With a third place finish in last month at the College National Final Rodeo, the UTM rodeo team will look to build on their success this past season.
    This was UT Martin's 34th consecutive appearance in the CNFR. This year's third-place finish matches UT Martin's previous best in the CNFR, a third-place finish in the 1985 national finals.
    "I've been coaching 27 years and I've been blessed to coach two different teams before I came to Martin," UTM rodeo coach John Luthi said. "One to a second place finish and one to a third place finish."
    But, Luthi added, a lot of things can happen just like in any sport when you get to that level.
    "You pray that you get some opportunities and that you're able to take advantage of them," Luthi said. "We didn't take advantage of every opportunity, but we took advantage of enough to where we were blessed enough to win third in the nation. And, we're real thankful for that. We hopefully can continue to improve."
    The Skyhawks finished sixth in the nation in 2006.
    "But, it's a big deal and we're thankful," Luthi said.
Luthi added that the team would not have had the success they experienced this season without the support of the community.

(Read the rest of this story in this week's edition of the Dresden Enterprise!)

    Former New York Yankees second baseman Bobby Richardson was an average hitter, but when it came to the World Series the slick fielder had a knack for unleashing a potent offensive outburst.
    Richardson, who played for the Yankees from 1955-66, will be the guest speaker for the Banquet of Champions, which opens the 12 Year Old Cal Ripken Baseball World Series Aug. 7-14 at the Martin Recreation Complex in Martin. The banquet is set for 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, Aug. 6, at The University of Tennessee at Martin's Kathleen and Tom Elam Center. Tickets for the banquet are $20 each and they are on sale now at the Martin Parks and Recreation Office on Lindell Street in Martin.
    Richardson, a career .266-hitter, holds the record for most RBI (12) in a seven-game series (1960) and ties for most runs (8 in 1960) and hits (13 in 1964) in seven-game championships. He also holds the mark for most consecutive World Series games (30 between 1960 and 1964).
    He joined the New York Yankees at the age of 19.
Over the next 12 years, Richardson played in more than 1400 games while the Yankees were winning American League pennants in nine of his first ten years. He is the only player from a losing team to be named the Most Valuable Player in the World Series (1960).

(Read the rest of this story in this week's edition of the Dresden Enterprise!)