Before the Sacramento River Cats begin the 2012 season in defense of their 10th division title in 12 years, one of the most successful American professional sports franchises will host one of Major League Baseball's most storied champions. For the first time in half a decade Major League Baseball will be played in Sacramento as the River Cats host their parent affiliate Oakland Athletics on March 31, 2012. Following a successful 2011 season, in which Sacramento won its 10th Pacific Coast League South Division title, the River Cats kick off the 2012 season against some familiar faces who have found success at the Major League level. The River Cats will host the four-time World Series cham

In the Xoso Sport & Social League final Indoor Kickball season of the year, and a championship game that featured the regular season's top two teams, #2 Reunion Tour pulled away from #1 Turn Your Head and Cough to win the 2011 Late Fall Indoor Kickball title 18-9. Playoff night (last night) kicked off with the play-in matchup of #4 Balls to the Wall versus #5 The A-Team. Balls to the Wall (4-4) built a 19-6 lead after four innings but The A-Team (3-5) rallied with three runs in the fifth and eight more in the sixth before coming up short 19-17. #4 Balls to the Wall advanced to the first semifinal where they faced #1 Turn Your Head and Cough (6-2). After holding Balls to the Wall scoreles

Last night featured 150 local young professionals, competing for the right to claim Xoso Dodgeball Champion on their athletic resumes.  Another 100 playoff hopefuls had already had their dreams of dodgeball glory fade into the distance.  The Xoso Sport & Social League offers two divisions on Thursday evenings, separating veteran "A" league teams from newer "B" league teams.  On the B League side of the gym last night, Gym Tan Dodgeball proved that it doesn't always matter where you're seeded. The Fall Season of Xoso dodgeball wrapped up last night with an epic night of playoffs and championship matchups. Coming into the night Drinkin' Team (6-2) and Titsburg Feelers (6-2) arrived with th

On Oct. 11, the City Council approved an ordinance that officially named the alleys of the central city. On Tuesday and Wednesday, The Sacramento Press highlighted many of these alleys, including their new names and what residents and business owners think of them. More alleyways are included below. Leistal Alley Cohn said Leistal Alley is an alley that the city has put resources into renovating. With a lighted walkway and an upscale pavement job, co-owner of Old Soul Coffee Jason Griest said he hopes that all of the other alleys will soon be similarly renovated. “We see a lot more foot traffic in the alley now that they’ve renovated it,” the 36-year-old Midtown resident said. Griest

In a surprising turn of events, Chocolate Salty Balls emerged as Xoso Sport & Social League's Fall 2011 Recess League champions with a tense 2-1 volleyball victory over previously undefeated Green Dogs and Spam. CSB entered week 8 of the regular season in 4th place but was able to leapfrog over UR FIRED and Drexel Dragons into 2nd place by winning their final week matchup while the other playoff contenders lost. For the two team playoff, CSB (3-3-2) chose to square off against #1 seed Green Dogs and Spam (8-0) in volleyball as opposed to the other Recess sports (Indoor Kickball and Dodgeball).  Despite volleyball being CSB's strength and Green Dogs' weakness, it was Green Dogs that seized

On Sunday, Xoso Sport & Social League concluded the inaugural season of Xoso Coed Softball. As we've all heard when it comes to the playoffs... anything can happen. On Sunday, "anything" did. The #1 seeded "We Got The Runs" had rolled through the regular season schedule, ending with an undefeated 8-0 record. In game one, they matched up against the #4 seeded, "Foul Balls and Dirty Bunts" who came in with a 3-5 record. FBaDB were playing shorthanded, but managed to hang in there against a full #1 team. "We Got the Runs" put up the maximum number of runs in the first inning, and lead 9-2 after one. FBaDB managed to get within five runs at the end of the second inning, and battled back to c

As Dave says it, “There are 2 kinds of Folk Music, quite Folk Music & Loud Folk Music, I play both”, but as one who has seen Dave in many configurations, this line does not begin to explain a Dave Alvin show. On October 14th, Dave (along with the Guilty Ones) will be making their way up from Sacramento Town to the gold rich foothill town of Auburn, as Dave continues to claim his name as “The King of California”,( at least when it comes to songwriting, rippin’ Fender Stratocaster riffs, and incredible vocal phrasings). The Auburn Event Center (& Roadhouse) will play host for this very special and rare evening of fun! - (BTW if you have not been to Keep Smilin' show at the Event Center you a

    Come join us for our 1st Annual Bands, Beans, & Brews on Sunday, October 23, 2011 in Howe Park, 2201 Cottage Way. Enjoy local bands, including Still Kicking and JackWagon from 1pm until 5pm. For purchase, enjoy the beer garden sponsored by Hoppy Brewing Company (ID required) and additional food vendors. As an added fun treat, enter the homemade Chili contest for prizes, $5 per entry, please inquire about entry form and rules at www.fecrecpark.com or by calling 916/927-3802. Six categories include meat (mild, medium and hot) and vegetarian (mild, medium and hot). Chili’s will be available of purchase during the event at $1 a cup…or you can participate in choosing the “fan favorite

On Nov. 4, a festive Sacramento tradition will continue with the opening of the Downtown Plaza Ice Rink. 2011 marks the rink’s 20th anniversary of bringing locals together to celebrate the holidays on ice. “The rink will bring that New York City ice-skating feel (to) the heart of downtown Sacramento,” said Downtown Sacramento Partnership Marketing Director Lisa Martinez. The rink, located at 7th and K streets, provides locals with the feel of a big city winter. Martinez said that there is a painstaking process to turn St. Rose of Lima Park into a functional ice-skating rink. “It takes about three weeks, as long as the weather permits,” she said. The first step is to lay out a layer of

10 Bands…10 Restaurants…5 years.   We did the math…it adds up to big fun at the… 5th Annual Blues for Life, which takes place on Sunday, October 2nd, from 1pm to 7pm, at the Torch Club, 904 15th Street.  (inside and out in the parking lot…two stages)   This popular fundraiser, described in this news release, which has grown every year, benefits Albie Aware Breast Cancer Foundation, which raises money for expensive diagnostic breast cancer tests such as PET scans and mammograms for women in need. At Albie, we like to say, “Your mother, your sister, your daughter, your best friend... Who Cares?…..Albie Aware!   Besides performances by the area’s leading blues bands, the popular Pasta Cook-

Nearly 300 people arrived at Arden Mall’s Market Square at 7:30 a.m. dressed in their business suits and slippers. They had come to enjoy a plethora of breakfast cereals for the seventh annual Suits and Slippers event hosted by the Roberts Family Development Center. Guests were provided with bowls of cereal along with Starbucks coffee, muffins, bananas, yogurt and orange juice. People marvelled over creative cereal sculptures and enjoyed their breakfasts as Derrell Roberts, co-founder and CEO of the RFDC, mingled with the crowd. “It’s made people think of the center as a place for kids to grow,” Roberts said, referring to how the event has impacted the RFDC. Roberts said that the RFDC p

A Watercolors and Hiking event will be held in Locke, Calif. on Thursday, September 15, 2011 starting at 10:00 a.m. The hike will be led by Martha Esch. Bring the kids and the grandparents; everyone is welcome!  Well-behaved dogs on leashes, okay. This is a mostly level 1.5 mile hike apart from one 20 foot long, somewhat steep, narrow path up a levee hill and some optional off-path routes along the way that are prickly and narrow. Locke artist and art teacher, Martha Esch, will demonstrate easy techniques to painting a quick, lovely, loose watercolor postcard of scenic spots along the hike. Next, participants will begin using watercolor kits, blank postcards and brushes that will be pas

"I did it!" is an often heard refrain after the Mustard Seed bike ride for kids. On Sunday, September 25th the 7th annual Mustard Seed Spin in Sacramento will take place on the American River bike trail. This bike ride -- by kids for kids -- has already raised and donated $120,000 to the Mustard Seed School for homeless children. All rider fees are donated directly to the school. More than 700 riders are expected this year, slightly more than last year. The bike ride introduces kids under the age of 18 to organized cycling, teaches bike safety, and hopefully creates a whole new generation of bike commuters.  There is also a bike Scholarship Program which hosts 50 underprivileged kids at t

Like its distinctively independent, hyperlocal approach to news coverage and commentary on the Sacramento area, The Sacramento Press delivers Deal Ticket, its version of the national trend in online deals, which is a weekly deal program that offers consumers 51-90% off on Sacramento’s top businesses every Tuesday through Friday. Deal Ticket sales representatives are able to partner face to face with local businesses to produce effective offers for local consumers. “Deal Ticket worked out really well for my business,” said Abraham Sanchez, owner of Article Consignment Boutique. “It was a great opportunity to have not only new people, it worked out for my existing clients to get some good

More than 200 people have signed up to take part in the inaugural Sacramento Man Hunt, a spin on the classic game of tag that will span the Grid from Old Sacramento to Alhambra Boulevard at 10 p.m. Sept. 3. The game is simple: There will be runners and chasers. Runners get a seven-minute head-start and must remain on foot. Chasers can use any vehicle they want, and they must “catch” the runners by tagging them with two hands. “I’ve had a lot of interest in it,” said event coordinator Mike Flanagan, who has been publicizing it via Facebook. “I don’t really expect all of them to show up, but I expect a good-size crowd.” Runners must try to evade the chasers and make it to the Safeway stor

When you think about it, Graham Godfrey’s path was not on the fast track. In fact, for a guy that started the season with Double-A Midland, where he is today is a huge leap in the right direction. As Godfrey told me earlier this year, it was just one small mechanical thing he changed and voila, a steady, dominating pitcher was born. With Godfrey pitching nearly lights out, the Sacramento River Cats stayed on the winning side of things with a 7-3 victory over the Albuquerque Isotopes at Raley Field on Tuesday evening in front of 10,016 happy fans. The win gives him a league tying 12 and he’s only two away from tying the Sacramento franchise record of 14. What would that accomplishment

The 4th Annual South Area Neighborhood Ice Cream Social is set for Tuesday, August 16, from 6:30 to 8 p.m., at 5625-24th Street in Sacramento (the corner lawn of 24th Street and Fruitridge Road, midway between I-5 and Hwy. 99). Bethany Presbyterian Church is again serving as the host location for this event, which last year attracted more than 100 members of the community. The event will feature old-fashioned hand-cranked ice cream makers, unlimited ice cream and toppings, cookies and goodies, live banjo band music and children’s activities. There is no cost to attend. Information and useful resources to help families make the back-to-school transition for their students will also be ava

Usually, Cats’ starter Travis Banwart pitches well during the first few innings of a contest. Banwart’s quietly had a very good season. His numbers put him near the top of several Pacific Coast League pitching categories. He ranks fourth in strikeouts, third in WHIP and third in batting average against while being the team leader in all of those areas. On Tuesday evening at Raley Field, things went in a different direction for Banwart when he got off to a rough start as five of the first six batters got on base and the River Cats found themselves down 4-0 after one. But after the shaky start, Banwart settled in and pitched well as he set down 13 of the next 14 batters he faced and helpe

Rivalries form in many ways. Many times it's a regional battle. Other times there is bad blood between teams and tensions run high. With the River Cats, all those factors come into play against the Fresno Grizzlies and Reno Aces. The Grizzlies visit Sacramento from July 14-17, while the Aces come to town July 22-25. Fresno, the River Cats' South Division rivals and Triple-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants, seeks revenge in the Highway 99 Showdown. While Sacramento has won nine division titles since 2000, Fresno is without a crown. The River Cats own a 110-73 all-time record against the Grizzlies. To top it off, last season the River Cats overcame a 12.5-game deficit to the Grizzli

The River Cats will return home this Saturday to face the Reno Aces, who are managed by former Giants and Dodgers start Brett Butler. After a day off, Sacramento then welcomes the Tucson Padres to town for Independence day Weekend. Here are notes entering the series. Extra comfort: Sacramento improved to 4-0 in extra-innings games with a 4-3 win Tuesday night. Last season, the River Cats went 5-2 in extra-inning games, and in 2009 Sacramento was 15-4. This gives the River Cats an astonishing 24-6 record in extra innings over the last three seasons. Dig Doug: In his first start with Sacramento, Doug Mathis looked strong Tuesday night against Tucson. The right-hander tossed 6.0 innings, a