8B • THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
SPORTS
MONDAY, AUGUST 26, 2002
While we were out...
The weekend's sports news in review...
Cause of illness may be found at Fort Hays State
HAYS — Doctors focused on a bacterium as the possible cause of a mysterious illness that sent several players
the Fort Hays State University football team to the hospital earlier this week.
Hays Medical Center spokesman Stan Unruh said Saturday that a DNA test from one of four players who had been hospitalized came back positive for the bacterium mycoplasma pneumoniae. One of the players was released Thursday, one Friday and the final two on Saturday, Unruh said.
Unruh said dozens of tests have been run on the players, with the only positive result being for the bacterium in one
player.
"I'd be very cautious about one positive result," said Dr. Lyle Noordhoek, a pathologist at Central Plains Laboratories. "Usually we like to have two or three positive results to confirm it."
Noordhoek said the source of the illness could be an agent in the air.
"Usually, mycoplasma forms as a result of water on a dusty surface, moving it into the air," he said. But he added that finding the exact source for the bacterium can be difficult.
All tests for Legionnaires' disease, an early suspect in the outbreak, so far have come back negative.
St. Louis Rams waive 14 players
ST. LOUIS — Offensive lineman Cameron Spikes was one of 14 players placed on waivers Friday by the St. Louis Rams.
Spikes entered training camp competing with John St. Clair for the starting job at right tackle, but
a shoulder injury hampered him, and he moved further down the chart when tackle Grant Williams was acquired from New England earlier this week.
Spikes did not play in a 31-10 loss to San Diego Thursday.
Darran Hall; defensive tackle Carl Bradley; tackles DeMarcus Curry and Kaulana Noa; running back Marques Glaze; quarterback Ryan Helming; cornerbacks Todd Howard and Ronald Rogers; linebacker Derick Pack; kicker Matt Simonton; and defensive end Chris Ward.
The cuts reduce the Rams' roster to 71 players, though Noa and Gatrell hadn't been counted because they received exemptions for playing in NFL Europe. Still under exemptions are linebacker Michael Hawkes, wide receiver Dane Looker and safety Willie Gary.
By Tuesday, three more players must be off the roster.
N.Y. Mets' Alfonzo off disabled list
DENVER — The New York
Mets activated third baseman
Edward Alfonso from the 15.
day disabled list
before Saturday's game against the Colorado Rockies
Alfonzo had
Alfonzo had been on the DL since Aug. 4 with a left oblique strain.
He was batting.323 with 10 home runs and 42 RBIs in 103 games.
To make room for Alfonzo, the Mets optioned Ty Wigginton to Triple-A Norfolk.
"Alfonzo is ready and will be in the lineup today," New York manager Bobby Valentine said. "He batted indoors, he stretched, and he feels fine."
Wigginton was hitting.254 with two homers and seven RBIs in 23 games.
Venus Williams wins Pilot Pen title
NEW HAVEN, Conn. — Venus Williams beat Lindsay Davenport 7-5, 6-0 to win her fourth-straight Pilot Pen title Saturday, building a 13-match win streak going into the U.S. Open.
Williams, the two-time defending U.S. Open champion, has dominated the New Haven hardcourt since her first appearance here in 1999.
She's beaten Davenport three times in the past four years for the Pilot Pen title.
Davenport, playing in her fourth tournament since returning last month from knee surgery, started out crisply.
She broke the top-seeded Williams in the first game with strong returns and passing shots.
Up a break in the first set and leading 5-3, Davenport began to unravel with several unforced errors and went winless the rest of the way, losing 10 straight games. Williams toughened and began reaching the shots that eluded her earlier in the match.
Davenport's serve also abandoned her down the stretch. The second-seeded Davenport double-faulted one break in the sec-
and set and had trouble getting her first serve in.
Williams closed out the match by pouncing on Davenport's 86-mph second serve with a backhand cross-court winner.
Future unclear for rookie in IRL
MADISON, III. — The Indy Racing League's top rookie, Tomas Scheckter, did not race in yesterday's Gateway 250 after missing a scheduled technical briefing Friday and his future on the circuit is in limbo.
Eddie Cheever Jr., the owner of the Red Bull Cheever Racing team, blistered the 21-year-old driver after qualifying on Saturday. Scheckter, the son of former Formula One champion Jody Schecker, told The Indianapolis Star that his management staff made the decision last week "on safety grounds."
Schekter is 11th on the points list and won the Michigan Indy 200 on July 28. He has won three poles.
But he's also wrecked six cars in 12 races and also wrecked one car in practice.
The Associated Press
EVERYTHING BUTICE
BEDS • DESKS
CHEST OF DRAWERS
BOOK CASES
unclaimed freight & damaged merchandise
936 Mass.
Roommates stuck to the couch?
Kansan Classifieds
Find them a job.
Find new roommates.
Sell the couch.
Domestic & Foreign Complete Car Care
"We Stand Behind Our Work, and WE CARE!"
842-8665
2858 Four Wheel Dr.
SHARK'S SURFSHOP
CONVERSE SHOES
CHUCK TAYLORS IN MANY COLORS!
CHUCK TAYLOR HI 813 MASS/841-8289
Your first place to turn for... FREE checking AND FREE pizza!
Now through Sept 30th, open a FREE checking account WITH overdraft protection and we'll give you a coupon for a FREE pizza!
FirstBank
2710 Iowa
841-6677
We offer both 8-week and 16-week sessions. General education courses transfer to Kansas Regents schools.
Need to add a class?
Find our schedule online!
Barton County Community College offers online college courses.
BARTONline
Having trouble getting your class schedule to work?
www.bartonline.org
Dropped a class?
Just like you, the Kansas Union has changed a lot. After 75 years, the union still maintains old traditions in a newly renovated, modern facility, featuring Starbucks. Coffee, Pizza Hut, Binger King, even a convenience store. And check out the new Jaybowl, sporting a new late-nite lounge dubbed the Hawks Nest. We've changed almost everything (the KU Bookstore is still the best place to find Jaylawk merchandise). Come see what's new at the Kansas Union or visit us online at Jayhawks.com.
Welcome Back.
KU Memorial Unions
---
---