Nashawtuc tourney no washout for charity - The Boston Globe (Boston, MA)

GLOBE NORTHWEST 1 / SPORTS / NOTEBOOK

Though flooding wiped out the 2006 Bank of America Championship atNashawtuc Country Club last June, the PGA Champions Tour andNashawtuc Charities are still donating $418,000 to more than 50 areacharitable organizations. The donations will bring to $4.5 millionthe amount disbursed over the tournament's 26-year history. Separatefrom the total is $5,000 donated by Champions Tour players to TheFirst Tee of Massachusetts for its golf programs for area youth,which the players have been supporting since 2002.

Bob Gallery, president of Bank of America Massachusetts, andWalter Lankau, president of Nashawtuc Charities, said the donationsunderscore the bank, tournament, Champions Tour, and players'commitments to giving back to the community. Among the localcharities to receive funds are Emerson Hospital, Hanscom Air ForceBase - Project Concern, Boys and Girls Club of Assabet Valley, theGenesis Fund, Concord-Carlisle Athletic Boosters, Francis OuimetScholarship Fund, Greater Waltham Association for Retarded Citizens,Lincoln-Sudbury Athletic Boosters, and others in Greater Boston.

Merrimack's Murphy now coach of the year

Merrimack College football coach Jim Murphy is the Northeastern-10 Conference Coach of the Year in voting by his peers. Murphy,former Reading and Northeastern University quarterback, led Merrimackto a 7-3 record and a share of its first NE-10 title. Since takingover the reins in 2003, Murphy and Merrimack have gone 25-14,including a school-best 8-2 in 2004. Merrimack finished this seasonwith six straight wins after losing three of its first four games.

Among other major award winners was Bentley senior AndrewRuggiero, who shared defensive lineman of the year honors with CaseyLarson of St. Anselm. After 10 games, Ruggiero had 49 tackles - 11 ofthem for a loss - four sacks, four pass breakups, and a forcedfumble. First-team All-NE-10 Conference picks included, in additionto Ruggiero, Bentley defensive back Sean Smith of Andover and Bentleypunter Derrick Marsan of Methuen. Merrimack was represented on thefirst team by tight end Ryan Salter of Bridgewater, return specialistand defensive back Andrew Jackson of New Britain, Conn., andlinebacker Matt Mikaitis of Chicago.

Scholastic odds 'n' ends

Top-seeded and undefeated North Andover (21-0-2) brought home theDivision 1 North field hockey title with a pulsating 1-0 win overActon-Boxborough in overtime. The game's only goal came less thanthree minutes into OT when junior Katie Boringa took a pass from LizDay and rifled the ball into the corner past A-B goalie KaitlynCurtis. Alison McCarthy had seven saves to post the shutout. ... No.1 Tewksbury wasn't as fortunate in its quest for the Division 2 fieldhockey crown. It fell to perennial power Watertown, 3-2, in overtime.The sectional title was the 15th in the past 21 years for Watertown.

It was just another day at the office for Andover's girls' swimteam, which crushed the field to win its eighth straight Division 1North championship. Andover, with 320 points, got winningperformances from Tiffany Petzold in the 200 individual medley and100 freestyle, and was a whopping 109.5 points better than runner-upActon-Boxborough. In the meet, Methuen's Laura Moriarty set a staterecord in the 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 1 minute 5.79seconds.

Campus corner

University of Massachusetts at Lowell field hockey seniors SaraHohenberger of Windham, N.H., Kim Villare of Chelmsford, Lauren Jonesof West Brookfield, and Nicole Staiti of Barre are in Winston-Salem,N.C., this weekend playing in the National Field Hockey CoachesAssociation Division 2 North/South All-Star game. ... University ofMassachusetts at Boston senior sweeper Mike Reda and sophomore centermidfielder Romeo Zeqo, both of Medford, earned first-team berths onthe All-Little East Conference men's soccer team. Reda led leaguedefenders with a career-high eight goals and 19 points, while Zeqoled the team with 10 goals and 23 points. ... Merrimack's athletictraining education program has been awarded accreditation through2010-2011 by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic TrainingEducation. The commission found the program to be in 'substantialcompliance' with the nationally recognized Standards for Entry-LevelAthletic Training Education. ... Northeastern junior Stephanie Casperof Andover posted career highs of 10 goals and 25 points this season.Both marks led the Huskies field hockey team.

Lowell Devils

Today - Worcester, 4 p.m.; Wednesday - at Hershey, 7 p.m.; Friday -Portland, 7 p.m.; Saturday - Albany, 7 p.m. Home games at TsongasArena.

RED SOX NATION THRIVES IN CALIFORNIA - The Boston Globe (Boston, MA)

ANAHEIM, Calif. Standing in his rhinestone-studded Elvis suitwith a Massachusetts license plate dangling from his neck and aBoston Red Sox hat on his head, Mike Kearney was the number onetarget of Angels fans yesterday in Section 523, the nosebleed seats.

And he was loving it.

'1918!' yelled one Anaheim fan, tauntingly chanting the last yearthe Red Sox won the World Series.

'Go play your lottery numbers!' barked Kearney.

'1918!' the fan yelled again.

Kearney looked at the man's plaid button-down shirt and declaredwith derision: 'Nice shirt. I wore that in 1984.'

Kearney, 25, then turned his back and flowing white cape on hisadversary and proudly sipped his beer. 'I moved out here two monthsago, but I couldn't be more Boston,' he said. 'I'm Irish and I've gotsix brothers and sisters, and I'm from North Weymouth. And I love theSox.'

Few Bostonians were able to fly 3,000 miles on short notice thisweek for the first game of the American League Divisional Serieshere. But the game brought out plenty of transplanted Red Sox fans,who live mostly quiet lives the rest of the year among nativeCalifornians, but emerged loudly and unmistakeably into the sun-filled stadium yesterday.

While it was hard for the eye to distinguish Red Sox fans fromAngels fans in the stands because both sport red, it was easy for theears: The chants of 'let's go Red Sox' rained down from many sectionsof the ballpark.

'Get going! Get going! Manny, get going!' screamed Steve Furtado,29, a Mission Beach resident by way of Taunton, as Manny Ramirez'sfourth-inning home run sailed over the center-field fence.

'Look at that,' he said, pointing to a dozen Sox fans slappinghands in his section after the blast. 'A little bit of pride whereveryou go.'

Still, the sheer number of Sox fans here George Berardi, longtimesecretary of the BoSox Club, the team's official booster club, saysCalifornia trails only New York City and Florida in the number oftransplants tells only part of the story.

Living so far from Kenmore Square has made California Sox fansmore appreciative of all things back home, they say. Gathering forRed Sox games at the few bars that broadcast them, a tradition formany who have moved here, is a way to feel close to New Englandagain.

At the Ocean Beach Grille in San Diego, operated by West Roxburynative Aileecia Lewis, Boston sports fans hang memorabilia on thewalls or tack sports clippings from Boston newspapers on the doorwithout even asking, as if they're in their own house.

In Hermosa Beach, a short drive south of Los Angeles InternationalAirport, Sox fans shovel down clam chowder at Fat Face FennersFishshack, operated by Medford son Gary Vincent, whenever there's agame.

'We get anywhere between 100 and 200 people, depending on thenature of the game,' Vincent said. 'It's like a dysfunctional familyreunion. Everybody knows somebody, but nobody knows anybody. But ifyou're from New England, you're my buddy. It's the `Cheers'mentality.'

With so few chances to see the Sox in action, many transplantsmade the extra effort yesterday to see their team. Pete Apalakis, aStoneham native who is now a furniture maker in San Diego, had towait yesterday morning for Federal Express to deliver the tickets hebought on eBay before he could bolt up the highway.

Winthrop native Diana Walsh, meanwhile, pulled an all-nightnursing shift, so she could be in her seat for the 1 p.m. start.

'I've been up since 11 a.m. yesterday,' said Walsh, wearing a RedSox T-shirt and sitting next to an Arlington native. 'But I had aticket, so I had to come.'

More than 100 fans, with roots in places from Worcester toChelmsford to New Hampshire, poured into Sonny McLean's in SantaMonica, a bar run by Foxborough native Jim Connors that was featuredin the Red Sox documentary 'Still We Believe.'

'It's like this little support group here,' said Aidas Banaitis,28, a college math teacher raised in Canton, while sipping a drink atSonny's on Monday night.

Make no mistake, though: In spite of their laid-back surroundings,Sox fans here have hardly lost their edginess.

Chelsea native Lindsey Clarke, 22, moved to California when shewas 15. 'I went from Chelsea High to Palm Springs High School; isn'tthat weird?' she joked.

But she still boils when she talks about losing out on a ball RedSox outfielder Gabe Kapler was tossing to fans in the stands at AngelStadium. 'This old guy reaches in front of me and grabs it for hiskid,' she said. 'I wanted to kick the kid.'

HAYES, EX-COWBOY AND OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST, DIES AT 59 - The Boston Globe (Boston, MA)

NAMES 'Bullet' Bob Hayes, the Olympic gold-medal sprinter andformer Dallas Cowboys star who was once considered the world'sfastest man, died at age 59. Hayes died of kidney failure at ShandsHospital in Jacksonville, Fla., late Wednesday, his daughter, WestineLodge, said. He was hospitalized earlier this month and had battledliver ailments and prostate cancer. Obituary, Page C28 . . . TampaBay defensive tackle Warren Sapp was fined $10,000 for slammingBaltimore running back Chester Taylor to the ground during Sunday's25-0 victory over the Ravens . . . Investigators in Tahiti scouredthe boat of Bison Dele for bullet marks as they looked into thedisappearance of the former NBA player and two others while sailingin the South Pacific. Also, the FBI arrested Dele's older brother,Miles Dabord, on fraud charges. Dabord was traveling with the groupaboard the boat before the disappearances. FBI supervisor JohnSteiner in San Rafael, Calif., said Dabord was found comatose inChula Vista near the California-Mexico border Saturday night and wasimmediately transported to a San Diego area hospital. He wasidentified yesterday and remained in intensive care. Steiner refusedto say whether Dabord was a suspect in his brother's suspected death. . . Sarah Fisher will become the first woman in 10 years to drive aFormula One car during a demonstration run at the Indianapolis MotorSpeedway next week. Fisher will drive a McLaren Mercedes Sept. 27,the first day of practice for the United States Grand Prix. Fisher,21, the only female driver in the Indy Racing League, became thefirst woman to win the pole in any major racing series earlier thisseason at Kentucky . . . A US request to extradite the man accused offixing Olympic figure skating arrived in Italy. But Luca Saldarelli,the lawyer for Alimzhan Tokhtakhounov, said extradition hearingsmight not begin for several weeks . . . Alessandro Petacchi of Italywon the 12th stage of the Tour of Spain while Spain's Oscar Sevillakept the overall leader's jersey.

FOUR DEMOCRATS VIE FOR OPEN SENATE SEAT - The Boston Globe (Boston, MA)

WEST MEDFORD State Representative Patricia D. Jehlen was knockingon door after door, searching for committed voters home on a stunningsummer morning this week, when a worried neighbor issued a complaint.

He doesn't want the Green Line extended through Somerville intoWest Medford, he said, because commuters will flood his leafyneighborhood looking for convenient places to park. 'It's only so theWinchesters can get a better place to ride into Boston,' he griped.

'I know people are worried about that, but I don't feel anyconsensus at all,' Jehlen responded.

Such is the dilemma of a candidate trying to appeal to the votersof the Second Middlesex District. Spanning the congested, urbanstreets of Somerville; moderate, blue-collar Medford; the broad lawnsof conservative Winchester; and a sliver of working-class Woburn, thedistrict tosses together communities with clashing identities andsometimes opposing interests.

In Tuesday's special primary election, four Democrats are vyingfor the state Senate seat of Charles E. Shannon Jr., who died at 61in April.

Jehlen, 61, a onetime schoolteacher who has represented Somervillein the House since 1991, has collected endorsements from liberal andlabor organizations including the Sierra Club, the Boston TeachersUnion, and MassEquality, which advocates for gay marriage.

Jehlen's predecessor in the House, Joseph Mackey, 54, also livesin Somerville and has worked as an organizer of youth sports leagues.The lawyer, who has been out of office for 15 years after run ning anunsuccessful race for district attorney, picked up endorsements fromthe Boston Globe, Somerville Journal, Somerville News, and Shannon'swidow, Dorothy.

Also running is Medford's Michael Callahan, 61, an old-schoolmember of the Governor's Council who focuses on local issues, such asgetting more police and firefighters. Callahan was endorsed by themayors of Medford and Woburn and several unions, including theNational Association of Government Employees.

Paul Casey, 44, a Winchester state representative, touts hisfiscal conservatism and economic development incentives and is theonly contender who opposes gay marriage. He was a loyal committeechairman under former House speaker Thomas M. Finneran.

The winner of Tuesday's primary will face William A. White Jr., aSomerville alderman and a Republican, in the Sept. 27 generalelection.

The district is heavily Democratic, but Shannon ran as aRepublican in 1989 and defeated a Democratic incumbent, beforeswitching parties seven years later.

With the special election scheduled Tuesday, before many peoplereturn from summer vacations, turnout is expected to be low, so thecampaigns trained their sights on dedicated voters and deluged themwith phone calls, mail, and doorstep visits.

In interviews with the Globe, and in a televised debate with CBS4political analyst Jon Keller, the candidates expressed their views onissues important in the district.

Taxes

None of the candidates favors the income tax rollback thatGovernor Mitt Romney has repeatedly proposed. Casey called it a 'pie-in-the-sky political maneuver,' and Callahan said it would be a'disaster.' All call for restoring local aid that was cut in recentstate budgets.

'I know two people that died because of budget cuts,' said Jehlen,who blamed the lack of available beds at Somerville detoxificationcenters. 'No more tax cuts of any sort.'

When asked during the Keller debate whether they would like tomake it easier for towns to override Proposition 2 1/2 tax limits,which restrict growth in towns' revenues and tax rates, Jehlen andMackey both called on the governor to tap recent budget surpluses torestore local aid, rather than cut taxes.

'The state has to shoulder its fair share,' said Mackey. 'Thecommunities we want to represent have lost 20 percent of fundingsince 2002. We have to reverse that trend.'

Callahan said that instead of encouraging towns to override taxlimits, the state should boost local aid and let more lottery revenueflow to city and town budgets. 'All that money was supposed to go tocities and towns,' he said during the debate. 'Take the cap off thelottery.'

Casey, a former chairman of the House tax committee, saidmunicipalities should soon benefit from the state's sound fiscalplanning and savings, but he urged restraint at all levels ofgovernment.

'You can't spend money like a drunken sailor,' he said.

Slot machines

This fall, the Legislature is expected to consider a measure toplace slot machines at racetracks. Callahan, a former assistant stateracing commissioner, favors the idea and said his research shows thattwo-thirds of the district's voters do, too, if the tax revenue goesto specifically dedicated programs.

Callahan, who cared for his late mother for 15 years as shestruggled with a form of dementia, proposes to use a portion of slotmachine revenue to help families dealing with such crises.

'We would like to keep the flow of the money in Massachusetts,'said Callahan, who said Massachusetts residents are now gambling inConnecticut or Rhode Island.

Casey also supports slot machines, but said the legislation mustbe carefully crafted, so that the state reclaims more than 60 percentof the revenue. Though he does not worry that slots would competewith the state lottery, he said racetracks should compete to have themachines.

Jehlen and Mackey both oppose slot machines out of concern thatthey would siphon gambling dollars from the lottery or draingamblers' bank accounts.

'I would listen to the arguments on existing horsetracks, but I'vegot some serious concerns even there,' Mackey said.

Healthcare

No candidate embraces Romney's healthcare proposal that would makeindividuals responsible for carrying their own insurance.

'You're just going to have the burden on people who really can'tafford healthcare and somebody has to pick up the slack,' Casey said.

Instead, he said, he would pursue single-payer healthcare byincrementally expanding state coverage for children, senior citizens'prescriptions, and senior healthcare, arguing that the gradualapproach would place less stress on the budget.

Mackey advocated the same incremental approach during the Kellerdebate. His campaign calls for expanding senior assisted- livingfacilities as one way to trim the expense of nursing care.

Asked by Keller whether they would support mandatory taxes onbusinesses that do not provide their own healthcare, only Jehlen saidyes.

She said exemptions and caps on extraordinary expenses could helpsmall businesses absorb the costs.

The other three said they feared that the burden would be tooheavy on small businesses.

ICE CHIPS - The Boston Globe (Boston, MA)

GLOBE NORTHWEST 1 / SPORTS

Top 10 Boys' Teams

1. Reading (16-1-0)

2. Andover (12-2-1)

3. Concord-Carlisle (12-3-1)

4. Westford (13-3-1)

5. Bishop Guertin (10-2)

6. Tewksbury (9-2-2)

7. Lowell (8-4-1)

8. Wilmington (11-1-1)

9. Acton-Boxborough (9-3-3)

10. Littleton (10-1-3)

Game of the Week

Andover at Westford Academy (Monday, 6 p.m.): Merrimack ValleyConference/Dual County League Division 1 leader Andover takes on thered-hot Grey Ghosts, who are right behind the Warriors in the leaguestandings, at 13-3-1.

Player to Watch

Steve Servideo, Medford: The senior forward is ranked fifth inthe Greater Boston League with 19 points (7 goals, 12 assists), andhas helped the club to second place in the GBL behind Waltham.'Steve's a tough player,' said Medford coach Chuck Allen. 'He's goodat breakaways and has good puck control. He's always aware of wherehis teammates are, and is able to get them the puck at the rightplace at the right time.'

Top 5 Girls' Teams

1. Arlington (12-1-2)

2. Arlington Catholic

(10-1-1)

3. Billerica (14-3)

4. Lexington (8-1-2)

5. Acton-Boxborough

(12-4-1)

Game of the Week

Woburn at Winchester (Saturday, 6 p.m.): Another Middlesex Leaguematchup in this heated rivalry. Woburn enters the game with a slightedge in the league standings.

Player to Watch

A SOX DISPATCH FROM THE EVIL EMPIRE - The Boston Globe (Boston, MA)

NEW YORK I am sitting in the sumptuous, 20th-floor grand ballroomof the Yale Club, listening to grown men (and a few women) cursing'those dirty bastards from New York . . . the Yankees, the Big Dig ofoverbudgeted sports enterprises.' To this assembly, Randy Johnson is'the Big Eunuch,' George Steinbrenner is 'Furious George,' and so on.

Welcome to the biannual meeting of the Benevolent Loyal Order ofthe Honorable Ancient Redsox Diehard Sufferers (BLOHARDS) of NewYork, a Red Sox booster group recruited mainly from New York, NewJersey, and Connecticut, although I did bump into a couple from ParisFrance, not Maine. Founded 38 years ago by Jim Powers, a publishingexecutive from Uxbridge now exiled to Weston, Conn., the B-Hards usedto reune furtively in nondescript midtown bars. No longer. Now theyswagger down Fifth Avenue in full Red Sox regalia, pack 150 peopleinto their meetings, and talk of a dawning 'Red Sox millennium.'

After years of enduring Yankee rule, the tristate Bosox fans failutterly to contain their glee no, euphoria at the reversal offortune that on Sunday landed the Carmine Hose three games atop thehated Bombers in the American League East, with just 20 games left toplay. There is no sordid detail of Yankee excess they do not revelin. When Powers chortles from the podium that Yankees catcher JorgePosada paints his fingernails to help the pitcher see his signs this seems like more information than I really want to know.

The Diehard Sufferers are animated by anti-Yankees fervor, andalso by a wicked sense of humor. The group loudly boasts of its fifthcolumn activities in New York, which have so far resulted in theelection of a Medford native Michael Bloomberg as mayor, and theopening of a Boston-themed sports bar in the dark heart of the RottenApple. What other website would celebrate in a banner headline:'Manhattanites Get Home Delivery of the Globe'?

At the website, blohards.com, Amherst-born hedge fund managerPeter Collery runs the naughty Name That Yankee nickname contest thatgave us Furious George, the Big Eunuch, and Mariano 'the cLOSER'Rivera who, like Johnson, looked pretty potent in the weekend series.Collery also sells fiery red T-shirts bearing a portrait of a beret-wearing, Che Guevera-like Johnny Damon above the line: 'Resist YankeeHegemony! Wage Relentless Struggle Against the Steinbrenner Clique!Strive to Emulate Comrade Johnny!'

It now hangs in my closet next to my blasphemous 'Johnny Saves' T-shirt from last season.

The website likewise publishes a miniature travel guide fordisplaced Bostonians, called 'Lifelines.' One stop is Notaro, an EastSide Italian restaurant where the genial former Red Sox hurler JerryCasale puts in nightly appearances. Casale, who won 13 games for theSox in 1959, is in the history books, albeit not for the reasons hemight like. As a Los Angeles Angel, Casale surrendered CarlYastrzemski's first major league home run. Also, he gave up RogerMaris's homer number 24 during Maris's 61-home-run year, 1961.

About 20 blocks uptown from Notaro, I found Boston (212), the Hub-themed sports bar that is the brainchild of Buzzards Bay nativeCharles Garland. Boston (212) is a movable feast currently occupyingthe bar section of the Caffe Buon Gusto, a small Italian restaurant.In addition to pulling together crowds for Red Sox games, Garlandalso hosts alumni events for Boston College, Boston University, andDartmouth, where he attended business school.

Boston (212) knocks a dollar off drink costs for every RBIproduced by a Boston homer. On Sunday, that proved to be a shrewdbusiness decision. On Saturday, less so.

The final stop on the How-New-York-Can-Be-More-Like-Boston-Tourtook me to Harrison's Tavern on the Upper West Side, co-owned byRuben Roine, a Jamaica Plain transplant. A klatch of Boston cops wascelebrating a bachelor party, and Sox colors were everywhere. Yetwhen the Yankee bats exploded in the sixth inning on Friday night, Iheard loud cheers from the periphery of the packed bar. Roineexplained to me that he loves the Sox but observes commercialneutrality to please all of his customers: 'The color of money isgreen.'

Ah, New York.

King and Bowman spark Babson start - The Boston Globe (Boston, MA)

With former Framingham High star Kathleen King and formerArlington Catholic High standout Becky Bowman of Melrose producingstellar play, the Babson College women's basketball team is off to a7-2 start.

A sophomore 6-foot forward, King is averaging 12.7 points, 8.2rebounds, and 2.4 steals per game for the defending New EnglandWomen's and Men's Athletic Conference champions. She was shooting 46percent from the field (45-98) and a team-best .774 from the freethrow line (24-31). King was named NEWMAC Player of the Week Dec. 7after recording her fourth double-double of the season against SmithCollege.

Bowman, a junior shooting guard, was scoring at an 11.8 per gameclip and had 25 assists, a block, and 14 steals.

Senior forward Sarah Hughes (Wellesley High) and junior guardKristy Benoit and sophomore forward Kelly McKenna, both ShrewsburyHigh graduates, have played key roles off the bench.

'All five have been keys to our success,' said Babson head coachJudy Blinstrub, whose team plays Rhode Island College Jan. 3 at theWilliams College Invitational. 'Kathleen has the ability to dominatethe game with her rebounding and shooting and is a hard matchupbecause of her athleticism. She's relentless. Becky is outstandingon both ends, we play her against our best opponent, and she'sprobably our toughest player.

'Kristy gives us a big lift off the bench with her defense on thepress; Sarah is a great leader who has a fantastic work ethic and iswilling to do anything for the team, and Kelly gives us a strongdefender at the forward spot who is also a great teammate and alwaysready to play.'

McLaughlin cited for a good run of it

Longtime Cambridge Sports Union member Diane McLaughlin ofArlington was inducted into the organization's hall of fame earlierthis month. The CSU's running section includes 300 women and men.

McLaughlin served as the women's Masters team representative toUSA Track & Field/New England 1989 through most of the 1990s and hasbeen a familiar face at the Fresh Pond road races, which she hashelped organize on Thursday evenings and Saturday mornings. Thatcommitment was recognized in 2005, when she received the NorthMedford Club's Fred Brown Cup.

A veteran Boston Marathoner, she ran 3:22:50 in 1991, and hermany accomplishments in long-distance running included competingwith CSU's women's 60s team that competed in the New England CrossCountry Championships.

'No matter what the conditions or challenges of that day, Dianeis always smiling and upbeat,'said CSU running section chairpersonGail Breslow. 'The caring and positive outlook she imparts toeveryone is an inspiration to us all.'

BC's Schaus bound for Olympic games

Boston College women's ice hockey goaltender Molly Schaus ofNatick has been selected to the United States women's team that willcompete in the Winter Olympic Games in February in Vancouver, B.C.

Schaus is second all-time in career saves for the Eagles with2,647 in her first three seasons. She also ranks first and second insingle-season goals against averages: 1.69 in 2008-'09 and 1.90 in2006-'07.

Last season, Schaus was a second team All-America and was alsonamed to the New England Hockey Writers Division 1 Women's All-Starteam.

The team of 21 was selected from the 23 skaters who were membersof the 2009-'10 women's national team. The US will face China in itsfirst game Feb. 14.

Connecticut draws flow of local rowers

Varsity rowers at Connecticut College this fall included juniorsHannah Brassord of Boxborough (Acton-Boxborough) and Robyn Ly(Lexington High) and sophomores Lesley Gaughan (Weston High), AlexHellman (Wayland High), and Katrina Sereiko (Wellesley High).Heilman, Gaughan, and Ly helped the Camels finish 10th out of 29teams in the Varsity Four at the Head of the Charles Regatta.

The novice rowing team, which won a bronze medal at theQuinsigamond Challenge, included freshman No. 2 seat Lillian Beck ofBolton (Lawrence Academy) and classmate Lila Douglis at stroke row.Freshman Kathy Bentley of Concord (Concord-Carlisle) was also on thenovice roster.

'Hannah has found a sport that suits her personality bothphysically and mentally, Robin is a coxswain who has become astudent of the sport, and Lesley has become a savvy competitor,'said 10-year head coach Eva Kovach. 'Alex also rowed for Wayland-Weston and is one of the most fluid rowers I have had theopportunity to coach, and Katrina is an incredibly hard worker whohas improved tremendously this fall.'

Soccer all-stars to test skills in Britain - The Boston Globe (Boston, MA)

This won't be a typical teen-age summer for Jane Cargill ofBelmont and Shannon Murphy of Medford.

Instead of the usual part-time jobs and precollege fun-in-the-sunparties, Cargill and Murphy will be in Europe playing for theAmerican Soccer Ambassadors on a good-will tour throughout Englandand Scotland.

The two are the only Massachusetts representatives, and they arebeing rewarded for all-star seasons -- Cargill in the MiddlesexLeague and Murphy in the Greater Boston League. They will meetteammates from Connecticut, Florida, Kentucky, New Jersey, NewMexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Vermont July 22 at LoganAirport.

They will return home Aug. 9 after games against all-star highschool and club teams, which both Cargill and Murphy expect to beconsiderably tougher than the competition they are used to playingagainst here.

'It's a great opportunity,' said Cargill, 'not only to berepresenting your country over there, but to have a chance to becoached by the Ambassadors' European pro coaching staff. And we'llhave a chance to see so many cultural things. This is something I'llremember for the rest of my life.'

Murphy called the prospect of playing soccer overseas 'achallenge I am very excited about. I think we'll be playing verytalented, very skilled teams -- teams we don't know anything about,but teams I'm sure which play at a very high level.'

In addition to the games, the young women will participate inseminars on nutrition and sports injuries.

Cargill and Murphy must foot the expenses for their 19-day trip(approximately $3,000), and they did it in different ways. Cargill'sparents were able to help considerably, while Medford residentsrallied to Murphy's cause. Once overseas, they'll be housed atuniversities in England and Scotland.

Cargill, 18, played three years of soccer at Lexington beforeher family moved to Belmont last year. When Cargill began playing atBelmont, she was reunited with coach Vekan Anserlian, for whom sheplayed for two years in the Bay State Games.

When she got her invitation to be part of the team, Cargillsays, she was honored but didn't think she'd be able to attendbecause of the cost. 'My family supported me considerably. Withouttheir help, I wouldn't be going. But they knew it was aonce-in-a-lifetime opportunity and did all that they could to help.'

For college, Cargill will attend Division 1 soccer power StonyBrook on Long Island in the fall. She had originally committed tothe University of Kentucky, but after visiting Stony Brook, she gotthe feeling she was more wanted there.

Murphy, 17, played four years at Medford under coach Al Luongoand was a Greater Boston League all-star her junior and senior years.She has been playing soccer since she was 5 and is a product of theMedford youth leagues. She is bound for Aquinas College in the fall,but will likely hook up with an independent team because there is nosoccer program at the Michigan school.

'I've never been overseas before,' said Murphy. 'I'm lookingforward to not only playing, but to seeing England and Scotland aswell. It's a chance to meet new friends and a chance to see how ourbrand of soccer here compares to what's played over there.'

The American Soccer Ambassadors, based in western Massachusetts,will be going abroad for the 10th time. The first seven were toEngland, Belgium, Germany and Holland, and the last two to England,Scotland and Ireland. ASA spokesman Jeff Lombard said that thisyear's trip is limited to England and Scotland because of the intenselevel of play found in those two areas.

LOCK MONSTERS GAIN RIVALS CLOSER TO HOME - The Boston Globe (Boston, MA)

The Lowell Lock Monsters of the American Hockey League will bemoved into the New England Division of the league's EasternConference for the upcoming season.

Stronger rivalries should be created within the division, whichwill include Hartford and Providence, the Calder Cup champions of thepast two seasons, Portland, Maine, Springfield and Worcester.

In their first two seasons in the AHL, the Lock Monsters competedin the Atlantic Division with Quebec, Saint John, New Brunswick, andSt. John's, Newfoundland. In the new alignment, the Atlantic will nowbe the Canadian Division and Hamilton will replace Lowell. TheWestern Conference will feature the Mid-Atlantic (Albany, Hershey,Philadelphia, Rochester, Syracuse, and Wilkes Barre/Scranton) andSouthern (Cincinnati, Kentucky, Louisville, and Norfolk) divisions.

'This is a great day for our franchise and for our fans,' saidLowell executive vice president and general manager Tom Rowe. 'Ourattendance has made significant increases and with more home datesagainst other New England teams, we feel that our fans will betreated to new intense rivalries on a season-long basis.'

Molloy wins award from ECAC peers Jack Molloy of Bedford,assistant athletic director for sports information and promotions atBrandeis University, has been awarded the Irving Marsh Award by hiscolleagues in the Eastern College Athletic Conference's SportsInformation Directors Association.

The award is presented to a conference sports information directordeemed to have contributed the most to the profession during hiscareer. It was presented for the first time in 1966 and renamed in1977 to honor Irving T. Marsh, the ECAC Service Bureau founder anddirector who retired in 1973.

Molloy joined the Brandeis staff in 1985 and has organizednumerous championship events at the ECAC and NCAA levels. He alsoinitiated and has directed the Brandeis Hall of Fame dinner. Heserved on the ECAC-SIDA board in 1993 and for 14 years has beendirector of public relations for the New England IntercollegiateBaseball Association.

Molloy worked in media relations at the 1999 NCAA Division 1 men'sbasketball tournament at the FleetCenter and last year worked atMajor League Baseball's All-Star game at Fenway Park. He is a 1982graduate of St. Anselm College and began his sports informationcareer as an intern at Dartmouth the same year.

PGA event to help youngsters' teeth More than 100underprivileged Boston-area children will receive free dentaltreatment valued at more than $40,000 in conjunction with the SeniorPGA Tour's FleetBoston Classic, which will be held Aug. 21-27 atNashawtuc Country Club in Concord.

Christina's Smile/Children's Dental Clinic, a traveling 48-foottrailer housing three fully equipped dental clinics, will visit theFaneuil Hall Marketplace in downtown Boston on Aug. 21-23 from 8 a.mto 5 p.m. It will be administered by area volunteer dentists andtheir assistants. Services will range from routine cleanings andfluoride treatments to sealants, restorations, crowns, andextractions. Community organizations will choose the children to betreated.

The program was established in 1989 by Dr. Richard R. Garza, ofAustin, Texas, in memory of his daughter, Christina, who died shortlyafter birth. He developed a relationship with the Senior PGA Tour andits charitable causes and this year expects to conduct 23 dentalclinics at various Senior Tour stops across the country.

The dental project is supported by the FleetBoston Classic, whichhas donated more than $2.1 million to nonprofit causes over the past19 years. Among the Senior Tour players serving on the advisoryboard of the dental project are Jim Albus, Jim Colbert, Jim Dent,Dale Douglass, Al Geiberger, Bob Murphy, Larry Nelson, Chi ChiRodriguez and Dave Stockton.

Here and there Elaine Carr Schwager of Medford has been namedassociate director of athletics and softball coach at SuffolkUniversity. Athletic director at Mount St. Joseph Academy inBrighton, Schwager has coached the Croatian National Team for thepast two summers. She also served as an assistant coach at BostonUniversity and the University of Massachusetts at Lowell.

Dave Foley of Medford was honored as most valuable player on thehockey team and Shannon Feehan of Littleton was named MVP of thesoftball team at Nichols College in Dudley. Other area athleteshonored at the school were Kelly Nangle of Lowell, most improved onthe women's basketball team; Jennifer Solomon of Methuen, rookie ofthe year in softball; and Dave Carr of Acton, most improved inlacrosse.

A squad from Tufts University placed among the top club teams inthe country at the recent Intercollegiate Horse Show AssociationNational Championships, held in Conyers, Ga. Sophomore Hally Phillipsof Charlotte, Vt., won the Cacchione Cup, the most prestigiousindividual award in the competition.

The baseball field at Andover High has been renamed Peter AumaisPark in memory of a former team captain who, along with hisgirlfriend, Ann Wobesky, died in an automobile accident in October1976. A horseshoe-shaped granite and brick monument near the third-base dugout reads: 'In memory of our 1976 baseball captain, PeterAumais. His love for baseball, his teammates, family and friends willkeep him forever young.'

NOTEBOOK - The Boston Globe (Boston, MA)

The Lowell Spinners will be in junior welterweight Micky Ward'scorner Saturday night. When he fights Arturo Gatti in HBO's MainEvent at Mohegan Sun, Ward will wear specially designed trunksfeaturing the Spinners logo on the left side and 'Lowell Spinners' onthe back. Replicas of the trunks will be made for sale to fans, withWard and the Spinners donating proceeds to Kids in DisabilitiesSports. 'Ward is the type of boxer in the ring and outside the ringthe Spinners love to be associated with,' said Spinners generalmanager Shawn Smith. 'The fact he is from Lowell makes it that muchbetter.'

Checking in on some NorthWest athletes at Bentley:

Senior rightfielder Steve Vickers of Andover was ranked 17th indoubles in the most recent NCAA statistics with 13 in 30 games for a0.43 average.

Freshman Kurt Flionis of Woburn had rounds of 80-78-79-237 tofinish seventh in the recent NCAA Division 2 Regionals at RiverGreens Golf Club in West Lafayette, Ohio. That lifted Bentley to afourth-place finish among 36 teams.

Senior All-America midfielder Scott Yavarow of Billerica toppedthe 200-point plateau in a recent lacrosse game against St.Michael's. He's the third player in school history to reach themilestone.

Winchester's Alison Popp wrapped up a fine tennis career at Loyola(Baltimore) College. She ranked in the top 10 in both singles anddoubles victories. Popp, a former Globe All-Scholastic, had careerrecords of 53-15 in singles and 38-12 in doubles. Loyola, which haswon 80 of 93 regular season matches in the past four years, recentlywon its fourth straight Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. Popp wasnamed to the 2002 MAAC All-Academic team.

If you thought there was no difference in run production betweenwood and aluminum bats, try digesting these figures. On a recentafternoon in the Greater Boston League, which uses wood and numbersArlington and Medford among its members, 10 runs were scored in twogames. On the same afternoon in the Cape Ann League, which usesaluminum and has North Reading and North Andover as members, 61 runswere scored in two games.

Sophomore Jess Trombly of Nashua won both the 100-meter hurdlesand the long jump and placed third in the 400 to help Tufts finishsecond in the women's New England Small College Athletic ConferenceTrack & Field Championships at Bates. Also pitching in was juniorcocaptain Myriam Claudio of Woburn, who was second in the 100 meters.

Michael Daley of Woburn, Jeffrey Douglas of Chelmsford, PeterDoyle and Michael Shannon, both of Belmont Hill, John Kazanovicz ofReading, Matthew McPherson of Burlington, and T. J. Porter ofLexington are among 22 of the best and brightest players who will behonored by the Eastern Massachusetts Chapter of the National FootballFoundation and Hall of Fame at its annual Scholar-Athlete Awarddinner tomorrow at Lantana's in Randolph.

What to watch

Today: Merrimack College in North Andover plays in and hosts theNCAA Regional Softball Tournament, which wraps up at noon. The winnerearns a trip to the Division 2 World Series in Salem, Va.

UNRIVALED MATCHUP Nationalistic emotion stirred when Ireland, Italy meet - The Boston Globe (Boston, MA)

At 471 West Broadway in South Boston, the Black Thorn bar got alast-minute overhaul this week: new paneling, new wiring, four newtelevision screens. Across the street at 472 West Broadway,Ottavio's Barber Shop got its first-ever cable TV hookup Tuesday,just in time for the World Cup.

Outside, the owners of the Irish pub and the Italian barber shopwere chatting about soccer, as they have done for years. Thisafternoon, when Ireland plays Italy at Giants Stadium, their longtimefriendship will be put on hold.

'It's the Super Bowl, the World Series, the NBA Finals and theStanley Cup rolled into one,' said Black Thorn owner Chris Barrett,who emigrated from Galway City in 1963.

'It's the game of a lifetime,' said his friend Ottavio LoGrasso,who came to Southie from Sicily in 1962.

There is a century-long history of tensions between Irish andItalians in Boston, a history of street fights, mob wars and nastytribal politics. But the tensions have eased in recent years,diluted by intermarriage, flight to the suburbs and common politicalinterests.

Thomas Menino became the first Italian-American mayor of Bostonlast year, winning almost every city precinct (including all seven inpredominantly Irish Charlestown) against an Irish-American opponent.Ray Flynn, Boston's last Irish mayor, is now in Rome as the Americanambassador to the Vatican. Even in the 1970s, activists like PixiePalladino of East Boston and Louise Day Hicks of South Boston stoodside by side, representing communities united against busing.

Today, in Italian cafes along Hanover Street in the North End andin Irish pubs throughout the city, this detente will dissolve for anafternoon. Soccer stirs deep emotions in these game-day gatheringplaces, especially among immigrants who see the sport as a remnant ofthe old country, an emblem of a prized national heritage they fear isreceding with time and distance.

Joe Pagliuca and his brother Freddie came to the North End fromNaples in 1974. At the time, they did not even know what an Americanfootball looked like.

'In the old country, soccer was all we knew,' said Joe Pagliuca,30, who owns Pagliuca's Italian Ristorante on Parmenter Street. 'TheAmericans don't care about soccer. They don't know what's what orwho's who. But the Italians, the real Italians, we understand.'

In the North End, which was an Irish enclave before Italianimmigrants began flooding into Boston toward the end of the 19thcentury, soccer culture revolves around Hanover Street haunts likeCaffe Paradiso, Caffe Graffiti and Caffe dello Sport, where Italianleague games can be seen live via satellite year round.

Angelo Cattaneo, the owner of Caffe dello Sport, said he wasinstalling a new large-screen TV for the World Cup, along with fivesmall screens. 'Soccer is the main discussion we have here,' saidCattaneo, 63. 'Besides women, that is.'

Italy is a three-time World Cup champion, featuring EuropeanFootballer of the Year Roberto Baggio. Ireland is clearly theunderdog, making only its second World Cup appearance. But theItalian immigrants talking soccer last week at Caffe Paradiso werefar from overconfident.

'I'm very, very nervous,' said Manfredi Grassi of Cambridge, whoplayed soccer with a club team called the Boston Italia after heemigrated from Avelino in 1952. 'This Ireland, they're all big boys,very fit for the game. That Baggio, he's getting old. I don't knowwhat's going to happen.'

There are still 264,000 Italians and 409,000 people of Irishheritage living in the Boston metropolitan area. Some Italiansremain in the North End and East Boston, but many have moved north tocommunities like Chelsea, Medford, Saugus and Lynnfield after ageneration or two in Boston. Similarly, many of the area's second-and third-generation Irish have moved south from city neighborhoodslike South Boston and Dorchester to suburbs like Quincy, Weymouth andBraintree.

As hyphenated Americans have assimilated into mainstream culture,some have lost interest in the national sport of their ancestralhome.

Antonella DeMarco, 21, of Medford, is a waitress at CaffeGraffiti. Every night, she watches old Italian immigrants jabberabout soccer, waving their hands in the air for emphasis. But shehas no interest in the game herself.

'The old guys can't stop talking about the World Cup, but I don'treally care about it,' she said. 'I guess I'll end up watchingbecause I work here, but it doesn't mean much to me.'

Among the Irish, soccer fever is also more pronounced amongimmigrants. At the Triple O's pub in Southie, where World Cuppromotional material is plastered all over the walls, bartenderStephen Fitzpatrick said Ireland-Italy has not been a big topic ofdiscussion.

'Where are they playing that game, anyway?' he asked.

At the Black Thorn, which caters to an immigrant clientele,everyone knows where the game is being played, and many plan to bethere. Chris Barrett will fly down to New Jersey for the game today,along with much of his family from Ireland. His co-owner istraveling with the Irish team.

'It's religion to the Irish,' said his brother Michael Barrett,who will stay behind to watch the bar. 'If they win, we drink tocelebrate. If they lose, we drink to drown our sorrows.'

The rivalry between Irish and Italians in Boston will only add tothe excitement here, according to the fans.

In the past, the clash was a bitter one, involving constantfisticuffs as well as epic political battles like the 1952congressional race between Tip O'Neill and Michael LoPresti, in whichboth candidates fielded straw candidates with ethnic surnames to drawaway votes from their opponent. In recent years, there have beenethnic overtones to political squabbles between Frank Bellotti andBilly Bulger, between Dapper O'Neil and Rosaria Salerno.

But for the most part, the rivalry has become a friendly one,personified by an Italian mayor whose staff recently told adelegation from Northern Ireland to call him O'Menin. Thetraditionally insular ethnic enclaves have been mixed by integrationand white flight.

At Sports Magic in the North End, Ted Pasto is doing a briskbusiness selling Italy T-shirts, caps, pins and flags. Butparaphernalia from Ireland is running a close second in sales, wellahead of the United States, a distant fourth behind Greece.

'Everybody expects to see Italy, Italy, Italy, but we get a lot ofIrish customers,' he said. 'There's a rivalry there, but there'salso a connection, you know?

In 1990, Ottavio LoGrasso left his wife and children in Southieand flew to Italy for the World Cup. This year, he will watch on hisbarber shop's new cable system, which he plans to disconnect the daythe tournament ends. He is a devoted fan, dedicated to the Italianteam for life.

But times have changed. And LoGrasso had some kind words for theopposition, too.

MONBOUQUETTE, STANLEY HONORED HALL INDUCTEES LIKE PRESENT TEAM - The Boston Globe (Boston, MA)

Pitchers Bill Monbouquette and Bob Stanley were named yesterday asthe newest selections to the Red Sox Hall of Fame, and both said theyliked the Sox' chances in the postseason.

'We used to have a lot of power and no speed,' said Stanley, whospent the summer as pitching coach for the Mets' Double A team inBinghamton, N.Y. 'This team has some power and more speed. They'rebetter off because of that. We always had a hard time on the road.We'd go to Kansas City and get killed.

'I think they have a great chance this season. They'd probably fitright into the National League, which will probably help them if theyget to the World Series.'

Monbouquette, a special assignment scout for the Toronto BlueJays, was even more emphatic when asked whether the Sox have a chanceto do well in the playoffs.

'Damn right they have,' Monbouquette said. 'More so than probablyin a long time because of the type of players they've got here. Theymight be throwbacks, the way they get on each other.'

Stanley pitched for the Red Sox from 1977-89, winning 115 gameswith a club-record 132 saves. Stanley is the team's all-time leaderin appearances (637) and relief wins (85).

'If you're around 13 years, you're going to pitch,' said Stanley,a resident of Wenham. 'I'm very proud of that. It's probably a recordthat will stay for a long time. When I die, my kids will be able tosay, `Dad's still on top' in that category.'

Monbouquette, a Medford native who lives in New Boston, N.H., won96 games for some lousy Sox teams from 1958-65. He was a 20-gamewinner in 1963, pitched a 1-0 no-hitter against the White Sox in1962, and struck out 17 against the Washington Senators in 1961.

The last out of his no-hitter, Monbouquette said, was Hall ofFamer Luis Aparicio. He got two quick strikes on Aparicio, then threwa slider away on which Aparicio checked his swing. The plate umpire,Bill McKinley, called it a ball.

'Somebody shouted out from the stands, `They shot the wrongMcKinley,' ' Monbouquette said. 'I remember thinking, `Oh, geez.' '

Aparicio swung and missed at the next pitch.

Secret surgery?

According to this week's issue of Sports Illustrated, RogerClemens underwent surgery early in his Red Sox career to repair apartial tear of his rotator cuff, an operation that was not disclosedby the club. Ian Thomsen writes that orthopedic surgeon James Andrewsmentioned that in Sept. 1985, when Clemens was 23, the team reportedClemens underwent an arthroscopic procedure to repair a small flaptear in his shoulder. What the club didn't say, according to Andrews,who performed the procedure, was that Clemens also had a partial tearof the rotator cuff.

Clemens won his first 14 decisions the next season en route to a24-4 record in 1986, when he won both the American League Cy Youngand Most Valuable Player awards.

Keeping priorities

Author John Feinstein ('Season on the Brink,' 'A Good WalkSpoiled') was among the members of the national media in town for theRyder Cup who spent the evening at Fenway Park. Feinstein recounted astory about the Jewish Red Sox fan who went to his rabbi before RoshHashanah and said, 'Rabbi, I have a problem. I know it's RoshHashanah, but it's Yankees-Red Sox and Pedro is pitching.'

Rabbi: 'It's not such a problem. It's for nights like this thatGod invented VCRs.'

Sox fan: 'So, I can tape the Rosh Hashanah services?'

Delgado is done

IS SPRING TRAINING TOO LONG? IN FAMILIAR RITUALS OF PRESEASON, TRANQUILITY SHOVES ASIDE REALITY.(Sports) - Rocky Mountain News (Denver, CO)

Byline: Jack Etkin Rocky Mountain News Staff Writer

Reality has yet to intrude in spring training, elbowing aside hope in a crush of blown saves and fizzled rallies. Even teams with no chance of contending can legitimately wonder in the Florida and Arizona sun how high is up while pondering improvement.

Spring training dates from the 1880s, when a few clubs began seeking a midwinter escape to warmer weather for preseason conditioning. The National League's Boston Beaneaters went to New Orleans in 1884. Cap Anson took his Chicago Colts to Hot Springs, Ark., in 1886, the same year Harry Wright, who managed the Philadelphia Phillies, found a haven for his players in Charleston, S.C.

It wasn't until 1914 that more than two teams trained in Florida. That year, Connie Mack, owner and manager of the Philadelphia Athletics, returned to Jacksonville, where his team had spent the spring of 1903. And both St. Louis teams traveled to Florida, the Cardinals working out in St. Augustine and the Browns in St. Petersburg. However, both St. Louis teams left Florida for Texas in 1915.

The 1920s land boom in Florida established spring training in the state. Besides the St. Louis teams and the Athletics, the Yankees, Dodgers, Phillies, Reds and Senators took up long-term residency in Florida that went uninterrupted until World War II.

Datelines such as Bear Mountain, N.Y.; French Lick, Ind.; Cairo, Ill.; Wallingford, Conn.; Wilmington, Del.; Lakewood, N.J.; College Park, Md., and Medford, Mass., appeared on spring-training stories from 1943 to 1945 because of wartime travel restrictions. Teams were forced to train closer to home, halting their barnstorming tours as they came north by train to start the season.

Barnstorming flourished because of Babe Ruth, whose impact on spring training was enormous. Longer exhibition schedules developed, along with increased media coverage, because Ruth was such an unprecedented attraction with the Yankees. After he hit a season-record 60 homers in 1927, the Yankees drew 270,000 to their exhibition games the following spring, enabling owner Col. Jacob Ruppert to clear an astounding profit of $60,000.

Arizona didn't get in on the spring action until after World War II. The Detroit Tigers ventured to Phoenix in 1929, but it was 18 years before a team returned to Arizona. Bill Veeck, who bought the Cleveland Indians in 1946, had a ranch in Tucson, where the Indians began training in 1947 and stayed until they left for Florida and were replaced by the Rockies in 1993.

That was the spring both Roberto Mejia and Jason Bates were impressive in big-league camp for the Rockies before opening the season at Class AAA Colorado Springs. Young players competing with a nothing-to-lose enthusiasm against experienced major leaguers are a spring joy. In sobering contrast, though, is the plight of an aging veteran like Harold Reynolds trying unsuccessfully to make the Rockies last year. Limitless opportunity, an indulgence of youth, is replaced by a do-it-now imperative for the older player.

There is an unmistakable tranquility to spring training that simply can't be found during the regular season when most of the games are at night and winning does matter. Spring training is hearing a metronomic whack . . . whack . . . whack at 7:30 a.m. when the outfield grass still is damp with dew. It's the sound of hard contact from a batting cage, the diamond equivalent of songbirds heralding another morning.

Spring training actually unfolds in three acts. Pitchers and catchers report first in mid-February, along with position players recovering from injuries. The full squad reports less than a week later. The drills are beginning to drag when the tempo quickens at the beginning of March and the exhibition games begin.

These games produce scorecards cluttered beyond belief but do little to foreshadow the regular season. Roger Angell of The New Yorker wrote ``spring baseball is all surmise.'' It still is, 28 years after he made that observation.

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Color Illustration

ALL-STAR GAME IS REVENGE OF `BOTTOM FEEDERS'.(SPORTS) - Daily News (Los Angeles, CA)

Byline: MATT McHALE Baseball

It is a beautiful thing to watch Juan Gonzalez go deep, Tony Gwynn turn on a fastball, Greg Maddux paint the corner.

But there might be something even better in Tuesday night's All-Star Game at Fenway Park. Some of our baseball gods will seem, well, a little more like you or me.

Sixteen members of the National League team and seven of the American League are first-timers to the game, a roster of stories filled with as much failure as success. For every Randy Johnson, there is Philadelphia's Paul Byrd, who was out of work 11 months ago after his release from the Atlanta Braves.

Or Ron Coomer, who spent eight years in the minors - including some time with the Dodgers - before making it with the Minnesota Twins.

Or Jeff Zimmerman, the hard-throwing reliever for the Texas Rangers. Last month at Dodger Stadium, former Dodger Mike Morgan was talking about Zimmerman and said, ``You know he learned his slider in France.'' If that doesn't bring a puzzled look, think of the 29 GMs who threw away his resume when the unemployed Zimmerman faxed it to every big-league club a few years back.

Now those players will share their dreams on a national stage.

Byrd's big break came last August, when his name crossed the waiver wire and caught the eye of Phillies general manager Ed Wade. His trip to Triple-A was detoured when Matt Beech's season ended with an elbow injury. Next thing Byrd knew, he was in Philadelphia for a start against the Houston Astros and the overpowering Johnson.

Byrd handed Johnson his only National League loss last season and won five of his eight starts with the Phillies.

And now? Byrd was 11-4 with a 3.72 ERA going into Saturday's start against Baltimore.

``I want to thank Christ for guiding my path,'' said Byrd, a deeply religious man who considered the ministry as a career alternative a few years ago. ``I also want to thank my wife, the U-Haul queen of America when I was in the minor leagues.''

Coomer never thought much about the All-Star Game playing in towns like Modesto, Medford, Ore., Madison, Wis., and Huntsville, Ala. In 1994, he batted .338 for the Dodgers' Triple-A team in Albuquerque, but was traded to the Twins the next year.

Although the Twins are in last place in the AL Central, somebody had to represent the team. And even though Coomer's stats (.284 average, 10 homers, 33 RBI) aren't eye popping, the Twins are sending somebody special.

''It's a remarkable story and a tribute to his perseverance,'' said seven-time all-star Paul Molitor, a teammate of Coomer's in Minnesota for three seasons and still a good friend. ``He spent a long time in the minors, and he's a guy who never quits. I don't think he takes one minute in uniform for granted.

``I know when he walks into that locker room on Monday, he's going to have a feeling like he's never had before.''

At least Coomer was drafted out of college, even if it was in the 14th round (1987) by the A's, who released three years later.

Zimmerman, a Canadian, was undrafted out of Texas Christian in 1993. Through a connection with the Canadian national team, he pitched for Montpelier in the South of France, but somehow his story wasn't optioned at the Cannes Film Festival.

``The competition wasn't very good, but I knew I could develop some pitches without worrying about getting beaten up,'' Zimmerman said. ``I threw a lot of sliders over there and it paid off.''

But as late as 1997, he still was pitching in the independent Northern League. Then he fired off 30 resumes. Only the Rangers responded. His signing bonus was a ticket to spring training.

He was one of the last cuts this spring but was called up one week into the season when the Rangers went to a seven-man bullpen. He heads to Boston with an 8-0 record.

``I can't comprehend it. I'm a middle reliever,'' Zimmerman said. ``We're supposed to be the bottom feeders of baseball.''

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PHOTO THREE FOR 3000: THE WEEK IN REVIEW

(1) Cal Ripken Jr. - 2,949

9 hits, .314 avg.

(2) Wade Boggs - 2,979

7 hits, .302 avg.

(3) Tony Gwynn - 2,982

REGIONAL SCENE.(Sports) - Rocky Mountain News (Denver, CO)

Campbell leads U.S. team

Colorado Xplosion guard Edna Campbell scored 16 points to help Team USA defeat the Canadian national women's basketball team 66-51 Friday in the opener of a three-game series.

Team USA beat the Canadians 74-53 Saturday and concluded the series with Canada Monday night.

Thursday, Team USA begins a 10-game international tour with a game against the German national team in Munster, Germany.

After the tour, Team USA will play in the World Championship Qualifying Tournament June 6-14 in Argentina.

CSU softball team faces Brown

The Colorado State University women's softball team opens NCAA Tournament play Friday at 1:30 p.m., facing Brown University in Amherst, Mass.

Massachusetts plays Boston College in the other game on the UMass campus, and winners face winners and losers play losers Saturday in the double elimination tournament.

CSU fans can follow the action on KIIX-AM (600) in Fort Collins. Saturday games will be at 12:30 and 3:30.

Loeffler team wins scramble

Bill Loeffler, Joe Herbert and Bob Stallman teamed for a 14-under 58 Monday at Buffalo Run Golf Course to win the Colorado PGA's Don Cook-Ping pro-pro-pro scramble. Loeffler, Herbert and Stallman scored 14 birdies and no bogeys to win the tournament by one stroke.

Bill Majure, Mike Northern and Sean Farren shared second place with Matt Potter, Tray Shehee and Jon Petersen at 13-under 59.

Et cetera

Colorado Rockies rookie right-hander John Thomson, called up Friday from Class AAA Colorado Springs to join the club's rotation, was named Pacific Coast League pitcher of the week for May 4-10 . . . Scott Gaylord of Lakewood finished ninth Saturday night in a NASCAR Winston West Series stock car race in Tucson, completing 187 laps of the 200-lap race before his car overheated. The event was won by Canadian Gary Smith . . . Colorado golfers Rick Cramer, Matt Gogel and R.W. Eaks finished back in the pack at the Nike Carolina Classic at Cary, N.C., that concluded Sunday. Cramer was seven shots back of the winner, Dan Bateman, with a 291 total. Gogal finished at 294 and Eaks at 297

M'S WOLCOTT EXPECTS TO BE TAKEN IN EXPANSION DRAFT.(Sports) - Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Bob Wolcott hasn't seen the list of 15 players the Mariners will protect in the first round of today's expansion draft, but the right-handed pitcher has a hunch.

``I think I'm available,'' Wolcott said.

A highly-regarded rotation prospect only two years ago, Wolcott figures to be among the players with major league experience being dangled in front of the Arizona Diamondbacks and Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

The expansion teams will select two players from each of the 28 existing clubs and another one from half the American and National League franchises in today's three-round draft - 35 players apiece.

The Rays select first and fourth and the Diamondbacks second and third. The teams will alternate picks through the remainder of the first round.

The Diamondbacks made their first move yesterday, signing free agent shortstop Jay Bell to a $34 million, five-year contract.

Unlike the 1992 expansion draft, when the Mariners' protection list included more minor league players than established major leaguers, the organization this time is making the AL West champion nucleus unavailable to the Diamondbacks and Devil Rays.

``Some clubs are going to be hurt by the draft,'' said Woody Woodward, M's vice president of baseball operations, ``but I don't think we'll be one of them. We're not that concerned.''

Faced with a $250,000 fine from Major League Baseball for divulging their protected list, Mariners officials have refused to disclose names.

But it is believed the M's have protected eight pitchers and seven position players. They can protect three more players after the first and second rounds.

Besides Wolcott, the Mariners probably didn't initially protect infielders Andy Sheets and Brent Gates, outfielder Raul Ibanez, and right-handed long reliever Bob Wells of Yakima.

The end of today's draft also ends an embargo against announcing trades and a flurry of deals are expected to be announced. Some could occur as early as tonight.

The Boston Red Sox reportedly will acquire NL Cy Young Award winner Pedro Martinez from the Montreal Expos, and the Cincinnati Reds appear to be closing in on a deal with the Anaheim Angels for center fielder Jim Edmonds.

But don't expect anything to quickly happen with Mariners ace left-hander Randy Johnson.

Lee Pelekoudas, the assistant general manager, denied a published report yesterday that the M's rejected a trade that would send Johnson to the New York Yankees for right-handed reliever Mariano Rivera.

``We haven't turned down any deals,'' Pelekoudas said from Phoenix. ``There haven't been any specific trades presented to us. Nothing is imminent or even hot on the burner. We're listening and sorting through some things.''

According to sources in Arizona, the New York Mets have emerged as the team most interested in Johnson, but general manager Steve Phillips isn't convinced the Mariners really will trade their ace, saying ``I think they're just trying to sense what the market is. My sense is they can afford him next season.''

The Mariners decided last week not to offer Johnson a contract extension beyond next season and said they would entertain offers for the ace left-hander.

``Our preference is keeping him (next season),'' Pelekoudas said.

Not that Wolcott wants to leave the Mariners, ``but going to a new team would be exciting,'' he said from his home in Kent.

Wolcott, whose wife Kristine is expecting the couple's first child, said he would prefer being selected by the Diamondbacks.

``I would like to stay on the West Coast,'' he said. ``We know the Phoenix area. Tampa is the great unknown.''

A second-round draft choice out of Medford, Ore., in 1992, Wolcott became a fan and franchise favorite in '95 when he won four of his six decisions after a late-season callup and then beat the Cleveland Indians in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series. But his promising career skidded in both 1996 (7-10, 5.73 ERA) and '97 (5-6, 6.03).

``The Mariners are a good organization and have given me every opportunity to be successful,'' he said. ``I still have a lot of time left in my career and don't think I have shown an ounce of my potential. I know I can do it.''

NOTES: John Olerud's Seattle-based agent, Joe McIntosh, said he has talked to the Mariners about the former Washington State star but shed little light on the possibilities of the first baseman signing with the M's. ``We will wait and see what the expansion draft brings about,'' McIntosh said. Olerud has a three-year, $13.5 million offer from the Mets on the table, and it's doubtful the Mariners could match that price ... Sources close to the Baltimore Orioles say the AL East champs will re-sign free agent reliever Randy Myers, a Vancouver, Wash., native who has said he would be interested in playing for the Mariners.

The untouchables?

Mariners expected to be protected for today's expansion draft:

Pitchers: (8) Randy Johnson, Jeff Fassero, Jamie Moyer, Ken Cloude, Paul Spoljaric, Heathcliff Slocumb, Mike Timlin, Bobby Ayala.

Catcher: (1) Dan Wilson.

Infielders: (3) Alex Rodriguez, Russ Davis, Edgar Martinez.

Outfielders: (3) Ken Griffey Jr., Jay Buhner, Rich Amaral.

Draft rules

The expansion draft will last three rounds.

Each of the 28 existing teams initially protect 15 players, plus three more after the first and second rounds.

The Arizona Diamondbacks and Tampa Bay Devil Rays each will select 35 players from major- and minor-league rosters of the existing teams. All of the existing teams will lose two players while seven American and National League teams will lose three players apiece.

All players with at least 10 years of major-league service and the past five with the same club must be protected (no Mariners involved). All players with no-trade clauses (Jay Buhner), unless those players have waived the no-trade, must be protected.

SPORTS NOTEBOOK - The Boston Globe (Boston, MA)

Andover rower aids US championship

Victoria Brophey of Pepperell was a member of the US JuniorWomen's National Development Team that won a gold medal in the recentUS Rowing National Championships in Indianapolis. Brophey, who entersher junior year at Phillips Academy in Andover next month, rowed onthe Girls' Junior B (16 and under) eights. At Andover, Brophey, 16,rowed on the varsity eight, which won the Lowell Invitational meet onthe Merrimack. Andover finished the season at 22-2 and won a silvermedal at the New England Interscholastic Racing Association Regattaon Lake Quinsigamond in Worcester. Following the season, Brophey wasone of 21 rowers nation wide invited to the four-week US Rowingtraining program at the US Coast Guard Academy in New London, Conn.That program culminated in the US National Championships.

Devils open season Oct. 7 vs. Albany

The Lowell Devils open their 2006-07 season Oct. 7 against theAlbany River Rats at Tsongas Arena. The Devils, formerly the LockMonsters, are the American Hockey League affiliate of the NHL NewJersey Devils. The schedule features 80 games, 40 of which will beplayed at Tsongas. Thirty-one of the 40 home games will be played ona Friday, Saturday, or Sunday. The bulk of the games, 58 in all, areagainst teams in the Atlantic Division, and the remaining 22 areagainst East Division clubs. Manchester, Providence, and Worcestervisit Tsongas five times each. Following the opener Oct. 7, theDevils are off a week before hosting a weekend set against HartfordOct. 14 and Worcester Oct. 15. Before the AHL opener, the Devils willhost the NHL Boston Bruins in a pre season game Sept. 17.

7 from area feature in NU's grid plans

Here's a sure sign that summer is dwindling down: The NortheasternUniversity football media guide arrived in the mailbag last week.Seven NorthWest area athletes are on the roster. They include 6-foot-7, 345-pound senior offensive tackle Tim Avery of Westford, seniordefensive end Paul Preston (6-3, 265) of Arlington, juniorlinebacker John Swenson (6-1, 210) of Chelmsford, junior safetyBarry Jeanson (5-10, 200) of Acton, sophomore defensive end Wil Colon (6-2, 275) of Lowell, sophomore offensive lineman Josh Belko (6-2, 290) of North Andover, and redshirt freshman defensive endChris Byrne (6-2, 255) of Tewksbury. Avery is the Huskies' biggestplayer and hopes to rebound after a foot injury and subsequentsurgery that limited his action to four games last season. Jeansonwas moved from running back to safety last season and did a crediblejob with 27 tackles, 22 of them unassisted, one forced fumble, andone interception.

Northeastern has one of the toughest schedules in the Atlantic-10. It opens its season Sept. 2 at Virginia Tech and then plays atHoly Cross, at North Dakota State, at James Madison, and at Richmond,before making its home debut Oct. 7 against Delaware.

Here and there

NorthWest area junior golfers were head and shoulders above thecompetition in recent New England PGA tournaments. On the Junior Tourstop at Andover Country Club, Garnett Arnold of Concord fired a 2-over-par 74 to win by two strokes over Peter Hemme of North Reading,Michael Kasper of North Andover, and Wyatt Sparks of Rhode Island.On the NEPGA Titleist Tour at Billerica CC, area juniors swept everydivision. Winners in the 9-hole competition included Rick Giovino ofMedford (1-over par 35) in the boys 16-17; Steven McLean (36) ofBurlington in the boys 14-15; Dan Murphy (36) of Dracut in the boys12-13; Jeffrey Lang (34) of Lexington in the boys 11 and under;Kelly Sullivan (41) of Bedford in the girls 14-17; and MarissaTansino (52) of Billerica in the girls 13. . . .

Central Catholic has lost its top boys basketball assistant coach.Leaving after four years is Roberto German , who has accepted aposition as director of multicultural affairs and community outreachat St. John's Prep. German had been a top candidate to replaceretired coach Dick Licare , but the position went to Rick Nault . . .. The Bay State Brats went 9-3 to finish fifth in the recent NationalSoftball Association World Series in Columbus, Ohio. Among members ofthe team were pitchers Hannah Everson of Methuen and Chelsea Dursoof Salem, N.H., and fielders Casey Stoodley and Brenna Morrissey .Morrissey was the Brats top batter, with 15 hits in 33 at bats. . . .

The eighth annual David L. DeBenedetto Memorial SoftballTournament in Lawrence is Aug. 26-27. Deadline for entering thedouble-elimination tournament is Aug. 21. Call Bob DeBenedetto at 978-975-3494 for more details. . . . Steve Plouffe of Methuen was thewinner of the Yankee Homecoming 5K in Newburyport. Plouffe, whoenters his senior year at the University of Massachusetts at Lowellnext month, was clocked in 16 minutes, 12 seconds. . . . NewHampshire beat Vermont, 24-7, in the 53d annual Shrine Maple SugarBowl played in Plymouth, N.H. Salem's Pat Halligan rushed for 58yards on eight carries. Pinkerton Academy's John Sughrue , who rushedfor 1,458 his senior season and is headed to Curry College, wasutilized as a blocking back on offense and as a linebacker ondefense. He was credited with four tackles and with opening up somehuge holes for Souhegan running back Sean Jellison , who rushed for agame-high 128 yards. The win gave New Hampshire a 38-13-2 edge in theseries. . . .

The fifth annual Winchester Recreation and Community EducationGolf Tournament will be staged Sept. 25 at Hillview CC in NorthReading. It's a scramble format, and proceeds benefit the Recreationand Community Education program, which annually awards more than$5,000 in scholarships. Call 781-721-7125 for more information.

TUFTS ENJOYS GOOD SPORTS - The Boston Globe (Boston, MA)

MEDFORD - For the past three months, the Tufts Universitycampus has been a magnet for athletic success.

- The women's swimming team compiled a record of 10-0 and wonthe New England Division 3 title. It was paced by sophomore MaureenMonahan of Belmont, who owns seven school records.

- The baseball team (20-11) displayed excellent power andpitching as it won the ECAC Division 3 title at Amherst. The Jumbosbeat Wesleyan (10-0), Salem State (6-3) and Plymouth State (9-4)behind the pitching of Kerry Callahan, Chris Juhring and ChrisLamothe, who combined to surrender only three earned runs.

- The defending champion softball team (10-10) reached thefinal of the Northeast Intercollegiate Athletic Conferencetournament before bowing to Trinity, 8-5. Freshman pitcher TracyCleverdon of New Fairfield, Conn., won seven games. Sophomore Katevan Keuren pitched two no-hitters.

- The women's lacrosse team posted a 13-0 record and extendedits winning streak to 30, an NCAA Division 3 record. The team wonthe ECAC Division 3 title for the fifth straight time, beatingColby (16-7) and Williams (13-5). For the season, All-Americagoalie Sheryl Bergstein recorded 146 saves and had a goals-againstaverage of 4.46, second best in school history.

- The men's tennis team won seven of its last eight matches,then captured the New England Small College Athletic Conferencechampionship. No. 1 singles player David Ober was the club'sanchor, freshman Brian Nurenberg of Greenwich, Conn., had an 11-0record, and junior Mark Nevils of Lynnfield posted a 10-2 mark.

- The sailing team will be well represented in the nationals.The women's A team will consist of skipper Jane Kirk of Portsmouth,R.I., and crew Jane Bash of Sunderland, R.I. The B team will beskippered by Julie Easom, and her crew will be April Richards.

- The men's sailing team will compete for the national dinghytitle. Representing Tufts in the A division will be skipper SteveKirkpatrick and crew Kim Ockene from the town of Harvard. The Bteam will consist of skipper Rich Harris of Hingham and crew TaraNelson of Medford.

When the women's swimming team won the New England title, itscored 1,188 points. Monahan accounted for 114.

Monahan, who earned All-America honors in the 200 freestyle,holds school records in the 100 freestyle (53.58), 200 freestyle(1:54.47), 500 freestyle (5:01.70), 1,000 freestyle (10:42.73),1,650 freestyle (17:46.59), 100 butterfly (1:00.00) and 200butterfly (2:09.67)

Honorable mention All-America honors went to the relay team ofJill Desautelle, Monahan, April Levine and Kelly Brown.

In baseball, Tom Walsh of Walpole etched his name into theTufts record book, setting season marks for hits (56), at-bats(126) and runs (38). He batted .444, had 12 doubles and won theGreater Boston batting title with a .548 league average.

Dan O'Neill ended his career with a school-record .410lifetime average. The regional academic All-American also holds therecords for career hits (157) and RBIs (103).

The softball team set school marks for homers (8), shutouts(3) and strikeouts (38). Catcher Kirstin Losert of Shrewsbury wasnamed to the GTE Academic All-America District 1 team. Losert had a.298 average, scored 14 runs, drove in 10 and stole 3 bases.

Six Tufts players were selected to the All-New Englandlacrosse team. First-team selections were Becca Knapp, StephanieBower, Bergstein and Melissa Lowe. Honorable mention went to JeanLee and Catherine Beldotti. Knapp, from Greenfield, was a stalwarton defense, and Lowe, from Greenwich, Conn., set a season scoringrecord with 57 goals and 22 assists. Bower, from Newtonville, had36 goals and 10 assists.

NBA SONICS ROOKIE MASON WINS HONOR.(Sports) - Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Sonics rookie Desmond Mason was selected as the top player in the Shaw's Pro Summer League yesterday.

Mason, a 6-foot-5, 215-pound guard-forward selected 17th in last month's NBA draft, averaged 18.2 points in the weeklong tournament at UMass-Boston to lead the Sonics to a 4-1 record.

``After watching Desmond Mason in the Shaw's Pro Summer League, it's obvious that he has a bright future,'' Boston Celtics general manager Chris Wallace said. ``Desmond is a tremendous athlete who comes to play every day. That's an explosive combination.''

Mason, a first-team Big 12 selection and an honorable mention All-American at Oklahoma State last season, is fourth on the Cowboys' all-time scoring list, fourth in rebounding and steals, and second in games played.

Joining Mason on the all-tournament team were his Seattle teammate Shammond Williams (with a league-high 20.5 points average); Milwaukee's Michael Redd; Indiana's Jeff Foster; and Philadelphia's Jumaine Jones.

Free agent forward Tim Thomas is expected to agree to a long, lucrative contract with the Chicago Bulls, according to a published report. The Chicago Sun-Times, quoting a reliable NBA source who was not identified, reported the Bulls have offered the 6-foot-10 Thomas a six-year deal for the $67.5 million maximum, which is more than any other club is offering. No free agent can sign with a team until Aug. 1.

SOCCER

U.S. falls on disputed penalty

The United States had yet another tough time in Costa Rica, losing a World Cup qualifier 2-1 at San Jose on a disputed penalty kick in the 89th minute.

The decisive play came when Gregg Berhalter was called for using his hands inside the penalty box, a ruling contested by the Americans.

Hernan Medford beat goalkeeper Kasey Keller with the penalty kick and the game ended shortly after that with the U.S. players shouting at the referee.

The United States has not won in six attempts in Costa Rica, which handed the Americans their only two losses during qualifying for the 1998 World Cup.

Two games into the semifinal round of qualifying for the 2002 World Cup, the United States is last in its four-team group. It tied Guatemala 1-1 a week ago.

Playing in a difficult venue in which fans are yards from the field, the United States fell behind in the ninth minute on a goal by Rolando Fonseca. The score came after Medford intercepted a U.S. corner kick and passed to Fonseca.

The United States came back in the second half, with Earnie Stewart scoring in the 65th minute on a pass from Ante Razov.

The win gave Costa Rica a much-needed three points. Costa Rica qualified for the 1990 World Cup but has not returned since.

Guatemala leads the regional group, with Costa Rica and Barbados sharing second and the United States fourth. Each team plays each other home and away. A team must finish first or second to advance to the final qualifying round.

After two games in Central America, the U.S. will play Barbados on Aug. 16 in Foxboro, Mass.

HORSE RACING

Captain Steve tops Swaps

Trainer Bob Baffert was facing a bad ending to a trying week until Captain Steve salvaged things with a 2 1/2-length victory over Tiznow in the $500,000 Swaps Stakes.

Baffert's week hadn't exactly gone well before he saddled Captain Steve at Hollywood Park. First, he was hit with a lawsuit for allegedly over-racing 1998 Kentucky Derby winner Real Quiet, then one of his horses tested positive for morphine.

Yesterday got off to a disappointing start when his horses running in Delaware and Texas both lost, including Silverbulletday in the Delaware Handicap. Captain Steve improved Baffert's outlook with a strong kick in the stretch to take the lead.

``Thank God he's back,'' Baffert said. ``I needed this race really, really bad.''

Baffert faces a hearing with stewards at Del Mar later this week over Nautical Look's positive test. The lawsuit, filed by Highland Stud of Paris, Ky., over the handling of Real Quiet, also accuses Baffert of defrauding the farm out of $250,000.

``That other stuff, we don't worry about that. We just worry about the horses,'' he said of his troubles. ``That guy is trying to fight Mike (Pegram) in the papers.''

Ginger Welch, one of the leading jockeys at Les Bois Park in Boise, Idaho, died after she was thrown in a race by her horse, which then fell on her. She was 37. Shortly after the start of a quarterhorse race Saturday night, Welch's 4-year-old gelding, Porthos, either took a bad step or clipped heels with another horse and fell.

WNBA

Liberty knocks off Houston

Crystal Robinson made two free throws with 7.7 seconds left, sealing a 69-64 victory for the New York Liberty over the three-time defending champion Houston Comets.

The Liberty (14-10) outscored the Comets 12-6 in the final four minutes, with Tari Phillips scoring five of her 17 points in that span. Phillips finished with 11 rebounds, three blocks and two steals for her ninth double-double of the season.

Sheryl Swoopes, who led Houston (21-4) with 18 points, made a finger-roll layup with 9.3 seconds to bring the Comets within 67-64. Robinson then sank her two free throws.

At Inglewood, Calif., Lisa Leslie scored 20 points as Los Angeles (21-3) defeated Sacramento and moved into first place in the Western Conference. Los Angeles won for the 17th time in 18 games and jumped a half-game ahead of the Houston Comets.

At Minneapolis, Betty Lennox scored 26 points as the Minnesota Lynx snapped a franchise-long eight-game losing streak with an 80-63 victory over the Portland Fire. Marla Brumfield scored a career-high 14 points for the Lynx (11-13), who hadn't lost more than four straight before this season. Minnesota's last victory was July 2, when the Lynx beat Portland 81-75. Stacey Thomas had a career-high 14 points and seven rebounds for Portland (7-16), which has lost three in a row. Sophia Witherspoon added 12 points.

SPORTS LOG - The Boston Globe (Boston, MA)

Basketball

Nuggets' Martin out for the season

Denver Nuggets forward Kenyon Martin will miss the rest of theseason after right knee surgery. Arthroscopic surgery yesterday'revealed more significant damage' than the team originally thought.Martin, who played two games this season, was limited to a career-low 56 games last season after surgery on his left knee. He wassuspended in the playoffs for a tirade at the coaching staff afterhis playing time was limited against the Los Angeles Clippers. He andcoach George Karl patched up their relationship, and after trainingcamp Martin declared himself healthy for the first time sinceundergoing microfracture surgery 18 months ago ... The NBA will takethe lead in the Sacramento Kings' long-running effort to get a newarena, the league announced. Kings owners Joe and Gavin Maloof metwith commissioner David Stern to discuss the change in tactics aftera ballot proposal for a sales-tax increase to help fund an arena wasdefeated by Sacramento County voters last week ... Former NBA starMichael Jordan could become an investor in a slot-machine parlor inPhiladelphia, state gambling regulators were told ... The SacramentoMonarchs hired former Seattle assistant Jenny Boucek as their headcoach. Boucek, a former WNBA player who left the Storm's coachingstaff before last season, will replace John Whisenant, who resignedlast month to focus on his job as the Monarchs' general manager.

Hockey

NHL gets edge in battle with Russia

Evgeni Malkin was cleared to stay with the Pittsburgh Penguinsafter a federal judge in New York denied a demand by his formerRussian club that he be yanked from the NHL. Metallurg Magnitogorsk,a Russian Super League team, claims Malkin is under contract in hisnative country. The club sought a preliminary injunction that wouldhave banned the forward from playing for the Penguins. But the rulingby US District Judge Loretta A. Preska clears the way for Malkin, astar rookie with Penguins, and minor leaguers Andrei Taratukhin ofthe Calgary Flames and Alexei Mikhnov of the Edmonton Oilers to stickwith their franchises ... The Devils released former Northeastern andCatholic Memorial star Jim Fahey.

Soccer

Acosta quits as Chile's head coach

Nelson Acosta said in Santiago, Chile, he will resign as Chile'scoach, making the announcement two hours before his team's friendlyagainst Paraguay. The Uruguay native decided the match was his last,saying he wanted to give the newly elected Chilean soccer federationpresident Harold Mayne-Nicholls the freedom to pick a new manager ...The US soccer team will play Denmark in an exhibition Jan. 20 at theHome Depot Center in Carson, Calif., the first game for the Americanssince they were eliminated in the first round of the World Cup. Thegame figures to be the debut of the successor to Bruce Arena asnational team coach. Former Germany coach Juergen Klinsmann isconsidered the favorite to succeed Arena, who held the job from late1998 until July.

Colleges

Coach's son gets payoff to leave FSU

Florida State offensive coordinator Jeff Bowden received a$537,500 payoff from the school's boosters to resign followingseveral seasons of declining production. The settlement was revealedwhen the school released a copy of the agreement Bowden's attorneysreached with the university and its boosters. The resignation takeseffect Nov. 26, a day after the season finale against Florida. Bowden- youngest son of head coach Bobby Bowden - retains his present$141,000 salary until his contract expires next August. He then willreceive annual payments of $107,500 until August 2012 ... Don Strockhas resigned as coach at Florida International, one of only twowinless Division 1 programs this season and a program still dealingwith effects of a sideline-clearing brawl against Miami last month.

Broomfield awarded Gold Helmet

Northeastern sophomore tailback Alex Broomfield was the Division 1-AA recipient of the Boston Globe Gold Helmet award. Broomfield ledthe Huskies to a 34-24 victory over Hofstra with a 154 yards rushingon 20 carries. He also scored two touchdowns and caught two passesfor 43 yards ... Boston College senior defender Laura Georges is oneof 15 female semifinalists and junior forward Charlie Davies is oneof 15 male semifinalists for the Missouri Athletic club's HermannTrophy, awarded annually to the top college soccer players in thenation ... USC received a letter of intent from O.J. Mayo, one of themost-coveted high school basketball players in the nation. Mayo goesto Huntington High in West Virginia ... Medford High's Arantxa King,the national long jump and triple jump champion, is signing a letterof intent with Stanford.

Miscellany

Blake makes semifinals at Masters Cup

Sports Briefs - Telegraph - Herald (Dubuque)

Kelly finally breaks through for first win

HONOLULU - Given a fourth chance to win on the PGA Tour, JerryKelly wasn't about to give the Sony Open away to anyone Sunday -least of all John Cook.

Tentative throughout the final round, Kelly, from Madison, Wis.,produced two flawless swings to set up a two-putt birdie on the finalhole for a one-stroke victory over Cook, giving him his first PGATour victory in his 200th career start.

'I'm not going to sleep for a week,' said Kelly, who closed withan even-par 70 on a balmy day at Waialae Country Club when no onemade much of a move.

It was the fourth time Kelly had the lead going into the finalround. One of those chances came last year at the Reno-Tahoe Open,when he made triple bogey on the 16th hole of the final round,allowing Cook to win by a stroke.

There were no such mistakes Sunday.

Cook got within one stroke with a birdie on the 12th and stayed onKelly's heels until a cell phone rang when he was at the top of hisback swing on the par-3 17th.

'No! No cell phones,' Cook screamed as the ball sailed right intoa deep bunker. He blasted out to 6 feet, but the par putt burned theright edge of the cup for his only bogey on the back nine.

Woods finishes sixth

PARAPARAUMU BEACH, New Zealand - Craig Parry won the New ZealandOpen, while Tiger Woods finished sixth.

Playing on his 36th birthday, Parry went to the 18th hole onSunday one shot behind Michael Campbell. When he walked off the finalgreen, Parry had a two-shot lead after his own birdie and Campbell'sdouble-bogey at 17.

Woods was thwarted by greens that wouldn't give him a break -including a four-putt second hole for double-bogey.

Predators recall Mowers

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Nashville Predators recalled forward MarkMowers from the Milwaukee Admirals of the AHL on Saturday.

The 27-year-old Mowers has a goal and an assist in six games withthe Predators this season. He had 14 points in 14 games with theAdmirals. He played for the Dubuque Fighting Saints in 1993-94.

Magic owner looks to sell

ORLANDO, Fla. - Magic owner Rich DeVos plans to sell the team andwon't require the new owners to keep it in Orlando.

DeVos told the Orlando Sentinel he has not had any discussionswith potential buyers but would not place any relocation restrictionsin the deal.

'I can't ask him to do anything,' DeVos told the Sentinel in aSaturday interview.

He thinks the team will stay, however.

Bellisari leaves jail

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Former Ohio State quarterback Steve Bellisarileft jail Sunday after serving three days for drunken driving.

He was stopped by university police Nov. 16, and charged withdrunken driving. His blood-alcohol limit was more than twice thelegal state limit. He pleaded no contest Nov. 28 and was sentenced tothree days in jail and three days in an alcohol diversion program.His driver's license was suspended for six months.

Ward wins sixth PBA title

MEDFORD, Ore. - Ricky Ward beat Ryan Shafer 215-214 to win the PBAMedford Open on Sunday for his sixth career title.

In the semifinals, Shafer defeated Rob Rice 204-169, while Wardbeat Parker Bohn III 203-190. Bohn and Rice tied for third.

Red Sox decline offer

BOSTON - The owners of the Boston Red Sox declined Sunday topursue a late $700 million offer to buy the team and they reconfirmedtheir Dec. 20 decision to accept a $660 million bid from a group ledby Florida financier John Henry.

Blazer's daughter ailing

PORTLAND, Ore. - The 2-year-old daughter of Portland Trail Blazerscenter Dale Davis was released from the hospital Sunday after havingopen-heart surgery.

'Everything is fine. Everything went well,' Davis said beforeSunday night's game against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Caida Davis was born with a hole in her heart, and a surgeonrepaired it Thursday in Atlanta, Davis said. Caida lives in the citywith her mother.

Davis said his daughter already was feeling better Friday.

'She was up and playing, and it looked like things were back tonormal,' he said.

Sports Notebook Tennis rankings list area's young players - The Boston Globe (Boston, MA)

More than two dozen NorthWest-area junior tennis players haveachieved New England championship rankings, according to the UnitedStates Tennis Association.

Ranked in the boys' 18 singles were: Matthew Fuller (3),Winchester; Mark Erelli (5), Reading; Jonathan Beardsley (7),Arlington; Eric Kaplan (11), Chelmsford; Richard Saxe (20),Burlington; Eric Block (30) and Anthony Russo (35), Andover, andStephen Lucero (39), Winchester.

Girls' 18 singles: Wendy Crabtree (3) and Kara Swanson (6),Concord; Holly Rivers (11), Acton, and Kara Clarke (29), Carlisle.

Boys' 16 singles: Paul Wulfsberg (15) and Frederik Lidskog(17), Concord; Trevor Spracklin (26), North Andover, and MichaelStein (35), Andover.

Girls' 16 singles: Christine Cerretani (1), Reading; Sharyn Lie(18), Methuen, and Neeley Steinberg (honorable mention), Concord.

Boys' 14 singles: Dennis Baden (2), Burlington, and DeanChiungos (7), Andover.

Girls' 14 singles: Elisa Banner (1), Bedford, and Heather Young(21), Andover.

Ranked alphabetically, rather than numerically under USTApolicy, in the boys' and girls' 12 singles were: Jamie Cerretani,Reading; Elizabeth and Cathy Herbert, Acton; David Nelson, NorthAndover; Matthew Rose, Andover, and Olivia Wong, Belmont.2 get hockey letters from Northeastern

Medford's Rayanne Conway and Andover's Michelle DiStefano recentlyreceived their third varsity letters as members of the Northeasternwomen's ice hockey team.

Conway, a junior forward, had personal highs of 19 goals and 21assists for 40 points, raising her career totals to 39-44-83. Shehad goals in NU's first seven games, including a four-goal,two-assist explosion in a 6-5 win against St. Lawrence.

DiStefano shared the goaltending duties with Kim Flatt andstopped 230 of 259 shots for an .888 save percentage and allowedthree goals per game. Her biggest efforts were in the Granite StateTournament, where she stopped 36 shots in a 5-2 win and with 37 savesin a 6-6 tie against eventual national champion Providence.Bentley's Yetten feted at BU banquet

Bentley College football coach Peter Yetten of Westford waspresented the William French Award at Boston University's Hall ofFame banquet last weekend. The award is presented to a 'current orformer Boston University athlete or coach or to an alumnus/alumna inthe coaching profession who has distinguished himself/herself in thepast year.'

Yetten, who played football, hockey and baseball at BU, has beenBentley's head coach since 1979 and has amassed an impressive102-34-2 record. Last fall, Bentley was 9-1 and won its secondEastern Collegiate Football Conference title in three years andearned a berth in the ECAC Division 3 championships. In 1982 and1983, Yetten led Bentley to national club football championships.

A native of Waltham, he earned six varsity letters at BU. In1968, he quarterbacked the football team to the Pasadena Bowl and in1971 played defense for the national championship hockey team. Hewas captain of the baseball team in 1971, hitting .323 and beingnamed to the Greater Boston Conference all-star team.Here and there . . .

KEEPING SCORE AROUND NEW ENGLAND - The Boston Globe (Boston, MA)

Alone at the top

- Paul Parajeckas is a runaway leader in New England PGA Player ofthe Year standings. The veteran Woburn CC professional has 51.5points at the midway mark of the season. His nearest competitors areSalem CC director of golf Kirk Hanefeld, with 20, and Mike Baker ofBangor (Maine) Municipal, with 18.5.

ALGONQUIN HIGH TO HONOR FIRST HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES - The Boston Globe (Boston, MA)

Next Saturday will be a special one for students, faculty andalumni of the Algonquin Regional High School in Northborough, whichwill hold its first annual Athletic Hall of Fame induction luncheonat 2 p.m. in the school cafeteria. The event was planned by theschool's Athletic Council and Booster Club.

The inductees were selected from more than 100 nominations ofathletes, coaches and significant contributors to Algonquin'sathletic program, which was started in 1959. Algonquin is the highschool for the towns of Northborough and Southborough.

The inductees are Paul Audet (Class of 1988), Nancy Boutilier(1979), former athletic director and varsity basketball coach JohnClark (1959-1967), teacher-coach Paul Cronin (1967-1997), William(Bill) Davis III ('62), Lee Heffernan (1974), assistant principal-coach Frank Kronoff (1969-1994), teacher-coach Annabelle MacLeod(1959-1972), Rebecca Hutchins Orton (1992), Tamara Owen (1980),Stephanie Slack (1962) and teacher-coach John Wallace.

Audet was a soccer, basketball and tennis captain who received atennis scholarship from the University of Massachusetts. Boutilierwas a Midland League all-star in basketball and softball, and captainof volleyball and basketball (she averaged 17.3 points per game inbasketball). Clark was the school's first athletic director andchairman of the physical education department and varsity basketballcoach for eight seasons. Cronin was a physical education teacher,athletic director and faculty manager and three-sport coach. Daviswas captain of football, basketball and track. And Heffernan wascaptain of baseball and football, and a member of Algonquin'sundefeated Super Bowl team that defeated East Longmeadow on thegridiron.

Kronoff, who was head football coach from 1983 to 1987 and 1993 to1994 as well as outdoor track coach for two seasons and assistantprincipal for 15 years, said: 'As with all coaches, to hear about[former players'] lives from time to time as they made their waythrough the years has always been the only reward necessary for me ina very enjoyable profession.' Although retired, he still goes toAlgonquin as a substitute teacher on occasion.

MacLeod, who will be inducted posthumously, coached three girlssports and taught physical education. Orton was captain of basketballand soccer and also participated in track and softball, and wasAlgonquin's first 1,000-point scorer in girls basketball; and she hasreturned to her alma mater as freshman girls basketball coach. Owenplayed softball, basketball and volleyball and was honored as aBoston Globe Scholar-Athlete in volleyball her senior year. Slack,who entered into a career as a physical education teacher and coach,was a three-year varsity member of field hockey, basketball andsoftball. And Wallace, currently a science teacher and formerly anassistant football coach, also was varsity baseball coach from 1970to 1984, and won more than 100 games and several league titles on thediamond.

Owen, now a hospital administrator in Buffalo, N.Y., said:'Athletics is a microcosm of the business world. There is almost nodifference in the key skills. How you handle yourself as aprofessional, how you focus on your responsibilities, how you performunder pressure, how you handle criticism, how you work as a team.'

Tickets for the luncheon may be purchased in advance for $15through the Athletic Department. For information on tickets,contributions to the Hall of Fame or sponsorship and programopportunities, call athletic director Fran Whitten at 508-351-7010,ext. 114.

CASEY AMONG PARK LEAGUE'S ELITE John Casey, a Milford residentand the head baseball coach at Tufts University in Medford since1984, has been inducted into the Boston Park League Hall of Fame.

The Boston Park League is the oldest amatuer baseball league inthe country. Casey was considered one of its top players in the 1980sand one of its best umpires in the 1990s. He has continued hissupport of the league since retiring from the diamond. Born andraised in Jamaica Plain, Casey is a 1976 graduate of the Boston LatinSchool and a 1980 graduate of Tufts University.

Casey helped found the Triple D's team, which joined the ParkLeague in 1980. In its inaugural season, the team advanced to theleague finals, losing the series in the seventh game. The team wonthe league championship the following season, and pitcher-outfielderCasey was the most valuable player.

During a nine-year run with Triple D's, J.P. Cubans and theDiSangio Dodgers, Casey was a Park League All-Star numerous times andwas a regular in the playoffs. A member of the All-Star team thatplayed the US Olympic Team in Fenway Park in 1984, Casey was the onlypitcher to throw a scoreless inning for the Park League. One of theouts he recorded was against Will Clark, who was to become a star inthe major leagues.

Casey also earned accolades for his work as an umpire in theleague and was the recipient of the Dan Roberts Award for umpiring,which he did for eight seasons. As the head coach of baseball atTufts, he's maintained his association with the league by sendingmore than 40 of his college players to the Boston Park League duringhis 16-year tenure.

'I started a team with three friends just because we wanted tokeep playing,' Casey said. 'We didn't expect to win. By the time Istopped playing, I had a lot of new friends.

'It's good baseball. It's a competitive league, and that's whywe've sent so many kids there during my time at Tufts. I'm reallyproud of this honor.'

The Tufts program's all-time leader in coaching victories, Caseyand his staff's teams have compiled a 246-187-1 record and ninepostseason berths. Forty team and individual records have been brokenduring his tenure. The team's record in the last six seasons is 133-82-1 against a schedule that includes Division I opponents such asBoston College and Dartmouth.

After a year of coaching at New Hampton Prep, he returned to Tuftsas a baseball and football assistant. He replaced Lee Sargent as headbaseball coach in 1984, and is currently an assistant to headfootball coach Bill Samko. Casey is a member of New England'sDivision III Selection and All-Star committees, and is secretary-treasurer of the New England Intercollegiate Baseball Association. Heworks various baseball camps and is the hitting coordinator at theMike Andrews Camp.

LESTER SAILS IN NATIONAL REGATTA Sam Lester of Wellesley, asophomore at Connecticut College, finished 11th among 16 sailors atthis month's Intercollegiate Yacht Racing Association SinglehandedNational Championship in Newport, R.I.

In a regatta that featured 16 races over three days, Lester beganthe event with a seventh-place finish and stood in ninth placeoverall after the completion of three races. Lester's best finishes -in fifth place - occurred in the eighth and 16th races. He had earneda spot in the ICYRA Singlehanded National Championship with a fourth-lace finish at the New England Intercollegiate Sailing AssociationChampionship on Oct. 10. A finish among the top four was required toadvance to the national championship. Lester was just the secondConnecticut College sailor in the history of the program to qualifyfor the Singlehanded National Championship.