Amber’s ‘Money’
Wilson psyched for SNY debut
It’s foam sweet foam again on SNY when new co-host Amber Wilson debuts Thursday night at 7:30 on the season premiere of “Beer Money.”
“Hopefully I bring a little fun to the table,” Amber tells the Rumble. “It’s kind of like getting paid to heckle guys who think they know everything about sports in sports bars and stadiums. There’s nothing better than that!”
Amber is a huge Florida Gators football fan who now lives in Miami. She flew back and forth from Miami to tape the episodes. Her favorite happens to be the first one.
“I got a chance to go to Citi Field and do ‘Beer Money’ with the Mets announcers (Keith Hernandez, Ron Darling, Gary Cohen and Kevin Burkhardt),” she said. “Of course, we made the questions extra hard for them.”
Yanks helping to feed needy
Yankees scout Cesar Prescott and 11 minor league players, including heralded right-hander Dellin Betances, will distribute frozen turkeys to needy families on Nov. 23, at 3 p.m. at 478 East Tremont Ave. in The Bronx, between Washington and Bathgate avenues, near Third Avenue.
“The need in our community has never been so critical,” said Prescott, who also will host a dinner on Dec. 1 for the elderly. “This year, more families are in need because of the economic edge, struggling to stay in their homes, pay their bills and feed their families. We are so thankful to be able to provide our first annual turkey drive because it helps us to meet the strong need of the community.”
‘Crisp’ new Knicks voice
Mike Crispino (below), the new radio voice of the Knicks who is replacing Gus Johnson, found himself at the Celtics’ arena, TD Garden, nine days ago, rooting extra hard that New York would stop point guard Rajon Rondo in the fourth quarter.
Why, aside from the obvious? Rondo was zeroing in on Bob Cousy’s single-game assist record.
Crispino and Cousy were Celtics broadcast partners for three seasons, from 1990-93.
Rondo finished with 24 assists, and Cousy’s record of 28 was safe.
“Part of me was hoping he wouldn’t get it,” Crispino told The Rumble. “I know how much Cousy takes pride in those records.”
In recent years, Crispino has been the consummate utility man — Nets basketball, St. John’s hoop, Giants and Jets preseason football, Olympic basketball, Big 10 Network for all sports and U.S. Open tennis for ESPN International.
But Crispino, a fan for both Knicks championships in 1970 and ’73, is back where he belongs. Now he forms a strong tandem with radio legend John Andariese.
“John has a great New York voice, a great New York sound,” Crispino said.
Beltran to open baseball academy
Carlos Beltran’s dream is about to come true. The Mets’ center fielder had groundbreaking ceremonies this week for the Carlos Beltran Baseball Academy, set to open August 2011 in Florida, Puerto Rico. The Academy will have 120 students, from freshmen to seniors in high school.
“The Academy is one of the things I always wanted to do,” Beltran said. “When I broke in with Kansas City I was 18 years old. When I came to the States, I didn’t understand much English. It was hard for me to order food and get clothes cleaned. This Academy will help those students who can play pro ball, but it will help others who want to go to college and into the business world.”
This is the story of Dr. Jekyll…
DDB Productions Inc. is having a special Benefit Gala Performance of “Jekyll And Hyde: The Musical” for the Steven and Alexandra Cohen Children’s Medical Center at the Maguire Theater, SUNY Old Westbury campus, hosted by Goose Gossage, on Nov. 17. The website with all the information is: http://www.jekyllandhydelongisland.com/cohenchildrenhospital.php.
Flaherty: Sparky looked out for me
John Flaherty got his first chance to be an everyday catcher under Sparky Anderson as a Tiger in 1995.
“I had a big first half and when the second half came around Sparky saw me getting tired and not playing the way I did in the first half,” the former Yankees catcher and current YES announcer recalled Thursday, the day Anderson passed away. “He gave me time off at the end of the year. He told me, ‘You don’t see what I am doing here? You had a good year and I am making sure you have a good year.’ He liked me.”
Flaherty batted .297 (51-for-172) with nine homers and 26 RBIs in 54 first-half games and .192 (35-for-182) with two homers and 14 RBIs in 58 second-half games.
“He taught me to play the game right,” Flaherty said.
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