Wednesday, June 08, 2005

Stories on Justin Upton As one would expect, the first pick in the baseball draft, Justin Upton, figures prominently on the sports pages of Hampton Roads: Upton 1st, Zimmerman 4th in Major League Baseball Draft (Virginian-Pilot)     CHESAPEAKE -- Manny and Yvonne Upton, with sons B.J. and Justin, sat on a table in Great Bridge High School’s crowded media center Tuesday afternoon. They stared at a large, flat screen hooked to a laptop as news cameras stared back. Yvonne grimaced. Justin snapped his bubble gum. Manny and B.J. were stoic, belying the anticipation in the room. Already thick, the tension was exacerbated by technical glitches in starting the 1 p.m. Web cast of Major League Baseball’s amateur draft, in which Justin Upton was expected to be chosen first. Twice, the promised announcement was met with abrupt silence by dozens of students, friends and family – and followed by a burst of nervous laughter as the Arizona Diamondbacks’ pick was delayed. The alleged hold-up? The New York Yankees’ tardiness in joining the official draft conference call . Ultimately, though, even the “Damn Yankees” couldn’t forestall the inevitable forever: “Arizona selects Draft No. 8526, Upton,” came the voice of a Diamondbacks executive through the speaker... Baseball Comes Calling (Daily Press) As much as Justin Upton wanted Tuesday to be just another day, it wasn't. Life changed around 12:30 p.m. when the 17-year-old high school senior became a millionaire. Upton, a shortstop from Great Bridge High in Chesapeake, was selected No. 1 overall by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the Major League Baseball draft. He one-upped his big brother, B.J., who was chosen No. 2 overall in the 2002 draft by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, but they made history together. They are the highest selected brothers in the history of the major league draft... Not a bad bit of publicity for my alma mater, Great Bridge High School, as the Associated Press pictures show him wearing his jersey.  With him being the first pick overall, every sports page in the country has at least a mention of him and his school. Jackpotzrebie comment []11:17:58 AM   trackback []