Mark Maloney on sports

Notes from Thursday’s (e-)mailbag.

* From Keith Elkins of the Lexington Legends ….

Alan Stein, president and CEO of the Legends and Omaha Royals, is the first recipient of the Presidential Citation from Minor League Baseball for outstanding service. MiLB President Pat O’Conner presented the award during the recent baseball winter meetings in Las Vegas.

Stein has served since 2006 as the South Atlantic League’s elected representative on Minor League Baseball’s board of trustees, elected vice chairman in 2007. O’Connor said Stein’s overall service was worthy of recognition, but noted in particular Stein’s role in this year’s agreement between MiLB and Major League Baseball Advanced Media on the bundled internet rights program. The Baseball Internet Rights Company, formed as a result of the agreement, bundles internet content of all clubs, with the purpose of significantly increasing the volume and availability of information about MiLB to an international audience.

* From Michael Clark at Eastern Kentucky University …

Senior place-kicker Taylor Long of Hopkinsville has been named second-team all-American by The Associated Press. Taylor finished his career with the Colonels as the program’s all-time leader in kick points, 285. Included were 20 field goals this season. He had a 13-for-13 stretch this season, including an overtime game-winner against Austin Peay, and booted a career-best 50-yarder against Eastern Illinois. Overall, he was 20-for-27 this season, averaging 7.3 points a game.

His 49 career field goals ties the EKU record set by Dale Dawson (1983-86), and his 138 PAT points are a school record.

* From Julie Bartell at USA Softball …

Crystl Bustos, the top power hitter in the game, has been named by the Amateur Softball Association as USA Softball Player of the Year.

Bustos came through in the clutch, blasting a three-run homer in the top of the ninth inning to give the U.S. a 4-1 victory over Japan and a spot in the gold-medal game at the Beijing Olympics. Although Japan won the gold-medal game, Bustos provided the only American run with a home run before drawing her third intentional walk of the Games.

Overall, Bustos hit .500 (11-for-22) at Beijing, with six homers, 10 RBI and 12 runs before retiring. The six homers and 1.318 slugging percentage broke her own Olympic records of five homers and .923 slugging at the 2004 Athens Olympics. The 10 RBI tie her Olympic record set at Athens. She finishes with the career home run Olympic record, 14, over three Olympics.

Tidings that should make us all glad — the Lexington Legends announced 2008 donations of $774,000 to non-profit organizations serving Central Kentucky. The Ivy Walls Charitable Giving Foundation at Bluegrass Community Foundation, in cooperation with the Legends and business sponsors, presented checks to organization representatives Friday at Applebee’s Park.

According to a Legends press release, the organization has donated more than $7 million to the region over its eight-year history. A tip of the hat to Keith Elkins, the team’s director of broadcasting and media relations, for providing the details.

Receiving funds Friday:

The Makenna Foundation — established in 2001 in memory of Makenna David, who died of a rare lung disease in 1998. The foundation has raised more than $800,000 for the University of Kentucky Children’s Hospital. The Legends’ Charity Ball Toss generated funds. (Sponsor: Copy Express.)

Markey Cancer Center — The Legends’ campaign to “strike out breast cancer” provides $5 per strikeout by Lexington pitchers during home games. Additional funds come from the Legends’ Breast Cancer Brunch and the sale of pink game jerseys. (Sponsor: ADI.)

St. Joseph Hospital Nursing Scholarship Program – Sale of Legends game jerseys support the program, which provides one- and two-year scholarships to nursing students at area colleges.

Boy Scouts of America Bluegrass Council — Every home-game stolen base by a Legend generates a $25 donation. (Sponsor: Windstream.)

Warrior Foundation — Helps military personnel with a variety of needs, from clothing, magazines, pillows and other personal items to air fare for families traveling to be with wounded relatives upon return to the United States. The Legends sold fatigue jerseys on Military Appreciation Night.

Kentucky Children’s Hospital and Junior Achievement of the Bluegrass — The annual “Guns ‘n’ Hoses” (police vs. firefighters) provides general support to both groups. (Sponsor: Gall’s.)

PBI Bank Community Organization of the Night program — Donations were made to 70 non-profit organizations during the season.

In-kind donations — United Way of the Bluegrass donors receive two free box-seat tickets from the Legends, almost 50,000 seats last season.

Since October 20007, the Legends have donated tickets, memorabilia or use of a luxury suite, with a combined worth of more than $30,000  and used primarily as silent-auction items, to more than 150 non-profit organizations.

A partnership with the University of Kentucky’s Dance Blue, a dance marathon to support the fight against cancer in children, helped raise funds and provided Legends tickets to each participant.

Other in-kind projects were associated with Big Brother/Big Sisters, Special Olympics, the walk to defeat ALS, Kentucky Center for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery’s Smokeless Tobacco Education program and Hit the Books, a joint effort between the Legends and Chick-Fil-A to encourage Central Kentucky students to read.

The Lexington Legends introduced their new director of broadcasting and media relations Thursday, Keith Elkins.

Elkins replaces Rob Gidel, who left to take a broadcasting position with the University of Akron. The only other full-time play-by-play voice in the Legends’ eight seasons belongs to Larry Glover, who called games from 2001 through 2007.

The Legends also announced the addition of five other front-office employees: Ty Cobb, director of creative services; Chris Wohlgamuth and Maura Kennedy, group sales; Paul Scanlon, corporate sales; and Justina Wright, staff accountant.

Cobb was named after and born on the same day as Hall of Famer Ty Cobb.

Elkins, who filled in for Gidel several times last season, is a former Lexington television sports reporter and anchor and public relations officer at the University of Kentucky and Transylvania University. In addition to play-by-play duties, he will serve as the South Atlantic League team’s primary media contact. Legends games are heard on flagship station WLXG in Lexington and 34 affiliates across the Commonwealth, making up the largest radio network in minor league baseball.