"Our efforts might have been misplaced with Ricky, but overall our program embodies good qualities." —Missouri basketball coach, Quin Snyder, on the ongoing controversy surrounding former Tiger Ricky Clemons. See related story on page 7B.
off the bench
2B the university daily kansan
thursday, august 21, 2003
No crime found in Williams' dispute
The Associated Press
ORLANDO, Fla. — Criminal charges won't be filed against two of Ted Williams' children who were accused by their brother-in-law of forging a note stating the slugger wanted to be frozen after death.
A laboratory analysis of the note determined Williams' signature appeared to be genuine. There is no way forgery could be proved beyond a reasonable doubt, said assistant state attorney Mark Simpson
He also said the note didn't fall into any category specified by law about which documents can be considered for a criminal forgery charge. In such a case, someone must be injured or defrauded and there
Williams
was no victim in the Williams complaint, Simpson said.
"Therefore, proving the note was not signed on the date of Nov. 2, 2000, or not signed in each others presence would not in and of itself prove a crime," Simpson wrote in a memo Friday. "The probate court remains the proper venue to resolve all the questions raised in this matter."
Williams' son-in-law said he was disappointed with the decision.
"I believe the note is fraudulent," Mark Ferrell said Monday.
The state attorney's office that covers Citrus County, where Williams lived, began the inquiry after Ferrell filed a complaint.
Ferrell's wife, Bobby-Jo Williams Ferrell, challenged the decision by her two siblings to send their father's body to an Arizona cryons company where it was frozen after his July 5, 2002 death.
She claimed Williams' 1996 will made clear he wanted to be cremated and his ashes scattered off the Florida coast. After running out of money to pay her legal bills, she dropped the challenge in December and reached a settlement with her siblings.
The grease-stained note, dated Nov. 2, 2000, is signed by Williams, who was then hospitalized, his son, John Henry Williams, and his daughter, Claudia Williams. They hope that one day medical science will bring their father back to life.
John Henry Williams didn't return a phone call Monday seeking comment, while Claudia Williams has an unlisted telephone number.
Two of Ted Williams' caretakers had also said Claudia Williams wasn't at the hospital on Nov. 2, 2000, and that she didn't know her father was there until days later.
Claudia Williams later submitted an affidavit stating she was there and signed the note with her father and brother. John Henry Williams' attorney has said the note became stained when his client left it in his car's trunk.
Talent, belief make'sleeping giant' wake
It's never too early to think about Kansas baseball.
The program regained some credibility last year after winning 35 games and competing in the Big 12 Tournament for the first time in school history. The team was led by first year coach Ritch Price, who vowed from day one of the job not to call it a rebuilding process.
Instead, he called the job a "sleeping giant."
Price knew what type of talent he had on his sonu and knew its potential.
For the first time in their collegiate careers, many players on the baseball team also realized their talent and potential. After that, there was no looking back for the 2003 Kansas Baseball Team.
Times have changed over the summer though. Many college baseball fans want to think Kansas is a one year fluke. Gone are Kansas' top hitter from 2003, Casey Spanish, and the top pitcher from last year's squad. Kevin Wheeler.
sports commentary
But what returns for the 2004 version of the Kansas baseball team is scary. The team will be led by All-Ameri
Daniel Berk
dberk@hansan.com
candidate, first baseman Ryan Baty. Baty returns for his senior season after not being selected in the June Major League Baseball Amateur Draft. Baty batted .377 last year and led the team in doubles (23), runs batted in (57) and hits (97).
Baty did not take the summer off either. He was a member of the Hyannis Mets in the prestigious Cape Cod League, which uses wood bats. Baty was selected as the Mets representative in the All-Star game after the slugger from Wichita batted .289 and led the team in doubles and runs batted in.
Baty's supporting cast is impressive too.
Seniors Matt Tribble and Ryan Knippschild join Baty this season, along with junior Travis Metcalf and sophomore Ritchie Price.
Tribble started last season with an incredible 21-game hit streak. The right-fielder ended it by batting .339 in the team's No. 5 spot all season.
Knippschild spent the season last year as the team's No. 2 pitcher behind Wheeler, but that did not stop the left-hander from leading the team in victories. Knippschild returns with one year of big time college ball behind him as the team's legitimate No. 1 starter.
Metcalf returns after hitting 11 home runs last season, good for second on the team. The third baseman was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in June but turned down the offer. Ritch Price expects Metcalf to be picked in the top 10 rounds of next year's draft after another year of Big 12 baseball.
Ritchie Price is one of the most dependable players in college baseball right now. Beyond the shortstop's.954 fielding percentage, Price's leadership and playmaking ability makes the coach's son special to watch. And Price is only a sophomore, still adjusting to college ball.
more, so adjusting Coach Price wants the 2004 teams to surpass the 35 victories Kansas got last season. He took the right steps in the off-season by signing what he considers a top-25 recruiting class that would make an immediate impact on this team.
Price also put together an extremely tough non-conference schedule that includes trips to Stanford, Wichita State and Southwest Missouri State. Stanford and SMS both played in the College World Series last year.
Kansas has a legitimate opportunity at surprising a lot of people this year and finishing in the top four of the conference. They are led by a man who believes in them and in return, they believe in him.
Kansas sports fans do have a lot to look forward to in the 2003-04 season. That includes Kansas baseball's return to glory and making the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 10 years.
Yankees take another game from Kansas City
The Associated Press
NEW YORK — The Yankees are rolling,and the Royals are reeling.
Roger Clemens got his 305th victory, and Nick Johnson and Juan Rivera homered as New York stretched its winning streak to seven by holding off Kansas City 8-7 yesterday.
New York, which began the day a season-high 6 1/2 games ahead of secondplace Boston in the AL East, completed a three-game sweep and improved to 10-0 at home against the AL Central this season.
Clemens (12-7), who has struggled in day games this year, fell behind 2-0 in the second inning, but New York quickly
Kansas City has lost six of eight. The Royals division lead was down to one game in front of Chicago and 1 1/2 games in front of Minnesota at the start of the day.
overcame that against Jimmy Gobble (2-2), making his fourth major league start. Derek Jeter hit two-run single during a nine-pitch at-bat after falling behind 0-2 in the count to put the Yankees ahead 4-2.
Kansas City scored four runs in the ninth, getting seven straight hits, but fell short partly because of a baserunning error.
After Angel Berroa's RBI single in the ninth off Sterling Hitchcock, Yankees closer Mariano Rivera came in the game and eventually got two outs for his 27th save in 33 chances.
Mike Sweeney and Carlos
Beltran hit RBI singles, and
Joe Randa singled for Kansas City's seventh straight hit that pulled Kansas City within a run before Desi Relaford struck out on three pitches.
Royals 7
Yorkseye 8
Raul Ibanez singled sharply to right off Mariano Rivera. Sweeney held up at third, but Beltran took a wide turn at second and was thrown out by Juan Rivera.
Clemens allowed three runs and eight hits in 61-13 innings, tying Eddie Plank for
next:
Royals at Twins
records:
Royals 65-60
Twigs 65-61
18th place on the career victory list. The 41-year-old right-hander, 8-2 in night games but just 4-5 in the afternoon, left with two on in the seventh and was replaced by 46-year-old left-hander Jesse Orosco, who struck out Brent Mayne. Orosco walked Aaron Guile, then Antonio Osuna came in and struck out Berroa.
Gobble started his big league career with a pair of wins over Tampa Bay but has since lost to
Minnesota and New York. He gave up eight runs and 11 hits in 4 1-3 innings, his ERA rising from 3.52 to 6.41.
After Joe Randa's sacrifice fly and Ken
Harvey's RBI single put the Royals ahead in the second, the Yankees quickly ate up Gobble.
Aaron Boone, in a 7-for-43 slump, opened the bottom half with a double, Johnson singled and Juan Rivera doubled for the Yankees' first run. Rivera, recalled after Tuesday night's game, struggled with the Yankees earlier this season, hitting .237, but manager Joe Torre said he hoped the 25-year-old outfielder would relax with the knowledge he will be with the team for the rest of the season.
After Jeter's hit to shallow left, Bernie Williams singled for a 4-2 lead.
John Flaherty hit an RBI double in the third, and Johnson homed for a 7-2 advantage in the fifth. One out later, Rivera hit his second homer of the season, finishing Gobble.
Ralefaord hit a run-scoring grounder in the seventh.
Crouch, former Husker Heisman winner trades career in football for microphone
The Associated Press
OMAHA, Neb. — Eric Crouch may not be playing football anymore, but he's still going to talk about it.
Crouch, the 2001 Heisman Trophy winner from Nebraska, signed a one year contract with Omaha television station KETV to serve as a football analyst.
Crouch will provide commentary as part of the station's Cornhusker coverage in addition to playing a role in local high school reports.
"It's a great opportunity, and it's kind of a natural for me," Crouch said Monday. "Here in Nebraska, a lot of people ask me my opinion. I might as well voice it and let it be heard."
Rose Ann Shannon, the station's news director, said Crouch was a natural hire
ing to his hometown of Omaha on July 22.
"No one understands the Nebraska football program better than a former player," she said. "Obviously, Eric Crouch is a Husker hero."
Crouch said he had been looking for a possible broadcasting job since return-
Before that, Crouch had been working out with the Green Bay Packers. He decided to leave the team when it became apparent that he would not have an immediate opportunity to play quarterback.
Crouch
Last year he walked out of the St. Louis Rams' training camp, saying his heart was not into playing receiver.
Crouch said other Omaha TV stations contacted him about a possible job, but KETV made the best offer. He would not disclose the terms of his contract.
Crouch appeared on The Golf Channel during two of its telecasts of the Omaha Classic tournament this month.
"I found it to be an interesting experience," he said. "After that, I thought broadcasting was something I could and should do."
"No one understands the Nebraska football program better than a former player. Obviously, Eric Crouch is a Husker hero."
Rose Ann Shannon KETV news director
Crouch said he would work two or three days a week for KETV. He said he also is exploring opportunities to serve as a spokesman for a financial brokerage, an insurance company and a wellness center. He already is a spokesman for a car dealership in Glenwood, Iowa.
Crouch was an exercise science major at Nebraska. He said he has never taken a broadcasting class.
"Being in front of the cameras in Lincoln and doing hundreds of interviews was like getting a broadcasting minor," he said.
Chiefs Jones retires after neck injury
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Oft-injured Chiefs offensive tackle Willie Jones, who sprained his neck and temporarily lost feeling in his body during the Hall of Fame game on Aug. 4, announced his retirement Tuesday.
The 6-foot-6, 555-pound Jones lay motionless for nearly 10 minutes after a hit near the end of the second quarter against the Green Bay Packers. He suffered a similar injury on Nov. 7 last year in practice and sat out the rest of the season.
"He was injured and that's the last he played, but I can't say for specific reasons that's why he retired," Chiefs spokesman Bob Moore said Tuesday. "Retirement was a decision he made. He obviously gave it some consideration."
Jones appeared in 18 games during four seasons in the National Football League.
The Associated Presse