South Shore Sports & Entertainment March 2024

SOUTH SHORE SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

StPatrick’sDay! Everyone’sIrish!

EasterisHere!

It’s time for the Boys of Summer March Madness Begins!

Spring Training Is Here!

About the Publisher

Publisher Joanne Durann

Joanne Durann has written for The Examiner, Yahoo.com, Axs, Out On The Town Magazine, as well as a writing instructor. She has authored multiple books, new articles, and entertainment pieces. She has interviewed the likes of Geoff Tate, Mark Daly, and Rudy Sarzo, among others. After a successful career in education, Joanne’s passion for the Florida lifestyle and the Tampa Bay area landed her in Apollo Beach. Joanne has worked in the Real Estate industry at Keller Williams with the Lovitch Group since her move to Florida from Pennsylvania and loved what she did. Joanne has a certification from the University of Michigan in Negotiations, has studied remotely with Harvard University, and is a member of The Working Women of Tampa Bay, WISE Tampa Bay, and the National Association of Professional Women. In her spare time, she loves traveling with her husband and going to concerts and Bucs and Lighting Games. She works with multiple charities and on community events. Contact us: 267-980-6427

apollobeachpublishing@gmail.com

Managing Editor: Trish Stoecker

Trish is a 32-year combat Army Veteran, who spent the better part of her last twelve years in uniform stationed at The Pentagon in Washington, DC. While there, her assignments included organizing major Army infrastructure and entertainment programs, including The Army Birthday Ball, Total Army Analysis, and Organization Days for the Senior Army Leadership and Army Staff Sections. Trish is also a published author with numerous credits including The Knoxville News-Sentinel, Florida Women Magazine, and Lakeside Life.

Phil Stoecker grew up the youngest son of eight children in a journalistic family in a small town outside of New York City. His father was an award-winning photojournalist at United Press International (UPI), his mother was a reporter for the La Crosse (WI) Tribune until she married, and his stepmother was the daughter of a prominent New York sportswriter, who herself was the editor of one of the small town’s newspapers. Phil is not sure whether any of these legacies rubbed off on him, but he did endure an English lesson at every family dinner, where he learned to express himself – or else.

The skills he learned at the dining room table served him well when he joined the U.S. Navy as a cryptologist aboard submarines and at overseas duty stations. After his 10-year stint in the Navy, he was hired by the Department of the Navy, where he served as a civilian analyst until he retired 27 years later and moved from the Washington D.C. area to the Tampa Bay area with his wife, the Managing Editor. Phil indulges his hobbies as an amateur photographer and writer and hopes to make entertaining contributions to this publication.

March Holidays

National Women’s History Month

March 1 National Black Women in Jazz & The Arts Day

March 4 National Son’s Day

March 10 Harriet Tubman Day

March 14 Pi Day

March 17 St Patrick's Day

March 18-24 International Teach Music Week

March 20 Spring Equinox

March 22 National Sing Out Day

March 23 National Puppy Day

March 27 World Theatre Day

March 31 Easter Sunday

Welcome to MARCH Madness!!

•Selection Sunday: Sunday, March 17

•First Four: March 19-20

•First round: March 21-22

•Second round: March 23-24

•Sweet 16: March 28-29

•Elite Eight: March 30-31

•Final Four: Saturday, April 6 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.

•NCAA championship game: Monday, April 8 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.

•First Four: March 19-20 in Dayton, Ohio

•First and second round: March 21-24 at multiple sites: Brooklyn, New York; Charlotte, North Carolina; Indianapolis; Omaha, Nebraska; Pittsburgh; Salt Lake City; Spokane, Washington; Memphis, Tennessee

•East regional: March 28-30 in Boston

•South regional: March 29-31 in Dallas

•Midwest regional: March 29-31 in Detroit

•West regional: March 29-31 in Los Angeles

•Final Four: April 6-8 in Phoenix

NFL Combine 2024

•Thursday, Feb. 29 (3 p.m. to 8 p.m. ET): Defensive linemen, linebackers

•Friday, March 1 (3 p.m. to 9 p.m. ET): Defensive backs, tight ends

•Saturday, March 2 (1 p.m. to 9 p.m. ET): Quarterbacks, wide receivers, running backs

•Sunday, March 3 (1 p.m. to 5 p.m. ET): Offensive linemen

River O’ Green in Tampa!

Here is a list of the performance Schedule Tampa’s Annual event!

March 16th from 11 am to 6 pm

• 11:15am – 12:45pm: Paddy O’Furniture Performance (Main Stage)

• 11:30am: TBD (Terrace Stage)

• 1:00pm: Finnegan Irish Dance Academy Performance (Terrace Stage)

• 1:15pm – 2:45pm: TBD (Main Stage)

• 2:30pm: TBD (Terrace Stage)

• 3:00pm: Finnegan Irish Dance Academy Performance (Terrace Stage)

• 3:30pm: Pet Costume Contest Sponsored by Barrymore Hotel (Terrace Stage)

• 4:00pm – 5:00pm: Phoenix Five Performance (Main Stage)

2024 Tampa Bay Rays Opening Spring Training Game

Trish Stoecker

The weather couldn’t have been more perfect on Saturday, February 24, when the Tampa Bay Rays opened their 2024 Spring Training Season in Port Charlotte against the Atlanta Braves. What is fun about these early games is that you get to see the young talent who are trying to make the 40-man roster for Opening Day. Pitchers are rotated in and out quickly, sometimes brought in to throw only a few pitches before the end of the inning. Then a new face take the mound during the next.

The Braves were tops in the National League East and had the best record in baseball in 2023 with 104 wins and 58 losses. The Braves had a bye in the first round of the playoffs and lost in the Division Series in a stunner to the fourthseeded Phillies. The Rays finished second in the American League East with 99 wins and 63 losses. They made it to the playoffs but lost in the Wildcard round to their old foes the Rangers, who went on to win the World Series.

The Rays had three veterans starting in the lineup: Amed Rosario as DH, Jose Siri at CF, and Jose Caballero at SS. For the Braves, regulars Jarred Kelenic was in LF, and Michael Harris II played CF. Marcell Ozuna was at 1B getting comfortable as a surprising back-up option for their current first baseman Matt Olsen.

The Braves jumped out to a 1-0 lead with a leadoff homerun by Harris, followed by three runs in the second and two more in the fourth before the Rays answered with a Siri homerun in the bottom of that inning. The Rays continued to chip away at the Braves’ lead with a run each of the next four innings. However, in the end, the Braves overcame the Rays’ pitching and won 6- 5.

Wander Franco, the All-Star Shortstop under investigation in the Dominican Republic for an alleged relationship with an underage female, did not report to Spring Training camp. He must report for a court date in the country at the end of every month.

Arguably the most exciting exchange of the game was during the second inning when Haden Erbe was brought in to relieve Nathan Wiles and subsequently struck out Marcell Ozuna in three pitches.

Rays Spring Training games continue through March 25 at the Charlotte Sports Park in Port Charlotte, FL. The final Spring Training game is at Tropicana Field on March 26. Opening Day of the Regular Season is also at the Trop on March 28 vs. the Toronto Blue Jays. First pitch is 4:10pm. Tickets available at https://www.mlb.com/rays/tickets/single-game-tickets.

Photos Phil Stoecker

Tampa’s Annual St Patrick’s Day Parade

Raymond James Stadium

Kenny Chesney

April 20th

The Sun Goes Down Tour

April 26th & 27th

Breakaway Music Festival

Raymond James Pops

Twist & Shout: The Music of The Beatles

Fri, Mar 1, 8 pm, Straz Center, Morsani

TFO Chamber Concert

Copland’s Appalachian Spring & More

Fri, Mar 8, 7:30 pm, Church of the Ascension, Clearwater

Sat, Mar 9, 8 pm, Tampa Theatre

Hansel and Gretel

Fri, Mar 8, 8 pm, Straz Center Sun, Mar 10, 2 pm, Straz Center

Sing Out Tampa Bay

Wed, March 13, 7 pm, Mahaffey Theater

Rick Steves’ Europe: A Symphonic Journey

Sat, Mar 16, 2 pm, Mahaffey Theater - Matinee

Sat, Mar 16, 8 pm, Mahaffey Theater

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince™ in Conce rt

Fri, Mar 22, 7:30 pm, Straz Center

Sat, Mar, 23, 2 pm, Straz Center

Music in (e)Motion

Sun, Mar 24, 2 pm, Straz Center, Morsani

Amalie Arena March

Toasted Monkey March 1, 6:30pm – 10:30pm

The Toasted Monkey, 678 75th Ave, St Pete Beach, FL

OCC Roadhouse and Museum Sat, March 2, 8pm – 11pm 10575 49th St N, Clearwater, FL

Daiquiri Shak Raw Bar & Grille, Mar 8, 9pm –12 am

14995 Gulf Blvd, Madeira Beach, FL 33708, US

3 Daughters Brewing, Mar 15th 8-11 pm

222 22nd St S, St. Petersburg, FL 33712

Guld Beaches Rotary Spring Break Waterfront Festival Mar 16th 7 -9 pm 200 Rex Pl, Madeira Beach, FL 33708

Heritage Harbor Club House, Mar 29th 7-10 pm 19502 Heritage Harbor Pkwy, Lutz, FL 33558

Whiskey Wings Oldsmar, Mar 30th 8 – 11 pm 4013 Tampa Rd, Oldsmar, FL 34677

Toasted Monkey April 5th , 6:30pm – 10:30pm

The Toasted Monkey, 678 75th Ave, St Pete Beach, FL

Easter 2024

Saturday March 23rd from 11am – 2 pm

3607 N Armenia Ave, Tampa

Easter at the Farm, 1750 Lake Avenue SE, Largo March 29th to 31st

Easter Eggstravaganze with the Humane Society of Tampa Bay

7:30 am Tailgate

9:30 am Doors Open

10:30 am Service Starts

Easter for Tampa Bay Sunday, March 31st Raymond James Stadium

Cotton Tail Express, March 29th & 30th 12210 83rd St East Parrish

Florida Railroad Museum, Tickets $22, see venue for tickets and information

Tampa’s Downtown Egg Hunt, March 30th from 9 am to 1 pm

Julian B Lane Riverfront Park