Jim Hollars passes away

Hollars, who battled Parkinson’s disease for several years, had been hospitalized recently because of aspiration pneumonia.

“The Fort Worth Cats and all other baseball organizations have lost a dear friend and a spiritual leader in Jim Hollars.  Jim has shown in the past year a strong faith in his fight against his illness and a true dedication to focusing not on his own difficulties but focusing on the minds and spiritual well-being of our players, coaches and fans,” said Cats’ owner Carl Bell. 

“The Cats would like to send our thoughts and prayers to Jim’s wife Shirley and the rest of their family. Jim will always be a treasured as a member of the Fort Worth Cats family.”

Hollars joined the Cats in 2002 as the team chaplain after spending three seasons with the Toledo Mud Hens. He was a native Texan who graduated from Texas Tech and Southwestern Baptist Seminary.

After Hollars was hospitalized last September, he summoned the strength to make it to LaGrave Field to witness the final part of Game 5 of the championship series and sing “God Bless America” during the seventh inning stretch, just minutes before Jordan Foster’s go-ahead home run propelled the Cats’ to their third straight championship.

In his final days, Hollars continued to wear his 2005 and 2006 Cats’ championship rings.

“Jim was an inspiration for our entire organization – from our chairman Carl Bell down to the batboys. Every person in our organization who knew Jim Hollars was inspired by him,” said Cats’ president John Dittrich.

He is survived by his wife Shirley,five daughters, seven granddaughters and one grandson.

Funeral services will be held at Christ Chapel Bible Church in Fort Worth on Tuesday, March 18 at 2 p.m.  Cards and other expressions of condolence may be sent to:

Shirley Hollars
4638 Lafayette
Fort Worth, TX  76107

Cats add infielder James

Originally signed as a non-drafted free agent by the Braves organization in 2002, he spent four seasons in their farm system. He was with Myrtle Beach in the Carolina League from 2004 until 2006 when he was called up for six games with the Braves’ Double-A squad in Pearl, Miss.

Later in the 2006 season, he played 79 games for Quebec in the Can-Am League where he stole 29 bases, fourth most in the league.

A switch-hitter from Moreno Valley, Calif., James played baseball at Purdue University.

Cats sign Fort Worth's Sisk

Sisk, 29, started the 2007 season with Edinburg in the United League and played in only 15 games before being signed by the Tampa Bay organization. He then appeared in 72 games with Vero Beach in the Florida State league before playing in five games with Double-A Montgomery at the end of the season.

Sisk spent three seasons with the Edinburg Roadrunners in the Central League from 2003-05, hitting 12 home runs and driving in 50 runs in 2003. He was on the 2004 Roadrunners team which won the Central League title under current Cats’ skipper Chad Tredaway. 

Sisk was originally drafted by the Blue Jays in the seventh round of the 2000 June draft out of the University of New Mexico. With the Lobos, Sisk was named the 2000 Mountain West Conference MVP and was selected to the All-American team in 1999 and 2000. In high school at Arlington Heights, Sisk was a member of the 1996 Class 4A state championship team and was an All-State selection in 1997. 

Cats Spring Training schedule

The exhibition schedule will begin on Thursday, May 1 at the Parks at Texas Star in Euless with a game against Grand Prairie at 7:05 p.m.

The Cats take on Shreveport on May 4 at Historic Driller Park in Kilgore and round out the spring training schedule on May 5 with a game against Grand Prairie at LaGrave Field in Fort Worth.

The regular season begins for the Cats on May 8 at 7:05 against the Sioux Falls Canaries at LaGrave Field.

Gwaltney signs with San Diego

In 2007, his first season with Fort Worth, Gwaltney posted a 6-2 record with a 3.16 ERA. In 105 1/3 innings of work, he allowed 95 hits, struck out 59 and walked 30. His ERA was the third lowest in the American Association. Gwaltney was 1-1 with a 2.77 ERA in two playoff starts for the league champion Cats.

He has a lifetime record of 25-29 with a 3.36 ERA in six minor league seasons.

Gwaltney appeared in just three games with the Chicago Cubs’ Arizona League team in 2006, going 0-1 with a 5.14 ERA in seven innings pitched. He currently resides in Willow Park, Texas.

He is the 14th player since the Cats returned to Fort Worth in 2001 to be signed by a major league organization, and fourth since the start of the 2007 season.

Cats fans can help raise money for local charities by recycling paper

Cats fans attending Monday’s game are invited to drop off newspapers, magazines and old mail at the team’s new green and yellow Abitibi Paper Retriever® recycling container located in the LaGrave Field parking lot. 

The Abitibi Paper Retriever® mascot will be on site to show patrons how they can divert trash from landfills and help Fort Worth area charities in the process.  The recycling container will remain at the field after Monday’s game and will be available to Cats fans year-round. More info