“When Steve called last week to inform me, I thought he had the wrong number,” said Bartkowski, who led the nation in yards passing as a senior and was drafted first overall by the Atlanta Falcons. “It’s absolutely an honor.”

Bartkowski played for the BJ’s in 1973. That team went 53-8.

Saturday, June 2- West Texas Outlaws at Liberal

Sunday, June 3- Liberal at Dodge City (1270 AM)

Tuesday, June 5- Hays at Liberal (1270 AM)

Wednesday, June 6- Dodge City at Liberal (1270 AM)

Friday, June 8- Liberal at Haysville (1270 AM)

Saturday, June 9- Liberal at Haysville (1270 AM)

Sunday, June 10- Liberal at Haysville (1270 AM)

Tuesday, June 12- Liberal at Hays (1270 AM)

Wednesday, June 13- Liberal at Hays (1270 AM)

Friday, June 15- Derby at Liberal (1270 AM)

Saturday, June 16- Derby at Liberal (1270 AM)

Sunday, June 17- Derby at Liberal (1270 AM)

Monday, June 18- Colorado Bombers at Liberal

Tuesday, June 19- Colorado Bombers at Liberal

Wednesday, June 20- Liberal at Dodge City (1270 AM)

Friday, June 22- Liberal at El Dorado (1270 AM)

Saturday, June 23- Liberal at El Dorado (1270 AM)

Sunday, June 24- Liberal at El Dorado (1270 AM)

Monday, June 25- Pueblo at Liberal

Tuesday, June 26- Pueblo at Liberal

Wednesday, June 27- Hays at Liberal (1270 AM)

Friday, June 29- Haysville at Liberal (1270 AM)

Saturday, June 30- Haysville at Liberal (1270 AM)

Sunday, July 1- Haysville at Liberal (1270 AM)

Tuesday, July 3- Hays at Liberal (1270 AM)

Wednesday, July 4- Dodge City at Liberal (1270 AM)

Friday, July 6- Liberal at Derby (1270 AM)

Saturday, July 7- Liberal at Derby (1270 AM)

Sunday, July 8- Liberal at Derby (1270 AM)

Tuesday, July 10- Dodge City at Liberal (1270 AM)

Wednesday, July 11- Liberal at Dodge City (1270 AM)

Thursday, July 12- Greeley Grays at Liberal

Friday, July 13- Greeley Grays at Liberal

Saturday, July 14- Liberal at Hays (1270 AM)

Sunday, July 15- Liberal at Hays (1270 AM)

Wednesday, July 18- Hays at Liberal (1270 AM)

Thursday, July 19- Dodge City at Liberal (1270 AM)

Friday, July 20- El Dorado at Liberal (1270 AM)

Saturday, July 21- El Dorado at Liberal (1270 AM)

Sunday, July 22- El Dorado at Liberal (1270 AM)

Tuesday, July 24- Liberal at Dodge City (1270 AM)

NBC World Series begins July 26 in Wichita

All games begin at 7 p.m.

Games air on Talkradio 1270 and kscbnews.net

Some information for any former Bee Jay players or coaches who
plan on attending Bob Carlile’s funeral services on Thursday, January 12 at
100 p.m, the services at the activity center will be focused on the portion
of Bob’s life regarding family, business and service to the city of
Liberal.  There will not be any Bee Jay related matters focused on at the
activity center.  At the conclusion of the services at the activity center,
there will be a formal procession to Brent-Gould field. Apparently there
are very specific arrangements made regarding parking at Brent Gould Field
and if you do not follow the processional according to the plan, parking
will not be easy.  Also, there will be some announcements made regarding
other instructions for those of us associated with the Bee Jays at the end
of the activity center services.  There are arrangements made for former
Bee Jay players and former coaches to sit on the field.  Once you are at
the field, you will need to proceed to the gate at the north end of the
third base dugout, where you will receive additional instructions.  Saints
baseball players are going to act as ushers, so you may need to inform one
of them who you are so that you can proceed to the third base dugout gate.
If you have any questions, please call Nathan McCaffrey at 620-655-411 or
email him at liberal.beejays@gmail.com.

Bob was very active in the community, the Liberal Bee Jays, and his company J&R Sand which he started in 1959, and grew into the thriving company that it is today, employing over 70 people. Bob was involved in several highway organizations in Kansas and Oklahoma, and J&R Sand received numerous awards for their work under his direction.

Bob was involved with the Liberal Bee Jays for over 30 years, most recently serving as General Manager. In 2008, Bob recruited former Liberal Bee Jay, and Major League player and manager, Mike Hargrove to return to Liberal to manage the team. Mike’s presence once again put the Liberal Bee Jays in the national spotlight, and proved to rejuvenate the team as they won the National Championship in 2010.

Bob also served on the USD 480 Board of Education for 12 years, and the Liberal City commission for 9 years with his current term set to expire in 2015.

Bob received the Liberal Chamber of Commerce’s Merit Award in 2007, and was named The Citizen of the Year in 2008. He was also inducted into the Kansas Baseball Hall of Fame, and the National Baseball Congress Hall of Fame.

Bob gave generously of his time, resources, and often money, most of the time with the only stipulation that his name be kept anonymous.

Bob lost his beloved wife Sue in 2006. They had 4 sons , Mike, Todd, and Jerry, who are active in the business, and Bruce who resides in Bakersfield California. He was recently married to Danita, and also has five granddaughters, and one great granddaughter.

Funeral arrangements are pending

Shoppach helped beat former Bee Jay Ian Kinsler’s team. Kinsler played for the Bee Jays in 2001. He was a 30/30 guy this year with 32 homers and 30 stolen bases to go aloing with 77 RBI’s.

Hunter Pence played for the Bee Jays in 2003. He hit .324 with 11 homers and 35 RBI’s in a short time for the Philadelphia Phillies after beginning the season with the Houston Astros.

Smith was the BJ ace and was 6-3 with a 3.50 ERA. He had 56 strikeouts and 23 walks in 43 and two thirds innings. Elam was the Liberal closer and had eight saves with a 1.17 ERA and a 1-1 record. for 33-18 Liberal.

In 2011, Smith went 7-4 with a 3.00 ERA for the Shockers, while Elam went 4-1 with a 1.23 ERA and five saves.

Baseball America is ranking the top prospects in 19 summer leagues. Full scouting reports for the players who appear in the rankings are available to subscribers at www.baseballamerica.com.

Bob Cerv managed the BJ’s off and on from 1970-1982. He led the BJ’s the the 1979 NBC title. He coached players in Liberal like current coaches Galen McSpadden and Mike Hargrove, Ron Guidry, Doug Drabek, Phil Garner, Mike Moore, Rick Honeycutt, and Steve Bartkowski. He had a record of 364-100 at Liberal. Cerv played in the Major Leagues from 1951-1962 for the Yankees, A’s Astros, and Angels. He his .276 with 105 homers and 374 RBI’s. He was an all star in 1958 when he blasted 38 homers for the Kansas City A’s. He currently lives in Lincoln, Nebraska. He returned to Liberal during the summer of 2009 for Bob Cerv Day.

The Bee Jays offense which scored 23 runs the first two games struggled for a third straight night scoring two unearned runs with only six hits.

Nevada (32-22) scored an unearned run in the third after a throwing error by the BJ third baseman. Liberal plated two in the top of the fourth thanks to an error by the Griffon third sacker. A Micah Green sac fly tied the game and a Dean Friedberg slicing double to right center gave the BJ’s a 2-1 lead.

Nevada tied the game on a BJ wild pitch in the bottom of the fourth. Nevada plated two unearned runs in the fifth thanks in part to a ground ball through the wickets of the BJ second baseman.

Jared Moore pitched three and two-thirds allowing two runs but one earned run. Kasey Merck pitched two-thirds allowing two unearned runs before Robbie Ingram pitched two-thirds scoreless. Olsen worked two scoreless innings. Brent Harrison worked a perfect eighth.

The BJ’s finish seventh with a 3-2 NBC record and a 33-18 overall record in a season which will be remembered for a rash of injuries causing an ever changing BJ lineup this summer. Liberal has finished in the top seven at the NBC four consecutive seasons and is 20-7 at the tournament during that span.