Yaz fan to skipper Southern Vermont College

That's the entire school - not just the baseball team.

Karen Gross, a professor of law who has a strong interest in civil liberties and a passion for books, maps and Red Sox slugger Carl Yastrzemski, was inaugurated as the new president of Southern Vermont College Saturday afternoon.

Gross was formally inducted as the eighth president of the small college in a ceremony at the Bennington Center for the Arts that drew many presidents from the region's colleges.

...

Gross said she thinks the No. 8 is significant for her personally and professionally, since she has become the college's eighth presidency.

"My favorite baseball player of all time – my Red Sox hero Carl Yastrzemski — wore the No. 8," she said in a whimsical turn in her talk.

Another home run for Yaz Nation! Congratulations, Karen!!

Deal or No Deal?

Read about the day in 1975 when Yaz was almost traded for Bill Hands.

The 2007 Ford C. Frick Award

Voting is underway now at MLB.com for the Ford C. Frick Award. Longtime Red Sox announcers Ken Coleman and Ned Martin are on the ballot.

Presented annually since 1978, the Ford C. Frick Award is given to an active or retired broadcaster with a minimum of 10 years of continuous Major League broadcast service with a ballclub, network or a combination of the two.

Fans will have the opportunity to vote for up to three of the nearly 200 broadcasters eligible for consideration for the 2007 Ford C. Frick Award. Fans are allowed to vote once daily. Results will be announced in early December. The fans' selections, along with the full ballot of 10 candidates, will be announced in late January.

The final ballot will be comprised of three online selections, along with seven other candidates determined by a Hall of Fame research team. The Frick electorate includes all living award winners and six historians appointed by the Hall of Fame.

Coleman, who died in the summer of 2003, represents a strong contingent of former or current Red Sox announcers that also includes the late Ned Martin. Current Sox announcers Jerry Remy (television) and Joe Castiglione (radio) are also nominees.

Coleman called games for the Red Sox from 1966-74 and 1979-89. Before going home to become the voice of the Sox, Coleman called every touchdown scored by NFL legend Jim Brown.

In all, Coleman spent 35 years as a Major League broadcaster, also calling games for the Indians (1954-63) and Reds (1975-78).

While Coleman traveled around a bit during his illustrious career, Martin was a rock of stability, calling Red Sox games from 1961 until his retirement following the 1992 season.

Martin happened to be a rookie in Boston the very same year eventual Hall of Famer Yastrzemski broke into Fenway. He called more Yaz moments than any other broadcaster.

Vote here.