Tom Reck
Special to the Tribune-Star
TERRE HAUTE —
Sports fans who enjoy racing — all types — will have ample opportunities to spend some time at the tracks this month.
Thoroughbred racing begins Wednesday with a special holiday card at Ellis Park and will continue with races on Friday, Saturday and Sunday through Labor Day at the track located between Evansville and Henderson, Ky.
Officials say purses and fields will be up from last season.
Illinois fair harness racing is slated at the Martinsville Agricultural Fair next week on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, followed by thoroughbred racing on Friday.
Post time is 1 p.m. each day. More harness racing is set for Marshall and Paris later in the month.
The Late Model Summernationals will be part of the Vigo County Fair next Thursday and Indiana Sprint Week begins July 13.
NASCAR action returns to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on July 29 with Nationwide Series and Sprint Cup action and other races on the oval.
• All-State honors — Players from the area have been honored with their selection to all-state baseball teams chosen by coaches.
Cody Thornton of West Vigo is on the Class 3A team while Brock Dowell of Shakamak is a Class A honoree.
Earning honorable mention are Cody Gardner of Terre Haute North in 4A, Brian Dale of Cloverdale in 2A and Brett Yeryar and Patrick Green of Shakamak in Class A.
Gardner and Pete Lannoo of Terre Haute South are two members of the academic all-state team. Congrats to all.
Dowell, Thornton and Connor Strain of North Central, plus future Rose-Hulman player Kody Alayon of Hammond Noll, have been chosen to play in the North-South all-star game at Jasper next week.
• New job — High school baseball coach Danny Roman has a new job. He has been hired as the coach at Carmel.
Roman compiled a 322-171 record in 16 seasons at Lawrence Central, where his teams won two regional titles and a Class 4A state championship in addition to winning three Marion County titles and finishing second in the county three times.
Roman was a standout player at Terre Haute North and Indiana State.
• Tom-Cattin’ It — Tiger Woods won his third golf event of the season on Sunday and the 74th of his career, moving past Jack Nicklaus in total victories.
Sam Snead is the only player ahead of him on the list. He won 82 times.
• The Indiana Pacers hope to keep Roy Hibbert on the roster but may have to pay big bucks to do it; Portland offered him a four-year contract for $58 million.
The Pacers will have a chance to match the offer if Hibbert signs Portland’s offer sheet as expected.
• Jim Thome recently set a record for walk-off game-winning homers when he slammed his 13th winner for Philadelphia against Tampa Bay. Thome since has been traded to Baltimore.
• Bonnie Skrenta has resigned as softball coach at DePauw to take the same job at Bucknell. She guided DePauw teams to five postseason appearances in her 10 years at the school.
• Paris Parham has been hired as assistant in basketball at Illinois. He had been at Illinois State for five seasons.
• Funeral services were conducted last week for James A. Jackson, 28, a graduate of Western High School at Russiaville who ran cross country for Indiana State.
• Former Brazil High School athlete Dorian Trent Anderson will be inducted into the Army Sports Hall of Fame in the fall. He earned letters in football and wrestling at West Point.
Tom Reck may be contacted by telephone at (812) 232-3231, by email at tm_reck@yahoo.com or by mail at 4284 South 5th Street, Apt. 3, Terre Haute, IN 47802.
