Trentonian Sports

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Operating as usual

CVC football is a week away from kickoff. Get caught up here: http://bit.ly/174Bmk9.
09/05/2013
High school - trentonian.com

CVC football is a week away from kickoff. Get caught up here: http://bit.ly/174Bmk9.

The Trentonian has all the local scores and sports you need, including Jets, Giants Football, Devils hockey, NETS basketball, Mets, Yankees and Phillies baseball

08/11/2013

Roy Halladay is progressing in his rehab in Clearwater. Will it be enough to make a few August starts? http://bit.ly/11X1RaK

07/26/2013

NASCAR fans, here's Joe O'Gorman's weekly column on the sport, with insight on dirt tracks, Jimmie Johnson and the Chase: http://bit.ly/16jSEIM.

Join Trentonian editor Matt Osborne for a video roundtable discussion on tonight's MLB All-Star Game, live at 2:30 p.m.
07/16/2013
Trentonian editor Matt Osborne: MLB All-Star Game video roundtable - trentonian.com

Join Trentonian editor Matt Osborne for a video roundtable discussion on tonight's MLB All-Star Game, live at 2:30 p.m.

Digital First Media’s Matt Osborne and Jack McCaffery will be live for a special video roundtable chatscheduled for 2:30 p.m. We’ll discuss the biggest surprises and disappointments of the first half, look back at our favorite All-Star Game moments, and look ahead to the 2013 Midsummer Classic.

Send us your best wrestling style promo on why you should be going to the WWE Show in Trenton on us! Win free tickets!
07/11/2013
Trentonian Blogs: Red Mask: Win tickets to WWE in Trenton!

Send us your best wrestling style promo on why you should be going to the WWE Show in Trenton on us! Win free tickets!

Mercer County New Jersey daily newspaper covering local, regional, and national news including local sports, video and multimedia coverage, and classified advertising.

Thunder beat writer Josh Norris sits down with outfielder Tyler Austin during a candid interview at the Eastern League A...
07/10/2013
Q&A with Thunder outfielder Tyler Austin from Eastern League All-Star Game - trentonian.com

Thunder beat writer Josh Norris sits down with outfielder Tyler Austin during a candid interview at the Eastern League All-Star Game: http://bit.ly/18OeKYY.

NEW BRITAIN, Conn. — Because the All-Star break is a time for fun and relaxation from the season’s day-to-day grind, it seems only proper to keep the subject matter relatively light. With that in mind, I spoke with Thunder outfielder Tyler Austin on Wednesday on a variety of subjects, almost none of...

07/06/2013
Youth Leagues - trentonian.com

Here's your spot for all of the most up-to-date news on area Little League baseball and softball tournaments: http://bit.ly/14Upks8.

The Trentonian has all the local scores and sports you need, including Jets, Giants Football, Devils hockey, NETS basketball, Mets, Yankees and Phillies baseball

Rutgers beat writer Tyler Barto caught up with Rutgers QB Gary Nova today in Piscataway. Here's what Nova said (story co...
06/24/2013
Trentonian Blogs: Rutgers Rundown: Gary Nova on Rutgers' attention, Big East, Ron Prince and more

Rutgers beat writer Tyler Barto caught up with Rutgers QB Gary Nova today in Piscataway. Here's what Nova said (story coming later): http://bit.ly/1cffZ0u.

Check out more from the Trentonian's Rutgers football blog, too: rutgersrundown.blogspot.com.

Mercer County New Jersey daily newspaper covering local, regional, and national news including local sports, video and multimedia coverage, and classified advertising.

Allentown's Alex Moore, Mary Ellen McCarthy among end-of-year award recipients in The Trentonian girls lacrosse: http://...
06/18/2013
HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS LACROSSE: Moore, Harpel, L’Insalata named CVC Players of the Year - trentonian.com

Allentown's Alex Moore, Mary Ellen McCarthy among end-of-year award recipients in The Trentonian girls lacrosse: http://bit.ly/13OY5Qj.

How did our honorees turn out?

It was an amazing spring in girls’ lacrosse with Mercer County Tournament champion Allentown reaching the state final, Princeton and Notre Dame playing for a sectional title and West Windsor-Plainsboro North getting to the sectional semis.

06/17/2013

Columnist LA Parker captures a rehabilitating woman's story of trash collecting at the U.S. Open at Merion: http://bit.ly/1bOaTbc.

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RAHWAY STATE PRISON DURING THE WARDEN, BOB HATRAK ERA 1973-1979 The Rahway correction officers during 1973-1979 were an industrious and hard-working group of fine men. They were extremely loyal to the Rahway State Prison. *** It took me until 2021 (40 year later) to be reminded how good these men were. *** Recently (2021) I saw a post put up by one of those officers: CO James Lee who wrote about a 1978 incident that helps highlight just now good our COs were back in the day. *** “Rahway Senior Officer Bobby Vasquez (RIP) drove Chief Jim Ucci and me out of our minds concerning an idea he wanted to implement desperately. He wanted our approval to set up an emergency response team. So, following the many requests made by Bobby, we finally relented, and Bobby took it from there.” *** “Senior Correction Officer James Lee’s recollection of an incident in 1978 is testimony that the Chief and I made the right decision to approve the organization and development of Bobby Vasquez's' team.” *** I’ll always remember officer Lee as a dedicated member od Rahway’s security team. Lee’s work with Boxer James Scott and the Boxing Program was of tremendous value. *** OFFICER JAMES LEE’S POST *** "To give you some background, our first unit was the Rahway Emergency Response Unit." “We were validated one day when some inmates took over the ODR (office dining room) and claimed they were ready to die. Our Unit commanded by (the Late) Lt. Miller formed three squads. Two Assault Squads: one led by SCO Cal Moore, the other led by (the Late) SCO Bobby Vasquez. SCO J. Lee (the author of this piece) led the Apprehension Squad. “Superintendent Hatrak and Chief Jim Ucci negotiated with the inmates from before noon until well into the night.” “At around 2200 hours, Mr. Hatrak turned to me and said, “I have had it; get them out.” “We formed up the two Assault Squads in front. I led the Apprehension Squad in support. “ “The inmate look-out said, here they come.” “Before we could take another step forward. They cried out, “We are coming out,” they wanted no part of what was about to happen.” “We restored almost instantly order; a twelve-hour standoff ended as abruptly as it started. No Inmates were injured. Chief Ucci had promised if they did not fight, no harm would come to them. We honored the Chief’s word. No officers were wounded, much to the relief of the Commissioner, Mr. Hatrak, and the Chief. “ *** The Millville Daily reported on the incident December 23, 1978 The Millville Daily Millville, New Jersey, page 1 Hearings Set For Rahway Inmates (UPI) “Hearings were scheduled today for 58 Black Muslim prisoners, who barricaded themselves in Rahway State Prison for 18 hours to protest the transfer of two inmate-ministers to another institution. The 58 inmates were kept locked in their cells Sunday after they voluntarily surrendered Saturday morning. I reported no injuries during the incident.” “The inmates faced disciplinary charges, and after an investigation, we may refer some to the county prosecutor’s office.” “The demonstration began Friday morning. The inmates voluntarily surrendered 18 hours later, after prison officials threatened to use [SIC used] high power water hoses to break up the protest. The inmates filed out of the room two at a time and were escorted to their cells.” PICTURE LETTER OF COMMENDATION FROM CHIEF UCCI TO OFFICER LEE
RAHWAY STATE PRISON DURING THE WARDEN, BOB HATRAK ERA 1973-1979 BOB PITCHED FOR TRENTON CATHOLIC BOYS HIGH SCHOOL DURING EACH OF HIS FOUR YEARS THERE - 1951-1955 HE ALSO PITCHED AT RIDER COLLEGE IN HIS FRESHMAN YEAR - 1955 AND UNTIL AN ACCIDENT CUT OFF HIS FINGERS ON HIS PITCHING HAND. I once read a passage in a book that has remained with me for many years! Then came along the prison’s 1973-1979 era. One which saw its transformation to a prison known nationally, and in some parts internationally, for its advances in creative inmate programs. ― Lynn Schooler, Walking Home: A Traveler in the Alaskan Wilderness, a Journey into the Human Heart. *** Rahway State Prison was called that “violent and riot-torn maximum-security prison prior to and after the 1971 riot suffered there. *** In our book – NOT ON MY WATCH - My thanks go out to the reform-minded people who helped pull the Rahway Prison plow to national prominence! They deserve the maximum amount of acknowledgment and credit for Rahway’s success. Most certainly more than me.me.me.e) Rahway Prison would have remained just another maximum-security prison. And it was certainly not that. *** If I didn’t reference the outstanding work of an army of corrections staff, people like officer Bob Lee, chief deputy Jim Ucci, captain Richie Curran, lieutenant Bill Miller, and a whole army of correction officers (too many to remember and name here) Rahway Prison would have remained just another maximum-security prison. And it was certainly not that. *** In our book – NOT ON MY WATCH - My thanks go out to the reform-minded people who helped pull the Rahway Prison plow to national prominence! They deserve the maximum amount of acknowledgment and credit for Rahway’s success. Most certainly more than me. TALK ABOUT BEING FORGOTTEN! *** While doing the research required to locate the facts Joan and I needed to corroborate the information included in our biography, Not On My Watch we turned up something that surprised us both. We learned that well into the 90s and 20s, stories, videos, and documentaries appeared in the national media about the programs that were developed and successfully implemented during the Rahway State Prison Warden Bob Hatrak era: 1973–1979. *** Here are several references of programs Rahway’s correctional officer innovated that have had recently developed documentaries about how the program, was and continues to, help spawn programs like theirs nationally and internationally. *** On February 2, 2014, 43 years after Rahway State Prison created its world-famous inmate Self-Rehab Group, formally known as the Rahway State Prison Boxing Association, a YouTube documentary was posted about it. *** Forty-plus years after the Boxing Association was established a film documentary was premiered on September 13, 2021. Rahway Prison Boxing Program Ft James Ali Bashir https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xua2Ce-LRF4 *** Most surprising that as of today, October 3, 2021, the following statistics help document the yeoman's work performed by a group of officers and the civilian staff was doing back in the late 70s. My very best to them all. And to those who have not passed – stay well my friends! *** 2. 1.3 thousand shares/saves 1. 69, 121 views of the documentary 2. 1.3 thousand shares/saves 3. 317 comments – mostly supportive of the program and James Scott Watch the video. It’s a look back at James Scott, a professional boxer who resumed his prizefighting career while serving time inside Rahway State Prison. *** The documentary makes a slight reference to my demotion from the warden at the Rahway State Prison. The entire last chapter of our book – NOT ON MY WATCH – fully explains (in 30 pages) the demotion. You’ll be surprised about how and why it all went down! *** James Scott Documentary Rahway State Prison Boxing Champion https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYHdcqmLvBc&t=1100s *** A video posted on YouTube on October 13, 2019, illustrates how the Rahway Boxing Program was replicated in Thailand. Prison Fight: Thai prisoners battling it out for freedom | Free Doc Bites | Free Documentary 1,139,543 views Wow! Check out the number of views! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvQUw7OpnF8&t=1s "In Klong Prem high-security prison in Bangkok, inmates box outsiders for money, shorter sentences, and the greater glory of Thailand." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WG-IShOxrLg&t=8s *** In yet another copy of the Rahway program, this one in the Western Cape, this documentary presents what appears to be a workable program. *** "Inmates are often left at a crossroads when they reach the end of their prison sentence. Change their lives for the better or continue with the experience of crime. The Western Cape Sports Recreation, Arts, and Culture department hope to change this mindset. Justin Ford has more. Courtesy #DStv403 Watch the documentary posted on March 29, 2019, called Boxing Prisoners. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_5yDclvB0A PICTURES THE BEST CHIEF DEPUTY, AND MY FRIEND, JIM UCCI JAMES SCOTT AND BOB HATRAK JOGGING IN THE RECREATION YARD ON A DARE BY SCOTT. I STOPPED RUNNING AFTER THE FIRST LAP.
RAHWAY STATE PRISON DURING THE WARDEN, BOB HATRAK ERA 1973-1979 To page Admins Bob Hatrak is a native of Trenton, New Jersey Hatrak also lived in Morrisville, Pennsylvania, and then Rahway, New Jersey *** Bob attended all Trenton Schools: Saint Mary’s of The Assumption Byzantine Catholic Grammar School 1943-1951), Trenton Catholic Boys High School 1951-1955, and Rider College than on State Street (1956-1960) near the corner of State and Clinton. *** In 2014 ESPN launched a 30 for 30 podcast broadcast. In its maiden year, ESPN selected five sports stories to air. These were what they considered to be important stories from the world of sports. Incredibly the Story of the Rahway State Prison Boxing program was included in the first year’s lineup. *** If you have 43 minutes to spare listen to the podcast about Rahway’s program. The below is the link to the podcast: https://30for30podcasts.com/episodes/the-fighter-inside/
RAHWAY STATE PRISON THE BOB HATRAK ERA WARDEN - 1973-1979 I remember reading snippets from a book written by Ralph Wiley Serenity: A Boxing Memoir. In it, he described Rahway State Prison as follows: “As if the world had dropped the sum of its sores into one of New Jersey’s gritty smokestacks, then chose not to watch as the results of the experiment filtered down into place. From its forbidding rotunda on down, it was a loser.” Had Wiley written about the Rahway State Prison during the Hatrak Era (1973-1979), his focus would not have been on the outward appearance of the prison but rather on the reduction in violence there as well as the innovative programming that captured the nation’s attention. Wiley would also have focused on the excellent uniform and civilian staff on Rahway’s payroll. Wiley did a real disservice to these loyal employees when he ignored the outstanding work they did routinely. I would like to name these staff members but there are too many to list here. Also, I’d run the risk to forget someone and I'd like to avoid that. I ask that you recognize how proud I am of everyone who served at Rahway Prison during the Hatrak Era (1973-1979)