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The shot heard over the phoneAug 30, 2009 (The Augusta Chronicle - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- I heard a great story the other day I thought I would share. Earlier this month, while his grandson Jordan Lilly was with his teammates in Texarkana, Ark., trying to win a Dixie "O" Zone World Series, Pierce Blanchard was in Nova Scotia. Blanchard and a group of friends had planned the trip long before he knew Jordan would be involved in the World Series, much less be two wins away from the title. While on a trip, Gene Sullivan, one of Blanchard's friends, let him know that he had a prepaid phone and if he wanted to call and check on Jordan's team to feel free to use the phone. Blanchard knew Columbia County was playing Texas, a team that had beaten them earlier in the tournament, so he took him up on the offer -- and boy, did he have good timing. Blanchard called his daughter, Karen, and asked how Jordan was doing. She quickly told her father that he was coming to the plate with the bases loaded and she would hold up the phone and let him hear the crowd. As Blanchard waited, he heard a roar like he had never heard before. Then his daughter excitedly filled Blanchard in: His grandson, Jordan, had just launched a grand slam. That homer helped to propel Columbia County to a victory, and it would go on to beat Texas one more time to claim the World Series crown. And that phone call is one that Pierce Blanchard will never forget. As I write this, the Dixie "O" Zone champions are headed to Memphis, Tenn., to play in National Youth Baseball Champ-ionships. This time there will be no phone call needed. Blanchard will be making the trip with his daughter Karen, and her husband, Mike Lilly. Johnstun continues his winning ways Evans resident Jordan Johnstun does not get to play in every amateur event in the area, but when he does, it is usually bad news for the rest of the field. The former Georgia Southern standout easily distanced the field last weekend at Jones Creek Golf Club to claim the title at the final Regions Cup event of the year. Johnstun opened with 1-under 71. I just happened to be paired with Johnstun in the opening round and saw first-hand why he has been so successful in recent years. He hit the first 16 greens in regulation and made the extremely difficult Jones Creek layout seem rather tame. He made two birdies and one bogey for a share of the first-round lead. In the final round, Johnstun put the tournament away early. He birdied the par-4 first hole, and made another birdie at the par-5 fifth and never relinquished his lead from there. He would finish with 4-under 68 and cruised to a four-shot win. The victory was not his first time in the winner's circle. Johnstun burst onto the local golf scene three years ago when he won the Augusta City Amateur, which is the biggest event each year on the Regions Cup schedule. Since then, Johnstun has owned that tournament, becoming the first player to win the event for three consecutive years. He also established the City Amateur scoring record in 2008 when he finished the 54-hole event 14-under-par en route to a three-shot win. Johnstun does not plan to defend his City Amateur or Jones Creek Classic titles. Instead he plans to turn pro in February after he earns his degree from Georgia Southern. If you are wondering why you did not hear his name as he came through the junior golf ranks, there is a good reason. The talented lefty played his high school golf at LaGrange High School, but his family moved to Columbia County while he was a freshman at Georgia Southern. Playing the mini-tours is a very expensive proposition, so Johnstun is trying to secure investors. If you would like to know a little more about Jordan, and want to see how you can invest in a professional golfer, just log onto his Web site at www.jordanjohnstun.com. To see more of The Augusta Chronicle, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://augustachronicle.com. Copyright (c) 2009, The Augusta Chronicle, Ga. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email [email protected], call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA. |