Two Braves minor league pitchers were rewarded last week for dominant performances turned in over the last year. For his performance on July 22, David Francis earned the Class A Short-Season Best Single-Game Performance award. In only his third professional start, Francis threw six no-hit innings and struck out a career-high 16 batters. At the time, the win was the 20-year-old right-hander’s third in a row. Joining Francis as a recent award recipient, Tommy Hanson was awarded MiLBY’s Class A Advanced Single-Game Performance award for his April 4 performance against the Wilmington Blue Rocks. Hanson, a 22-year-old righty, faced one batter over the minimum, threw five innings of no-hit ball, and recorded a then-career best 13 strikeouts.
He may spend most of his time now suiting up for the Orlando Magic, but Dwight Howard was born and raised in Atlanta, and local sports fans should rejoice in all the 22-year-old’s recent success. All the success I am referring to was elevated to a completely new level last week when Howard became the proud new owner of the Chateau d’ Usse, possibly the priciest single-family home on record in Seminole County, Fla. While it had been listed for $9.7 million, Howard purchased the magnificent, palace-like estate for $8 million. As if he didn’t already, the “Daily Double” has plenty to be proud of, as his new home captured every award possible earlier this year in a local Street of Dreams luxury-home television show.
Continuing a Falcons trend, kicker Jason Elam gave back to the community in a big way last Tuesday when he accompanied second-grader Gunnar Samuelson to school as part of the NFL’s Take a Player to School program. Elam, who is one of 34 players to have been selected to participate in the program that rewards elementary school students with a visit from their favorite NFL players, led the kids in fitness activities as part of the NFL’s PLAY 60 campaign, and lectured and answered questions.
MARKING TERRITORY
Georgia State moved one step closer to realizing its 2010 dream of playing football when the University Foundation purchased 3.8 acres of land last week to house the program’s future football-only complex. Purchased for $6.6 million, the land is located at 188 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. Though nothing has been finalized, the complex is expected to include a 100-yard turf field, a 50-yard grass field, and a building for offices, training rooms, locker rooms, weight rooms, and various other amenities. Of course, Georgia State does not begin play until 2010.
The Gwinnett Gladiators, the Thrashers’ Double-A affiliate, added a new face last Thursday, acquiring defenseman Jim Jorgensen in a trade with the Las Vegas Wranglers for future considerations. Jorgensen, who joined Las Vegas for eight games last year after completing his senior year at Ferris State University, has appeared in four games for the Wranglers this year, recording an assist and two penalty minutes along the way. Jorgensen was made available for the Gladiators’ 7:05 p.m. contest with the Florida Everblades on Monday, though results from the game were not available at press time.
OLSON RETIRES
In national sporting news, college basketball lost a legend last week when 74-year-old Lute Olson announced his retirement from coaching the Arizona Wildcats. Olson, who won a national championship in 1997 and two National Coach of the Year awards in 1988 and 1990, spent 24 years as the head coach of the Wildcats. Interestingly, Olson’s announcement came only two days after he appeared at the Wildcats’ Media Day. According to reports, health was a major factor in the decision, as a recent MRI confirmed Olson had suffered from a stroke in the last year, which reportedly left him with severe depression and impaired judgment.
Janovitz can be reached at sjanovitz@scoreatl.com.
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