The Black Hawk College baseball team will go into the 2013 season with a No. 13 national ranking.
Coach Arnie Chavera's Braves received the preseason NJCAA Division II ranking from Collegiate Baseball Newspaper.
The Braves are four-time defending Arrowhead Conference champs. Each of the last two seasons, the Braves have finished with national Top 20 rankings – No. 20 last spring with a 45-10 record and No. 10 in 2011 with a 44-9 mark. Each of those seasons, the Braves came one step short of reaching the NJCAA World Series.
Today is Wednesday, June 19, the 170th day of 2013. There are 195 days left in the year. 1863 -- 150 years ago: The treasurer of Mercer County has been instructed to sell all thespecie now in the treasury for the highest premium in legal tender and to report same atthe next board meeting. 1888 -- 125 years ago: J.S. Freeman has been elected president of the Recreation Club ofthe Rock Island YMCA. 1913 -- 100 years ago: Rock Island voters will decide next Tuesday on the proposal toconsolidate with South Rock Island Township. 1938 -- 75 years ago: The Rev. Frederick J. Rolf will round out his 30th year as pastor ofthe Evangelical Church of Peace at Sunday worship services. 1963 -- 50 years ago: Dennis Kelly, of Moline High School, has been named a winner inTime Magazine's 27th annual current affairs contest. 1988 -- 25 years ago: The Martin Luther King Community Center will participate in theSummer Food Service Program. Free meals will be made available to all children 18years of age and younger.