Icebreakers

IcebreakersWhere: 133 W. North Ave.Hours: 4 p.m.-2 a.m. Monday to Friday, 11 a.m.-2 a.m. Saturday and Sunday.Menu: Sunday brunch from 11 a.m.-3 p.m.Credit cards: Not accepted.Call: 783-0080. One of the frustrations of urban bar life is that the cocktail mix of liquid refreshment and outgoing people may make you want to get up and dance, only to discover that the bar has a 29-cent-stamp-sized dance floor.That's why a good-sized dance floor is always welcome news. At Icebreakers, an alternative dance club, the oak floor is ready to withstand plenty of hard black shoes and fashion statement boots.

Every Tuesday, blogger Matt Vensel breaks down a critical play, sometimes with the help of Ravens players, from that week's game. Today he looks at Anquan Boldin's ice-breaking catch in the fourth quarter Sunday. For a span of about two quarters Sunday, the Ravens offense, which had started the game with two efficient touchdown drives on their first two possessions, went ice cold. In five straight possessions, the Ravens failed to pick up a first down. Not so suddenly, in the fourth quarter, they trailed the Cleveland Browns by a point.

FootballSeahawks: Signed T Tony Berti.HockeyCoyotes: Recalled D Bryan Helmer from IHL Las Vegas.Canucks: Recalled C Matt Cooke from AHL Syracuse.Chesapeake Icebreakers (ECHL): Activated D Eric Linkowski from the injured list.Richmond Renegades (ECHL): Loaned G Maxime Gingras to IHL Orlando.Pub Date: 11/27/98

— For watermen who require safe passage to Chesapeake Bay oyster bars and fishing grounds each winter, the appearance of one of the state's four ice-breaking ships means money in the bank. Like giant plows on an asphalt road, icebreakers have been carving channels from piers to open waters, clearing away dangerous sheets of ice that can idle the commercial fleet, or worse, punch through the hull of a fishing boat. "Any ice at all is a real hazard for them," Capt. Shawn Orr said Tuesday morning as he guided the 80-foot M/V Sandusky through a row of watermen's boats tied up at Kent Narrows.

BaseballCubs: Agreed to terms with P Matt Karchner.BasketballKnicks: Waived G Lawrence Moten.CollegesNicholls State: Announced resignation of Darren Barbier, football coach, to become assistant coach at Tulane.Wittenberg: Announced resignation of Carl Schraibman, athletic director, effective Aug. 31.HockeyChesapeake Icebreakers (ECHL): Transferred RW Denny Felsner from 10-day to 14-day injured list. Placed D Arturs Kupacs on 10-day injured list.Pub Date: 1/25/99

Wes Orem in Catonsville asked for "the temperatures and number of days in January 1977 that were below freezing, which caused the Chesapeake Bay to freeze." Icebreakers moved the shipping, but that month is still the coldest January on record for Baltimore. Eighteen days failed to reach 32 degrees. Twenty-four days had lows below 20. Five nights reached single digits, and Jan. 17 sank to minus-2. Brrrr!

BasketballAstros: Named Tim Purpura director of minor-league operations.Rochester Red Wings (Triple-A): Announced that Chuck Hinkel has been named director of public relations. Announced that former director of public relations, Joe Castellano, will remain with the team as director of broadcasting, and play-by-play announcer.CollegeTexas: Dismissed CB Anton Hector from the football team for violation of team rules.Texas-Pan American: Announced the resignation of Gary Gallup, athletic director.

At 420 feet long and 16,000 tons, the Coast Guard cutter Healy has the power to ram through Arctic ice 4 1/2 feet thick at a speed of 3 knots. It also has 4,200 feet of lab space for scientific study. This combination of strength and technology makes the Healy the Coast Guard's premier icebreaker, one of three in its class. "The Healy is a state-of-the-art, world-class ocean vessel," said Commander George DuPree, chief of the Coast Guard's ice-breaking division, a passenger on the Healy, which docked last night at Pier 4 at North Locust Point Marine Terminal.

BaseballBlue Jays: Signed P Dane Johnson to a minor-league contract.Giants: Named Ron Wotus third base coach and Sonny Jackson bench coach.Marlins: Reinstated P Matt Mantei from the 60-day emergency DL.Pirates: Signed a working agreement with Nashville of the PCL.BasketballPacers: Waived C Todd Lindeman. Placed F Austin Croshere, F Derrick McKey and G Haywoode Workman on the injured list.Pistons: Waived F Ashraf Amaya.Wizards: Released C Eric Leckner. Placed C Gheorghe Muresan and G Tim Legler on the injured list.

BaseballBraves: Optioned 1B Randall Simon and P Paul Byrd to Triple-A Richmond. Reassigned C Marcus Hanel, C Fausto Tejero, IF Marty Malloy, IF Ray Holbert and P Rudy Seanez to minor-league camp. Placed P John Smoltz on 15-day DL and P Pedro Borbon on 60-day DL. Purchased contracts of IF Rafael Belliard, P Adam Butler, former Orioles P Dennis Martinez and OF Curtis Pride from Triple-A Richmond.Dodgers: Announced OF Billy Ashley has refused minor-league assignment and opted for free agency.

Wes Orem in Catonsville asked for "the temperatures and number of days in January 1977 that were below freezing, which caused the Chesapeake Bay to freeze." Icebreakers moved the shipping, but that month is still the coldest January on record for Baltimore. Eighteen days failed to reach 32 degrees. Twenty-four days had lows below 20. Five nights reached single digits, and Jan. 17 sank to minus-2. Brrrr!

FLOATING RESORTS. YOU CAN KEEP THEM. You know the kind of cruises I mean: tropical cocktails, gift-shop islands, sun-and-deck chair afternoons. When I'm at sea, I want adventure. Cresting waves, puffs of wind, the works. This is why I find myself onboard a Russian icebreaker that is hardened to cut through icebergs and glaciers and is churning north. Next stop: the Arctic Circle and the coast of Greenland. Polar bears will be there, I hope, and maybe some whales and snowy owls. If we make it, I will down a shot of Smirnoff with the crew, not a pina colada.

Downtown Baltimore's first car dealership in decades, planned for the ground floor of a high-profile parking garage at Pratt and President streets, won't be your typical auto showroom. Anyone walking on the south side of Pratt will be able to peer through the tinted windows and watch the mechanics at work, in much the same way diners at some trendy restaurants can observe chefs in action. If that's not catchy enough, Antwerpen Automotive Group plans to stock more than the latest Volkswagens.

ST. PETERSBURG, Russia - Trapped aboard a cargo ship in the howling depths of an Antarctic winter, scores of Russian scientists and technicians saw hopes of a quick rescue vanish yesterday. "Of course I am worried," said Vyacheslav Martyanov, leader of the scientists on the Magdalena Oldendorff, in an interview over a satellite telephone. "Because the distance is long, the daylight is short and the weather is bad." The ship lies snug against a 13-story wall of ice in a bay off the Antarctic coast, waiting as efforts to reach it falter.

The Orioles' in-house home run race picked up speed yesterday when Chris Richard came off the disabled list after a 15-day absence from the lineup. Richard hadn't played since June 19 because of swelling in his right knee that resulted from running into the center-field fence. He had fluid drained from the knee on Monday before testing it with some pain-free sprints in the outfield that eased any concerns over his availability this week. To make room for Richard on the active roster, the Orioles optioned rookie outfielder Larry Bigbie to Double-A Bowie after five starts, the last coming against five-time Cy Young winner Roger Clemens during Wednesday's loss to the New York Yankees.

At 420 feet long and 16,000 tons, the Coast Guard cutter Healy has the power to ram through Arctic ice 4 1/2 feet thick at a speed of 3 knots. It also has 4,200 feet of lab space for scientific study. This combination of strength and technology makes the Healy the Coast Guard's premier icebreaker, one of three in its class. "The Healy is a state-of-the-art, world-class ocean vessel," said Commander George DuPree, chief of the Coast Guard's ice-breaking division, a passenger on the Healy, which docked last night at Pier 4 at North Locust Point Marine Terminal.

BaseballAthletics: Signed former Orioles P Mike Oquist to minor-league contract.Giants: Claimed P Steve Connelly off waivers from Red Sox.Mariners: Agreed to terms with P Bill Swift on one-year contract.Padres: Named Wilbur Johnson major-league scout.Tigers: Announced that P Bryan Corey has cleared waivers and been assigned to Triple-A Toledo.BasketballGrand Rapids Hoops (CBA): Named Doc Rivers coaching consultant.CollegeAir Force: Named Vic Shealy defensive backs coach and Tim Horton wide receivers coach.

BaseballAstros: Agreed to terms with SS Ricky Gutierrez on a one-year contract.Cardinals: Traded P Sean Lowe to the Chicago White Sox for P John Ambrose.Cubs: Agreed to terms on a Triple-A contract with C Danny Schaefer and invited him to spring training.Diamondbacks: Agreed to terms with P Ben Ford, P Jason Boyd, P Nelson Figueroa, P Troy Brohawn, IF Edwin Diaz, IF Hanley Frias and OF David Dellucci.Expos: Signed IF Orlando Cabrera, IF Trace Coquillette, OF Chris Stowers and C Bob Henley to one-year contracts.

BaseballAstros: Agreed to terms with SS Ricky Gutierrez on a one-year contract.Cardinals: Traded P Sean Lowe to the Chicago White Sox for P John Ambrose.Cubs: Agreed to terms on a Triple-A contract with C Danny Schaefer and invited him to spring training.Diamondbacks: Agreed to terms with P Ben Ford, P Jason Boyd, P Nelson Figueroa, P Troy Brohawn, IF Edwin Diaz, IF Hanley Frias and OF David Dellucci.Expos: Signed IF Orlando Cabrera, IF Trace Coquillette, OF Chris Stowers and C Bob Henley to one-year contracts.

BaseballCubs: Agreed to terms with P Matt Karchner.BasketballKnicks: Waived G Lawrence Moten.CollegesNicholls State: Announced resignation of Darren Barbier, football coach, to become assistant coach at Tulane.Wittenberg: Announced resignation of Carl Schraibman, athletic director, effective Aug. 31.HockeyChesapeake Icebreakers (ECHL): Transferred RW Denny Felsner from 10-day to 14-day injured list. Placed D Arturs Kupacs on 10-day injured list.Pub Date: 1/25/99