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Yankees honor O’Neill with Monument Park plaque

By WTOP Staff

HOWIE RUMBERG
AP Sports Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Always intense, Paul O’Neill was known to take his frustration out on a water cooler or his batting helmet after a close play or a poor at-bat. That fiery attitude also made him one of the keys to returning the New York Yankees back to the top of the baseball world.

The Yankees thanked the player dubbed “The Warrior” by owner George Steinbrenner, honoring O’Neill before their game against the Cleveland Indians on Saturday with a plaque to be placed in Monument Park.

“He was part of the glue that held this thing together,” former Yankees manager Joe Torre said. “He was relentless.”

O’Neill was acquired in a trade with Cincinnati after the 1992 season, when the Yankees were 76-86. He then went on to help them win four World Series championships and an AL pennant from 1996-2001.

In nine years in New York, the right fielder hit .303 with 185 homers and 858 RBIs. He won the 1994 batting title with a .359 average in a strike-shortened season and made four All-Star teams.

Along with his family and several former teammates, O’Neill watched a video of some of his highlights with the Yankees.

“You look up at the video board today and there’s no strikeouts, no errors, it’s all good stuff,” O’Neill said, “and that’s why it’s so fun to do things like this.”

O’Neill’s plaque becomes the 28th placed in the area behind the center field fence at Yankee Stadium, where all-time greats such as Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio and Mickey Mantle have monuments, along with late owner George Steinbrenner.

He is the third member of the Yankees late-1990s World Series teams to earn a place in the esteemed locale. Mariano Rivera was celebrated last season and Tino Martinez received a plaque in June. Torre, recently inducted into the Hall of Fame, will have his No. 6 retired on Aug. 23. They were all on hand Saturday.

Bernie Williams will be recognized next year.

“To think that that plaque will be hanging among the names that I just went over is truly an unbelievable honor,” O’Neill said.

Derek Jeter, the last member of those championship teams still on the Yankees, presented O’Neill with a framed replica of the plaque that was unveiled in front of the mound. Current Yankees manager Joe Girardi, O’Neill’s bridge partner on many a plane ride, gave the five-time All-Star in a 15-year career a gaudy ring with his No. 21 surrounded by diamonds.

“The intensity that he brought I used to love, what it brought out in him and the rest of us,” said Girardi, a catcher on four title teams.

___

AP freelancer Charles O’Brien contributed to this report.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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