As players dust off their pads, a sort of culture shock awaits many high schoolers as they climb that ladder for the first time at Baltimore area Catholic schools.

As the NFL regular season nears its kickoff, several former Baltimore-area Catholic high school players are battling for spots on pro football rosters.

Yogi Berra, Gil Hodges, Derek Jeter, Babe Ruth, Whitey Ford and Connie Mack were among the first-place winners Catholic voters chose in online balloting for an all-time Catholic baseball all-star team.

Legendary broadcaster Vin Scully, best known for his 67 seasons calling games for the Los Angeles Dodgers, died at his home in the Hidden Hills section of Los Angeles Aug. 2. He was 94.

An online exhibit sponsored by the Knights of Columbus shows some of the many connections between the Catholic fraternal organization and the national pastime.

Father Casey Cole, 33, and Father Roberto Serrano, 35, are traveling 17,000 miles in less than three months this summer, visiting all 30 Major League Baseball parks on a mission to introduce fans to the Catholic Church. The trip included a stop at Oriole Park at Camden Yards June 7.

Imploring God to shine over Baltimore and the Preakness with the “brightness of a Black-eyed Susan,” Bishop Bruce Lewandowski toured Pimlico May 19 and offered prayerful reflection to hundreds gathered for an almost 100-year-old racetrack tradition.

While the first Saturday in May’s running of the Kentucky Derby boasts the fastest two minutes in sports, Churchill Downs’ backside chapel hosts what might be the fastest Sunday Mass in the Archdiocese of Louisville.

Mount St. Mary’s University in Emmitsburg is joining the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference July 1, the university announced May 2.

Adrienne Roberson enjoys the view, whether it’s driving into downtown Baltimore or sitting at her perch in the press box at Camden Yards.