Balladeer’s Blog takes a look at the TEN teams playing for the College Baseball National Championship this year in the USCAA (United States Collegiate Athletic Association). The College of St Joseph’s (sic) are the Defending Champions.
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UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI AT CLERMONT
Team Name – COUGARS
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COLLEGE OF SAINT JOSEPH’S (sic)
Team Name – FIGHTING SAINTS
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WRIGHT STATE AT THE LAKE CAMPUS
Team Name – LAKERS
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NEWPORT NEWS APPRENTICE SCHOOL
Team Name – BUILDERS
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CLEARY UNIVERSITY
Team Name – PROWLING COUGARS Continue reading
THE AVENGERS Volume 1, Number 114 (August 1973) Night of the Swordsman 
MANTIS: When researching these old stories I’ve come to really “marvel” at Marvel Comics’ writers’ knack for handling long-term episodic storylines. In my opinion they handled it better than many writers of serialized science fiction and horror television series’ of today. Maintaining multiple threads of a long-running narrative is a specialized type of pulp fiction writing and 1970s Marvel Comics are excellent examples of the craft. 
THE SWORDSMAN: Hawkeye’s trainer and mentor when they both traveled the circus and carnival circuit in their pre-supervillain turned hero days. Unlike Hawkeye, however, the Swordsman was an actual villain, not merely misunderstood like his protégé. 
“UP AND AT ‘EM, ADAM ANT!” … Had to be said. Balladeer’s Blog continues with its “Give Them A Shoutout Before They’re Dead” policy with another quick treat from the neglected Adam Ant (Stuart Leslie Goddard). 
HATTIESBURG BRACKET 
LIMA BRACKET 
THE MAN FROM SATURN (1890) – By an unknown author. This work also appeared under the title Willmoth the Wanderer, a cutesy reference to the classic Melmoth the Wanderer. A young, unnamed American encounters Willmoth, a male humanoid who states he is from the planet Saturn and is hundreds of thousands of years old. 
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME – The 3 seeds – the LYON COLLEGE SCOTS – did battle with the top seeded MISSOURI BAPTIST UNIVERSITY SPARTANS for the AMC Tournament title. After 2 scoreless Innings the Scots grabbed a 1-0 lead in the 3rd with the Spartans tying it up at 1-1 in the 4th. 
With the release of Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2 last week and its introduction of the character Mantis to the Marvel Cinematic Universe I dove in for some research. 
Hell, Gwen Stacy was killed by the Green Goblin around 1973. Magneto was ret-conned into his present personality in the 1970s. Adam Warlock got his Soul Gem, later ret-conned into one of the Infinity Stones. The Defenders debuted in that decade. Wolverine was also introduced in the 70s. Same with Luke Cage, Blade the Vampire Slayer, Iron Fist, Ghost Rider, Thanos, the Punisher. Even Howard the Duck. (Well, you can’t win them all.) 
Since we just passed the one year anniversary of the death of Prince a few readers emailed me to mention it. Some even asked the time-honored question about why we wait until people are dead to give them a shoutout. 
Adam Ant is a prime example of the bittersweet connection between creativity and insanity. Unlike many other entertainers who engage in long battles against various addictions Ant’s major vice was his own periodic madness. And I don’t say that as an insult, but as a very odd compliment. (And I know about his stays in a few mental hospitals and his being diagnosed as bi-polar. I repeat – I’m not insulting him. I’m sincerely complimenting him.)
