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Portfolio Collection & Customer Service Specialist, Irvine, CA
Small ticket lessor seeks candidates with related work experience in the equipment leasing industry. Candidates must possess strong verbal/written communication and negotiating skills. Competitive comp package and outstanding work environment! Please e-mail resumes: recruiter@gen-cap.com.
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Wednesday, April 26, 2006
Bird Day
Photograph by Arno Meintjes, South Africa
http://www.pbase.com/arnomeintjes/profile
(see other calendar events )
Headlines---
Classified Ads----Asset Management
Last Call: Bernie's Retirement Party
Bank of New York gets “warning” from the Feds
Cartoon---Green introduces Woodridge
What Menzel's Award Looks Like
Sales Makes it Happen
“Lease Packaging” by Bob Teichman, CLP
Placard---Don't Wait for your ship to come in
Classified Ads---Help Wanted
Story Credit List—Up-dated
International report: Romania and Leasing
Pitney Bowes Announces 1st Q Results
Alliance Financial/Bridge Street Financial
CIT and Mayor of New York this Thursday
News Briefs---
You May have Missed---
Sports Briefs---
"Gimme that Wine"
Calendar Events
Today's Top Event in History
This Day in American History
Baseball Poem
######## surrounding the article denotes it is a “press release”
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Classified Ads----Asset Management
Photograph of Silver Cloud arriving at Civitavecchia.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 10th April 2004. www.silversea.com
Austin, TX.
20+ years exper. lease/finance. P & L responsibility, strong credit & collection management, re-marketing& accounting. Computers, construction, auto & transportation. Both commercial/ consumer portfolios.
Email: kmalone@austin.rr.com
Bloomfield Township, MI.
15+ yrs experience asset management and credit analyst.
Leadership and training skills. Audited returns, max residual, lease end and resale negotiator.
E-mail: cmcozzolino@msn.com
Boston, MA.
10yrs exp structuring/modeling sophisticated lease/ loan products. Expert programmer: customized portfolio mgmt, securitization, economic capital & pricing applications. Available for contract work.
E-mail: lease_structuring@yahoo.com
Chicago, IL.
MBA, 15+ years exp. Long history of success in maximizing residual position through outstanding negotiation skills & lease contract management. Third party re-marketing, forecasting etc...
email: jgambla@aol.com
Chicago, IL.
2+ Years Exp. Asset Remarketing Transportation/ Medical/Cosmetic Equipment; Superior End Of Lease Negotiation Skills; Comprehensive Buyer Contacts; Available Immediately For Assignment
Email: Lonnie0168@comcast.net
Princeton, NJ.
Asset management/credit/collection
20+ years experience in equipment financing. Last five years in Asset Management including remarketing, end of lease negotiations, equipment and market evaluations
E-mail: bgaffrey@earthlink.net
Sausalito, CA.
Sr. Corp. officer, presently serving as consultant, fin. service background, M&A, fund raising, great workout expertise, references
Email: nywb@aol.com
Sonoma, CA.
20+ years managing/ maximizing residual values, exp. computers/ hi-tech mfg. Excellent negotiation skills. Outstanding 3rd party contacts/buyers. Created deal winning structures-established residual values.
Email: dfeltman@yahoo.com
Wilton, CT.
18 years exp. in IT and High Tech leasing industry. Residual forecasting, workouts, off-lease sales, mid-term restructures, auctions, all aspects of remarketing and equipment management.
Email: charrer@hotmail.com
For a full listing of all “job wanted” ads, please go to:
http://64.125.68.91/AL/LeasingNews/JobPostings.htm
To place a free “job wanted” ad, please go to:
http://64.125.68.91/AL/LeasingNews/PostingForm.asp
[headlines]
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Last Call: Bernie Boettigheimer Retirement Party
`"My father, Bernie Boettigheimer, is retiring after 24 years in the business on April 28th. We will be having a retirement party for him on April 29th. He has so many friends in the industry - many that have requested that they be told when his retirement party will be. I am afraid that I will leave someone out. I would be very appreciative if you could make mention of it.
“The party will be held at my house in Plano, Texas at 4 pm. Those interested in attending can email me at johnb@pioneerfunding.com."
Sincerely,
John Boettigheimer
Pioneer Capital Corporation
(800) 521-1308 Extension 301
Fax (800) 510-4579
[headlines]
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Bank of New York gets “warning” from the Feds
The Federal Reserve has issued a warning to the Bank of New York, questioning the control of its operating, specifically as the result of the RW Professional money laundering that resulted in its paying $38 million in criminal penalties.
The bank was given 60 days this time to review its compliance with regulations, submit a plan for strengthening its controls against money laundering and take other steps.
In a statement Monday, the bank said it had already completed some of the mandated actions and that others were under way. "We plan to fulfill the expectations of the agreement in a timely manner," said Thomas Renyi, the bank's chairman and chief executive.
The Bank of New York agreed to pay $250,000 to settle a civil lawsuit by the Securities and Exchange Commission accusing the bank of failing, as a transfer agent for stocks and bonds of various companies, "to exercise reasonable care" to locate owners of the securities who were deemed "lost."
According to statements to the press, The Bank of New York neither admitted nor denied the allegations in the SEC's suit filed in federal court in Manhattan, where the bank is based, but did agree to refrain from future violations of securities laws. The bank also agreed to repay the affected holders of the stocks and bonds. Between January 1998 and September 2004, some $11.5 million in assets belonging to 14,159 securities holders were turned over to states as unclaimed property as a result of the bank's failure to find them, the SEC said.
Last November, the bank agreed to pay $38 million in penalties and undertake reforms to end a long-running criminal investigation by federal authorities into fraud and money laundering. The bank admitted criminal conduct, and agreed to forfeit $26 million to the government and $12 million to victims in exchange for avoiding criminal prosecution.
February 17, 2006, Barry Drayer, 66, of Wellesley, Massachusetts, Vice-President of RW Professional, who claimed he was "just a salesman," was been found guilty as well as Stephen Barker, 42, of Lake Forest, California. Several other officers also pleaded guilty and submitted state evidence. Barry Drayer never took the witness stand. Sentencing is expected in June, 2006.
April 20, 2006, the Bank of New York Company, Inc. reported first quarter net income of $422 million compared with $379 million in the year-ago quarter and diluted earnings per share of 55 cents, up 12% over the 49 cents earned in the first quarter of 2005. In the fourth quarter of 2005, earnings were $405 million and 53 cents.
Copy of Federal Reserve “admonishment:”
http://leasingnews.org/PDF/Fed_reserve.pdf
Bank of New York 1st Quarter report:
http://leasingnews.org/PDF/Bank_of_NY.pdf
RW Professional stories:
http://www.leasingnews.org/Conscious-Top%20Stories/RW_stories.htm
[headlines]
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[headlines]
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Cartoon---Green introduces Woodridge to Dakota Financial
[headlines]
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What Menzel's Award Looks Like
Leasing News will be presenting Paul Menzel, CLP with the "Leasing News Person of the Year for 2005" award at the United Association of Equipment Leasing May 4-7 Spring Conference, Laguna Cliffs Marriott Hotel and Spa, Dana Point, California.
Paul J. Menzel, CLP, is the Senior Vice President of Pacific Capital Bancorp's Community Lending Group. Pacific Capital Bank, N.A., is a $7 billion network of preferred community banks on the coast of central California. In his capacity, Paul oversees the commercial equipment leasing, small business and auto dealer finance units.
Paul has been in the commercial equipment leasing industry, managing the same portfolio, for over 30 years and arranged the acquisition of the Leasing Division by Santa Barbara Bank & Trust in 1996. Paul is board member of the Equipment Leasing Association (ELA,) formerly chaired its Small-Ticket Business Council, the Fair Business Practices Committee and serves on the 2005 Industry Future Council Members, plus other committees such as the Funding Exhibition Committee. He has also served as a board member of the United Association of Equipment Leasing (UAEL), where he was active in several committees, and has written for "Newsline." He recently served as President of the United Boys and Girls Club of Santa Barbara County and has served on a variety of non-profit boards in the community. He graduated form UC Berkeley and holds an MBA in Management. Paul resides with his family in Santa Barbara, CA.
To register for the conference: http://www.uael.org/events/conferences/slc/register.asp or contact Kim at kim@uael.org or 760-564-2227 with any questions regarding the conference, or download form in PDF
http://www.uael.org/events/conferences/slc/RealFinalSpringApp.pdf
Funding Track:
Discount Available: with a minimum of one full paid registration (member or non-member), your Operations employees can attend the Friday aftternoon Funding Track for $125.00. In addition, each participant attending the Funding Track is invited to join the President's Reception Friday evening - a great opportunity to network with peers and funding sources. The Funding Track highlights are below:
Funding |
Credit Session |
- Prepering credit packages for application only submission.
- Preparing credit packages for commercial full disclosure packages.
- Understanding the difference among scoring models.
- Identifying the "red flags" for fraud prevention. |
Documentation Session |
- What do you need to know before documenting the deal?
- Sales tax issue (identifying special states and their requirements).
- Is your company using technology in the documentation process?
- Discount versus brokering. |
Funding Session |
- Tips and tools for making your "deal flow" more efficiently.
- What does it take to fund a deal?
- Discuss challenges that slow down funding and discuss solutions to these challenges. |
Click here to register for Funding Track.
|
[headlines]
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Sales Make it Happen
Lease Packaging
by Robert Teichman, CLP
Recently I discussed the importance of moving into larger transactions in addition to working with application-only leases, and talked about the importance of learning packaging techniques.
Packaging doesn't mean collecting bunch of financial statements and dumping them on a funding source in hopes that the funder will magically transform the material into a coherent application. It is the broker/lessor's responsibility to provide the funder with more than the bare bones.
Large deals are good business, but they require attention to detail. It is important to know as much as possible about the deal, the company, the guarantors and the equipment, and be able to communicate that information to the funding source. Often, funders do their own due diligence, including checking banks and trades and performing financial analysis, however a narrative detailing the transaction is necessary as it tells the story about the company, why they want the equipment and how they are to pay for it.
The minimum components of a good financial package include the Narrative, Lessee Information, Equipment Information, Terms of the Deal, Bank and Trade References, Financial Information on the Lessee (and any guarantors) and preliminary Financial Analysis.
THE NARRATIVE
Each segment of the Narrative should answer the questions, “who, what, where, when, why and how?” The Narrative should cover the entire story about the deal, the company, its financial condition and trends. For instance, in the introduction describe who are the participants (customer, vendors, guarantors, related companies, banks, trades, stockholders/owners, other interested parties?), what is the deal (rate, term, residual, fees, deposits, advance payments?), where are all the parties and the equipment, when will it happen, why (is the equipment needed; any unusual requirements?) and how (will the deal be funded?).
In the same way you can describe all the other aspects of the transaction.
LESSEE INFORMATION
Lessee Information must include the name, address and telephone numbers, equipment location (if different), time in business, names of the stockholders/owners and their percentages, and company type. And yes, funders see a lot of applications without this basic information.
EQUIPMENT INFORMATION
Equipment information should include the name and address of the vendor and the equipment location. If the lease is a master lease, all the equipment details may not be available at the time the application is submitted. In that case, a general description will usually be acceptable. Equipment justification and purpose is very important, whether the transaction is going to a collateral lender or to a balance sheet lender, even though the latter will not be as concerned with the collateral value as the former.
Describe the TERMS OF THE DEAL
if you have not yet covered it in the Narrative.
Professionalism is in the details. For instance, make sure you collect all the material needed, such as the complete tax returns (and not just the first four pages) and the complete financial statements, including the accountant's cover letter and all the footnotes. Check the package before it is sent out to the funder to make sure that all pages are copied. Sometimes lessees supply two-sided copies, which may be overlooked in the copying process.
Always verify your funder's requirements be fore sending the package. For example, some funders may require three years of financial information. If you send only two years of statements your transaction will be delayed.
Your Financial Analysis can be as complete or as brief as you choose, but it should be enough for you to understand and explain the financial condition of your customer. There are various standard financial analysis spreadsheet programs available, or you can devise your own. You can also ask your funders if they have a format you can use.
CONCLUSION
Usually this includes a recap of the strengths and weaknesses of the deal. Try to be as objective as possible. This is not always easy to do, but don't omit any negative information. Remember that credit managers hate surprises, particularly negative ones. However, they appreciate a package that shows that the lessor put time and effort into its preparation.
Funders are flooded with applications. The package which is missing information and is disorganized will either be returned, or will, at best, be delayed. A well-prepared, organized and neat package will always get faster attention and service, and therefore a better chance of approval. And, it will demonstrate to your funder that they can expect a professional package from you, the leasing professional.
ROBERT TEICHMAN, CLP
TEICHMAN FINANCIAL TRAINING
BoTei@aol.com
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[headlines]
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Placard---Don't Wait for your ship to come in
[headlines]
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Classified Ads—Help Wanted
Account Executive
 |
At Dell Financial Services, we fuel your potential with the kind of challenging opportunities and hands-on support you need to grow. We're the exclusive provider of leasing and finance services for Dell technology systems worldwide. If you're ready for your chance to take the field, join our team as a:
Account Executive
Responsible for working remote out of a home office in the states of MI, GA, WA, CO, CA and MN. We're looking for seasoned candidates with 8+ years of Equipment Leasing Sales experience with a successful track record of increasing market/account penetration by assigned segment and/or geographic region, improving customer satisfaction and growing the business for long term results. You will be working in a relationship sales environment directly with CFOs, CIOs, CEOs and other high-level executives. If this type of opportunity sounds appealing, please send a copy of your resume to US_DFS_STAFFING@dell.com
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Business Development Officer
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Business Development Officer—
Golf Industry
Located in SE region of U.S.
This opportunity with VGM Financial Services (affiliate of TCF Financial Corp.) offers rewards for selling vendors & leasing programs to golf car & turf equipment manufacturers, dealers/distributors & golf clubs. You'll work with VGM Club, largest buying group in golf industry, to facilitate eqpm't financing needs of member courses. BS & 5 yrs vendor/leasing sales exp. req'd, including golf industry eqm't financing. Send resume & letter to: jclark@vgmfs.com
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Chief Credit Officer
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Chief Credit Officer
Costa Mesa, CA
Report to president. Min.10 years commercial lending/lease exp. Equip./Vehicles/RE loans. Fax Resume to: 714-241-1582 or email to sltidland@goldenwestfinance.com
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Lease Coordinator
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Lease Coordinator, Accurate preparation of equipment lease documentation and funding. Knowledge of leasing industry preferred. email kgoo@celticleasing.com
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Portfolio Collection & Customer Service
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Portfolio Collection & Customer Service Specialist, Irvine, CA
Small ticket lessor seeks candidates with related work experience in the equipment leasing industry. Candidates must possess strong verbal/written communication and negotiating skills. Competitive comp package and outstanding work environment! Please e-mail resumes: recruiter@gen-cap.com.
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[headlines]
----------------------------------------------------------------
Story Credit List—Up-dated
Alphabetical list - click on company name to view more details |
| ABCO Leasing, Inc. |
Boston Financial & Equity Corp. |
Mesa Leasing, Inc. |
| Advantage Funding |
Cobra Capital LLC |
Pawnee Leasing Corporation |
| Agility Solutions |
Creative Capital Leasing Group, LLC |
Pentech Financial Services, Inc. |
| Allegiant Partners Incorporated |
Dakota Financial |
Radiance Capital, LLC |
| American Leasefund, Inc. |
Dolsen Leasing Company |
Summit Leasing, Inc. |
| Bankers Capital |
Financial Pacific Leasing |
Sunrise International Leasing Corp. |
| Barrett Capital Corporation |
Forum Financial Services, Inc. |
TEAM Equipment Leasing, Inc. |
| Black Rock Capital |
Gonor Funding |
TechLease, L.L.C. |
| Blackstone Capital Partners, L.P. |
IFC Credit Corporation |
|
for full list, please go here:
http://www.leasingnews.org/Story_Credit/Story_Credit.htm
[headlines]
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International report: Romania and Leasing
The European Commission is to report in May on Romania's suitability to join the EU from 1 January 2007. National firm Nestor Nestor Diculescu Kingston Petersen is playing a key role in the process, helping the government draft new legislation to appease Brussels.
"We've helped the government draft the mortgage bond law, which has just passed; the securitisation laws and the privatisation laws were done by us as well," says senior partner Adriana Gaspar.
"The legal system in Romania is quite different when compared with our neighboring countries," he adds. "The financial institutions and private sector have done a lot in driving the process of changing the legislations and getting uniformity. A lot of this has been because of the EU accession process too."
Nestors is a member firm of the South East Europe Legal Alliance (SEE Alliance). The largest Romanian firm in terms of revenue, it is one of the very few firms that has successfully combined Western-style legal standards with intimate local knowledge.
The firm, through the SEE Alliance, has a number of connections with leading UK and US firms and is happy to have an open door policy with all Western firms. "The moment you go exclusive with one, you blow up all your bridges with the others," says Gaspar.
The firm currently has two offices, but as the country's economy grows Nestors is planning on riding on the coat tails, with plans for two key locations for expansion already well advanced. "Constanta is a port on the Black Sea and is a big draw for EU investment," says Gaspar. "Our office there will open later in 2006."
The second target is the city of Cluj, a growth town 270 miles from the capital. Cluj will be the centre of operations for key client Bechtel in its 425km motorway project. "[Cluj] is the main centre of operations and our client needs us there," insists Gaspar.
But new offices are causing growing pains, with the firm finding the recruitment of talented local lawyers tough going. The firm hopes to grow organically but it will not shy away from lateral hires.
Nestors' reputation as the leader in the Romanian market is backed up by its deals. "The size of deals we're doing for our clients, Romanians don't even know how to write these numbers," says Gaspar.
The firm recently completed the E3.75bn (£2.6bn) privatisation of the country's national bank. It also advised a Romanian-US enterprise on a E100m (£69.2m) sale of a mortgage and lease company.
Senior partner: Adriana Gaspar
Turnover: E7m (£4.9m)
Total number of lawyers: 65
Total number of partners: Nine
Main practice areas: Corporate M&A, securities and capital markets, real estate, IP
Key clients: AstraZeneca, Bechtel, Deutsche Bank, Philip Morris, Pirelli, the Romanian government, Vodafone Romania, UBS
Number of offices: Two
Locations: Bucharest, Timisoara
[headlines]
---------------------------------------------------------------
### Press Release ###########################
Pitney Bowes Announces First Quarter Results
STAMFORD, Conn., -- Commenting on the company's financial performance during the quarter, Chairman and CEO Michael J. Critelli noted, "I am very pleased that we have started the year on such a solid footing with a well diversified base of revenue and earnings growth and significant free cash flow. Our performance this quarter was driven by our expanded presence in the mailstream and our ability to provide a wide array of innovative solutions for managing the physical and electronic mail and document flows for customers of all sizes."
FIRST QUARTER 2006 RESULTS
For the first quarter 2006, revenue increased seven percent to $1.4 billion and earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) increased 11 percent to $298 million. Net income for the quarter was $153.5 million or $.67 per diluted share versus $.62 in the prior year. Net income included an after-tax charge of $4 million or $.02 per diluted share as part of an ongoing restructuring program.
On March 9, 2006, the company announced that, consistent with its previously stated desire to exit the Capital Services business in a way that maximizes shareholder value, it would explore a broader range of asset and business disposition options, including a spin-off, a sale of the business, or a sale of all or a portion of the assets. The company intends to reach a conclusion in the near future on the best alternative to pursue.
In the meantime, the company will continue to manage the Capital Services business to maximize its value for shareholders, as evidenced by the asset sales it has completed over the past several quarters and its announcement that it has signed a definitive agreement to sell the Imagistics lease portfolio. The sale of the Imagistics lease portfolio will no longer be contingent on a supplemental ruling from the IRS as it relates to a potential spin-off of the Capital Services external financing business. Therefore, the company expects the sale of this portfolio to close shortly.
Full Press release here:
http://www.pb.com/cgi-bin/pb.dll/jsp/PressReleasesHome.do?channelName=
/Our%20Company/Press%20Room&lang=en&country=US
[headlines]
### Press Release ###########################
Alliance Financial Corporation to acquire Bridge Street Financial
(Parent of Alliance Leasing-- http://www.allianceleasinginc.com/)
SYRACUSE, NY AND OSWEGO, NY, – Alliance Financial
Corporation (NASDAQ: ALNC) (“Alliance”) and Bridge Street Financial, Inc.(NASDAQ: OCNB) (“Bridge Street”) jointly announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement whereby Alliance will acquire Bridge Street and Bridge Street's subsidiary bank, Oswego County National Bank, will merge into Alliance Bank, N.A. The merger, which was unanimously approved by the Boards of Directors of Alliance and Bridge Street, is expected to close by early fourth quarter, 2006, pending the approval of both companies' shareholders and regulatory approvals by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The combined bank will have assets in excess of $1.2 billion and a network of 29 branches in Cortland, Madison, Oneida, Onondaga and Oswego Counties, including two locations scheduled to open this summer.
The transaction is valued at approximately $55 million. The consideration to be paid in the merger will be 25% cash and 75% in Alliance stock. Bridge Street shareholders will be able to elect to receive either $23.06 in cash or Alliance stock at a fixed exchange ratio of 0.7547 Alliance shares per Bridge Street share or a combination thereof, subject to customary proration and allocation procedures. Alliance anticipates that cost savings stemming from efficiencies, synergies and economies of scale post merger will make the transaction accretive to Alliance earnings in the first year. Alliance also anticipates it will record a $5.1 million after-tax restructuring charge.
“We are very pleased to have reached an agreement to merge Bridge Street and Oswego County National Bank with our organization,” said Jack H. Webb, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Alliance. “This transaction will accrue to the benefit of both companies' shareholders and will significantly benefit the customers and the communities now served by Oswego County National Bank and Alliance Bank. The merger will create a stronger locally based bank, operating under the Alliance Bank banner over a greater footprint in contiguous Central New York counties. By means of efficiencies and improvements in processes at both banks, we will be able to offer customers a wider array of consumer and business products specific to the Central New York market.”
The merger will expand the current product offerings of the two companies. Bridge Street acquired Ladd's Agency Inc., a commercial and personal property and casualty insurance agency, in 2005. Alliance Bank's Trust and Investment Services business is among the largest based in Central New York, with over $860 million in under management. Alliance Bank also adds a commercial equipment leasing subsidiary to the combined bank.
Gregory J. Kreis, President and Chief Executive Officer of Bridge Street and Oswego County National Bank, will assist with the transition as Region Executive of Alliance Bank for the Oswego market.
Mr. Kreis stated that, “After careful consideration, the Board of Bridge Street feels that a combination with Alliance will positively benefit the shareholders, customers and communities that we currently serve. The Board and management of Alliance share our philosophy on the importance of excellent service to our communities at a fair price.
The ability of the combined organization to provide a variety of expert financial services should be well received by our customers.”
Deborah Stanley, Chairperson of Bridge Street's Board of Directors as well as Oswego County National Bank's Board, will join the boards of Alliance and its subsidiary Bank and a second Bridge Street Director will be chosen to join both Alliance boards.
Alliance and Alliance Bank are headquartered in Syracuse, NY. Alliance's assets were $980 million as of the end of 2005. Alliance Bank operates 21 branches in Cortland, Madison, Oneida and Onondaga Counties, and has announced plans to open an additional branch in Syracuse this summer.
Bridge Street and Oswego County National Bank are headquartered in Oswego, NY. Bridge Street's assets were $225 million as of the end of 2005. Oswego County National Bank operates seven branches in Brewerton, Fulton, Liverpool, North Syracuse,
Full press release here:
http://www.alliancebankna.com/pdf/Acquisition%20Press%20Release.pdf
[headlines]
### Press Release ###########################
Jeffrey Peek, Chairman and CEO of CIT, and Mayor Michael Bloomberg to
Unveil CIT's New Global Headquarters
WHO: Jeffrey M. Peek, Chairman and CEO of CIT (NYSE: CIT), a leading provider of commercial and consumer finance solutions, and Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg
WHAT: Press conference and reception to celebrate the opening of The CIT Building, CIT's new global headquarters, and to announce CIT's financial commitment to New York City's civic and cultural institutions
WHEN: Thursday, April 27th, 2006
9:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
** Official Program begins at 10:00 a.m.
WHERE: The CIT Building
CIT Global Headquarters
505 Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street (enter on 42nd Street)
MORE: Performances by the New York City Opera and the Orchestra of St. Luke's, which CIT proudly supports.
The newly constructed 300,000 square foot, 28-story glass-encased office tower was designed by architects Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates. Its lobby features artwork created by internationally acclaimed light and space artist James Turrell which bathes the lobby in alternating shades of blue, green and red.
[headlines]
### Press Release ###########################
--------------------------------------------------------------
News Briefs----
Consumer confidence unexpectedly rises
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-060425confidence-story,1,6505560.
story?coll=chi-business-hed
Sun Shares Up on News CEO Is Stepping Down
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060425/ap_on_bi_ge/sun_microsystems_mcnealy;_ylt=
Ap80ubZHAjnfD.phUyqdtCSyBhIF;_ylu=X3oDMTA5aHJvMDdwBHNlYwN5bmNhdA--
Apple's new campus: Premium land at a premium price
http://www.siliconvalley.com/mld/siliconvalley/14425145.htm
Sales of existing homes advance in March
http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2006/04/25/
sales_of_existing_homes_inch_up_in_march/
Focus in Microsoft Hearing Shifts
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/business/AP-EU-Microsoft.html
Pickler in a pickle but Paris could be going home
http://www.accessatlanta.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/accessatlanta/
idol/entries/2006/04/25/425.html
[headlines]
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You May have Missed---
Companies face RICO lawsuits on illegals
http://www.usatoday.com/money/companies/management/
2006-04-25-immigration-suits-usat_x.htm
[headlines]
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Sports Briefs----
N.F.L. Suspends Dolphins' Williams for 2006
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/26/sports/football/26ricky.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
Dorsey accepts 49ers' contract offer
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/chronicle/archive/2006/04/25/SPG29IEJ6L1.DTL
[headlines]
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“Gimme that Wine”
Alexis Bespaloff, 1934-2006
http://www.winemag.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=Publishing&mod=Publications
%3A%3AArticle&mid=8F3A7027421841978F18BE895F87F791&tier=4&id=0C667C0F196E47
0B82A9C7C8D7CA1248
Parker on 2005: 'compelling greatness'
http://www.decanter.com/news/83619.html
2005 Bordeaux Arrives to an Ovation, Trailing Opportunities
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/26/dining/26pour.html
California Coast Wine Classic July 13-15
(Thursday, Barrel Tasting at the Cliffs, Sea Beach, Dinner at Hearst Castle
Friday: Pinot Noirs of the Edna and Arroyo Grande Valleys
Winery Dinners and many events, Saturday auction and trips to wineries/Sunday: the World of Coffee, Champagne Symposium, Rhone Blends of San Luis Obispo & Santa Barbara Counties Reserve Wine tasting
Map: http://www.centralcoastwineclassic.org/map.php
Events: http://www.centralcoastwineclassic.org/events.php
Accommodations: http://www.centralcoastwineclassic.org/links.php
Wine Prices by vintage
http://www.winezap.com
http://www.wine-searcher.com/
US/International Wine Events
http://www.localwineevents.com/
Winery Atlas
http://www.carterhouse.com/atlas/\
Leasing News Wine & Spirits Page
http://two.leasingnews.org/Recommendations/wnensprts.htm
[headlines]
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Calendar Events This Day
Administrative Professionals Day
Annually, the Wednesday of Administrative Professionals Week
Bird Day
Confederate Memorial Day in Florida and Georgia
Hug an Australian Day
To show our great appreciation for all the love and support of the Aussies have given us over the years.
www.wellcat.com
Pretzel Day
Richter Scale Day
A day to recognize the important of Charles Francis Richter's research and his work in development of the earthquake magnitude scale that is known as the Richter scale. Richter, an American author, physicist and seismologist was born April 26, 1900, near Hamilton, OH. Died at Pasadena, CA, September 30, 1985.
Tanzania: Union Day
Celebrates union between mainland Tanzania(formerly Tanganyika) and the islands of Zanzibar and Pemba in 1964.
[headlines]
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Today's Top Event in History
1920—Birthday of platinum blonde singer , Peggy Lee, one of the great U.S. jazz singers, stylists, and composers, born Norma Deloris Egstrom in Jamestown, North Dakota. Some of her best known renditions "Why Don't You Do Right," "Fever," “Big Spender,” “Manana,” "Is That All There Is?" She sued Disney Corporation for just compensation for her work on the movie The Lady and the Tramp for which she got only $3,500 for composing or co-composing all of the music, as well as playing four of the major roles, and singing three of the hits. She signed the contract before videos came into existence and the case became celebrated for revealing film studio's inventive bookkeeping methods that kept films from showing a profit even though it was one of the highest grossing movies of the period. The courts awarded her $3.8 million. The film grossed $160 million with another $72 million from the videos. Michael Eisner, the new president of Disney who collected up to 582 million dollars a year in salaries and bonuses fought the Lee suit through the courts. Lee was 70 when the verdict was rendered but Eisner continued with an appeal. She died January 21, 2002.
http://www.peggylee.com/biography/bio_curbio.html
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0498007/
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This Day in American History
1785-birthday of John James Audubon, American artist and naturalist, best known for his Birds of America , born at Haiti. Died Jan 27, 1851, at New York, NY.
http://www.haleysteele.com/jjaudubon/index.cfm
1798-birthday of Jim Beckwourth, black American mountain man, born at Virginia and died in 1867(?) at Denver, Colorado Territory. Marrying a series of Indian women, Beckwourth lived with the Crow Indians for about six years. He went further west, establishing a route through the Sierras to the newly discovered gold fields of California, where he was immortalized by journalist Thomas Bonner. He later served as a guide and interpreter for US troops in the Cheyenne War of 1864. He died mysteriously during a return visit to the Crow.
http://www.beckwourth.org/
1819-One of the most popular “groups” started as Washington Lodge 1, Odd Fellows Lodge, in Baltimore, MD. It was organized by Thomas Wildey and acted under a charter obtained from the Duke of York Lodge of England. In 1821, Wildey organized the Grand Lodge of Maryland, of which he became grand master, and the Grand Lodge of the United States, of which, he became grand sire. At the time of his death in 1861, there were more than 200,000 members of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows in 42 states.
1822-birthday of Frederick Law Olmsted, known as the "father of landscape architecture in America," Olmsted participated in the designing of Yosemite National Park, New York City's Central Park and parks for Boston, Hartford and Louisville. Born at Hartford, CT, died at Waverly, MA, Aug 28, 1903. Olmsted's home and studio, Fairsted Estate outside of Boston, is now preserved as a National Historic Site and is open to the public: 99 Warren St, Brookline, MA 02146.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/apr26.html
1865 -- John Wilkes Booth, Lincoln's assassin, is shot dead near Bowling Green, Virginia.
http://www.nps.gov/foth/booth.htm
1882-Jessie Redmon Fauset, the birthday of this important African-American poet, editor and novelist, born at Fredericksville, NJ, who died in 1961 Fauset, as literary editor of Crisis (a publication of the NAACP), she was a patron to so many writers of the Harlem Renaissance that her efforts prompted Langston Hughes to dub her the ‘midwife of the so-called New Negro Literature.” Along with WEB. Du Bois, Fauset also published and edited the children's magazine The Brownie Book. Her novels about the African-American middle-class experience dealt with issues of identity, autonomy and struggles for fulfillment. Her most recognized works include The Chinaberry Tree (1931) and Comedy, American Style (1933).
http://voices.cla.umn.edu/authors/JessieFauset.html
http://www.nku.edu/~diesmanj/fauset.html
1895—birthday of pianist Charles “Cow Cow” Davenport, Anniston, AL
http://www.redhotjazz.com/cowcow.html
1886-blues singer Ma Rainey ( Gertrude Pridgett) born Columbus, GA. During her heyday in the 1920's, she was billed as the "Mother of the Blues" and served as a model for the more famous Bessie Smith. The best known of her 90-odd recordings is "See See Rider Blues" made in 1925 with Louis Armstrong on cornet. The song has been revived countless times by blues, jazz and rock musicians. Ma Rainey died in 1939 at the age of 53. Her life inspired the 1985 Broadway musical "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom."
http://www.lambda.net/~maximum/rainey.html
http://www.blueflamecafe.com/index.html
http://www.redhotjazz.com/Rainey.html
1893-birthday of Anita Loos, American author and playwright, born at Sisson, CA. She is best remembered for her book Gentlemen Prefer Blondes , published in 1925. Loos, a brunette, died at New York, NY, Aug 18, 1981.
http://women.eb.com/women/articles/Loos_Anita.html
http://www.catharton.com/authors/230.htm
1908-drummer Dave Tough born Oak Park, IL.
http://www.angelfire.com/mac/keepitlive/drummers/Tough/tough.htm
http://www.drummerworld.com/drummers/Dave%20Tough.html
1914--Author Bernard Malamud born Brooklyn, New York, best known for The Fixer and the baseball novel The Natural. Died 1986.
http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/authors/Bernard_Malamud.htm
http://www.emanuelnyc.org/bulletin/archive/35.html
http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/b/bernard_malamud.htm
1920—Birthday of platinum blonde singer , Peggy Lee, one of the great U.S. jazz singers, stylists, and composers, born Norma Deloris Egstrom in Jamestown, North Dakota. Some of her best known renditions "Why Don't You Do Right," "Fever," “Big Spender,” “Manana,” "Is That All There Is?" She sued Disney corporation for just compensation for her work on the movie The Lady and the Tramp for which she got only $3,500 for composing or co-composing all of the music, as well as playing four of the major roles, and singing three of the hits. She signed the contract before videos came into existence and the case became celebrated for revealing film studio's inventive bookkeeping methods that kept films from showing a profit even though it wa one of the highest grossing movies of the period. The courts awarded her $3.8 million. The film grossed $160 million with another $72 million from the videos. Michael Eisner, the new president of Disney who collected up to 582 million dollars a year in salaries and bonuses fought the Lee suit through the courts. Lee was 70 when the verdict was rendered but Eisner continued with an appeal. She died January 21, 2002.
http://www.peggylee.com/biography/bio_curbio.html
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0498007/
1921- flutist Jimmy Giuffre Birthday
http://users.bestweb.net/~msnyder/clarinet/giuffre.htm
http://www.allaboutjazz.com/REVIEWS/R1299_27.HTM
http://www.mosaicrecords.com/DisplaySelectionDetail.asp?SelectionId=31
http://www.retards.org/jazz/giuffre/
( listen to the “Train and the River”)
1921-birthday of pianist Dave “Fat Man” Williams, New Orleans, LA
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/stores/artist/glance/-/50054/
ref=m_art_dp/103-6620160-9563023
1921-birthdayof alto saxophonist Preston Love, Omaha, NE.
http://www.nebrocks.org/preston.htm
1922—birthday of pianist Dorothy Donegan, Chicago, IL
http://www.iaje.org/bio.asp?ArtistID=29
http://www.jazzhouse.org/library/index.php3?read=dobie4
http://www.jazzhall.org/jazz.cgi?@DONEGAND
http://elvispelvis.com/ddonegan.htm
1924-sax player Teddy Edwards born, Jackson, MS
http://home.earthlink.net/~tededge/
http://home.earthlink.net/~tededge/Biography.htm
1924-birthday of tenor saxophonist Teddy Edwards, Jackson, MS
http://www.jevivent.com/teddyE.html
http://home.earthlink.net/~tededge/
http://www.batnet.com/portrayals/teddy.html
1931 - NBC radio presented "Lum and Abner" for the first time. The popular program continued for 24 years on the air, not all of them on NBC. In fact, all four networks (CBS, ABC, Mutual and NBC) carried the program for a period of time. "Lum and Abner" hailed from the fictitious town of Pine Ridge. Fictitious, that is, before 1936, when Waters, Arkansas, changed its name to Pine Ridge
http://home.inu.net/stemple/
http://www.lum-abner.com/
1931 -- Baseball's Lou Gehrig hits a home run but is called out for passing a runner; the mistake costs him the American League home run crown — he and Babe Ruth end up tied for the season.
1932 - The Texaco fire chief, Ed Wynn, was heard on radio's "Texaco Star Theater" for the first time. Wynn, a popular vaudeville performer, demanded a live audience to react to his humor if he was to make the switch to radio. The network consented and Wynn became radio's first true superstar. He would later make the switch to TV.
http://timstvshowcase.com/edwynn.html
http://us.imdb.com/Name?Wynn,+Ed
http://members.aol.com/TampaChatr/colgatecomedyhour.html
http://www.shokus.com/wynn.html
1938-birthday of singer/guitarist Duane Eddy, Chicago, IL. Scores of young musicians took up the guitar after hearing his distinctive "twangy" sound, which came from playing the melody on the bass string of his instrument. Beginning in 1958, he had 25 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Among the most popular were "Rebel Rouser," "Because They're Young" and "Dance With the Guitar Man," all three of which sold more than a million copies. Duane Eddy had not had a record on the charts in North America since 1964, but in 1986 he returned as a guest artist on the Art of Noise's Grammy-Award-winning hit, "Peter Gunn." Eddy had first recorded, and had a hit with the TV theme, in 1960. His sound influenced countless rock guitarists, and opened the door to the electric guitar-dominated bands of the '60s and '70s
http://www.history-of-rock.com/duane_eddy.htm
http://members.tripod.com/~Tony50/deddy-1.html
http://rcs.law.emory.edu/rcs/artists/e/eddy1000.htm
1941-the Chicago Cubs became the first major league team to install an organ in their ballpark. Roy Nelson played a pre-game program.
1942-birthday of singer Bobby Rydell, Philadelphia, PA. (real name is Robert Lewis Ridarelli), . At the age of eight he won an amateur contest run by bandleader Paul Whiteman, and it was Whiteman who gave him his stage name. He was just 17 when he had his first of two dozen chart records, "Kissin' Time," in 1959. Rydell's other hits included "Wild One" and "Volare." He starred in the movie "Bye Bye Birdie" in 1963.
1944-Montgomery Ward Chairman Sewell Avery was physically removed from his office when federal troops seized Ward's Chicago offices after the company refused to obey President Franklin D. Roosevelt's order to recognize a CIO union. Government control ended May 9, shortly before the National Labor Relations Board announced the United Mail Order Warehouse and Retail Employees Union had won an election to represent the company's workers.
1951-Birthday of Sally Ride, the first U.S. astronaut into space who was also a woman. She was a crew member of the 7th and 13th space missions in 1983 and 1984. Ride holds a Ph.D. in physics. As part of the commission investigating the 1986 Challenger disaster, she declared the shuttle to be unsafe and refused to go back into space until after it was radically redesigned, claiming other astronauts felt the same way. It was redesigned but she was never given another space flight. After writing a report advocating the establishment of a lunar base, she became head of the Space Institute of the University of California (San Diego) in 1989.
http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/ride-sk.html
1956---Top Hits
Heartbreak Hotel/I Was the One - Elvis Presley
The Poor People of Paris - Les Baxter
Ivory Tower - Cathy Carr
Blue Suede Shoes - Carl Perkins
1959--- Yomiuri Giant Sadaharu Oh hits the first of his homers in Japan.
1961-Roger Maris of the New York Yankees hit his first home run of the season against Paul Foytrack of the Detroit Tigers. Maris went onto hit 60more homers, breaking Babe Ruth's record for the most home runs in a season.
http://www.ndrogermaris.com/
1962-Ranger IV impacted the moon at 5,963 miles per hour. It was launched on April23fromthe Atlantic Missile Range, Cape Canaveral and traveled an estimated 229,541 miles.
http://www.friends-partners.org/mwade/craft/raner345.htm
1964---Top Hits
Can't Buy Me Love - The Beatles
Twist and Shout - The Beatles
Do You Want to Know a Secret - The Beatles
Understand Your Man - Johnny Cash
1965-in the third round of the NBA draft, the New York Knicks selected Dick Van Arsdale. With the next pick, the Detroit Pistons drafted Dick's twin brother, Tom. Both went on to distinguished careers.
1972---Top Hits
The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face - Roberta Flack
Rockin' Robin - Michael Jackson
I Gotcha - Joe Tex
Chantilly Lace - Jerry Lee Lewis
1980---Top Hits
Call Me - Blondie
Ride like the Wind - Christopher Cross
With You I'm Born Again - Billy Preston & Syreeta
A Lesson in Leavin' - Dottie West
1984 - Severe thunderstorms associated with an intense cyclone spawned a total of forty-seven tornadoes in two days from Louisiana to Upper Michigan. The tornadoes killed 16 persons and injured 259 others
1987 - Tennis star Chris Evert won her 150th career tennis tournament. She beat Martina Navratilova in Houston, Texas.
http://www.chrisevert.org/
1984-the great Count Bill Basie passes away at the age of 79, Hollywood, FL. I took my three kids to his last concert at the Circle Star in San Carlos, California. After leaving the revolving bandstand in his electric “cart,” I introduced the three of them to one of my favorite jazz musicians. I hope they never forget the moment, as I have not. Kit Menkin
http://www.nw-cybermall.com/jazzworld/c-basie.htm
http://www.pbs.org/jazz/biography/artist_id_basie_count.htm
http://www.duke.edu/~ymm/basi.html
http://www.harlem.org/people/basie.html
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday/bday/0821.html
http://www.theatlantic.com/unbound/jazz/dbasie.htm
1986--- 5150, the first Van Halen album to feature Sammy Hagar, tops the charts for the first of four weeks. The album is named after the New York police code for the criminally insane and Eddie Van Halen's recording studio.
1987 - Twenty-two cities in the central and western U.S. reported new record high temperatures for the date. The afternoon high of 83 degrees at Astoria OR smashed their previous record by 13 degrees. Sacramento CA hit 94 degrees.
1988---Top Hits
Where Do Broken Hearts Go - Whitney Houston
Devil Inside - INXS
Wishing Well - Terence Trent D'Arby
I'll Always Come Back - K.T. Oslin
1988-“China Beach” premiered on TV. The stories revolved around the lives of the women serving at a Da Nang armed forces hospital during the Vietnam War. The theme and background music of the series evoked plenty of nostalgia from the turbulent era. The ABC drama was created by William Boyles, Jr, and John Sacret Young. The cast featured Dana Delany, Michael Boatman, Nancy Giles, Jeff Kober, Robert Picardo, Concetta Tomei, Brian Wimmer, Marg Helgenberger, Chloe Webb, Nan Woods, Megan Gallagher, Ned Vaughn and Ricki Lake.
1988-the Boston Bruins snapped a string of 18 straight Stanley Cup playoff series losses to the Montreal Canadiens, dating back to 1943, by ousting the Habs, four games to one. Boston used two goals each from Cam Neely and Steve Kasper and strong goaltending from Rejean Lemelin to defeat Montreal,4-1.
1989 - Thirty-three cities in the central and southeastern U.S. reported record high temperatures for the date. Afternoon highs of 91 degrees at Evansville IN and Nashville TN equalled April records. Thunderstorms produced severe weather from Iowa to Kentucky, with more than ninety reports of large hail and damaging winds. Thunderstorm winds gusted to 90 mph at Berwick IA.
1990 - Twenty-nine cities from the Carolinas to the Great Lakes Region and western New England reported record high temperatures for the date as readings soared into the 80s and lower 90s. Record high temperatures included 95 degrees at Baltimore MD and 92 degrees at Allentown PA. The record high of 89 degrees at Alpena MI was the third out of six straight record highs for that location, and smashed their previous record for the date by ten degrees.
1991 - Severe thunderstorms in the central U.S. spawned fifty-five tornadoes from northeastern Texas to Iowa and eastern Nebraska killing twenty-one persons. Early evening thunderstorms over south central Kansas spawned a violent (F-5) tornado whiched traveled 45 miles from southwest of Wichita to north of El Dorado. It killed seventeen persons, including thirteen at the Golden Spur Mobile Home Park in Andover. The tornado also caused 62 million dollars damage to McConnell Air Force Base as it crossed the south side of Wichita.
2000- The St. Louis Cardinals set a major league record by hitting 50 home runs in April. Homers by pitcher Rick Ankiel, Jim Edmonds and Fernando Tatis in the 7-0 victory over the Brewers help to break the mark established by the 1997 Indians with 49.
2001- Hideo Nomo just misses becoming the fifth pitcher since 1900 to hurl two no-hitters in a single season as former Gold Glove right fielder Darren Lewis just misses catching Torii Hunter's blooper in the top of the seventh inning. The hit, which many consider a questionable call by the scorer, is the only hit given up by the Red Sox right-hander in the 2-0 victory over the Twins. 2001 -After 2 1/2-years in the post, Kevin Malone resigns as the general manager of the Dodgers. Despite having the league's largest payroll, Los Angeles has failed to make the playoffs during his tenure.
2004-Record heat hit the Bay Area with 91 reported in SF. 93 degrees was reported in San Jose.
2005 --With three home runs during his first three trips to the plate, Alex Rodriguez becomes only the 11th major league player to bat in 10 or more runs in a game. The highest paid player in baseball history is one RBI shy of the American League record of 11 set by fellow Yankee Tony Lazzeri in 1936 and two short of the major league mark of 12 shared by Jim Bottomley (1924) and Mark Whiten (1993) of the Cardinals.
NBA Finals Champions This Date
• Boston Celtics
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Baseball Poem
|
The Machine
by Stephen Porter © |
Published: Baseball Almanac (03-20-2001) |
T'was the greatest group of men, ever to play,
On a diamond, with a ball, every day
There was Joe, there was Johnny, and then there was Pete,
The whole team was sturdy, as two ton concrete
Down at first there was Tony, always catching them square,
And at second was Joe, who could run like a mare
Dave held up short, never missing a beat,
And fielding at third, no one else, but Pete
The outfield was anchored, by three all their own,
Foster, Griffey, and Geronimo, no better were known
Individually the best, well maybe not quite,
But together they put up one hell of a fight
All who watched, those 8 play the game,
Knew something was up, they were destined for fame
And sure enough, two years back to back,
The Machine won the title, for they had the knack.
Were they truly the best group, ever to play,
On a diamond, with a ball, every day
It isn't for sure, no one can agree,
For many teams have put it on the line, in this land of the free
But one thing I feel, as other Reds fans do,
Those 8 played the best, as a team, as a crew. |
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