All you need to do to make your hubby or son puff up with pride is to give either of them a baseball jacket. Or even both of them, why not? Make certain you pick a baseball jacket that carries the insignia of the baseball team he is cheering for.

Because to the owner of a baseball jacket, possessing a baseball jacket is much more meaningful than just making a macho fashion statement. Wearing that special baseball jackets says beyond a doubt that he loves this sport and supports all the good sports values it symbolizes.

For the owner of a baseball jacket, its not so much about the protection it offers him.. It may just be coincidental that the baseball jacket is made of durable materials, be it leather or wool. It may just be coincidental that baseball jacket which has thick lining, will keep him warm as he sits watching the game. He believes in the sport and keeping it alive.

There are different baseball jackets for the avid baseball fan. But to be sure, to pick a baseball jacket that will stand the test of time and the elements, here are some tips in selecting.

Pick a leather baseball jacket. It is durable and lasts a long time. Most baseball jackets are fashionable. Some are even works of arts, so pick one that is pleasant as well as durable. Pick one that has Polyfil and has satin lining. Ensure that his baseball jacket has inner pockets. Two is a good minimum for a baseball jacket. Lastly pick a baseball jacket that has his favorite teams insignia on it! You can be sure he will love the gesture you made in finding just the right baseball jacket for him to wear.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

>

Until 2001, almost all wood baseball bats were made from the identical northern white ash that bats had been made from for over 100 years. That year, brought Barry Bonds, his incredible 73 home runs and an exceedingly quick switch in the wood bat market. Bonds’ record smashing season brought attention to the reality that he was using one of a kind maple baseball bats

Hard Rock Maple Baseball Bats are the hitters preference for having a bat that is less likely to separate or break. Maple is a hardwood, which instantly in itself gives the upper hand of having a thicker, more compact baseball bat.

With all baseball bats, you want the maker to be choosing the best quality wood source obtainable. Merely finding a hard rock maple baseball bat is not going to inevitably guarantee that it is positively going to be the item that gets you on base by being more stable and less likely to divide or crack. Trees do not grow in compliance with a future as a baseball bat.

Hard rock maple baseball bats need to be crafted from wood billets that have completely straight grain systems. Maple trees do not always grow uncurved . Choosing the source is exceedingly critical for a producer of hard rock maple baseball bats, since any tree, maple or otherwise, do not always grow straight.

It may only be through knowledge that you will figure which producer is taking care to use only carefully selected billets for making their hard rock maple baseball bats. The standards in size for hard rock maple baseball bats will be across the board comparable as you look from manufacturer to manufacturer.

Generally, you will find a weighty head bat, the medium to light, medium even distribution, and small, very light versions are accessible in similar dimensions as these: 29/32 inches, 2 5/8 inch thin; 15/16 inches thin and 2 3/8; 1 inch medium 2 1/2 inch; 13/16 inch thin 2 3/16 inch.

Hard rock maple baseball bats Customarily will be accessible in a number of colors, including black cherry, black, blue, red, green, walnut and natural, where the finish is left off the handle, or completely natural.

For years bat makers were powerless to make baseball bats from maple due to the elevated moisture volume of the wood - despite the high strength it was simply too heavy to make into a baseball bat. In the late 90’s technology came to the rescue and high tech wood kilns now remove enough moisture from the wood to make high quality, high strength maple baseball bats.

About the Author

William Smith lives in Florida with his wife and three cats. William writes frequently on many subjects that may be of interest to all. Discover all the joys and secrets of baseball at Baseball’s Holy Grail

>

With the popularity of sports and recreational attire at an all time high, the available styles of mens baseball caps has grown tremendously. Never before have you been able to find so many different colors, styles, and logos for each team. And it’s not just with sporting hats either, as specialty headwear has encountered similar growth. You can walk into just about any clothing store and locate the perfect style for your tastes.

Here’s a list of some of the more popular hats that are available today:

1 - There is the officially licensed sport hat that mirrors what the players are wearing. This is probably the most popular style, since the professional athletes are wearing them. People feel more in touch with their heroes by donning these. Even some of the less traditional sports like golf and nascar have come out with their own lines.

2 - There are also certain ’signature’ hats, that are specific to one athlete. Many fans enjoy sporting their favorite players’ likeness on their attire, caps included.

3 - You can also purchase what is called a ‘throwback’ hat. This type of headwear represents a historical team in sports history, complete with their colors and logo from way back when. It’s a nice way to pay tribute to some of the more important franchises in each respective sport’s history.

4 - When shopping for a new ballcap, you have the option of getting a fitted one. These hats tend to feel more comfortable initially, almost like putting on an old pair of jeans. They are made to fit perfectly on your head for additional comfort.

5 - The brim on the hat can also be pre-curved for you, or straight depending on your tastes. Some fans enjoy curving their brims themselves, while others like it to be done for them. A curved hat gives the appearance of being ‘worn in’, and more comfortable to wear.

6 - A hat can be embroidered with just about any logo or saying you can think of. Some of the more popular ones are specific sports logos, beer logos, and funny sayings.

7 - You can find leather mens baseball caps as well, in a variety of colors and styles. These can come either blank, or decorated with a sports logo and are probably the most comfortable hat you can buy.

These are just a small sampling of some of the available kinds of hats you can find, either online or at your favorite store. It illustrates just how popular hats have become over the last several years, as you can locate just about anything you can think of. You would be hard-pressed to find someone you know who doesn’t have at least one baseball cap in their wardrobe. Most people you know (including yourself) have several.

About the Author

James McDonald writes for Custom Baseball Caps, which is a resource for customizing your hats.

Todays kids are learning a tough lesson. They are watching baseball heroes suffer through some of the effects of steroid abuse. Those huge, powerful muscles Jose Canseco and other baseball greats developed to play the game are coming at a terrific price. That price includes public humiliation, loss of prestige and reputation, and probable financial loss.

What these kids are not seeing is the future health problems these baseball legends will almost certainly experience because of steroid abuse. These can include heart disease; several forms of cancers, impaired immune systems and other problems that will likely have devastating medical effects.

The problem is that many of these kids are themselves being pressured to be better at the games baseball, track, soccer or other sports they play. This is to say nothing of those kids who are simply too skinny and underweight to be good at sports or picked for the teams.

Anthony Ellis, a fitness consultant, was one of these skinny kids. He spent a lifetime trying to gain weight. He couldnt stand to look at himself in the mirror. He tried to hide his thin physique with baggy clothes. He wouldn’t think of going to the beach and letting his friends see how skinny he really was. He was repeatedly rejected for sports teams because he was underweight and likely to be hurt. Baseball was out of the question.

The news these days, it seems, is filled with stories about obesity and how people are overweight. I am trying to help people gain weight. What the media doesn’t talk about is that segment of the population, people like me, who have trouble gaining weight. This is the group that suffers frustration and low self-esteem because they are underweight. They read the body building magazines and watch sports heroes pack on muscle. They turn to fad diets, unregulated diet supplements and steroids to gain weight.

I went through all of the fads, the low self-esteem and the lack of confidence that affects all areas of your life, Ellis related. I know how tough it is. But, I finally learned the proper way to eat and weight train.

Since 1998, Ellis has gained over 60 pounds of lean muscle. His body fat has gone from 10 percent to seven percent. He looks great and feels great about himself.

He has taken what he has learned and put it into an easy to understand, easy to follow program that is entirely natural and entirely safe. It does not include so called natural supplements or dangerous steroids.

He has already helped thousands of skinny guys, guys just like he once was, gain muscle mass with the right diet and the right exercise. More than 70,000 people worldwide have already obtained results from the Gaining Mass! program. They have done it quickly, safely and without endangering their future health.

The program contains pure information telling users exactly what foods to eat and exactly which exercises will work to help them build muscle and body mass without fat. This is real information, without the fads and without the hype. It works. It has been proven to work again and again.

Make no mistake, Ellis says. This program is not for everyone. It is only for those of us who have trouble gaining weight. We may not all become baseball home run sluggers, but we can look great and feel great. We can do it without all of the problems some of those guys are going to continue to suffer.

The Gaining Mass! program is the fast and safe way for skinny people to gain muscle mass, greater confidence and heightened self-esteem. This program uses exactly the right diet and exercise. It does not use phony diet supplements or dangerous and illegal steroids.

For more information on this amazingly effective muscle building program, visit the website at http://www.fastmusclegain.com

Former “skinny guy” Anthony Ellis is the author of Gaining Mass! The most widely used weight gain program in the world.

This unique program designed to help people gain weight and build muscle, is currently being used in over 90 countries and boasts the largest private weight gain forum on the Internet, with well over 13,000 members at http://www.fastmusclegain.com

Click here to view over 200 user testimonials: http://www.fastmusclegain.com/testimonials.html

>

February 1 , 2005

Sometime last year while sitting at my desk I began to feel excited. No, it wasn’t because my new pair of jeans was slightly too tight and applying too much pressure on my prostate. It was because I realized how exciting of a sports year 2006 was going to be. Besides the usual great events such as the Super Bowl and March Madness there was also the World Cup of Soccer and Olympic Hockey to look forward to. But just when I thought it couldn’t get any better than that, the powers that be added the World Cup of Baseball, or the World Baseball Classic as I later found it to be named. Three huge global events in a matter of 6 months with March Madness sprinkled in the middle, how can you top that? Well that was then, and this is now.

In reality, I have no one to blame but myself for the let down that I have come to experience. How could I have been so stupid? I mean, surely I should have realized that Bud Selig was running the show and that doom was certainly impending. It may look all well and good now, but here are ten reasons why I wont be watching the World Baseball Calamity, err, Classic.

10. No Yankee pitchers will be allowed to pitch. There is no way that Steinbrenner is going to risk his investments and allow his pitchers to participate in this tournament. Chin Ming Wong is currently listed on the roster of Chinese Taipei, but look for that to change in the next month as they trim rosters from 60 to 30 (this will be a recurring theme throughout the countdown).

9. Chinese Taipei. Just the fact that Chinese Taipei has a team in this thing makes me question its very fabric. Im not exactly sure yet if this is a real country, or just a made up land where every Asian with a hyphenated name was forced to migrate to.

8. Mike Piazza playing for Italy. Give me a break. If you’re going to allow a country to play in the WBC then at least let them lose with their own players. Putting a future hall of famer in their lineup just because his name ends in a vowel seems a little vulgar to me.

7. South Africa. Check out the teams that have been slated in Team USA’s pool: Canada, Mexico, and South Africa? Its one thing to throw this country into the WBC mix, which joins China as being the only teams with a roster that lacks a player who plays on a current major league team, but to put them in a pool with the other North American countries just to give USA one less challenge? Seems pretty obvious to me what’s going on here, not to mention pathetic.

6. Players choosing their country. One of the things that was an initial draw for me was that, being called the World Baseball Classic, I assumed I would be watching the best that each country had to offer while they battled it out against each other. Well, apparently baseball players get to choose where they would like to have been born, and then play for that country. Besides Piazza playing for Italy, you have A’s pitchers Kirk Saarloos and Danny Haren joining former A’s pitcher Mark Mulder on the Netherlands (and after all, Mark Mulder was in fact born in South Holland, Illinois, which, besides the fact that the city contains the word Holland in it, is practically right next door to the Netherlands), and American born Nomar Garciaparra is playing for Mexico (although Michael Young who is half Mexican is playing for Team USA). You also have Alex Rodriguez playing for the Dominican Republic, but then not playing at all, and now apparently playing for the US, even though both the Dominican and US rosters list him as a player for their team. My guess is that by next week he may just decide to play for a World Series of Poker bracelet. While they’re at it they might as well let Barry Bonds play for South Africa. The list goes on and on, which once again shows that this tournament has little to do with national pride, and a lot to do with the financial gain of major league baseball.

5. Drug Testing. Because of the strict Olympic style drug testing, you will be sure to see many more players for the US and other countries drop out of this just as Barry Bonds did. Bonds, who is once again under the delusion that people actually think he is clean, first said he would be honored to play for his country, but recently dropped out, citing the fact that he wants to take more time to rest his knees. Interestingly, he had ample opportunity to announce this in front of the large number of media that was in attendance during a recent celebrity golf tournament Bonds attended, but he instead chose to make the announcement via his web site where he of course is able to avoid any questions that people may want to ask of him. Look for other big names, most notably Roger Clemens, to drop off the roster before they go from 60 to 30 in the next month for similar reasons. The fact is that MLB’s drug testing policy is a joke, and no urine test is going to come close to detecting HGH or anything else that has been newly developed. Even some blood tests will not detect the new designer steroids out there, but it does increase the chance that you will get exposed. However, that is another discussion for another day.

4. All about the money. Let’s face it; the only reason that we are even talking about the World Baseball Classic is because Major League Baseball wants to generate more revenue. Just look at the adds throughout MLB.com. They are even using guilt in order to sell tickets, such as “Your favorite players are supporting their countries. Now its your turn to support yours.” Give me a break. Kind of funny how the rosters are still at 60 players. Wouldn’t it be funny it right after the tickets were sold out they just happened to cut the rosters down to 30, and all the players you wanted to “support” decided they didn’t want to play in March and risk injury? Interesting how that works out.

3. Pitch Counts and Mercy Rules. You heard me right, the WBC has set pitch counts for each round of the World Baseball Classic. For the first round it is set at 65 pitches, and it increases to a whopping 80 pitches in the second round and 95 pitches for the semi’s and finals. Apparently if a pitcher reaches 65 pitches in the midst of an at bat he may finish out that batter, which begs the question does a pitcher who is coming up on his 64th pitch try even harder to throw a strike, regardless of the count, in order to force the batter to make contact in the hope of being able to face one last batter? Talk about changing the way players play the game! They also adopted a mercy rule of 15 runs after 5 innings or 10 runs after 7 in order to end blowouts in a timelier manner. If I wanted to watch little league baseball I would wait until the summer time.

2. March Madness. Talk about poor planning. The WBC takes place smack dab in the middle of March, right during the peak of college basketball’s tournament season. Last year baseball tried to upstage the NCAA with their steroid hearings, and now this? Nice try Bud.

1. Bud Selig. The definition of a poor leader. Sure he got lucky with realignment, the wild card, and interleague play (which by now has kind of lost its luster), but any moron who just happened to be the commissioner during the 90’s would have come up with the same ideas. It was just a matter of time. He single handedly made football the most popular sport in America, and let the issue of steroids run amuck in the world of baseball. Say what you will about George W. Bush, but at least he surrounds himself with competent people. Selig’s cronies are just as clueless as he is. Once again Selig is proving that he’s just about putting money in the pockets of his owners, and that he will continue to milk the fans for all they are worth.

So before you tune in to see just what the World Baseball Classic has to offer, remember these ten things I have laid before you. Don’t make the same mistake you did last year and miss some exciting college hoops because you want to see how uncomfortable some congressmen can make Mark McGwire and Donald Fehr look. Watch something that really matters, not spring training baseball masquerading as the real thing.

RAC’S RANT will appear twice each month on SportsLizard.com. You can contact Dick Richards at racsrant@hotmail.com

Sign up to receive the SportsLizard.com Newsletter

Tell your friends about SportsLizard.com because you know you should.

Return to SportsLizard.com Home

About the Author

My name is Dick Richards and I am fortunate to be able to write a bi-weekly column for www.sportslizard.com. The name of the column is Rac’s Rant, and basically I am able to vent on certain topics that have caught my eye during the past week or so, whether they be sports related or not. The column is relatively new, but I look forward to growing as a writer on sportsliard.com as it grows into the great sports collectibles site that it will become.

Does your business struggle with profitable online
marketing? If so, you are not alone. Attracting the right
customers to a site and keeping them coming back - while
also turning a profit - can be a challenge. Consequently,
I’m always on the lookout for ways to demonstrate profitable
online strategies.

Last night, as I watched the Baseball All Star Home Run
Derby and visited Major League Baseball’s Web site, it
struck me. The league is doing many things to effectively
find and attract targeted Web customers, while
simultaneously generating revenue.

In fact, I noticed numerous lessons from Major League
Baseball you can consider to profitably target your own
customers. Here are six of them:

Think Through Your Business Models

Free information and activities are present, but well
thought out, revenue generating business models are also
evident.

Lesson 1: Make your profit generators stand out.

MLB.com has a separate, prominent navigation menu for profit
producing activities - MLB Shop, Tickets, Auctions,
Subscriptions - which appears in the upper right on all
pages, where potential paying customers cannot miss it.

Importantly, each corresponding area of the site is narrowly
focused on the visitors’ interests. For example, the shop
sells baseball - and only baseball - items. This is readily
apparent from the slogan “For all things baseball”.

Lesson 2: Sell subscriptions.

The league generates revenue from a variety of event
subscriptions - live video broadcasts, live audio
broadcasts, archived clips, and fantasy games. This also
help open the door for repeat purchases and add-ons.

Lesson 3: Include advertisements.

Pop-ups and other online advertising are a fact of life on
free-to-user sites. Major League Baseball demonstrates taste
and intelligent implementation with their pop-under,
limiting each visitor to a single impression. Banner
advertisements and sponsorships are also apparent.

Develop Profit Pulling Marketing Techniques

Lesson 4: Segment your visitors.

The league uses a “hub and spoke” system, which allows
visitors to choose their own interests. There is one general
site (MLB.com), with links to several specialty sites
(stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com, etc.).

This portal approach helps segment visitors into specific
interest groups. It is a win-win strategy. Visitors find
what they are looking for and the league can more easily
target its marketing activities.

Lesson 5: Target locally.

Each “spoke” off the MLB hub contains local content, which
segments visitors regionally. The league targets products
and services accordingly.

For example, the Cardinals team site includes detailed
information for Cardinals baseball events, ticket purchasing
for Busch stadium games, and auctions for St. Louis related
baseball memorabilia.

Lesson 6: Offer tiered products.

MLB offers subscription services at many levels. By
packaging fantasy games into progressively larger bundles,
they encourage trial as well as repeat visits. The offering
also target customers according to interest level and
budget.

There you have it - five lessons in profitable target
marketing from Major League Baseball.

Copyright 2003 Bobette Kyle. All rights reserved.
marketing? If so, you are not alone. Attracting the right
customers to a site and keeping them coming back - while
also turning a profit - can be a challenge. Consequently,
I’m always on the lookout for ways to demonstrate profitable
online strategies.

Last night, as I watched the Baseball All Star Home Run
Derby and visited Major League Baseball’s Web site, it
struck me. The league is doing many things to effectively
find and attract targeted Web customers, while
simultaneously generating revenue.

In fact, I noticed numerous lessons from Major League
Baseball you can consider to profitably target your own
customers. Here are six of them:

Think Through Your Business Models

Free information and activities are present, but well
thought out, revenue generating business models are also
evident.

Lesson 1: Make your profit generators stand out.

MLB.com has a separate, prominent navigation menu for profit
producing activities - MLB Shop, Tickets, Auctions,
Subscriptions - which appears in the upper right on all
pages, where potential paying customers cannot miss it.

Importantly, each corresponding area of the site is narrowly
focused on the visitors’ interests. For example, the shop
sells baseball - and only baseball - items. This is readily
apparent from the slogan “For all things baseball”.

Lesson 2: Sell subscriptions.

The league generates revenue from a variety of event
subscriptions - live video broadcasts, live audio
broadcasts, archived clips, and fantasy games. This also
help open the door for repeat purchases and add-ons.

Lesson 3: Include advertisements.

Pop-ups and other online advertising are a fact of life on
free-to-user sites. Major League Baseball demonstrates taste
and intelligent implementation with their pop-under,
limiting each visitor to a single impression. Banner
advertisements and sponsorships are also apparent.

Develop Profit Pulling Marketing Techniques

Lesson 4: Segment your visitors.

The league uses a “hub and spoke” system, which allows
visitors to choose their own interests. There is one general
site (MLB.com), with links to several specialty sites
(stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com, etc.).

This portal approach helps segment visitors into specific
interest groups. It is a win-win strategy. Visitors find
what they are looking for and the league can more easily
target its marketing activities.

Lesson 5: Target locally.

Each “spoke” off the MLB hub contains local content, which
segments visitors regionally. The league targets products
and services accordingly.

For example, the Cardinals team site includes detailed
information for Cardinals baseball events, ticket purchasing
for Busch stadium games, and auctions for St. Louis related
baseball memorabilia.

Lesson 6: Offer tiered products.

MLB offers subscription services at many levels. By
packaging fantasy games into progressively larger bundles,
they encourage trial as well as repeat visits. The offering
also target customers according to interest level and
budget.

There you have it - five lessons in profitable target
marketing from Major League Baseball.

Copyright 2003 Bobette Kyle. All rights reserved.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

How about an MVP commemorative baseball gift for a keepsake? Or a Stay Cool Sports Towel? What about a Louisville Tpx Youth Equipment Bag? Or for the enthusiastic amateur consider an instructional video such as A Parent’s Guide to Baseball? There are also instructional baseball videos for the fan who hopes to hit like a baseball pro, the instructional video: Hit like a Pro.

What is the one common element that ties all these desirable objects together? They can be thoughtful and fun baseball gifts to give to the people in your life who love baseball.

How does one pick what baseball gifts to award the men in your life? For there will be many occasions from birthdays to just simple I miss you tokens, where baseball gifts can show you care.

First, you will have to watch at least one baseball game with your beloved. I know, he would be flattered that you are taking time to find out what sports he enjoys. So aside from building even more trust and love, it would be a sacrifice. But doing this would provide you a most valuable insight into what baseball gift would make him crow.

Take note of the baseball team he is cheering the loudest for and you will be able to find team insignia to give as a baseball gift.

Watch the baseball commercials attentively for clues. You will see possibilities as to the baseball gift best suited for your baseball fanatic.

You could gift him the team insignia towel as the baseball gift or a pair of sunglasses to wear during the baseball games in the stadium. Your thoughtfully planned baseball gift tells your man that you do think about him. Your baseball gift tells him you know he is special and it shows!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

>

The 1992 Summer Olympics were the first to feature NBA players, and the squad from that year was known as the ‘Dream Team’. Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Larry Bird are just three of the legends that played on that historic and unbeatable team. Although Fantasy Baseball, Football, or even Basketball did not begin in 1992, these thrilling and interactive pastimes do carry on the tradition of that squad. By trying to assemble the best line-up of players from the game in any given year, and seeing how they would match up, fans can rearrange the leagues as they see fit and pretend to be owner, coach, and player all at once. Now, this may sound like a recipe for insanity, but it’s actually a lot of fun - and it gives you some control over the game, even if only in your head. Fantasy Baseball is one of the more popular games for people to play, and there are even draft kits to help players navigate through the draft and auction process.

A draft kit? Is assembly required?

Ouch! Now, back in the olden days, before the Internet became the venue of choice for fantasy baseball enthusiasts, you had to keep track of your teams and players with a newspaper. Plus, you had to keep in contact with the other members of your league to keep tabs on who was winning the pool. Now, the Web keeps players from around the world connected, and brings a level of intensity to Fantasy Baseball and other such leagues that was not there before. To navigate through the maze of statistics and player data, the serious fantasy fanatic needs a Fantasy Baseball starter kit to best position himself for the upcoming season.

So..I get a Fantasy Baseball Draft Kit to use on the Internet? Do I actually get anything?

This is the Information Age, my friend, and that is precisely what you are getting with your Fantasy Baseball Draft Kit. Every kit is filled with “electronic candy” to fuel your dreams and propel your team to success. Analysts who live the dream of getting paid to study, breathe, and live baseball devote hours of hard work and energy to bring you:

- strategy to use during the draft and auction - a list of potential “sleepers” who are just waiting to take their game to a new level in the next season - predictions about who is going to falter and fade in the coming year - the best rookies to bring to your team - cheat sheets filled with the must-know facts to be successful on draft day.

Some Fantasy Baseball draft kit options include a mock draft for “newbies” to the game, and a host of other useful tips, to position you to bring home a championship - and hopefully some of that “play money” that everyone poured into a pool at the beginning of the season!

Hey look, if you like baseball, you are going to love Fantasy Baseball. Players and coaches change teams more often than lovers on some silly soap opera, so it is hard to be loyal to “traditional” teams. But, with Fantasy Baseball, you can build your own ‘Dream Team’, and bring an exciting new element to a classic game. If you are new to the process, or just want an edge for the next season, a Fantasy Baseball draft kit is just what you need.

About the Author

Albert Medinas has developed and maintains the website Fantasy Baseball Guide, which answers the most common questions players have about Fantasy Baseball. Please visit us at http://www.fantasybaseballguide.net today.

Golfers wear them and so do Brownies. Every Hollywood director since Steven Spielberg did Jaws considers it part of their work wardrobe. Its a US import which has become an integral part of British society. And this year it has a special birthday. The baseball cap is fifty.

Up until 1954, it was up to individual baseball players to choose a hat to keep the sun out their eyes. Some went for straw boaters, others preferred jockey caps. There was no consistency amongst players, let alone teams. So, in 1954, a hat company called New Era came up with the standard issue cap known as the 59Fifty. This brought uniformity to the game and fifty years on, its still the official cap of Major League Baseball.

In the late 70s and early 80s the American public became interested in wearing the caps worn by their favourite team and the big names in the game. The trend took hold and the baseball cap eventually made its way into every part of American society, including Hollywood and most importantly, the music scene.

In 1994, New York film maker Spike Lee asked the cap manufacturers to make him a fitted Yankees cap in ‘unofficial’ colours. At first they thought it was a strange request whod want a cap that’s not identical to the Pros? But Spike got what he wanted, people noticed, and demand for hats like his took off making Spike Lee the founder of the fitted fashion cap.

Ian Spencer of UK based cap specialists, Capitate.co.uk said The baseball cap made its way to the UK a while ago, but the last 4 years has seen extraordinary growth, largely due to the increasing number of homes with satellite TV. Through MTV, artists like Limp Bizkits Fred Durst helped introduce the UK to the New York Yankees cap. This was around the time when the British public were keen to show their solidarity with New York after the 9/11 tragedy.

Baseball caps continue to grow in popularity and the music industry retains its influence over whats hot. Usher is currently doing his bit for the Atlanta Braves while Britney flys the flag for the Birmingham Barons. Hats off to the baseball cap.

Ian Spencer is the Managing Director of Capitate.co.uk and is the UK specialist in authentic baseball caps and trucker hats. Ian grew up in Canada, spent a number of years in the US, and now lives and works in Scotland.

Preparing for your Prom Night ian PartridgePreparing for Prom Night

Preparing for prom night should begin months ahead of time.

Getting a date comes first. Girls without steady boyfriends spend more time finding a date than do the boys. The best strategies involve becoming a part of a particular group and building a particular friendship with prom night in mind.

Boys and girls each have their respective areas to prepare. Sometimes it’s difficult just to get the boys to rent their tuxedo, but they also need to arrange for the limousine rental, cover all costs, and make the arrangements for the night-such as a group activity or a romantic dinner before.

For girls, preparing for prom night is more intense. Make a to do list for the prom. Make another just for your hair. Select dress, jewelry, and hairstyle in that order, coordinating everything. If you need a hair stylist, begin asking for recommendations in advance. If you have one already, make a special appointment three months ahead to discuss your prom hairstyle.

Six weeks ahead, book an appointment with your stylist no less than four hours before the limo arrives. Try a complete dress rehearsal with hair, dress, and jewelry a month before your prom. Finally, on the day before collect all your essentials in one place. Does your hairdryer work? Do you need more gel?

These are the essential steps when preparing for prom night. Finally, don’t forget that you and your date will exchange corsage and boutonnire. Buy it the day before, keep it refrigerated, and please try not be nervous when you pin it on.

Ian Partridge lauched a website called http://www.promhair.uswhich includes more resources and links relating to prom night

Prom Night and the Prom Dateian PartridgeHow to get a prom date

Getting the right prom date is often the result of careful planning.

Girls typically work harder at getting a prom date than do boys. They seem to know intuitively how to get a prom date: planning months in advance, spending time with the right guy, and hanging out in the right group. These, the most successful methods, work best with advance planning.

Guys need to face their fears: Will you risk rejection by asking the person you are most attracted to, or play it safe by asking someone else? For you, how to get a prom date includes deciding what you want and what you are willing to risk. Then, ask-but don’t wait until prom week.

If you did wait until prom week, you may still find a prom date. If you have a girlfriend or boyfriend, you should already know how to get a prom date-but you should have asked before now. The next easiest approach is to ask a good friend. After that, asking someone in a lower grade is a safe bet for guys, because junior girls often make it a top priority to go to prom with a senior. Asking someone in another school works, too, since it feels risk-free all around.

If prom week is upon you and you are still wondering how to get a prom date, try asking your cousin, or your brother or sister. Admittedly this is a last choice, but it has a long tradition going back to the earliest of proms.

Ian Partridge lauched a website called http://www.promhair.uswhich includes more resources and links relating to prom night

Prom Nightian Partridgerom hairstyles

A large part of any girl’s prom is the prom hairstyle she chooses. The most popular prom hairstyles are subject to change each year. This year feminine, wavy styles are popular, but edgy styles will also fit the bill.

Today’s most popular prom hairstyles are luscious curls or waves. Multiple layers around the face, fresh curls, and shoulder length hair combine into an ideal of the feminine the mirrors the style of leading pop divas. Similar but less finished, soft twists combine those curls with styles that are half up / half down. Bangs are also in, especially large or sultry bangs swept to one side.

In spite of the emphasis on curls, straight hair still has its place among the popular prom hairstyles. Straight hairstyles that are textured or have a sleek mirror-shine are especially popular.

More daring styles include shoulder length bobs reminiscent of the late ’70s; the mullet is also in, combining cropped sections with longer tresses. Also popular is the extremely short cut worn by actress Alyssa Milano.

Always have a fallback style in case your hair refuses your chosen prom hairstyle. The popular French braid is an example of a style that can add class and control to any bad hair day.

The right accessory can make the difference between attractive and stunning. Bejeweled hair sticks or vintage hair combs are popular. Whatever you choose, be certain the hairstyle is consistent with the dress you have chosen, as well as with your jewelry.

Ian Partridge lauched a website called http://www.promhair.uswhich includes more resources and links relating to prom night

sustainable land plccharacter11Sustainable Land Plc is an established company, with many years experience in land investments and identifying land for sale. Our experienced teams of professionals allow us to acquire land in strategically placed regions of the country, where the opportunity for development is required, and widely identified by national house builders.

The land (land for sale) we acquire has been identified by the Government as areas where there is a need to establish more sustainable communities. Sustainable Land Plc recognizes the demand for housing that has been outlined by the government, and seeks to satisfy this need for future sustainable housing.

Sustainable Land Plc is an established company, with many years experience in land investments and identifying land for sale.

Press Release

A New Tool for Back to School

A new website lets teachers post their students’ grades online in real-time.

Sacramento, CA August 4, 2004 — As the back-to-school season nears, Engrade, an innovative provider of online tools for teachers, announced today the launch of its website http://www.engrade.com. Engrades new website is a free service that allows teachers to post students grades online and allows parents and students to view those grades online in real-time by logging in to their Engrade account.

With this new service, Engrade seeks to give teachers a tool to keep parents and students continually informed of their grades, attendance, and upcoming assignments.

Thanks to educational sponsors, Engrade is a free service. And because Engrades technology is web-based it does not require any installations all of Engrades service are available through their website.

In the past, teachers only method of grade reporting was to periodically print paper reports. Both teachers and students found this to be problematic because those paper reports became out of date as soon as a new assignment was graded so students and their parents never knew exactly how they were performing in class and experienced long delays before seeing their corrected assignment scores.

Now, Engrades new online reporting tools will solve those problems by continually updating students online grade reports as soon as teachers enter new assignments into Engrades website allowing students and parents to be constantly aware of their class grade and assignment scores.

We feel that Engrade will really help students - and their parents - get a better idea of how they are performing in their classes and increase student-parent participation, said Brian Holt, President and Founder of Engrade.

In addition to online grades, Engrade provides teachers with the option of posting attendance records and upcoming assignment due dates online.

Using Engrades online attendance reports, parents can see their students real-time attendance reports from work or from home and teachers can notify the parents of absent students instantly via e-mail.

With Engrades assignment calendar, teachers can post a list of upcoming assignments for students and parents to see when they log in, making the old excuse of I forgot that was due today, obsolete.

Engrades new website seeks to reshape the way grades, attendance, and assignments are reported, increasing students and parents participation and improving student performance.

For more information about using Engrade in your classroom, visit their website at: http://www.engrade.com/

.

Press Release

L. Robert Lance Blevins “Titles of the Wrong Kind” Makes its Dbut

L. Robert Lance Blevins Titles of the Wrong Kind seeks the answer to a striking question:How does a child feel when practically raised by his grandparents, blessed with the trait of slow learning and branded a retard? This new and inspirational work based on a true story is guaranteed to captivate readers of all genres.

July 26, 2004 — With the release of a truly inspirational work based on a true story, readers of all genres will be able to find a common connection amongst themselves as they become even more captivated while turning the pages of a truly moving and inspirational story which offers readers everything; love, deception, greed, teasing, frustration and success.

L. Robert Lance Blevins’ “Titles of the Wrong Kind” is getting lots of attention as it allows parents and school administrators alike to gain a valuable insight into how some of the children in the special education system actually feel about their parents; as well as the “system” that encompasses their lives.

Made possible by telling the story of the “system” from the child’s own vantage point and not that of the PhD or Administrator, a most valuable new insight into the “system,” as well as the feelings and thoughts of a child are able to be realized.

Whether you are connected to the special education system or not, this book is truly a must have for any serious reader. Written by a person who spent a good portion of his life in the special education system and then went on to realize success as well as an induction into the National Register’s Who’s Who in Executives and Professionals, this book promises to be a absolute success!

“Titles of the Wrong Kind” is now available for purchase through all major online book stores including http://www.amazon.com, http://www.barnesandnoble.com and others.

This new release can also be ordered through your local book store, or at http://www.blevinsbooks.com.

Title: Titles of the Wrong Kind
ISBN: 1-4137-2406-X

Media Information:

Who’s Who Verification:
631-422-1400

.

Press Release

Hellboy HingeHead Now Appearing on Hinges Everywhere

Collectible figure stands atop your door hinge and easily becomes “unhinged” to stand on its own base or roam room to room!

Santa Barbara, CA July 21, 2004 — HingeHeads Hardware today announced their licensing relationship with Dark Horse Comics, Inc. and Mike Mignola, author & creator of the Hellboy comic hero. HingeHeads is proud to release a limited collectors edition of the Hellboy HingeHead; an artistic handcrafted, made in the USA, decorative hardware finial. This exclusive finial fits on the top of your door hinge pins to personalize your interior doors or use as a freestanding item alone or in “communities” throughout your living spaces!

Custom crafted by the artisans at HingeHeads, this new concept for home decor is inspired by Mike Mignola’s original Comic Book series “Hellboy.” Made of high quality “lead-free” pewter, the Hellboy HingeHead stands 2 tall and comes in an OxFire finish. A two-sided adapter and putty are included to fit the common U.S. Industry Standard hinge sizes. For display only, a clear vial tube and graphic insert is provided as part of the packaging for use as a display stand.

Distributed through Diamond Comic Distributors, Inc. and Things From Another World, HingeHeads now offers this limited edition in the ever-popular Hellboy lineage.

HingeHeads Product Line
In addition to the Hellboy HingeHead, the company offers customers the ability to select from over 150 individual designs or order custom designs for personal, business or special events including (non-profit) organization activities.

About Us
HH Hardware/HingeHeads design and sell expressive home, garden and lifestyle dcor. Our goal is to enhance and lend expression to our spaces, places and faces. HingeHeads currently holds 3 Design and Utility patents with 4 more pending.

Copyright Information
HingeHeads is a trademark of HH Hardware, LLC. Mike Mignolas Hellboy 2004 Michael Mignola. Dark Horse Deluxe is a trademark of Dark Horse Comics, Inc. All Rights Reserved. All other trademarks and copyrights belong to their respective holders.

Contact Information
For Retailers interested in carrying the custom Hellboy HingeHead, HotHeads, original HingeHeads or our official Red Hat Society products, please contact us by calling: 800.783.3013 (Toll Free) or visit our website: www.hingeheads.com

For business development or press inquiries, contact:
Cynthia Johnston
800.783.3013 (Toll Free)

.

Press Release

SpiderMan Movie and Comic Book Figure Toys with Danger in the Amazing SpiderMan Collectibles Sculpture Figures from HamiltonAction.com

SpiderMan toys, action figures and comic books collectors are in for the Ultimate SpiderMan collectible as Marvel Comics’ Spider-Man comes to life in a new First Edition sculpture exclusively from HamiltonAction! Created by Diamond Select Toys, the Amazing Spider-Man collectible statue combines bold hand-painted artistry with gleaming, crystal clear resin to create a truly unique Spider Man collectible that’s certain to become a “must-have” for every Spidey comic book fan!

July 22, 2004 — SpiderMan movie and comic book figure, the Amazing Spider-Man, comes alive in a new limited edition SpiderMan collectibles sculpture figures from HamiltonAction.com.

The Amazing Spider-Man collection is a one-of-a-kind opportunity for fans of Spiderman and Marvel Comics. SpiderMan, the alter-ego of mild mannered Peter Parker, has entertained fans with his comic book adventures since the original Spider-Man comics debuted in the comic Amazing Fantasy in 1962 by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko.

Now, Spider-Man is captured in vivid hand painted, handcrafted detail, and gleaming, glass-like resin. Perched high above the city and clinging to a skyscraper, this Spider-Man figure captures all the action of the Marvel comic books.

Available for the issue price of $39.95, the new “Amazing Spider-Man” collector statue from HamiltonAction.com features revolutionary design. This hand-painted sculpture is combined with dazzling crystalline to create the first-ever Spider-Man sculpture of its kind. Sculptures are limited to 95 casting days, are hand numbered and include a matching numbered Certificate of Authenticity.

This exclusive, limited-edition SpiderMan collectible is available only through HamiltonAction.com and only while supplies last. According to Steve Milo, Director of E-Commerce Business Development for HamiltonAction.com, SpiderMan Collectors shouldnt wait, as this SpiderMan limited statue will be gone before you can blink!

About HamiltonAction.com

Headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, HamiltonAction.com develops an innovative array of products that will satisfy the increasing demand for collectibles inspired by some of todays hottest television and big screen entertainment including Family Guy, Marvel Comics, The Simpsons, and more. HamiltonAction.com is a subsidiary of The Hamilton Collection, an established direct mail company that has proudly provided sought after collectibles to millions of collectors for more than 30 years.

To learn more about the new “The Amazing Spider-Man” statue and other products offered by HamiltonAction.com, check out the company’s web site at www.hamiltonactionfigures.com/spiderman/spiderman_44892.asp

.

Press Release

Storming Robots Learning Center, Helping to Build a Generation with Robotics Science as Part of Its Culture

Storming Robots Robotics Learning Center is the first learning center in New Jersey offering multi-disciplinary Robotics programs for youth, as well as the LEGO MINDSTORMS Center provides hands-on LEGO robots workshops. Its programs aim to inspire children’s interests in robotics and science technologies by developing their intellect in fundamental engineering concepts, mathematics, strategic thinking, and problem solving.

Branchburg, NJ July 17, 2004 — Storming Robots, the first learning center in New Jersey offering multi-disciplinary Robotics programs for youth as well as the LEGO MINDSTORMS Center provides hands-on LEGO robots workshops. The majority of exercises utilize the popular Lego, Mindstorm and Robotics Kits as learning tools. Its programs aim to inspire children’s interests in science technologies by developing their intellect in fundamental engineering concepts, technology, mathematics, strategic thinking, and problem solving.

Be Fascinated by Your Own Built LEGO Robot

The popularity of LEGO among children is undisputable. Do you remember the wonderful feeling of completing your own LEGO construction with your own hands? It is even more fun programming your LEGO Robots to move on command. However, don’t think it is a trivial task. It requires planning, problem solving, analysis and programming. Under proper instruction, children further develop their applied mathematics skill, fundamental engineering concepts, strategic thinking, and programming knowledge.

Children learn robotics by integrating basic mechanics, mathematics, design and programming.

Learning Tools include LEGO MINDSTORMS components, graphics user interface (GUI) programming languages such as RCX Code and ROBOLAB, along with other LEGO accessories. The MINDSTORMS’ core comprises of various sensors along with a main building block housing an autonomous LEGO microprocessor named RCX which communicates to a PC through its Infra-Red port. You may think the LEGO Robotics Kit was created for entertainment value only but don’t underestimate the benefit and intricacy of these tools. These robotics devices are much more than meet the eye. The same components are used at the college level and for PHD robotics classes.

Sponsoring a Robotics Youth Club and Robots Tournament

In order to promote awareness of science in robotics, Storming Robots is sponsoring a Robotics Youth Club for children aged between 9 and 15. Children will periodically meet at the Storming Robotics center. The center provides all software, computers, and LEGO MINDSTORMS Robotics components for members to conduct their robotics activities and exploration. Membership is free, but the major requirements for participation are enthusiasm, interests in math and science, thirst for challenges, and respect for others. If interested, you may signup online at http://www.storming-robots.com . Because the first year enrollment is limited to 8 - 16 children, an assessment may be given as part of the membership enrollment process.

Members will participate in the annual FIRST LEGO League Robots Tournament as well. The FIRST LEGO League is an internationally known robotics program for children. Annual tournaments allow teams to conduct hands-on robotics design and authentic scientific research. For those with higher aptitudes in math and other science areas, Storming Robots will also make available other related contests, such as the National Continental Math League Contest.

Multidisciplinary Robotics Classes and LEGO Workshop for Youth

LEGO Robotics activities integrate LEGO construction with fundamental engineering concepts and strategic thinking. Most challenges involve a team of two to four members. At the end of most programs, children create an open-solution project by building their own robots, programming it and making a short presentation of their invention. For the more comprehensive programs, parents are invited to watch these presentations.

Storming Robots offer robotics programs which addresses the National Science, Math and Technology Standards.

Storming Robots utilizes robotics curriculum developed by the renowned robotics institutions as its guidelines. These institutions include: the Robotics Academy (a division of the National Robotics Engineering Consortium from the Carnegie Mellon University) and the Tufts University Engineering Continuous Education. These programs address the National Science, Math and Technology Standards. Storming Robots also participates in various related communities to include educational events which focus on software and educational program development involving LEGO RCX (the brain of the robotics kits).

See Some LEGO Bots…

Storming Robots has posted some of its simple robots in its activities page. Click to view some of the activities and programs currently available. Note all bots are made from scratch, i.e. starting from a couple of LEGO bricks.
You may also visit http://mindstorms.lego.com/eng/inventions/default.asp to look at some inventions.

To sign up, the children need to be aged 8 or over. You may sign up online at www.storming-robots.com or email to classes@storming-robots.com. Note that each class size is limited to 8 children, while workshop is limited to 16.

The tentative Opening Date will be October 15th of 2004. If interested, you may sign up in advance and receive 25% off your first month class and workshop fees. Check the Storming Robots program site for possible early classes in August and September of 2004. All robotics challenges have open-ended solutions. The challenge is only limited to how far the child is capable to reach.

Cool experiences, Indeed!

Contact Information:

Elizabeth Mabrey
908-534-9996
pr@storming-robots.com
STORMING ROBOTS

.

Press Release

Kids Start Off on the Right Foot with Shoe Clues !

Mom Inventors, Inc. launches innovative new product that helps kids put the Right Shoe on the Right Foot!

WALNUT CREEK, CA April 26, 2004–Mom Inventors, Inc., a Walnut Creek, CA based company announces that it will unveil its newest, Mom Invented product at The Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA) Tradeshow in Dallas, Texas on May 2, 2004. The international JPMA show is the worlds largest juvenile products tradeshow.

Shoe Clues are fun and durable stickers that teach children to put the right shoe on the right foot! Shoe Clues feature three pairs of stickers in a colorful package. On each pair of stickers is a lovable animal that, when properly placed in the heel of a childs shoes, will be looking at the other. Children quickly see that if the animals are looking in opposite directions, their shoes will be on the wrong feet.

The Shoe Clues packaging boasts the tagline I Can Do It Myself! because children are trying to master new skills daily. A simple task like putting on shoes can be frustrating when a proud child gets dressed all by herself only to be told, your shoes are on the wrong feet, says Tamara Monosoff, CEO of Mom Inventors, Inc. Shoe Clues is a fun tool that helps children put their shoes on successfully and builds confidence!

We are looking forward to showing Shoe Clues to buyers from the nations most respected childrens products retailers, says Monosoff. There is nothing like it on the market today and we have received enthusiastic responses from retailers and consumers who have previewed the product.

We love Shoe Clues! We think this will be one of the hottest new products on the market says, Adena Surabian, President, www.safeandsecurebaby.com. With Shoe Clues, not only does my three-year-old proudly put her shoes on the right feet but she eagerly shows her friends the fun stickers in her shoes!

Shoe Clues will be sold where kids toys, games, clothing, and shoes are sold. Shoe Clues are patent pending and trademarked.

Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA) - The Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association, Inc. (JPMA) is a national trade organization representing 95% of the $6.02 billion industry. JPMA has grown to include more than 400 companies in the United States, Canada and Mexico. These companies manufacture and/or import infant products (856-638-0420).

Safe & Secure Baby - At www.safeandsecurebaby.com, we are passionate about providing parents, grandparents, and other care providers with the knowledge, products, and services needed to improve the safety of children everywhere (888-801-BABY.).

Mom Inventors, Inc. Established by a mother and inventor in early 2003, Mom Inventors, Inc. is founded on the principle that many of the best and most unique ideas come directly from their target market Moms. In addition to developing its own brand of Mom Invented products, Mom Inventors, Inc., licenses products, as well as assists and supports other mom inventors in taking their product ideas to market (866-376-1122).

Tamara Monosoff holds a doctorate of education and is a former member of the Clinton White House staff.

ORDER DESK:   866-376-1122
IDEAL FOR:   Children 2+ years old and Up

PRESS CONTACT:               
Tamara Monosoff, CEO            
Mom Inventors, Inc.
125 Grover Lane          
Walnut Creek, CA 94596          
925-932-6674 Office   
925-457-8998 Cell            
925-280-8224 FAX
tmonosoff@mominventors.com         
www.mominventors.com

.

Press Release

Being a baseball coach can be very rewarding. It is a big responsibility, though. You are basically the ?leader? of your team, and how you act will directly affect how the assistant coaches and the players act. There are some tips you can follow to make yourself a better baseball coach.

These tips are:

1. Give everyone on your baseball team a responsibility. Make each and every person on the team feel if they don?t do something, it won?t get done! Any accomplishments made by a member of the team are shared by the whole team. (It is important to give recognition to individuals, though.)

2. Help everyone on your baseball team make good, informed decisions. As the baseball coach, you need to guide and teach the players to make the good decisions you want them to make. Don?t bully the baseball team to do what you want them to do, just encourage them to do what is best.

3. Always treat your baseball team like they are winners! If your baseball players feel like winners, they will be more likely to win.

4. Let everyone on your baseball team know you care. Be interested in every individual baseball player. Encourage them and show them your support. Look at your behavior around your baseball team and evaluate it carefully.

5. Help your baseball team understand the meaning of playing with good sportsmanship! Good sportsmanship is just as important as winning. Make sure your baseball players understand the meaning of fair play from the moment you become their baseball coach.

6. Make sure you motivate and reward your baseball team players. Just knowing the basic skills and strategies of baseball won?t necessarily make you a very good baseball coach. Being a baseball coach is truly more than just teaching these things. A really good coach can motivate a baseball team to do its best! Good baseball coaches understand and can empathize with the players? feelings of joy, anger, anxiety, frustration, and pride.

7. Don?t make your baseball practices boring or repetitious. Shake up practices by playing games and teaching new techniques and plays. Since only 9 players can play at a time, make sure to keep the rest of the baseball team feeling useful by having them keep score or charting pitching and offence. Make sure to keep each baseball player feeling they have an important role in winning.

8. Make sure you have a plan for your baseball team. Just like a teacher needs to plan for the school year, a baseball coach needs a plan for the season. Having no plan is a sure road to failure.

9. Give your baseball team enough time to review things they have learned. Whether at the end of a practice or the end of a game, give your players time to review what has been learned and what could be improved upon. Keep the review as positive in tone as possible.

10. Make sure you communicate with your baseball team. If you cannot get across to your baseball team what you want, how will they know what to do?