Posted: Thursday, May 1, 2008 12:00 am
Thumbs Up
There are some weeks when bad news seems to be in plentiful supply and this was one of them. Every time we turned the pages of the paper it seemed there was something to lament - the bizarre homicide death of a Racine man who was hanged with climbing gear in a Milwaukee warehouse after an argument with a friend who allegedly pushed him and walked away; the two teens who were arrested after a purse-snatching left an 83-year-old city woman with a skull fracture when she hit her head in a West Racine parking lot; the outrageous story of the Oconomowoc High School associate principal who was killed along with her 10-year-old daughter and unborn child when their car was plowed into by a physician with a history of drug and alcohol problems. Head shakers all. It's easy to forget that there are good, inspiring stories out there in our world and the one that stuck with us this week was the tale of an NCAA Division II women's softball game playoff between Central Washington University and Western Oregon last weekend in Ellensburg, Washington. As reported in the Daily Oregonian, Central Washington had lost one game and needed a win to pull even. With two runners on base, Western Oregon's Sara Tucholsky, a .153 hitter, hit the ball over the fence for what appeared to be a three-run homer. But as she rounded first, Tucholsky missed the base. When she wheeled to touch the bag, she ripped her anterior cruciate ligament, collapsed on the field and then crawled back to first in pain. Umpires quickly conferred and said she could not be assisted around the basepath by her team . The umpires ruled that a substitute runner could be put on first, the two runs would count, but the home-run - Tucholsky's only one in her collegiate career - would be erased. That was when Central Washington's first baseman Mallory Holtman spoke up and asked the umpires if her team could carry Tucholsky around the basepath. The umps could find nothing prohibiting that and Holtman and another teammate picked up the injured Tucholsky and carried her to second, lowered her to touch the bag with her good leg and then proceeded along the basepath. By the time they reached home most of Tucholsky's teammates were in tears, along with the coach and many of those in the stands. Holtman's gesture transcended sportsmanship and left those present with an unforgettable memory of a moment of grace. We hope it inspires others to good deeds this week and helps us put those bad news days in perspective.
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Shillings Irish Pub earns a thumbs up this week for testing the "No Smoking" waters, the first city tavern to try that path. The owners say they expect to lose some of their smoking customers, but are hoping to make that up with an expanded food business that draws more non-smokers. No word if cold turkey is on the menu. As the tavern's chef noted this week, it also makes the pub a little more authentic since Ireland has banned smoking in public places - including pubs.
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For Wall Street analysts disappointed by Exxon Mobil's first quarter $10.9 billion income, an increase of 17 percent from last year. But, darn it all, those earnings missed estimates by 10 cents per share so the company was punished Thursday with a share price decrease. And people say Madison is detached from reality. Anyone want to volunteer a few more pennies at the pump to make Wall Street happy?
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The weekend weather forecast is hardly May-like with rain and temperatures in the low 50s, but that will probably make the pancakes and sausages being served up at Festival Hall Saturday all the more tasty. The annual Kiwanis Club of Greater Racine fund raiser is in its 54th year of serving up flapjacks and good fun. Hours are from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. and tickets are $5 in advance and $6 at the door. Once you've had your fill, you can also feast your eyes on the artwork right outside at the Lakefront Art Festival at Festival Park.