Inside Sports
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
KANSAS TENNIS
Sports
Both the Kansas men's and women's tennis teams were eliminated from their respective Big 12 tournaments this weekend and now await NCAA tournament selection.
SEE PAGE 3B
Pro Hockey
Jaromir Jagr scored the tying and game-winning goals in the Pittsburgh Penguins" overtime win against the New Jersey Devils yesterday.
SEE PAGE 5B
Monday May 3,1999 Section: B
Pro Baseball
Page 1
The New York Yankees' Bernie Williams hit a two-run home run in the ninth inning yesterday as the Royals lost 9-8.
SEE PAGE 8B
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Freshman outfielder Christi Musser leans into a bunt. The softball team split a double header with Iowa State yesterday at Jayhawk Field. The Jayhawks won the first game 4-3 but lost the second 0-8. Photo by Graham K. Johnson/KANSAN
Kansas softball splits 2 series
'Hawks go 1-1 with Cyclones, Huskers during weekend
By Brandon Stinnett
sports@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
The Kansas softball team ended Big 12 Conference play this weekend by splitting double headers with Nebraska and Iowa State at Javahawk Field.
Kansas split with the Cyclones Sunday by taking a 4-3 win in game one, but losing 8-0 in game two. The 'Hawks also split wins with the Cornhuskers, winning 1-0 and losing 6-3.
The Jayhawks (27-28) got on the board first in game one against the Cyclones, when freshman Shelly Musser scored on a single by freshman Leah Tabb in the bottom of the fifth inning. Iowa State (23-28) answered back in the sixth when catcher Erin Woods hit two-run home run, giving the Cyclones a 2-1 lead.
Kansas tied the game in the bottom of the sixth when junior Christy McPail led off the inning with a solo home run. Neither team scored again until a ninth- inning throwing error by first baseman Shannon Stanwix allowed the Cyclones to take a 3-2 lead.
Stanwix made up for her fielding blunder at the plate in the bottom of the ninth. The Cyclones intentionally walked Tabb, putting runners at first and second with Stanwix coming up to bat with two outs. Stanwix smashed a double to the gap in center field and scored freshman Amy Hulse and Tabb, giving the Jayhawks the victory.
"It was definitely the pitch I wanted, and I hit it," Stanwix said. "I was really pumped to be up at bat. Any time they walk someone to get you up at bat you want to do something good."
Kansas came out flat in game two. Iowa State scored two runs in the first inning and six more in the third, taking a 8-0 lead. The
Jayhawks never recovered and lost 8-0.
"You've got to give Iowa State credit," coach Tracy Bunge said. "They could have come out really flat after the way they lost the first game. But they came out and swung the bats aggressively and took advantage of our mistakes."
The Jayhawks split two games Saturday with Nebraska (27-18), 1-0 and 6-3. Kansas pitcher Sarah Workman and Nebraska's Jenny Voss battled each other in a pitcher's duel in game one. Workman held the Corn-huskers scorele, allowing three hits and striking out nine. Voss, an All-American in 1998, did not allow an earned run and held the Jayhawks to two hits. Kansas' only run came in the fourth innning when Musser scored on a double by Tbk.
It was Workman's eight shutout of the season and 23rd of her career. She is fifth alltime in career shutouts at Kansas.
The Jayhawks fell behind early in game two. Nebraska took a 1-1 lead in the first inning and then added two more in the second on a two-run home run by second baseman Jennifer Lizama. The Cornhousers extended their lead to 4-0 in the fourth when Lizama hit her second home run of the game.
Kansas cut into the Nebraska lead with two runs in the bottom of the fourth on back to-back RBI singles by freshman Christy Musser and Hulse, but the Cornhuskers answered back in the fifth innings with two runs of their own. Kansas added a run in the seventh on a RBI single by Tabb, but the Jayhawks' rally fell short when freshman Megan Urquhart grounded out with runners on first and second, ending the game.
Lizama went 3 for 4 in the second game after being held hitless by Workman in game one
"Sarah dominated some really good hiters," Bunge said. "In game one she completely shut down Lizama. That's the key to beating Nebraska. In the second game, Lizama adjusted to the way we were pitching her and she really hurt us."
The Jayhawks had nine hits and four walks off Voss in game two,but only got two
runs.
"Our hitters did a much better job for us in game two," Bunge said. "They made contact and made some things happen. Unfortunately, it was not enough."
— Edited by Julie Sachs
Kansas catcher Luks McKnight blocks the plate from Kansas State outfielder Andy Silva. Kansas lost 6-2 to Kansas State Sunday at Hogland Ballpark. Photo by Eric Sohlmann / KANSAN
Baseball team swept by'Cats
By Matt Tait
By Matt Tait sports@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
This weekend's series saw some Kansas records fall, but unfortunately for the Jayhawks their overall record fell as well.
Kansas State came into Hoglund Ballpark and dealt the
The first record fell Saturday night when 1,988 fans arrived at Hoglund Ballpark. The attendance was an all-time record at Kansas, breaking the old mark of 1,848 set in 1996
Hawks three straight losses: 8-6, 10-3, 6-2.
of Kansas' hottest bats lately and has cut down his strikeouts in the past couple of months. For the series O'Neal was 3-12 at the plate, with four runs scored, and he pitched three solid innings in the series opener.
against Wichita State. Capacity in 1996 was only 1,320 as compared with the 2,500 it is now.
Two more records were broken in Saturday's loss. John Nelson became the all-time leader in triples for a sophomore when he belted his sixth of the season.
In Friday's opener, nine innings were not enough for the Sunflower state rivals.
Brandon O'Neal also eclipsed a mark Saturday. He became the most struck-out batter in a season at Kansas when he struck out for the 56th time.
O'Neal,however,had been one
"It's a fun situation to be in a game like that
Pete Smart, in his first career start, allowed only two runs in his first five innings pitched, but gave up
- extra innings,
that's baseball," Nelson said.
three runs in the sixth inning before coach Bobby Randall called on the bullpen.
The game was tied at six after nine innings. Kansas State scored two runs on three straight hits in the tenth inning to win 8-6.
Another solid starting pitching performance came Saturday for the Jayhawks as freshman Dan Olson went 5 1/3 innings and held the 'Cats to one run.
The bulpen, however, could not hold K-State down, as the used a
"Everything was working for me tonight, my curve, my fastball, everything," Olson said. "I had jitters, with it being my second home start in front of a record crowd, but I settled down by the second inning."
Sunday's finale was never in doubt. K-State scored four runs in the first inning, thanks in part to two Kansas errors, and held the 'Hawks down all game.
Ryan Schmidt started and lasted seven innings, striking out five. Schmidt said that the first inning hurt the team, but that he put it behind him and tried to keep them in the game. He succeeded, but the Jayhaws offense never came alive and they lost 6-2.
six-run eighth inning to put the game out of reach.
"This was a pretty tough series. They were tough losses and this is hard to swallow," Randall said. "We had three good starting performances this series, but we couldn't knock in any runs."
Kansas will next be in action Tuesday night at home when Washburn comes to town for a 7 n.m. game.
— Edited by Juan H. Heath
Elway's retirement from pro football 'a tough decision'
By Michael Rigg
mtrrigg@ukans.edu
Kansas sportwriter
For a man who took so many hits without feeling any pain, it sure didn't take Denver Broncos quarterback John Elway very long to-start crying yesterday.
Elway: Retired from the NFL after 16 seasons.
At the press conference to announce his retirement after 16 head-turning seasons in the NFL. Elwai frequently had to
stop in mid-sentence to ch o k e back tears a n d regain his com pose.
"The over-under in the locker room yesterday was how many times I'd cry. I took the under."
Then, after crying some more he added "I lost the bet."
Eiway is leaving the game as one of football's greatest quarterbacks. He led the Broncos to 148 victories, the most of any quarterback, threw for 51,475 yards, passed for 300 touchdowns and started more Super Bowls (five) than any quarterback in NHL history.
The last of these touchdowns occurred in January's Super Bowl XXXIII, a game in which he was named the Most Valuable Player.
"I truly believe John was the very best to ever play," Broncos owner Pat Bowlen said.
Whether he was the best ever was in question until two seasons ago, as he was hampered by never winning the Super Bowl. Elway had taken the Broncos to three Super Bowls in the 1980s, but Denver lost those games by a combined score of 136-40. However, all the bad memories were erased in 1997 when Elway and running back Terrell Davis led the Broncos on an unbelievable playoff run, which ended with a 31-24 upset of the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XXXII.
"I know that I've been labeled as the guy who's never been on the winning Super Bowl team," a jubilant Elway said at the time. "Boy, am I glad to get rid of that."
After defeating the Falcons, many fans thought Elway would return to lead Denver's attempt to be the first team to win three straight Super Bowls.
One year later, the Broncos became only the sixth team in NFL history to win back-to-back Super Bowls with a 34-19 domination of the Atlanta Falcons.
See ELWAY on page 3B
But it was not to be.
Commentary
Best athlete of all time? Bo, of course
The walkout at Friday's Kansas City Royals game made me nostalgic.
This reminiscing got me thinking about sports history. I thought about listing an all-time baseball team but gored. So
When I saw all those fans protesting the lack of revenue sharing in baseball, I started longing for the days when championships were won, not bought. And I'm not talking about the black and white age, I'm talking about no more than 10 years ago, when teams from smaller cities like Kansas City were at no significant disadvantage.
here are my votes for various best-ever awards.
You're more than welcome to e-mail the sports desk and let us know what you think.
Best all-around athlete: Bo Jackson. Before a career-ending hip injury, he was simply a freak of nature. His athletic exploits are legendary. There's the time he threw out
Sam Mellinger
sports@kansan.com
Harold Reynolds from the warn track flat-footed, his 550-foot home run over the scoreboard during spring training, the time he ran over Brian Bosworth at the goal line the way a lawn mower runs over grass, or the time he ran 40 yards in 4.18 seconds. He is also the only person to ever appear in the NFL's and Major League Baseball's all-star games. But get a load of this: in his autobiography, Bo claims he never lifted a weight during college.
Ugliest athlete: Randy Johnson, 'nuff said.
Most ahead of his time: Wilt Chamberlain, and I'm not just talking about starting the sexual revolution a little early. Although it'd be amazing to watch the former Jayhawk battle with Shaquille O'Neal in the pain, Wilt just feasted on the physically inferior players of his day. He twice averaged — averaged! — more than 50 points a game during a season. And of course there's his 100-point game, a record that will stand forever. Wilt also played professional volleyball and was a standout on the KU track team as a high jumper.
Best game: 1992 NCAA Regional Final: Duke 104, Kentucky 103 in overtime. I didn't like either team, but this was special. Two powerhouses with a trip to the Final Four on the line. You had Christian Laetner getting a technical foul for stepping on a UK player, you had the Wildcats' big comeback through steals and threes, and of course, Laetner's game-winning turnaround jumper at the buzzer.
Most underrated athlete: Greg Maddux. Because he doesn't throw 95 mph and strike out 250 batters a year, Maddux is not often thought of as what he is: arguably the best pitcher in the history of baseball. He's won four Cy Young awards and has been consistently great throughout his career. He's won at least 15 games and thrown more than 200 innings in all but his first full season, and in the era of the hitter Maddux hasn't had an ERA higher than 2.72 since 1991, including ridiculous 1.56 and 1.63 marks in 1994 and 1995.
Most overrated athlete: Emmitt Smith. Sure, he was good. He has 12,566 yards and 125 touchdowns in his career. But during his prime, the Dallas offensive line gave him holes that he could have run through sideways.
Best sports movie: Hoosiers. No other movie comes close in capturing the way we want sports to be. High honorable mention goes to White Men Can't Jump.
Most unbreakable records: Cy Young's 511 career wins, Nolan Hitters's 5,714 strikeouts and seven no-hitters, Cal Ripken's decade and a half consecutive games-played streak, Wayne Gretzky's nine MVP awards, Bill Russell's 11 championships as a player, and Pete Rose's 4,256 hits.
Mellinger is a Lawrence junior in journalism.