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Show B E Comics B4 Q Lifestyle B8 Saturday, May 28, 1994 The Daily Herald Baseball owners are slow learners By MARK WHICKER Orange County Register They tell you to save the good reading for the fall, when baseball promises its fans the most thermonuclear of strikes. But I cheated. "Lords of the Realm" smoothly describes how yesterday's unscrupulous, selfish and paranoid baseball owners developed into today's. short-sighte- d, It is written by John Helyar, the Wall Street Journal reporter who the equally classic ' 'Barbarians at the Gate. ' ' It would be objective, if there Analysis were any rational way to take up the owners' flag. And it is beautifully detailed. You almost hear the air leave the room, as players union boss Marvin Miller and owners negotiator Ray Grebey, bitter 1981 enemies, walk . in. The theme and the characters are familiar. The owners mistreated the players and lied to them. Then they fought free agency, the players' legally won right. Then they fell over their shoelaces paying exorbitantly for free agents. Then they sparked strikes in 1 98 1 , 1985 and 1990 in order to rein their own avarice. They hired Peter Ueberroth as commissioner and thought he was telling them they could back out of the free-agemarket, en masse. and were fined severely did, They for collusion. They fired Ueberroth, hired Bart Giamatti, confirmed Fay Vincent upon Giamatti's death and fired him (after Vincent's sprint into autocracy). At book's end, owners were fighting small-markowners over revenue sharing, and nobody had even started negotiations with the players. Frustrated and fearful, the players plan a strike late this season. Helyar notes how easily the owners could have avoided this, had they just taken Miller and the players seriously. "If they'd just said, 'We'll raise the minimum salary to $ 0,000, then raise it $ ,000 a year for tne next 20 years, then we'll throw in an annual cost of living increase' . . . nobody would have looked to Marvin Miller," pitcher Jim nt By ANTON GARRITY Herald Correspondent - The Utah SALT LAKE CITY Jazz finally came up with an effective game plan to burn the Houston Rockets. Utah's Felton Spencer was the key to a 95-8- 6 victory over the Rockets Friday at the Delta Center in game three of the NBA's Western Conference Finals. The stat line didn't come close to showing what Spencer meant to the Ja2z in this game. He only had four points' and seven rebounds, but he made the NBA's MVP, Hakeem Olajuwon, work for all 29 of his points. from Olajuwon was the field with four turnovers. Utah had a lead when Spencer fouled out of the game with 4:49 left. The Rockets then scored seven consecutive points, but the Jazz sealed the victory when Tom Chambers came across the lane with 54 seconds left in the game and had a monster nt left-hand- dunk. Utah also finally managed to pressure Houston's hot shooting guards. "Out rotation on Olajuwon was much better than down in Houston. We weren't allowing him to split He either had to our double-team- s. throw the ball back out or force a bad shot," said Utah's Jeff Horna-Le- 1 1 Boutonsaid. Instead the owners ignored Oakland's Charlie Finley, who (as Miller cringed) suggested all players be made free agents every year. That, of course, would have flooded the market and held salaries down and Miller could not have opposed it. The owners have always warred against their product. In the '50s, most of them opposed the televising of their games. Mets general manager George Weiss banned banners. As Yankees GM, Weiss laughed at Cap Day suggestions: "Do you think I want every kid in this city walking around with a Yankee cap?" And when the 1949 Dodgers wanted World Series rings, owner Walter O'Malley made them first turn in their 1947 rings. How O'Malley moved the Dodgers from Brooklyn to Los Angeles fascinated Helyar. O'Malley was envious that Milwaukee had built a 43,000-sea- t stadium with a good lease and free parking and feared the Dodgers could not be competitive in Ebbets Field (no, O'Malley and John Shaw are not related). For a year, O'Malley and L. A. County Supervisor Kenneth Hahn shared the Dodgers were the secret coming. And when the two rode a helicopter over downtown L.A. and O'Malley saw the expanse of Chavez Ravine, he asked Hahn, "Can I have that?" ."Sure," Hahn said. It was supposed to be a public housing site. It became the longest gold permanent above-groun- d mine in the history of the United States. O'Malley was not overwhelmed by the intellect of the baseball men he influenced. As the owners bus rode across the Lake Ponchartrain causeway outside New Orleans, O'Malley said, "Did it ever occur to anybody how much better off baseball would be if we went off the road and right into the water?" He was wrong. The new owners . (See WHICKER, Page B2) the bench with 15 and 10 points respectively. David Benoit really set the tempo of this game. He scored 14 points, including six of Utah's first 10 points. He had two huge dunks which emotionally lifted the fans for the entire game. Olajuwon led Houston in scoring. But, only two other Rockets scored in double figures. Vernon Maxwell had 17 and Sam Cassell came off the bench to add 1 4 . In the NBA, teams tend to live and die by the three-poishot. Houston used treys to grab a 0 lead in this seven-gam- e series. Karl Malone had been suffering the past 48 hours from the flu. That, along with a badly sprained right ankle, meant he wasn't 100 percent. 7p- $ 2-- But, Friday night, Houston's guards shot them right out of the game. The Rockets were from long range while the Jazz were Utah also destroyed Houston on the boards, 53-3However, the Jazz are going to need the same kind of effort Sunday to tie this series at two. 9. "We came out and the team was really pumped up today. I think the difference was we were forcing Olajuwon to the baseline and we were able to get a little more physical with him today and get him a little further out," Spencer said. "He missed some shots and also, by pushing him toward the baseline, we were able to cut Off some of his options." According to Houston coach Rudy Tomjanavich, "Our intensity level coming out wasn't what it should of been for a game like this. I think it set the tone for the game. Their defense was good and they outscored us 1 on fast breaks in the first half. We were really hesitant on our three-poishots. The next game we're going to have to move the ball better." -0 "I have to hand it to Karl Malone. He was sick yesterday with the flu. He was still sick today. Still he gets 16 rebounds and 22 points. His ankle was still bothering him and his sickness was worse. At game time I left it up to him whether he was going to play not," said Jazz coach Jerry or r n - I nt k. Sloan. Hornacek had big-mark- et et sweet bomel Jazz whip Rochets Hlomne 17 points while John Stockton had points and assists. Utah got great play from Jay Humphries and Chambers off 13 1 1 nt Houston shot just 36 percent from the field. The Rockets never really threatened until Spencer fouled out in the fourth quarter. But a lead was too much for Houston to overcome in the final four minutes of the game. nt Matthew R. Smith Photo Utah's Felton Spencer battles Houston's Mario Elie for a rebound during game Conference finals Friday. The Jazz won 3 of the NBA's Western 95-8- 6. Orem man conquers Wasatch Open net field By ROD COLLETT Associate Sports Editor Golf has often been MIDWAY called a mental game but often players forget about the physical challenge. Not Chad Jennings of Orem. He won low net at the Wasatch Open Friday with scores of 0, one stroke ahead of Troy Creerat The tournament was 6,952 yard played over the par-7Wasatch Mountain State Park. But that's only half the story. For the record, two BYU players won low gross honors. Midway's Joseph Summerhays fired rounds of to tie Cougar teammate Eric Rustand at There was no playoff to determine total of first place. Their 137 was one shot ahead of the Utah State golfer Steve Warnick who 36-ho- le 2, 68-6- 9. 36-ho- le had Former University of Utah golfer Matt Johnson carded a 70 Friday 1 9; American Fork's Kim and Park Thompson at City's Jimmy Blair at 68-- 7 Another current BYU player, David Summerhays, turned in scores of 0 and finished at 139 70-6- 9, 70-6- 9 1 69-7- as well. Thompson, who's been named player of the year in the Utah Section of the PGA four of the past six years, leaves Sunday for Denver, Colo., where he'll try and qualify for the U.S. Open Championship. 140 were Todd At Provo'sWil Huish Barker and East Bay golf pro at KeanRidd Joseph Summerhays, a redshirt sophomore at BYU this fall, posted six birdies and two bogeys. He had a back nine of 32 which included g five birdies. Rustand, the senior from Tucson, Ariz., had six birdies and three bogeys en four-und- 72-6- 8; (69-71- ). - "' -- '.. 36-ho- le of81-7- L MIDWAY Final results Friday of Wasatch Open at Wasatch Mountain State Park. 6,952 yards. par-7Joseph Summerhays Eric Rustand Steve Warnick Matt Johnson Jimmy Blslr David Summerhays Glen Spencer Kris Abegglen Kim Thompson Kean Ridd Todd Barker Wll Hulsh Sharm Newbold Jetl Keye Henry White Craig Myrlck Mark Domm Brad Sutterfield Doug Bybee Chris Jones Bob Rudd Roy Chnstensen Mart Thurman Glen Hatch Kurt Bosen Doug Roberts 9. He shot those scores with just one arm. Jennings lost his right arm over 14 years ago while working in the oil fields of Kansas Thus golf brings him just as much of a physical challenge as most players face in the mental realm. "Believe, it takes a lot of practice," said Jennings. "I use right handed clubs to take advantage of my left side. So, I swing the same way as everybody else does. I -- didn't start playing tournaments until three years ago." He said his woods and putting are perhaps the easiest part of playing golf, while hitting his irons is a big challenge. "I went to school at BYU and while I was on Christmas break to v i f ', i .'Mir. ic"C t- i Bruce Summerhays Marlow Quick Don Larsen I . K-w- is a 72 at "The big muscles of the body do get some extra money, I happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. The whole oil rig collapsed and I got cut up in the mess," the Jennings said. Jennings keeps his handicap at ld Herald Correspondent TALLAHASSEE, Fla. Pullins said that BYU he coach Gary never enjoys playing in the fourth game of a college baseball regional, traditionally an elimination game. But Pullins and the Cougars found something to like in their game-fou- r matchup with Central Michigan Friday, as designated hitter Ryan Hall slapped a three-ru- n homer in the first to help lead BYU (36-19- ) past the Chippewas ... i Y,yVU-- : '- v,.,. 8-- 6. BYU's victory puts it in another elimination game against Kansas, a State, game 1400 ished 4-- -; winner Friday over Ohio today at p.m. MDT. The will be broadcast on KSRR, AM Central Michigan fin1 its season 38-2- 1. "I'm proud of our guys the way they bounced back today," Pullins said. "It shows their character." AP Photo Central Michigan third baseman Kevin Young put9 the tag on BYU's Jered Bills for an out during the fifth Inning of Friday's NCAA regional. The Cougars won 8-- 6. Jennings' lowest score inGault, Calif. a course all the work (of the swing). All I have to do is make a shoulder turn 20-- 6 Wi, and, though it may have gone only about 100 yards, I got hooked on the game. "My w ife can testify that if I had to be at work at 9 a.m., I was up at 6 a.m. to play nine holes or hits balls on the driving range. " By ERIC LYMAN AJrU i5Z,w. first tee, when everyone was watching. I got the ball airborne Seniors I I East Bay but plays mostly at other courses including Wasatch Mountain State Park. "One day I bought a friend's old clubs when I lived in California. On the driving range that first time, I couldn't hit a thing. On the and have good footwork. " Jennings made only 79 swings Friday. That was enough to win the net score and the mental and physical challenges of a sport that can't be perfected. Cougars survive to play another day a ' I I I route to his 69. Meanwhile, Jennings was home early Friday savoring his round of golf while watching the Utah Jazz defeat the Houston Rockets. Jennings won the low net title but was almost forgotten in the tournament were his gross scores J : f . er (69-71- ), y'" "' . long-hittin- to go with his opening 68 to pace T the pros at 138. Despite finishing behind the amateurs, Johnson still took the first prize of $ 1 ,050. Four pros were tied at 139; Glen SpenKris Abegglen with cer at 70-6- The first inning helped a lot in that respect. After the Chippewas took a lead in the top of the shot with D.G. Nelson Hall's first, and Eric McDowell on base made it Two Central Michigan errors later it was The Chippewas never quite recovered. BYU stretched it to 6-- 1 in the second before the Chippewas got back on their feet. By then, they were forced to play catchup, a strategy that failed in a loss to Florida State on Thursday. It nearly worked on Friday, however. They closed to within 6 in the fifth, but BYU's pitcher Jorge Jamie reliev ed starter Brian Knoll after that and struck out six in four scoreless innings to close the door. The Cougars scored an insurance run in the eighth to set the final margin. " It wasn't a pretty win, and anyone can see that we're not playing good baseball right now," Pullins said. "But if you win ugly, sometimes it can take you a long 3-- 1. 5-- 1. 7-- way." Friday's ugly game at least kept -0 (Sec COUGARS, Tage B2) |