The Battalions
Tuesday • July 25,
^ PORTS
SPORTS
'Air' McNair's contract
still needs finetuning
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Steve Mc
Nair's debut at Houston Oilers training
camp is on hold, at least for a few
more hours.
The Oilers had hoped their top
draft pick would be signing his nearly
$30 million pact and arriving at the
Trinity University campus Monday, but
last-minute contract details lingered
Monday evening.
McNair, the quarterback from Al
corn State who was the No. 3 overall
draft pick, reached an agreement in
principle Saturday with the Oilers.
The pact reportedly will pay $28.4
million over seven years, including a
$5.3 million signing bonus and an ad
ditional $4.3 million in guaranteed
money. Incentives could make the
contract worth almost $30 million, the
richest rookie deal in NFL history.
McNair traveled from his home in
Mount Olive, Miss., to Houston to re
view the contract with his agents
Sunday night.
Former Astro wins
Mexican Triple Crown
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Former ma
jor leaguer Ty Gainey has become the
first player in 39 years to win the
Triple Crown in the Mexican League.
Gainey, 34, hit 27 home runs, batted
.41 0 and drove in 11 5 runs over a 11 3-
game season while leading the Mexico
City Red Devils to the league playoffs.
He ended the regular season on
Sunday going 1-for-4 as Mexico City
beat Puebla 9-7.
Gainey played for the Houston As
tros from 1985 to 1988, hitting .214
with one homer in 111 at bats. He
spent several years in Triple-A baseball
and came to Mexico in 1992, leading
the league with 47 home runs.
He played for the Orix Bluewave in
Japan in 1993 and 1994.
The last triple crown winner in Mexi
co was Alonso Perry in 1 956. The Mexi
can league is rated at Triple-A caliber.
Astros' comeback falls
short. Dodgers win 6-5
HOUSTON (AP) — Chad Fonville
drove in three runs as the Los Ange
les Dodgers held on to beat the
Houston Astros 6-5 on Monday night.
Ramon Martinez pitched his sec
ond complete game despite allowing
a three-run homer to Derrick May in
the ninth.
Martinez (10-6) allowed eight hits,
walked three and struck out eight.
The Dodgers snapped Greg
Swindell's four-game winning streak.
Swin dtdl (6-4) had troubles in the
second and fourth innings when the
Dodgers scored their runs.Swindell
struck out four and walked one over
seven innings.
Eric Karros got four hits and
scored three runs to lead the
Dodgers.
The Astros remained 5 1/2 games
behind the Cincinnati Reds, which
lost to the San Diego Padres 1 0-8.
Red Sox, Phillies swap
starters Whiten, Hollins
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Boston
Red Sox traded outfielder Mark
Whiten to the Philadelphia Phillies for
Dave Hollins on Monday in a deal in
volving two players having subpar
seasons.
Hollins, who plays first base and
third base, was batting .229 in 65
games. He was tied for the Phillies
lead with seven homers and tied for
third in the National League with 53
walks.
Hollins, 29, started the season with
a .262 average and 60 homers in six
seasons. He was Philadelphia's regular
first baseman this year until last Tues
day when outfielder Andy Van 5lyke
returned from the disabled list, allow
ing Gregg Jefferies to move from out
field to first base.
Whiten, 28, was a disappointment
after a spring training trade brought
him and pitcher Rheal Cormier from
5t. Louis. Whiten had two stints at
Pawtucket of the International League,
the first for rehabilitation and the sec
ond after he struggled with Boston.
Three championships help Lady Aggies find hon
□ The Aggie Softball
Complex opened in
March, 1994.
The following story is the
sixth in a series of articles about
Texas A&M’s athletic facilities.
By Nick Georgandis
The Battalion
Not many teams win three
national championships before
getting their own permanent
stadium. But that’s the road the
Texas A&M softball team took,
earning national respect before
finding a place to call home.
The Aggie Softball Complex
on West Campus opened on
March 30, 1994, with the Lady
Aggies winning both games of a
doubleheader from the Universi
ty of Texas-San Antonio.
Then-freshman first baseman
Mya Truelove provided the open
ing day fireworks for A&M’s new
Nick Rodnicki, The Battalion
The Aggie Softball Complex was built during 1993 and opened on March 30, 1994, as the Lady Aggies de
feated the University of Texas-San Antonio in a doubleheader. The stadium has a capacity of 1,750.
Fighting Irish to expand home field
□ Upon completion, the stadium will
have a capacity of 80,990.
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — Notre Dame Stadi
um is still going to look like “The House that
Rockne Built” once its expansion is complete, only
bigger. Much bigger.
At a news conference this morning, university
officials unveiled plans and drawings for the ex
pansion, which will add 21,915 seats to the stadi
um and bring its capacity to 8.0,990.
Notre Dame Stadium has seen its J
share of history since it opened in 1930, |
and architects made sure that sense of i
tradition would not be lost with the $50
million expansion.
“We certainly could sell out a
100,000-seat stadium, that’s not the is
sue,” said the Rev. E. William
Beauchamp, executive vice president of
the University of Notre Dame. “A Notre Dame
football game is an experience. It’s not just the
game itself, it’s the weekend on campus and every
thing that goes along with it.
“What we think we have done is provided an op
portunity for more people to do that without signif
icantly changing the way people experience a
Notre Dame football game,” he said.
Construction will begin after this season and
should be done in time for the 1997 home-opener
against Miami, Ohio. The stadium will remain in
use during construction.
Beauchamp said fans can expect some inconve
nience during the 1996 season.
“It’s not going to look very nice,” he said.
A new outer wall resembling the current facade
will be built around the stadium, and 26 new rows
will be added to the top of the stadium, maintain
ing its bowl-style design.
The building’s current shell will still be visible
as the inner edge of a corridor surround-
! ing the stadium.
New goal posts and a natural-grass
! field will be added, though the field will
; not have to be lowered as first thought,
i Parking lots that surround the current
j stadium will be torn up and landscaped
I to create a park-like atmosphere.
Notre Dame’s lockerroom will more
than double in size, from 3,800 square
feet to 8,200 square feet, and the visitors’ locker
room also will be expanded. A new three-level
press box, additional restrooms and concession fa
cilities also are part of the project.
The expansion will make Notre Dame Stadium
the 14th-largest in size among the 106 Division I-
A football stadiums, up from its current ranking of
44th. Michigan Stadium is the largest, with a ca
pacity of 102,501.
Kennard refuses Cowboys’ minimum offer
□The lineman said he
will retire before accept
ing the salary offered.
AUSTIN (AP) — Former
| starter Derek Kennard, asked
by the Dallas Cowboys to re
turn, probably would not play
; again for what the team could
; offer Mm, his agent says.
The unrestricted free agent
suspended contract discussions
with other interested teams
j while he awaits a proposal from
! the Cowboys to bolster their of
fensive line.
However, agent Jack Wirth
j said Kennard, who made
$800,000 with the Cowboys last
season, would not consider play
ing for that amount.
“He will definitely retire
rather than play for the mini
mum,” Wirth said. ‘We could call
the 49ers and have that much.”
But the Cowboys, who con
tacted Kennard’s representa
tive Friday, are financially
strapped because of the NFL
salary cap, would likely
have difficulty paying much
more than the $178,000
league minimum.
Wirth said Kennard has a
standing offer from the Cincin
nati Bengals and considers it
important to be in training
camp with a team soon.
The Cowboys are attempting
to find a solution to their cap re
straints, said team vice presi
dent Stephen Jones.
Cowboys coach Barry
Switzer and offensive line
coach Hudson Houck told The
Dallas Morning News after
Sunday’s Blue-White scrim- i
mage that they support the j
team’s pursuit of Kennard, j
whose weight has sometimes j
approached 400 pounds.
“We’re discussing Derek j
Kennard because he is a proven ;
football player,” said Switzer.
He and Houck have not seen S
Erik Williams, Mark Tuinei !
or Ron Stone perform in train- s
ing camp.
Stone, a projected starter 5
who contracted chicken pox,
should report to camp this |
week. Tuinei has a sore right
heel. But it is unknown when ;
Williams will recover from
knee surgery to return to his
right tackle spot and permit
second-year player Larry Al
len’s return to right guard.
home by blasting a fifth-inning
home run that won the game for
the Lady Aggies. A&M conclud
ed the 1994 season with a per
fect 8-0 home record.
Not only has the complex
been home to plenty of A&M vic
tories, but it has also given the
team a better public image.
“It definitely helps the expo
sure of our team,” Assistant Soft-
ball Coach Shawn Andaya said.
“Not only that, but this facility
has the ability to draw a crowd.”
The complex can seat 1,750
people — a far cry from the
Lady Aggies’ former home. Bee
Creek Park, which has no per
manent stands. In addition to
the seats, the complex is
equipped with sunken dugouts,
two bullpens, four batting cages
and a press box.
The state-of-the-art design
and large seating capacity have
helped A&M attract better oppo
nents and more special events to
the campus. During the 1995
season, the Lady Aggies hosted
the Aggie Mini Tournament,
which included perennial na
tional powerhouse Arizona
among its competitors, and the
Aggie Invitational.
In June, the complex served
as one of six sites for the 1995
National Softball Coaches Asso
ciation Exposure Camp, which
promotes the sport at universi
ties across the country.
As comfortable a home as the
Aggie Softball Complex has been
in its first two years of existence,
A&M Head Softball Coach Bob
Brock said he expects %
better things to happer.
with the beginning of the:
Conference in the 1996-9L
“I’m really happy force
ity, it was really dons
class,” Brock said. “Goir;
the Big 12 is something'
ways dreamed of. Wei-
playing as an independec:
these years (the Southwe;
ference has no sanctione
ball league.)
“The Big 12 will givee
incentives.”
Despite housing theh
gies for only two years,;
gie Softball Complex k
the home park for two
most statistically-prolific;
in A&M history - Jemc
Falls and Kim Gonzalez.
McFalls, who is cur
competing in the U.S. 0
Festival, hit .367 in he
season of 1994, and alsc
team in runs scored
triples, total bases and
bases. A first-team
can in 1993, McFall;
the all-South regiont:
1994 while helping fr
Aggies to an at-large bit
NCAA Tournament.
Gonzalez, the 1991
A&M Female Athlete
Year, pitched in 46 oftk;
76 games that season.:
together a 32-11 recor:
with a minuscule 0.9
run average. She pith
complete games indue
shutouts and held oppos
ters to a .199 batting ave:
Festival’s finest athlete tal
26th gold medal since 15
q Iowa rollerskater
Dante Muse took his
fourth medal in 1995.
DENVER (AP) — The most
successful athlete in the history
of the U.S. Olympic Festival
added another gold medal to his
collection Monday.
Dante Muse, a roller skater
from West Des Moines, Iowa,
won the 500-meter quad race to
run his gold medal count for
this festival to four. He has
won 26 gold medals at festivals
since 1985.
Sixteen sports were on the
schedule Monday, including
the final round of swimming,
preliminaries in women’s 3-
meter and men’s platform div
ing and the first night of
weightlifting.
For the second straight day, a
lack of wind caused problems
with sailing. Still winds early in
the day caused the cancellation
of some events before breezes
picked up later.
The top qualifier in the 3-
meter diving was Erika Sorgi of
"If you become an Olympian, you
join an elite group of people, a club
you may never be expelled from."
—John Naber
1976gold medal winner
Mission Viejo, Calif. Sorgi
turned 13 just a few weeks ago
and is the youngest diver in the
competition.
Her score of 542.55 put her
in first place ahead of festival
platform champion Eileen
Richetelli of Milford, Conn.
(529.86) and Vanessa Thelin of
Provo, Utah (527.28). The fi
nals will be held Tuesday.
“I’m going to try to be posi
tive, think about the corrections
and try to do the best I can,”
Sorgi said.
Meanwhile, the U.S. (
Committee announce!
Monday to honor 100
country’s great Olympia:.
The “100 Golden 01;:
program commemorates:
cesses of America’s Olji
during the modernC
Games. The athletes--
announced Monday — ;
er at a dinner in Atla
eve of the Centennial fe
“If you become anO'
you join an elite grout
pie, a club you may neve
polled from,” said Johr
who won four gold ref-
swimming at the 1976'
al Games and is amo:
Golden Olympians.
“It’s the stories of the 1
movement that stay with,
can’t remember the tic
Jansen had when he"
Olympic gold medal, but
member the story of what
to overcome to get there. I-
stories I look forwards
dropping on.”
The other athletes ot
for the announcemen
speed skater Bonnie
ure skater Scott Hac
sprinter 1
Ashford, a-
cathletes
Johnson at
Toomey.
“What a 5
ful reward
years of
work,” saj £
ford, a four-time OlympC
four-time gold medal wii#
The Golden Olympiad
chosen by the U.S. 0
Committee and the
Olympic Alumni Assoc
The other 80 athletes*
announced at variousf
leading to the 1996 Olyrei
“I’m glad I didn’th;
wait to see if I was goiri
one of the 80,” said
whose five gold medal;
her the most successful
U.S. Olympian.
Italy Spring ‘96 for
Future Teachers!
Study with TAMU in Castiglion Fiorentino at
the TAMU Study Abroad Center in Europe!
Your international experience could be your
students’ first look at the world!
Interested? Please come to an informational
meeting in 154 Bizzell Hall "West on:
'Wednesday, July 25 12-1
Thursday, July 26 4-5
For more information, contact:
Prof. John Hoyle Prof. Lynn Burlbaw
203 HECC 330 HECC
845-2748 845-6195
Study Abroad Programs • 161 Bizzell Hall West • 845-0544
Messina Hof’s Harvest Fun
Continues This Weekend
European Harvest Lunch
& Wine-Food Seminar
Noon - Sat & Sun
•loin our I’iekers dull for an elaborate
Furopean-style Harvest Funelieon in
Messina Hof's Vineyard throve. Fnjoy
Cheeses. Hreatls. Soups. Salads Fresh
Veggies. After lunch, participate in a
personal seminar with a Messina Hof
wine expert who will teneh yon the art
of correctly pairing food and wine.
OAT A S15 FOH FVFIC YTHIAt,!
Reservations: < JO!») T7U-3T1U
Shake Hassell &
•lack Saunders
This Saturilay Aight Only.
In the musical tradition of
Fylc Fovcit Itohert Far! Keen Jr.,
groove to the eelectie sounds of
Houston's llest in l*op-Folk-Fonntry.
Yonil hoar hits from Shake & Jack's
eight nationally ncelnimed alliums.
OAFY SI3 f SIT /gate)
Music starts at O 1*31
Oeli opens at 7 1*31
Old Heliance Hoad. Ilryan
■ Brought to yon hy Designer Fvenls
3Iore Information: ( IOO) 770-3118