Sports

Henry David Thoreau wrote, “Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after.” That notion, that fishing is about more than catching fish—that it offers tranquility, reflection, and recovery—is at the heart of scores of programs across the United States that use fly fishing to promote physical and emotional healing.

Nationally acclaimed sportswriter Scott Pitoniak’s Frozen in Time recounts the rich history and traditions of the RIT hockey program, and its rise from a humble team with hand-me-down jerseys to one of the nation’s most respected athletic programs. Pitoniak’s narrative, along with many photos old and new, brings to life the transformation of the RIT Tiger pucksters, chronicling the people, players, places and moments which enabled the men’s and women’s hockey teams to become national champions.

In this collection of inspirational sports stories previously published in Rochester’s Democrat and Chronicle, Mandelaro describes the triumphs and tragedies of local and national athletes. These narratives go beyond the wins and losses of the game to illuminate the perserverance of the human spirit over challenging life situations.

One of only 17 major-league players never to have spent a single day in the minors, Johnny Antonelli was a highly coveted phenom who signed a “bonus baby” contract with the Boston Braves for $52,000 a few days after graduating from Rochester’s Jefferson High School in 1948.  It wasn’t until six years later, when he was traded to the New York Giants, that the stylish left-hander began realizing the potential the scouts had seen in him.