John Vorperian, host of White Plains Cable TV’s sports show “Beyond The Game,” will produce a number of shows to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the 1969 New York Mets miracle season, in which they won the World Series.

Vorperian is seen (at left in photo) at the inaugural Gil Hodges Dinner, with former Met star Ron Darling, who was an integral part of the 1986 World Series-winning team. Darling is now a baseball color commentator for TBS as well as for the Mets on both SNY and WPIX.

“Beyond The Game” can be seen Tuesdays at 10 p.m. or Fridays at 9 p.m. on Verizon Channel 45 and Cablevision Channel 76.

New York Knicks’ star David Lee has been a White Plains resident since joining the team in July 2005, but spotting him around town isn't always easy. “I like living in White Plains but I spend most of my time at home resting for the games,” he explained. Knicks fans anticipating meeting their star player around the neighborhood may be disappointed by this local reclusiveness, but they have a chance to see Lee at various charity events.

Lee, a St. Louis, Missouri native and Florida University graduate, was the Knicks first round pick (30th overall) in the 2005 National Basketball Association draft. The 6’ 9” forward is enjoying his best season, averaging a double/double of 16 points and leading the team with 12 rebounds per game. Lee has achieved a remarkable 55 double/doubles in 70 games this season, meaning he has attained double digit calculations in two game statistics.

Lee was a worthy candidate for the 2009 NBA All-Star Team but wasn't chosen. In my opinion, any NBA player achieving over 40 double/doubles halfway through a season should automatically be selected for the All-Star Team. Lee was philosophical, saying “I was just excited that I had a chance to make the team".

Knicks’ Head Coach Mike D’Antoni and President Donnie Walsh, both in their first season, have done a good job revamping the organization. Although making the playoffs is doubtful for this season, Lee proves to be indispensable component in the Knicks future. “I did not think David Lee was this good [when I took the job],” stated D’Antoni. “Yes, he has the double/doubles but what I also like about him is that he passes well and gives other players the chance to shoot".

Lee has followed in the footsteps of his grandfather—businessman-philanthropist E. Desmond Lee—who played basketball at Washington University, in Missouri. David is also very involved with charity causes. A good example is the $15,000 worth of tickets he purchased for the New York Liberty Outdoor Classic last summer. The donated tickets went to The Garden of Dreams Foundation and other local charities for children. During Lee’s second Knicks season he joined another White Plains resident, Steve Max AKA “Simon Sez”, during “Dream Day with the Knicks.” They hosted children from the Make-A-Wish Foundation of the Hudson Valley, at the Knicks Training Center, in Greenburgh, NY.

If you don't see David Lee around the neighborhood, it's because he's been mighty busy. He's certainly easy to spot on the basketball court.

Former Tigers basketball star Angelei Aguirre participated in “March Madness", the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament. A freshman at the University of California at Berkeley, Aguirre plays with the Golden Bears, who advanced to the “Sweet Sixteen” round of the tournament by defeating the University of Virginia, 99-73, on Monday, March 23. It is the first time in school’s history that the Golden Bears have advanced that far. The fourth-seeded Golden Bears lost to number-one seeded University of Connecticut, 77-53, in Trenton, New Jersey, at the Sovereign Bank Arena, on Sunday, March 29.

“When you're a little kid, you always watch the ‘Big Dance’ on T.V. But to actually be there is so much fun,” said Aguirre, who graduated from White Plains High School last spring.

Aguirre's former Tigers teammates Donika Rexhepi and Simone Tharkur have been thriving at City University of New York (CCNY). Women’s head basketball coach Kevin Clifford complimented Rexhepi, saying, “Donika is a great young lady who is a hard worker and does well in the classroom. She won CUNY Rookie of the Week and First Team All-Tournament at the University of Massachusetts Tournament this year”.

While Rexhepi was in the starting line-up for the CCNY Beavers, guard Simone Tharkur came off of the bench. Clifford continued, “When Donika came to visit the school she told me about Simone Tharkur. When I saw Simone play, I told Donika to bring her too. Simone is a great defender who finishes around the basket”. The two women were back-court mates on two Tigers Section 1 Championship Teams.

Rexhepi played in all 26 games for CCNY last season and started in 21 games. She averaged 8.7 points per game and four rebounds. She was third in scoring on the team with 226 points. Tharkur played in 24 games and started in nine, averaging three points per game and three rebounds.