The Indianapolis Star from Indianapolis, Indiana • Page 25

CLASSIFIED ADS Pages 7-9 TUESDAY, MAY 7, 1996 The Indianapolis Star Stars trefiies Tucker admired by all Apparent suicide of Butler's all-time leading scorer saddens peers. Rookie turns 'unofficial' lap of 237.336 mph as newcomers finally get extended track time. if. C9 i p' rat By Robin Miller STAFF WRITER It was pretty much a ho-hum Monday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Tony Stewart. 'In the morning, he finished his driver's test with the quickest lap ever recorded by a rookie, ate lunch and signed a few autographs.

Then, he visited the stratosphere. After two days of rain and non-activity, Stewart christened May in a most Impressive way. The terrific tyro turned the fastest practice lap in IMS history, a 237.336 mph sizzler in the guaker StateGlldden '95 That was more than 2 mph quicker than Arie Luyendyk's 234.913 clocking last year and just a tick shy of teammate Scott Brayton's all-time unofficial best of 237.555, set last month in testing. It was almost 5 mph better than Roberto Guerrero's official record of 232.618 mph, set In 1992 qualifying. And It wasn't even a ragged-edge special.

"It's the first time we really let it go and It was like a Cadillac on a rail," said Stewart, whose smoothness and savvy are already drawing Parnelli Jones See STEWART Page 10 By Phillip B. Wilson STAFF WRITER Just a few weeks ago, Chad Tucker took the time to greet and wave good-bye to three senior citizens in a Cloverdale pizza parlor. Imagine that, the flattered women thought, someone as well-known as Tucker taking the time to make their acquaintance. After all, this wasn't your average guy; Tucker's basketball exploits were TODAY'S SCHEDULE: Gates open, 9 a.m.; rookie orientation, 9-11 a.m.; practice, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and 3-6 p.m.

ADMISSION: $5. INSIDE: Michele Alboreto and Alessandro Zampedri have an Italian reunion, of sorts. Page 10. IN BUSINESS: The Speedway sues CART over use of the name "IndyCar." Also, U.S. 500 sponsors promote its "better business value." Page D1.

Photo Bob Goshert SPEED HAPPY: Tony Stewart (left) and team manager Larry Curry share a laugh after Stewart topped 237 mph Monday. 1', nnw a legendary. Ask anyone around town. He was Clover-dale's humble, hero: An Indiana All-Star in 1983. Butler's all-time leading scorer with 2,321 points.

A Jarvis has rare bad stint against Bisons With Reds GM Jim Bowden in attendance, Tribe starter fails to show his best stuff. Buffalo 6 Indians 2 Next game: vs. Buffalo, 7 p.m. today; WNDE-1260 AM, An') -f'i seven-year vet- Tucker in 1983 eran of professional basketball in Europe. The soft-spoken man affection- ately known as Tuck was loved.

And now, inexplicably, an affable young man embraced by an i entire community is gone. Tucker, 31, was buried Monday In Clcverdale's Mannan Cemetery, three days after being found dead in his garage In an apparent sui- cide. His death was linked to de-. pression, but as his family discov- ered In the grieving process, it doesn't diminish who he was In life. One of the senior citizens at the pizza parlor didn't forget, and took the time to relay Tucker's kind- P' ness to his father.

"He respected people," said Al Tucker, who also had the pleasure of coaching the 6-7 star. "More than anything else, I'm going to miss the positive Impact he had on an entire community, from young kids to senior citizens." Tucker's community Interaction began at an early age, Al signed a $1,500 bank note that allowed his enterprising son then in seventh grade to purchase a riding See TUCKER Page 2 By Kim Rogers STAFF WRITER One couldn't help but wonder if right-hander Kevin Jarvis of the Indianapolis Indians wasn't trying too hard Monday night at Bush Stadium. After all, Cincinnati Reds general manager Jim Bowden was in attendance, and Jarvis most certainly wanted to make a good Impression. "That crossed my mind, but I'm not saying that." said Tribe pitching coach Grant Jackson after Jarvis was roughed up in a 6-2 loss to the Buffalo Bisons before a crowd of 4,828. "He's a whole lot better pitcher than everybody saw," Jackson added.

"And that happens to everybody, even the great ones. "He Just wasn't at his best. He was rushing a bit and the ball was up." Jarvis' adrenalin had to be flowing. Designated as Cincinnati's No. 5 starter, at least In the words of Reds manager Ray Knight, he is with Indianapolis because his next start for the Reds isn't scheduled until May 21 at Riverfront Stadium against the Florida Marlins.

Monday night's outing was one to file and forget for Jarvis, who departed shortly after the game ended and was unavailable for comment. Bowden, for that matter, didn't stick around for the end of the game. Jarvis entered the game with a 3-0 record and 1.37 ERA in three starts for the Tribe. The highly regarded 26-year-old prospect was was 3-0 with a 1.78 ERA lifetime in four starts against Buffalo. That included a string of 20 scoreless Innings.

The Bisons snapped the spell with five runs on eight hits in four-plus innings against Jarvis, who walked four after Issuing Just two free passes In his previous 19 innings. "Jarvis Just didn't have his good stuff," said Tribe manager Dave Miley. "Heck, you can't have it every time out, and that's exactly what I told him. "He's given us three great starts but just didn't have it this time, and that's going to happen. It was Just one of those nights." The five runs was more than enough support for Buffalo lefthander Brian Anderson (3-1), who defeated the Tribe for the second time at Bush Stadium this season.

He allowed two runs on seven hits Monday night. On April 17, he limited the Tribe to one run on six hits in five innings In a 5-2 victory. Don Sparks and Steve Dunn opened the Bufalo second with singles, but Jarvis reached back for something extra In striking out Eric Helfand and Damian Jackson. Casey Candaele, however, foiled his escape with a two-strike RBI single to center, Nigel Wilson and Brian Giles then walked to force In the second run of the Inning. Indianapolis nicked Anderson for a run on two hits in the fourth, but could easily have had more.

Mike Kelly led off with a single Just Inside the third-base bag. Eduardo Perez, who extended his hitting streak to 19 games with a single in the second inning, plated Kelly with a double into the left-field corner. But Perez was cut down at second after rounding the bag too far. Buffalo got that back and then some with three runs In the fifth. Giles led off with a walk and came around to score on Herbert Perry's home run to left-center that cut through a brisk head-wind.

Ryan Thompson followed with a single to right, stole second and scored on a single to left by Sparks. That was It for Jarvis. NBA PLAYOFFS Seattle 105 Houston 101 AMERICAN LEAGUE NewYork 10 Detroit 5 Seattle 5 Oakland 5 cieyejand 3 Kansas Crty 9 California 4 NATIONAL LEAGUE Los Angeles 8 Pittsburgh 4 Florida 4 York i Montreal 6 Chicago 2 Houston ti Philadelphia 5 Atlanta 4 Colorado 1 AMERICAN ASSOCIATION Buffalo 6 Indians 2 -ts 1 1 1 Staff Photo Chri Howell FLIPPER: Indians shortstop Brandon Wilson (13) flips the ball toward second base as second baseman Roberto Mejia races in to catch the ball and force the Bisons' Brian Giles (22). Pacers ponder changes to regain title contender status Walsh wants more role flexibility among the players Signing Reggie, Dale, Antonio vital to building a new arena Bill Benner What do Reggie Miller. Dale Davis and Antonio Davis have to do with a new Downtown arena? Maybe nothing, other than toper-haps nlav in it.

Davis watch: Forwards Antonio and Dale Davis consider their options as free agents. Page 2. Sonic boom: Seattle cans a playoff-. record 20 3-pointers to beat Houston. Page 2.

The Pacers say they want all three back. How much room Indiana will have under a projected NBA salary cap of $24.3 million next season will be determined primarily by those players' decisions. Reserves Adrian Caldwell, Dwayne Schintzius and Fred Hoiberg also are free agents. Duane Ferrell. like Dale Davis, has a free-agency option available.

With the 23rd draft pick and through the free-agent market, Walsh said he wil look for "more flexible players." "We have players who fit into certain roles and they can't go outside of those roles sometimes," he said. Injuries have kept Scott Haskln, the Pacers' top draft pick In 1993, out of action for well over two seasons. If Haskln decides to give up his comeback attempt, the team can appeal to the NBA for an additional $1 million-plus under the cap. The Pacers won 52 regular-season See PACERS Page 2 By Tom Rietmann STAFF WRITER Through the haze left by Sunday's first-round playoff elimination, the Indiana Pacers peered ahead Monday and saw an ambiguous picture that revolves around change. How much Is needed for the Pacers to become major players again in the run for NBA gold? And how much should be avoided to avert a return to the not-so-dlstant past when playoff time coincided with Immediate vacation time? "Our top priority Is to become a better team, whichever way you do that," said team president Donnie Walsh.

"We shouldn't make changes just for the sake of change," stated coach Larry Brown. "So much will depend on what Dale, Tony and Reggie decide to do." That would be forwards Dale Davis and Antonio Davis and guard Reggie Miller. Antonio Davis and Miller are holding expired contracts. Dale Davis, too, can test tr free agency market by exercising an option In his contract. maintains re-signing his trio of free agents is priority Numero Uno.

Walsh says by doing so, he would be ensuring barring, as always, injury the Pacers can continue as one of the elite teams in the NBA. You can fashion your own definitions of elite. As far as I'm concerned, that means consistently finishing among the top four teams In the conference during the regular season, consistently advancing at least past the first round of the playoffs and occasionally contending for the championship. And at this particular stage of the franchise's history, that's what the Pacers must be able to do. That's because you can't sell the concept of a new arena on the See BANNER Page 2 urn But maybe a lot.

The Indiana Pacers' best scorer (Miller), their best rebounder (Dale) and their most valuable reserve (Antonio) will be available to the highest bidder this summer, and their collective take could make the haul from Jackie O's heirlooms look like the profits from a yard sale. The question Is, how high are the Pacers v'J'llng to go? Pacers president Donnie Walsh a Staff Photo D. Todd Moore LOOKING ELSEWHERE? Pacers starting forward Dale Davis has the option to become a free agent now..