SPORTS UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Wednesday, July 20, 1994
11
Jay Thornton / KANSAN
Swingin' through summer
Vincent Walker, National Youth Sports Program participant, swings at a softball. The camp began June 21 and ends tomorrow. The camp benefits disadvantaged children in the Lawrence area.
Budig ponders AL's cataclysmic season
The Associated Press
LINCOLN, Neb. — If there's still a job to do by Aug. 13, Chancellor Gene Budig could have a lot of fun living out a fantasy.
That's when Budig will become president of the American League.
"There's nothing more exciting than that," he said. "We have a great race between the Cleveland Indians and the Chicago White Sox (in the Central Division), the Orioles and the Yankees in the East, and there's a good race in the West.
"We've got Ken Griffey Jr. chasing one of the most exciting records in baseball—the single-season home run record, and Frank Thomas looking to win the triple crown and post numbers such as the ones Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig had 60 years ago," he said.
There's one drawback. The season, the playoffs and even the World Series could strike out if owners and players aren't able to reach a collective bargaining agreement soon.
"It would be premature of me to say a lot about the economic concerns that have the owners and players union in talks," Budig said. "But you can bet the owners don't want a strike and the players don't want a work stoppage.
Budig was honored at a reception held by his boyhood friend, Gov. Ben Nelson of Nebraska.
"We had a lot of talk about the old days" Budig said. "Coach Tom Osborne dropped by, and we talked a little about football, too."
"But the subject we kept returning to was baseball," he said. "I love baseball, and I'll talk about it anytime anybody wants to."
It's only natural Budig was sought as an expert on the subject. He's leaving his post as chancellor of the University of Kansas to take over presidency of the league
"Baseball has always been very important to me personally," he said. "It's a timeless game and a timeless season.
"And this season may be one of the best ever."
Baseball strike banter cancels overseas games
The Associated Press
NEW YORK — Baseball's labor struggles have caused the cancellation of a postseason all-star tour of Japan and the Seattle Mariners' plan to open the 1995 season in the Orient.
Union head Donald Fehr and executive council head Bud Selig said yesterday that both trips were canceled because of the struggle to reach a new collective bargaining agreement.
The Mariners, whose majority owner is Hiroshi Yamauchi, president of Nintendo Co. Ltd., had hoped to open the 1995 season in Japan against the Detroit Tigers in what would have been the first major league games outside North America. The presence of Cecil Fielder, a former star in Japan, would have made the Tigers as big an attraction as the Mariners.
Major league baseball has sent teams and All-Star teams to tour Japan 30 times since 1908 and every other year since 1984.
"I would think it would be fair to say it was lost in the process," Fehr said.
Instead, Seattle will open the season at Toronto.
postseason tour of Japan
Dentsu Inc. was set to sponsor the
Lawyers for both the union and management said a tentative agreement had been reached last winter. But the deal came apart as tension mounted in the labor talks.
"We've got to solve our problems and move forward," Selig said. "Then things like the postseason tour and next year wouldn't be on hold or less than hold."
John Ellis, the Mariners' chief executive officer, said last month that he still was hopeful an agreement could be reached. But team representative Dave Aust said that the club realized it won't happen.
Representatives of players and owners are to meet again today in New York, but Fehr said he didn't expect any major developments. The meeting is to include Ken Schanzer, head of baseball's new television joint venture.
"Hopefully we'll try for 1996," he said.
Rayford scheduled for knee operation
The next major development in the talks is expected to occur next week when the Major League Baseball Players Association executive board considers whether to set a strike date.
Senior guard suffers torn ligaments, faces extensive recovery
By Roberta Johnson and Nathan Olson
KU's shortest basketball player may have a short season this winter — if he has a season at all.
Calvin Rayford, a 5-foot-6 senior guard, tore ligaments in his left knee while playing in a basketball camp in Oshkosh, Wisc., during the last week of June, said Mark Cairns, KU basketball trainer.
The extent of Rayford's injuries will not be known until the surgery is performed. Caims said that the injury probably was a tear of the anterior cruciate ligament, a ligament running from the front to the back of the knee.
A similar injury kept former KU basketball player Danny Manning out for much of the 1988-1989 season with the Los Angeles Clippers.
"Other tests are showing instability in the knee apart from the ACL," he said.
But Cairns said Rayford's injury may be more serious than that.
However, other athletes have torn anterior cruciate ligaments and have had successful careers after surgery. In 1986, KU forward Archie Marshall injured his knee during the Final Four game against Duke. He recovered and eventually played in Europe.
Cairns said that Rayford probably would be kept off the knee for a month after the surgery. For another month, Rayford will use crutches. He
probably won't be able to run for about four months.
"He should have his full range of motion in six to eight weeks," Carrs said. "He could be back in January."
Calvin Rayford
Dean Buchan.
DEAR BUCCHAR;
sports information director for KU
said that Rayford, Coach Roy
Williams and doctors may decide
as early as next week whether Rayford
will be redshirted this season.
"His injury doesn't necessarily mean he'll be redshirted," Buchan said.
If redish torsion, Rayford will not lose a year of plaving elasticity.
Buchan said that recovery times differ greatly with each athlete, but recovery usually takes six months.
"Calvin was down here shooting hoops today," Buchan said. "He walks around like a normal person. He just can't run."
Rayford, considered one of the quickest players in the country, averaged 15.9 minutes per game for the Jayhawks last season. His loss leaves Coach Williams with only Jacque Vaughn as a true point guard.
Jerod Haase, University of California transfer guard who sat out last season, said that he played point guard about 50 percent of the time during practices last year.
"I probably would have played a little third-string point guard," he said. "But I'll probably play a lot of point guard now that he's injured."
Rayford was not available for comment.
Free safety Lassiter wins appeal to play
By Alicia Hein Kansan staff writer
Kwamie Lassiter has another victory under his belt.
However, the KU football player's win didn't come on the field this time. It came in the form of an NCAA ruling that will allow him to play for another year.
The NCAA ruled Friday that Lassiter, Newport News, Va., free safety, will be able to play football this season. The decision followed a ninemonth appeal process that began last fall when Lassiter, a senior, broke his collarbone in the Jayhaws 46-3 victory over West Virginia.
Lassiter and his coaches believed he could be redshirted for a year because of his injury and still have another year of eligibility left. The NCAA originally said Lassiter had used all his time and would not be able to play this year. Lassiter appealed the ruling, and after considering the appeal, the NCAA found in his favor.
"I'm really relieved and happy." Lassiter said Monday. "I'm stress-free now."
Lassiter's college career began with plans to attend Virginia Tech. However, he didn't qualify for admission to the school. Lassiter decided instead to enroll at Butler County Community College in El Dorado, where he stayed for two years. He was then told by Vir-
Kwamie Lassiter
In the NCAA appeal, the University argued that Lassiter's year away from football at Newport News should not count because he was unaware of his options. The NCAA agreed, granting Lassister another year of play.
KU football coach Glen Mason is also pleased with NCAA decision.
"It was a long wait and it was very complicated, but we're glad we got the ruling in his favor." Mason said.
he was still not able to enroll at Virginia Tech and enrolled at KU in 1992.
Mason moved defensive back Tony Blevins to Lassiter's position last season in order to fill the hole, and he now must fit the 1992 first team AllBig Eight player back into the team. Mason's not bothered at all by this, he said.
"It's the type of dilemma I like to have as a coach," he said.
Lassiter decided to enroll in a community college in Newport News, sitting out the 1991 football season and using a year of his eligibility. After that year
ginia Tech that all his hours did not transfer.