A couple of guys from the northern end of the county here were honored by the Syracuse Chiefs at the ballclub’s 53rd annual Hot Stove Dinner and Silent Auction last Friday, at the Holiday Inn Convention Center on Electronics Parkway.
Ron Gersbacher, who lives in Liverpool, won this year’s President’s Award, the highest honor bestowed by the Chiefs. It’s presented at the discretion of the team president to a current or past member of the team’s board of directors for making exemplary efforts to enhance the franchise.
Gersbacher has served as team historian since 1985 and has been a member of the Chiefs board of directors since 1997. He was team president from December 2006 through November 2011, and was succeeded by Bill Dutch, who recommended Ron for this award.
Well-rounded Ron Wray
Gersbacher’s not only a big baseball fan, he’s also a pop music maniac.
Back in 1970, when he was a local radio disc jockey known as Ron Wray, he released “The History of Syracuse Music, Volume One” an LP dedicated to preserving regional rock’n’roll.
Fourteen volumes later, including a switch of formats to compact disc, Ron’s still rockin.’ Since 2011, he has worked as a member of the board of directors of the Syracuse Area Music Awards, and he has written a comprehensive blog on — what else? — “The History of Syracuse Music.”
If you cared about Jimmy Cavallo, if you danced to Don Barber & The Dukes, if you rocked along with the Ridgewoods, then you owe it to yourself to log into ronwray.blogspot.com/.
Tom Leo also feted
Back at the Chiefs Hot Stove event last weekend, the other local guy being feted was Tom Leo who lives in Cicero. Tom won this year’s Jake Meyers Great Guy Award, an honor given annually to an individual who devotes much of their own time to boost Chiefs baseball in Central New York. Tom Leo has been both a sportswriter covering the team for The Post-Standard and has served as the team’s official scorer, the guy who differentiates hits from errors.
The Chiefs plan to play their 2013 home opener at 2 p.m. Friday, April 12, versus the Lehigh Valley IronPigs at Alliance Bank Stadium on Syracuse’s North Side; syracusechiefs.com; 474-7833.
Lizard books Z-Bones
Clubowner Scott Schimpff has booked some lively live music for this Saturday night at the Limp Lizard Bar & Grill, at 201 First St. here in the village.
At 9 p.m. Feb. 9, the Z-Bones will play tunes from the band’s fifth compact disc, “Another Century.” The new disc showcases roots rockin’ numbers such as an eerie, organ-driven “Ghost Ship” and a tongue-in-cheek dance ditty titled “I Don’t Love My Baby.”
Liverpool native Mike Gridley demonstrates his exciting electric guitar chops on tracks like “Broken,” “Ready to Go” and “Ride That Rail.” Leading the Z-Bones is the Z-man, guitarist Ed Zacholl, who’s ably supported by bassist Lorne Coon , drummer Louie Fortin harmonica player Mike Lounsbery and, of course, Liverpudlian Gridley on the guit-box.
Admission is free at the Limp Lizard, and the barbecue is bodacious; 451-9774.
Mardi Gras music
Fat Tuesday is Feb. 12, but trombonist Bobby Morris, who lives in Liverpool, invites you to celebrate the season on Sunday afternoon, Feb. 10.
Morris is the president of the Jazz Appreciation Society of Syracuse, which will host a Mardi Gras Party featuring the JazzHappens Band at 4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 10, at Pensabene’s Casa Grande, 135 State Fair Blvd., on Syracuse’s West End. Admission costs $12 for JASS members, $15 for others.
The swinging septet from Cortland will play tunes identified with New Orleans including “Bourbon Street Parade,” “Farewell to Storyville,” “Milneburg Joys” and “Basin Street Blues.”
For info, give Bobby a buzz at 652-0547.
