March March 2017
www.MoonValleyTattler.com
VOL 37 No. 3
THUNDERBIRD CHIEFS BASEBALL HIGHLY RANKED BY SUSAN MERCER HINRICHS, REPORTER
PLAY BALL!! The two personable young baseball players have Each year, beginning late in February, these enduring absorbed Jacobs’ words of wisdom already. words ring out, heralding the season start of one of the most McGeary, a THS junior, is versatile as a pitcher, quintessential of American sports: Baseball. catcher and first baseman. It’s the game in which many of Major League “It’s fun; it’s a lot of work over the summer and Baseball’s proverbial Boys of Summer flock to the Valley during the season, but it’s going to pay off.” of the Sun for the annual rite called spring training. Last summer he rounded the bases, travelling But more importantly for the 20 current members of to California and Florida to play in tournaments. the Thunderbird High School varsity baseball team, it’s McGeary says he was supposed to play with the Los the time of year these talented youngsters sink their cleats Angeles Dodgers during current spring training, “but into the sand and focus on that round, stitched cowhidethe schedules didn’t work out.” covered ball in hopes of knocking it out of the diamond “Hopefully before the time I graduate, I’ll have a even better than they did last season. couple of workouts with Major League Ball teams." For two Chiefs players now, they’re also focusing on Sneider, also a junior, pitches and plays right great college baseball and academic careers, as universities’ outfield. Already, he and coaches have had the chance scouts have eyes on them, already extending offers to the to expose the young man’s talents to the Texas Rangers young men. and the Tampa Bay Rays. Meet Sasha Sneider, who’s already verbally committed In the interim he’s pleased to look beyond high to playing for Arizona State University, and Haydn school to ASU in Tempe. Why ASU? McGeary, who’s entertaining offers from Ivy League “Because it’s history is that they have the secondDartmouth College and Cornell University, respectively most draft picks in the country, right behind USC in Hanover, New Hampshire, and Ithaca, New York, and (the University of Southern California) and during prestigious Stanford University in Palo Alto, Calif. spring-training season, they’re right in the middle Who knows, says THS varsity baseball coach Mike of everything, so that’s really good,” Sneider says, as Jacobs; these two players may even make it to the major many MLB scouts have a chance to look at the ASU leagues. But just as crucially, Jacobs wants to instill in every players during that time. team member what he calls “better life skills.” The two young men agree academics are important. He cites those of teamwork, being organized, Thunderbird High School baseball players Sasha Sneider, left, and Haydn McGeary. “I’m going there to play baseball, but I’m accountable, and recognizing the concept that while also going to study geology,” Sneider, a hiker, winning is important, one needs to learn how to accept defeat graciously, learn from it says, adding he’s interested in how rocks form and where they come from. “And just and then grow as a better person. to stay close to home.” “Those are things that matter, no matter what field they go into.” Jacobs says. With a 3.73 grade-point average, his favorite subject now is history; and his “We want them to be the best they can be.” favorite MLB team is the Baltimore Orioles, because “they have lots of great players.”
Shaw Butte Little League 49th Spring Season 2017 marks the 49th year for the league - By Colby Rampley
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My family has been involved with the league since our oldest child started playing in 2009. Both our boys, my wife Amy and I have enjoyed meeting new parents and players, as well as developing the friendships that come along with this baseball community. I was even daring enough to spend two seasons as the President from 2014-2016, which was certainly a labor of love. I see baseball as a great teaching tool for the ups and downs of life, allowing our kids to learn life lessons along the way. I think their favorite one being that there is a Snack Shack ticket after every scraped up knee. If you have some “olden days” pictures of you or your child’s days at Shaw Butte, please post to our FB page (Shaw Butte Little League) or Twitter (@ShawButteLL) so that we can collect some local history for our 50th Anniversary Season in 2018.