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Showing posts from November, 2013

Remembering Vixen Founder / Guitarist; Jan Kuehnemund (1961-2013)

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centerfieldmaz was shocked to learn of the sudden passing of Jan Kuehnemund, the founding member of the all female metal band Vixen. Jan was a fantastic guitarist, song writer & women pioneer in Heavy Metal. I am a huge fan of hard rock all girl bands & Vixen were one my long time favorites. Janice Lynn Kuehnemund was born November 18th, 1961 in St. Paul Minnesota. The female guitarist formed one of the first all female Metal bands in Minnesota with singer Janet Gardner while in high school in 1980. By 1985 they moved the band to Los Angles California, to be part of the Heavy Metal scene. In 1987 the classic Vixen line up of Jan Kuehnemund (lead guitar) Janet Gardner (vocals/ guitar) Share Pederson (bass) & Roxy Petrucci (drums) formed & released their debut album the following year. Vixen 1988 In a world of all male Heavy Metal bands during its heyday, Vixen were groundbreaking in being an all female metal band. The Runaways, with Joan Jett & Lita Ford

Concert Review: The Eagles Soar at Madison Square Garden in New York City

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The History of the Eagles Tour has landed in Manhattan for three nights at Madison Square Garden. At this point, nothing can be said of the Eagles but they put on a perfect absolutely perfect, flawless show. The two part show featured a chronological history of the band with the opening set dwelling on the first four albums, an intermission & a second set consisting more of the latter mega FM radio hits, we all grew up on. These hits were mostly from the Hotel California & Long Run albums, with the Joe Walsh material added in as well. It was a special treat to have original Eagle; Bernie Leadon play the entire first set & part of the encores as well. Leadon the last founding member to join the band, brought his blue grass/ country style of music into the band & into mainstream rock & roll. Leadon was introduced at the shows start, with the band sitting close together, doing early acoustic songs like Saturday Night & Doolin Dalton. The group, (mainl

Former Italian /American Player: Archi Cianfrocco (1992-1999)

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Angelo Dominic "Archi" Cianfrocco was born on October 6, 1966 in Rome, New York. Rome has a large Italian-American population, especially in the Little Italy section of East Dominick Street. Located in Oneida County, it is home to the oldest Cooper manufacturing company in the United States. Archi's father was a union worker there for nearly 40 years manning a hot furnace, burning cooper to brass at the company founded by Paul Revere. Archi attended Perdue University getting drafted by the Montreal Expos in the 5th round of the 1987 draft. He hit .300 at AA & AAA getting to the Expo big league club in 1992. He would spend time back & forth in the minors over the next three seasons. He hit well there, batting over .298 over those three seasons. In June 1993 he got traded to the San Diego Padres where he had his best year in 1993. Overall he only hit .243 but had a career high 11 HRs with 10 doubles & 47 RBIs playing in 84 games. He played at both thi

Italian / American Father & Son Pitchers: Jason & Steve Grilli

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Jason Michael Grilli was born on November 11th, 1976 at Royal Oak Michigan. The tall six foot five left hander went to high school in Baldwinsville, New York located in Upstate New York. He was drafted by the AL New York club but chose to go to school instead. He then attended Seton Hall University in South Orange New Jersey. By 1997 he was the first round draft pick of the San Francisco Giants (the fourth pick overall). By 1999 he was traded to the Florida Marlins organization in exchange for Livan Hernandez & Nate Bump. Jason Grilli would wear the uniform number 49 in honor of his father. He has been a long time journeyman middle reliever who has pitched for six different teams. Grilli has been with the Florida Marlins (2000-2001) Chicago White Sox (2004) Detroit Tigers (2005-2008) Colorado Rockies (2008-2009) Texas Rangers (2009) & Pittsburgh Pirates (2011-2013). He arrived with the Tigers in 2005 & made his debut exactly thirty years after his dad had made hi

Former 1962 Met Turned Orthodontist: Rick Herrscher (1962)

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Richard Franklin Herrscher was born on November 3, 1936 in St. Louis, Missouri. The six foot two righty, attended SMU and was a member of their 1958 Final Four basketball team. He also played baseball getting signed by the Milwaukee Braves in 1958. He showed some promise in the minors jumping from A to AAA in 1960 batting .320 overall. In May of 1962 he was sent to the New York Mets as part of transactions that included Frank Thomas coming to New York & Gus Bell going to Milwaukee. In 1962 at AAA Louisville he hit .337 before getting traded then hit .260 at AAA Syracuse. He got called up to the expansion '62 Mets team in August. He debuted on August 1st, as a pinch hitter against the Philadelphia Phillies reaching on an error at second base. He found himself penciled in as the starting third baseman the next day, going 0-3. A week later he got his first career hit which was also his only career HR. It was a three run shot down the right field line at the Polo Grounds,

Former Mets Player & Coach: Billy Connors (1967-1968)

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William Joseph Connors was Born on November 2, 1941 in Schenectady, New York. At the age of twelve Connors was a member of the 1954 Little League World Champion team from Schenectady, NY. Later in life after he high school he attended Syracuse Unioversity getting signed by the Chicago Cubs in 1961. His minor league career was highlighted by a 17-4 season in 1965 between all three levels of the Cubs system. He debuted in 1966 for the Cubs appearing in eleven games, taking a loss, his only decision of the year on May 30th in Pittsburgh against the Pirates. He was back down at AAA in July finishing the season there at Tacoma in the Pacific Coast League. In 1967 he went 9-9 at Tacoma before getting his contract purchased by the New York Mets in late August. He was brought right up to the Mets staff pitching the second game of a double header on August 22nd against the Philadelphia Phillies at Shea Stadium. He gave up two runs over two innings allowing a HR to Dick Allen while earning