UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Thursday, August 22, 1996
7B
Baseball helps ease the pain
Montoursville's Little Leagues keep people busy
The Associated Press
WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — For one small town near here, baseball is more than just the national pastime. It's a diversion from tragedy.
Sixteen members of a high school French club, their teacher and four chaperones from Montoursville (population 5,000) died July 17 when a TWA jet exploded off Long Island on its way to Paris.
TWA Flight 800 went down as two of Montoursville's youth baseball teams were advancing in the Little League and Junior Little League playoffs in northern Pennsylvania. The Little Leaguers
bowed out early, but the 13-year-old junior team made it as far as the state finals, losing 12-8 and 7-1 in the same day to DuBois for Montoursville's only losses this year.
The progress of the teams and this week's series have kept the minds of many in Montoursville just across the Susquehanna River from Little League's Lamade Stadium off of the search for bodies and on baseball.
"The series is a good thing for us. Baseball is so important here, especially at this time," John Dorin said. "Everything helps from this point on.
The mayor believes in the healing power of sports.
"The jump start is here with Little League. From then on, there will be a lot of activity going on at school with classes and fall sports starting."
expected to be at Montoursville High School on Aug. 27 for the first day of school.
A van load of counselors is
"When our teams were still in it, anything like that provides a healthy diversion. And the World Series creates the right atmosphere," school superintendent David P. Black said.
Before the crash, the city was perhaps best known as the hometown of Baltimore Orioles' pitcher Mike Mussina, whose parents will be honored this week for contributions to Little League.
The dovetailing of the tragedy with the end of baseball season has resulted in at least one conflict. The town organized a parade Sunday for the junior league team but did not publicize it. It came just one day after 3,000 people attended a memorial service for TWA Flight 800 passengers.
"Life has to go on," Little League coach Rex Hilton told the
Williamsport Sun-Gazette. "If you get caught up in your own life, in your own troubles and your sorrows too much, then you tend to lose sight of what is good.
Hilton said he later came to realize how much pressure the crash had put on his players. The Little League team will be part of ceremonies before Saturday's series final at 3:45 p.m.
"When this first occurred, people would ask, 'Is this affecting your team?' Does it have anything to do with your winning and losing?' And my first reaction was that I just didn't know," he said.
Among the victims was Amanda Karschner, the cousin of junior league player Derek Rupert. His father, Rich, kept her picture in his pocket while he was in the bleachers.
"I had an angel in my pocket. I know it helped," the elder Rupert said.
Rodman sued for lewd behavior
SALT LAKE CITY — A woman has sued NBA star forward Dennis Rodman, claiming he pinched her during a San Antonio Spurs game two years ago.
Utah woman claims player pinched her
Lavon Ankers, who was a Delta Center usher at the May 5, 1994, game against the Utah Jazz, alleges Rodman pinched her buttocks after running out of bounds to grab a ball.
The Associated Press
"As defendant Rodman walked past the plaintiff, he placed his hand on the plaintiff's buttocks and pinched her," according to the civil suit filed last week in U.S. District Court. "The touching and pinching was witnessed by bystanders and spectators."
The suit also states that a broadcast transmission of the game shows Rodman walking past
Ankers, turning around and touching her on the backside.
Dennis Rodman
Ankers, who is seeking $750,000 in d a m a g e s, claims she was sh a m e d, embarrassed and endured
Ankers' attorney Harry Caston said he and his client decided to file the suit after receiving no response from Rodman's agent in an attempt to resolve the matter without litigation.
great mental suffering.
"Frankly, she didn't invite or in anyway ask Rodman to touch or pinch her on the buttocks," Caston said. "It's been something that she doesn't think is funny and never thought was funny . . . and it's undignified."
Ankers, who is still employed at
A call seeking comment from Rodman's representatives with the Rodman Group also was not immediately returned.
He averaged 14.9 rebounds last season while winning his fifth straight NBA rebounding title. Chicago acquired him from the San Antonio Spurs for Will Perdue last October.
Rodman, who earned the moniker "The Worm" during his years with the Detroit Pistons, made $2.5 million last season as the Bulls won the NBA championship and set a league record with a 72-10 regular-season mark.
the Delta Center, did not return a telephone message left at her home.
Rodman, 35, known for his aggressive rebounding and dyed hair, played for the NBA-champion Chicago Bulls last season and signed a one-year contract with the team earlier this month.
He was the subject of another lawsuit last year by Lisa Beth
"Frankly, she didn't invite or in any way ask Rodman to touch or pinch her on the buttocks."
Harry Caston Lavon Ankers'attorney
Judd, who claimed Rodman infected her with a incurable sexually-transmitted disease on Jan. 14, 1993. Rodman said there was no evidence he suffered from a transmittable form of herpes and a U.S. District Court jury ruled in his favor.
Judd was seeking $1.83 million in damages.
Get Your Tickets Toady!
Wescoe
Beach (In front of Wescoe Hall) 8:30 - 4:00
If you missed your assigned pick-up date, you may pick up your tickets today!
Today is Make-Up Day
Pick up your tickets for tonight's home opener with Ball State 7:00 pm, Memorial Stadium
You may pick up only your own ticket.
You must bring your KUID with a current FALL 1996 fee sticker to receive your tickets.
You will receive your football tickets only at this time. You will receive the men's basketball and Kansas Relays portion of your Sports Combo at a later date. More detailed information will be available at pick-up.
If you miss your assigned pick-up date and make-up day,you may pick up you tickets at the Athletic Ticket Office in the East Lobby of Allen Fieldhouse beginning Friday,August 30,1996..
KANSAS FOOTBALL 1996 Home Opener, Tonight, 7:00 pm Jayhawks ys. Ball State
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A touch of Irish in downtown Lawrence 944 Mass. 832-8228
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