. "It feels so good that I may wear a Don Beebe helmet on both of my hands," said a grinning Vick at a NovaCare news conference earlier today. "The grip-ability is awesome."

Will the single shell coxswain soon be joining the dinosaurs?

The shouts from the middle of the slow moving river glide over the water startling the Canada geese fertilizing the lush parkland that lines the iconic waterway. "Stroke. Push right. Left side, give a rest. What'ya say now right side?"

The coxswain is often described as the steering wheel of competitive rowing. Since the late 1800's this usually small, frail-looking outsider (often shunned by most of society) sits at the back of the narrow shell and valiantly attempts to get the individual rowers to work as a single unit.

"My job is to make many ... become one," said John Sedinski, a 4'11", 87-pound coxswain from Andover, MA, eating the second half of an Uncle Ben's rice cake he had saved from a lunch earlier in the week. "I steer, I guide, I yell ... I do everything but row."

The coxswain has climbed aboard every quad, double, single and eight scull race since 1871. Yes, that's correct, a coxswain also sits aboard a single-rower scull.

Sadly, and somewhat surprisingly, the United States Rowing Administration (USRA) has proposed eliminating the coxswain from single shells in an effort to save money, make the event faster, and, they emphatically claim, to "lighten the load of totally unneeded baggage."

"If their job is to make a team into one cohesive unit, then why are coxswains needed for single rowers? It seems unnecessary and ludicrous. I realize this is a difficult economy and we would be reducing the number of coxswain jobs significantly but this is the right move," said Diane Chalmers, a USRA official.

The news hit many rowing communities across the country very hard. Philadelphia relies on the rowing industry to provide thousands of jobs and the city is home to 70 percent of the sports coxswains.

"What am I supposed to do?" yelled Harry Clinton, 41, a professional coxswain based in Philadelphia. "All I know are single sculls. That's my life. My coxswain career probably has five good years remaining and that's too short of a time to learn double or eight rower sculls. What the hell am I supposed to do? What in God's name will I do with my life?"

"I'm a single rower and I would be lost without a coxswain," said Barbara Martinelli of South Philadelphia. "I can't seem to get in sync or steer the shell without one. Plus, we always have great conversations and they offer great advice ... about any aspect of life."

"It is a sad day but I will be joining the rally on Kelly Drive," said Burt Thomas, a longtime single rower on the Schuylkill River. "Hopefully we can influence the USRA's decision."

Thomas is referring to Saturday's Coxswain Rally near Boat House Row on Kelly Drive. If hundreds of rowing jobs are to be saved, this gathering may be the determining factor.

"I'm asking everyone to come out and support the cause. Together we can do this. Let's go! Also, there will be free t-shirts and hot dogs. We're working on free drinks as we speak."

Report: More than half of Brewers players dabble unsuccessfully in home brewing

St. Louis--Ryan Braun turned red with embarrassment when a local St Louis reporter asked the All-star outfielder if he brewed his own beer. The Mission Hills, CA native was unmistakeably caught off guard, hesitated a bit before finally confirming that, yes, he did brew beer in his suburban Milwaukee home. "I do brew but it's really a shoddy set up that I got going on. I play for the Brewers and I am completely ashamed of my brewing apparatus (pictured above). I use an old Igloo cooler for the fermentation process. Hey, the important part is that I have a blast doing it," said Braun. A recent report by Saint Louis University (another big brewing city) showed that nearly 56% of Brewers players are involved in home brewing in some capacity. "It's fascinating," said Dr Carol Von Hahn, head of the sociology department at this university in the Gateway to the West. "Brewers players are, in real life, brewers. They make beer. Albert Pujols can't be a Cardinal in real life and fly all around the country, but the Brewers are actually brewers. I was floored. I mean, I got teary-eyed. Foget the fact that most were horrible at it." The study was made possible by a generous grant from Professional Athletes That Home Brew (PATHB).

Small Pennsylvania town convinced that lone British resident is voice behind Geico's Gecko

Lumberton City, PA--Residents of this sleepy, tucked-away town in, ironically, Pennsylvania coal country have been buzzing over a new arrival for the past several months. Lloyd Howerton, 47, and his family of four relocated to this Allegheny Mountain village from Cherry Hill, NJ for the civil engineer's rapidly advancing career.

The community has warmly welcomed the family with visits, handcrafted pies and social invitations; however, there are quite a few suspicious souls that make their home here.

The majority of the town (yes, a poll was administered by the mayor) is unconvinced that Howerton is a civil engineer. In fact, they strongly believe that the Crowton, England native is the voice behind the gecko of the Geico Insurance television ads.

"The other day I intentionally bumped into him on the street while I was holding a toasted muffin with butter and jam. I tried to get him to say what it was I was holding so I could compare the accent to the tv commercial," said Don Wilson, 71, a retired coal miner. "When I asked, 'Look at what I'm holding, what do they call this in your country?" he just laughed off the question. It was an uncomfortable kind of laugh. Something's not right."

"He claims he's an engineer or something," said Debra Chambers, 59, of Hoit Street. "I mean, I feel like the accent is a perfect match. I know he's the voice, but I don't want to just come right out and accuse him of it. Ya know?"

"Oh, he's the voice," said Donna Billingsly of Cameron Street. "He's the voice. He's no civil whatchamacallit. He's the gecko guy. I can't say it any more plainer."

Concussed Utley recovering slowly, remembers being hit by pitch but has 'no recollection of hitting .262 this season'

Chase Utley sat quietly behind a tabletop podium responding to queries from a small gathering of local press members seeking information on his playing status after suffering a concussion last week. ".262? Who's hitting .262 this season?" barked a usually soft-spoken Utley at a confused reporter who had asked the second baseman for thoughts on his struggles at the plate this season. "Yeah, I'm hitting .262, that's a good one. We got a prankster in the press room everybody." After being hit on the helmet by a pitch on Wednesday night against the Braves, the dazed player trotted down to third base--instead of first base--then asked third base coach Juan Samuel why he was coaching first base. "He was totally out of it," said Samuel, trying to hold back a smile. "I mean, my man's cranium was whacked. He even took a lead off of third toward second. We had a saying in the Dominican Repulic after a player suffered a concussion: your cerebellum ain't quite right."

Brewers would love to forget inaugural season when they were known as the Fermentationers

Milwaukee, WI--Jake O'Neil, the original owner of the Brewers, can (sort of) laugh about it today when asked to reflect on the club's name during its inaugural season in 1970. "Brewers seemed too obvious and generic to me at the time," said O'Neil, 102, in between breaths assisted from a nearby oxygen tank. "I was looking to pay respect to Milwaukee's dependency on the beer industry when choosing a name. I guess I got a little too clever when I picked the Fermentationers. I smile now, but it's still a little embarrassing." That's correct, the Brewers were not always the Brewers. After the franchise failed miserably in Seattle for one season, the club moved to Wisconsin's largest city and became the Fermentationers. The public outcry was so enormous and filled with such vitriol that halfway through the year O'Neil vowed to change the name before the start of the 1971 season. "We settled on Brewers," he said. "I guess that's better than Hoppers, my second choice in 1970."

Philippine villagers pretty much feel they captured what was eating their elephants and water buffaloes

Marlins generally discourage fans from counting before guessing the game's attendance on stadium JumboTron

Team says 'that's cheating'

77 of 78 chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing also found in Twinkie cream filling

Should MLB umpires have whistles?

(This is the first part of a 32-part series on umpires using whistles in Major League Baseball)

Cincinnati--In 1893, on a lush green pitch in the English countryside, the whistle, the size of an obese child's fist, was first used to keep the peace during a soccer match between Bracknell and Crowhorn. Reports from that day's contest, over 100 years ago, describe how the athletes were "in shock and awe" of the ear-splitting sound that was, up until that day, used only by the London Police Department.

One newspaper summary of the day read: "Behavior yesterday day on the soggy pitch was the best I had ever seen up to that point. The whistle device turned the normally rough footballers into perfect English gentlemen. Honestly, they could have played the game at Wimbledon."

Before the whistle was a common sound at athletic events, referees would clap, or yelp loudly to signify the starting or stopping of play or when a foul had been committed.

A century later, the whistle, now the size of an obese child's fingernail, is a common sight at most sporting events, well, that is, except for the American pastime of baseball. Why did the whistle never takeoff in the diamond sport, and why, considering the game's commitment to tradition, is there a relentless push by umpires (old and young) to utilize the sound devices in the near future?

Actually, if the whistle were to become a fixture in the MLB (umps are shooting for 2012), it would be a return and not an entirely new concept for the league. The whistle made a brief appearance in 1901, lasting only 25 games at the beginning of the season before being eliminated by Commissioner Gelding Stevenson after receiving over 1000 death threats.

Now, the push is on to bring it back. "When I call a third strike I want to be able to blow a whistle to add that extra kick to my signature shout," said 21-year veteran umpire Jack Burrows. "NHL, NBA and NFL officials have them, why not us? I'll blow the &*^% out the whistle when I throw a whining manager out of the game. You can count on that."

"I think I would blow the whistle whether [players] were safe or out," said second base umpire Tim Bauer, a Huntingdon Valley, PA native. "If they were out, I'd do my normal fist pump, arm bent at 45 degrees, and really blow that whistle. I'd blow it when someone called timeout, as well."

It appears most players hold the belief that umpires would improve accuracy in calling plays or balls and strikes if they had whistles. "Let's face it," said Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals first baseman, "whistles should be a tool of the trade. I don't even think we would need instant replay if umps had whistles."

But could the whistle disrupt the flow of a game? Thirty umpires were asked if they would use the whistle to let the pitcher know he could throw a pitch ... every time. That would mean the whistles would be used, for pitching alone, over 100 times per nine innings. That's a lot of whistle!

Tomorrow: What are whistles made from?

Meteorologist claims hurricane eye winked at him, says 'it's not surprising'

East Coast Earthquake: Independence Park officials say Liberty Bell is okay, but something is different and they're not sure what it is

Above: the Liberty Bell minutes after the 5.9-magnitude, Virginia-centered earthquake that struck around 1:45 pm today. Below: A photograph taken earlier this week prior to the earthquake. National Park Service officials report that the Bell "is doing fine." However, the same officials reluctantly admitted there is something different about the historic treasure. "We've been analyzing the Bell now for over an hour," said Gregory Schmidt, a ranger at the park for the last 23 years, an hour and a half after the tremors had subsided, "and she looks real good, no noticeable damage. I think we really dodged a bullet with this quake, but something is off and I'm not sure what it is. I'll figure it out though, later today we'll run some x-ray testing, but I think it's okay. This Bell is my life."

Local weatherman says bow tie 'tingles' just before storm arrives

Above: Glenn "Hurricane" Schwartz, a meteorologist with NBC10 Philadelphia, recently admitted that he relies heavily on his trademark bow tie (and not so much on expensive meteorological technology) when predicting the weather for the Delaware Valley. The powerful storms over the past week that inundated the region with rain, spider lightning and booming thunder were all foretold using his signature bow tie. "The bow tie tingles just before the storm arrives," said Schwartz, wearing a 'I-probably-shouldn't-be-admitting-this' kind of smirk. "This week was quite a week with all these crazy storms, I thought the tie had turned against me and was trying to strangle me or something. But, minutes later, another storm would roll in. I should have never doubted the bow tie." Unfortunately, the Philadelphia native also admitted that he wears nothing but the bow tie when going to bed for the night.

Prince Fielder taking advantage of newly added base between first and second

Chicago--For years Major League Baseball has talked about adding a new base between first and second bases with the intention of the added bag to provide larger players a "resting area" to recoup when attempting to steal second or after hitting long singles. It would also allow these "stockier" players to take larger leads. "Players can take a lead off of first and make a break for base 1.3," said Harry Snick, MLB rule evaluator. Snick, and baseball in general, is calling the new base, positioned twelve feet from first, 1.3. "The base is great to have when caught in a rundown," added Snick. "Also, if tired, the runner can decide to run to 1.3 if the batter behind him walks or gets a single." Prince Fielder has used the new base to significantly add to his stolen base numbers, where runners are credited with 0.3 stolen bases when arriving safely at 1.3. "One-point-three has been good to me so far," Fielder said, after five games with the new base. "I'm well-rested, I'm a base-stealing threat and ... I just kind of like hanging out at 1.3. It's fun. It's like a little fort or something."

Kruk's message clear in Wall of Fame speech: Do not chew tobacco

Above: Former Phillies' first baseman John Kruk, left, is congratulated by former Phils' catcher Darren "Dutch" Daulton at the conclusion of Kruk's Wall of Fame speech before a game against the Washington Nationals last Friday at Citizens Bank Park. Kruk thanked the crowd, called the fans the best in the world and then launched into a 35-minute diatribe warning "folks of all ages" against the dangers of chewing tobacco. Despite his admonitions, the team's special events crew discovered tobacco spit and pieces littering the podium (below) and adjacent area when the stage was methodically disassembled for the game that immediately followed the induction. The Krukker, after the ceremony officially wrapped, posed for pictures with current players and red-clad fanatics, including children sporting Kruk jerseys.

Hard rain rescues river junk collector's livelihood

Philadelphia--Yesterday's nearly five inches of rain (some areas saw more than eight inches) came just in time for one area man's way of life. Kyle Donnelly is a river junk collector and relies on strong storms to wash debris from local streets, down storm drains and into the city's waterways. "The drought, this lack of rain, was killing my business. I can usually collect around 40 trinkets and over 30 knick knacks a day from the river's edge. I have a swimming pool skim pole. I've been collecting river junk from the river for 14 years," said Donnelly, standing along the banks of the Schuylkill River with a pair of binoculars around his neck while inspecting an empty, soggy box of Honey Nut Cheerios. "This is what I do. I spot things on the water and all sorts of stuff, fish them out, and sell them ... on ebay or something. It's quite lucrative. Yesterday's rain was glorious, simply glorious."

Proposed moat around Eastern State Penitentiary expected to cause severe traffic problems for Fairmount

Fairmount, Philadelphia--At $55 million, Eastern State Penitentiary's moat project--also known as the Big House Big Dig--is, by far, the largest improvement project the nonprofit Eastern State Association (ESA) has undertaken since it began operating the site in 1989.

"Back in 2001, we had a pretty big bake sale to cover the $12,000 needed for sidewalk repairs out in front of the penitentiary. That was really our biggest thing," said Gail Robertson, assistant to the treasurer for the ESA. "The moat project is daunting but we'll get it done. There's really no doubt in my mind."

Many area residents, however, are trying desperately to place doubts in Robertson's mind.

The penitentiary was completed in 1829 and remained active until 1971. Built on an open hill (Fair Mount) north of the city center, the compact urban landscape to the south quickly engulfed the formidable structure by mid-century. The wheel-spoke design was the first of its kind in the world and allowed one guard to keep watch over multiple cell blocks simply by standing at the confluence of the long hallways.

Historic photographs and charcoal drawings clearly indicate that there was never a moat, not in the 1800's or 1900's, not even in the numerous designs presented before construction commenced. The new moat will encircle the entire site, be twenty-five feet deep and twenty feet wide. Water from the Schuylkill River will be used to fill the wide trench, which is expected to take three weeks with five, 120-horse power pumps and miles of 4-inch fire hoses.

Why a moat and why now? The organization wants the site to appear even more castle-like so to intercept more Europe-bound tourists (seeking Old World castles). The National Historic Landmark already draws huge crowds, but the moat plan hopes to push the site to Niagara Falls tourist numbers--in the gagillions.

"Listen, the Penitentiary's architecture is amazing, a thing of beauty," said Tucker Goldstein, one of the 13-member board of advisers for the organization. "But a moat would take this from a Mom and Pop shop to a Mom, Pop, Uncle and Great Uncle shop. It's the right move and the right time."

Shops along Fairmount Ave are bitterly opposed to the moat plan, from Gorbin's Apothecary to Baglioni's Italian Bistro to the CVS there are scant supporters. Residents have been crying out en masse.

"I really don't get why they need a moat," said Evelyn Brubaker, 56, a lifelong resident of Fairmount. "It was a prison not a castle. What purpose does a moat serve? If they were restoring a long ago filled-in moat, then that would be a different story."

"Sure it would look really neat to have a moat, but do we really want to lose all that free parking? Not me Jose," said Tim Glosters another resident of the neighborhood and owner of Cuddly Pet Ramps--a company that designs ramps for aging pets so they can access hard-to-reach cars and beds more easily.

Parking seems to be the issue that really has the community fighting this project. Where to store cars when they're not maneuvering through the tight streets has long been a problem in the City of Brotherly Glove Compartment. Too many cars, not enough space.

Some neighborhood residents, however, are convinced that the organization operating the museum is a cult whose members are preparing to move inside the walls permanently and use the moat to better defend themselves against government agencies looking to take them down.

"They're up to something and I don't know what," said one resident who only went by Dennis. "A moat!? Something stinks and it stinks real bad. They are planning something. Plus, moats in general can stink with all that stagnant water."

Teammates already growing tired of Hunter Pence constantly using phrase: 'Pennsylvania-sized'

Philadelphia--Hunter Pence, the newest Phillie, a Texas native and a Houston Astro for nearly five seasons, is adjusting to life in the Northeast and his new teammates. Some of Pence's habits, however, are not going over well in the clubhouse, dugout and on the diamond. "Every time I turn around it's 'Did you see that home run? It was Pennsylvania-sized. Hot damn.' Or 'These Phillies fans make some Pennsylvania-sized noise when they cheer. Hoo ah.' We get it. You're from Texas and you played in Texas for some time where everything is Texas-sized. It's okay to still use that phrase, you don't have to substitute Pennsylvania for Texas. That makes it that much more annoying," said one Phillies player who wanted to remain anonymous.

Eagles continue signing rampage, now exploring top NHL, NBA free agents

Philadelphia--Howie Roseman hasn't slept in over a week. Well, perhaps a few hours here and there, but the Eagles' hard-charging general manager has been on a mission to make the Birds into a viable Super Bowl contender this season. The 36-year-old has declared war on the NFL free agent market, shortened due to the lengthy lockout, flanking left, right and all over the place.

Obviously, the biggest addition the Eagles made was cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha. If that was the only signing by the club, the offseason still could have been declared a success. Asomugha was considered the top free agent available, and the Eagles came out of nowhere to land him. However, they didn't stop there, as Cullen Jenkins, Ronnie Brown, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Jason Babin, to name a few, were also added via trades or signing.

So dominant has the team been in player acqusitions that they are beginning to explore free agents in other sports. The Eagles have contacted several NBA and NHL players within the past 48 hours.

"Brad Richards was signed by the New York Rangers in early July, so he's off the market, that's disappointing, but we are honing in on the longtime New Jersey Devil John Madden," Roseman said. "That would be a big addition."

The Eagles brass are behind Roseman's decision to branch out to other sporting leagues in an effort to really emphasize how serious the team is this season about winning ... and, winning big.

"Heck, at this point I just feel like we're on such a roll that we should keep shoveling coal into the engine," said head coach Andy Reid, who was shoveling some m&m's into his own engine. "We're currently in talks with the Orlando Magic for a trade involving Jason Richardson. And, who knows, we could turn around and package Jason to another NFL or NHL team. It really is like Thunderdome these days."

Owner Jeffrey Lurie added, "We've shown that we can dominate an NFL free agent signing period. That's great. Really, it is. But I want to think bigger. What will it say about our NFL franchise if we can bring home top NHL, NBA, MLB or, even, NASCAR free agents? I think it would make a statement. It would say, 'Hey everybody, look at us. We can sign top athletes that don't even play our sport.' I want to be aboard the crazy, crazy train that embarks on this mission."

Pirate fans from famous '60 World Series photo admit, nearly 51 years later, they thought it was a Steelers game

Chase chases Chase: One Padre has long looked up to Phillies star second baseman

Philadelphia--The San Diego Padres were in town this past weekend for a four-game series against the first place Phils. The Fightin's took three of four from the Fathers and extended their lead in the division in the process.

At 14.5 games out of the top spot the Padres are mostly playing the games because they are contractually obligated to do so. Given a choice between subjecting themselves to scorching Midwestern and Northeast record heat wave temperatures during recent road trips or heading for the links of SoCal, most on the club would not hesitate to arrange an early morning tee time.

One Padre, however, was thrilled to be in South Philly, a date he circles on his calender minutes after the upcoming season schedules are released--San Diego third baseman Chase Headley. No, Chase Headley is not a native Delaware Valley resident. No, he wasn't snubbed by the Phillies in a long ago draft. Chase Headley is a big fan of ... Chase Utley.

"I'd be in the minors and look to see that another Chase had made it to the big leagues and this was very inspiring to me," said Headley, a Colorado native and valedictorian of his high school graduating class. "Then, even more inspiring, was that his last name also ended in -ley. I mean, what were the chances. If Chase Utley could do it, well, by God, then Chase Headley could do it."

That's the entire connection, plain and simple. They're not friends or family or have ever met outside of the baseball diamond. Chase admired Chase because they share the same first name and have very similar sounding last names.

After the 2008 season a perfectly healthy Chase Headley had hip surgery simply because an ailing Chase Utley had hip surgery. In early 2010, Headley dropped the f-bomb (like Utley at the World Series victory celebration) at a San Diego charity event raising money for sick children where he was the keynote speaker. He told the young audience that someday soon "the Padres would be world f-ing champs. Count on it f-ers." The parents stared at the stage in disbelief, while the player quietly returned to his table and began to eat the rest of his semi-warm chicken cordon bleu.

At one point, the outfielder-turned-third baseman was adamant that he needed to play second base in order to succeed in the league. Several heated confrontations with coaches and managers were reported by the San Diego media but never confirmed.

Then, Headley soon began to copy Utley in other ways beyond what the Phils' second baseman did with regards to baseball. Family and friends became concerned, when, several years ago, Headley began to strongly encourage his girlfriend to volunteer with local animal shelters.

"Chase came to me out of the blue one day and wanted me to work at a dog shelter in San Diego," said Cheryl Hughs, Headley's wife. "That's great except for two things: I'm alergic to dogs and I don't particularly care for them. It's not that I dislike them."

Jen Utley, Chase's wife, is deeply involved in and passionate about protecting and finding homes for abused dogs in the Philadelphia region.

Headley also went from clubhouse clown to serious, low-key and somewhat reserved. "We didn't know what was going on until he began telling people that he went to UCLA and was from Long Beach, CA," said Headley's father from his home in Colorado. "We sat Chase Headley down and told him that he was not Chase Utley. You need to snap out of this funk, son. I'm not afraid to say that I slapped him with a batting glove."

Utley had this to say about the situation: "I think he's got a real cool first name. I want to see all Chase's do well."

Fine print: New NFL deal will bring best-of-three series format to Wild Card playoff round

Players irate after owners cleverly include the extended playoff series format into labor agreement using .002 size font. Ads have already started airing.

Love triangle: PBA logo silhouette spotted at New York nightclub with WNBA logo silhouette

Doctors unsure when high ankle sprain becomes low knee sprain

High ankle sprain injuries have become inexplicably common in many sports (yes, even NASCAR) over the last few years. Known to doctors as highess ankless sprainess, the injury usually occurs high on the athlete's ankle. But, many patients and medical researchers are asking, when does a high ankle sprain become so high that it turns into a low knee sprain? "It's a fine line," said Dr Steven Jasperovich of Hahnemenn University Hospital in Philadelphia, who openly admitted to never pondering the question before three months ago. "To say exactly where a high ankle sprain becomes a low knee sprain is nearly impossible. It really depends on the person. I like to just guess." The term kneekle sprain and anknee sprain surfaced within the last year in an effort to better describe the injury, but the terminology has had difficulty catching on and going mainstream.

Pittsburgh Pirate runs onto field during All-Star game; somehow throws 14 pitches before being tackled by security

Women's World Cup: FIFA credits strong defense, fewer goals for sharp rise in television ratings (not new uniforms)

Home Run Derby champ wins right to choose who has home-ice advantage in next year's Stanley Cup Finals

Above: Robinson Cano of the New York Yankees holds up the Stanley Cup after winning MLB's Home Run Derby at the All-Star festivities in Phoenix, AZ last night. Cano won a cash prize and the right to choose which NHL team will get home-ice advantage in the 2012 Stanley Cup Finals. "Right now I'm just enjoying this derby win," said Cano, sporting a big smile and hugging Lord Stanley's oversized silver trophy. "I haven't even thought about the Stanley Cup Finals. But, I won't lie, it's been a dream of mine to determine which NHL club will get to play four out of seven games in their home arena should the series go that far. It really is a dream come true." Cano will also get to take the Stanley Cup home for the remainder of the All-Star break. MLB commissioner Bud Selig wanted to add some meaning to the Home Run Derby and approached NHL commissioner Gary Bettman with the idea about two months ago. "Gary [Bettman] was very receptive to the concept of having some of our best power hitters determine the scheduling of his sport's showcase event ... and now we have a derby that actually has a tiny little bit of significance," said Selig.

Women's World Cup: FIFA officials investigating England's Diana Beckham for ... illegal shin guards

Vance Worley's father: 'I've been calling him Vince for years. It's embarrassing, but I really thought it was Vince.'

Miami Gardens, FL--Phillies pitcher Vance Worley took the mound on Monday night against the Marlins and held the struggling team to two hits and zero runs in seven innings of work. An impressive performance no matter what place in the standings the opposing team occupies.

The young pitcher, with a 2.20 era and a 4-1 record, is beginning to slowly make a name for himself in the Major Leagues and hopes to remain with the team for the duration of the season after being called up from Lehigh Valley. However, the Sacramento native apparently needs to work harder at making a name for himself with his own father.

"Vance? Who's Vance? It's Vince. Show some respect for my son," said Worley's father outside the Phillies locker room at Sun Life Stadium when asked if he was proud of his son's big league performance. "I'm extremely proud of VINCE, thank you for asking."

When shown a copy of Vance's birth certificate the father was overly embarrassed and abruptly excused himself from the small group of reporters loitering in the stadium hallway. Later, when Mr Worley asked his family--who all made the trip from northern California--why it took nearly 24 years to correct him, they all smiled and began the slow clap, fast clap in an effort to change the subject.

"My dad has been calling me Vince for a long long time," said the pitcher Worley. "He was just so darn proud of Vince that I didn't have the heart to tell him it was Vance."

Little league team overcomes five-run deficit, 3rd inning outfield plane crash to win championship