f
;v-
P agi A8
BRIEFS
R eport: R idd ick
B ow e w as “p ro b lem ”
re c ru it
Fonner heavyweight champion
Riddick Bowe reportedly was
"problem recruit" who was dis­
charged alter nine days in the
Marine Corps reserves not be­
cause he wanted out but because
he "refused to train." Major Rick
Long, a spokesman at the Marine
Corps' Parris Island boot camp,
told the W ash in g to n Post ir
Tuesday’s editions that the Ma­
rine Corps officials believe Bowe
deliberately behaved in a way that
left them little choice but to dis­
charge him
S te e le rs ’ Rod
W oodson has kn ee
surgery
V eteran c o rn e rb a c k Rod
Woodson of the Pittsburgh Steelers
reportedly had knee surgery some­
time in the past two weeks. The
Pittsburgh Post Gazette reported
Tuesday that W oodson, currently
an unrestricted free agent, under­
went the operation on his right
knee. The nature of the proce­
dure, perf ormed at Vail, Colorado
by Doctor Richard Steadman, is
unknown. Steelers spokesm an
Ron Miller said the team has not
talked to Woodson since the Pro
Bowl, but would not deny the re­
port.
Jets, LB P epper
Johnson ag re e to
te rm s
Bill Parcells has tapped an­
other former New York Giant to
help him rebuild the New York
Jets. The Jets Tuesday conf irmed
various reports that the team has
agreed to terms with linebacker
Pepper Johnson. Terms were not
disclosed, but ESPN is reporting
that Johnson will receive a one-
year contract. The 32-year-old
Johnson, who spent the 1996 sea­
son with the Detroit Lions, played
for Parcells with the Giants from
1986-90 and was part of two Su­
per Bowl championship teams.
A fter Parcells stepped dow n,
Johnson remained with the Gi­
ants through the 1992 season.
Johnson is expected to serve as a
backup to the injury-plagued
Marvin Jones
F ebruary 26, 1997
VIKINGS RELEASE WARREN MOON
The Minnesota Vikings released
eight-time Pro Bowl quarterback
Warren Moon on Friday, less than
four months after signing him to a
three-vear. $15 million contract ex­
tension
Moon’s days with the Vikings
have been numbered ever since De­
cember 20th, when the team signed
quarterback Brad Johnson to a four-
year, $15 million contract.
The 40-year-old Moon, acquired
three years ago in a trade with the
Houston Oilers, completed just over
54 percent o f his passes last season
for 1.610 yards with seven touch­
downs and nine interceptions. He
began the year as M innesota’s start­
ing signal-caller, but suffered a right
ankle injury in the first half o f the
season-opener against Detroit.
"Looking back, the trade for War­
ren was excellent for our team ,”
Vikings vice president Jeff Diamond
told the Minneapolis Star Tribune
in Sunday ’s editions. "G oing in we
expected we would have Warren for
two years It turned out to be three
years and he’d probably still be here
if he hadn’t gotten hurt.”
Moon returned for a 20-14 vic­
tory at Chicago in Week Three, but
Johnson won the job for good on
October 28th after coming o ff the
bench in a 15-13 loss to the Bears.
Moon is fourth on the National
Football League’s all-time list in
passing yards (43.569) and comple-
tio n s(3 .5 14). He spent the last three
years with Minnesota after 10 sea­
sons with the Oilers. The former
University o f Washington star be­
gan his pro career in the Canadian
Football League, playing six sea­
sons with the Edmonton Eskimos.
"W arren did some great things
for us. He helped us win a division
title in ’94, re-wrote our record book,
made the Pro Bowl twice and led two
o f the best offenses w e’ve had here."
Diamond added
In ¡995, Moon became the first
Baseball players warned
M ajor league b a se b a ll’s c h ie f
o f secu rity has bro u g h t his a n ­
nual w arning to p lay ers: w atch
out for scam s, g a m b le rs and
stalk ers.
"T h ese young men are really
focused on b aseb all, and I’m
th e ir in su ran ce m a n ," K evin
H allinan said M onday as he
m ade his p re se n ta tio n to the
M ilw a u k e e B re w e rs s p r in g
train in g cam p.
"W e w ant to lim it th e ir d is ­
tractio n s. A lot o f th ese guys
are going into c itie s for the
firs t tim e and are u n a w a re
ab o u t w hat the local c rim e p ic ­
ture may be.
"W e w ant them to be se n sitiv e
to c h a ra c te rs trying to get clo se
to them , even th e ir fa m ilie s."
H allinan w as hired I I y ears
by th e n - c o m m is s io n e r P e te r
U eberroth a fte r 25 y ears as a
N ew Y ork C ity police o ffic e r,
the last five w ith an a n ti- te r r o r ­
ist unit.
He said each m ajor league city
has a "re sid e n t a g e n t,” a m em ­
ber o f a local law en fo rc e m en t
a g en cy w ho keeps tabs on his
team and a ssista n ts in security
COGNAC HENNESSY BLACK SKIFEST ’97
Black SkiFest ’97 has been joined
for its second annual event by Cognac
hennessy as title sponsor. In announc­
ing their sponsorship for the second
year, Hennessy spokesman Ken Wyatt,
Senior Marketing Brand Manager
Says, "I am delighted for Cognac
hennessy to be a pail of such a positive
and unique event. The African Ameri­
can skier is an adventurous, fun lov­
ing type of person and we want to be
associated with this type of quality
event.” Last year, at Black SkiFest
96, over 5(X) African American ski­
ers were in Sun Valley.
African American SkiFest is in
Sun Valley, Idaho March 29 thru
April 5, 1997. The Sun Valley resort
was selected because of its reputa­
tion as the number one ski resort in
the United States for 1996 by readers
o f ’Ski Magazine."Cooperation from
the Sun Valley. Ketchum Chamber
of Commerce greatly enhanced the
experience.
Black SkiFest ’97 is a whirlwind
week of activities. Skiers will have
one of the premier mountains to ski
O ff the slope activities include snow­
mobiles, dog sled rides and a mid­
night horse drawn wagon dinner
sleighride in the crisp mountain air
make it a unique setting. The outdoor
heated pool party & wine sip. at the
famous Sun Valley Lodge, is a great
mixer. The entertainment for Black
SkiFest ’97 will be just as good.
For travel reservations call G.K
Travel Partners at 770-907-7862 or
8(X)-484-36.38 pin #0339.
Irw in leads S enior
S lam by six shots
Hale Irwin, who already has
won two tournaments this season,
took a six-stroke lead into the
final round of the $5<X),(XX) Se­
nior Slam a t the P a lm illa G o lf
Club in San Jose del Cabo, Mexico.
Irwin roared out of the gale Mon­
day with seven birdies in his first
13 holes en route to a 65. He
b ird ie d six o f the firs t I I holes
before finishing his attack with a
birdie on the I 3th hole.
And The Keys Are Yours
OAC
Divorce * 1st Time Buyer
Credit Problems
* Bankruptcy * Liens * Judgements
• 5-minute Approval
Ivanisevic reaches
second round a t
$ 8 1 4 ,2 5 0
Defending champion and top
seed Goran Ivanisevic of Croatia
struggled past Russian qualifier
Andrei Olhovskiy, 7-6 (7-2), 6-7
(7-9), 6-2 Tuesday in first-round
action at the $814,250 Italian In­
doors tennis tournament in Milan
Ivanisevic, ranked fifth in the
world, entered the tournament
with tendinitis in his left shoul­
der. After losing in the finals at
Dubai, Ivanisevic withdrew from
the European Championships in
Antwerp, Belgium
Vikings quarterback to start all 16
gam es since Tom m y K ram er in
1979. He led the NFL in comple­
tions with 377 and was second in
touchdown passes with 33 Both were
single-season team records, break­
ing his own mark o f 371 com ple­
tions and K ram er's standard o f 26
scoring passes in 1981
Moon was named to the Pro Bowl
eight straight seasons before 1996
In 1995. he posted his eighth 3.000-
yard passing season, tying him with
Joe Montana for third on the N FL's
all-time list, and his fourth 4,000-
yard passing season, second behind
Dan M arino’s six.
Moon does not plan to retire and
could draw strong interest from the
Seattle Seahawks, who are seeking a
veteran backup for starter John Fries/.
"W e’ll be in the process o f mak­
ing our first calls and trying to find
him a team in the next couple of
weeks," agent Leigh Steinberg told
the Slai lTibune.
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issu es. For the A rizo n a D ia ­
m ondbacks b e g in n in g next year,
that man w ill be C huck B lalock
a P hoenix po lice o ffic e r
F e rn a n d o V in a, a B re w e rs
second basem an w ho play ed c o l­
legiate ball at A rizo n a S tate,
said the p re se n ta tio n is a good
idea.
"T h ey told us to be c a re fu l,
w atch out, be sm a rte r than the
o th e r people and be ready for
them before th ey can even get
to y o u ,” V ina said. "T hey even
give us a n u m b er to call if we
th in k so m e th in g 's u p .”
P oru and O bsfrvi r
THOMAS SA YS NO
MONETARY JEALOUSY
His first day o f spring training,
Frank Thomas was polished and
smooth The ball jum ped as he
swung, the product o f a m onth­
long workout in his own private
batting cage at home
Thomas and the two other play­
ers who will give the Chicago White
Sox one o f the most imposing of­
fensive lineups in baseball — Albert
Belle and Robin Ventura
hit in
the same threesome on a gorgeous
sunny afternoon.
Balls went flying over the prac­
tice field fence from all directions.
Later, the trio later posed together
for a picture, adding veteran Harold
Baines to the mix.
"I look forward to a special sea­
son," Thomas said about an hour
after his workout was completed
Sunday. He reported three days
late after clearing up business in
Chicago.
Thomas touched on numerous
subjects in his talk with reporters.
He’s not jealous o f the money
Belle is making, which is about $4
million a year more than he’s mak­
ing. He said it would be impossible
for any team to pay two players $ 11
million each. Thomas said money
is not as important as it once was
and he would like to finish his
career in Chicago after his current
contract expires in 2000.
Belle gives the W hite Sox a
player who Thomas says can now
'outperform me.” He said there
will be friendly competition be­
tween the two stars.
He predicts the Sox will average
six runs a game. He said it could
take 100 wins to capture the AL
Central, and Chicago is capable of
doing that
"I'v e made a lot o f money and
I’m not worried what Albert is
making. He was a top-notch free
agent and deserved every penny.
I’m not going to tell you that Oh
well. I got to get close to that I’m
not worried about that.” said Tho­
mas, who encouraged Sox chair­
man Jerry Reinsdorf to go after
Belle
Belle signed a five-year, $55 mil­
lion contract last November and
was recognized as the gam e’s high­
est-paid player until Barry Bonds
agreed to a contract extension last
week, giving him an average salary
o f $1 I 45 million.
Thomas signed a contract that
beginning in 1995 guaranteed him
$29 million forfouryears. 1 lie club
has options o f $7.15 million in
1999 and $7.25 million in 2000.
Thomas predicted that Seattle’s
Ken Griffey Jr would be the "first
$12 million man.”
"I have no regrets at all. My
family is not missing a meal. Com­
ing out o f Columbus. Ga.. I never
thought I could make the money
I'm making," Thomas said.
"Honestly, the way salaries are
going now, how many players can
you have making $ I I million? In a
few years when I’m up again, it's
not going to take the w orliito keep
me in Chicago. I’m happy there."
Thomas, a two-time MVP, said
he and Belle will push one another.
"Sometimes you get a little pro­
fessional jealously going on among
teammates. That’s the way it is,"
he said.