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Lehigh
Valley Sports Extra Johnson is no stranger to the struggles of business, having filed for Replica Handbags UK bankruptcy in 2012, but to her it's all part of the ride. "It ain't hard when you love it," she deadpanned. "It's beautiful when you love it, and I still love it after 50 years. I still love it. I'm creative consultant for all my brands, so I kick them in the ass when they need to get a little more Replica Designer Handbags creative. It's great. It's just perfect. I've had a Cheap Watches UK perfectly wonderful, happy life."As for her plans for the Fake Watches UK awards ceremony, she'll attend with her family, including her daughter, Lulu, Hublot Replica UK and two granddaughters. "I'm going to drag my whole family on stage to cartwheel with me," she laughed about what she'll do when she accepts the Christian Louboutin Replica UK award. Just another thing to look forward to at the CFDA Awards ceremony on June 1.
September
2004 |
SPORTS |
Pages 13 & 14
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The Ruff Sports Family
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All photos of Ruff brothers and
their ICC teammates by LVSE |
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The
Ruffs, after an 11-4 win over Coplay on July 24, 2004 from left to
right: Brian, Kyle, Raeann, Erik and Cody. |
NORTHAMPTON -- Your team,
the ICC Pirates just dropped a heartbreaking best of five series to the
Lehigh Township Brewers in the Tri-County Baseball League finals after
being up 2 games to zip, and only a dozen or so outs from victory, only
to watch the Brewers rally to win 3 straight. How do you deal with
adversity?
If you are Erik, Cody and Kyle Ruff, you fall back on the family support
system that has been with you since day one. After all, how many teams
in any sport, have three brothers playing on the same team?
There is some geography here, in addition to genetics at work. Not only
did all the Ruff |
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SCOTT STEWART delivers a pitch at Lehigh Township. |
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brothers graduate from
Northampton High
School, their mother, Raeann,
and their father, Brian, also graduated from Northampton.
Erik, age 22, a first baseman and pitcher at West Chester University,
was named to the 2003 ACBL Top Ten Prospect List in the August edition
of Baseball America which listed the Top 10 prospects for each of the
NCAA sanctioned summer collegiate leagues. He only needs a few credits
to graduate with a degree in criminal justice and intends to be a police
officer or get involved with security or investigation.
Erik, who played football at Northampton until he tore his ACL his
freshman year, and also played ice hockey says, "Baseball was my best
sport but I loved ice hockey because it's such a lot faster game."
Last spring he played 50 games at West Chester (36-15) 1B and pitched
4th in the |
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DEREK MAJOR delivers a Game 5 pitch at Bethlehem Township. |
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rotation.
"Baseball at West Chester was totally different," says Erik. "I wasn't
ready for college play and had to work hard to elevate my game."
Erik was throwing 92 mph and still hit over .400 at West Chester until
he suffered a torn labrum in his shoulder in his last game. He'll soon
go arthroscopic surgery and be out 4-6 weeks.
Kyle, age 23, played baseball, football and ice hockey in high school
and then played baseball at Northampton Community College for 2 years,
before starting a family and now has two boys. Brian, who looks forward
to being a grandfather coach, says, "Anything Erik says, it's a good bet
Kyle will say the same thing, they're two peas in a pod."
Cody, the youngest Ruff, is a Northampton high School senior who plays
varsity baseball and also plays ice hockey in the Lehigh Valley
Scholastic Hockey League. He played football until middle school, then
decided to concentrate on baseball, a sport he likes to be "in the
action" and has played just about every position including pitching and
catching.
But his favorite is ice hockey and he says, "I like the adrenaline rush
and the hard hitting." |
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KYLE RUFF between innings. |
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As
for the influence his older brothers have had, "It's great to play with
my brothers. I learn a lot and if I make a mistake they support me.
They've been my mentors and inspired me. Erik and I are separated by 5
years, and Kyle by 7 years, so I watched them play as a kid. Playing
with them on the ICC Pirates is the first time I got to play on the same
team with them."
After finishing up his varsity baseball season at Northampton High
School in the Spring of 2005, and playing for the ICC Pirates next
summer, Cody plans on following his brothers to Northampton Community
College in the Fall of 2005.
"My mom and dad have been very supportive," said Cody, "they want me to
be the best I can |
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M.C. BERTOLINO takes a hack at Bethlehem Township. |
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be, and anything they can do to
help they're
always there."
Brian and Raeann Ruff have owned Ruff Sports since 2001. Located at 3679
Eberhart Road in Whitehall, the sporting goods store is known for
carrying high quality equipment at the best prices in the Lehigh Valley.
"It's really great that we're only going to one place now that they all
play on the same team," said Raeann. "Years ago when my husband played
and the boys all played at different levels it was heck of a life on the
road. We were the official suppliers of Gatorade to the boys."
Brian couldn't be more proud or in awe by Raeann's active role in the
family's world of sports.
"As much as baseball goes in this house, a lot of spouses couldn't deal
with it, but Raeann is always there. She knows more about baseball then
most men. Lots of women come to the store (Ruff Sports in Whitehall) to
talk to her because they feel intimidated talking to men."
How much fun is it watching them all play on the same team? "You can't
explain how you feel," said Brian, who coached them on fundamentals when
they were youngsters and then cut them loose. "When you love baseball as
much as I do, it's just great to see them all out there together." |
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ERIK, KYLE AND CODY stand at home plate at ICC. |
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Brian grew up in Emmaus and moved to Northampton his senior year of high
school and played the "Big 3", baseball, basketball and football. But he
also loves ice hockey and is the coach of the Northampton hockey
team in the Lehigh Valley
Scholastic Hockey League.
Brian reflected on the day when Kyle and Erik played legion ball. It was
Kyle's last year and Erik had just moved up from Connie Mack. In the
first game of a doubleheader, Erik hit a home run and in the second
game, Kyle hit a home run.
"It was Father's Day and I was sitting there thinking, how did they know
that was what I wanted for a present?"
On his proudest family sports moment, Brian says, "There are so many,
it's hard to pick one. I'm happiest about the family aspect that they
all wanted to play together. Kyle and Erik are older and they really
accepted Cody on the ICC Pirates." |
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ERIK RUFF greets Dave Stauffer after his home run. |
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ERIK RUFF and Brandon Youngkin look home. |
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BRETT REMEL delivers a pitch at ICC. |
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ERIK RUFF at 1B as Brandon Youngkin takes a lead at Bethlehem
Township. |
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KYLE RUFF follows through after taking a swing at ICC. |
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lvse@rcn.com
888-592-4337
From Lehigh Valley Sports Extra --
September 2004
www.lehighvalleysportsextra.com
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