Sports notes
• SOUTH AKRON — The Akron Racers’ entire pitching staff will offer four pitching clinics Aug. 15 and 20. The morning sessions will be for ages 8-13 and the afternoon session will be for ages 14-18. Each clinic will include a skill assessment and specific drills and instruction designed to improve overall performance. The cost is $50, which includes a ticket to a Racers game and an autographed ball. To register, call (330) 376-8188.
• AKRON — The law firm of Brouse McDowell and Road Runner Akron Marathon officials have collaborated to create a new winners’ trophy — the Brouse Cup, which will be presented for the first time at the Fifth Annual Road Runner Akron Marathon, set for Sept. 29. The 18-inch-high, 20-pound, sterling silver trophy will be engraved with the names of each year’s winners in the men’s and women’s open and men’s and women’s masters divisions. Each of the four winners will be given a replica of the Brouse Cup to keep, and the trophy will be showcased throughout the community beginning in July at the facilities of sponsors and city landmarks that fall on the 26.2-mile marathon course. Confirmed tour stops include The National Inventors Hall of Fame, Akron Municipal Building, Akron Beacon Journal, Rubber City Radio Group, Brouse McDowell, Crowne Plaza, John S. Knight Center and Menches Brothers/Canal Park. The fifth anniversary race also will feature a new half-marathon course, free Brooks running shoes for all marathon finishers and a community party on race day. The Road Runner Akron Marathon is organized by the Akron Marathon Charitable Corp., a nonprofit group dedicated to promoting health and fitness. More information is available at www.akronmarathon.org or (330) 375-2786 (2RUN).
• DOWNTOWN AKRON — The University of Akron’s Zips football schedule will include five home contests and nonconference road games at Ohio State, Indiana and Connecticut universities this fall. The Zips will open the season Sept. 1, hosting Army in the inaugural Patriot Bowl, played at the Cleveland Browns Stadium and included in the Zips’ season ticket packages. The Patriot Bowl, organized by the Cleveland Sports Council, will be an annual event played at Browns Stadium and featuring a Mid-American Conference team and a representative from one of the service academies. After the Patriot Bowl, Akron will play four of its next five games on the road. First, the Zips will play consecutive contests vs. Big 10 members, going to Ohio State Sept. 8 and to Indiana Sept. 15. Akron’s first contest in the Rubber Bowl will be Sept. 22 in the 49th renewal of the Kent State University series, playing for bragging rights in the 36th Wagon Wheel Game. Akron will step out of league play the following week (Sept. 29), traveling to Storrs, Conn., to face Big East member Connecticut. The Zips then will play MAC opponents the remainder of the season, starting with an Oct. 6 contest at Western Michigan. The University will welcome back its alumni Oct. 13 as the Zips culminate a week of Homecoming activities by hosting Temple. After a week off, Akron will hit the road for games at Buffalo (Oct. 27) and Bowling Green (Nov. 2). Five days after playing at the latter, the Zips will play the first of back-to-back Wednesday night contests on ESPN2, hosting defending MAC East champion Ohio Nov. 7 and going to Miami Nov. 14. Akron will close the 2007 regular season by honoring its senior class Nov. 23 and hosting 2006 MAC champion Central Michigan. Akron will host its annual Blue and Gold Game, presented by Sky Bank, April 15 at 4 p.m. in the Athletics Field House. Also on that day, Akron’s baseball team will host Central Michigan at 1 p.m. The Athletics Department will have a number of activities surrounding the events. For updates, check GoZips.com.
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