Manhattan College Signs One-Armed Man to Play Hoops

Kevin Laue, a 6'10" center from Pleasanton, Calif. who was born without a left hand due to a restriction of prenatal blood circulation, recently signed a national letter of intent to play Division I basketball for Manhattan College this coming autumn.

Laue, a redhead with size 17 shoes who averaged 6.9 points and 7.4 rebounds as a postgraduate for Fork Union Military Academy (Va.) this past season, impressed Jaspers Head Coach Barry Rohrssen with his play at one of the premier prep schools in the country and he decided to complete his recruiting class by adding the big-man from the Bay Area to his roster.

"Being a baseball fan, Jim Abbott left a great impression on me," Rohrssen said, referring to the former Yankees and Angels pitcher who was born without a right hand and hurled a no-hitter for the Bombers in 1993.

"Some of the things he did inspired a lot of people with similar problems and just people as a whole. I think with a guy like Kevin, playing at Manhattan and being in New York City, presents an opportunity that can be rewarding for Kevin and also have a ripple effect for everyone involved."

Manhattan College, a Roman Catholic liberal arts school located in the Riverdale section of the Bronx, plays in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) and they concluded their 2008-2009 campaign with an overall record of 20-13 after they lost in the quarterfinals to Fairfield University in March.

Scouts, Inc. stated Laue is “a prospect that could instantly help a number of low-major Division I programs” and they raved about his “quick leaping ability.”

The addition of Laue, an effective ballplayer on both offense and defense that Sports Illustrated called in 2007 “the most exciting player in basketball,” could help propel the Jaspers to the forefront of the MAAC and into the 2010 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.

The last name Laue rhymes with the word “wow.”

No matter how Laue performs on the collegiate hardwood, fans will be amazed by him as an athlete and as a man.

All one can say is, “Wow, Go Jaspers!”

http://www.newyorkyankeesnews.com/colin815/weblog/7424/manhattan-college-signs-one-armed.html