THE UNIVERSITY. DAILY KANSAN
Inside Sports
Wednesday September 9,1998
Sports
Section:
College football
Field the kick off, cut left behind the wall and run up the sideline with our special teams story.
B
Blitzing linebackers are among the most destructive and bloodthirsty players on the field.
SEE PAGE 3B
Page 1
Kansas golf
SEE PAGE 4B
The Kansas men's golf team should be above par while shooting subpar rounds this season.
SEE PAGE 5B
Contact the Kansan
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WWW.KANSAN.COM/SPORTS
Short homer goes a long way
Hit barely clears wall, revitalizes love of baseball
The Associated Press
ST. LOUIS — Without a doubt or an asterisk, Mark McGwire and his mighty swing broke Roger Maris' home run record last night — with plenty of games to spare.
No. 62 was not a trademark McGwire moonshot, but a laser to left field, a 341-footer that barely cleared the wall and was his shortest of the season.
McGwire connected with two outs in the fourth, inning off the Chicago Cubs' Steve Trachsel for the historic home, punctuating the chase that reinvigorated the sport and captivated a nation.
McGwire was so caught up in the moment that he missed first base as he rounded the bag and had to return to touch it. He was pulled back by coach Dave McKav.
McGwire was mobbed by his teammates at home plate, where he hoisted his 10-year batboy on Matt high into the air.
on Saturday fielder Sammy Sosa, who has Cubs right fielder Sammy Sosa, who has 58 home runs, ran in from right field to hug McGwire and give his rival a high-five.
McGwire then ran into the seats to hug the family of Maris, whose 37-year-old record he had just broken.
record the macarrion.
Before the game, McGwire held the bat that Maris used to hit his 61st and rubbed it against his chest.
against his choice "Roger, I hope you're with me tonight," McGwire said.
He was, indeed.
As was, 'ind'
As the wall cleared the left-field fence,
that was no scramble to retrieve it
because it tanded in an area where no fan
could get it.
bould get it.
Tim Forneris, a ground-crew worker,
picked up the ball and presented it to McGwire at a post-game ceremony.
wire it a postgame call by
"Mr. McGwire, I think I have something
MR. McGwine,
that belongs to you," he said. Then, McGwire took the ball, looked at it and held it up triumphantly.
After McGwire finished celebrating with his teammates and the Maris family, he grabbed a microphone to address the sellout crowd of 43,688, still standing and cheering.
"To all my family, my son, the Cubs, Sammy Sosa. It's unbelievable," McGwire said. "Thank you, St.Louis."
McGwire: Breaks Roger Morris' home-run record.
Thank you, S. Bentley.
McGwire, who appeared anxious in grounding out on a 3-0 pitch in the first inning, hit his solo shot on the first pitch at
8:18 p.m. It triggered an 11-minute delay, baseball's biggest mid-game celebration since Cal Ripken broke Lou Gehrig's consecutive games record in 1995.
secure even greater. The home run, despite its short distance, surely will rank as one of the biggest in history, up there with the ones hit by Bobby Thomson, Bill Mazaroski, Hank Aaron, Carlton Fisk, Kirk Mizgul and Joe Carter.
Call RM FOX on (866) 274-3900.
Recognizing a bad call, the Internal Revenue Service said Tuesday that any baseball fan returning record-setting home run balls hit by Mark McGwire or Sammy Sosa wouldn't feel a tax pinch.
Sosa Wollum free at a tax code can be as hard to understand as the infield fly rule," said IRS Commissioner Charles Rossotti. "All I know is that the fan who gives back the home-run ball deserves a round of applause, not a big tax bill."
Earlier IRS statements indicating that the valuable baseballs might be subject to taxes even if returned to the sluggers drew jeers from the Capitol and the White House.
Jayhawks soccer pulls ahead of Tigers
By Brad Hallier
Kansan sportswriter
Defender Kylie Watts previously said that her favorite moment in soccer was scoring a goal with her head.
That's exactly what she did yesterday. Watts scored the lone goal on a header, and the Kansas soccer team notched one of its biggest victories in four years by shutting out the Missouri Tigers 1-0.
“It’s a great feeling,” said goalkeeper Jen Fcke, who earned the shutout. “We finally came together and played hard for each other. The defense played great and worked so hard. This win is attributed to defense.”
"This includes everyone, the players on the bench and the coaches," he said. "I believe the seniors did a tremendous job. They wrote on the chalkboard what a win would mean, and that carried over to the whole team."
Coach Dan Magner said he was happy with the win, especially because the Jayhawks achieved their top priority — to have 90 minutes of total team commitment.
The Jayhawk goal came after a Johanna Larsson shot was deflected across the end line by a Missouri defender. Forward Megham Haven took the corner kick, and the Tigers' defense cleared the ball back to Haven.
She passed the ball again, and this time Watts was there to score her first collegiate goal.
"Haven played a perfect cross," Watts said. "After the first corner was cleared, I just stayed in the middle."
Forward Erin Hon clears the ball with her knee as Missouri forward Jennifer Maunder attempts to block the kick. The Jayhawks beat the Tigers 1-0 yesterday. Photo by Jay Sheperd/KANSAN
It was the first goal Missouri conceded this season in all its matches, including exhibition games.
Missouri had possession of the ball for a majority of the first half, but a stiff Jayhawk defense limited the number of chances for the Tigers.
Missouri came out strong in the second half, but Feke made a diving save on a shot by defender Dyana Russell. As the half continued, the Jayhawks gained confidence in their ability to attack, and they had a few opportunities to extend their lead.
attack, and they made defender Jackie Dowell's free kick from about 20 yards out was on target, but Tiger goalkeeper Jackie Adamec made the save.
The Tigers came close again in the final minute when midfielder Stephanie Brennan's shot rattled the crossbar, but it didn't faze Feke.
"I just wanted to find the ball and be ready for a rebound," she said.
shots, four on goal.
"We were fortunate that they didn't finish," Magner said.
"The ball bounced our way today, and sometimes that's what you need to win. Give Missouri credit. Their goalkeeper played well. Their front-runners are tough, and we told our
The Jayhawk defense limited the potent Tiger attack to 10 shots, four on goal.
backs to lock onto their forwards, so we were able to limit them."
The match was a physical affair with a total of 31 fouls, 17 called on the Jayhawks. One yellow card was issued to Missouri forward Jennifer Maunder.
deserved it. They were more prepared and are a well-organized, physical team. We played their game, but it was the correct result."
"I don't want to discount what Kansas did," he said. "Kansas
Missouri coach Bryan Blitz said it was a game he would look back on as a game they could have won.
rect result. The victory was the first for the Jayhawks against Missouri, and it also marked their first conference-opener win since 1995.
"This is a great accomplishment," Fecke said. "It's the first step towards the Big 12 tournament."
Former tennis player named Woman of the Year finalist
Maria Abatiglou, former Kansas women's tennis player, was named one of 10 finalists for the 1998 NCAA Woman of the Year Award, the NCAA announced today.
"I'm overwhelmed," Abatjoglou said of the announcement.
Abatjoglou was a two-time GTE/CoSIDA first team Academic All-American, a third-team Academic All-American, a three-time Phillips 66 Academic Big-Big 12 and All-Big 8 selection.
sario of the club
"I haven't had the most spectacular career at KU, but I always believed that if I stayed true to myself, in the long run it would pay off."
Abatiglou, who has completed her tennis eligibility, is scheduled to graduate with a degree in Spanish and philosophy in the Spring 1999. Last week, the NCAA named her the 1998 Kansas Woman of the Year.
Abatjoglou: Will graduate this spring
"Maria has been an outstanding representative of both the tennis
team and the University of Kansas," said Bob Frederick, athletics director. "She is extremely deserving of this honor.
Abatjoglou, South Charleston, W.Va., senior, was 9-5 in singles and 11-5 in doubles in her final season.
11-5 in doubles in her heath.
She was played on the 1998 Kansas tennis team that won the 1986 NCAA Central Region Championship.
The NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics will select the 1988 Woman of the Year, who will be announced Oct. 18 at an awards dinner in Indianapolis.
Kansan staff report
PICK 'EM GAMES
It's that time again.
Show us how smart you are, and predict the outcome of this weekend's college football games.
The Kansan staff picks will run Friday. Submit yours by 5 p.m. Fri.
Pick 'em games Week 2, Sept. 8
Nebraska at California
Northern Illinois at Kansas State
Texas at UCLA
Texas Tech at North Texas (Texas Stadium)
Oklahoma State at Tulsa
day, and we'll publish the results next week.
Notre Dame at Michigan State
You can leave your picks in 111 Stauffer-Flint Hall or email them to Matthew Friedrichs, Kansan sports editor, at mattf@ukans.edu.
Commentary Raising money to build a new recreation center not that difficult
When Robinson Center stopped loaning out racquetball rackets, it should have been recognized as a sign of things to come.
Robinson is knocking out most of its rac-quetball courts to make room for educational facilities — classrooms, a weight room, etc.
Robinson claimed it no longer loaned out rackets because careless students were destroying them. What we didn't know was that we wouldn't need them anymore
These renovations are indicative of a growing problem: How does a building balance education and recreation?
The answer. It doesn't — not with the building that currently exists.
that can remedy it If something doesn't happen soon, Robinson will become an educational facility with no room for recreation time.
space for borrowing.
But like many problems, this one requires money to be solved. And students have been reluctant to hand the University the dollars
This means that Robinson has to be expanded or that a new center must be built. That is the only way the University will have space for both classes and recreation.
That would be unfair considering students pay a $13 fee per semester for recreation services ($7.50 goes to recreation services; $3.25 goes to support Robinson and $2.25 goes to club sports).
Students said, "No way" by an almost 2-to-1 margin.
In the two years since, things have gotten worse. It is time to solve the problem.
Two years ago, students voted down a proposed $21.5 million new West Campus center. That would have required the $13 semester fee to be raised to $90.
Spencer Duncan
A renovation of the current building could cost as much as $14 million.
A campus advisory board is looking into a solution. But whatever they come up with has to be paid for.
That's a large sum of money. But there are options.
options:
■ Start with the Athletics Department. For years, it has used Robinson. The basketball, volleyball and tennis teams, to name a few, all have used Robinson for practice, competition and pick-up games.
They may need a place to go, but Robinson is supposed to be for students not involved in Kansas athletics. When a team is using the center, it means less time for students.
After all, the Athletics Department has its own facilities, and it doesn't let students play ball in Allen Field House or practice batting at Hogland Stadium.
attributed
The Athletic Department should chip in,
say, at least $500,000 to get the fund-raising
started.
carried.
Call it back payment on rent owed.
Spend the next year begging alumni and others for money.
others for money. Last year, Basketball's Williams Fund took in nearly $4.5 million, the Endowment Association just built a new expensive facility on West Campus, and a deceased couple just donated $7 million to the University, the most ever given by an estate.
With some effort and a solid fund-raising plan, a large amount of money could be raised. There are people willing to dip into their pockets. They just have to be found and encouraged.
encouraged. Corporate sponsors can have a negative impact on a University, but the chancellor and the athletics director have already shown that this University will embrace them.
Start hugging, and see what corporations want their name on the facility.
These three things will not raise all the needed money, but they will get things started and, more importantly, reduce the costs to students.
Costs to students:
Two years ago, students wanted a new recreation center. They just weren't willing to pay $50 per semester.
But if non-student money can be raised, then the fee students will be asked to pay would be lower and should be accepted by students.
Duncan is an Topeka senior in journalism.