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TWISTED ACRES FREE FANTASY BASEBALL LEAGUE |
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The slots for the first-ever Betty's Twisted Acres Fantasy Baseball League have been filled... and it looks like the participants are in for some intense competition, and some even more intense trash-talking! The
teams for 2001are: The draft for this league will be held on March 28th, and the league will last all baseball season long, with the winner possibly getting a stylin' trophy (if all the league members agree to chip in for one). For those of you who aren't in the league but want to keep up on the standings (and the trash-talking), visit BTA's baseball-related guestbook, The Bleachers. Good luck to this year's participants! 3/25/2001 |
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TOILET FIXED AND SHOWERHEAD REPAIRED AT THE ACREAGE! |
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Forgive my pride, but I'm pretty freakin' PSYCHED that I was able to remove the cracked toilet and replace it with a brand-new, 1.6 gallon-per-flush modern toilet! Additionally, I found the stem for the shower and replaced that, too! So now, other than a hairline leak in the waste pipe in the bathroom sink (no can do on that one... plumber is on the way), and, of course, the splintered PVC pipes leading into the kitchen sink, the BTA plumbing is ready for another Summer! 3/10/2001 |
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BILL MAZEROSKI AND HILTON SMITH JOIN KIRBY & WINFIELD! |
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Bill Mazeroski, who hit one of baseball's most famous home runs, was elected to the Hall of Fame on Tuesday by the Veterans Committee, along with former Negro leagues player Hilton Smith. Dick Williams, Gil Hodges, Dom DiMaggio and Marvin Miller were bypassed by the panel, down to 14 members because of Ted Williams' recent open-heart surgery. It took 75 percent Ð 11 votes Ð for election. "I'm pretty happy," said Mazeroski, who was at the site of the committee's meeting. "I don't really know what to say. I never, ever expected to be here. You dream of a lot of things. You want to be in the big leagues. You want to make the All-Star Game. You want to be in a World Series. "You want to do all those things, but you never dream of this. It's pretty exciting. I just hope I can live up to it." The Vets were allowed to pick up to four new Hall of Famers, one from each of four categories: former major leaguers, Negro leaguers, 19th-century players and personnel, plus a composite of managers, umpires, executives and Negro leaguers. So that's it! The lineup is set! We'll be joining Dave Winfield, Kirby Puckett, Bill Mazeroski and the family of Hilton Smith in Cooperstown for Hall-of-Fame Weekend 9! 3/6/2001 |
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TOILET CRACKS AND SHOWERHEADS FLY AT THE ACREAGE! |
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Pat and Mart headed up to the Acreage and its' bitter cold conditions for Presidents' Day weekend. Upon arriving, they discovered that, for some inexplicable reason, the faucets in the bathroom were not left entirely open when the house was last shut down. Leaving the faucets open enables any frozen water (ice to you and me) to expand and allow the air that it displaces to escape without adding pressure in the lines, and subsequently causing faucets to pop, or worse, pipes to rupture. I think I explained that rather well! Anyway, the hot-water faucet in the shower popped off, along with the showerhead. Mart attempted to repair the broken faucet's faulty gasket with super-glue, and it worked at about 90%. the faucet was able to run, but it now dripped. So a new faucet must be installed, and Mart's just the guy to do it! Learn on-the-fly is his motto! Worse, they found the toilet tank to be FULL!!!! A major no-no!!!! The toilet bowl formed a hairline crack due to the tank full of ice, and now a plumber must come to replace it, which will be done in time for Ticket Day (we hope). If it's not done in time, be sure to bring a diaper. Vinny should have a few (see story below)! 2/22/2001 |
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VINNY'S THE LOCO SODA DIAPER MAN! |
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Our very own dashing-yet-struggling actor Vincenzo Campisi (know as "Paycheck" to some, and as the nurturing forefather to the Mount Rushmore of Idiots to others), has gotten what we hope to be his big break! Vinny will soon be seen in a national ad campaign for Loco Soda! In the ad, Vinny prances around in a diaper and says, "Loco Soda es deliciosa because of la frutta AND los chili peppers!" Needless to say, Vinny and Marie are very excited about Vinny's first featured role on the screen. He has appeared as an extra in the HBO series "Oz", along with other appearances. You'll remember that Vin and Marie left the Acreage during Hall-of-Fame Weekend 8 to head down for a "Sopranos" audition, only to come back because there were only about 700,000 other hopefuls waiting to audition. Vinny's come a long way, baby (and with that diaper, I do mean BABY)! Try some Loco Soda soon (available at finer stores in Manhattan and Utah), and look for Vinny on your TV screen... I don't think you can miss him! 2/22/2001 |
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PUCK AND WINNY GET THE NOD! |
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Congratulations to Dave Winfield and Kirby Puckett, who were elected January 16th to the Hall of Fame on their first try, becoming the seventh pair of teammates picked by baseball writers in the same year. Winfield retired following the 1995 season with 3,110 hits, 465 HR, 1,833 RBI and a .283 average. Winfield, who had 3,110 hits and 465 home runs, and Puckett, whose All-Star career was cut short by glaucoma, played together on the Minnesota Twins in 1993-94. In fact, Winfield's 3,000th hit drove in Puckett. While the extremely lovable Kirby spent his entire career with the Twins, the strapping Winfield played for six teams, mostly with the New York Yankees and San Diego Padres. So, which cap will Winfield wear on his Hall plaque? "I can't tell you because I haven't thought about it yet," he said from his home in the Los Angeles area. "I didn't want to be presumptuous. "The hat I'm wearing is the Hall of Fame hat today," he said. "My hat's off to all the teams that gave me the opportunity to do my thing." Winfield was listed on 84.5 percent of the ballots and Puckett was chosen on 82.1 percent in voting by 10-year members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America. It took 75 percent for election. The outfielders brought to 36 the players elected in their first year of eligibility. There are 251 overall members in the Hall. Gary Carter finished third with 64.9 percent, followed by Jim Rice (57.9), Bruce Sutter (47.6) and Goose Gossage (44.3). Don Mattingly received 28.2 percent as a first-year candidate. Winfield and Puckett joined Carlton Fisk and Tony Perez (2000), Ferguson Jenkins and Gaylord Perry (1991), Mickey Mantle and Whitey Ford (1974), Lefty Grove and Mickey Cochrane (1947) as sets of teammates chosen in the same year by the BBWAA. Also, Cy Young played with both Tris Speaker and Nap Lajoie, with all of them elected in 1937, research by the Elias Sports Bureau showed. So the BBWAA has spoken. Now, we wait to hear from the Veterans' Committee in just a few weeks. Is it Gil Hodges' turn? Whomever it is, we'll serenade 'em this coming August at BTA Hall-of-Fame Weekend 9! 1/21/2001 |
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PUCKETT, WINFIELD, MATTINGLY ON HALL BALLOT! |
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Kirby Puckett, Dave Winfield and Don Mattingly are among 17 first-time candidates on this year's ballot for the Baseball Hall of Fame. Kirk Gibson, Lance Parrish, Dave Stewart and Andy Van Slyke also appear for the first time on ballots, which were mailed this week to 10-year members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America. Thirty-two players are on the ballot, and each voter can select up to 10 players for induction into the Hall. A player must be selected by 75 percent or more of the voters to be elected. Results of the voting will be announced Jan. 16. New members of the Hall, including those chosen March 6 by the veterans committee, will be inducted during ceremonies at Cooperstown, N.Y., Aug. 5. To be eligible, a player must have completed at least 10 years of major league service and have been retired for at least five seasons. Players are dropped from the ballot if they receive fewer than 5 percent of the vote in any election. Puckett, whose career was cut short by glaucoma, is considered one of the favorites. He hit .318 with 207 homers and 1,085 RBIs in 12 major league seasons with Minnesota, helping the Twins to World Series titles in 1987 and 1991. He was a 10-time All-Star and six-time Gold Glove winner, and won the 1989 AL batting title. ÊMattingly, a six-time All-Star and nine-time Gold Glove winner, played 14 seasons with the New York Yankees, retiring after back injuries reduced his offensive output. He won the AL batting title in 1984 and the AL MVP award in 1985. Winfield, a 12-time All-Star, played 22 seasons for the San Diego Padres, Yankees, California Angels, Twins, Toronto Blue Jays and Cleveland Indians. His 465 homers ranked 21st on the career list. Other first-year eligibles are Steve Bedrosian, Tom Browning, Ron Darling, Jim Deshaies, Tom Henke, Howard Johnson, John Kruk, Dave Righetti, Jose Rijo and Lou Whitaker. ÊHoldovers include Bert Blyleven, Gary Carter, Dave Concepcion, Steve Garvey, Rich Gossage, Ron Guidry, Keith Hernandez, Tommy John, Jim Kaat, Jack Morris, Dale Murphy, Dave Parker, Jim Rice, Bruce Sutter and Luis Tiant. 11/22/2000 |
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In Loving Memory: Artie Martini - 1914-2000 |
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The Acreage has lost an absolute original. Artie Martini passed away on Wednesday, November 22nd, of complications from a heart attack he suffered nearly three weeks ago. Artie was Dottie Olsen's long-time boyfriend (45 years!), and was, in effect, grandfather to Liz, Chrissy, Frankie, and Patti, along with their many cousins. Artie, a lifelong Brooklynite and ex-professional boxer with a will of solid steel, will always be remembered for a seemingly endless arsenal of quick, too-funny-to-be-rehearsed responses that made everyday situations into the stuff of classic sit-coms... and he will be missed immensely. Visit the Absolut Artie Tribute Page 11/22/2000 |
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IDIOT MEETS ROCK ICON! |
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On November 14, 2000, Frankleen Calabro, the French foreign exchange student and founding member of The Mount Rushmore of Idiots, met Rush bassist and rock legend Geddy Lee. Frank got an autographed copy of his Geddy's new solo album, along with a signed copy of Rush's CD "Show of Hands". Frank says, "I shook his hand and told him, 'I play a mean version of "Red Barchetta" at the campfire.' Well, actually, I told him, 'Thanks for everything...' I was dumbfounded...I was in the presence of greatness." Frank will continue to report on his meetings with legends of music, cinema, and politics right here on the BTA News and Happenings Page. 11/21/2000 |
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HALL OF FAME TO OPEN SUBWAY SERIES EXHIBIT! |
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The Yankees and Mets will square off again, this time in the glass cases of the Baseball Hall of Fame. "Underground Movement: A History of the Subway Series," will display memorabilia from the two New York baseball teams that squared off in this year's World Series, won 4-1 by the Yankees. The exhibit, which opens on November 17th and runs through 2001, includes items like MVP Derek Jeter's batting helmet (Yankees), the bat used by the Mets' Benny Agbayani to win Game 3 and the cap worn by David Justice, the Yankees outfielder who became the career postseason games and RBI leader. Also displayed will be a history of classic contests between New York City teams from the 1920s through the 1950s. Look for items like an autographed New York Giants baseball, Brooklyn Dodger Whit Wyatt's spikes and Bobby Thomson's shoes and bat and the rosin bag used by Ralph Branca in the famous 1951 playoff that yielded Thomson's home run, the "Shot Heard Round the World." (courtesy AP) 11/21/2000 |
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HALL-OF-FAME WEEKEND 9 DATES ANNOUNCED! |
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The Baseball Hall of Fame has announced the dates for it's Hall of Fame Weekend 2001, which means that we can announce our dates for Betty's Twisted Acres Hall-of-Fame Weekend 9! As is our tradition, we take our weekend and stretch it out to the max... BTA Hall-of-Fame Weekend 9 takes place Thursday, August 2nd thru Tuesday, August 7th, 2001. The Hall of Fame Induction happens on Sunday, August 5th, and the Hall of Fame Game between the Florida Marlins and the Milwaukee Brewers takes place on Monday, August 6th. Rusty Game III will be played on Saturday, August 4th, with an earlier start time of 2pm (rather than the usual 5pm start). In order to accomodate this earlier start time, we must rent the Max V. Shaul State Park party facilities for the day. The cost is a total of $75, and this cost will be divided up and added into the donation you pay for staying at the Acreage for the weekend. It'll probably come out to $2 or $3 per person. In the past, we've started late so that any party taking place at the softball field could end before we got there. This will enable us to all go swimming in the falls once the Rusty Game ends, and NOTHING beats throwing your sweaty body into an ice-cold (and I mean ICE COLD) waterfall! Pack your gear! Seam the seals on your tent! Here comes Betty's Twisted Acres HALL-OF-FAME WEEKEND 9! 11/9/2000 |
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CAMPISI, HAGEMANN RECEIVE THEIR CORN TROPHIES! |
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Vincent Campisi, this years' Corn Challenge Champion, has received his Corn Champion Trophy. Vin received a brand-new trophy (photo coming soon) proclaiming him the consumer of the greatest amount of corn in Corn Challenge history, a whopping 142.5 ears. Additionally, John Hagemann, the first-ever to reach 100 ears of corn in the Corn Challenge, has received an equally-beautiful trophy. Vin was very proud, and has written a brief victory speech, which reads as follows: "On behalf of corn eaters across this great land, I, Vincent Campisi, humbly accept this fine trophy as the BTA Corn Challenge Champion 2000. I would like to thank Marty and John Hagemann for pushing me to go where no colon has gone before. On that note, I would be remiss if I didn't thank my colon for being a good sport. Harry, none of this would have been possible without you." "During my reign as Corn Champion, I will dedicate my life to the preservation, not annihilation, of corn. I will work hand-in-hand and ear-to-ear with underdeveloped and underprivileged corns all across this nation. Also, as a side project, I will attempt to achieve peace in the Middle East, and re-align baseball so that the Yankees and the Mets play the Red Sox and the Braves at least twelve times every September!" "Thank you again for this wonderful honor, and thank Christ it's OVER!" The original Corn Challenge Champion stuffed doll has been permanently retired, and sits proudly near the computer that generates this website. 11/9/2000 |
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IT'S A GIRL... TWO GIRLS FOR EVERY BOY!!! |
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Congratulations to Tombie and Maryann McGivney; they've given Jackie and Matty a baby sister! Kaitlin Grace McGivney was born today, October 24th, 2000, at 12:51pm. She weighed a hefty 8 lbs., 9 oz., and measured 19 1/2" long. Apparently, Katy couldn't wait to give Roger Clemens a piece of her mind, so she jumped out in a record 36-minute labor!!! Fortunately, the doctors decided to induce her labor, for if she was at home when her water broke, Maryann's mother and Tom would have been delivering her!
What a great day! E-mail congrats to Tombie, Maryann, Jackie & Matty 10/24/2000 |
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NEW FIREPLACE HAS BEEN ORDERED! |
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After several years of dormancy, the Living Room fireplace in the Main Residence will finally warm those cold, winter bones with it's comforting, inspiring blaze! The box in the fireplace is too old and warped to effectively allow a fire to burn, thereby forcing the folks at The Acreage to use the antique wood-burning stove that John McCole so kindly installed in the kitchen. Only trouble was, it was so old as to be extremely unsafe. The floorboards were found to be warped by heat when the old stove was removed from the kitched this past summer. The folks at Hearths a'fire in Oneonta, NY, will be inserting a brand-new small-but-extremely-efficient wood-burning stove into the fireplace and running a brand new line up the chimney this November. This new stove can heat a 1,200 square-foot space with ease, we're told, and is among the cleanest-burning wood stoves manufactured in the world today! It also looks great... hunter-green enamel finish, with a glass door so you can cuddle up to the fire and sip green tea (or beer, it's ok)! So next time you're up, be sure to light up that wood stove, and be warm at The Acreage! 10/19/2000 |
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NEILSNACKS RUNS OVER A FOX! |
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Yes, it's sad, but true. On his way up to Uncle Neil's new digs down the road from the Acreage, Neil hit and killed a fox with his Jeep CJ5 on Route 145 North. He said he was gonna stop, but "what was the point? I slammed that damn thing. What was I gonna do? Give it CPR? C'mon!" Well, I guess there's no denying his logic. 10/19/2000 |
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SOCKO AND BOOMER GET HITCHED IN SIN CITY! |
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August 22nd, 2000... A great day to get married! Socko Jones and Jennifer Barbato did it in style! Las Vegas, Nevada after sunset, at The Wedding Chapel on The Strip (one of many, many chapels in Sin City), right in the shadow of The Stardust and the soon-to-be-closed Desert Inn. Martino and Patti served as Best Man and Matron of Honor, and Chewy and John (Mart & Sock's sister & brother-in-law) attended along with the Garone siblings: Uncle Mike, Aunt Edie, Uncle Harpo, and Uncle Joey. A hoppin' post-wedding shindig took place at the Samba Grille at The Mirage (where Sock and Jen are staying). You can e-mail congratulations to Socko and Jen at Socko's work e-mail address! We're all so proud of you and love you so much! God bless you both! 8/25/2000 |
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HOUSE
GETS A HUUUUUUUGE FACE-LIFT!!!!
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You saw it if you attended Hall-of-Fame Weekend 8... the Main Residence has received the biggest improvements since the living room side was gutted and re-built in 1995. The sagging floor in the sink area of the kitchen has been gutted, with new beams, joists, and floorboards installed; a new (but temporary) kitchen counter and sink have been put in place; and the most noticable and notable change is that an entirely new roof with vinyl siding and insulation have been installed, along with brand-new windows on the kitchen half and upstairs portion of the house. The work was done by James Landauer of nearby Gallupville, NY, and one and all seem to agree that you can barely recognize the house! It looks THAT GOOD. The visual benefits are obvious, but the siding and insulation will help the kitchen and upstairs portions of the house to retain heat during those freezing cold winter months as well as the living room portion does. If you frequent the house during the winter, you'll be thankful on one of those negative-10-degree nights in January! |
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JOEY
JO-JO'S GETTING MARRIED!
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Another engagement! Joe Darconte and Denise Tumbarello have announced their engagement, and they'll be hitching their wagons together sometime in 2001 (not during Hall-of-Fame Weekend 9, I hope). Man, oh man! I guess 2001 is a big wedding year after all! E-mail congrats to Jo-Jo and Denise 7/18/2000 |
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CHRISSY'S
GETTING MARRIED!
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YES! Chrissy Landy and Andrew Cascio have announced their engagement! Drew proposed to Chris on June 30th (right, Chris?), and plans are in the works for a 2001 wedding. This is one reception you don't wanna miss!!! Congratulations, Chrissy and Drew... we love you both! And Drew, we BETTER see you at Hall-of-Fame Weekend 9, or the family will dis-own you! E-mail congrats to Chrissy and Drew 7/18/2000 |
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BRENDAN'S SISTER RELEASES X-MEN STORY! |
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Brendan Heddle's sister, Jen, is on the move with her writing career. Just released is X-Men Legends, an anthology book which she has a short story in. One of the customer reviews listed her story as one of the best! For X-Men fans in the know, its a Rogue/Carol Danvers story. Also, her comic book (she writes it, someone else draws it) Cynical Girl is in the ordering phase at comic shops, so if you have a local one, please try to order a copy for yourself! If you'd like to see what the Heddle gene is capable of, check them out! Order X-Men Legends at Amazon.com 6/28/2000 |
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