It's Wednesday!

It's Wednesday. Here's what's happening....

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Today is September 8th, the 251st day of 2010. There are 114 days left in the year.

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Toews and Kane participate in NYC EA NHL 11 launch.

Boston coaching legends share Lester Patrick honors.

Habs sign Halpern.

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Today is International Literacy Day.

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Yzerman's Bolts will be Wings foe in Traverse City.

Lightning name Frantz Jean as goaltending consultant.

Lightning hire NHL veteran Steve Thomas as player development consultant.

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Today is National Date Nut Bread Day.

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Lumberjacks single game tickets on sale.

Grecian formula in Muskegon?

Expect Ambroz to be first round pick in 2011.

Steve Johnson leaving Fargo for assistant's job at St. Cloud State.

Gamblers Hockey: A storied franchise.

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This is the date of the Peregean Spring Tides.

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Riders ground out a 27-23 win over Winnipeg in Sunday's Labour Day Classic in Regina, and now travel to Winnipeg for next Sunday's Banjo Bowl. Kickoff next Sunday is set for 1:00pm EDT on 620CKRM and the Rider Radio Network. Listen links are to the right on this blog.

Check out Riderville.com for the latest on "Canada's (And Clearwater, Florida's) Team."

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Today is Rosh Hashanah. The Jewish New Year begins at Sundown.

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Today in Sports History:

1965 - Bert Campaneris became the first major league baseball player to play all nine positions in one game.

1973 - Hank Aaron hit his 709th home run.

1986 - Herschel Walker made his start in the National Football League (NFL) after leaving the New Jersey Generals of the USFL.

1998 - Mark McGwire, of the St. Louis Cardinals, hit his 62nd home run of the season. He had beaten a record that had stood for 37 years by Roger Maris. McGwire would eventually reach 70 home runs on September 27.

2002 - The NFL's Houston Texans played their first regular season game. The beat the Dallas Cowboys 19-10.

2002 -  Pete Sampras won his 14th Grand Slam title when he beat Andre Agassi in the U.S. Open.
 
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Today is Virgin Mary Day.

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Boston - The Rays got exactly what they needed Tuesday night: A laugher.

After falling behind by two runs, the Rays began scoring and didn't quit until they had sufficiently punished Red Sox pitchers in a 14-5 blowout win at Fenway Park.

Read the rest here.

The Rays are 84-54, and trail the Yankees by 1 1/2 games in the A.L. East. They conclude their three-game set in Boston tonight, with first pitch set for 7:10pm EDT on 620AM WDAE and the Rays Radio Network. and ESPN. After tonight's game, Tampa Bay will then play three in Toronto, before returning home on Monday, September 13th, for a big three-game set with the Yankees to jump start a six-game home stand, that includes three games with the Angels. After that short stay at home, the Rays play four at New York on the 20th, 21st, 22nd and 23rd. All games for the remainder of the season can be seen on Sun Sports with the exception of the September 18th game at Anaheim, which will be available online at MLB.tv. Two more Wednesday games, with the Yankees September 15th and September 22nd, will air on ESPN.

Notes: Matt Garza(14-7, 3.46 ) will start for Tampa Bay tonight in their series finale against Boston. The Red Sox will start Tim Wakefield(3-10, 5.19)....Right-hander Jeremy Hellickson allowed three runs over 1 2/3 innings of relief Tuesday night, soon after being chosen the Minor League Player of the Year by Baseball America....Carl Crawford has been successful in his past 35 steal attempts against Boston and hasn't been thrown out by a Red Sox catcher since May 20th, 2004....Carlos Pena is hitless in his past 23 at bats, dropping his 2010 average to .203.

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Today is World Physical Therapy Day.

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The Yankees lead Tampa Bay by 1 1/2 games in the A.L. East, Boston is 9 back, Toronto is 13 1/2 back and Baltimore(Eliminated from post-season contention) is 33 games out of first.

In the A.L. Central, Minnesota leads the White Sox by 4 1/2 games, they're 13 games ahead of Detroit, with Kansas City(Eliminated from post-season contention) 24 1/2 back and Cleveland(Eliminated from post-season contention) 25 games behind.

Out in the (not-so)wild A.L. West, Texas leads Oakland by 7 and the Angels by 9 1/2 games, with Seattle trailing by 20 1/2 games.

In the N.L. East, Atlanta leads Philadelphia by 1/2 game(The Phillies lead the Wild Card race by 1 game), Florida trails by 9, the Mets are 11 1/2 behind and Washington is 19 1/2 out.

In the N.L. Central, Cincinnati leads St. Louis by 6 games,(The Cards are 5 1/2 games behind in the Wild Card race), Houston is 14 back and Milwaukee is 15 out, the Cubs are 19 1/2 behind and Pittsburgh(Eliminated from post season competition) is 32 games off the pace.

San Diego leads the N.L. West by 1 game over San Francisco(The Giants trail the N.L. Wild Card chase by 1 game), Colorado is 4 1/2 behind(They're 4 1/2 back in the Wild Card), the Dodgers are 10 games out, and Arizona is 23 games behind.

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Jimmy says it's time for hockey season!

Smoke takes on Snoopy in another exciting chapter of WWP Puppy Smackdown.






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Phoenix - Six of the seven TVs in Chase Field's visiting clubhouse -- including the flat screen in manager Bruce Bochy's office -- were tuned to the Padres-Dodgers' late Tuesday night game.

The Giants lineup had just slugged three home runs. Tim Lincecum had already pitched well. Now they were all waiting to see what it got them.

On the surface, nothing. But below, perhaps much more.

Lincecum pitched six great innings and a poor seventh -- leading many to believe the mini-ace has made his mini-comeback -- and his San Francisco teammates mashed their way to their sixth straight win at Chase Field, a 6-3 victory over the D-backs.

Read the rest here.

Notes: Barry Zito(8-11, 4.18) starts tonight's 9:40pm EDT game against the Arizona Diamonbacks, who start Daniel Hudson(5-2, 3.03 ). It's the final game of a 3 game series in Phoenix. San Francisco starts a big 4-game series in San Diego tomorrow, then returns home for 3 games with the Dodgers and 3 with Milwaukee starting next Tuesday....San Francisco went 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position Tuesday, breaking a seven-game streak in which it had one hit or fewer in such situations....Arizona's three-run seventh inning Tuesday broke a season-high 31-scoreless-innings streak for Giants pitchers dating back to the fourth inning of Saturday's game against the Dodgers.

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Today in Elvis History:

1956 - Elvis Presley's " I Want You, I Need You, I Love You" hit #14 in the U.K.

1962 - Elvis Presley's single "She's Not You" hit #5 in the U.S.

1971 - Elvis Presley received the Bing Crosby Award from the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences.

1994 - Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley opened the 11th annual MTV Video Music Awards.

2003 - RCA/BMG announced the finalized track listing for "Elvis 2nd To None." The compilation disc was scheduled for release on October 7, 2003.

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Argos go back to the drawing board after loss.

Stamps stomp Esks.

Als' Spencer improving, will remain in hospital.

Visit the league's official website: CFL.ca.

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Today in Beatles History

1977 - Jimmy McCulloch quit Paul McCartney & Wings to join a reformed lineup for the Small Faces.

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Today is Pardon Day. (Story has it that as he was leaving the White House, Richard Nixon bumped into Gerald Ford. Being a gentleman, Nixon looked at Ford and said....(Wait for it....Here it comes....) "Pardon Me."

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The Beavers have this week off, after Saturday's 30-21 loss at TCU. Oregon State plays their home opener on Saturday, September 18th, against the Louisville Cardinals. Kickoff at Reser Stadium in Corvallis is set for 5:30pm EDT. You can listen to the game on the Beaver Sports Network. Fox SAports Northwest has the T.V.

Here's the 2010 Oregon State Beavers' football schedule.

And here's the 2010 football roster.

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The Galveston Hurricane, with estimated winds of 135 mph, hit the city on this date in 1900. The deadliest natural disaster ever to hit the United States, is estimated to have killed approximately 8,000 and as many as 12,000 people.

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Tampa Yankees take 1-0 lead with 3-0 win over Dunedin Blue Jays in North playoffs. Game two is at Dunedin tonight at 7:05pm EDT.

Bradenton Maurauders blank Charlotte Stone Crabs 5-0 in game one of South Division playoffs. Game two is in Charlotte tonight at 7:05pm EDT.

Check the Florida State League website for more information.

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The place to pass

On curves

You know

Is only at

A beauty show

Burma-Shave

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Coming up:

Tonight --

Baseball: Florida State League North Division Playoffs, Game Two Tampa Yankees at Dunedin Blue Jays 7:05pm EDT

Baseball: Florida State League South Division Playoffs, Game Two Bradenton Mauraders at Charlotte Stone Crabs 7:05pm EDT

Baseball: Tampa Bay Rays at Boston Red Sox 7:10pm EDT

Baseball: San Francisco Giants at Arizona Diamondbacks 9:40pm EDT

Thursday --

Baseball: Florida State League North Division Playoffs, Game Three Tampa Yankees at Dunedin Blue Jays 7:05pm EDT

Baseball: Florida State League South Division Playoffs, Game Three Bradenton Mauraders at Charlotte Stone Crabs 7:05pm EDT (If necessary)

Baseball: San Francisco Giants at San Diego Padres 10:05pm EDT

Friday --

Nascar Nationwide Series: Richmond 250 at Richmond International Raceway, Richmond, Virginia 7:00pm EDT

Baseball: Tampa Bay Rays at Toronto Blue Jays 7:07pm EDT

Baseball: San Francisco Giants at San Diego Padres 10:05pm EDT

Saturday --

Baseball: San Francisco Giants at San Diego Padres 4:10pm EDT

SEJHL Hockey: Palm Beach Hawks at Tampa Bay Minor Juniors 5:15pm EDT

Baseball: Tampa Bay Rays at Toronto Blue Jays 7:07pm EDT

Nascar Sprint Cup Series: Air Guard 400 at Richmond International Raceway, Richmond, Virginia 7:30pm EDT

MJHL Hockey: Palm Beach Hawks at Tampa Bay Major Juniors 8:00pm EDT

Sunday --

SEJHL Hockey: Palm Beach Hawks at Tampa Bay Minor Juniors 9:30am EDT

MJHL Hockey: Palm Beach Hawks at Tampa Bay Major Juniors 12:15pm EDT

CFL Football: Saskatchewan Roughriders at Winnipeg Blue Bombers 1:00pm EDT

NFL Football: Cleveland Browns at Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1:00pm EDT

Baseball: Tampa Bay Rays at Toronto Blue Jays 1:07pm EDT

Baseball: San Francisco Giants at San Diego Padres 4:05pm EDT

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That's all for now. See you tomorrow. Go Baby Jays!