Griffon players in need of summer host familes

NEVADA, Mo. -- The Nevada Griffons are looking for summer homes for seven of their team members that are either here or will be arriving shortly.

Joyce Wilson, the Griffons housing coordinator, said that she has temporary housing for the seven players, but she needs to find them permanent homes as soon as possible.

For baseball fans, this is an opportunity to develop a life-long friendship with someone who may someday be a major league baseball player. More than one local host family corresponds regularly with past Griffons who spent the summer with them.

Some local families hosted Trevor Hoffman when he played here in 1987 and the Royals Mark Tehan when he was here in 2000.

These seven players come from all over the nation and will be in town through the month of July. If the Griffons qualify for the NBC World Series in Wichita, Kan., they could be for an additional two weeks.

Morgan Smith is a sophomore at Binghamton University, Binghamton, N.Y., where he a right-handed pitcher. His home town is Clifton Park, N.Y. His team is currently in post-season play and he will arrive here in early June.

Nathaniel VanBibber, a sophomore and right-handed pitcher at Garden City (Kan.) Community College, is from Littleton, Colo. He is a business major and had three brothers and two sisters. He has his own transportation and is already in town. He currently has temporary accommodations, but is need of a permanent home for the summer.

Tyler Jinks is a sophomore at Three Rivers Community College in Southeast Missouri. He is a right-handed pitcher from Springfield, Mo. He is already in town and is staying with the same family as VanBibber and is also in need of a permanent host family for the summer.

David De La Chapell is a sophomore at Howard College (Texas). He is a right handed pitcher from Coppel, Texas, and a business major with a minor in finance. He has his own transportation and will be arriving in early June.

Ryan Parson is a sophomore at Georgia State College and University where he is a right-handed pitcher. He is from Madison, Ga. and is majoring in psychology. He has two brothers and two sisters and is temporarily staying with a family that is to host different Griffons player after the play-offs. He is need of a host family for the summer.

Thomas McAlpine is a sophomore from Western Oklahoma State College, where he is a catcher and first baseman. He is from North Richland Hills, Texas. He has already arrived in town and needs a host family for the summer.

Mason MacNoll is a sophomore from Texas Tech where he is an outfielder. He is from Abilene, Texas, and has one sister. He has his own transportation and will be arriving in Nevada in early June and will need a host family for the summer.

Anyone interested in hosting one of these players now, or possibly one later in the summer should contact Joyce Wilson at (417) 667-0406.