As promised, some baseball photos from 2006

A couple days ago, I posted some photos from 2005 that I had not seen for a long while.  As promised, here are some from 2006 I also ran across. Again, these photos are not the best quality but definitely valuable from an archive perspective.  Enjoy.   Shawn Roof at bat against the Hawkeyes (4/22/06) [...]

2005 photos of Illini baseball

I ran across some old photographs on my system that not been previously posted.  By old I mean 2005, before I started blogging about the team.  To put this into historical context, this was the year that Illinois won the Big Ten Championship.  It was also Coach Itch Jones’ last year. These photos actually have [...]

Double-A homerun for Roof is a first

There’s a first time for everything and no one knows that more than former Illini infielder Shawn Roof.  Last night in the very last game of the Erie Seawolves’ regular season, Roof hit his very first home run in professional and college play.  His homerun came against the Akron Aeros in the 2nd inning.  Unfortunately, [...]

Four birthdays

Shawn Roof It’s Birthday time for Illini baseball players!  Today, on August 3, four former Illini will celebrate birthdays.  Happy Birthday to Ryan Hastings, Ty Milner, Shawn Roof and Scott Shaw.  Milner and Shaw were even born on the exact day.  So if you know any of these guys, wish them a good one!! Share [...]

Shawn Roof gives props to brother Eric

SS Shawn Roof dogging baserunner and brother Eric Roof in a 2007 MSU-ILL game "It’s awesome, it’s the coolest thing ever.  He’s worked his tail off, and not too many people get to say they have a brother who plays minor-league baseball as well. Now, he gets to play in the same organization. Hopefully, he [...]

Shawn Roof hustling in AA

Former Illinois SS Shawn Roof is really hitting the ball lately in the minors.  After starting out with the Lakeland Flying Tigers, he advanced to AA earlier this year and is playing for the Erie Seawolves.  Since then, he’s really come on.  He went 4 for 5 with two triples in Tuesday’s game against the [...]

Final miscellaneous notes on the Big Ten Tournament

The Big Ten Tournament banner including Illinois’ Brandon Wikoff As always, I had a great time at the Big Ten Tournament.  Win or lose, it’s a culmination of everything that the Illinois team has worked so hard for all season.  They’ve exceeded everyone else’s expectations this season and each one of them should be proud. [...]

MSU coming strong

MSU fan Tom Tomkins posted some Spartan photos from last weekend’s series against Northwestern on his blog, Oak Openings and Observations.  It looks like we played MSU at just about the right time.  After we swept them, they mightily defeated Central Michigan 20-3.  The Roof Brothers (brothers of former Illinois SS Shawn) had an incredible [...]

Shawn Roof: News from Double-A

I always enjoy getting emails especially when they come from former Illini players.  Shawn Roof updated me on his latest since he got promoted to the Tigers’ AA squad, the Erie Seawolves. Roof is enjoying the slightly cooler weather in Erie, PA (compared to Single-A weather in Florida, at least).  However, the biggest change is [...]

Former Illini Roof moving on up

Roof during his Illini days Shawn Roof, who only last spring played shortstop for the Illini and then was drafted by the Tigers, has gotten a promotion.  After playing the bulk of this summer for the Tiger’s A team, the Lakeland Flying Tigers, he’s going to Double-A ball.  He’s now playing for the AA Erie [...]