THE MORNING CALL THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2009 SO YOU KNOW SPORTS THE PUCKS DROP TONIGHT The National Hockey League regular season begins tonight with four games. The Flyers begin their season at 7 p.m. Friday LV WILD BLOG: Weekly fishing report at Carolina, while Philadelphia’s home opener is 7 p.m. Tuesday after 3 p.m. @ themorningcall.com/outdoors when it hosts Washington at the Wachovia Center. PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES: 2009 NATIONAL LEAGUE EAST CHAMPIONS THREE OF A KIND Winning their division the third straight year, Phillies enter the postseason. By Mandy Housenick OF THE MORNING CALL PHILADELPHIA — For once, the drama was missing. And nobody was complaining. The Phillies clinched their third consecu- tive National League East Division title with a 10-3 victory over the Houston Astros on Wednesday at Citizens Bank Park with four days to spare. “It’s nice to be able to breathe a little bit,” Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said. In decisive Game 5 of last year’s World Series, the Tampa Bay Rays had the tying run at the plate be- fore Brad Lidge ended things by striking out Eric Hinske. When the Phillies wrapped up last year’s divi- sion title on the second- to-last day PHILLIES 10 of the season, Jim- ASTROS 3 my Rollins turned A a game-saving Looking ahead: Phils double play with look to put icing on the Lidge on the cake as LHP Cliff Lee mound. Both (7-3, 3.28) takes on RHP were one-run Felipe Paulino (2-11, 6.51) games. 7:05 tonight at CBP. Lidge was on the mound this time, too, but it wasn’t a close game. The Phillies’ NLDS opponent has yet to be decided, but Raul Ibanez has already made up his mind about one thing. “It’s just the beginning,” he said. Once the fourth inning was over Wednes- day, the Phils were able to breathe a little easier, thanks to what their bats and bullpen 1 — yes, their bullpen — did over the last 4 /2 innings. The Phillies’ offense displayed the heart, guts and style that resemble this city and their manager. It’s exactly what Charlie Man- Please see PHILLIES SPORTS 7 MULTIMEDIA Blog: Phillies have lots to think about for their postseason roster. Read about it in Phillies Files. Twitter: Mandy Housenick tweets from ELIZABETH ROBERTSON / MCT tonight’s game at Citizens Bank Park. The Phillies’ Shane Victorino (right) is greeted at homeplate by teammate Raul Ibanez after scoring a run in the fourth inning. themorningcall.com/sports This ‘race’ was over a while ago PHILADELPHIA —So There were conflicting reports at the sta- And yet, there were still some moments there actually was a dium about which game actually ended first. to treasure as the Phillies assured them- race to the National But no matter — the Phillies had cemented a selves of more baseball beyond Sunday. League East Division ti- third consecutive division title that they Perhaps the No. 1 moment was provided tle after all for the 2009 seemingly had wrapped up for months. by manager Charlie Manuel, who trudged Phillies. Because it happened with four more to the mound with two out and nobody on in It happened Wednes- games still to play and with the Braves six the ninth to bring in Brad Lidge. It was a day night. off the pace, there was not the dire urgency classy gesture that was at once a symbolic While the Phillies that accompanied the last-day drama of 2007 nod to what he accomplished in 2008 and a were beating Houston or the second-to-last-day tension of last year reminder that he may still be needed in 2009. 10-3 at Citizens Bank when Jimmy Rollins began that spectacular Bolstered by the large and somewhat sur- Park, Florida was Keith double play that set the stage for an October prising ovation, Lidge induced a first-pitch bouncing the Braves to remember. grounder to first off the bat of Lance Berk- 5-4 in Atlanta. Groller There was no spectacular collapse by the man that set fireworks blasting, rally tow- The two games ran Mets to cherish or an amazing comeback to els twirling and champagne corks popping. YONG KIM / MCT neck-and-neck all night and ended at almost trumpet. Chase Utley (left) and other members of the exactly the same time. This was ho-hum by comparison. Phillies celebrate after defeating Houston Please see GROLLER SPORTS 7 and clinching the National League East title. Patience is key for bagging Mark Kappes is trying to fulfill his Olympic dream from 1988 that never a deer with bow & arrow took place They are expected to be in because of BLOG injury. He will abundance as buck season compete in the Tips from the pros for a successful upcoming World opens Saturday for archers. archery hunt in Lehigh Valley Wild. Masters Weight- themorningcall.com/outdoors lifting champion- By Gary R. Blockus ships in Sydney, OF THE MORNING CALL Australia. of gypsy moths this year, which were con- For many hunters in Pennsylvania, Satur- trolled by Mother Nature in the form of a MONICA CABRERA / day marks the start of buck season with the fungus that prevented them from reaching THE MORNING CALL early statewide antlered and antlerless deer normal population, acorns are in abun- archery season that closes on Nov. 14. dance. Locally, Wildlife Management Unit 5C “One thing I’ve noticed more so than in (which includes the majority of The Morning the past few years,” said Matt Morrett of the Call readership area) has been open for antl- Harrisburg areas, one of the pro staff mem- Area lifter hopes Worlds erless deer archery since Sept. 19, and ex- bers for Hunter Specialties, “is that we have tends through Nov. 28. a bumper crop of acorns. The mast crop is Archery season is a prime time of the year plentiful. It will make it tough to figure out for hunters, and archers consider them- the best areas for food source. A lot of people are worth the weight selves the most wary of outdoorsmen be- get discouraged when we have a bumper cause their craft requires them to have a tar- crop of hard mast because the deer can eat get usually no more than 30 yards away. anywhere.” By Gary R. Blockus pounds over his head. With the leaves changing colors and cool- Morrett, along with fellow Hunter Special- OF THE MORNING CALL The 242-pounder was his opening lift. He er morning and evening temperatures set- ties pro staffer Rick White of Iowa, offered had trained to snatch 264 pounds, which ting in, those afield have the opportunity to early season pointers for archers looking for Mark Kappes remembers all too well that would have qualified him for the Olympics in hunt in a comfortable climate without wear- success. day 22 years ago when his Olympic dream Seoul. ing the numerous layers of clothing often re- White prefers to hunt by locating food faded into reconstructive surgery. But as the bar went over his head, some- quired to keep warm by the time firearms sources. During early season, he primarily Kappes, attempting to qualify for the 1988 thing went terribly wrong that day in Decem- deer season opens on Nov. 30. hunts in the evenings as the deer migrate U.S. Olympic Team in weightlifting, took ber 1987. Instead of stopping the bar over his According to David Henry, regional forest- from their bedding area to the food. part in a special qualifier for him at Allen head to complete the lift, Kappes, a Catasau- er for the Southeast Region of Pennsylvania, “I’m not saying you can’t have luck in the High School’s J. Milo Sewards Gym. While qua High School graduate, felt one of the deer hunting prospects are good in the area morning,” White said, “but you have to make attempting a snatch — one of the two lifts worst pains in his life. His left elbow bent with denser populations of deer concentrat- sure you’re not bumping the deer that are required in Olympic weightlifting — Kappes ing around areas with good food and cover. powerfully snapped a barbell loaded with 242 Please see KAPPES SPORTS 4 Partly from the plenty of rain and the lack Please see ARCHERY SPORTS 2.