LET'S KICK IT...
Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Jason Kendall was the only unanimous choice on the Rookie All-Star Team picked
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
by major league managers yesterday. New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter was one vote shy of being a unanimous pick. Also chosen were Tony Clark of the Detroit Tigers at first base, Tony Batista of the Oakland A's at second and Joe Randa of the Kansas City Royals at third, Jermaine Dye of the Atlanta Braves, Todd Hollandsworth of the Los Angeles Dodgers and F.P. Santango of the Montreal Expos were selected as outfielders. Right-hander Alan Benes of the St. Louis Cardinals and left-hander Billy Wagner of the Houston Astros were selected as the pitchers.
SPORTS
UPCOMING
Patrick Ewing of the New York Knicks became the 23rd player in NBA history to score 20,000 career points when he made a layup during the second quarter of Tuesday night's game against the Orlando Magic. The 12th-year pro
began the night six points shy of the plateau. Clyde Drexler of the Houston Rockets also should reach 20,000 points soon. Drexler started Tuesday night 74 points shy of 20,000.
BIG 12 UPDATE
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 1996
Byron Hanspard was named the Big 12 Conference offensive player of the week on Monday. Colorado nose tackle Ryan Olson was named the Big 12 defensive player of the week. The Buffaloes defeated No. 9 Kansas State 12-0 Saturday. Hanspard ran for 257 yards and four touchdowns in the Red Raiders' 56-21 victory against Southwestern Louisiana. The performance gave him a Texas Tech single-season record with an even 2,000 yards rushing. Olson had eight tackles, two quarterback sacks and a pass deflection against K-State.
Indians may make play for shortstop Jav Bell
PITTSBURGH — The Cleveland Indians might replace a Belle with a Bell.
The Indians, who lost free agent Albert Belle to the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday, might fill a hole at second base by trading for Pirates shortstop Jay.
shortstop Jay Bell
SECTION B
The teams have discussed a seven-player deal involving Bell and infielder Jeff King, but the
Indians are focusing on Bell as Jose Vizcaíno's replacement at second. Vizcaíno went to San Francisco last week in the Matt Williams trade.
Bell, traded by Cleveland to Pittsburgh shortly just before the 1989 season began, has been on the trading block since Pirates owner Kevin McClatchy decided to trim a $21 million navroll and rebuild with youth.
Pittsburgh has since acquired 11 prospects in separate deals with the Braves, Dodgers, Yankees and Blue Jays. And Bell, whose $4.7 million salary has scared off some interested teams, could be the next to go.
"Ive just heard rumors," Bell said in a telephone interview from his Florida home. "(The media) knows as much as I do."
Braves sign John Smoltz to four-year contract
ATLANTA — The Atlanta Braves will keep the best rotation in baseball intact, agreeing yesterday to a $31 million, four-year contract with NL Cy Young Award winner John Smoltz — a record deal for a pitcher.
Smoltz' $7.75 million average is second in baseball behind the $11 million average in the deal Albert Belle, and the
Belle and the
White Sox agreed to on Tuesday.
Molty 30, led the
injuries war wounds and strikeouts, along with a 2.94 ERA. He added four more wins in the postseason before the Braves were beaten by the New York Yankees in the World Series.
The re-signing of Smoltz was paramount to the Braves retaining their status as the best team in the National League. They have been to four of the past five World Series, winning the championship in 1995 and losing to the New York Yankees in six games this year.
The previous high contract for a pitcher was $6.5 million in David Cone's $19.5 million, three-year deal with the Yankees.
Olajuwon's condition not serious, Rockets say
HOUSTON — Houston Rockets center Hakeem O l a j u w o n remained in the hospital yesterday day where he was taken with an irregular heartbeat during Tues
The Rockets play host to the Phoenix Suns tonight.
day's game against Minnesota
Olajuwon
"It has to be treated medically, and when it returns to normal, he'll be back on the court," Frank said.
Rockets spokesman Matt Alexander said it was not clear how long Olajuwon would remain at Methodist Hospital, but team officials were to discuss the player's condition after afternoon practice.
The Rockets issued a statement saying Olaijuwon's condition was not believed to be serious. He went through a similar episode in 1991
Olajuwon's heartbeat was not back to normal after the game.
Kendra Kahler, Kansas right side hitter, goes up for a spike to the University of Texas' Demetra Sance. The Kansas volleyball team lost the match to Texas in 3 games last night at Allen Field House.
G. R. Gordon-Ross / KANSAN
Longhorns win short match
Kansas defeated in three games by Texas team
By Adam Herschman Kansan sportswriter
It didn't take long for the Texas Longhorns to defeat the Kansas volleyball team last night in Allen Field House.
The No. 8 Longhorns defeated Kansas in three games (15-1, 15-7, 15-2) in an hour and four minutes.
Texas improved its record to 21-4 overall, and to 15-2 in the Big 12 Conference. Kansas' record fell to 9-22 overall and 3-14 in the conference.
Earlier this season, Texas overcame Kansas in a four-game (3-1) match that lasted twice as long.
Kansas volleyball coach Karen Schonewise said Texas was the best team she had seen all year.
"Texas has a great team, great offensive
"When we were in Austin they kept us on the floor two hours and 10 minutes with great effort," said Texas volleyball coach Mick Haley. "Part of it was we let them get into the game, and when they get into it they're pretty good. We just didn't give them a chance to feel good about themselves tonight."
team." Schonewise said. "Texas is so much stronger now then they were a month ago." Halev agreed.
"We're getting better, I mean we're really getting to championship caliber right now." Haley said. "We've wanted to be at this point for six weeks now."
Demetria Sance led Texas with 12 kills and seven digs.
For the Jayhawks, sophomore Moira Donovan led the team with 10 kills. Juniors Maggie Mohrfeld and Kendra Kahler led the team with six digs each.
Although Texas had more blocks and service aces than Kansas, both teams each had 28 digs.
"They play good defense," Haley said about Kansas. "I think they got a good young squad, and they play hard."
But Schonewise said her team still needed to work on its communication level on the court.
"We don't have control over how they're running their offense, the great hitters that they have," Schonewise said. "We do have control over our own team making strong movements, us communicating from start to finish."
"It's frustrating because it's under our control, but we got to pick that up." Sennett "so."
Kansas junior setter Tiffany Sennett, who had nine assists, said Kansas' communication was inconsistent throughout the match.
The Jayhawks will play the final home match of the season against No. 14 Texas A&M at 7:30 p.m. tomorrow night in the field house.
'Hawks prepare for season finale against Mizzou
Emotions high as seniors enter the last game of their college careers
By Dan Gelston Kansan sportswriter
Can it be?
head coach that actually wants more chances to talk to the media?
A head coach that actually wants more chances to talk to the media? "I wish we had a couple of more times to do this." Kansas coach Glen Mason said yesterday as he met the press for his final post-practice media session of the year.
That's because Mason and the rest of the Jayhawks wish the season could have lasted at least one game longer than the 11 scheduled. An extra game would have been a bowl game, the first time in Kansas history there would be back-to-back bowl game appearances.
With a 4-6 record, however, that won't happen. Instead, Kansas is spending its final week of practice getting ready for Missouri.
Although the Jayhawks are preparing for a game where nothing more than pride is at stake, Mason said Kansas practices have been as positive as ever.
"One could have anticipated a drop-off in practice this week, but we didn't," Mason said. "It was the best Wednesday practice we've had in a long time. maybe the whole year."
Kansas senior linebacker Ronnie Ward, team co-captain, said the Jayhawks would be ready for Missouri.
"We still have one more game left," Ward said. "We can't take it any less seriously than any of the other games. It means a lot to the seniors because it's the last time we're going to wear a Kansas uniform."
One senior who will be ready to play is senior quarterback Ben Rutz. Mason said that Rutz, who missed the Texas game with a sprained right shoulder, would be able to start against Missouri. Senior offensive lineman Scott Whittaker did not start against Texas because of team matters, Mason said.
"He didn't do something he was supposed to do," Mason said. "I don't know if he'll start on Saturday."
Kansas senior wide receiver Andre Carter also is out for the Missour game, because of an injury.
Although Mason was happy with yesterday's practice, he said, he was not happy about cutting it short once again because of darkness.
I horrified about catches it short once again before the lights.
"We ran out of daylight yet again." Mason bemoaned. "We really need lights."
Richard Devinki / KANSAN
Senior running back June Henley wrestles for more yards against Texas free safety Chris Carter. The Jayhawks dropped their 10th game, to the Longhorns, on Nov. 16, failing to 4-6 and placing hopes of a bowl out of reach.
Top basketball prospects sign letters-of-intent
By Evan Blackwell
Kansan sportswriter
Center and guard commit but recruiting continues for next season's team
Two top-25 players already have committed to Kansas, but men's basketball coach Roy Williams said that he was not finished recruiting.
That is the situation the Jayhawks are faced with as the early signing period ended yesterday. Chen Chenowith, a 7-foot-1 center from Villa Park, Calif., and Kenny Gregory, a 6-4
guard from Columbus, Ohio, are the only two prospects to sign letters-of-intent with Kansas in the fall.
Williams said he was thrilled with the two newest Jayhawks, but he said that his work was not finished for next season. He will lose six seniors this season.
"We have six scholarships to give, and we would like to give at least four," Williams said. "We would still like to sign a point guard, and we'd like to sign an athlete to help us rebound."
Kansas came close to signing other top prospects including forwards Shane Battier and Chris Burgess, who both chose Duke, forward Maurice Evans, who chose Wichita State, and point guard Tony Harris, who chose Tennessee.
The Jayhawks already have received Chenowith's letter, and Williams said Chenowith was a legitimate center prospect.
"We would have enjoyed getting ours over with this fall to say the least, but we couldn't get those kids to take back what they said," Williams said. "When they said they didn't like Kansas, we couldn't get them to take it back."
"He has hands, has touch and can run." Williams said. "He very much wants to be here. He and his father visited eight to 10 places and thought this was the place he could be the most successful."
Earl Watson, a 6-1 point guard from Washington High School in Kansas City, Kan., did not sign his letter-of-intent yesterday as was expected. Watson reportedly had narrowed his choice to UCLA and Oklahoma, but he
decided to wait until the spring period. His decision could open the recruiting back up to Kansas.
Kansas' search for a point guard may continue with Khalid El-Amin from Minneapolis. El-Amin announced that he would wait until the spring signing period because he was waiting for his ACT scores. The scores did not arrive by yesterday, forcing El-Amin to wait. He reportedly will choose between Minnesota and Kansas.
Kyan Humphrey, a 6-7 forward from Tulsa, Oka, said that he would wait until the spring to make a decision. Humphrey visited Kansas on Nov. 9 for the Kansas State football game. Kansas, Michigan, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Arkansas, UCLA and Pittsburg are on Humphrey's list of finalists.