John Burbridge

1 week ago | charlescitypress.com | John Burbridge

By John [email protected] once covered a swim camp that featured one of the coaches from the USA Olympic Swim Team. When he spoke to the campers at the end of a lunch break, he told them to “celebrate their victories”. I doubt any video of this speech has survived as this was well before the trend of recording most every living moment on your smartphone — significant or not — took hold.

1 week ago | charlescitypress.com | John Burbridge

By John Burbridge [email protected] CITY — It was a case of thunder coming before the lightning. After New Hampton contained a brewing Charles City rally to just 1 run in the bottom of the fifth while holding on to a 4-2 lead during game one of what was supposed to be a Northeast Iowa Conference baseball doubleheader Tuesday at Comet Field, there was a sigh of relief among the Chickasaw faithful.

1 week ago | charlescitypress.com | John Burbridge

By John Burbridge [email protected] CITY — Sometimes the best throw is the one you don’t make … or the ill-advised one you sucker your opponent into making. During this past weekend’s Legends Firecracker Baseball Classic, the hosting Chucktown Legends 12U baseball team repeatedly frustrated defenses with a type of base running that could be classified as baiting as well as aggressive.

1 week ago | charlescitypress.com | John Burbridge

By John Burbridge [email protected] — You can almost see a pattern forming. For the fourth Northeast Iowa Conference baseball doubleheader in a row, the Charles City Comets managed to bounce back from a one-sided defeat in the first game with a more competitive effort in the second game. In each of these nightcaps, the Comets were either on the brink of victory or threatening to tie or take the lead in the seventh inning only to have their opponents hold on for the sweeps.

2 weeks ago | charlescitypress.com | John Burbridge

By John Burbridge [email protected] CHARLES CITY — If you have the power to take it out of the park, then — essentially — you’re in scoring position whenever you step up to the plate. Charles City senior Payton Hadley was in such a position when she stepped up to the plate with two outs and the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh while representing the tying run in the nightcap of Tuesday’s Northeast Iowa Conference softball doubleheader against visiting Crestwood.