SPORTS
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Thursday, September 30, 1993
11
KC says goodbye to Brett
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Even the most aloof fans at Kauffman Stadium found themselves fighting back tears last night when George Brett played his final home game in a Kansas City Royals uniform.
Tears of joy for Brett's game-tying single with two outs in the eighth inning. Tears of sadness because that swing was the last Brett would take in front of the home crowd.
Two emotions. So different, yet so intertwined.
The day's activities were meant to be festive. Brett, playing his final game in the stadium, watched with a smile as an eight-minute tribute played on the stadium's large video screen.
Scenes of past triumphs helped fans relive parts of their hero's career. His home run off Goose Gossage in Yankee Stadium in the 1980 playoffs, a replay of his 3,000th hit against the California Angels in Anaheim, his attempt to catch a foul ball while sliding feet-first into the third-base dugout in the 1985 playoffs.
Some fans responded to the scenes with loud cheers. One man behind the Royals dugout, just sat in his chair and nodded whenever a highlight that he remembered flashed across the screen.
The tears began to form in the bottom of the eighth inning. The crowd came to its feet as Brett marched to the plate like it had in his three previous at bats. Indians pitcher Jeremy Hernandez threw a fastball Brett swung at and missed for strike one. A breaking pitch yielded a harmless foul ball for strike two.
Knuckles turned white. A young girl stood on her chair and yelled, "Get a hit George."
That is exactly what happened. Brett singled past a diving second baseman, driving in Kevin Koslofski with the tying run.
As Brett reached first base, a roar of applause filled the air. Another man who hadn't stood and cheered all evening jumped to his feet waving his fist in the air. Fans threw toilet-paper rolls from the upper deck of the stadium like they did after the final out was recorded in the 1985 World Series.
The stadium shook.
Brett moved to second after Bob Hamlin was walked. Manager Hal McRae then made the decision to replace Brett with a pinch runner, Phil Hiatt.
Fans gave Brett yet another standing ovation as he jogged off the field.
Even after the ninth-inning hit by Koslofski that gave the Royals avbattery, the fans wanted to see more of their long-time hero. So Brett took a seat in a golf cart and was chaufeured around what one of the many signs displayed called "The house that Brett built."
He rode past first base, where he played from 1987 to 1990. He rode past the Royals bullpen in right field where he ran sprints before games for 21 years. He rode beside the right-center field wall where he hit a double in 1980 that put him over the infamous 400 mark.
He finished his ride by stopping the cart at home plate, laying on the ground and giving the plate a kiss.
Tears of happiness. Tears of joy.
Thanks for the memories, George
Brett RBI highlights home finale
Royals eke out win in ninth
Todd Selfen is the associate sports editor for
the Kansan
The Associated Press
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — George Brett drove in the tying run in the eighth inning with his last swing in the Royals Kauffman Stadium, and Kevin Koslofski drove in the game-winner in the ninth as the Kansas City Royals beat the Cleveland Indians 3-2 last night.
Felix Jose drew a leadoff walk in the ninth from Jeremy Hernandez (6-3). Keith Miller singled Jose to third before Brett Mayne was intentionally walked, loading the bases for Koslofski, who singled for the victory.
After the game, Brett took a ride in a golf cart around the stadium he starred in for 20 years to the cheers of the crowd.
Jeff Montgomery (7-5) was the winner in relief.
Brett's single with two outs in the eighth scored Koslofski, who had singled.
It was Brett's 1,595th RBI, tying Mike Schmidt for 22nd place on the all-time list, and his 3,153rd hit, passing Paul Waner for 11th place all-time.
The Royals trailed 2-0 in the eighth when Mayne doubled with one out off starter Jose Mesa. Koslofki followed with his single, and right fielder Wayne Kirby bobbled the ball, allowing Koslofki to take second.
Hernandez then relieved Mesa and struck out Brian McRae before Brett thrilled the sellout crowd with one more late-game heroic.
Brett, who won three batting titles in three different decades, was honored in pre-game ceremonies that delayed the start of the game almost 15 minutes.
Kansas City starter Hipolito Picharro gave up only four hits through eight innings, striking out three and walking one, and giving up two runs in the fourth. Jim Thome and Albert Belle singled leading off and went to second on a throwing error by right fielder Jose.
Kansas City goes to Texas for three games to finish the season while the Indians go home for the last three games to be played in Cleveland Stadium before it is demolished.
Thome scored on Paul Sorrento's infield out and Belle came home on Sam Horn's sacrifice fly.
The Associated Press
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — No one should have been the least bit surprised when George Brett delivered yet another clutch hit in his last home at-bat last night.
With a kiss to home plate, No.5 says goodbye
Brett's eight-inning single tied the game for Kansas City, and the Royals scored in the ninth for a 3-2 victory over the Cleveland Indians.
After the game Brett was driven around the field in a golf cart following a brief fireworks show as a crowd of more than 37,000 stood and cheered.
Brett, who played all 20 of his seasons in Kansas City, kissed home plate at the end of the ride.
Royals players wore their uniform socks hiked up old-fashioned style in tribute to Brett, who occasionally wore his that way.
"I'm sure that this is a special moment that I will always remember," he said. "The fans have been very appreciative over the years. It's just a very warm feeling."
"I'll do that sometimes on Sunday games or on getaway games," said Brett, who went 1-for-4 last night. "We may have looked ugly out there."
but I've always said it isn't a beauty contest out there, it's a war."
George Brett
Manager Hal McRae, who played with Brett for 15 years, said he doubled he would ever see another player like him.
"They don't put good wood in them anymore," McRae said. "He has a knack of getting it done. He has a knack for getting the clutch hit. He gets the city excited. He gets the fans involved.
Brett was honored before the game with a tape played on the Kauffman Stadium Jumbotron of the highlights of his career, including the 1980 home run in Game 3 of the 1980 playoffs that put the Royals in their first World Series and the Pine Tar game.
He was given a standing ovation when his name was announced in the lineup and a longer ovation when the tape was over and he was shown live in the dugout.
His teammates then took the field and presented him with a set of jet skis, a piece of the AstroTurf that Brett abrasions and a signed iersey.
"You're the greatest person we've ever known," said Jamie Quirk, a Royals coach and Brett's best friend. "It's been an incredible honor to have been able to play with you."
Brett was in a jolly mood, thanking the fans; Muriel Kauffman, wife of the late Royals owner Ewing Kauffman; and the board of directors, with whom he will now work as vice president of baseball operations.
Long lines formed well before game time for the 5,000 general admission tickets — the only tickets left. When the gates opened, the fans ran to get the choice seats.
A banner hanging over the right field wall said: "No. 5. Enough said."
Brett was unemotional as he prepared to close out his team's home season.
"I think I'll have a lot more butterflies in the sixth, seventh or eighth inning at Texas in anticipation of my last at-bat ever," he said. "I was a lot more nervous before the seventh game of the World Series.
Doug Hesse/KANSAN
Jason Schreiber, Kansas pitcher and outfielder, hits a pop fly to center field. The Jayhawks played a doubleheader last night against Brown Mackie Community College of Kansas City, Kan. Schreiber pitched four-inning shutout in the second game.
Jayhawks whip Cougars
Aggressive Kansas play a key to wins
By Gerry Fey
Kansan sportswriter
Despite defeating Brown Mackie College of Kansas City, Kan., 4-1 in game one and 21-4 in game two yesterday, it took the Kansas baseball team 12 innings to wear the Cougars down.
Kansas coach Dave Bingham said the team did not wear down Brown Mackle until the sixth inning of game two, when Kansas exploded for 10 runs. In that inning, the Jayhawks had six of their 17 hits in the game.
"We haven't had any batting practice," he said. "Today was the first time. We didn't have many RBI hits the first game, but we had a lot of well-hit RBI balls in the second game."
In game one, Kansas used its aggressive offense to score runs. The Jayhawks tried for extra bases on several occasions, and they had two stolen bases.
"That's our style," Bingham said. "We like to have a pressure offense by the hitter and the runner."
"I was the most pleased with Baird," Bingham said. "He really pitched well and followed our system. It was good because he was the one we were most worried about."
Bingham said sophomore Clay Baird pitched well in game one. Baird pitched the first four innings, giving up no hits, no runs and striking out four.
Bingham said sophomore catcher Ted Meadows did an outstanding job calling pitches with Baird in game one.
Even though Kansas played a junior college, Baird said it was easy to stay focused during the game.
"It's still a chance to pitch," he said "A team's a team."
For freshman Jason Schreiber, yesterday was his first game that he pitched as a Jayhawk. Schreiber pitched the last four innings of game two, giving up no runs. But he hit a batter and walked one. Schreiber said he was a little wild.
"Jason has a lot of talent," Bingham said. "And that allows him to overcome mistakes, and he made a lot of mistakes."
Bingham said Schreiber did not fulfill the team's expectations as well as Baird did.
"I was a little nervous," Schreiber said. "It was kind of exciting. It was a nice change from practices."
Bingham said he was pleased with his team's overall performance.
"I was really worried about this game because we have a lot of young players out there," he said. "The kids played hard for 14 innings."
Separate tournaments for team this weekend
By Anne Felstet
Kansan sportswriter
The women's tennis team will split up this weekend, with two of the top
The women's team up this weekend, with players traveling to Jackson, Miss., and the rest of the team competing in Manhattan in Kansas State's Fall Invitational game.
WOMEN'S TENNIS
Juniors Rebecca Jensen and Nora Koves are seeded as the No.1 doubles team going into the Intercollegiate Tennis Association's National Clay Court Tournament. Jensen will also be competing in the singles division ranked No.4.
Invitational tournament.
Jensen and Koves did not travel with the team last weekend so they could compete this weekend in a more important tournament, coach Chuck Merzbacher said. The NCAA restricts tennis players to 30 dates of competition for the entire year, and the University allows any varsity athlete to miss eight days of class. Koves and Jensen left westerdav morning.
Senior Abby Woods said the rest of the team would miss Jensen and Koves this weekend.
"They represent what KU tennis is about," she said. "They put out a good picture for other schools to see."
Players are invited to special tournaments like the one in Mississippi only by qualifying with the ITA. Jensen qualified two ways. She is one of the top two singles players in the region and an ITA tennis all-American. Koves and Jensen are the allAmerican No.1 doubles team in the region.
This tournament is the first leg of the national collegiate circuit. It is the only tournament of the four to be played on clay. The other three tournaments are the Rivieria All-American Championship, the National Indoor Championship and the NCAA Championship.
Merzbacher said they were favored heavily to win the tournament.
The usual tennis court is hard and Merzbach said the slower surface of clay was not advantageous to Jensen and Koves' fast-paced style.
He said he had high expectations for the players traveling to the K-State Invitational as well.
Despite the slower, unfamiliar surface, Merzbacher said the duo should win.
The Jayhawks will compete against Oklahoma State, Tyler Junior College in Texas and K-State. Merzbacher said that these teams did not present the same level of competition as the teams in last weekend's tournament at William and Mary but that every player would be challenged at her position.
Woods said she wanted to keep improving and using each match as an opportunity to work on what would make her a better player.
The team has next weekend off but will be back on the courts in Bloomington, Ind., Oct. 15-17 for the Indiana Fall Invitational.
Kansas golfer tied for first after two rounds
The Kansas men's golf team was in third place yesterday after round two of the Topy Cup in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. With 610 strokes, the team trailed tournament leader Nihon University, which had 578 strokes, and Kent State, which had 593 strokes, in the three-round, 15-team tournament.
Kansanstaff report
Kansas senior Matt Gogel is tied
Gogel, the Jayhawks top golfer, is followed by senior John Hess, who is tied for 30th and senior Cassy Brozek at 34th. Junior Tom Sims and senior Jeff Moeillerare also playing for the Jayhawks. The final round will be played today.
for first place with Nihon's K. Yokoo. Gogel shot 71 during both rounds on the par 72 Tanagura Country Club, which is located 150 miles northeast of Tokyo.