4B
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
SPORTS
THURSDAY APRIL 7.2005
BASEBALL
Baseball salaries reach record high
NEW YORK — Baseball's big money boom pushed the average salary to a record $2.6 million on opening day, and the New York Yankee' payoff of just under $200 million topped five teams combined.
Following a rare drop in 2003, the average climbed 5.9 percent to $2.63 million, according to a study by The Associated Press.
"That means we're going in the right direction." San Francisco Giants outfielder Marquis Grissom said. "When they go up, it's always good."
Three Yankees were among the top five in salary: Alex Rodriguez, at $25.7 million, was No. 1 for the fifth straight year, Derek Jeter was fourth at $19.6 million and Mike Mussina was fifth at $19 million.
San Francisco's Barry Bonds, who started the season on the disabled list following knee surgery, was second at $22 million, followed by Boston's Manny Ramirez at $19.8 million.
Yankees manager taken to hospital
NEW YORK — Playing without ailing manager Terry Francona, the Boston Red Sox rallied for five runs against Mariano Rivera in the ninth inning and beat the New York Yankees 7-3 yesterday to avoid a season-opening sweep.
— Ronald Blum/The Associated Press
Erin Droste/KANSAN
Francona was taken to a hospital in the morning with tightness in his chest and awaited test results. Bench coach Brad Mills filled in for Francona.
Kurt Ohlendorf, Seattle senior, prepares to throw his frisbee at the sixth hole of the disc golf course at Centennial Park, southwest of Sixth and Iowa streets, yesterday afternoon. Ohlendorf skipped class to go to the park to play with his friends. It was his fifth time playing the sport. "We're pretty decent. We're not great," said Ohlendorf.
Yankees captain Derek Jeter left after he was hit on the helmet by a pitch in the eighth. A CT scan was normal, New York said, and he was expected to play tomorrow.
RECREATIONAL SPORTS
Disc golf drives students to course
The Associated Press
Lawrence park offers 18 holes for localolfers
BY CALEB REGAN
cregan@hansan.com
KANSAN SPORTWRITER
Editor's note: This is a regular series that profiles recreational activities in which students take part. If you hunt, fish, climb rocks, go canoeing or are an expert spelunker, The University Daily Kansan would like to share your story. Please contact Caleb Regan by calling the Kansan sports desk at 864-4858 or by e-mailing him at cregan@kansan.com.
It's always a walk in the park, no matter how a person scores or how frustrated he feels. Disc golf, which is played in Lawrence at Centennial Park, even has its own class at the University of Kansas.
Part of the appeal is the inexpensiveness of playing a round — except for the seven or eight dollars to buy a disc — and also the competitive nature of disc golf. Like its sister sport, golf golf, disc golf is a way for people to get out in the sun, improve their games and get some exercise at the same time.
Its instructor, Cody Shaffer, said enrollment for his class had steadily increased since he took over the course two years ago.
Centennial Park, located just southwest of Sixth and Iowa streets, is home to the only disc golf course in Lawrence. A second course is being built at Clinton Lake.
Shaffer said exercise was only part of the reason he enjoyed "folf," which is short for Frisbee golf.
"I wore a walking odometer one time out, and walked three and a half miles. That number can change in either direction, depending on how good or bad
you are," Shaffer said. "That's good, but even better is the feeling of improving at something, setting goals and getting better."
A disc flies into the chains and comes to rest in the basket. All 18 holes at Centennial are par-3s and are roughly 100 yards in length, depending on the pin settings, which are changed once every three or four weeks
The object of folf is to throw a Frisbee that is slightly less than one foot in diameter into a pin
that is anchored in the ground. The pin is a wide metal basket that is attached about halfway up a tall metal pole. Vertical chains are connected from a ring at the top of the pole to a point on the pole near the basket.
"Its free to play, unlike regular golf, and lots of people don't like to run or go to the gym just for the sake of exercise."
Cody Shaffer Disc golf instructor
during the season
Shaffer said he attributed the growth in popularity to both exercise and low cost.
"It's free to play, unlike regular golf, and lots of people don't like to run or go to the gym just for the sake of exercise," he said. "It gives you a reason to walk that three and a half miles."
In the first two days of disc golf class, students learn the rules and regulations. The rest is devoted to practicing technique and playing rounds at Centennial Park.
"I already played disc golf before I took the course, but the class taught me a lot about playing at Centennial. Hutchinson's course is flat relative to this one," Smith said. "The class taught me a lot about the technique of throwing uphill and downhill, and increased the distance of my drive."
Scott Smith, Hutchinson sophomore, said the class was beneficial to his game.
Centennial Park boasts holes with a wide range of distance, elevation and obstacles. Three or four holes, depending on pin placement, require players to throw downhill across streams.
"My favorite part is seeing how far I can throw it," Smith said. "When you make a good shot, it makes you feel good as you watch your game improve."
Edited by Kendall Dix
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COME HEAR Yehiel Leiter
CHIEF OF STAFF FOR ISRAELI FINANCE MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU
Hansen Hall, Dole Institute of Politics 7:30 PM (Doors open at 7:00 PM)
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