"Kicking & Screaming"

Published in Next Magazine, October 15, 2010

"Kicking & Screaming"

By Jeff Kagan

February 1980: The USA Olympic Ice Hockey Team KICKS the Soviet Union’s butts in Lake Placid.  May 1980:  Pac-Man “wocka-wocka’s” his way onto the arcade scene and KICKS off the video-game craze.  September 1980: the New York Ramblers KICK balls around on a sun-speckled, autumn day in Central Park.  No, not those balls – SOCCER BALLS!

The New York Ramblers are celebrating their 30^th anniversary as the world’s first openly gay soccer club.  Their first whistle blew in an area of Central Park known as the Ramble (the perfect place to play with balls, no?) after an ad was placed in the Village Voice looking for gay men who were interested in playing soccer.

Now, the group plays at the Pier 40 Rooftop Field and at Chelsea Waterside Park, far from their original hangout -- but the game is still the same – kick the ball around for a little while, and make some great friends.

Matthew LeBaron, one of the clubs 90 members says, “We are a fun group with a focus on unity and respect (with the perfect amount of fun, gay, witty banter and serious fashion). We have a blast and learn from each other.“

Dean Martin, (no, not the Rat Pack lush), an Investment Banker and native of Ireland, says he was struggling to fit in to the New York scene when he first moved to the city, until he found the Ramblers. “I've met some of the most friendly people and have made some strong friendships.”

The Ramblers have so much fun due to their great attitude about the game. Charlie Welch, the league’s President, leads his teams by example; Welch encourages friendly play in spite of the odds or outcome of a game.  “We keep a smile on and always have a good time. I'd rather lose and walk away laughing, with some dignity, keeping everything in perspective,” he says with a grin.

Not sure if the New York Ramblers is the group for you?  Marc Basilla, a Management Consultant, who played soccer in elementary school, then stopped for several years before discovering the Ramblers, tells anyone on the fence about joining, “There's nothing to lose. We have a very good representation of the entire New York City spectrum, across the board skill set and representation from the community.” 

Dean Martin follows this up with, “Get off the fence and come kick a few balls.”  Ain’t that a kick in the head?

Learn more about the New York Ramblers at www.newyorkramblers.org, and save the date for their upcoming 15th Indoor Classic Tournament, April 1-3, 2011.

Quickies 

Soft Balls: NYC Titans Softball team placed #1 at the Chicago Senior Cup Tournament. The team, managed by Ed Sokolowski and Vinny Argiro was undefeated throughout the round robin double elimination tournament, losing only one game. Rich Reid played a stellar short stop, while Patrick Bocco pitched a shut-out in one game and threw a guy out at home to catcher Dominick D'Ercole. D'Ercole tagged out the tying run in winner's bracket game that allowed the Titans to advance to the semi-finals, winning 9-8. Eat that, Yankees…

Lick My Sneakers: NYC Gay Basketball League’s Gym Bar B team, captained by Burnie Du Rant Jr., whooped the previously undefeated Glassybaby B team, 49 to 34. In other games, Band of Sisters B licked Bone Lick Park B 37 to 30. And Boxers B knocked out Rock Bar 37 to 19.

Oooh, I’m Wet!   Team New York Aquatics (TNYA) congratulates President Stefan Bill as he has accepted a coaching position at St. Paul's Barnes Swimming Club in London!  Scott Kohanowski, both a swimmer and tri-athlete, was elected as the new TNYA President.  Make a splash, Scott!

Stand Aside, Good Sir Knight: The Gotham Knights Rugby team clobbered the NY Americans of Kingston last weekend, 20-10 giving them a viable shot at the Met NY Men’s Division III Playoffs! Stay tuned.

Sizzle The Pits:  Congratulations to Gotham Volleyball members Aron Janssen, Brad Malow, Guy Magrone, and Tony Mercado, for their second place finish playing the Atlanta Mojo!

Freeze Frame: The NYC Gay Hockey Association’s Fall Season started off with a bang as the NY Lions, Tigers & Polar Bears all skated last weekend.  The NY Lions won, the Tigers & Polar Bears lost, but the Hotshots and Wizards were victorious in their games.  Congratulations to NY Lions Goaltender Chris Brand on his 200th win!

"Gay Football. Now, That’s Hot."

Published in Next Magazine, September 17, 2010.

"Gay Football.  Now, That’s Hot."

by Jeff Kagan

Tight End. Sack. Wide Receiver. Head Coach. Loose Ball. These are terms one might hear on the set of the latest Michael Lucas film, but interestingly enough, they may also be heard on the field during a football game with the New York Gay Football League (NYGFL).

The players are about to strap on their cleats for another season, heading into their sixth year on the gridiron. Registration is still open with a few spots left, so if you’re looking to throw that pigskin around, here is your big chance! The cost is only $110 per season, and it comes with a uniform and a skills clinic! Fashion and learning. Take that, FIT!

The league was founded in 2004 by Cyd Zeiger, one of the creators of Outsports.com, along with a handful of strangers, who converged at Cyd’s apartment one fateful night. Since then, the group has grown to a whopping 200 players and volunteers making up 14 men’s teams and four women’s teams. They play all over Manhattan -- in Chelsea, Hell’s Kitchen, the Lower East Side and the West Village.

Molly Lenore, a transgender woman and the League Commissioner, has been playing football since age 10. She joined the league after not playing organized sports for over a decade. “I have found a community where I can just be me, where gender, sexual identity and sexual orientation don’t matter.”

And with community, you must have festivity! The NYGFL has a strong social element to it, hosting many festivities throughout the season. “We have more than a few parties,” Molly jokes. But the social events help to bring the players even closer, building camaraderie and inclusiveness. And what stands out the most are the life-long friendships that are made here. We all need friends. Without ‘em, what would happen to Facebook?

Rory Ray has been with NYGFL for 6 years. For him, it isn’t only about the camaraderie, but also about personal accomplishments. “In my first full season in the NYGFL, I won the Most Valuable Player award, which I tearfully gave to my dad, telling him that with this trophy I finally did something that I knew would make him proud.” That was a very important moment in Rory’s life, and he credits the NYGFL in helping make it happen.

The NYGFL players work hard week after week on the many fields around the city, hiking the ball, going for the bomb and pushing their team to the championship. But beyond that, there is yet another competition: the Gay Bowl X! Both Molly and Rory will be heading to Phoenix, Arizona next month to represent the New York in this gay Superbowl-style event. Rory runs with Team X-Treme, while Molly punts with the NY Warriors, the team that won Gay Bowl VI, VII and VIII! Twenty-eight teams will make up two divisions in this 10^th annual national event! Does the winning team go to Gay Days at Disneyworld? Probably.

For more information, check out nygayfootball.org. Donations in support of the Gay Superbowl are welcome at gaybowlx.com.

Quickies 

Hello Sailor!! The Out of Bounds NYC Sea Tea Party Cruise will be on Sunday, September 26^th at 7:30pm, sailing from Pier 40 in Manhattan. Talk about a fantasy sports league – we’ll have the NYC Gay Hockey Association, NY Gay Football League, NYC Gay Basketball League, Team New York Aquatics, Metropolitan Tennis Group and many more jocks by the docks! $20 (Includes buffet dinner & entertainment.) Cash bar. For tickets, contact seatea@oobnyc.org.

Kickin’ balls for 30 years. Congratulations to the New York Ramblers as they celebrate their 30^th Anniversary. www.newyorkramblers.org.

My balls are fuzzy. The Metropolitan Tennis Group (MTG) brought home the Atlantic Cup on August 22nd, with Ron Solis and Alex Gonzalez pulling out a gutsy win by edging out their D.C. opponents in a final set tiebreak. The entire NYC contingent competed admirably in this annual interleague competition between the LGBT leagues of Boston, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. Ironically, there were no fights in the stands at this event. www.metrotennisgroup.com.

My balls are soft. The Big Apple Softball League recently hosted Playing For Life VII, their annual tournament. Thirty-four teams from over 15 cities competed in New York’s Central Park. Congratulations to the local winners: The NY Noreasters (D-Recreational Division), The NY Demons, NY Barbarians & NY Fusion (1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd in the D-Competitive Division) and the NY Eagle & NY Crusaders (1^st & 3^rd in the C-Division). Way to go teams! www.bigapplesoftball.com.

My balls are huge and orange. The NYC Gay Basketball League kicked off on Sunday, September 12^th with some winners and some losers. What can we tell you? We went to print a week before the games. But we’re happy to report that the season is well under way! For more information, go to www.nycgaybasketball.org.

"Playing for Fun. Playing For Life."

Published in Next Magazine, August 19, 2010

"Playing for Fun.  Playing For Life."

by Jeff Kagan

Marilyn Monroe made it known that diamonds are a girl’s best friend.  For Mike D’Antonio, this jingle rings true, only, the diamond that he loves is a baseball diamond.  Or in this case, a softball diamond?  Mike has played softball since as far back as he can remember.  In 1997, shortly after coming out, he became involved with the Big Apple Softball League (BASL), hoping it would help him to connect with other LGBT people in the area.  This started him on a journey to re-discover himself as a gay man.

The Big Apple Softball League is one of the oldest gay sports organizations in New York, established in 1980, after getting its humble beginnings only three years earlier as part of the Metropolitan Community Athletic Association (MCAA). This was such a great idea that it paved the way for other gay sports leagues such as the Gotham Volleyball League, the MCAANY Bowling League and the NY Gay Pool League. 

The primary purpose was to provide a safe environment for gay athletes to play sports.  An additional perk was that there was now a way for members of the gay community to meet outside the sexually charged atmosphere in bars – so “getting to 2^nd base,” actually meant getting to 2^nd base!

Mike, who has rounded 2^nd base many times over the years, is proud of the organization that he’s been part of for so long.  “The best aspect of the BASL is that it is open to everyone.  We welcome anyone who wants to play ball, have fun and make friends in a safe, LGBT-focused environment,” says the Brooklyn-born batter.  

Something else Mike is proud of is the league’s annual Playing For Life Tournament.  Originally conceived back in the early 1990s as a one-time event, the tournament was created to respond to the AIDS crisis, raising money in support of people afflicted with HIV/AIDS.  The players in this first tournament were actually “playing for life.”

In 2003, it was brought back as an annual fundraising event to support various New York City based LGBT organizations.  Over the years, Playing for Life raised funds for groups like God’s Love We Deliver, the Ali Forney Center, GMHC and Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. This year, SAGE (Services and Advocacy for GLBT Elders) is the beneficiary of their efforts.

The tournament will be held from September 3^rd to 6^th in Central Park.  This year, they expect 40 teams who will be coming from all over the United States and Canada. The games are open to the public and free to watch, however, you won’t see any peanuts or Cracker Jack® in the stands at these games.  Carbs…

Want to support this wonderful cause?  Donations can be made in person at the registration tables in Central Park's North Meadow or Great Lawn on tournament weekend (September 4-5, 2010), or any time on-line at the tournament's web site www.playingforlife.org

Sports Quickies: 

Gay Games VIII wrapped up two weeks ago in Cologne, Germany.  Many of New York’s athletes are a little more sparkly now -- lots of medals!  Here are some of the results:

We Love Water Sports.  Team New York Aquatics’ Tom Malcolm won a silver medal in the 400 IM (Individual Medley). Robert Hermanent won two silver medals (first in the 200 IM, and then in the 400 IM). David Denrich picked up the bronze.  Jack Mackenroth won a silver in the 100 Free, and Charlie Carson took home the bronze.  John Kiley won his second gold also setting a new Gay Games and International Gay & Lesbian Aquatics (IGLA) record in the 50 Breast.  Peter Isgrigg took the bronze in the 50 Breast as well.

Wrestlemania:  The Metro Gay Wrestling Alliance is all singlets and smiles after pinning the competition in Cologne, Germany. Adrian Sie won gold at 68kg in Master's. Mark Evans won gold at 82kg in Master's, and Ronny Bekaert won gold at 100kg in Open. Kristopher Burrell took the bronze at 82kg in Open.

Born To Run: Frontrunners New York brought in a whopping 54 medals!!  21 Gold, 23 Silver and 10 Bronze.  Highlights shine on Dave Pitches three golds (1/2 Marathon, 10k Road Race & 5k Track);  Rich Velazquez: two gold medals in the 1/2 Marathon and 5k Road Race; Kelsey Louie: three golds and two silvers (400m, 4x400m, 800m, 5k Road Race & 1500m);  Inger-Jo Berger, the big winner, with eight gold medals and one silver (1/2 marathon, 5k Road Race, 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, 5k track and 10k Road Race).  Congrats to all of the winners (simply too many to list here)!

And back here in the States:

Lay Up!, the NYC Gay Basketball League’s “Team 1”, captained by Michael Kokell is 6-3 in their first winning season. The boys are in second place after winning their last game, 44-34, led by Jeremie Knight and great rebounding by Andrew Johnstone. 

Artful Dodgers… The Gym Class Fantasies took the Big Bang Dodgeball Tournament on Fire Island this weekend beating C-IN2 in the finals in sudden death. It was a fight to the finish for the seven LGBT teams competing, but leave it to the winning team to make their fantasy a reality!

"Jack Be Nimble. Jack Be Quick."

Published in Next Magazine, July 15, 2010

"Jack Be Nimble.  Jack Be Quick."
by Jeff Kagan

Jack Mackenroth, decorated swimmer.  No, this doesn’t refer to a sequin-speckled Speedo.  The shiny metal discs are medals -- and lots of them.  Jack Mackenroth has competed in every Gay Games swimming competition for the past 20 years and he’s accumulated more than 25 medals, earning at least one gold medal in each quadrennial competition. 

In a few weeks, Jack, 41, will be heading to Cologne, Germany for Gay Games VIII.  He’s got quite a challenge ahead of him as this year’s competition is greater, and his opponents are younger.  However, he’s going into this with his head above water, knowing that he will strive to do his personal best.  “The Gay Games are so important for that reason because all athletes of all levels from all around the world support each other in a way that I have never experienced at any other sporting event.”

Gay Games VIII is expected to have 10,000 athletes participating, and over a million spectators.   There are 35 sports and five cultural events being offered.  This is the first time the Gay Games will be held in Germany, and it also marks the event’s first return to Europe since Amsterdam Gay Games V in 1998. The openly gay German Vice Chancellor, Guido Westerwelle, is the official patron and will host the Opening Ceremony on July 31st, as Taylor Dayne performs “Facing a Miracle,” the official Gay Games VIII anthem.

Mackenroth has kicked up the intensity in his training.  Recently, at the U.S. Nationals, he came pretty close to some of his previous best times.  He’s hoping to bring home some more hardware but he feels it’s really more about the competition and the experience.  “My fondest memories of the Gay Games are from my first, in Vancouver, in 1990. I had just come out to my mom and I remember having to tell my aunt and uncle who lived in Vancouver that I would like to stay with them because I was coming there to participate in the Gay Games.” 

For many athletes, the Gay Games brings a very personal connection between their sexuality and their ability to succeed at something they love.  For Mackenroth, this couldn’t be more true.  “I will never forget the moment of walking into the stadium during the parade of athletes in the opening ceremony. I had never been around so many people like myself and after years of torment, to have a stadium full of spectators cheering for me was indescribable. I was literally moved to tears. I have been an avid supporter of the Gay Games ever since.”

After competing, Mackenroth plans to relax a little, watching some of the other sports. “You haven’t lived until you’ve seen same-sex pairs figure skating and synchronized swimming.  Amazing.”

Gay Games VIII is July 31 through August 7, 2010.  For more information, go to www.games-cologne.de. Learn more abouyt Jack Mackenroth at jackmackenroth.com.

Quickies

Need-a-Lay-Up: The Natutral Burn Killahz  topped Gym Bar  37-36 (in overtime) in what was one of the most exciting games in the history of the NYC Gay Basketball League. “Three Point” Timo (game high 17 points) stole the ball with 1.9 seconds left and was fouled driving to the basket with no time left.  In overtime Evan Ignall continued his huge defensive play-blocking shots, as Ed “Oh My God” Mangosing turned in to Reggie Miller and hit 2 huge three-pointers leading his team to victory. More at www.nycgaybasketball.org.

Gay Vollies: The Gotham Volleyball's 4th week of summer league play gave us a major upset in Division A, with upstart 6th-place Team 2 (Obvious winner of the Most Creative Team Name Award), captained by Shawn Moore, won a surprising upset against the 1st place Team Empanada X, captained by Manny Ciccone, taking two of three sets, 21-19, 22-19, 18-22.  In Division B, the 1st and 2nd place teams continue to roll over the competition Team Juicy Fruits, captained by Michael Chia, crushed the last place Team Meet the Fockers, captained by James Costantino, winning all 3 sets, 25-16, 25-11, 25-9.  Not to be outdone, 2nd place Team 4*RO*CIOUS* captained by E.J. Weppler, defeated the 7th place Power Rangers, captained by Dan Miron, taking 2 out of 3 sets, 23-12, 22-12, 17-22.  More at www.gothamvolleyball.org.

Balls Flying By My Face: The Mariah Scareys continue their tradition of always being the bride’s-maid and never the bride. They may have taken 2nd in the Spring Dodgeball Tournament for NYCSSC, but in the summer league they continue to sweep up the competition amongst the mostly straight and mostly agro teams. The only gay team amongst the bunch, the Mariah Scareys are quietly making a name for themselves by kicking some serious dodgeball ass and looking damn fine while doing so.   BAD! is hosting some fun kickball tournaments this summer at Passannante Playground, 6^th Avenue @ Houston Street, Sunday, July 18 from 3pm-6pm and Sunday, August 15 at 3pm-6pm. $5/player. More at www.bigappledodgeball.org.

"Just Doin’ It!"

Published in Next Magazine, June 17, 2010

"Just Doin’ It!"

By Jeff Kagan

"In running, it doesn't matter whether you come in first, in the middle of the pack, or last. You can say, 'I have finished.' There is a lot of satisfaction in that."  Those words of wisdom came from Fred Lebow, the co-founder of the New York City Marathon.

Those sentiments are echoed by Rob Lennon, the President of Front Runners New York, the local gay & lesbian running club that has been Keeping Gay Runners On Their Toes For Over 30 Years.  Lennon has been with the club for the past seven of those 30 years.

Every week, you’ll find him shakin’ a leg at the Front Runner’s Saturday Morning Fun Run.  While you may be sitting on your couch watching cartoons, the Front Runners are out in Central Park, dripping with perspiration and endorphins, as they take the loop.

These Adidas-donned dandies meet up at the Rutgers Presbyterian Church on West 73^rd Street just before the 10am run.  They drop off their bags and hit the pavement. When they return, it’s bagels and coffee all around thanks to the generosity of some member volunteers.  And for those who want more (running, not bagels), there is another weekly Fun Run at 7pm on Wednesday nights.  Don’t worry Brooklyn hipsters: there’s a weekly jog through Prospect Park on Tuesday nights, too.

Front Runners New York started with just a few dozen people and now they have close to 700 paid members. The membership fee is only $30 per year.  That gets you access to their programs on running, cycling, swimming and multisport workouts. “It’s the best $30 you can spend,” says Lennon. “You can do something with the group almost every night of the week.”

The group’s marquee event is the 29^th Annual Front Runners New York Lesbian and Gay Pride Run, on Saturday, June 26, 2010.  It started out as a small race with only a few hundred runners back in the early 80s, when the magical sounds of Olivia Newton-John were dancing through the airwaves. Now, about 5,000 joyful joggers participate in this 5-mile race, which attracts people from all over the United States and the world.  There are prizes and raffles, and even a special guest star to sing the national anthem!  Thinking about participating?  Just do it. (We can say that, right?)

For more information, go to www.frny.org.

Quickies

Touch My Scrum: The Gotham Knights Rugby Club raised over $8,000 at their annual Bachelor Auction on Wednesday, May 26^th.  Next stop is Minneapolis for the biannual Bingham Cup, June 18^th thru 21^st.

Hooking! Jeff Kagan got the “triple-crown” in hockey (according to Captain Bob Glasscock) on May 22^nd by lighting up the score board with a goal, an assist and a penalty (Hooking!  No, it’s not what you think…) The B-17 Bombers went on to win the game 4-2!  On June 5^th, the Bombers stepped on the Spiders 4-2 in an epic gay hockey battle. 

Dribble on a Lay-up: The Men’s Division playoffs bounced by on June 6^th.  The B-Division Natural Burn Killahz whipped the asses of Splash Bar by 21 points thanks to Greg Romer’s scoring barrage.  Final score, 45-24.  The Killahz will face Gym Bar in the Finals on June 13^th at the Field House at Chelsea Piers.

Endless Luv: Congratulations on the Metropolitan Tennis Group’s 25^th Anniversary. Be sure to check out MTG’s upcoming Liberty Open Tournament, July 3^rd – 6^th at USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, Queens.  For more information, email libertyopen@aol.com.

"Making Saves With Style"

Published in Next Magazine, May 20, 2010

"Making Saves With Style" 
By Jeff Kagan

When Peter Tomasello was a kid, he was infatuated with Wonder Woman.  After school, he would watch Lynda Carter “in her satin tights, fighting for your rights,” man-handling, then roping up rugged thugs with a golden lasso -- and with fabulous hair and make-up!
All of that excited Peter, but what he enjoyed the most was when she would stop bullets with her indestructible Amazonium bracelets (found only on Paradise Island).  Peter would go to the kitchen cupboard, break-out the Reynold’s Wrap and fashion his own Amazonium (err…aluminum) bracelets to his limber wrists, and soon he’d be stopping whatever was hurled upon him by evil foes. 

Today, at 33, Peter is no longer stopping imaginary bullets.  These days, he’s stopping hockey pucks.  Peter is the starting goaltender with the Wizards, a recreational ice hockey team in the New York City Gay Hockey Association.  Peter has played 83 career games for the Wizards and has a goals-against average (GAA) of just 3.23, including 10 shutouts.  Peter also has five assists, which shows his skill at sending the puck up to his defensemen, a rare quality in goaltenders.  Last season was a heartbreaker for the Wizards, with four overtime losses.  This season, the team is more determined to bring some gold to their green uniforms.

Peter does agree that there is a strong link between his childhood obsession with the super hero and his affinity for goaltending.  “I was infatuated with Lynda Carter, “ says Peter.  “That’s probably why I’m a goalie.  I used to love blocking bullets like Wonder Woman!”

Although he doesn’t wear tights or a red, blue and gold strapless singlet (at least not on the outside), Peter does his best to keep the essence of Wonder Woman alive while stopping pucks, by using his cool sense of style.  It can be said that Peter has the most stylish goalie pads in the world, and apparently these are only found on Paradise Island, as well.

Peter’s pads are with covered with luxurious leather made by Louis Vuitton.  He was able to get some of their material and have the pads re-upholstered, going from frumpy to fabulous!  Peter feels these pads are very special.  They don’t give him any extraordinary powers or abilities, but they do have an effect on the other skaters.  Referees skate by and smile, wings wince and forwards frown, knowing they have a tough task ahead of them -- having to get the puck through those pads, for fear of damaging such beautiful, hand-crafted objects.  Most opponents don’t respect the pads as much as Peter does, and they fire away, 40-50 miles per hour.  But in most cases, the pucks bounce off of Peter, just as the bullets bounced off of Wonder Woman.  And that makes Peter’s team very happy.

Vince Aita, Captain of the Wizards says, “Pete gives our team a huge boost in confidence. Anytime you look back and see him in the net, you skate that much harder knowing the better goaltender in the game is on your team."  Wonder Woman had the same effect at the Justice League. 

Learn more about Peter Tomasello, the Wizards and NYC Gay Hockey Association at www.nycgayhockey.org.

Quickies

Ow! My face! Big Apple Dodgeball’s teams Eagle, C-in2, and Duplex are all duking it out for first place, with only two weeks of play left this season.  All have played strong and with two weeks of regular play remaining, it's anyone's game.  These ball-throwers have a tournament on May 24^th where one “dodgy” team will be crowned champions of the season.  And don’t miss the End Of The Season Party at Therapy on May 27^th!  The Mariah Scareys are kicking ass and taking names in the straight dodgeball league for NYCSSC.  They are neck and neck for first place, and with the competition heating up, they are making quite the name for themselves for not being in Kansas anymore…

He shoots! He scores! NYC Gay Hockey Association quickies: The Spiders and B-17 Bombers kicked off their Spring 2010 season this month with a shut-out win for the Bombers, but they lost this past Saturday in a crushing 7-1 loss to those pesky Scapegoats. Sadly, the Spiders were squashed with a very tough loss as well.  Keep your eyes on the ice for Brian Harrington, star skater on the Wizards Hockey team – he’s about to reach his 500^th game!  Goaltender Peter Tomasello is one shut-out away from a record of 50!  The Wizards beat the Hornets in Game 1, 4-1.  The NY Stonewallers Ice Hockey Team is hosting a Bachelor Auction on May 19 at 6pm at Splash. Hosted by the Outrageous and sassy PEPPERMINT! Win Great Prizes including Yankees Tickets, Tickets to a Broadway Show, Gym memberships, Dinner at a hot NYC restaurant, 50-50 Cash Prize Raffle and more!

Nailed it!  Congratulations to the newly elected Executive Board of the Gotham Volleyball League: Seth Eichenholtz (Commissioner), Josh Christensen (Vice Commissioner), Lew Smith (Treasurer) and Craig Skelton, (Secretary).  Keep up the great work guys!!

Why is a pool table green? The NY Gay Pool League is rackin’em up for their Spring 9-Ball Series Tournament.  The games are on Mondays or Tuesdays each week at various locations.  Cost: $30 and there are $1000 in cash prizes divided amongst the top 4 teams. 

I Want To Ride My Bicycle! Three of the Fast and Fabulous made it all the way up to The Orchards, a 300-year-old farm store in Pomona, N.Y. and a distance of 80 mile roundtrip on Sunday, May 9.  It was a chilly and quite windy ride.  On arriving at the farm store, the proprietor advised the riders:  "Folks are coming in to buy a nice plant or flower for Mom on Mother's Day.  Hell, I tell 'em, weather's cool enough, buy her a cord of wood!"  From left, Bob Nelson, Erica Jacobs and Terry Farrow. 

Dribble & Shoot! The New York City Gay Basketball League is in the final weeks of their Spring Season. A-Division: Bone Lick Park, led by Captain Jesse Gauf, remains undefeated and is looking to hold on to the #1 seed.  B-Division: The Natural Burn Killahz led by Captain Burnie DuRant, Jr. is the team to beat!  In other basketball news, the NYCGBL just returned from the Coady “Roundball” Classic in Chicago, a national tournament in the Windy City.  No trophies but more fun than any baller should have.

For a complete listing of all LGBT Sports & Recreation Organizations, check out www.oobnyc.org.
To have your sports new reported on, email contact@oobnyc.org.