WCWS softball
Georgia's Lisaira Daniels celebrates at home plate after scoring the winning run during NCAA softball tournament game between the Washington and Georgia, Sunday May 31, 2008. Photo by Sarah Phipps, The Oklahoman
After today we will know which two teams will play for the NCAA softball championship at the Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City. Sarah Phipps and Bryan Terry are covering the games today, often the longest day of the tournament with the “if necessary” elimination games. The first game between Washington and Georgia already took more than four hours with Georgia winning to force another game tonight. Despite the long hours of work, I always enjoy this event and hope it stays in Oklahoma City for a long time.
Below are some photos from the tournament up to now. You can follow the links below to even more photos in the WCWS as well.
Thursday, May 28, 2009, early session
Thursday, May 28, 2009, late session
Saturday, May 30, 2009, early session
Saturday, May 30, 2009, late session
The Washington Huskies celebrate a two-run home run by Niki Williams (3) in the fourth inning during the first college softball game of the Women's College World Series between the University of Georgia and Washington at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City, Thursday, May 28, 2009. Washington won, 3-1. Photo by Nate Billings, The Oklahoman
Michigan's Bree Evans misses the ball on a home run in the first inning of the Women's College World Series softball game between Georgia and Michigan at the ASA Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City, Saturday, May 30, 2009. Photo by Bryan Terry, The Oklahoman
Georgia catcher Kristyn Sandberg (23) collides with umpire Sally Walker while chasing a foul ball in the fifth inning during the Women's College World Series softball game between Missouri and Georgia at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City, Saturday, May 30, 2009. Georgia won, 5-2. Photo by Nate Billings, The Oklahoman
Hillary Bach supporters, from left, Jessica Carriger, Sarah Carriger, Niki Stansell, Amber Harrison, and Liz Eisterhold clap as the Arizona State University players are introduced before the second game of the college softball game of the Women's College World Series between Missouri and Arizona State at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City, Thursday, May 28, 2009. All of the women except Jessica Carriger played on the Tulsa Eagles, an 18-and-under traveling softball team, with Bach, a pitcher for ASU. Arizona State won, 7-3. Photo by Nate Billings, The Oklahoman
Alabama's Lisa Elizondo is tagged out at first base for a double play in the second inning of the Women's College World Series game between Alabama and the University of Michigan at the ASA Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City, Thursday, May 28, 2009. Photo by Bryan Terry, The Oklahoman
Amanda Chidester of Michigan celebrates after hitting a home run in the third inning during the Women's College World Series game between Alabama and the University of Michigan at the ASA Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City, Thursday, May 28, 2009. Photo by Bryan Terry, The Oklahoman
Alabama's Whitney Larsen (20) dives as the ball hits the ground before she can make the catch in the first inning during the Women's College World Series softball game between Alabama and Arizona at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City, Saturday, May 30, 2009. Alabama won, 14-0. Photo by Nate Billings, The Oklahoman
Check out more photos from the WCWS in these galleries:
Thursday, May 28, 2009, early session
Thursday, May 28, 2009, late session
Saturday, May 30, 2009, early session
Saturday, May 30, 2009, late session
-Nate Billings
Ashley McKee
Ashley McKee
Ashley McKee, The Oklahoman’s 2009 photo summer intern started this week. Ashley comes to us from The University of Montana in Missoula. Ashley went to her first assignment Friday, the reopening of the Rock Cafe in Stroud after its destructive fire last year. Here are a couple of her photos. Some were published on Saturday May 30 and more will run with the Food Dude’s column in the Life section this week. Look for more from Ashley as we get her up to speed and she finds some projects to work on.
The reopening of the Rock Cafe happened Friday, May 29, 2009, a year after the historic building burnt down. Photo by Ashley McKee, The Oklahoman
The reopening of the Rock Cafe happened Friday, May 29, 2009, a year after the historic building burnt down. Photo by Ashley McKee, The Oklahoman
-Doug Hoke, Dir. of Photography
Bring On Summer
Well it is here, the unofficial first day of Summer has finally arrived for us here in Oklahoma. To kick off the season I had an assignment to go take pictures of 1400 third and fourth grade Oklahoma City Public School students taking a water safety class at White Water Bay. The result was this photo that ran on page 1 Friday.
A few of the 1400 third and fourth grade Oklahoma City public school students swim during the Wacky Water Wahoo water safety class at White Water on Thursday, May 21, 2009, in Oklahoma City, Okla. Photo by Chris Landsberger, The Oklahoman
After it ran in the paper I received a number of inquires about how I took the photo. So, I thought I would take a few minutes and give a run down on how it was taken.
Overall, it was not very different from most other assignments that I go out on each day. The only difference was the equipment used to take the photo. Instead of the normal cameras I use from day to day, I used a Canon G9 point and shoot camera and an underwater housing that allows me to take the camera up to 140 feet under water. Luckily I did not have to go diving that deep in order to get the photo.
The next step was just trying to get a photo that I liked. As any of you who have been around a lot of kids playing and have a great time at a swimming pool know, it is chaotic to say the least. Knowing this, I settled in to be patient, and wait and shoot and wait and shoot……well you get the idea, till I got the photo that would work. I set the camera to a wide angle setting, and put the camera half way into the water with half the lens above the water and half under. From there I hoped to capture kids swimming above and below the surface. It took me about 45 shots or so till I got the one I wanted, which I believe was the 43 photo I took. As they say patience is a virtue.
–Chris Landsberger
‘Take my picture’ returns
In the last week I’ve had a few ‘take my picture!’ requests. Today I stopped at a church in Lexington, Okla., when I saw the congregation waiting on the sidewalk for troops returning from Iraq to pass by. I spent a little time with them, trying to make a picture, but I knew I had a blog entry when Pastor Buck Jordan and his wife ask me to take their picture. Last week, I was photographing the second day of a triathlon. Just before they began their race, a couple of swimmers posed for a picture.
-John Clanton
High Jump
This photo has extra meaning for me, not only because I think it turned out really well, but because the subject, Toni Young, is a high jumper. I was a 3-year-letterman high jumper in track in high school. When this assignment to shoot Toni, who tied the national record with a jump of 6′-4″ earlier, came up last week as a promo for the state 6A championships it brought back a few memories.
Her school, and the track we would shoot at, Del City High School, is where I set a personal best in 1975, my senior year. My 5′-11″ pales compared to her record, but was still my personal best. My senior season had a couple of distractions for me. One, senioritis–my hat goes off to all those spring sport seniors who can stay focused, and photography, which has become my life-long passion and vocation.
Toni Young eyes the high jump bar at 6'-4", the height of her national record tying jump earlier this season. Photo by Doug Hoke, The Oklaoman
Doug Hoke high jumping during a dual meet at PCW in 1975.
-Doug Hoke
Foul ball!
If I were in this picture, I would be cowering in fear.
Fans try to catch a foul ball during the Big 12 Tournament college baseball game between Missouri and Texas Tech at the Bricktown Ballpark in Oklahoma City, Friday, May 22, 2009. Texas Tech won, 4-2. Photo by Nate Billings, The Oklahoman
-Nate Billings
The Boys from the South
There’s not a trophy case in the halls at Santa Fe South High School. After the boys soccer team won their first state title last weekend, Principal Chris Brewster set the trophy on a table inside the main entrance. He said that after awhile trophies from other events were dug out of teacher’s closets and desks, so they added another table to accommodate all the hardware.
Students at Santa Fe South High School look at a collection of their school's trophies inside the main entrance. Photo by John Clanton, The Oklahoman.
Santa Fe South, a charter school in the Oklahoma City Public School system, had won several runner up awards in cross-country and soccer, but according to head coach Wes Furley, the Saints’ state championship win over Cascia Hall on Saturday became the first state championship in soccer ever won by an Oklahoma City public school.
Sharing the stage with David Olivas (right) and the rest of the boys soccer team, Principal Chris Brewster leads a "Saints" cheer during a pep rally to present Santa Fe South High School with their state championship trophy in Oklahoma City on Tuesday, May 19, 2009. David Olivas scored both goals during the Saints' win over Cascia Hall in the state championship game last Saturday. Photo by John Clanton, The Oklahoman
A few years ago I worked with Jenni Carlson on a feature story about the school and their new soccer program. I talked with principal Chris Brewster before Tuesday’s pep rally. He pointed to the framed copy of the paper featuring the story in his office. He told me that students, parents and teachers at the school are still talking about the story and the slideshow. He said people will stand in his office and read the article. It seems that we rarely get positive feedback, so it really brightened my day to hear that a slideshow I shot nearly three years ago is still resonating with people.
Here’s the link: http://downloads.newsok.com/flash_video/theoklahoman/slideshows/NewSouthside/
Bryan Terry photographed the championship game last Saturday night. Here’s a link to the gallery he created: http://newsok.com/multimedia/photos/gallery/501000
-John Clanton
Baseball memories
A child runs the bases at the Bricktown Ballpark during Sunday Fun Day on May 17, 2009. Photo by Sarah Phipps, The Oklahoman
Growing up in Kansas City, my favorite activity in the summer was to go to Royals’ games with my father. There is no other experience in the world like going to the ball park with your pops.
The sights, the sounds, the smells, the food. A hot dog at the ball park tastes better than the world’s finest filet mignon. The crack of a line drive is unforgettable.
Baseball is the the definition of summer.
We would always go to at least three games: Memorial Day for my birthday, Fourth of July for the fireworks, and my personal favorite Blues Springs’ Day.
Blue Springs Day was extra special. On this day, I would put on my softball uniform cleats and all. And along with hundreds of other future hall of famers, I would parade around the warning track before the game. If was lucky enough, George Brett might even wave hello. I felt so cool. I was on top of the world.
Here in Oklahoma City, every Sunday the RedHawks host Sunday Fun Day. After the game, all the children are allowed to run the bases, hit home runs, and play catch with their dad in left field. I certainly wish I had a memory of playing catch in left field at Kauffman Stadium with my pops.
I bet these kids feel as tall as their shadows as they round the bases and will always remember the time they hit a homerun at the Brick.
Summers at the ballpark can create memories of a lifetime.
Children run the bases after the RedHawks baseball game on Sunday, May 17, 2009. Photo by Sarah Phipps, The Oklahoman
-Sarah Phipps
People on Sundays
Julie Keesee holds Jeremiah Payne as they worship at Word Church All Nations during services at a hotel in Oklahoma City on Sunday, April 19, 2009. Photo by John Clanton, The Oklahoman
Outside a drab hotel in northwest Oklahoma City, hangs a yellow sign advertising a church. A laminated, paper sign is velcroed to their designated room on the second floor when church is in session. But Adam Payne, a member of the church who also leads the Thursday night group, reminds me, “It’s not about the building. It’s about the people you’re supposed to be with and what God has for you.”
A few Sundays ago, only 10 people gathered at the hotel room, but the services are beamed worldwide through podcasts and the group’s internet site. According to Payne, there are 50-75 people who rotate in and out of services, some attend other, bigger churches in addition to the smaller group. Before church begins, food is set out on a table in the kitchenette, coffee is brewed and members of the church sing happy birthday to one of the children. “It’s like a home church,” says Payne. “We all participate. You don’t always get that experience in a larger setting.”
Word Church All Nations meets at a hotel in Oklahoma City Photo by John Clanton, The Oklahoman
-John Clanton
Storm Clouds Build
Storm clouds build over a house in Yukon, Okla. on Wednesday, May 13, 2009. Photo by Chris Landsberger, The Oklahoman
Storm clouds build over Yukon, Okla. on Wednesday, May 13, 2009. Photo by Chris Landsberger, The Oklahoman
Storm clouds build over a house in Yukon, Okla. on Wednesday, May 13, 2009. Photo by Chris Landsberger, The Oklahoman
-Chris Landsberger
