There have been many baseball legends in Tyrone, but we truly lost a great one yesterday when Doc Bilger passed away.
There are a few names that anyone who knows anything about baseball in this area know, and Doc Bilger was one of them.
I played ball with his grandson Bob and there was not a kid who was more fundamentally sound in the game than Bob. A lot of that had to do with his grandfather.
My condolences to the Bilger family, and thanks to Doc for sharing his love of baseball with so many people over the years.
What can I tell you about my trip to Dover?
First, it was really great to see an old friend. When I was stationed in Korea, I worked with Veronica Aceveda, who now is at the Dover Air Force Base working with the Reserve Public Affairs Office. The stories we could tell about each other in Korea could go on forever. It was great to see her.
The parking lots at Dover flood. Imagine driving five and a half hours to get to the parking lot and they tell you it is closed. After driving around Dover for an hour and a half, we finally found a spot… at Wal-Mart. How lucky we were. Paved parking and the convenience that if you needed anything, the store was 50 feet away.
Please remember to keep Clint Wilson in your prayers. He is at UPMC Presbyterian Hospital where he had a blood clot dissolved. Not something your typical 16 year-old would expect to have done. The last report from his family is that he is expected to get out of the hospital this weekend.
Tomorrow is graduation night for the Tyrone Class of 2003 and Friday for the Bellwood-Antis Class of 2003. Congratulations to both classes and good luck as you enter your journey called life. Become good citizens, become leaders, because when I get old, it is your generation that is taking care of me.
The kids of Tyrone are notorious for screaming that they have nothing to do. The sad thing is when you are given something to do, you destroy things that others enjoy. The City Hotel Park is something that pride is taken in. People work to make sure that it is kept clean and the flowers and shrubs look nice. Until on Friday night when the teenagers leave the dances at the Citizens Fire Company and destroy things.
I ran into this a couple years ago when kids left the YMCA dances and would dive through the hedges at the Wesley UM Church. Kids, you just had three hours of being able to do something, why would you destroy the shrubs at the City Hotel Park?
When there is vandalism, why would anyone bother giving the kids of this town something nice to have? The borough is taking bids on a roller hockey rink. How long until that is destroyed?
It looks like Tyrone Borough Council is going to do something about the youth dances at the Citizens. The dances will cease or the funding for the fire company from the borough will cease. It is getting interesting.
Another interesting battle is the one shaping up between Michael DelGrosso and Bill Shuster for the Ninth Congressional District seat. The race has Senator Robert Jubelirer throwing his support behind Shuster and questioning DelGrosso’s contribution to the community. The primary for that seat is nearly a year away. This could get ugly in a hurry. Let’s hope not. Stick to the issues, not mud slinging.
Off to Pocono this weekend, so everyone have a good week and we’ll talk soon.
