4B
Friday, October 11, 1996
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
AL president being thrown lots of curves
Budig in hot seat after kid, spitter get to play ball
The Associated Press
NEW YORK — What did Gene Budig ever do to deserve this?
There he was, minding his business as chancellor at the University of Kansas, teaching some journalism courses, leading the quiet life of a respected academic.
Then somebody decided he'd be a dandy choice as president of baseball's American League.
On the surface, that sounds like a cushy job. Throw out a first ball here and there, hand down a suspension now and then — only after an appeal and hearing, of course — oversee the umpires, help pick the All-Star team and sign the baseballs. And it all comes with great seats, too.
Easy stuff.
Then the teams started playing postseason games, and suddenly being president of the American League became exceedingly complicated.
What's Roberto Alomar doing in the Baltimore lineup after he spit at an umpire? That's what the umpires and a lot of other people want to know.
Twice the umpires threatened
walkouts and dragged baseball into federal court on the issue. Budig was in the courtroom for the second hearing when a judge issued an injunction to keep the umpires working.
Then there was the matter of security in the stands at Yankee Stadium. A fan reached across the foul pole in left field at the first game between Texas and New York to catch one of Juan Gonzalez's home runs, raising the question of fan interference, a subject that would surface again later.
And all of Cleveland still is convinced that Baltimore's B.J. Surhoff ran outside the baseline in Game 2 of the Orioles-Indians series, allowing the Orioles to score the tie
breaking run in the bottom of the eighth inning.
Meanwhile, National League president Leonard Coleman had no problems in quiet playoffs between St. Louis and San Diego and between Atlanta and Los Angeles.
"Len knows how to live the good life," Budig said.
But in the American League, more trouble was ahead.
Along came Jeffrey Maier, a 12-year-old Little Leaguer from Old Tappan, N.J., seated in the right field stands for the first game of the AL championship series in New York between the Orioles and Yankees. When New York's Derek Jeter hit the ball to the wall in the bottom of the eighth inning, Jeffrey did what
any self-respecting 12-year-old would do. He stuck out his glove and caught a ball that looked like a sure out.
Home run, ruled umpire Rich Garcia.
Interference, screamed the Orioles.
Oh no, thought Budig.
The kid from New Jersey became a New York celebrity, hailed as a hero and dubbed "the angel in the outfield." He spent yesterday signing autographs, appearing on Good Morning America and lunching at the All-Star Cafe in Times Square.
Baltimore pitcher Mike Mussina said, "His 15 minutes of fame turned into about two weeks."
For Budig, it was one more head
ache. The Orioles filed an official protest about the lack of security at Yankee Stadium, contending measures should have been taken to prevent fan interference.
At least the AL president is taking it all in stride.
"It's been a long and difficult period," he said. "I'll say that."
For Game 2, the Yankees posted 15 extra security guards in right field, trying to prevent a repeat of Wednesday's episode. There would be no problem with the kid from Jersey, though. Jeffrey was back at the ballpark as a guest of a local newspaper, seated four boxes away from Budig, who was probably wondering if 12-year-olds go to school anymore.
SEC player of the week is calm under pressure
The Associated Press
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Brian Schottenheimer remembers the first time that Florida's coach Steve Spurrier threw his visor to the ground in disgust and summoned Danny Wuerffel to the sidelines.
Instead of an ugly scene like that of a Marine boot camp, Schottenheimer said that the interaction between the coach and the quarterback was more like a confrontation between Sgt. Carter and
Gomer Pyle.
Nothing fazes Wuerffel — not Spurrier's outbursts, not touchdowns nor interceptions, not the Heisman Trophy race or any number of awards he has won.
"He goes back out there with more enthusiasm after he gets yelled at than he does when he starts the game," said Schottenheimer, back up quarterback.
Wuerffel was named the Southeastern Conference Offensive Player of the Week, on Monday, for
the second time this season.
There are quarterbacks who mix it up with defensive ends and berate receivers for running the wrong routes. And, there are those who bring back-slapping and fist-pumping emotion into the huddle.
Then, there is Wuerffel.
Even if the game is on the line and 85,000 people are screaming at the top of their lungs, Wuerffel will remain calm..
"When was the last time I was really angry? I don't know. I can't
remember," said Wuerffel.
Even though Wuerffel looks more at home in the church chair, he is the leader of one of college football's most prolific offenses.
Weurffel's calm demeanor was displayed in his team's 47-7 victory over Arkansas. He bounced back after a crushing hit.
At the end of a 14-yard scramble, Anthony Hicks, line backer, hit Wuerffel so hard that he flipped sideways in front of the Arkansas bench. Wuerffel jumped to his feet
and trotted back to the huddle.
He was sacked just once, but he rarely got off a throw without getting knocked down.
"He got up one time and said, 'My goodness, are you guys ever going to quit coming?'" said Ryan Hale, who had the only sack.
"There was another play where Melvin Bradley hit him, and I really respected him for what he said," Hale said. "Most quarterbacks, when they get hit, will start fussing at their linemen. But, he got up,
and all he said was, 'Did he catch it?' I thought that said a lot about him."
Big games also say a lot about Wuerffel.
Before 107,000 fans at Tennessee this year, the Gators decided to go for it on fourth-and-11 on their opening drive. Wuerffel dropped back and hit Reidel Anthony in stride for a 35-yard touchdown pass, setting the tone for a decisive first half.
Baltimore evens playing field
New York loses 5-3, opens tonight's game on Orioles home turf
The Associated Press
NEW YORK — There were no 12-year-olds to foul up things for the Orioles this time.
Rafael Palmeiro hit a two-run homer in the seventh inning yesterday, lifting Baltimore to a 5-3 victory against the Yankees to even the American League championship series at one win each.
Palmeiro's shot to right-center off Jeff Nelson snapped a 2-2 tie and gave the Orioles a reason to celebrate less than 24 hours after a possible win in Game 1 was stolen away by a 12-year-old Yankees fan.
Maier brought his glove to the game again but sat with his family behind the Yankees' dugout and could only watch Palmeiro's drive sail over the wall.
The boy, Jeff Maier, had leaned over the right-field wall and interfered with Orioles' outfielder Tony Tarasco in the eighth inning of Wednesday's game, turning a routine flyout into a game-tying homer by Derek Jeter. The Yankees went on to win the game 5-4 in 11 innings.
The best-of-7 series shifts to Baltimore's Camden Yards for Game 3 tonight. Jimmy Key will start for the Yankees against Mike Mussina.
With the score tied 2-2, Roberto Alomar doubled down the left-field line with one out in the seventh off Nelson. Palmeiro, who went 3-for-3 with a homer in Game 1, followed by hitting a 3-1 pitch over the wall in right-center.
Baltimore starter David Wells pitched out of trouble in the fifth
and sixth innings before leaving with runners at first and second in the seventh. Wells gave up eight hits in 6 2/3 innings for the victory, raising his career record at Yankee Stadium to 10-1.
Todd Zeile also homered for the Orioles, who set a major-league record with 257 homers in the regular season and have continued their long-ball barrage in the postseason. Palmeiro's shot was Baltimore's 13th in six playoff games.
The Yankees cut it to 4-3 in the seventh on Cecil Fielder's RBI single off reliever Alan Mills. But the Orioles got an important insurance run in the eighth on Alomar's sacrifice fly.
The Yankees, who had rallied to win their previous four postseason games, threatened to come back again in the ninth. Jeter singled off Randy Myers, and with one out Bernie Williams walked.
With Brady Anderson at third, Alomar lifted a ball down the right-field line. Right fielder Paul O'Neill caught it in foul territory but couldn't make a play on Anderson.
Wells originally was slated to start Game 3 but was moved up because of Tuesday's rainout. The left-hander entered the game 13-5 in career starts against New York.
After giving up two runs in the first inning, Wells settled down and limited the Yankees to one hit in the next three innings before Joe Girardi tripled to open the fifth.
Girardi sliced a ball into the gap in right-center and husted into third with a headfirst slide just ahead of second baseman Alomar's relay from short right field.
Wells, though, left Girardi stranded by striking out Jeter and Williams and getting Fielder on a routine grounder.
in the first and sixth off New York starter David Cone. Cone had thrown 107 pitches entering the sixth inning before Cal Ripken and B.J. Surhoff singled, and No. 9 hitter Chris Hoiles walked with two outs.
That brought New York manager Joe Torre out of the dugout. With the bullpen door ajar and the Yankee infielders gathered on the mound around him, Cone convinced Torre he was good for one more batter.
And the right-hander delivered, getting Anderson to pop up a 2-2 pitch out of the strike zone. Left fielder Tim Raines made the catch near the railing down the left-field line where Yankee fans kept their gloves at their sides.
Cone allowed five hits with five walks and five strikeouts in six innings. He threw 133 pitches, his highest total in 13 starts this season.
The Orioles had loaded the bases
Cone has had trouble in the early innings since returning in September from surgery to remove an aneurysm in his right shoulder.
He walked the bases loaded in the first inning but escaped trouble with Ripken's fly to center with two outs. After Anderson was walked leading off, Zeile homered to left on a 3-1 pitch.
The Yankees strung together three straight opposite-field singles in the first inning to take a 2-0 lead.
Notes: Maier and his family sat in seats given to them by the New York Daily News. Some fans chanted the youngster's name when they spotted him, and several asked for his autograph... New York pitcher Dwight Gooden, sidelined for the postseason with a shoulder injury, threw out the ceremonial first pitch... Bobby Bonilla of the Orioles struck out four times, tying the LCS record set by Philadelphia's John Kruk in 1993.
DEPTH CHART
KANSAS JAYHAWKS
OFFENSE
Pos. No. Name Ht. Wt. Yn. Pos. No. Name Ht. Wt. Yn.
WR 1 ISAAC BYRD 6-2 180 Sr. TE 84 ALLAMON 6-3 247 Sr.
86 Michael Chandler 5-11 185 Pr. Brad Spiakas 6-4 235 Sr.
TE 89 JIM MOORE 6-3 250 Sr. LT 75 BEN KAUFMAN 6-7 277 Sr.
13 Hosea Friday 6-2 245 Sr. LG 66 CHRISE WHITNEY 6-2 286 Sr.
79 SCOTT WHITTAKER 6-6 285 Sr. LG 78 J.T. Sprouse 6-2 286 Sr.
50 Michael Lies 6-6 265 So. C 63 JAY PUIG 6-3 287 Sr.
55 JIM STIEBEL 6-2 275 Sr. C 63 Kevin Ward 6-1 270 Sr.
73 Danden Hunt 6-2 280 Sr. RG 68 SHANE DUNN 6-3 295 So.
65 JARED SMITH 6-1 270 Sr. RT 67 JYNAN SCHERLER 6-5 285 So.
68 Chris Enekking 6-1 260 Sr. RT 67 JYNAN SCHERLER 6-5 285 So.
72 CLEVE RO伯BERTS 6-6 200 So. PL 87 FIELD SCOVELL 5-11 189 So.
71 JUSTIN GLASGOW 6-6 300 So. STacy Mitchell 5-5 150 So.
71 DERRick Chandler 6-7 310 SE 17 MALCOLM MCKENZIE 6-2 211 So.
80 ANDRE CARTER 5-10 165 Sr. WR 18 SHOULD BASS 5-10 192 So.
84 John Gordon 5-11 180 QB 8 ZEBIR LEITRIDGE 6-0 192 So.
18 Matt Johner 6-1 195 Jr. TB 4 BYRIGN HASPARD 6-0 193 So.
30 ERIC GALBREATH 6-1 205 Jr. TB 4 BYRIGN HASPARD 6-0 204 So.
34 Mark Sanders 6-1 205 Jr. TB 4 BYRIGN HASPARD 6-0 204 So.
25 JUNE HENLEY 5-9 205 Jr. FB 43 RYAN JONES 6-0 229 So.
25 Eric Vann 5-9 205 Jr. DEFENSE
DEFENSE
OLB 47 PATRICK BROWN 5-10 210 So. LE 34 MONTAE REAGO 5-6 249 So.
45 J.J. Johnson 6-2 290 So. DT 56 JOHN ABENDSCHAN 5-6 272 So.
90 DEWEY MURPHY III 6-4 270 So. NT 74 CODY McGUIRLE 5-5 249 So.
79 BRETT MCRAW 6-1 275 Jr. NT 74 CODY McGUIRLE 5-5 249 So.
59 KEVIN KOPP 6-1 270 Jr. RE 86 TONY DANIELS 5-5 249 So.
93 Adrian Greene 6-3 285 So. RE 86 Keith Cambry 5-10 200 So.
63 Dion Johnson 6-3 285 Sr. SLB 29 RO伯特 JOHNSON 5-11 194 So.
95 CHRISE JONES Jerveny Hanak 6-2 245 Sr. MLB 48 ERIC BUTLER 6-1 251 So.
84 JASON THOREN 6-2 230 Jr. WLB 45 RYAN DONAHUE 6-2 236 So.
84 Steve Braten 6-2 228 Sr. WLB 45 RYAN DONAHUE 6-2 236 So.
46 RONNIE WARD 6-0 225 Sr. R 30 IODY BROWN 6-0 200 So.
52 Tyrus Fontenot 6-8 220 Sr. R 30 IODY BROWN 6-0 200 So.
23 JASON HARRIS 5-10 170 Jr. RCB 21 COREY TURNER 5-10 171 So.
58 MANOLIO Jones 5-10 190 So. RCB 21 COREY TURNER 5-10 171 So.
25 MICHAEL ALLEN 5-11 200 So. LCB 13 TONY DARDEN 5-0 196 So.
13 MAIURICE GADDIE 5-9 190 So. FS 13 DANE JOHNSON 5-11 165 So.
10 TONY BLEVINS 6-0 170 Jr. SPECIALISTS
SPECIALISTS
P 41 DEAN ROYAL 6-2 180 Jr. KS JARET GREASER 6-0 180 Sr.
36 Jeff McCord 6-2 220 Jr. TS 97 JARET GREASER 6-0 180 Sr.
85 SEAN MCEDermott 6-3 230 So. DS 75 BEN KAUFMAN 6-5 277 So.
94 Pat Bishop 6-3 285 So. Kevin Ward 6-5 270 Sr.
18 ISAAC BYRD 6-2 180 Sr. H 87 I Field SCOVEL 5-11 189 Sr.
28 Tony Blevins 6-2 170 Sr. KR 6 STACY MITCHELL 5-5 150 Sr.
10 JEEP McCORD 5-9 210 Jr. KR 6 CLINT ROBERTSON 5-5 150 Jr.
18 Stuffen Dooleger 6-1 185 Jr. PR 2 CLINT ROBERTSON 6-0 179 Sr.
20 JUNE HENLEY and 5-11 215 Sr. Matt DuBuc 5-8 173 Sr.
TEXAS TECH RED RAIDERS
Black Student Union is Sponsoring the
3 on 3 Mens and Womens Basketball Tournament
Sunday,October 13 in Robinson Gym 1-5 p.m.
Everyone Welcome Free Registration w/KUI.D Extended through Friday, October 11th 10-2p.m. in front of Wescoe Beach