RSS | 
Twitter
| 
Be a fan!
At O-R, we are doing it by the book
Other than the bad work hours, writing on tight deadlines and the endless hours traveling and waiting for interviews, you think you might enjoy the job.
Well, here's your first assignment: Chronicle the last 100 years of sports in Washington and Greene counties. And do it in book form, with less than 200 pages and with more than 200 photographs. And pick out 50 or so of the most significant sports figures the area has seen and write a brief biography of each. And don't forget about some of the outstanding teams produced by the area's high schools, colleges and amateur leagues.
That's the task the sports staff at the Observer-Reporter tackled this summer.
Rate This Story:
1 the lowest - 5 the highest
Current rating:
Information about how to order the book will be available through promotional advertisements in the newspaper and at www.observer-reporter.com. Those who purchase the book will receive it at the end of November, making it a good choice for a holiday gift.
More information on which "Best of the Best" stories will be included, along with what other teams will be chronicled, will be available as we get closer to the book's print date.
n Don't be surprised if a bid is submitted for Washington to host the 2008 Big East Conference baseball tournament at Consol Energy Park. Pitt and West Virginia would serve as co-hosts. Clearwater, Fla., which hosted the tournament in 2006, also is expected to make a pitch to host the tournament, which was held this year in Brooklyn, N.Y.
n For the first time in the program's history, the Washington & Jefferson College men's soccer team will embark on a European tour.
The Presidents leave Monday on a 10-day trip that includes stops in England and Spain and four matches against club teams. Matches will be played Thursday and Saturday against the Gibraltar national team at Victory Field, located in the shadow of the Rock of Gibraltar.
The first exhibition match will be played Wednesday against a local club team in Malaga, Spain, and the final match is Aug. 12 against a Spanish under-20 club team.
"Our student-athletes will have the opportunity to experience a different brand of soccer and we hope to grow as a team from these training sessions and games," W&J coach Ian McDonald said. "Competing against the European clubs will benefit our student-athletes in a number of different ways. Washington & Jefferson College believes these types of international trips greatly enhance the student's overall educational experience."
The first stop on the tour will be Liverpool, England, where the Presidents will tour the city before going to Spain.
"We hope to build a lot of team chemistry with this trip," McDonald said. "Most of our student-athletes have never experienced anything outside of the United States, so this will be a tremendous cultural experience. Our players raised a lot of money for this trip and I want to make sure they learn as much as they can about Europe."
The NCAA allows teams to make a trip outside the United States once every three years. Such trips are most commonly done by NCAA Division I basketball teams.
Sports editor Chris Dugan can be reached at dugan@observer-reporter.com
