Back in the late '70s, as MyCentralJersey.com tells the story, MacConnell was a neophyte broadcaster for women's basketball on the Rutgers student radio station. His partner, with some experience, was upperclassman Paul Spychala.
MacConnell has moved on to become the Scarlet Knights' deputy director of athletes, and when he was looking for a new public address announcer for this season's basketball games he reached out to Spychala, who has been Somerset's public address announcer ever since 1999.
"As a longtime Rutgers fans and a Rutgers grad, I couldn't ask for anything more," he told the website.
THIS LANCASTER PLAYER REMEMBERS A SPOTLIGHT MOMENT IN MAJORS
Standout minor league outfielder Jason Cooper, who had a stint trying to help Lancaster reach the playoffs late in 2009 and is moving to a front office opportunity with the Pittsburgh Pirates, only got into a few major league games and all of those were in exhibitions. But Cooper, who I will feature in Thursday's Independent Baseball Insider column, has one really good memory.
He traveled to Philadelphia with the Cleveland Indians for the very first game to be played at Citizens Bank Park in 2004.
It was a cool, rainy day, he remembers, but there was the predictable full house. The lefty swinging Cooper was on the bench until he was called on to lead off in the ninth inning, and who should the Phils bring in but southpaw flame-thrower Billy Wagner.
After fouling off some of Wagner's pitches, Cooper, then only 23 and less than two years removed from signing out of Stanford, was able to single to right field.
What a nice moment for any baseball player to experience.
ATLANTIC LEAGUE GRAD NOW A PITCHING COACH FOR PHILS
Aaron Fultz won 25 major league games, including seven with Philadelphia in 2005 and 2006. The southpaw had stints later on with Somerset (2008) and Newark (2009). Now 38, the Memphis, TN native, is back with Philadelphia, this time as a minor league pitching coach.
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