With the June primary concluded we will at least get a brief break from those annoying phone calls and the political flyers and such that jam our mail boxes.

Tom McArthur on Election Night
Tom McArthur on Election Night (Tom McArthur Facebook)
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As expected Tom MacArthur handily won the most hotly-contested race in our area as he turned back Steve Lonegan to capture the Republican nomination in the 3rd congressional district.  It was a rather ugly campaign in which most of the rhetoric featured negative attacks about the other guy and I’m sure it turned off more voters than it turned on as in Ocean County only 8% went to the polls.

MacArthur will face a bigger challenge when he takes on Burlington County Democratic Freeholder Aimee Belgard in November for the seat being vacated by Congressman Jon Runyan, who is not seeking another term.

To many if not most Jack Martin is best known for having a road named after him in Brick Township.  However old timers and long time residents know that Martin was a former major league baseball player who played for both the Yankees and Phillies during a three-year career between 1912-1914.  Born in Plainfield he spent the last 26 years of his life in Brick and died on July 4, 1980 less than two weeks after suffering two heart attacks shortly after being introduced at the Yankees Old-Timer’s Day.

Jack Martin
Jack Martin (Townsquare Media NJ)
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Martin was 93 years old and at the time of his death was the oldest living former Yankees and Phillies player.  Not long after his death a scholarship was created in Martin’s honor which would be awarded to a Brick Township college-bound baseball or softball player.  33 years later that scholarship fund remains thanks to the efforts of Hank Handchen and Paul Larson, Jr.  Tuesday at Larson Ford soon-to-be Brick High School graduates Nikki Forbes and Nick Zbranek each received $250 as the latest recipients of the Jack Martin Scholarship.

Forbes, a second baseman on the Green Dragons softball team will be attending West Chester University while Zbranek, who had a fine season at third base for Brick is on his way to the University of Tampa.

Speaking of baseball, Jackson Memorial has reached the Group 4 state final following a 6-5 victory over defending champion Eastern Regional.  Matt Guarino earned the win on the mound and helped his own cause with a home run.  The Jaguars will meet Roxbury on Saturday in Toms River as they bid for their first state title since 1972.

 

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