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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (April 16, 1997)
ON THE TUBE National Basketball Association Chicago (69-11) vs. Miami (59-20), TBS (3), 5p.m. ill Baseball honors Robinson 50 years after breakthrough ■ ANNIVERSARY: Jackie Robinson’s grandson throws out the first pitch in New York The Associated Press NEW YORK — In the years when Jesse Simms was growing up, he would hear the stories about his grandfather, about how Jackie Robinson changed his sport and his country. Simms threw out the first ball Tuesday night at Shea Stadium as baseball honored his grandfather with tributes far more lavish than those that noted his landmark breakthrough as the major leagues’ first black player 50 years ago. Even on this cool April night, there was a post season mood about the game, with both the New York Mets and the Los Angeles Dodgers teams in troduced and lining up at the foul lines. Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax was among the half-dozen old Brooklyn Dodgers players who were introduced. On the main scoreboard was a photograph of Robinson in his classic white Brooklyn uniform coming down the third base line, daring a pitcher to do something about it. Next to that was a mes sage: “He was the handsome, heroic giant of our youth who taught us determination, taught us per severance and finally, he taught us justice.” President Clinton, on hand to address the fans later in the game, said most Americans today can not imagine the importance of Robinson's achieve ment, coming years before many other parts of soci ety were integrated. “It was baseball. It was a statement about Ameri ca,” Clinton said in an interview on ESPN. “I hope that all Americans, as we start a new cen tury,... go back to the lessons of that Dodger team,” Clinton said. Rachel Robinson, Jackie’s widow, also was to speak during the game. Simms, wearing tan slacks and a black turtleneck and blazer, tossed the first pitch to Mets catcher Todd Hundley. He shook hands with home plate umpire Eric Gregg, a black, as he came on the field and again when he left. Robinson died in 1972, seven years before his only daughter, Sharon, gave birth to Simms. And as soon as her son was old enough to understand, Sharon Robinson explained who his grandfather was and what he had done. “I was in the fifth or sixth grade before I learned Turn to ANNIVERSARY, Page 12 n ,n * L 1 , | r ry -rT YESTERDAY'S RESULTS MLB American League Oakland.2 Boston.7 Seattle.8 Cleveland.4 Minnesota.1 Baltimore.3 Chicago Texas.. 2 5 Detroit.3 Milwaukee.1 Kansas City.7 Toronto.5 Anaheim.6 NY Yankees.5 National League ban Diego.z Pittsburgh.3 St. Louis.9 Florida.3 Cincinnati.0 Atlanta.3 Montreal.7 Houston.5 Colorado.10 Chicago.7 San Francisco_8 Philadelphia.4 Los Angeles.0 NY Mets.5 NBA Utah.127 Phoenix.122 Toronto.85 Milwaukee.92 New Jeresey.101 Atlanta.109 LA Clippers_119 Houston.123 San Antonio .... 88 Seattle.108 Williams leaves USC after two years as coach LOS ANGELES (AP) — Fred Williams is leaving Southern California after two years as head coach of the women’s basketball team, it was an nounced Tuesday. Williams, 40, had a 33-23 record in his two season as the Trojans’ coach. He was also the team’s associate coach for two years (1994-95) and assistant coach for eight seasons (1984-91). Griffey wears No. 42 to honor Jackie Robinson CLEVELAND (AP) — Ken Griffey, Jr. of the Seattle Mariners paid tribute to Jackie Robinson on Monday night by wearing the late Hall of Earner’s No. 42 instead of his usual No. 24 in a game against Cleveland. Griffey switched numbers for the 50th anniversary of Robinson’s major league debut. The Mariners center fielder also wore his black stockings almost knee-length in the manner that Robinson wore them for the Brooklyn Dodgers. Career advancement EMERALD Former Oregon quarterback Tony Graziani said he is now fully recovered from a serious knee injury he suffered in the second game of his senior season. After fully recovering from a knee injury, Tony Graziani hopes to have his name called during the NFL draft By Ryan Frank Sports Editor The last thing on former Oregon quarter back Tony Graziani’s mind seven months ago was the NFL draft. In just the second game of the 1996 sea son, Graziani went down with a serious knee injury that would sideline him for the next four games. That injury could have se verely hindered his prospects in the 1997 draft. But just three days be fore the Saturday’s 62nd NFL Draft, it appears teams have not been scared off by Graziani’s injury. The former Duck quarterback said he has talked to eight to 12 teams that have shown interest in him, and last week he flew out to Kansas City to see the Chiefs’ facilities and meet the team owners. While the Chiefs said they could make no guarantees to the former Duck, he has been told that he could be drafted as early as the late third ■ WHO: Tony Graziani, ; former UO quarterback ■ POSSIBLE SELECTION: As early as the late third round, or anywhere thereafter round. Former Oregon cornerback Kenny Wheaton, who left the Ducks after his ju nior season to enter the draft, has been the Turn to GRAZIANI, Page 12 Bulls look to back up record-breaking season ■ REPEAT: If Chicago wins, they can prove last year’s 70-game winning streak was not a fluke By Mike Nadel The Associated Press CHICAGO — A year to the day after achieving what had been considered un reachable — 70 wins in an 82-game NBA season — the Chicago Bulls can do it again. A victory Wednesday night at Miami would add yet another chapter to the history book the Bulls have been rewriting for two seasons. “To be winning 70 would surpass my ex pectations. Quite honestly, I thought we CHICAGO ^ULL^ would win b/, bo, Michael Jordan said. “Certainly, this team is embarking on some great ness, some big numbers up there for someone to shoot at in the future. “To be a part of that is a privilege.” If the Bulls beat the Heat, or if they win Saturday’s regular-season finale at home against New York, “we’ll back up a 72-win season with a possible 70, so the first year wasn’t a fluke,” Jordan said. On April 16,1996, the Bulls got the 70th victory of their 72-10 season. Since then, they have won their fourth NBA title in six years and have overcome suspensions to Dennis Rodman and injuries to Rodman, Luc Longley and Toni Kukoc to take a 69-11 record into Miami. "The numbers they’ve run up ... it’s re markable. Especially with the injuries,” coach Phil Jackson said. Even winning 69 is remarkable. The 1971 72 Los Angeles Lakers were the only team to get that many until the Bulls set a new stan dard last season.
