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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (July 9, 1997)
L ■ 1.:.. I IM lc llH I . - |PP' In 1 The Battalion Wednesday - July 9, 1997 . "1 ?v i ; j , v* <V Strike a pose 1957 Heisman winner Crow has accomplished a lot in his career but treasures family most IflR't: l; Flo [nriHi [•safe | co® [in i® 1 By Travis V. Dabney The Battalion len one thinks of Texas A&M and sports leg ends, there is one name that comes to mind: John David Crow. The first thought about Crow is the Heisman Trophy he wonafterthe 1957 season when the Aggies ended the season ranked No. 9 in the country. But to limit one’s view Photograph: Tim Moog Associate athletic director John David Crow poses with his 1 957 Heisman Trophy at the John J. Koldus Building. Passion for game puts Sodriguez among elite to these few small moments would be a large injustice. Crow left A&M after graduating in 1958 to pursue a career in professional football. After several years in the pros, he began what turned out to be a 12-year coaching career. The coaching stops included the Uni versity of Alabama, the Cleveland Browns, San Diego Chargers and Northeast Louisiana State University. “I enjoyed my time in coaching, and I am grateful for all the opportunities that sports have provided for myself and my family,” Crow said. After Crow’s stint in coaching came to an end, he pursued other options including a beer distributor ship for the Coors Bottling Company. Finally, after being away from A&M for 25 years, Crow returned to take the position of associate athletic director in 1983 under Jackie Sherrill. “My duties consisted of mainly the non-football operations while Jackie handled the football side,” Crow said. Crow took over a troubled athletic department in December 1988 and returned it to respectability. Dur ing a television interview on ESPN the day he took the position, Crow was asked how it was that he was sure that A&M would not fall into the same problems with cheating and Crow answered, “Because I don’t lie.” After serving A&M until May 1993, Crow resigned to become a partner in Gulf Greyhound Park in LaMarque, Texas. While his duties as athletic direc tor ended, his work continued with the University. Crow took over the position that he holds today, director of development for the Athletic Department for special projects. “My job consists mainly of raising funds for the Ath letic Department from private sources,” Crow said. Photograph courtesy of sports info While Crow acknowledges that there have been some great moments for him in the sporting world, he still keeps family at the top of his list. “My most memorable moment has nothing to with sports, but rather the birth of my first son and my other children after that,” he said. Crow’s family has grown considerably over the years to include several grandchildren. One grand son, Tommy, attends high school in Tyler, Texas, and is a budding linebacker. This is a combination that all Aggies would have to love, a Crow family member playing linebacker. Maybe the Aggies have another Crow family member in their future. As Crow continues to work with the University he says, “I am proud of what we accomplished in my time here at A&M, and the fact that it was a team effort from the top to bottom of the Athletic Department.” While Crow seems be happy with the progress of A&M’s Athletic Department, there does not seem to be any complacency. In fact, he continues to make the Athletic Department and the University feel lucky to have had such a strong leader involved with the program for almost 15 years. RLINGTON —As far back as he can re member, Ivan Rodriguez loved to play Lbaseball. s earliest memories of his Puerto Rican Nldhood are of begging his father to take him pthelocal baseball field so he could practice. No 1 See All Star Game Result, Page 4 t his father was the first person to see ge” writhing face down in the dirt over an ttjury that wasn’t exactly serious. ( Rodriguez’s tendency to overreact to the 'lightest hurt is amusing, but the pain was real *lien a knee injury prevented him from play- ion Puerto Rico’s “Dream Team” in the 34-95 Caribbean World Series. "1 actually cried because I saw my 'earn down there playing and I touldn’t be there,” Rodriguez said. This passion for baseball, born on he hometown fields of Vega Baja, is % Rodriguez said allows him to main- ainhis focus and keep his mind from wan ting toward such trivial matters as All-Star James, all-time records and multiyear, multimil- ion-dollar contracts. “I don’t think about those things,” Rodriguez aid. “I think about doing my job every day. All hose are things are nice; they mean you’re the lest at your position. But I just love to play base- )all and play the game hard. If I do that, at the nd of the year I’ll go home and decide if I had a [ood season.” Rodriguez might be stretching the truth vith his stock answer. There might be a time )r two when Rodriguez thinks about his future ind which teams will be willing to throw $40 million or more at him this off-season. He did lave lunch with agent Jeff Moorad last week n Los Angeles. But Rodriguez’s numbers strongly back his laim. Despite impending free agency, Rodriguez shaving his best season, playing in a sixth con- lecutive All-Star Game with a batting average of 340 and 56 runs scored, 11 home runs and 40 runs batted in. He is leading the league with 116 liits, which no catcher has done for a full season hmajor-league history. The defense remains superb. Rodgriguez, 25, also leads the league in throwing out 46.3 percent of base runners attempting to steal, and is posi tioning himself to win a sixth consecutive Gold Glove, which would tie him with former Rangers catcher Jim Sundberg for the most by an Ameri can League catcher. Sundberg didn’t win his first Gold Glove until he was 26. “There’s no question he’s the top catcher of this era,” said Kansas City manager Bob Boone, a for mer Gold Glove catcher. “When you put it all to gether, his ai m, his defensive skills and his hitting, there’s no question he’s an outstanding talent. If he can duplicate what he’s been doing for a long time, he will be in the Hall of Fame.” The superlatives are easy. Rangers gener al manager Doug Melvin agrees that Ro driguez has “the total package” and “we’re very fortunate to have him here.” But putting a price tag on that is difficult, which is why Rodriguez and the Rangers have yet to reach agreement on a long-term contract. If they fail again this off-season, Rodriguez will be playing with another team in 1998. “It’s hard to predict, but I’m optimistic that at the end of the year, we’ll work something out,” Melvin said. “We’d like to have him back, the fans want him back and we get the sense he wants to come back.” Rodriguez agreed, saying: “I’ve been here my whole career. I like it here and the fans have been great. I want to stay here. But it’s got to be fair, a contract that I’m happy with and feel comfortable with.” The price of the superstar continues to go up. Albert Belle earned $55 million over five years from the White Sox the past off-sea son. Gary Sheffield received a six-year, $61 million extension in April and Sammy Sosa received $42.5 million over the next four years last week. Rodriguez is not that kind of power-hitting offensive player. He is also not Ken Griffey Jr., Barry Bonds or Juan Gonzalez. But he is the only major-league player who has won both the Silver Slugger (for top offensive player at a position) and Gold Glove Award each of the Texas will fudge or sign ‘Pudge’ T AP File Photograph Texas Ranger catcher Ivan Rodriguez signed a $6.6 million contract for the 1997 season. past three seasons. Rodriguez is making $6.64 million this season on a one-year contract. The only other catcher in his financial league is Mike Piazza, who received $15 million over two years in January. Piazza is a great offensive player who is mediocre defensively. The Los Angeles Dodgers are likely to move Piazza to another position in a few years to take full advantage of his offense, as the Houston Astros did with Craig Biggio in 1992. There are no such plans with Rodriguez be cause, as San Francisco manager Dusty Baker said, “He’s the best all-around catcher I’ve seen since Johnny Bench.” The Cincinnati Reds, though, never had to worry about giving Bench a multiyear contract worth millions of dollars to keep him from play ing elsewhere. The Rangers were willing to do that with Gonzalez in 1994, but Rodriguez’s po sition makes it more difficult. Please see Pudge on Page 4 I he day of reckon ing is upon the Texas Rangers as Major League Base ball’s July 31 trading deadline approaches. The defending Ameri can League West Divi sion Champions will have until then to de cide the fate of one of baseball’s most domi nating players — catcher Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez. Three weeks ago, before the Rangers buckled and lost nine of 10 games to fall eight games be hind first place Seattle, the trade rumors floating around Arling ton were shifting from center- field to shortstop. But after the two-week free fall, talk has turned to Rodriguez, who will be an unrestricted free agent after the season. There are basically two schools of thought surrounding the issue — trade Pudge now and receive ample compensation, or wait and try to re-sign him after the season and risk losing a chance for anything. But there is a problem with both of these scenarios and sup port the less-mentioned third op tion — keep Rodriguez, make a few moves to improve the team, and win the division. Then give the game’s best defensive player his due and re-sign him, whatev er it takes. All of the talk centered around the fate of Pudge is real ly unnecessary, unless the orga nization and its fans have al ready conceded the division to Seattle and the wild card to New York. Texas is not out of the Sportswriter Jeremy Furtick Senior journalism major playoff race, they have too much talent and too much character to fold now. So why doesn’t Texas get back to what they need to do to win the division, not what they can do to salvage the future — which is en tirely unpredictable to begin with. The Rangers won last season with pitching and defense, and that’s where they are losing now. Even though Roger Pavlik is not a franchise pitcher, his ab sence from the rotation has killed the Rangers. Texas had one of the toughest one-through-five rota tions in the American League. But now Texas doesn’t. It sorely needs a starter, and Philadelphia’s Curt Schilling (9-8, 3.59 ERA, 159 strikeouts, 133 in nings pitched) is ready to move to a contender. Texas would have to sell the farm to acquire him, but his presence would create a staff with John Burkett as the fifth starter. Not many teams can compete with that. As for defense, build the team up the middle. With Ro driguez catching and Mark McLemore at second base, Texas has a great start. Damon Buford may be an offensive lia bility, but he doesn’t give up any runs in centerfield. Plus, with McLemore hitting .340 since re turning from the disabled list and filling the lead-off spot, Bu ford’s production has improved with the lessened pressure of hitting down in the order. Please see Furtick on Page 4 Now Open! Sinor Frogs Mexican Restaurant located at the Preference Inn Hotel ^ 0 Specializing in Beef, Chicken, & or Shrimp Fajitas and Grilled Quail. FREE ORDER OF NACHOS 5 O —. O (with the purchase of an entree). 1601S. Texas Ave., Bryan o 7754684 o Must present coupon. Expires 7-31-97. O AGGIE WRANGLERS AN AGGIE TRADITION FOR THIRTEEN YEARS CLASS SUMMER SESSION II DANCE LESSONS TIME LOCATION DAY COUNTRY& WESTERN II SUNDAY 6-7:30 GRW 266 JITTERBUG I SUNDAY ^8-9:30 GRW 266 SIGN-UPS IN THE MSC FLAGROOM FROM 8 AM. - 3 P.M. 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