University Daily Kansan / Wednesday, July 17, 1991
Sports
11
Financial problems cause KC Comets to fold
The Associated Press
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Comets folded yesterday after the ownership group could not solidify a plan to save the financially ailing 10-year-old soccer franchise
They closed just one day after the Comets added one of two minority owners needed to keep the club afloat. The Major Soccer League sponsored a 17-day extension on Monday, and piece together an ownership group.
with 10 investors," said Herbert Kohn, owner and board member of the franchise. "That's frustrating. It would have been a wonderful thing to pick and choose between investors. Unfortunately that wasn't the case.
"We were never able to come up
“It's difficult to go to a businessman or businesswoman and say to that person we want you to commit to 10 percent of the losses, that there is very little hope of making a profit. We have not made money and there's no reason to believe we will make money.”
Robert Hagans, owner and retired board chairperson, said the owners determined Sunday night they could support a club that was losing money.
"Our heads won't let us proceed no matter how much our hearts want to protest."
The Comets appeared headed for an 11th season Monday when John Wempel, a Kansas City area business leader, committed $210,000 over three years. But the addition still left the Comets 10 percent of completing the ownership group.
The Comets ownership group had set last Saturday as the deadline for finding two new investors but extended it to Monday. Bohn said the team's future was decided Sunday night.
"We felt after 10 years in Kansas a different 24-hour wouldn't make a difference," he said.
The Comets' attendance has averaged nearly 12,000 over the last nine years, but last season the average dropped to 7,103.
"We even dropped ticket prices $1 for next season," Kohn said. "But we would be a television contract, you would be required to make a profit off ticket sales."
The Comets were formed in 1987 when Kohn and 15 other investors purchased the club from David Schoenstadt, who moved the San Francisco Fog to Kansas City in 1981. The club originated as the Detroit Lightning in 1979 and moved to San Francisco the following year.
Despite the loss of Kansas City, the
MSL expects to operate eight teams next season, including a new franchise in Pittsburgh.
Since May, the Dallas Sidekicks and the seven-temple champion San Diego Sockers both folded but were added as new teams in the same cities.
The Wichita Wings were rescued last month when Pizza Hut Inc. purchased 100 season tickets to reach the 5,000 minimum needed.
South rises again, shoots past North
The Associated Press
LOS ANGELES — Tournament MVP MPEG Evans of Tennessee scored 20 points last night as the South rallied to beat the North 82-77 in overtime and win the U.S. Olympic Festival gold medal.
Basketball and the boxing gold-medal matches were the highlights of the fourth day of the festival, which included aerial at sites in and around Los Angeles.
The South appeared doomed when Anjinea Hopson of Arkansas threw the ball away on out-of-bounds kick, then called a regulation and her team trailing 69-47.
But after Cathy Marx of Iowa made just one of two free throws, Hopson hit a 3-pointer with 5 seconds left to force the overtime. After going to a three-point range in her first three festival games, Hopson was for 3-5 last night.
The South wound up 3-1, the North 2-2.
Bridgette Petts, who is headed to Florida, and Debbie Sporcich of Oregon scored to points apiece for the game. He points from Jessica Hicks of Maryland.
In the bronze-medal game, Frozena Jerro of Arizona State scored 11 points as the West snapped a 69-60 victory over the East.
Benjamin Davis had tournament highs with 23 points and 17 rebounds, leading the South to a 104-94 victory in the men in their bronze-medal game.
Davis, who will attend Kansas this fall, helped the South win its only game in four tries. The West also finished 1-3.
Martinez took two eight counts in the second round and another in the third, although Griffin thought he missed several punches.
Wesley Person of Auburn scored 22 points and had eight rebounds for the South. Cherokee Parks, a Duke signee, led the West with 15 points.
In boxing, two-time world champion Eric Griffin of Houston man-
handed the medal at Fort of
Hunchaue, Ariz., 53-19, to win
the gold medal at 106 pounds.
"I feel great," he said. "I came into this fight real strong."
At 112 pounds, Tim Austin of Cincinnati won by disqualification
'I feel great. I came into this fight real strong.'
— Bradley Martinez amateur boxer
against John Herrera of Corpus Christi, Texas. Herrera was disqualified for holding.
Sean Fletcher of Norfolk, Va., who had beaten two-time national champion Sergio Reyes in the semifinals, won the gold by beating Aristead Clayton of Baker, La. 37-28.
The gold-medal matchups in tennis were decided yesterday. Top-seeded Chris Woodruff of Knoxville, Tenn., was taken to three sets for the first time in beating Ricky Becker of Roslyn, N.Y., N.3,-6, 6-1. Woodruff will meet No. 3 seed Peter Ayers of Charlotte, N.C., who beat second-seeded Chris Pressley of Miami 6-0, 6-4 in the semifinals.
On the women's side, fourth-seeded Beth Berns of Lodi, Calif., won in three sets to reach the finals. Berris, the only seeded player left, will meet Sonya Olejar of Tacoma, Wash., who won in straight sets.
In bowling, Steve Smith of Anaheim, Calif., tied a record festival in his sport by winning his third gold medal. Smith helped lead his fourman West team to a come-from-behind victory over the South after having won golds in singles and doubles.
Earlier yesterday, team handball player Liv Halle of Colorado Springs, Colo., and UCLA volleyball player Brian Boone were given the second annual Comeback Awards, which go to athletes who overcome debilitating injuries.
Last year, just five months after she tore the anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee, Halle was playing team handball again. Now she said she does not even notice the injury.
Boone underwent surgery for acute tendinitis in his knee with calcium deposits in the ligament. Rehabilitation and included ultrasound simulation.
Halle and Ryan each receive $5,000 for the award, as do their trainers.
Brandon McAndrews, 6, participates in a Lawrence Parks and Recreation tee-ball game. The game took place Saturday morning at Deerfield Elementary School, 101 Lawrence Ave. McAndrews played first base on his team.
Play ball
Wild throw boosts Royals Blue Jays' bobbles allow winning run in 10th inning
Blue Jays' bobbles allow winning run in 10th inning
The Associated Press
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Catcher Greg Myers allowed the tying run on a passed ball in the ninth inning, and his wild throw permitted the winning run in the 10th last night as the Kansas City Royals beat the Toronto Blue Jays 2-1.
Tom Candiotti (9-8) hit Bill Pecota in the back with a pitch leading off the 10th. Brent Mayne sacrificed and Pecota took off for third on the next pitch. Myers' throw went high over the head of third baseman Kelly Gruber and Pecota scored standing up, sending Toronto to just its third
loss in 15 games.
Candiott allowed seven hits in his fourth complete game, struck out three and walked one as he lost to Murray for the first time since May 9, 1989
Candiott, 11-1 in his career against Royals, had won four straight against Kansas City. Despite the American League-leading ERA to 2.01.
Kansas City, which won for the seventh time in 22 games, tied the score in the ninth when Kirk Gibson scored a home run. The ball, which ended Candotti's score.
less-inning streak at 23.
Luis Aquino (2-2) pitched 2 1-3 shutout innings for the victory. Kansas City, which scored 18 runs Sun-**n**a, scored just five in its last 22 innings.
Myers singled with one out in the fifth and Kevin Appier balked him to second. Connie Synder struck him with a lean, let his checked-swing booper for a 1-0 lead.
Appier, who had received an average of 8.8 runs during his previous five starts, allowed four hits in 72 games and had a high with 10 strikeouts and walked one.
tims, underwent more tests yesterday at the Dallas Rehabilitation Institute, where he was transferred Medina from Parkland Memorial Hospital.
Doctor says umpire's recovery chances look good
institute's Spinal Cord Unit, said in a prepared statement.
Milani said Palermo would need several months of rehabilitation.
"Although the exact extent of recovery cannot be predicted, initial assessments indicated a very optimum course of treatment by physician and medical director of the
Palermo was wounded in the lower section of the spinal-cord region. Milani said Palermo immediately would begin therapy to improve his physical functions and mobility.
and fair condition despite suffering some leg immobility, Milani said.
DALLAS — Doctors have not determined the extent of the injuries American League umpire Steve Palmero suffered from a gunshot wound to a spinal-cord specialist said prospects for his recovery anewed good.
The Associated Press
Palermo is reported in good spirits
Palermo and former Southern Methodist University defensive tackle Terence Mann were shot July 11 by chasing four robbery suspects.
Palermo, who was shot earlier this month while aiding two robbery vices.
The two were at a Dallas restaurant when the suspect tried to rob
Mann, who was shot in the neck,
abdomen and arm, was released after being hospitalized for several days. Palermo was shot once.
LeMond leads as Tour heads into final half
ing lot.
The Associated Press
The American League office in New York said diagnostic studies of Palermo confirmed that injury to the hip controlling his leg function did occur.
ST HERBLAIN, France — Greg LeMond completed the first half of the Tour de France with the overall lead in the final officially withdrew from the race.
LeMond, the three-time winner, stayed in first for the fourth straight day after finishing the 11th stage in the middle of the pack, while Erik Krause won the overall numbers of the PDM team withdrew after an undetermined virus took its toll.
France's Charly Mottet captured the 154-mile 11th stage, which began in Quimper. The race was very quick, with the riders averaging more than an hour to finish almost an hour ahead of the projected schedule.
The remaining four, including Ireland's Sean Kelly, were pulled out by their team's director just before the start of vesteday's leg.
"We made the decision this morning after calling hospitals in the Netherlands and in Quimper," said PDM director, Jan Gibers. "There are two specialists in the Nethertown hospital, and we sure it's bacteria and are nearly 100 percent sure that it had something to do with some food poisoning."
Breukink was second before Mon day's stage, when the disease first affected the DPM team. He rode with a 100-degree fever, trailing the pack for most of the stage, while five teammates dropped out.
"We started very fast and during the last 20 kilometers the pack was getting very tense." Motet said. "I decided to attack in the last kilometers and it worked nicely with my teammates."
LeMond, who also participated in the sudden acceleration of the pack, saw his lead over Soviet Djamolidine Aboujourv shrink to 51 seconds. The Soviet, who moved into second Monday when Breukink became ill, gained more bonus seconds during the three intermediate sprints.
Spain's Miguel Indurain is third overall, 2:17 behind LeMond after Breukink's elimination.
The cyclists have their only off-day of the Tour today. They will travel by airplane to Pau before two stages in the Pyrenees mountains.
Gerard Porte, the chief medical officer for the Tour de France organization, said the four PDM team members who finished the race Monday were still showing some effects of the illness.
"They are tired and their heartbeat is accelerated. They have more than 38-degree temperature (100 degrees Fahrenheit)," Porte said.
"Now the problem is to find what the virus is, but that will take more time. We need to take more tests."
Want to place an ad? Call 864-4358, 8am -5pm
The race ends July 28 in Paris.
Make someone's day special in the Kansan personals
Holiday Apartments by Westridge Construction
230 Mount Hope Court
Directly East of Lawrence Holldome (behind Coastal Mart)
- 1 BRfrom $325
*2 BRfrom $375
230 Mount Hope Court
Convenient to:
- Daycare Cent
•Food Mart
•on Bus Route
•Laundromat
*Liquor Store*
*West Turnpike Entrance*
Energy efficient design
For information or tour call 843-0011
ROSES
$6.95 per dozen
Selected colors While supplies last!
Holland Cut Flowers starting at 55¢
Gladiolus $5.00 per doz. or 50¢ each
6 Inch Potted Plants $6.95
10 Inch Potted Plants $9.95
Arrangements starting at $9.95
FLOWERS 4 LESS
M-F 9 to 7
Sat. 9 to 5
Sun. 1 to 5
Lawrence
832-0700
All Major Credit Cards Accepted
We Make Deli the Way You Like It!
At Convenient Food Mart all popular meats, cheeses and breads are available fresh everyday to make your deli sandwich just the way you like it.
Choose from your favorite meats like:
*corned beef
*pastrami
- ham
- turkey
- roast beef
- chicken
- smoked turkey
and more!
*All popular meats are available by the pound.
9th & Indiana
Where convenience is more than a name.