2B
SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
MONDAY, APRIL 21, 2008
sports trivia
Q: Who topped Forbes' annual Richest Young Celebrities list?
A: Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James, who made $27 million last year. James made $3 million more than the second-place finisher, New Orleans Saints running back Reggie Bush.
—forbes.com
sports fact of the day
sports quote
For the third year in a row, the Cavallers are facing the Washington Wizards in the first round of the NBA playoffs. Cleveland beat Washington in the 2006 and 2007 series and won game one of this year's series 93-86 Saturday.
—LeBron James
on tv tonight
MLB:
—New York Mets at Chicago Cubs,
6 p.m., ESPN
NBA:
—Washington at Cleveland, 6 p.m., TNT
Utah at Houston, 8:30 p.m., TNT
Arena Football:
Philadelphia at Columbus, 7 p.m., ESPN2
calendar
TUESDAY
Softball vs. UMKC, 4 p.m.
Kansas City, Mo.
Softball vs. UMKC, 6 p.m.
Kansas City, Mo.
Baseball vs. Wichita State, 7
p.m., Wichita
You can do it, put your head into it
Weston White/KANSAN
Freshman defender Jackson headson the ball out of the 18-yard box Saturday morning against Washburn. The Jayhawks routed the Ichabods 5-1 to close out their spring season.
Nomo's professional career could end
BY JANIE MCCAULEY ASSOCIATED PRESS
OAKLAND, Calif. — Hideo Nomo's career in the majors might be over.
The Kansas City Royals designated the right-hander for assignment Sunday, perhaps ending his 12 seasons in the big leagues. Pitcher Luke Hochevar was called up from Triple-A Omaha.
Nomo was among the Japanese pioneers in the big leagues, and threw two no-hitters in the majors. He was trying to make a comeback at the age of 39 after having elbow surgery in 2006, but pitched only three times and 41/3 innings for the Royals this year.
Kansas City Royals pitcher Hideo Nomo talks with catcher John Buck before facing Hideki Matsui during the seventh inning against the New York Yankees in Kansas City, Mo., April 10.
Nomo gave nine runs on 10 hits and four walks for an 18.69 ERA.
"I told him how much we appreciated his efforts and the energy that he brings in a very quiet and humble way," said first-year Royals manager Trey Hillman said. "He's the kind of a guy who makes people around him better without saying anything because he's so professional and because of what he's done as a major league player here in the United States and also what he did in Japan."
On April 10, Nomo pitched in relief against the New York Yankees for his first appearance in the majors since July 15, 2005, while with Tampa Bay.
Hochevar was set to make his sec
ASSOCIATED PRESS
ond career major league start in the finale of a three-game series against the Oakland Athletics.
It wasn't an easy decision for Hillman, who managed in Japan for the Nippon Ham Fighters the past five years before taking the Royals job in October.
"We don't anticipate having room for him at Triple-A right now, which would effectively mean he would be out of a job," Hillman said. "He was very professional, very appreciative of the opportunity and sorry it didn't work out. I told him I was sorry it didn't work out for a longer period of time and (that I wasn't able to give him) more chances to prove he could pitch. It's unfortunate timing, but I believe we made the right decision for what we've got to do for our club in trying to move forward and trying to win games right now."
Nomo threw only three innings in 2006 and did not pitch last year. He was the NL rookie of the year in 1995 with the Los Angeles Dodgers and is the winningest Japanese pitcher in major league history with 123 victories.
"It's kind of weird." Kansas City left fielder Mark Teahen said. "Everyone in here knows how long he's been in the game and what he's done in the game. He's been around a long time. I don't know what the future holds for him. I'm sure it was hard for Trey, too, because of how big he is in Japan
and how big Nomo is in Japan, to be the guy who designates him. We're a young team and have to see what we've got with the young guys.
"I don't know if this is the end of the road for Nomo or not."
Nomo, nicknamed The Tornado,
has a career record of 123-109 with a
4.24 ERA with the Dodgers, New York
Mets, Milwaukee, Detroit, Boston, Tampa Bay and Kansas City.
Many Japanese stars have followed in Nomo's footsteps and found baseball success in the United States.
"You look at all the players since him ... his success obviously opened the gates." As manager Bob Geren said. "He made a big impact."
》PGA
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Boo Weekley lines up his putt on the third green during the final round of the Verizon Heritage golf tournament Sunday, at Harbour Town Golf Links on Hilton Head Island, S.C. Weekley made bogey on the hole.
No surprises for Weekley as he wins second Tour title
BY PETE IACOBELLI ASSOCIATED PRESS
HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C.
HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C.
— Boo Weekley won his second straight Verizon Heritage _ and didn't need any dramatic chip-ins to do it.
Weekley captured his second career PGA Tour title at Harbour Town Golf Links on Sunday, shooting an even-par 71 for a three-shot victory against Anthony Kim (71) and Aaron Baddeley (69).
A year ago, Weekley needed miraculous chips on the 71st and 72nd holes to edge Ernie Els by a stroke. In this one, Weekley took a three-shot lead into the final round and watched it grow by mostly staying trouble free, and seeing competitors struggle to try and catch up.
"It was a lot easier than last year, wasn't it?" a smiling Weekley said to his group on the 17th hole after his routine par.
Kim trailed by three at the start
and, paired with Weekley, was in the best spot to pressure the leader. But Kim's chance at a first PGA Tour title disappeared with a double
bogey on the par-4 ninth.
Not that Weekley didn't add his own pizazz to the round. He made bogey on No. 8 after botching a chip, then looked in trouble on the 10th with a difficult pitch over a bunker. And Weekley killed it — right into the cup for a birdie that put him up by five.
"I just struggled. I reckon everybody struggled."
"I just struggled," Weekley said.
"I reckon everybody struggled."
Weekley grinned as the gallery chanted his name over and over
He shot a 69 to finish fourth, his third top-five finish in the past four Verizon Heritage.
No one else, including former Verizon Heritage champs Baddeley and Stewart Cink, could make a run at Weekley.
Jim Furyk, ranked ninth in the world, was the hardest charger early, cutting a six-stroke deficit in half with three birdies in the first five holes. Furyk, though, fell back with a bogey on the 11th.
Both those stars had played this tournament several times before that success. Weekley just teed it up here for the first time last year.
Perhaps more important for him, Weekley can revel in his Harbour Town title for another year.
BOO WEEKLEY Professional Golfer
He did it again four holes later, slam dunking a 30-footer for birdie from the fringe if it didn't hit the cup that have
rolled into the water off the edge of the peninsula green.
Weekley earned $990,000, and a second straight invitation to the Masters. He tied for 20th at Augusta National to miss qualifying for 2009.
The even-par finishing round ended Weekley's string of seven rounds here in the 60s.
Again, the crowd ate it up as Weekley pumped his fists in celebration.
Weekley's the first with consecutive victories here since five-time winner Davis Love III in 1991 and 1992. The late Payne Stewart (1989, 1990) was the only other to go back-to-back at Harbour Town's history.
He proudly calls himself a redneck. He chews tobacco at times during his round. "It's just a habit," he says. "It's a bad one, but it's a habit."
Weekley's just as likely to rake a bunker or give a ball to a young fan — as he did to one adorable blonde pre-schooler during Saturday's round — as to shoo away autograph seekers.
H e ' s ch ar m ed the galler-ies with his "Hee Haw" demeanor in a country club world full of starched collars and hushed tones.
What would you expect from some one who got his nickname from Yogi Bear's cartoon sidekick, Boo Boo.
It's clear that Weekley knows Harbour Town better than your aa-verage golfer.
Divots: Davis Love III was in line for his first top 10 on the PGA Tour since last August. However, the five-time Harbour Town winner played the back nine in 6-over 41. He finished tied for 36th. Nick Dougherty withdrew before the final round due to a family illness. The Englishman had been nine shots in back of leader Boo Weekley after three rounds.
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