SPORTS University Daily Kansan / Thursday, November21, 1991 Braves' Pendleton is National League MVP The Associated Press ATLANTA — Terry Pendleton of the Atlanta Braves won the National League's Most Valuable Player award yesterday, beating Barry Bonds of Pittsburgh in the closest election since 1979. Pendleton, who signed with the Braves asa free agent and won his first NL batting title, got 274 points from the Baseball Writers Association of America. Bonds, who won the MVP award in 1909, received 259 points. The last time the NL ballasted is this close, Willie Stargell of Pittsburgh and Keith Hernandez of St. Louis each scored 216 votes, the only tie in MVP voting. the year and Tom Glavine won the Cy Youse Award. "Before just recently, I never — I mean never — thought about winning an MVP award. Pendleton said, "You've had to worry. It sure would be some kind of honor." Pendleton, 31, hit .319 — 52 points above his career average — and won the batting title by one point over Halpern. He also scored 40 in career-high 22 home runs and 88 RBI. Bonds didn't raise his average above .200 until late May but was the catalyst as the Pirates became the team to repeat since Philadelphia in 1978. He finished with a .292 average, 25 homers and 11 RBI, numbers that rivaled his 1990 statistics—a.301 average with 33 homers and 11 RBI. Bonds also had 13 assists and is expected to Bonds' teammate, Bobby Bonilla, finished third in the voting with 191 points. Will Clark of the San Francisco Giants was fourth with 118 and Howard Johnson of the New York Mets was fifth with 112. Pendleton became only the second Atlanta player to win the MVP award. Dale Murphy won it twice, in 1982 and 1983. Bob Elliott won the MVP in 1947 when the Braves were in Boston and Hank Aaron won it in 1957, when the Braves were in Milwaukee. Pendleton was bothered by a left hamstring pull in 1990 and his average slumped to .230 with six homers and 58 RBI in 121 games. After spending his first six-plus seasons with the Cardinals, he signed with Atlanta as a free agent Dec. 12 for $10.2 million during four years. Two recruits will play for 'Hawks but mail delays one letter of intent Bysen Robs Kansan Sportswriter BvJeff Kobs One letter in and one still out is the current status of the men's basketball recruiting scene. Kansas officially received a signed letter of intent from 6-foot-7 forward Chris Davis yesterday, but because of problems with the mail a letter of intent from 6-6 Darren Hancock has not arrived. "We are extremely happy to have Chris as part of our program," Kansas coach Roy Williams said. "We feel like he will give us some more athleticic out there on the court. "He's a fantastic offensive rebounder, runner, jumper and athletic individual." Davis, from Lakeland, Fla. transferred to Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Va. for his senior year. He averaged 18 points and 13 rebounds a game as a junior at Kathleen High School in Lake-Fla. Hancock plays for Garden City Community College, but his parents live in Griffin, Ga. Both the player and parents have to sign the letter of intent. Chris Davis "It has been signed, but due to mail situations we do not have it in hand yet," Williams said. Hancock's letter will be valid because it was signed before the end of the early signing period. Chris Davis is friends with, but no relation to, freshman Ben Davis, who played at Oak Hill last year. Williams said Ben Davis had both hurt and helped in the recruiting of Chris Davis. "Schools that recruited Chris tried to use that against us," he said. "They say when you're going to play the game, you have to compete against Ben?" "It's one of the questions I had to make sure that Chris understood." Ben and Chris Davis played together during the summer for an AAU team called Team Florida. New uniforms draw fans' attention Williams said the friendship between the two players helped in recruiting the younger Davis. Bv.Jeff Kobs Kansas guard Greg Gurley wears the team's new uniforms and shoes in a game against High Five America. Kansan Sportswriter Kansas basketball coach Roy Williams' fan mail has been a little critical the past week. Williams said he received seven letters during the last three days about the team's new look this season. The team changes uniforms and warm-ups every year, but this year's changes have been more noticeable. Some fans and alumni are upset. Williams read a sample of the letters at a press conference yesterday. "Instead of honoring basketball's 100th birthday, the team looked like it was at a costume party," the letter said. "And even worse, they looked like their uniforms came out of a Salon." So Dean Smith asked Dean Smith's team dressed like that orobby Knight's team or Duke or Kentucky?" Another letter read: "I had three emotions last night. I wanted to throw up. I felt like crying to see my beloved alma matter so shamed and angered. If I had a pair of scissors I'm afraid I would have taken after those jams." Williams said he responded to one letter with, "I may not necessarily like all of it either, but I do realize that people from different generations like different things and that our players like the uniform. "If they want to support Rick Pitita, Kentuck team, I'll give them directly." "We allow the seniors to give some input," Williams said. "The only thing I tell them is that I love the blue letters with the red trim." The decision on this year's uniforms and shoes was made by the players, not Williams. But Williams said he was still struggling with the black shoes. "I go into a gym in Dallas, Texas, and there's 41 kids in there playing, 36 of them wearing black shoes. The kids love them," he said. He said that the shorts did not bother him either. "I sure like them better than those Linda Morrison, Lake Forest, Ill., junior, she said she the uniforms. "it's the way the styles are going," she said. "In high school you always had to wear uniforms five years out of style, and it looked terrible. "By keeping up with the styles they can be proud of their uniforms." However, D.J. Miller, Wichita senior, said the long shorts gave Kansas a sloppy look. "It's just not the look of KU basketball," he said. "I don't really mind black shoes, but they don't really go with our uniforms." Would a continued flow of letters change his mind? Williams said the trend was in style and that his players liked them. because people have already been calling our equipment manager about how much they like them, but those are kids and coaches, not the people sitting up in the stands." "I would bet there'll be many, many college teams out with shorts longer this year than they were last year," Williams said. "It's amazing "It would make me change. We would start wearing knickers," he said. "If they don't want to support Kansas, go to Oklahoma. That's the way I feel about it." By Michelle Betts Special to the Kansan Men's soccer club heading to Texas for national tournev The Jayhawks placed fourth in the tournament last year when they lost to Colorado. The Kansas men's soccer team will play in Austin, Tex., tomorrow in the National Collegiate Club Soccer Association tournament for the fourth consecutive year. "I feel confident with our team." Scott Schaffer, club vice president, said. "Everybody's attitude is in the right place for (winning)." The team ended its season 15-6, 5- winning Wichita State a 3-1 Nov 9 in Wichita. Kansas is ranked first in the bracket et. Wisconsin is ranked second. Kansas will play California-Riverside, Rice University and Wisconsin-Eauclairia in the first bracket tomorrow. The teams in each of the four brackets are ranked by record, strength of each conference and past performance. Kansas will play in the "D" bracket tomorrow. If the team wins the most games in that bracket, it will play teams in brackets A. B and C. Purdue, Texas-Austin, Arizona Missouri and Colorado are some teams playing in the other brackets. Schaffer said the best teams in each region were given a bid to come and play in the tournament. Kansas' region, including Oklahoma, Nebraska and Missouri, received twobids. Chris Roberson, club president, said he was confident because of the team's performances in its games and its recent practices. "I think we've got the skill to win and I think we've got the dedication," he said. "The better players are going to get playing time, but everybody is excited to go whether or not they're playing." Schafer said. Kansas is taking 22 players to Austin. Schaffer said that two or three players did not show up to some important practices and would not be allowed to play in the tournament. Bo announces he will give up football because of hip injury He's iust one-sport Bo again. Do must have known, but now it's official. To the surprise of very few, football is not part of his future any longer. said. "I can't argue with it." "You had to think all along his doctors were going to recommend he not play the game," Los Angeles Raiders Coach Art Shell said yesterday at the team's headquarters in El Segundo, Calif Jackson said Tuesday in Chicago that he was strictly a one-sport athlete and that sport is baseball. "As far as I'm concerned, I have to do what my doctors told me," Jackson Jackson's announcement was made at a Chicago sporting-goods store that is featuring his athletic equipment. It will be the first physical examination with the Raiders. Jackson sustained what turned out to be a career-ending hip injury early in the third quarter of the Raiders' 20-10 victory against Cincinnati in an upset win. In ammun. 13. The injury occurred as he was being tackled at the end of a long run. "The guy was a phenomenal football player," Shell said. "If he had played 10 years in the league, full time or part of the team, would have done some great things." Mason, football team lament close losses By David Mitchell Kansas Sportswriter Kansan Sportswriter The Kansas football team has suffered through a series of near misses this season. The 5-2 Jayhawks saw their hopes of a bowl game fizzle after a 30-24 loss to Colorado. The Jayhawks' frustrations began in week four of the season when Kansas entered its match with Virginia undefeated. The "Hawks had 60 more yards of total offense than they have first downs than the Cavaliers, but the team ball over four times. Virginia won 31-19. Despite the setbacks, Kansas coach Glen Mason said the team was headed in the right direction. The Jayhawks need a victory to earn them to earn their first winning season in 10 years. "It's been a tough year for him, but I'll be sad when that game's over," Mason said. "I can see the improvement. I've run out of time to wear it. I wish we could keep going, but we can." The next week Kansas dropped its Big Eight Conference opener to arch-rival Kansas State. Kansas led 12-3 in the fourth quarter but the Wildcats rallied, scoring two touchdowns in the final period to escape with a 16-12 victory. "I'll have to live the rest of my life knowing I played Kansas State my senior year and lost," he said. "Beating Missouri will never make up for losing to Kansas State." Of all the Jayhawks' defeats, senior offensive tackle Christopher Paes said the loss to the Bengals was his first. Perez said the 1911 team still had made marked improvements, which the senior chair of the staff recognized. "We've made a difference," he said. "Take a bit of pride in the fact that we've go them further." Mason said the senior class had proven its dedication. "It's easy to stay along for the ride when things are going good," Mason said. "But when you're not having success and in some cases you're being ridiculed, the kids that commit it often fail in their commitment to the team. I don't know how you put a price tag on that." After last week's last-minute loss to Colorado, junior linebacker Hassan Bailey said the tough losses would help the Jayhawks win close games in the future. "You keep trying, you keep fighting until you learn how to win," Bailey said. "It just doesn’t happen over night. I feel sorry for the kids. You don’t have a chance to come back next year." "They're laving a good solid foundation for success in the future at the University of Kansas." Mason also is expected to redshirt 18 freshman, one junior college transfer and two injured Jayhawks — senior flanker Rob Lucursi and junior tight end Chad Fette. Senior running back Maurice Douglas also is expected to be redshirted. Colorado's All-Big Eight nose tackle Joel said said the haywaghs were becoming force field. The Jayhawks will miss eight senior starters next fall, but Kansas will return 19 players with starting experience. "Kansas is a hell of a team," he said after Saturday's game. "The Big Eight should look out next year because Kansas is going to be a premier team." Who's coming back next year Offensive players with starting experience QB Chip Hilley Sr. (next season) QB Nate Florell Jr. WR Rob Licursi Sr. TE Chad Fette Sr. TE Dwayne Chandler Jr. LG Hessley Hempstead So C Dan Schmidt Jr. RG Scott Imwale Sr. RT Keith Loneker Sr. Defensive players with starting experience OLB Don Davis So. (next season) OLB Sylvester Wright So. OLB Hassan Bailey Sr. ILB Steve Harvey So. DE Kyle Moore Sr. DE Brian Christian Jr. DT Gilbert Brown Sr. DT Dana Stubblefield Sr. CB Robert Vaughn Jr. CB Gerald McBurrows So. Starters who won't return CB FS SS OT WR FB Tim Hill Paul Friday Doug Terry Christopher Perez Tony Sandis Kenny Drayton Roger Robben Melissa Unterberg / KANSAM Source: KU Sports Information The Associated Press Dodgers Strawberry, Daniels take swings at each other LOS ANGELES — Darryl Strawberry, who fled controversy in New York for a more tranquil baseball life, made it through his first season with the Los Angeles team without causing any ripples. He waited for the off season. Strawberry says the Dodgers should dump Kal Daniels. Daniels countered by questioning Strawberry's state of mind. "I don't want to deal with what we dealt with last year, a guy like Kal, a player who doesn't want to play," Strawberry said. "Trade Kal. If he doesn't want to play, get him out of here. And you can quote me on that." "I love the guy like a brother, but if he is going to backstab me like that, evidently he has a mental problem," Daniels said. "Darryl signed the big contract, and he thinks he's all-world." "Well, he's not. The first half of the season he was invisible. If he doesn't want to play with me, well, the feeling is mutual." The two players made their remarks in interviews with the Los Angeles Times published yesterday. Daniels played in 137 games in 1991, hitting 249, 49 points below his career average, with 17 homers and 73 RBI, 10 less homers and 21 less RBI than the previous year. Strawberry, after a slow start, wound up with a team hight 28 homers and 99 RBI, both close to his career avera- ge. Strawberry said Daniels complained too much about injuries. "Somebody has to finally say something about him, and I'll be the guy." "Strawberry said. 'I'm talking about us needing somebody who is determined to play with injuries, somebody who won't get kicked out of a game in the first inning in the pennant race, somebody who always wants to be there." But Daniel, who has arthritis in both knees, said "nobody plays with injuries like I do. I'm in pain every day, but you never hear me complain. Darryl complained the whole first half about his shoulder."