12
Friday, November 19, 1993
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
SPORTS
--successful, they won't know for months whether Palermo will walk normally again.
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Former umpire to have surgery
He hopes to return to baseball diamond
The Associated Press
BOSTON — Steve Palermo's world has always centered on alternatives with an unambiguous outcome: ball or strike, fair or foul, safe or out.
But now, after making the toughest call of his life, the former umpire faces an uncertain future.
Palermo, partially paralyzed by a mugger's bullet two years ago, is scheduled for neurosurgery today on his spinal cord in an attempt to regain full use of his left leg and return to umpiring.
Surgeons won't know if they can repair damaged nerves until after they've begun the operation, which could last up to 10 hours. If they're
And if they renot successful, there's a chance of undoing Palermo's months of grueling rehabilitation and leaving him permanently crippled.
Palermo was shot outside Campisi's restaurant in Dallas on July 7, 1991, while trying to rescue two waitresses being attacked in the parking lot of the popular Italian restaurant. He had unpumped a Rangers game hours earlier.
Palermo, 43, who still has metal fragments in his body, has waged a relentless battle to regain full use of his legs. Through painful rehabilitation and sheer will power, he has recovered enough to walk — halting-
The mugger got a long prison sentence. Palermo got a bullet through the spine that left doctors saying he would never walk again.
But his left side remains weak and his progress has stalled in the last year. About six months ago, doctors suggested the highly unusual surgery, similar to that done on infants born with nerve abnormalities.
ly and clumsily, at times — with the aid of canes.
Palermo spent the past few weeks agonizing over the decision. He underwent countless tests — MRIs, CAT scans, bone scans — but doctors said they would only be able to fully assess his nerve damage with surgery.
He finally decided to have the surgery at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center in Worcester, and flew to his parents' home in Oxford, Mass., last weekend to prepare for the operation.
Arthur Pappas, an orthopedic surgeon and the team physician for the Boston Red Sox, will assist in the
operation.
"The nerves on the left side of the spinal cord at the lower part of his back are encased by scar tissue," he said. "What has to be determined is if they are intact or disrupted."
"If the nerves are disrupted, there is very little that can be done. If they are intact, it is a matter of removing the scar tissue around the nerves to provide for the impulses to be transmitted from the nerves and to the muscles in his left leg."
Pappas added, "I don't know if this exact operation has been done anywhere."
Paloermo knows the risks and the long odds. But he is intent on returning to baseball, and everything that goes with it.
"I'd like to be able to hear some boos directed at me," he said. "That would mean I'm back at work. That would be nice."
The Battle
for the Indian War Drum
Kansas and Missouri will meet tomorrow for the 102nd time, making it the longest Division 1A rivalry west of the Mississippi. Missouri leads the series 48-44-9 including last year's 22-17 win in Columbia. Here are some more interesting stats on this great rivalry.
- Tomorrow marks the 39th time the two teams will square off in Lawrence.
- Since KU's Memorial Stadium opened up in 1921, Missouri leadsthe series here 18-14-3.
The last time the Jayhawks had border bragging rights was two years ago when Tony Sands rushed for 396 yards en route to the NCAA all-time singlegame rushing record and a 53-29 win in Lawrence.
- Missouri has scored 1,615 points to Kansas's 1,405.
- Neither team has won more than five consecutive games against the other. The last five-game win streak was Missouri's and it ended in 1942.
- The greatest margin of victory is 48 points which Missouri accomplished 4 times. The Jayhawks biggest win was 30-0 in 1930.
Here's who to watch for this year as the Hawks look to reclaim the Indian War Drum.
- Missouri receivers: Kenny Holly, Brian Sallee, and tight end A.J. Ofodile could be the best receivers in the conference. Colorado has a great pair of receivers, but Holly and Ofodile rank 1 and 2 in receptions, respectively. This could be a problem for KU's depleted secondary. Also,
Missouri ranks seventh in the Big Eight in rushing, so expect them to put it in the air.
- The narrowest margin of victory is 1 point, accomplished once by Missouri and three times by Kansas.
- The last tie was 3-3 in 1962 in Columbia.
- The Tigers all-time win-loss record is 509-422-51. The Jav Hawks are at 476-453-58.
- Kansas backs - Charles Henley could be the league's
best running back. This could be trouble for a Missouri defense that ranks seventh in the conference in rushing defense. Coupled with the fact, that no Jay-
hawk receiver has caught a pass for a touchdown this year, and one should expect the Hawksto
and one should expect the 'Hawks to
run and try to keep their
defense rested.
- Missouri has a 15 game road losing
streak.
Wishes the Jayhawks Good Luck!
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