a few pictures from an afternoon at the ballpark. [View Full Entry]

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So it has been a long time since I have written. This entry is simply to state the obvious, to say that I am still alive and well and here in Lithuania. For those of you who don't know, I was back home in NC for my grandpa's 90th birthday. While home I was interviewed by the News & Observer, a Raleigh newspaper, about my experiences in Lithuania. here is the link: http://www.chapelhillnews.com/sports/story/8934.html (just cut & paste into your web browser) I was also coming home to help with the estate sale, to sell all of the things left in our [View Full Entry]

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Kevin Slowey, my good friend and one of the newest subscribers to this blog, sent me a package to France with a new baseball glove and some under-armour baseball clothing. I wrote him an email to thank him for his gracious gift, and he said that he did not need any thanks, but that if I ever felt obliged I could feature him in one of my blog entries. Well, that time has come. This morning I was reading an article on ESPN.com, an opinion piece giving a rundown of the latest happenings in Major League Baseball, and unexpectedly the [View Full Entry]

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It is clear that we are a battered team at this moment, only two days into the Lithuanian Championship. I strained a muscle in my right shoulder sliding back into first on Saturday; right now I am wearing a brace and the doctor has told me to not play for at least one week. I was at practice, though throwing and running a bit. Marijus Dargus was back at practice even though he is recovering from knee surgery and cannot do anything more than walk. He apparently called Sigitas immediately after he heard about our devastating 22-5 loss saying that [View Full Entry]

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Some pictures from swimming at the quarry. [View Full Entry]

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I continue to learn more and more about baseball here in Lithuania. Last Sunday at the games in Utena I was playing first base when a ball was hit to the shortstop, who threw a wild throw to first wide to the right. I went to catch the throw and was toppled over by the Utena runner as he ran past first base. I tumbled once and landed on my feet, and impulsively said ‘Aziprasau,’ (sorry). The Utena guy said ‘hey man, sorry ‘bout that, you alright?’ And I said ‘you’re not Lithuanian.’ ‘Nope,’ he said. So how did I [View Full Entry]

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Last year I wrote about the great Lithuanian baseball tradition (in fact Kaunas baseball tradition) that if you hit a home run you are obliged to buy beers for the whole team. I commented initially that this was an incredible tradition, but a rather expensive one for the few players who most often hit the home runs. On our first day of games last weekend Aivaras hit the first homerun of the Lithuanian championship. And I learned that in fact this year the team has changed the tradition because some guys complained about having to always buy the beers after [View Full Entry]

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Things have not gone as expected and hoped for here in the Lithuanian Championship for the Kaunas Lituanica squad. Just a little background; in 2006 (last year), Lituanica won the championship easily losing only three games all season and winning the final series 3 games to 1. At this point last season, the team was 6 and 0. Right now our record stands at 2 and 4. True—we are not the same team as we were last year. Three of our best players are not playing, others are injured and only half-strength. In addition it appears that the other teams [View Full Entry]

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This past week was ‘Kaunas Days’ in Kaunas, a whole week to celebrate the greatness of Kaunas. It started off with a bang last weekend with two full days of music, artisans and vendors from all over Lithuania coming to Kaunas to sell their art, foodstuffs, to show off their trade. There were three music stages, and a big carnival with carnival rides, cotton candy (the literal translation from Lithuanian was ‘Sugar Cotton’), and bumper cars. Of note is that all of the ride names, the signs and words on the sides of this portable carnival show were French or [View Full Entry]

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First, let me explain the title of this entry. 'Krepsinis' is the Lithuanian word for basketball. In Lithuanian, baseball is 'beisbolas', soccer is 'footbolas' (like english 'football), table tennis translates directly as do most other sports.....but basketball is 'krepsinis,' pronounced 'Crap-Sheen-is.' Back in March Donatas and I made a deal that I would buy him a pair of new Easton batting gloves in exchange for tickets to the Lithuanian Basketball Championship between Lietuvos Rytas of Vilnius and Kaunas Zalgiris. I came through on my end of the bargain, and so did Donatas….he g [View Full Entry]

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