Published: September 29, 2009 12:11 am         

Ramblin' Reck: Barmes’ defense coming up big during Rockies’ playoff hunt

Some notes and reports on a couple good guys with Wabash Valley ties.

First, former Indiana State baseball player Clint Barmes made the headlines on Yahoo and USA Today with a great play on Sunday in Colorado’s 4-3 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals.

With runners on first and second in the ninth inning, Barmes — who was playing second — dove headfirst to catch a flair off the bat off Ryan Ludwick and fired to first to get Albert Pujols for a game-ending double play.

Barmes was mobbed in the outfield by teammates including reliever Huston Street, who got his first save in awhile.

He had the wind knocked out of him and a big welt on his forehead but was happy.

Manager Jim Tracy called it the “defensive play of the year” and talked about his player from Vincennes.

Noting that he had some tough times at the plate, Tracy said, “I will never give up on Clint Barmes.”

The Rockies mathematically stayed alive for first place in the NL West — and still were Monday, since my Pirates beat the LA Dodgers again and kept them from clinching the NL West crown.

More importantly, the Rockies maintained their lead over Atlanta for the NL wild card.

Thanks, in part, to a guy named Barmes who plays now as he did at Vincennes University and ISU — 100 percent.

Second, Chad Collins of Cloverdale clinched his PGA Tour card for next season with his third second-place finish on the Nationwide Tour this year, scorching the Midland Country Club course with a 10-under-par 62 Sunday and finishing second by one shot.

He earned $56,700 and moved to ninth from 15th on the Nationwide money list with his $255,514 total.

As noted, he clinched his spot on the Tour and now has a chance to finish in the top 10 in money which would exempt him from more tournaments next year.

A great day for Chad and Clint.

• • •

• Crazy weekend — It was a crazy weekend in pro football.

After just three weeks in the National Football League, who would have thought:

• Detroit and Pittsburgh would have the same record, 1-2, after the Lions finally won a game Sunday;

• Tennessee would be 0-3, the same as Cleveland and Kansas City;

• Indianapolis would beat last year’s Super Bowl team, Arizona, by 21 points on its home turf;

• New Orleans would score 27 points and have just 156 yards passing, two more than Buffalo, and outrush the Bills 222 yards to 89?

• Mark Sanchez would be the first rookie quarterback to win his first three games since 1970? (FYI: Terre Haute’s Steve Weatherford boomed a 56-yard punt in the third period to help the Jets stifle Tennessee 24-17.)

• • •

• Tom-Cattin’ It — Tribune-Star columnist Bob Arnett was able to follow the leaders around Sunday in the WTHI-TV Men’s City Championship at Hulman Links.

He recently underwent serious surgery and says he is doing as well as can be expected.

• Published reports last week said the College Football Hall of Fame would move from South Bend to Atlanta because of less-than-expected crowd totals.

A later report said finances for the move still have to be worked out in Atlanta.

• The Indianapolis Tennis Center has been designated as a USTA Certified Regional Training Center. Terre Haute native Katharine Risacher — daughter of Duane Klueh — is director of the center.

• Beth Mahurin of Rockville says she will continue her volleyball career at Indiana State.

• Terre Haute’s Tommy John will sign autographs and meet baseball fans at an Indiana Baseball Hall of Fame Classic golf outing Oct. 9 at Sultan’s Run at Jasper.

• Western Illinois football coach Don Patterson has resigned, citing illness. Interim coach is Mark Hendrickson.

• Jim Crews was let go as basketball coach at Army. He had a 60-139 record in seven seasons at the school.

Athletic director Kevin Anderson said a “series of events” led to his action.

• Indiana State football coach Trent Miles and his wife are the parents of three young children and are expecting a fourth in the spring.

• Owen Valley and Vincennes Lincoln are two of the winless high school football teams in Indiana. Lincoln has had only one winless season in school history.

The Alices meet Washington this week while Owen Valley is at West Vigo.

• Northview is the Western Indiana Conference champ in boys tennis. WIC cross country teams will compete for league honors Saturday.



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