ABA to play in Corning, NY in 2007

October 24, 2006 - American Basketball Association (ABA) News Release


Indianapolis, IN. The American Basketball Association (ABA) today announced that it would be adding a third upstate team in New York next season with the addition of the Corning Bulldogs. Corning is located in the southern tier of New York State and is world famous for being the home of Corning Incorporated. According to Joe Newman, ABA CEO, "We are pleased to have two very interesting and enthusiastic owners in James R. Shutz and Jeannine DeLine. We have been working very closely with them; they both are very talented and knowledgeable about sports and business and will add much to the league."

James R. Schutz, co-owner and General Manager, is a sports savant having been involved in sports his whole life. A life time resident of Geneva NY, a small town located between Syracuse and Rochester, James spent two seasons at Geneva High School playing for the Panthers varsity football team as the starting tight end, using his 6-4 muscular frame. He also started as center on the basketball team. His sports career did not end at high school. He went on to become the starting center for the Corning Community College Red Barons basketball team. During the 2002-2003 season, James went on to post solid numbers averaging 10 points and 6.7 rebounds.

James loved the time he spent in Corning, so it was a no brainer for him when it came time to selecting where to place an ABA team. "Corning is such a wonderful small knit community; the whole time I was in corning, everyone was so kind, it really made me feel like my home away from home. Being able to give something back to Corning NY, a place that I still hold fond memories of is a dream come true. I believe the ABA in Corning will be embraced with open arms by the community. I am also pleased to have such an amazing co-owner. Jeannine DeLine is truly the most intelligent person I know and will play a huge roll in the teams success," stated Schutz.

Jeannine DeLine is a native of upstate New York and has had a lifetime interest in sports, including tennis, skiing, horse racing and basketball. Five-two and too short to play herself, Ms. DeLine chose a professional life in accounting, but has kept in touch with her interest in the sports world by offering her financial skills to the Ringer Lakes Racino in Farmington NY.

Aside from her passion for sports, Ms. DeLine is an avid reader and successful writer, co-winning second place in the national 2005 Xerox Aspiring Author contest with her sister, Bobbi L'Huillier. Set in 1963, their novel, The Long Black Veil, is a coming of age story between a drifter and a little girl, and a love story between a black musician and a married white woman. When protagonist Jamie Delacroix stumbles across the hidden affair, he sets off a chain of events that risks destroying the little girls' family and the black man's life. The Long Black Veil is available at www.lulu.com/delhui.

The two partners plan to synchronize their talents and interests for the success of the Corning Bulldogs. Two hours south of Rochester and three hours southeast of Buffalo, the team is already looking forward to establishing a heated rivalry with both the Rochester Razorsharks and the Buffalo Silverbacks. The partners hope to deliver an ABA Championship to Corning next next season and added, "We will not be coming into the ABA next season playing for second place. We are dedicated to winning and putting the best product possible onto the court for all of the southern tier of New York."

For more information call James Schutz at 585 409 0130 or email bigbodybanger41@hotmail.com or www.abalive.com.

Note: OurSports Central no longer actively covers the American Basketball Association (ABA) as a professional league due in part to its inability to publish and play a schedule and the transitory nature of many of its teams. For information on professional minor leagues, please see OSC's basketball section.



American Basketball Association Stories from October 24, 2006


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.


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