The Tennessean from Nashville, Tennessee • Page 17

2CRUNNING SECTION 3CMAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL eCCLASSIFIEP i I THETENNESSEAN TUESDAY, AUGUST 21, 1990 Sown BaCIC niTSU llth in Division I-AA football poll, CC up I V2 lniLuji 1 LARRY tF TAFT 1 I Tennessean I 7 Sports Writer ll he road sefore Bitting American Association Including last night's game Eastern Division Team Affiliate w-L GB Reds 77-54 Pirates 76-66 1V Cards 66-66 11 Expos 56-75 21 Nashville Buffalo Louisville Indianapolis LARRY TAFT Sports Writer Sitting in front of his locker, his elbow and shoulder iced, Nashville Sounds relief pitcher Keith Brown put the 1990 American Association Eastern Division race in perspective. "With a game-and-a-half lead, it's up to us to win our games for the division' Brown said. And with a 3-2 win over the Louisville Redbirds last night at Greer Stadium, the Sounds take a 1 -game lead with them as they open a six-game road trip tonight in Indianapolis. Quite simply, the trip is the most crucial of the season to date for the Sounds, who were able to expand their lead over Buffalo after Indianapolis took a 7-1 decision at Buffalo last night Cris Carpenter, 8-8. Lockhart scored to tie the game at 1-1 and Scott advanced to third when Luis Alicea booted Freddie Bena-vides grounder.

Pitcher Rodney Imes, 10-8, bunted Benavides to second and Leo Garcia drove the two runners home with a single into center. "I've been working on my swing, even when I haven't been in the lineup," said Garcia, who had three of the Sounds' nine hits. "For some reason I always hit well against Louisville. "TheirpitcherCarpenterhas good stuff, but I was able to get around on him." Louisville took a 1-0 lead on Bien Figueroa's triple and Ray Stephens' Turn to PAGE 3C, Column 4 "This is nerve-wracking, but it's fun," said Nashville Manager Pete Mackanin. "This is the way it's supposed to be playing with pressure, playing with the pennant on the line." Nashville got last night's win with three runs in the fourth inning, two of them unearned.

Keith Lockhart opened with a single, Donnie Scott singled with one out and both moved up a base on a wild pitch by loser Nina Aleiandrenko Staff Nashville second baseman Keith Lockhart bobbles the ball but had -held it long enough to force out Louisville's Geronimo Pena. Answering the call to arms 7 -1 mmm- lit im'Mt MM jt-mi The Boss ho longer in control Steinbrenner ends with Yankees MURRAY CHASS Sew York Times Sews Service NEW YORK George Steinbrenner, whose aggressi ve, bombastic style made him the best-known professional sports team owner the last two decades, yesterday signed his resignation as managing partner of the New York Yankees. This action was in adherence to the first step of Commissioner Fay Vincent's disciplinary action. For conduct deemed "not in the best interests of baseball" his association with the self-described gambler Howard Spira and $40,000 payment to him Steinbrenner had to relinquish his management of the by midnight last night "I will be resigning as managing general partner sometime today," Steinbrenner said ata 6 p.m. (EST) -news conference at Yankee Stadium.

"I have told them the letter is coming. I've signed it and left it in the hands of my lawyers." The commissioner's office had initially instructed Steinbrenner to sub-' mit his resignation by 5 p.m. (EST). But Steinbrenner's lawyers spoke with Steve Greenberg, the deputy commissioner, late in the afternoon and told him the letter would be in the office first thing in the morning. Greenberg accepted the promise, saying the resignation would still be effective last midnight Lawyers for two of the Yankees' 18 minority partners had sought to block Steinbrenner's agreement with Vincent from taking effect But Judge Alice Batchelderof U.S.

District Court in Cleveland, after a lengthy hearing, rejected the request for a temporary restraining order, squashing the last chance Steinbrenner had to retain his position past the Aug. 20 deadline. iThe lawyers indicated they would try to seek a stay in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit in Cincinnati last night an effort they vowed would last until midnight Saying he appeared at the news conference "to show I am not remorseful, I am not in shock," Steinbrenner announced the selection of Gene Michael as the Yankees' new general manager. Michael replaces Harding (Pete) Peterson, who will remain as a special adviser to Michael.

Turn to PAGE 3C, Column 3 Mackanin takes swings with ease The laughter from the batting cage rang throughout Greer Stadium yesterday afternoon. Batting practice for pitchers is always a treat spiced with make-believe games to enliven the competitive spirits. But the loudest of all the batters wasn't a Nashville Sounds pitcher. It was Manager Pete Mackanin, taking his hacks, handing out good-natured barbs and wishing he could recapture his youth. Oh, Mackanin isn't old.

At age 39, his competitive (ires burn just as brightly as they did when he was in the midst of his 1 6-year professional playing career. And this winter he plans to play Senior League baseball, just to prove, perhaps only to himself, he has lost no more than a step or two since he retired and became a manager in 1985. ITS OBVIOUS Mackanin is enjoying his role as the Sounds' on-field leader, a job he says has been made easier because of the character of the team. "I've had eight stints as a manager, including two in Venezuelea. This is far and away the best bunch of players I've had to manage," he said.

"I've had no problem players. Everyone is here to win and do their work, and there is nobody who doesn't work hard. It's uncanny because you almost always have players who get lazy. But whether we win or lose the pennant this has been my most enjoyable season." Mackanin has the Sounds extraordinary relaxed for a club in a tight pennant race with just 15 games to play. It's an approach he and pitching coach Ray Rippelmeyer have utilized in taking the Sounds to the final days of the season.

Not once has Mackanin issued a gag order to his team as Buffalo Manager Terry Collins virtually did during the recent Nashville trip. But at the same time, Mackanin has not handled his club with kid gloves. HE'S BEEN brash in his assessment with caustic shoot-from-the-hip analysis of his team's shortcomings. Despite his tough-guy role, he remains approachable to the players. Yet because of his stern manner, he has gotten results.

"I think I've learned from the number of years of experience in how to handle players, learning from the mistakes I've made in different -situations in the past" Mackanin said. "I'm trying to put it all together run a game and handle players the way it should be done without falling prey to my emotions. I think IJve gained the respect of everyone, yet I'm approachable And I feel when I tell the players to do something, they do it both on and off the field. "And another thing which has helped us this year is Rip has been outstanding with the pitchers. He's given me a lot of confidence and understanding in how I've been handling the pitching." BUT WHILE Mackanin enjoys a friendship of sorts with his players, he never loses sight of his goal "Over the years I've made a conscious effort to try to review the way I approach things.

My first couple of years I tempered everything I said. I was careful of what I did because I was aware of the emotional factor and I was dealing with younger players who were just learning. I was more tolerant of unacceptable play," Mackanin said. "And at Class that's the level players have to be taught more. "But in Triple-A, there is still a lot instruction, more than these players think there is." Just like the players with the Sounds, Mackanin has his eye on a big-league managing career.

However, he has no illusions a Class AAA pennant will be a ticket to the majors. "No minor league manager is going to get a big-league job because of his record. But he may get a chance to move up to a coaching job because he is recognized as a good baseball man. I don't have a name like Rose or Bowa or some others which will get me the chance," he said. "And I dont want to take anyone's job in Cincinnati But if someone there gets a managerial job, yeah, it ,1 i mmmmmw.

Quarterback Darian Hagan hopes to get the Colorado offense off and running against Tennessee on Sunday. Twin Peaks: UT, Colorado QBs on rise Hagarfs been on the run since youth UWIII II ''I Perfectionist Kelly hopes to improve DAVID CUMER Sports Writer He is a flawless 6-0 as Tennessee's starting quarterback but Andy Kelly recognizes he is far from perfect. Kelly has spent the preseason attempting to build upon last year's performance, correcting minor errors and honing his skills in preparation for Sunday's season opener against Colorado. "I don't think I've arrived yet I know I have a lot of room for improvement" he says. I Turn to PAGE 5C, Column 1 I knew, all these guys were chasing me," Hagan recalls.

Relaxing after a Colorado practice session, the memory is still vivid for Hagan. "I knew if they caught me, they'd kill me," he said. But the LA gang members were among the first to discover what much of the nation's football fans now know: Seeing Darian Hagan is one thing; catching him is another matter. "You learned to move when you were in that neighborhood," he says. The address has changed but he I Turn to PAGE 5C, Column 1 DAVID CLIMER Sports Writer BOULDER, Colo.

Darian Hagan almost ran out of options as a youngster. Growing up in the tough Watts section of Los Angeles, Hagan one day made the mistake of wearing his football jersey home from practice. The red jersey caught the attention of a gang member who recognized the color as belonging to a rival gang. Within seconds, other members of the gang had been summoned and the chase was on. "I never even thought about what color I was wearing.

I was just going home and the next thing Andy Kelly 6-0 as Tennessee starter Games' plans TOE iMATBSm Temperature's rising, so are the risks to athletes still up in air 49ers winner over Broncos JOHN MOBSMAN Associated Press DENVER Defensive lineman Dennis Brown returned an interception 23 yards to set up Mike Cofers field goal with 14 seconds left, climaxing a 20-point comeback and giving the San Francisco 49ers a 27-24 victory over the Denver Broncos in a rematch of Super Bowl teams. The 49ers, who trailed 24-7 early in the second half after John El way threw two touchdown passes and ran for another, rallied behind backup quarterback Steve Young. Elway staked Denver to an apparently comfortable lead as the Broncos sought to erase part of the stigma from their 55-1 0 Super Bowl blowout loss to the 49ers in January. I Turn to PAGE 6C, ANTHONY COLEMAN and MAURICE PATTON Sports Writers Dangerously hot That's how a forecaster with the National Weather Service described yesterday's scorching temperatures. A 100-degree temperature was one degree short of a state record, set in 1983.

With the heat index close to 1 10, high school football coaches had to back off the pedal and allow their athletes to put it in cruise control due to the almost unbearable heat "It is awfully dangerous in this type of heat" Ron Flagstad of the National Weather Service said. "Your I Turn to PAGE 5C, Column 1 Tennessean Staff Reports There still has been no decision on whether ex-Vanderbilt running back Brad Gaines will continue to pursue restoration of his college eligibility in federal court Gaines had said late last week a decision On filing a lawsuit in federal district court here would be made yesterday. His Nashville attorney, Roger May, yes-: -terday said he is still going over options for ihe former Dupont High School star in the ytake of a federal district court ruling 'which failed to restore the eligibility of otre Dame's Braxton Banks in a some-' Srhat similar case. Under NCAA rules, Gaines became ineligible for his final season of competition because he entered this spring's National Football League draft I Turn to PAGE 5C, Column 5 ElStebertj Staff Brentwood High School's Jason Miller finds a way to beat the Midstate heat wave during a scrimmage against Pearl-Cohn. would be a big thrill for me to get to move up.

I think anyone in this game has aspirations.".