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Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas
Sports
Tuesday, March 9, 1999
Winds, missing golfer hike Eagles' scores
PECOS, Mar. 9 -- Colder and windier conditions on Saturday
-- and one missing player -- raised the scores for both the
Pecos Eagle boys and girls golf teams during tournament play
in Andrews and Midland.
Pecos' boys saw their scored jump by 12 strokes on Saturday
at Andrews, as they shot a 350-362-712 to finish in 17th
place in the 23-team tournament.
The girls were in Division II of the Tall City Golf
Tournament in Midland, where after three straight fifth
place finishes in 36-hole tournaments the Eagles finished
fourth, even though their score jumped from a 373 to a 399
on Saturday.
The absence of No. 1 golfer Alva Alvarez was more of a
factor than the wind in Pecos' higher score. Alvarez had the
Eagles' low round on Friday, a 90, but was at an academic
event on Saturday. Sarah Armstrong shot a 90 on Saturday
after an opening round 91 for a 181 total, while Amanda
Stickels shot a 91-100-191, Candace Roach shot a 101-104-205
and Cassie Foster shot a 101-105-206.
Alvarez' absence helped both Monahans and Lamesa pass the
Eagles in the final standings. Pampa won Division II with a
356-382-738, followed by the Loboes (374-374-748), the
Golden Tornadoes (376-380-756) and the Eagles, who finished
at 772.
On the boys' side, John Granado had the best two-day score,
shooting matching 85s for a 170 total. Lee Lyles was next,
at 85-86-171, and was followed by Casey Love (84-89-173),
Dallas Jarrett (96-107-203) and Erik Machuca (102-102-204).
Andrews won the tournament with a 296-316-612 score, 15
strokes ahead of Odessa Permian. None of the Eagles' new
District 2-4A rivals were at either tournament, with the
only Class 4A El Paso school involved being El Paso Burges'
boys, who shot a 671 for 12th place in Andrews.
Tributes pour in after DiMaggio's death
By FRED GOODALL
AP Sports Writer
TAMPA, Fla., Mar. 9 -- Players and fans stood in silence,
staring at the videoboard in center field before bowing
their heads in tribute to Joe DiMaggio.
The game went on at Legends Field, but not before the New
York Yankees paused to remember the man many considered to
be the quintessential American hero.
DiMaggio, three times the American League's most valuable
player, died Monday at his South Florida home. In 13
seasons, he played for 10 pennant winners and nine World
Series champions with the Yankees.
``This son of Italian immigrants gave every American
something to believe in,'' President Clinton said.
``He became the very symbol of American grace, power and
skill. ... I have no doubt that when future generations look
back at the best of America in the 20th century, they will
think of the Yankee Clipper and all that he achieved.''
Fans stopped by Legends Field to pay their respects during
the day. Some left bouquets of flowers and then returned for
a spring training game against the Philadelphia Phillies.
Before the game, the Yankees played a 90-second highlight
film of DiMaggio and observed a moment of silence.
``Joe DiMaggio is baseball. He's a national hero,'' said
Sandra De Santis, a Highland Park, N.J., mother, whose
11-year-old son Gregory placed a bouquet is front of the
plaque that reads:
``From 1936-51, Joe led the Yankees through their most
dominating era. His excellence on the field propelled the
Bombers to 10 World Series and his graceful stroke was one
of baseball's greatest pleasures.''
Current team members remembered him as a legend held in such
high regard that few of them would approach him during his
occasional visits to Yankee Stadium.
No one wanted to infringe on his privacy. But some players,
like pitcher David Cone, had memorable encounters with him.
``I met him a few times,'' the right-hander said. ``He told
me that he'd seen me pitch and sometimes I looked unhittable
and sometimes I looked hittable. I didn't know how to take
that. But just the fact he knew who I was was enough for
me.''
Catcher Joe Girardi talked about what a thrill it was to
have his picture taken with DiMaggio when he threw out the
first pitch during a playoff game in 1996. Darryl Strawberry
predicted no one will ever hit safely in 56 straight game
again, while Derek Jeter described DiMaggio as ``everything
a ballplayer would want to be.''
To those who knew him and to those who only admired him from
afar, DiMaggio was an ideal role model.
``He really lived up to his billing,'' Cone said. ``He was
the greatest living player. He just had such a dignity and
an elegance about him that nobody can match in today's game.
Even the greatest players in today's game can't match that
elegance that he had. He's one of a kind. ... There was a
real royalty to him.''
Mark McGwire, himself a larger-than-life figure after
hitting 70 home runs last season, said he was saddened by
DiMaggio's death.
``He was one of the best in the game,'' said McGwire, who
never got a chance to meet DiMaggio. ``It's a big loss for
the game and for life in general.''
And Cal Ripken, who shattered the consecutive games streak
of Lou Gehrig, a former DiMaggio teammate, said:
``I feel fortunate and lucky that I had the opportunity to
talk baseball with him. I'm a baseball fan, and his
accomplishments speak for themselves. There were a lot of
misconceptions about Joe because of his need for privacy.''
Cone always wanted to ask DiMaggio for an autograph, but
didn't. About a year ago, he bought a dozen signed baseballs
from a collector.
``Why? ... Just so I'd have them,'' the pitcher said. ``I
don't remember what the exact price was, but it was a lot.''
Pecos Enterprise
York M. "Smokey" Briggs, Publisher
Division of Buckner News Alliance, Inc.
324 S. Cedar St., Pecos, TX 79772
Phone 915-445-5475, FAX 915-445-4321
e-mail news@pecos.net
Associated Press text, photo, graphic, audio and/or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium.
Copyright 1999 by Pecos Enterprise
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