West Virginia
5 West Virginia Black Bears taken in 2024 MLB Draft
![5 West Virginia Black Bears taken in 2024 MLB Draft](https://www.wboy.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/43/2024/07/AP24196833153030.jpg?w=1280)
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (WBOY) — Five players from the 2024 West Virginia Black Bears heard their names called during this year’s MLB Draft, the team announced Tuesday. This marks 32 total players who have been selected from the team since the organization joined the MLB Draft League in 2021.
Ryan Lambert, a right-handed pitcher from the University of Oklahoma was the highest player taken from the 2024 Black Bears team as the New York Mets took him in the eighth round at 233rd overall. Just 13 picks later, teammate Ethan Sloan was selected in the eighth round at 246th overall by the Detroit Tigers.
Also drafted from the 2024 Black Bears was right-handed pitcher Blake Shepardson, who was taken in the 11th round, 319th overall by the Chicago White Sox, right-handed pitcher Eric Loomis, who was taken in the 16th round, 495th overall by the Texas Rangers and outfielder Andrew Patrick, who was taken in the 17th round, 504th overall by the Pittsburgh Pirates.
On top of the players selected from the Black Bears’ 2024 roster, six former Black Bears were also taken including right-handed pitcher L.P. Langevin, who became the first MLB Draft League player—active or alumni—taken in this year’s draft in the fourth round at 105th overall by the Kansas City Royals.
Other former Black Bears taken this year include:
- Sam Antonaci—Chicago White Sox (5th round, 140th overall)
- Peyton Olejnil—Los Angeles Angels (6th round, 172nd overall)
- Ryan Schiefer—Tampa Bay Rays (14th round, 426th overall)
- Ben Hartl—Texas Rangers (14th round, 435th overall)
- Ryan Degges—Philadelphia Phillies (17th round, 522nd overall)
Overall 52 current and former MLB Draft League players heard their names called during this year’s draft, the most in league history, according to the team. 36 of those players were from active rosters and included 19 pitchers and 17 position players.
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West Virginia
West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice brings out his bulldog Babydog to huge cheers at the Republican convention… and claims she can ‘predict the future’
![West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice brings out his bulldog Babydog to huge cheers at the Republican convention… and claims she can ‘predict the future’](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/07/17/02/87424699-13641631-image-a-14_1721178500823.jpg)
West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice brought along his favorite accessory to the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee Tuesday night: his clairvoyant bulldog Babydog.
Justice is vying for the Senate seat currently held by Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin, who is retiring – and is likely to flip it to the GOP in the fall.
During Justice’s years in the governor’s mansion, the plump English bulldog has been a constant companion, and fills the role of Punxsutawney Phil and sports prognosticator for the Mountain State.
Justice told the crowd she had some thoughts about the November election during the dog’s appearance Tuesday night.
‘Babydog’s got a prediction for everybody here,’ Justice said. ‘Babydog says we’ll retain the majority in the House, we’re going to flip the United States Senate and overwhelmingly we’re going to elect Donald J. Trump and J.D. Vance in November.’
Babydog, the bulldog belonging to West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice, who is running for U.S. Senate, made a surprise cameo Tuesday night at the Republican National Convention
![Gov. Jim Justice (right) was seated during his convention speech and had a handler plop Babydog down beside him](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/07/17/02/87424703-13641631-image-a-15_1721178541767.jpg)
Gov. Jim Justice (right) was seated during his convention speech and had a handler plop Babydog down beside him
![Babydog, who plays the role of sports and weather prognosticator - a la Punxsutawney Phil - in West Virginia makes a surprise appearance Tuesday night at the RNC](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/07/17/02/87425989-13641631-image-a-17_1721179435138.jpg)
Babydog, who plays the role of sports and weather prognosticator – a la Punxsutawney Phil – in West Virginia makes a surprise appearance Tuesday night at the RNC
Justice was tapped to speak on day No. 2 of the Republican National Convention during a part of the program where all the GOP’s Senate candidates delivered remarks.
He stood out by sitting.
Justice walked out onstage and sat down in a chair behind the podium – as an empty armchair remained emtpy onstage next to him.
At the top of the speech, Justice talked about the greatness of West Virginia.
‘We want you to come to try us out someday,’ Justice said.
Then he got down to business.
‘Now, with all that being said, I know that a lot of you want to meet my little buddy,’ he said. ‘Now if Babydog can come out here.’
![Babydog walks onstage at the Republican National Convention on Tuesday. She was then plopped on an armchair during Gov. Jim Justice's speech](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/07/17/02/87424705-13641631-image-a-16_1721178726510.jpg)
Babydog walks onstage at the Republican National Convention on Tuesday. She was then plopped on an armchair during Gov. Jim Justice’s speech
![Justice claimed that Babydog predicted the Senate would flip to Republican control, the House would remain in GOP control and the White House would be won by former President Donald Trump and his new running mate, Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/07/17/02/87425993-13641631-image-a-18_1721179539120.jpg)
Justice claimed that Babydog predicted the Senate would flip to Republican control, the House would remain in GOP control and the White House would be won by former President Donald Trump and his new running mate, Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance
![Gov. Jim Justice said of Babydog: 'She makes you smile and she loves everybody. How could the message possibly be any more simpler than that'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/07/17/02/87423941-13641631-image-a-19_1721179554939.jpg)
Gov. Jim Justice said of Babydog: ‘She makes you smile and she loves everybody. How could the message possibly be any more simpler than that’
![West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice walks off stage followed by Babydog Tuesday night at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/07/17/02/87425997-13641631-image-a-20_1721179559275.jpg)
West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice walks off stage followed by Babydog Tuesday night at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee
A handler carried the bulldog out and plopped her in the armchair.
‘Now as the world watches, you didn’t really expect that did you?’ Justice asked the crowd.
They screamed and cheered.
‘She makes you smile and she loves everybody,’ he gushed. ‘How could the message possibly be any more simpler than that.’
Though as the GOP tried to push a theme of ‘unity’ Tuesday night, Justice himself predicted discord if the party’s nominee wasn’t successful.
‘We become totally unhinged if Donald Trump is not elected in November,’ the Senate hopeful said.
West Virginia
Photo gallery: Best Virginia continues preparation for TBT opener – WV MetroNews
![Photo gallery: Best Virginia continues preparation for TBT opener – WV MetroNews](https://wvmetronews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/DSC_0176-scaled.jpg)
Jones enjoying transition to coaching for this year’s version of TBT
Kevin Jones, one of the more decorated players in WVU history, had his share of memorable moments playing four years in TBT. While Jones continues to play overseas, he’s presently transitioning to a role as assistant coach for Best Virginia.
By Greg Carey
July 16, 2024 – 12:18 pm
West Virginia
New Play Explores How AIDS Epidemic Affected Black Americans, This West Virginia Morning – West Virginia Public Broadcasting
![New Play Explores How AIDS Epidemic Affected Black Americans, This West Virginia Morning – West Virginia Public Broadcasting](https://wvpublic.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/071624_Copy-of-West-Virginia-Morning-Template-No-Image.png)
On this West Virginia Morning, the AIDS epidemic beginning in the 1980s took hundreds of thousands of lives across the country, and even more around the world. A new theater production at this year’s Contemporary American Theater Festival (CATF) in Shepherdstown highlights how the disease impacted the lives of Black Americans in particular.
Jack Walker sat down with playwright Donja R. Love and his colleagues to discuss the project, and what it means to tell this story in the Mountain State. Also, in this show, experts are concerned about a growing mental health crisis nationally. In this story from our sister station WEKU, Stan Ingold takes a look at the struggles faced by those dealing with mental health access in eastern Kentucky.
West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.
Support for our news bureaus comes from Shepherd University.
Chris Schulz produced this episode.
Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning
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