Will he have enough left for a dance?
Apparently, former Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis is serious about going out on top.
It wasn’t enough that Lewis retired from the NFL after the Ravens won Super Bowl XLVII in February. Now the future Hall of Famer is planning to scale one of the highest points on earth when he attempts to climb Mount Kilimanjaro this summer.
According to raylewis.lockerdome.com, Lewis will climb the Tanzanian mountain in an attempt to raise money for clean water projects in eastern Africa. Lewis has urged fans on his Twitter page, @raylewis, to get the word out and retweet the message about the climb. Fans who do will be entered into a contest to win a Ravens helmet autographed by Lewis.
According to ultimatekilimanjaro.com, Mount Kilimanjaro is the tallest freestanding mountain in the world. It is 19,340 feet high, and more than 35,000 people attempt to climb it every year. The site reports that fewer than half of those who attempt to climb the mountain succeed in making it to the top.
Lewis has been known to prove doubters wrong, particularly after suffering a triceps tear that sidelined him for most of last season. He returned for the playoffs and helped lead the Ravens’ run to Super Bowl XLVII over San Francisco.
Up for a drive
How is San Francisco 49ers Coach Jim Harbaugh handling the off season?
Well, there was the NFL Draft, some organized team activities, and just this week he found himself dealing with the loss of wide receiver Michael Crabtree to an Achilles injury.
He also has a hand in Sunday’s running of the Indianapolis 500.
Harbaugh will drive the pace car at the 97th running of the Greatest Spectacle in Racing. He will lead the 33-car field around the Brickyard in a 2014 Corvette Stingray.
According to autoblog.com, Harbaugh’s connection to the race is that he’s a principal owner in Panther Racing, which has two cars entered. JR Hildebrand will start 10th and Townsend Bell will begin from the 22nd spot.
“As a longtime racing fan and someone who has followed the Indianapolis 500, the honor to drive the pace car comes as a tremendous thrill,” Harbaugh said in a news release.
Harbaugh seems a natural fit, considering he was known for leading several game-winning drives as an NFL and college quarterback and is now directing drives from the 49ers’ sideline.
Right place, right time
A 14-year-old girl collapsed in the stands Thursday night just after being shown on the “Dance Cam” between innings of the Kansas City Royals and Los Angeles Angels game at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City.
Fortunately for the girl, a nearby Royals K-Crew member was tossing out T-shirts and other prizes when she saw the girl go down. It wasn’t just an ordinary team employee, though. She also is a nurse, and she helped provide CPR and revive the girl before the stadium’s medical personnel arrived.
The employee/nurse, who didn’t want to comment when contacted afterward by a Kansas City newspaper, did enough to where the girl was breathing and awake upon leaving the stadium.
Quote of the day
“We’re very excited to play Arkansas again. We’re ready to get back at them.” LSU first baseman Tyler Moore on facing Arkansas today for the second time at the SEC Tournament
Sports, Pages 22 on 05/25/2013