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M O N D A Y , J U N E 25 , 2012
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TUSCALOOSA POST 34
Runners think twice before charging ‘Bull’
Handling the
HEAT
By Tony Tsoukalas
Special to The Tuscaloosa News
TUSCALOOSA | It’s easy to hide in the tall grass and shady woods of Vernon. Like many other small southern towns, Vernon is often overlooked by the casual passer-by. However, some things are too big to hide. Tuscaloosa American Legion baseball team Post 34 catcher Tyler “Bull” Sprouse is one of those things. “Three people call him Tyler,” his dad, Gregg Sprouse, explained. “Well four, now that he has a girlfriend. The other three are his mama, his granny and his granddaddy. Everyone else calls him Bull.” That includes the public address announcer at Post 34 home games. Others are introduced by their given names. Sprouse is introduced by his nickname. As a baby, Tyler got the nickname Bull after his mother placed pillows in front of the VCR in order to stop him from charging into it. However, nothing gets in the way of Bull. “He stood up and looked up to his mama,” Gregg Sprouse said. “Then he looked back to the pillows and back up to her, and then he went straight back at the VCR. He’s been called Bull ever since.” Bull is a man of few words; he lets his actions do the talking instead. He simply brings a presence to the field. For instance, there is the legendary game when a baserunner almost charged the Bull, then thought better of it. It was the fi rst round of the playoffs. Bull’s Lamar County High School was up against American Christian Academy. With a man on second base, ACA singled into SEE BULL | 4C
Dress for success
Items to wear include a lightweight hat, protective sunglasses and lightweight clothing that allows airflow. Tip: brighter colors can spook fish. Dull or natural colors work well for fishing.
By Daniel Byars
Special to The Tuscaloosa News
Sunscreen or Sunblock
Doctors recommend SPF 15 or more for anyone out in the sun. Tip: According to the American Melanoma Foundation, most users don’t put on enough. A full shot glass or 1.5 ounces for each part of the body is suggested and should be reapplied every few hours.
Hydrate
Hydration begins as early as the night before a day of fishing. Drink plenty of fluids that night and continue to hydrate yourself while fishing. Stay away from caffeine. Tip: Researchers have determined that pickle juice or pickle brine helps to reduce muscle cramping and dehydration more than ordinary water.
Lamar County’s Tyler “Bull” Sprouse plays catcher for Tuscaloosa Post 34.
Think of your live bait
Excessive heat can kill your worms. Keep the container out of the sun. To cool them even more, add an ice cube to the container and punch a small hole on the bottom to drain the water as it melts.
PHOTO | TONY TSOUKALAS
COLLEGE WORLD SERIES
The heat is on
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Tuscaloosa
The fish are hot, too
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OMAHA, NEB . | Konner Wade threw his third straight complete game, Robert Refsnyder homered for the second game in a row and Arizona beat two-time defending national champion South Carolina 5-1 in the opener of the College World Series fi nals on Sunday night. Wade (11-3) limited the Gamecocks to six hits in a steady outing to help the Wildcats (47-17) move within a win of their fi rst national championship since 1986 and fourth COLLEGE overall. Arizona and South CaroWORLD lina play Game 2 tonight. The Gamecocks (49-19) swept SERIES UCLA and Florida in the best-ofArizona vs. three fi nals the past two years but South Carolina now need to beat Arizona twice to ■ When: 7 p.m. become the first team since South■ Where: Omaha, ern California in the early 1970s Neb. to win three championships in a ■ TV: ESPN row. ■ Series: Arizona Refsnyder, batting .444 (8 of 18) leads, 1-0 in the CWS, went 2 for 3 and was intentionally walked twice. He hit a two-run homer off Forrest Koumas (2-3) in the fi rst to give Arizona the lead, and scored in the fi fth on Bobby Brown’s single to make it a fourrun game. Refsnyder, who has eight homers this season, also went deep Thursday in the Wildcats’ bracket-winning victory over Florida State. His home run Sunday was the fi rst allowed by South Carolina in 77 innings. SEE A RIZONA | 4C
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74° 66°
By Eric Olson
The Associated Press
According to the National Weather Service, July and August are Tuscaloosa’s two hottest months of the year, with average highs in the 90s.
Average high 86° 90° 91° 88° 81°
Wade powers Arizona to Game 1 victory
Anglers need to follow special guidelines for summer fishing
Fish are looking for shade and won’t travel too far from it during the heat of the day. Structures such as docks, sunken trees or deep rock reefs provide good shade for fish on these hot days.
TUSCALOOSA | Anglers on local waters can have a hard time catching fish in the summer, but the heat is tougher on the angler than on the fish. Fishing in the heat can be discouraging, but fisheries biologist Jay Haffner assures anglers the fish will still bite. Haffner said that as the water temperature rises, so does the fish’s metabolism. “Anglers have to work a little harder in the summer at finding fish,” Haffner said. With the water at around 85 degrees Fahrenheit in most lakes, the fish burn energy faster. The fish stay in one spot, and when they do move, they move very slowly. Haffner said the fish stay tight to cover, in deep areas and in places with a lot of shade and cover. Fox Harmon, a salesman in Woods and Water’s fishing department, said heat does not affect bass that much. Harmon likes to throw topwater baits in the early morning and evening, during the cooler parts of the day. During the hotter parts of the day, he uses crankbaits and worms. Harmon fishes much more slowly during the day, fishing all the structure he can fi nd. “The biggest bass I’ve ever caught was in mid-July between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.,” Harmon said. Harmon focuses on fi nding changes in structure and deep-water reefs during the day. As the day warms up, he moves out to deeper water to catch fish. Haffner said anglers have to be a little more creative in the summer at fi nding and catching fish. “Whether it is bass fishing or any other kind of fishing, you have to allow the fish to tell you what they are biting,” Haffner said. Bass do not really grow much during the summer, but they still need to eat. Haffner said the fish are eating. SEE F ISHING | 4C
Baits and lures Anglers should use top water lures in the morning and afternoon hours (the cooler part of the day) and deep-water crank baits during the heat of the day. Anglers may also want to use different kinds of worms.
STAFF ILLUSTRATION | ANTHONY BRATINA