I have bookmarked your website and have started listening to the vignettes. Very enjoyable and I’ll be checking in regularly.  Take care.

Ryan McGowan
Claremont, Ca.

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Ross:

Good to hear from you, Ryan.  We have about 155 vignettes available to hear on Real Sports Heroes.com and hope everyone enjoys them.

It was a pleasure meeting you and your wife the other day. It was 1973 when you interviewed me on the high school basketball Game of the Week.  You have always been a real professional and I will enjoy your website.

Don Palmer
Thousand Oaks, Ca.

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Ross:

Thanks, Don. It was good to meet you and your wife.  I  often have former highschool basketball players tell me they played in a game that we televised on channel 4. It’s amazing since that was 35 to 37 years ago. You played for Cleveland High in Reseda, the alma mater of two time Cy Young Award winner Bret Saberhagen of the Royals.

Hey, Ross…

What did you think of Mike Scioscia calling for a suicide squeeze bunt in the ninth inning of game 4 of the ALDS with the go-ahead run at third and one out in a 2-2 tie?

Jim Collins
Monrovia, Ca.

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Ross:

I told my wife when the Angels got the leadoff double, Jim, that Mike would bunt the runner to third base and might very well try to squeeze the go-ahead run home.  Scioscia played in the National League and likes that style of baseball. I thought it was a good call with the count 2 and 0. Erick Aybar missed the bunt and the runner was out. What I didn’t like was the way some baseball writers slanted their stories, and manipulated a poll of fans to try and make Mike look foolish.  Newspaper sports sections ran only negative reactions in their “Letters to the Editor” column. If Aybar gets the bunt down and the Angels win the game, all these second guessers are praising Scioscia for a gutsy, brilliant call. It doesn’t take any courage to pop off after the outcome is known.

Hi, Ross,

Thanks for using Bill Bates on a recent “Where are they now?” feature. Bill was an inspiration to young players like myself that had little talent and played with a lot of heart. Bates played every down like it was his last. When I saw Bill Bates’ picture in your story, it gave me a feeling of honor because that is the way hard work should be honored. I think  that is so key for children and he inspired me to play hard at everything I did through high school. I always think of that when I think of Bill Bates.

Peyton Kell

Ross…….

I have heard Coach Wooden, Vin Scully, Dusty Baker and Brandon Webb among other vignettes on your website. I also enjoyed reading your columns and hearing your insights as we used to get on Dodger Talk. I will keep listening and reading. As always, thanks for your excellent work.

Fred Blattner
Woodland Hills, Ca.

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Ross:

Thanks for your kind comments, Fred, and keep checking out our website.

Dear Real Sports Heroes:

I was listening to a  L.A. sports talk show on KLAC with Petros Papadakis and Matt Smith, and the topic of  Ross Porter came up. The consensus was he was an integral part of the Dodger broadcasting family, and that it was an absolute tragedy he was not retained in 2004. I. too, loved Mr. Porter and decided to find out what he was up to. One Google search later and I found out. Please tell him he has a lifelong Dodger fan that misses his game calling skills greatly.

Ryan McGowan
Rancho Cucamonga, Ca.

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Ross:

Thank you very much, Ryan, for your nice e-mail. I hope you got a chance to look at our website and hear some of our 150 one-minute vignettes focusing on people in sports who are “making a difference” and “giving back.” Keep in touch.

Dear Ross:

Which major league baseball team drew the most fans at home this season?

Kevin
Los Angeles

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Ross:

Strangely, Kevin, the two teams who led the big leagues in home attendance are moving to new stadiums next spring.  The Yankees attracted 4.29 million spectators and the Mets 4.04 million. Some of the lure had to be sentimental, one last look at Yankee Stadium and/or Shea Stadium. Neither New York team made the post-season.

The three Southern California clubs combined to bring in 9 million, 494 thousand, 832 fans. Ranking third in attendance, the Dodgers averaged 46,000 a game and had a total of  3 million, 730-thousand 553.  The Angels were sixth with an average of 41,000 and a final count of 3 million, 336-thousand 744. In San Diego, the Padres averaged 30,000 a game and saw 2 million, 427-thousand 535 come through the turnstiles.

Hey, Ross……

A friend of mine said he heard on television that the Padres are thinking of trading Jake Peavy. I think that would be a big mistake. He’s one of the best pitchers in baseball and did not get much run support this year. Any truth to the rumor?

Best wishes.

Courtney
El Cajon

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Ross:

Hi,  Ross,

Great  website !  How  about  Sooner  quarterback  Sam  Bradford’s  season  so  far?  Would  you  say  he’s the  front  runner  for  the  Heisman?  Keep  up  the  good  work.

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Ross:

Dear  Ross,

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Ross:

Mariano  Rivera  was  paid  $ 15  million  by  the  Yankees  this  season.   Frankie  Rodriguez  earned  $ 10  million  in  2008  with  the  Angels.  I’m  not  at  all  certain,  Burt,  that  Arte  Moreno  will  be  willing  to  offer  Rodriguez  a  multi-year  contract  that  would  enable  him  to  make  $ 15  million  a  season   My  guess  is  the  Angels  are  far  more  interested  in  signing  Mark  Teixeira,  who  is  currently  being  paid  $ 12  million  for  this  year,  and  could  jump  to  $  18  million  in  2009.

Ross,

I just wanted to thank you for all that you have done in sports, and for the Dodgers in particular.
You taught me to love baseball and to look for the positives in the game. Not being in the L. A. area anymore, I was not aware that you were doing “Real Sports Heroes.” It is so in character with you and reflects your classiness. Thank you for continuing to highlight the positive!
God bless you.

Lora Horn
(formerly in Pasadena, Ca.) now in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

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Ross:

Lora……

What a sweet note. I thank you for taking the time to write and hope you continue to enjoy our website, the vignettes, and other features. Keep in touch.

Dear Mr. Porter:

I want to submit my son’s football coach to be a Sports Hero. He volunteers to coach at Kare Youth League in Arcadia, Ca. He is also a third grade teacher at Anita Oaks School in Duarte. He also spends his summers on missionary trips teaching English to children. His name is Peter Clark and he is my Sports Hero.

Rose Halfmann

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Ross:

It’s good to hear from you, Rose. Unfortunately, our radio program and website no longer honor real sports heroes as we did when American Airlines was our sponsor, and donated free plane tickets to our contest winners. However, it is a pleasure to single out Peter because of your recommendation. Coaches of youth sports teams do not get enough praise for their unselfish, time-consuming, non-paying work with kids.

Hi, Ross !

Your new website looks fantastic ! The history and stories are refreshing and positive—a great change to all the negativity the media is dispensing in a very liberal and biased political season. I especially enjoyed Linda’s story on the Paralympics in Beijing that can be found on Saluting Teamwork. Keep up the good work.

Jane B.
Plano, Texas

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Ross:

Many thanks, Jane, for mentioning our new look. We are proud of the work our specialists, Greg and Cory from jimirig.com, have done in recent weeks to give the Real Sports Heroes website a face lift. Many viewers have told us it is easier to navigate now. The crew has enhanced the quality of information provided on the Heroes’ favorite charities and on the 150 RSH vignettes featuring the sports personalities.  We invite you to check out the entire website, including the weekly columns.