The Tennessean from Nashville, Tennessee • Page 72

I NOLAN RYAN The final Journey dT 1 on Express-way WJ Fitness 2C Baseball 4C Scoreboard 5C FRIDAY, APRIL 9, 1993 PORTS Golden Bear has honey of round is r7 HE LSTERS Wv 1 (I First-round leaderboard Lee Janzen 67-5 Bernhard Langer 68 -4 Jack Nicklaus 67-5 Lanny Wadkins 69 -3 Tom Lehman 67 -5 Ted Schulz 69 -3 Corey Pavin 67 -5 Craig Parry 69 -3 Larry Mize 67 -5 Dan Foreman 69 -3 John Huston 68 -4 Bob Gilder 69 -3 Ray Floyd 68 -4 Scores, parings, 5C. Television schedule Today. 3 p.m., 8 p.m., USA. Tomorrow: 2:30 p.m.. Channel 5.

Sunday. 3 p.m., Channel 5. Arnie't Army on the march, 3C. Comeback for Jack? It's a fact By JIMMY DAVY Deputy Sports Editor AUGUSTA, Ga. The 57th Masters is starting off as one for the ages old ages.

Jack Nicklaus, 53 years old and still packing a wallop, was the marquee name among the five co-leaders at 67, 5 under par over the rain-heavy track of Augusta National Golf Course after yesterday's opening round. Hovering one shot back was 50-year-old Raymond Floyd and no one here is belittling the chances of either of these veterans. Joining Nicklaus at the head of the field are Larry Mize, Corey Pa-vin, Lee Janzen and Tom Lehman all of whom appeared impressed to be in the company of The Bear. "I'm not surprised I played this well," Nicklaus said. "Just say I'm pleased.

I have to play again tomor- Floyd said. Janzen spoke for the younger players in the hunt, saying, "I am aware that it is only Thursday. If this tournament was just one round, I'd be more excited. I know early leaders don't often do well." He's had experience. He led briefly with a 66 in the opening round of the British Open last year, only to drop back.

Thirty-one of 90 players broke par-72, taking advantage of the soft turf, which added length to the course but took away some dangers. Many, if not most, of the pre-tour-nament favorite didn't make it under par, including defending champion Fred Couples (72) and injured Tom Kite, who recovered from back spasms to shoot 73. Today's forecast: thunderstorms, with winds up to 30 mph. row." "That's an impressive round of golf from Jack," Pavin said. Nicklaus had four birdies and an eagle at the par-5 No.

15, where he hit a 2-iron 232 yards within eight feet of the cup and holed it. His only bogey was an aggressive mistake where he tried to cut the corner on the dogleg par-5 13th hole and had an unplayable lie in an azalea bush. "Wouldn't it be neat for Jack to play well and for me to play well. It would be just like in the past," Reuters First-round co-leader Jack Nicklaus savors his birdie on the 17th hole at Augusta Tr iviuuiei. No limits on Fogler SPOT E)I(SDSDK1 in "A 7 SEC won't stop pursuit of recruits 1 By LARRY WOODY Sports Writer Coach Eddie Fogler on Monday said he saw nothing unethical about trying to steer basketball players he had been recruiting for Vanderbilt toward his new team at South Carolina.

Since then, numerous Vanderbilt fans have questioned the propriety of Fogler attempting to lure away those prospects players he had been recruiting while on Vandy's payroll and at Vandy's expense. Prospects who a week ago were being encouraged to play for Vans' derbilt now will find themselves playing against Vanderbilt if they follow Fogler to South Carolina. The situation is made especially ticklish due to the fact that Fogler is not only trying to lure former Van- dy prospects to another school, but to another Southeastern Confer-Z ence school. And since Vanderbilt and South Carolina are both in the SEC Eastern Division, they will play I at least twice a season. 3 ii ,4 ii 2 if I 1 AUGUSTA, Ga.

Well, of course this isn't happening. Jack Nicklaus, 53, simply is too far past his prime to be a contender for a major golf championship against the larger, smarter young li-onsofl993. Get serious. Who is this brazen impostor? Who dares use the name of golfs all-time great and suddenly claims a share of the opening round of the Masters, arguably the most cherished championship in all golf? "Hi folks. Here I am again, and this time I'm legitimate," Nicklaus chortled as he beamed a message of proud accomplishment to a packed audience of interviewers at the conclusion of his 5-under-par 67 yesterday.

He had visited the interview area Wednesday, "but I really didn't think I belonged in here then" he said. "I felt a bit like I was an impostor. "I'm much more comfortable sit-tin' here this time." The truth is that for several months now even the most ardent Nicklaus supporters have been admitting, grudgingly perhaps, that the Golden Bear's hibernation seemed too deep for him to awaken. But like San Francisco quarter- back Joe Montana, Nicklaus refuses to be written off the list of superstars when the big moments in his sport arrive. Yesterday, the six-time Masters champion flared when asked if he didn't honestly believe he was too old to win a seventh time.

"I'd excuse myself and get out of this room if I didn't think I could win. It can't be any different at 53 than it was at 46 when he won his sixth Masters because I can still control the ball," Nicklaus said. From there, Nicklaus launched into his explanation of his success in later years. He claims many of the older giants of golf lost their way in their latter years because they lost control of their putters. "That hasn't happened to me.

I had an exceptional putting round today, and I have regained control of the ball. That's the important thing with me. I still think I know how 1 want to hit it and where it's going. Putting hasn't been my problem." Nicklaus is a firm believer in conditioning and he is on a rigorous daily exercise routine. He says it was when he realized how good of shape he is in that he determined to hone his golf game.

He looks trim and according to some veteran press room visitors, "20 years younger than a year ago." Changing hairstyle helped, too. As in other years, Nicklaus tries to spend the first three months of the season preparing for the Mas ters. "I tell you, I got off to a good start this round when I noticed how Ar-nie Arnold Palmer birdied the first three. It was a jump-start" Nicklaus led the charge of legendary players on opening day. Gary Player posted a 71, Raymond Floyd returned a 68, Tom Watson, after an 8 at the par-5 13th, birdied home for 71 and Palmer finished with a 74 after a late skid on the front nine.

"I couldn't let Palmer get too far in front I tried to get his attention when we passed close to each other on the front nine," Nicklaus said. "I didn't make contact but I wanted to tell him to keep it rolling so we could keep the young ones in check." John Bibb is former Tennessean sports editor. Mike DuBose Staff Country music star Vince Gill, who left a line out of the National Anthem, hangs out with his beloved Sounds. More, 2C. SEC Commissioner Roy Kramer yesterday said the conference has oo rules or restrictions governing i interleague coaching moves or re-I cruiting procedures.

Fogler said he discussed his in- terconference jump with Kramer, I "and Coach Kramer had no problem with it" Said Kramer "The issue has been discussed in the past We addressed it four or five years ago as a "conference. Basically the feeling was that the conference should stay out of it and leave those decisions to I the individual institutions. "It was agreed that the athletic director of the school involved 'seeking the coach should contact the athletic director at the other schooL" Vanderbilt Athletic Director Paul THoolahan yesterday said he will "continue to take the high road," and declined to comment The incoming coach can make use of any unused player visits at his new school, Kramer said. In other words, if Fogler had used all alloted visits at Vanderbilt but there were visits unused by the former staff at South Carolina, Fogler be permitted to use those. Fogler said he encouraged the prospects to "keep their options topen," concerning both Vanderbilt Zand South Carolina." Fogler readily admitted he will actively pursue high school pros- pects he had been recruiting for I Vanderbilt specifically 6-foot-9 I Peter Van Bswyk of Hamilton, On-'tario, and 6-11 Jail Formanek of Winston-Salem, S.C First-inning HRs doom Xpress 5-3 TemesseaH Staff Reports ORLANDO, Fla.

The Nashville Xpress pulled out of the gate quickly, but was sidetracked just as fast last night and dropped its season-opener 5-3 to the host Orlando Cubs. "The first inning killed us," Manager Phil Roof said after the Xpress gave up four first-inning runs in their Southern League debut "We've got a young club with only two players having AA experience. We were a little nervous at the start" The game was the debut of Xpress, the Class AA of the Minnesota Twins who will share Nashville's Greer Stadium with the AAA Sounds this summer. The Xpress jumped to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first without a hit when Rich Becker reached on an error and eventually came home from third on Scott Stahoviak's ground out But the Cubs' Darryl Vice and Ozzie Tim-mons tagged Bill Wissler for two-run homers in the bottom of the inning for a 4-1 lead. Wissler hurled shutout ball for the next five innings, but took the loss.

He gave up six hits and two walks and had no strikeouts. Nashville closed to 4-3 in the third when Brian Raabe and Scott Stahoviak scored on a throwing error by Cubs third baseman Jose Viera after Steve Dunn singled. The Cubs gained an insurance run in the seventh off reliever Jason KlonoskL John Salles picked up the win, pitching 5 innings and allowing five hits. Travis Willis threw an inning to pick up the save. Cron's grand slam caps Sounds' rally By LARRY TAFT Sports Writer The Nashville Sounds unveiled their imposing half-million dollar exploding scoreboard last night and Chris Cron made it go boom.

Cron belted a grand-slam home run for his first hit as a Sound, propelling Nashville to an 8-5, come-from-behind, season-opening win over the Iowa Cubs. "To get a hit like that especially a grand-slam, is the greatest feeling you can get" said Cron, the 29-year-old Sounds' third baseman who was the club's MVP at Vancouver last season. "This is the type of team we're going to have we're going to be a real good club. We've got the pitching, the defense and some guys who can swing the bat" Cron's blast off of former big-leaguer Jim Bullinger delighted those who remained from the opening-night crowd of 7,509 and capped a dramatic comeback after the Sounds had fallen behind 5-0 early. "You get ahead of a team like that and you need to close the door," said Iowa Manager Marv Foley, the former Kentucky standout "One mistake to Cron there in the eighth and it hurts you.

Jim had done an excellent job, striking out Esteban Beltre with the bases loaded, but one bad pitch can cost you." Nashville, which trailed 5-3 going into the inning, started the eighth with a single by Scott Cepicky, who gave way to pinch-runner Mi- Mkt DuBose Staff The Sounds' Larry Thomas agonizes over a three-run homer hit off him by Iowa's Scott Wade in the second. chael Huff. Joe Hall followed with a single and Bullinger loaded the bases when he hit Matt Merullo, who was attempting a sacrifice bunt Norberto Martin's groundout accounted for one run, and Shawn Jeter was intentionally walked, loading the bases again. Beltre was called out on strikes, but Cron followed with his down-the-line homer. "If wasnt pretty, but I haven't seen many ugly wins," said Nashville Manager Rick AROUND THE DIAL Not SO Super CBS has taken issue BASEBALL Lee SlRith tied Jeff RearOon's major with the bidding process the NFL proposed for rights to the 1994 Super Bowl and won't submit a sealed bid.

CBS told the NFL that "we remain interested in acquiring fiie RESULTS AMERICAN LEAGUE NATIONAL LEAGUE OKago9.MnnesoU4 Montreal 14. Cm 11 Detroit 3, Oakland 2 St Lous I San Fran. 1 Pittsburgh 5. San Diego 4 Boston 9, Kansas City 4 Atlanta 6, Los Angeles 1 Carlos Baerga became the first player in major league history to homer from both sides of the plate in the same inning as Cleveland beat the Yankees. Tom ClavinC led Atlanta to a win over Los Angeles in front of a sellout crown in Atlanta.

Baseball, 4C SPORTS IN COURT Magic Johnson has been asked to name the people with whom he had sex from 1982-1990 by attorneys for a woman who maintains the retired NBA star infected her with the AIDS virus. Johnson has onty said that before 1990 he did not have sex with anyone he knew to be infected with KV. Wimp Sanderson wil have to stand trial next week in Birnwignam, Ala to answer allegations he punched his secretary, a federal judge ruled league career save mark of 357, nailing down St Louis' 2-1 win against San Francisco. Smith pitched a scoreless ninth hi gaining his second save of the season. "The biggest thing was to get out there and get it over with," Smith said.

On 4C. 000 SECTION EDITORS Jimmy Davy, Deputy Sports Editor, Ted Power, Assistant Sports Editor, nights, 25M014 To report sports news: 2S-010 Sports fax machine: 25-S82SY broadcast rights, but we will not take part in a separate Super Bowl bidding process." The NFL said ft doesn't intend to change Its plans. Ustgs, 5C SMTH.