Castro was previously an English teacher in Brooklyn and a TV reporter before joining the MetsMARYSOL CASTRO
In N.Y., James Barron profiled Mets PA announcer MARYSOL CASTRO, who is in her "first season at Citi Field." Castro's job is "not just about saying the words," but it also is about "finding the tone that sets, or captures, the mood" in the ballpark. She had been an English teacher at Poly Country Day School in Brooklyn and a TV reporter "before the Mets hired her" (N.Y. TIMES, 8/20).
RUNNING CLUB: Former NFL exec JIM MILLER was profiled in the WALL STREET JOURNAL's "What's Your Workout?" feature. Miller was Chief Information Officer for the NFL's labor-relations office and also worked for the Saints, Bears and Bills, and served as AD at the Univ. of New Orleans. He is an avid runner, and uses fartlek, which is a "training technique that emphasizes endurance and a faster pace." As he grew older, he "developed what he calls the Old Fartlek, an adaptation of his marathon training method for seniors." The running portion of the "Old Fartlek workout is a modified version of his marathon workout." It "includes a 1-mile jog from his house to a community walking path, where he walks a mile before jogging another mile back home" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 8/19).
THE GOOD STUFF: Former LPGA player JAN STEPHENSON's Crossroads Foundation, which "benefits Purple Heart, blind and disabled veterans and first responders," is transforming Tarpon Woods Golf Club in Palm Harbor, Fla., into a "top-notch facility that caters to that group." Tarpon Woods is now "designated a Purple Heart course, one of two in the state and five in the country." Stephenson said that its support staff is "comprised entirely of veterans" (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 8/20)....Mavericks F HARRISON BARNES for the second straight summer teamed with retired Dallas Police Chief DAVID BROWN to "host a free basketball camp, life skills discussion and lunch at Exline Recreation Center." Eighty boys and girls, ages 8-to-18, attended the event on Saturday in Dallas (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 8/19)....More than half of the MLB Rangers’ roster on Saturday was “handing out backpacks as part of a Back To School Block party” at Refuge Church in Ft. Worth. The team “handed out 1,200 backpacks filled with school supplies" (DALLASNEWS.com, 8/18).
BOOK SHELF: The WALL STREET JOURNAL's Edward Kosner reviews RAYMOND ARSENAULT's book, “ARTHUR ASHE: A LIFE,” which is “plainly a labor of love.” Arsenault has “set himself a worthy task: to tell Ashe’s story in the context of the push for civil rights in America and the arduous ascent of black tennis players.” The result is an “encyclopedia recitation.” Ashe’s “remarkable story is worth reading, however ponderously it’s told” (WSJ.com, 8/17)....Former NESN cameraman JOHN MARTIN’s book, “WAITING FOR GREATNESS,” is about his “experiences as a cameraman covering great and interesting stories in his distinguished career.” Martin is "battling ALS," and the book includes “great stuff on his experiences and the talented people he worked with at NESN” (BOSTONGLOBE.com, 8/18).
NAMES: Former Tennessee AD JOHN CURRIE left Knoxville last week after a farewell event with friends at Dead End BBQ that included former UT women’s AD JOAN CRONAN, UT track coach BETH ALFORD-SULLIVAN and former UT trustee SUSAN RICHARDSON WILLIAMS. He moved with his family to Charlotte, where his mother lives (THE DAILY)....The U.S. Youth Soccer Association and its northern California affiliate agreed to pay $8.2M to settle a former player’s lawsuit regarding their “failure to properly screen her Sunnyvale coach,” who was convicted of sexually abusing her. The association said that it now “mandates criminal background checks for coaches and provides sex abuse awareness training.” The settlement “calls for the U.S. Youth Soccer Association to pay” $6.5M and its affiliate to pay $1.7M to the victim (MERCURYNEWS.com, 8/17)....Basketball HOFer ALLEN IVERSON and Reebok “helped raise money” for a "brand new basketball court" at the Boys & Girls Club in Newport News, Va. (DAILYPRESS.com, 8/17)....The neonatal intensive care unit at St. Vincent Women’s Hospital in Indianapolis “will be renamed to honor” PEYTON MANNING (INDYSTAR.com, 8/18)....Former MLB Cardinals manager MIKE MATHENY spoke on Christian Family Day at Six Flags St. Louis Saturday, 35 days “after he was fired.” He was “gracious and classy on stage, speaking for 45 minutes at the Palace Theatre” (STLTODAY.com, 8/19)....ESPN’s NEIL EVERETT will be the emcee for Thursday’s Hawaii Waterman HOF induction and dinner at Outrigger Canoe Club (STARADVERTISER.com, 8/19)....ALEX OVECHKIN’s wife, NASTYA, “gave birth to the couple’s first child” on Saturday, a boy named SERGEI (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 8/18)....Lions QB MATTHEW STAFFORD’s wife, KELLY, “gave birth to the couple’s third child” on Thursday (FREEP.com, 8/19).
