Wednesday, July 3,1991
The Battalion
~Pago 3 |
i
>rks at
metal
3 out-
ice.
prop-
•ks in
orma-
l, call
-TIPS.
>ppers
coded
your
arrest
ment,
r ou up
iys for
' crime
d fugi
its
er and
:s visi-
e with
ntarily
drivers
Dallas
;375
;369
I405
445
;559
229
S'
ers
tel
David Leahy
Sportswrlter
How the Royals
became paupers
What has happened to the Kansas
City Royals? My favorite baseball team
that I have followed for years and one
of the most successful organizations
from the mid-1970 , s to the mid-1980's
find themselves entrenched in last
place just before the All-Star break.
Why?
The Royals are a classic example of
what too much money does to a team
(something the Houston Astros - my
second-favorite team - will never
understand). In 1989, the Royals
finished 6 games behind the first place
Oakland Athletics - the closest a team
has finished to the Athletics in their 3-
year reign as American League
Champions.
What did the Royals do in the
offseason? Instead of staying with
what they had, they became idiotic.
They went out and spent millions of
dollars on unnecessary players. First
of all, they sign three tree-agent
pitchers. Anyone who follows
baseball knows the Royals are
notorious for producing outstanding
pitchers in their minor leagues.
Just to name a few: 2-time Cy Young
Award winner and 1985 World Series
MVP, Bret Saberhagen; 1988 All-Star
and 20-game winner, Mark Gubicza;
one of the National League leaders in
strikeouts the past 3 seasons, David
Cone; and runner-up to 1989 Rookie
of the Year while winning 17 games,
Tom Gordon.
The Royals still have very talented
pitching in the minors, but for 1990
they found themselves with a little bit
of spending money. They sign
journeyman pitcher Richard Dotson
for one year at $500,000. Dotson
pitched in only a handful of games
and is now pitching in Japan. They
sign Storm Davis to a three-year $6
million contract. In his 1 1/2 years as a
Royal, Stonn has wcu 9 games.
What has turned out to be one of
the worst moves in Royals' history is
the signing of the 1989 National
League Cy Young Award winner,
Mark Davis, to $13 million over four
seasons. In 1989, Mark had a league
leading 44 saves. In his 11/2 years as a
Royal, he has just seven saves, and is
currently on tne disabled list.
For much of the 1970's and 1980's,
the Kansas City Royals were THE
model organization of how to develop
and utilize the club's farm system. The
Royals produced such players as
George Brett, Frank White, U.L.
Washington, Willie Wilson, Dennis
Leonard, Paul Splittorff, and Darrell
Porter. In the 10 years between 1976-
1985, these players helped the Royals
win 6 division titles, two American
League pennants, and a world
championship.
The ridiculous trades the Royals
have made the past few years led to
those stupefied free-agent signings.
Before the 1987 season began, the
Royals traded away 20-year old
pitcher David Cone for a backup
catcher and a no-name pitcher. Cone
is currently second in the National
League in strikeouts and one of the
premier pitchers.
In 1988, the Royals traded two
talented young pitchers, Greg
Hibbard and Melido Perez, for an
aging veteran pitcher in Floyd
Bannister. Hibbard and Perez are
mainstays on the Chicago White Sox
pitching staff. Bannister pitched an
ineffective year as a Royal and then
pitch in Japan.
These type of moves by the Royals
may start a new trend for them in the
A&M up for triathlon challenge
By Tim Schnettler
The Battalion
A grueling swim, followed by an in
tensive bike ride, followed by an ex
hausting run make up a triathlon. This
is not the kind of challenge that many
people enjoy.
For members of the Texas A&M
Triathlon Club, it is the challenge that
drives them to compete.
"The combination of the three sports
provides a challenge, and that is the
reason most people get involved in the
sport," said club president Ken Peter
sen.
Long regarded as a curiosity in the
sports world, triathlon has recently ex
perienced a surge in popularity.
"Interest in the sport grew in the
early 1980's," explained Petersen. "A-
bout five years ago, the interest at A &
M was great enough to form the triath
lon club."
Since that time the club has contin
ued to thrive at A&M.
The club consists of 30 members dur
ing the fall and spring semesters, and
about half that number participate in
the summer. The club competes in
triathlons around Texas and Louisiana.
Though the club is not a member of
any particular collegiate division, all
the races it competes in are sanctioned
by the Triathlon Federation, the gov
erning body of the sport.
"We usually compete in three club
sponsored events per semester, but
that number varies, depending on the
interest," Petersen said.
Each year the famous "Iron Man"
triathlon is held in Hawaii. "Iron Man"
is the world championship of triathlon,
and three former club members have
qualified for, and competed in the
event.
The most recent participant from
A&M was former team member Kim
Sneeden, who qualified for the event
last year.
The triathlon club receives the ma
jority of their funding from the Sports
Club Department. Unfortunately, op
erating a club is expensive, so they
must play an active role in helping to
offset their costs.
Battalion file photos
The Texas A&M Triathlon Club has flourished since its creation five years ago. Athletes compete in
running, cycling and swimming events throughout Texas and Louisiana.
"We volunteer at the International
Triathlon to raise money for the club,"
Petersen said. "Our major fund raiser
is a duathlon which we sponsor each
year. A duathlon consists of a 5K run
followed by a 30K bike ride, and then
another 5K bike ride."
The club encourages unity by co-or
dinating group training. This builds
identity among the members, and im
proves overall performance.
"We encourage our members to train
with one another by offering group
rides and group runs," explained Pe
tersen. "We also offer them the chance
to compete as a team, and offer clinics
on conditioning and other aspects of
the sport."
Petersen said anyone interested in
triathlon can get more information by
contacting the recreation sports depart-
mant.
"We encourage all those interested
to join the club, whether they are new
to the sport or they t haye participated
in the sport before," Petersen said.
A&M basketball faces
tough slate next year
From staff and wire reports
COLLEGE STATION — One of the toughest non-confer
ence schedules in school history awaits the Texas A&M bas
ketball team and first-year head coach Tony Barone in 1991-92.
The tentative non-conference slate includes road games at
Missouri, Nebraska and Florida, and home games against Au
burn, New Mexico and Alabama in addition to the always
competetive Southwest Conference schedule. Missouri, Ne
braska, New Mexico, Alabama and Texas each advanced to the
NCAA Tournament last season, while Houston and Rice par
ticipated in the NIT.
Home games agains Texas rivals Prarie View A&M, Sam
Houston State, Texas Southern and Southwest Texas State are
also on the Aggies' agenda, in addition to one home game
and one road game against Missouri-Kansas City. The game
against Nebraska is in the opening round of the Ameritas Clas
sic in Lincoln, Nebraska, which also includes Deleware State
and Eastern Washington.
"We have a nice national schedule ahead of us that also has
a local flair to it," Barone said. "Missouri, Nebraska, Auburn,
Alabama and Florida are all top-notch programs, and are rec
ognized for producing outstanding teams.
"The local flavor of Sam Houston, Southwest Texas, Texas
Southern and Prarie View add to the excitement of the schedu
le," he said.
The Aggies open their exhibition season on November 11
against Marathon Oil, followed by a November 15 matchup
against Melbourne, Australia. The regular season opens on
November 25 against Prarie View A&M in College Station.
"We feel like a tougher non-conference schedule, within
reason, will better prepare us for the Southwest Conference
season," Barone said.
Foreman, Tyson plan
'People's Championship'
HOUSTON (AP) — A heavyweight fight between former
champions Mike Tyson and George Foreman could be held
later this year in Las Vegas, says promoter Don King, who al
ready has labeled the match "The People's Championship."
"We're very close to consummating this deaf," King, who
manages Tyson, said after negotiating Monday with Roy Fore
man, George's brother and manager.
King said both fighters would split the revenue equally,
with each receiving $15 million, and would divide a two-thirds
split of cable pay TV revenues.
He said the fight could generate $100 million and top the
$86 million collected for last April's bout when champion
Evander Holy field outpointed Foreman.
King also indicated the fight could be held in Houston if a
local company offered to underwrite some of the costs.
"This would be big, very big," George Foreman said.
"There's no telling how much we could make, though. Cer
tainly more than we did before (in the Holyfield fight).
"I've been trying to get a fight with Mike for the longest
time. For the longest time, it just didn't seem to be in the
cards. But now it seems as though they are willing to do more
than talk."
Neither King nor Foreman returned phone calls Tuesday
from The Associated Press.
King arrived in Houston on Monday afternoon from Las
Vegas, where Tyson last Friday pounded out a unanimous 12-
round decision over Donovan "Razor" Ruddock.
Tyson is 41-1 with 36 knockouts. Foreman, following his
loss to Holyfield in April, is 69-3 with 65 KOs.
Tyson is the top-ranked contender but has refused to fight
Holyfield because of disagreements over money and a subse
quent bout, King said.
King said Foreman-Tyson fight would be Nov. 1 at the Mi
rage hotel-casino in Las Vegas.
Darren Lewis
ready for NFL
challenges
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Unlike other
NFL rookies, Texas A&M running back
Darren Lewis has more to prove off the
field than on it.
At a pre-draft NFL combine in India
napolis, Lewis tested positive for cocaine
use. When news of the failed drug test
circulated around the league, it caused
the one-time Heisman candidate's stock
to plummet.
The Chicago Bears, oblivious to the
running back's drug problems according
to some reports, drafted Lewis in the
sixth round with the 161st pick overall.
"That was my biggest downfall, the
drug thing," Lewis said last week from
his parents' house in Dallas.
"There's no doubt in my mind that was
the only reason I wasn't drafted higher.
If it wasn't for the drugs, I would've gone
in the first two rounds," he said.
Instead, there were 17 running backs
chosen ahead of Lewis. Some were big
names, like LSU's Harvey Williams, Col
orado's Eric Bienemy and Notre Dame's
Ricky Watters. But others were practi
cally no-names, like Fresno State's Aaron
Craver and East Texas State's Terry
Bagsby.
Even his A&M backfield mate, fullback
Robert Wilson, went in the third round
to Tampa Bay. Wilson passed on his se
nior year to enter the draft.
As he prepares to report to the Bears'
training camp in Platteville, Wis., today,
Lewis doesn't sound bitter about being
such an unwanted draft commodity.
"All of those guys are great backs,"
said Lewis, a Parade magazine All-Amer
ican at Dallas Carter High School. "It. just
so happened that I was in a nice class of
good running backs.
"My expectations with the Bears are
simple. I just want to work hard, take it
one day at a time and do whatever it
takes to make the team. (Chicago) coach
(Mike) Ditka just said for me to do what
ever I can to contribute. They know
about the capabilities that I have. They
know what I can do as far as running the
football," he said.
Last month, Lewis admitted himself to
Riverside Hospital in Houston to un
dergo drug rehabilitation. He spent 28
days at the facility, where he was condi
tioned to re-evaluate nis "frivolous and
carefree lifestyle.
"When you come out, you have to
change the people, places and things you
come in contact with," said Lewis. "You
have to change your habits. You have to
stay out of clubs, period. People aren't
having clean parties any more, so you
have to stay away from ail that.
"Getting help for myself was a big
turnaround for me. I was just grateful
that (the Bears) gave me a chance."
Indeed, a chance is really all Lewis has.
The Bears are loaded at running back,
with All-Pro Neal Anderson, versatile
Brad Muster and former Texas A&I
standout Johnny Bailey. Getting carries
behind those three will not be easy.
"That's one of the things I have to deal
with. I'll have to wait in line as far as the
playing time goes," Lewis said. "As far
as the competition at running back. I'll
just have to worry about me. That's my
main focus right now."
Judging from on-the-field credentials
alone, Lewis should be as close to a sure
thing as there is in the NFL.
He left A&M as the Southwest Confer
ence's career rushing leader (5,012 yards,
18 touchdowns). He became only the
fifth player in NCAA history to rush for
more than 5,000 yards in a career — join
ing Heisman winners Archie Griffin of
Ohio State, Herschel Walker of Georgia,
Tony Dorsett of Pittsburgh and Charles
White of Southern Calfornia.
"I'm not worried about making the
team or not," said Lewis. "The Lord is
with me. He knows it's something that I
really love, so it's not going to be taking
away from me.
"I don't want drugs to be my downfall.
I have children to look after, and they're
the most important thing to me."
n
ITALY ss.
TAMU Study Abroad - Summer 1992
FRANCE SSI GREECE/TURKEY ssi DOMINICA ssi
CLAS 351: Cl«»*lc»l Mythology
Prof. EII*e Garrison
CLAS 362: Roman Literature In Translation
Prof. Steve Oberhelman
ARTS 350: The Arta and Chdllxatlon
Prof. Paolo Barucchlerl
EUROPE ssi
MGMT 383: Organizational Behavior
Prof. Ricky Griffin
MGMT 480: International Management
Prof. Jay Barney
MGMT 466: Management Policy
Prof. Jay Barney
ENGLAND ssi
EOC1 645: Society and Education
In World Perapectlve
Prof. Waller Stennlng
EDO 638: lasuea In Curriculum
and Teaching
Prof. Lynn Burlbaw
JAPAN ss »
BUAD 489: Spec. Top. In International
Bualneas
MGMT 485: Problems In International
Business
Prof. Lyle Schoenfeldt
LBAR 331: Studies In European Civilization
and Culture I
Prof. Joe Golsan
ARTS 350: The Arta and Civilization
Prof. Vtvlan Paul
CARC 311: Field Studlee In
Dealgn Communication
Prof. Wea Harper
ARTS 350: The Arta and Chrlltzatlon
Prof. Charles White
Prof. Mike Pustay
FINC 445: International Finance
Prof. Kerry Cooper
EUROPE ««
MKTG 401: International Marketing
Prof. Larry Gresham
Prof. Richard HUe
GUATEMALA
ANTH 330: Raid Studies
ANTH 660: Field Studies
Prof. James Parrent
Prof. George Baaa
Prof. Duncan Earle
WFSC 300: Field Studlee
Prof. Doug Slack
WFSC 485: Wildlife Problema-
SclentlTlc Journal
Prof. Keith Arnold
WFSC 485: Wildlife Problema-
Carlbbean Environment
Prof. Keith Arnold
SPAIN/GERMANY
FRANCE/RUSSIA
SPAN 2i1 » 222: Fl.ld Studl.a
GERM 221 A 222: Flald Studls.
FREN 221 l 222 Fl.ld Studl.a
RUSS 221 & 222 Field Studl.a
-All faculty to ba announcd-
ENGLAND SSI
INED 609: Innovative Programs In
Industrial ArtsTTechnology
Education
Prof. Dan Houaeholder
INED 616: Methoda of Teaching
Industrial/ Technology
Education
Prof. La Verne Young
Visit with the individual professors on these programs, or the Study Abroad Office, to find out
how you can participate on a TAMU Study Abroad Program in the summer of 1992.
Study Abroad Office, 161 Bizzell Hall West, 845-0544
ROCKYANOS
PIZZA
$«a99
2
AO, YOU CAY CAT
AUU OAY E VE It YD AY 7
PI,I IS TAX
KIOK IO A
CMH.It $l.51»
cat i kit:
BUFFET HOURS 10:30 A.M. - 10:30 P.M. • PIZZA • PASTA • SALAD - DESSERT
FREE OEOVERY
FOR REOUEAR MENU ITEMS
OMITEO
AREA