Arizona Republic from Phoenix, Arizona • Page 36

I D2 The Arizona Republic Sunday, July 7, 1991 i 9 Cleveland fires McNamara Sports Hews Briefs Injury benches McGwire Mark McGwire, the American League's starting All-Star first baseman, said Saturday night he will not be able to attend the game because of the effects of a burst eardrum. AL Manager Tony La Russa replaced McGwire on the team with Texas first baseman Rafael Palmeiro. Reserve Cecil Fielder of Detroit will probably get the start at first for Tuesday night's All-Star Game at the SkyDome in Toronto. McGwire, elected by the fans to start over Fielder, is hitting only .200 with 13 homers and 42 RBIs for the Oakland A's. He has been selected to the All-Star team in each of his five major league seasons.

La Russa said McGwire has some fluid in his ear and still is bothered by long flights. Palmeiro entered Saturday night's game against Oakland hitting .318 with 12 homers and 39 RBIs. 1991 FIRED MANAGERS April 23: Nick Leyva, Phillies May 21: Don Zimmer, Cubs May 22: John Wathan, Royals May 23: Frank Robinson, Orioles June 3: Buck Rodgers, Expos Saturday: John McNamara, Indians Mike Hargrove Former first base coach becomes Indians' fifth manager in five years. Hargrove is designated replacement By Chuck Melvin The Associated Press CLEVELAND The Cleveland Indians, baseball's worst team, fired manager John McNamara and replaced him with first-base coach Mike Hargrove on Saturday. The announcement was made at a news conference at Cleveland Stadium.

McNamara, 59, was in the second year of a two-year contract with the Indians, the sixth major league team he has managed. Only McNamara, Jimmy Dykes and Dick Williams have managed that many major league teams since 1900. McNamara was the sixth major league manager to be fired this season. The others were Buck Rodgers of Montreal, Don Zimmer of Chicago, Nick Leyva of Philadelphia, John Wathan of Kansas City and Frank Robinson of Baltimore. At 26-52, the Indians have the worst record in the majors, and they lost eight of their final nine games under McNamara.

Since he took over at the start of last season, they've gone 102-137. Cleveland has won only five games since June 3. Hargrove is the Indians' fifth manager in five years. "John McNamara is not a scapegoat," team President Hank Peters said. "He's not totally to blame for what has happened here.

If there was a shortage of talent on this ballclub in the minds of any of you, this, we have a different type club today than the one we had a year ago, and it was my belief it was the type of club John might not be accustomed to During 13 full seasons and parts of five others as a manager, McNamara compiled a record of Hargrove, 41, played 12 seasons in the majors, dVi with the Indians. that responsibility is on my shoulders and the shoulders of management. "I think this year, he probably did as well as could be expected under the circumstances. This club is very much dedicated to going with a young, talented team, but it's inexperienced. As a result of "ytWWIqi ii i ij More baseball Julio Franco was scratched from the Texas lineup and is scheduled to undergo a series of tests on his heart today because of recurring chest pains.

The Rangers' second baseman will see Charles Cramer, a cardiac specialist. Franco experienced chest pains Friday afternoon but was cleared by team physician Mike Mykoskie after an electrocardiogram showed no abnormalities. Franco played Friday night in an 8-0 victory over California. When the chest pains reappeared Saturday, a further examination of Friday's EKG showed a slight change from the one taken in spring training and Mykoskie recommended that Franco not play until testing is completed Mike Scott Julio Franco The Rangers' second baseman may miss the All-Star Game because of recurring chest pains. McMurtry sparks i Firebirds by Toros A 1 owe t- hi -a fc i VA i 71' 1 Tammy VrettosThe Arizona Republic Andres Santana (left) and Darren Lewis will represent the Firebirds at Wednesday night's Triple-A All-Star Game in Louisville.

ALL-STAR BIRDS Lewis, Santana earn starting berths in annual game may not pitch again this season and the Houston Astros' former ace hinted that his career might be over. Scott's sore right shoulder, which sidelined him April 14, has not improved, the team said. "If I want to pitch again, I'll have to have a major operation, and it's doubtful that I will have the operation," Scott said. Educators honor former Viking Football great Alan Page, who has urged inner city youth to put academics before athletics, received the National Education Association's highest honor in Miami Beach, The former defensive lineman for the Minnesota Vikings between 1967-79 received the "Friend of Education Award" at the NEA's annual convention. "Each of us who has benefited from our education, especially black men and women, must represent hope for these children by becoming involved in our schools," Page told 8,100 teacher delegates.

Page, 45, established the Page Education Foundation that provides scholarships for graduating minority high school seniors. Lite Light wins rematch Lite Light stormed past Meadow Star for a 7-length victory in the horses' highly anticipated rematch in the Coaching Club American Oaks at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y. Lite Light, owned by the family of rap star M.C. Hammer, had lost to Meadow Star on June 8 in the Mother Goose at Belmont in a finish so close it took the placing judges 10 minutes to determine the winner. Lite Light raced Wa miles under Corey Nakatani in Auto racing Emerson Fittipaldi held off Michael Andretti to grab the pole position for today's CART Cleveland Grand Prix.

Fittipaldi drove his Chevrolet-powered Penske racer around the temporary road circuit at 140.842 mph Riccardo Patrese of Italy captured the pole at the French Grand Prix, bumping Ayrton Senna out of the front row at Magny Cours. Patrese drove his Williams-Renault around the 2.645-mile circuit in 1 minute, 14.559 seconds, averaging 128.140 mph. Alain Prost was second, driving a new Ferrari 643 in 1:14.783 Darrell Alderman won $50,000 in the Budweiser Pro Stock Challenge, a special event during the final day of qualifying for the NHRA Mopar Summernationals in Englishtown, N.J. Frank Hawley unseated Joe Amato in the final round of qualifying in the Top Fuel category. Jim White and Warren Johnson held onto their No.

1 qualifying positions in Funny Car and Pro Stock, respectively. N.Y. Riverside sweeps BCI tournament New York Riverside Church swept the LA Gear BCI Boys International Junior basketball tournament at Scottsdale Saguaro High School. In the 15 division, Riverside defeated Scottsdale Elite, 96-86, led by tournament most valuable player Kerry Thompson's 22 points. In the 14 division, Riverside beat Sacramento BCI, 73-57.

In the 13 division, Riverside overcame Mid-Valley, 14-12, in a one-quarter playoff game. Each team had one loss in the double elimination tournament, setting up the playoff. Area players named to the all-tournament team include Scottsdale's M.J. Nodilo and Ross Johnson, Terry Fair of South Mountain, and Gerald Brown of Carl Hayden. Noteworthy By Bob McManaman The Arizona Republic Firebirds pitcher Craig McMurtry used his arm and his glove Saturday night at Phoenix Muncipal Stadium.

i The result was a 4-1 Pacific Coast League victory over the Tucson Toros in front of 4,033, the Firebirds' fourth victory in five games. McMurtry (4-2) pitched seven shutout innings and made four dazzling assists in winning his third straight decision. He allowed only three hits, but walked seven (one intentionally). McMurtry faltered early. After retiring leadoff hitter Kenny Lofton, a former Arizona basketball star, McMurtry issued three straight walks to load the bases.

He got out of the jam on consecutive groundouts. Once McMurtry was under control, he started turning in some impressive fielding performances. He whipped two dribblers over to first for easy dtits, nailed Jose Tolentino straying off second on an infield grounder, and started a double play on a bunt by losing pitcher Lee Tunnell (4-2). "He came off there like a large cat moving in a hurry," Firebirds Manager Duane Espy said. "That was pretty impressive.

I haven't seen a double play on a bunt in a long time." McMurtry said, "I knew he was going to bunt and I just wheeled and threw. I was lucky, it could have wound up in center field." Shortstop Andres Santana gave the Firebirds a 1-0 lead when he led off the first with an inside-the-park home run his first in five professional seasons. "I'm not supposed to hit home runs because I'm so skinny," Santana said, "but now I finally can say I did it." The Firebirds added another run jn the fifth on Darren Lewis' two-out RBI single to center. Gregg Ritchie scored in the seventh for Phoenix on Kirt Manwaring's sacrifice fly to right. With McMurtry out of the game, the Toros crept back at the expense of Eric Gunderson, who still is adjusting to the bullpen.

After allowing a run on doubles by Gary Cooper and Tolentino, he quickly was replaced by Rod Beck. Beck, who leads the Pacific Coast League with a 2.02 ERA, shut down Tucson over the final 2 innings for his team-leading sixth save. Firebirds third baseman Rick Parker hit a solo home run in the eighth to account for the final run. The series concludes at 6:05 tonight with Firebirds left-hander Rafael Novoa (5-1, 3.97) facing right-hander Terry Clark (9-3, 4.24). By Bob McManaman The Arizona Republic In another day or so, Darren Lewis and Andres Santana will clean out their lockers in the Firebirds' clubhouse.

They will collect their bats, their gloves and their spikes, and then they will leave. They are being rewarded for a job well done, for playing baseball better than most of their peers in the Triple-A Pacific Coast League. Lewis and Santana, two promising 23-year-olds with major league designs, are going to "The Show." No, they aren't packing for the majors. Not yet, anyway. This time, "The Show" means the annual Triple-A All-Star Game.

In nationwide balloting by managers and media representatives, Lewis, a center fielder, and Santana, a shortstop, were named starters for Wednesday night's game in Louisville. "I'm happy for both of them," Firebirds Manager Duane Espy said. "They deserve it. Playing in the All-Star Game can only help you. You're going to be playing in front of a lot of big league people and get some national exposure." Lewis and Santana both relish the idea of playing in the All-Star Game.

"It's a goal of mine I set before the season even started," said Lewis, a fourth-year pro from Berkeley, Calif. "Some people might rather stay at home and enjoy the three-day break, but I want to be there playing in that game. If I'm a little tired, that's too bad." Santana, a fifth-year pro from San Pedro de Marcois, Dominican Republic, wasn't sure what Espy meant when the manager informed he was going to Louisville. Santana, still learning English, first thought he had been traded to- the St. Louis Cardinals.

"He got it after a minute or two," Espy said, laughing. Speaking through an interpreter Firebirds pitcher Rafael Novoa Santana said, "It's an honor to be named an All-Star." The next time Lewis and Santana clear out their lockers, however, it might be to join the parent club San Francisco Giants. Speed and more Lewis ranks eighth in the PCL in hitting with a .337 average. Santana ranks 10th Santana is second in the league with 32. stolen bases.

Lewis is third (31). Lewis leads the Firebirds in hits (103), runs (62) and triples (10). Santana, who has been on the disabled list twice because of a hamstring injury, is fourth on the team in hits (83) and third in runs scored (47). Both have had impressive hitting streaks. Santana had the longest in pro baseball this season at 27 games.

Lewis had strings of 17 and 22. Giants Manager Roger Craig said he likes what he sees in both players. "They have tremendous potential, no question about it," he said. "They're going to get a lot better, too." After watching Lewis rob Will Clark of a home run with a leaping grab over the fence during the Giants' recent exhibition game here, Craig said: "That kid can play center field better than a lot of guys in the majors right now." Lewis was obtained from the Oakland Athletics last December in the trade for Ernest Riles. He opened last season with the A's Double-A team in Huntsville, then was promoted to Triple-A Tacoma.

The A's purchased his contract on Aug. 21, when Dave Henderson suffered an injured knee. Short but sweet "That was something," Lewis said. "My first time up, and they put me in the lineup in the heat of a pennant race. It was just an incredible feeling and an incredible story I'll be able to tell my kids and all my friends." Eight days after his promotion, though, the A's obtained free agent Willie McGee from the Cardinals, and Lewis' playing time diminished.

The A's reached the World Series, but Lewis never left the dugout. Lewis said he harbors no resentment toward the A's for letting him go, although he added they "might have made a mistake in the long run." "I feel I'm ready to play in the big leagues right now with the Giants, but there are a lot of things that are out of my control," Lewis said. "It's actually more beneficial for me to play here (in Phoenix) right now, but next year is going to be my time. It's just a matter of Santana, who still is waiting for his first shot at the majors, led the Northwest League with 45 stolen bases during his initial pro season in 1987. A year later, he led the Midwest League by stealing 88 at Class A Clinton.

He missed all but 18 games last season after suffering a broken ankle at Class A San Jose. Santana said he "just wants to play hard while he's here and, hopefully, get an opportunity to go up to the big leagues." For the moment, playing in the Triple-A All-Star Game is the next best thing. Former Atlanta Falcons quarterback Steve Bartkowski shot a 2-over 74 to take a 1 -stroke lead after second-round play in the Celebrity Golf Association Championship at Lake Tahoe, Nev Peter Elliott won the "Dream Mile" in the Bislett Games Grand Prix track and field meet in Oslo, Norway, running it in 3 minutes, 49.46 seconds, tops in the world this season Goalie Tony Meola made eight saves to lead the U.S. soccer team to a 2-0 victory over Mexico Friday night in the semifinals of the Confederation of North and Central American and Caribbean Association Football Gold Cup Peter Higgs-Coulthard of Scottsdale placed 5th in the junior division foil competition at the U.S. National Fencing Championships at St.

Charles, 111. Higgs-Coulthard, 17, is a student at Brophy High School. Compiled by John D. Ames of The Arizona Republic from reports by The Associated Press. aseball stars still shine, just not brightly sleepers with a memorable monster home run in 1989, will be absent, as will Jose Canseco (tied with Cecil Fielder for the major league home run lead) and Nolan Ryan, probably the biggest star in baseball Maybe Ken Griffey Jr.

and Dave Henderr son are better all-around players than Bo ever was but are we talking about the best movie actor, such as Hoffman and Hackman, or the biggest star, such as Schwarzenegger or Stallone? Besides, today's baseball stars are not always regarded ar heroes. In the days of Joe DiMaggio, Ted Williams and Mantle, great ballplayers were gods. Now, the waits are exposed, too. Think about last year's starting outfield for the Nationals Lenny Dykstra, Darryl Strawberry and Kevin Mitchell all have been linked to problems in the past. "There's a lot more hype, there's a lot more television, a lot more coverage, and 1 think more people are into baseball than ever before," Dave Winfield said.

"But, I don't think the All-Star Game has lost its luster or magic. Even guys from Seattle have big names now and go to All-Star Games. So, baseball's still big time." Frank Robinson. There were six home runs that evening, with Jackson, Harmon Killebrew and Frank Robinson connecting for the Americans and Aaron, Bench and Clemente for the Nationals. Pitchers such as Tom Seaver, Jim Palmer and Ferguson Jenkins wanted no part of it.

All-Star power zapped In the past five All-Star Games, there have been a total of five home runs, all by the American Leaguers. The last time the Nationals homered was 1984, when Dale Murphy and Gary Carter did it. Instead, all the power has been zapped by the strategy that now dominates: Bring in the short reliever. Bobby Thigpen, Mitch Williams, Doug Jones and Todd Worrell may not put together bunches of great seasons the way Don Drysdale did, but they're hot for one year, and for one inning, they're unhittable. In 1987, the year of the lively ball, the Nationals won, 2-0, in 13 innings.

Last season at Wrigley Field, it was 2-0, Americans. Bo Jackson, who broke up a string of isn't that bright anymore. The summer showcase has lost some of its shine. Could it be that the NBA, with Magic Michael, now puts on the top All-Star show? Today's stars not super yet "I think if you look at guys like Reggie Jackson, Pete Rose, Henry Aaron and Willie Mays, you're looking at me now in terms of what I accomplished," Jackson said. "Well, when I went to the All-Star Game in 1971, I did not have 500 home runs." Ah, 1971.

The night Reggie's star really began to rise, just like the ball he hit off the light tower at Tiger Stadium. But he already had hit more than 100 home runs by then, and it was only his fourth season. There were 18 future Hall of Famers in that game, not counting Rose, Steve Carlton and Jackson the first ineligible because of his ban from baseball for gambling, the last two not yet finished the five years it takes after retirement to be on the ballot. Six started for the American League Brooks Robinson, Carl Yastrzemski, Al Kaline, Rod Carew, Luis Aparicio and BASEBALL, from page Dl like the Nationals produced in 1966? Or the batting order they put together that July: Willie Mays leading off, then Roberto Clemente, Aaron and Willie McCovey? Those days, it was a real treat to see such a collection. That was before cable television, and was one of the few opportunities for many fans to watch stars such as Warren Spahn, Ernie Banks and Willie Stargell.

On Tuesday night at the SkyDome, outfielders Ivan Calderon, Felix Jose and Paul O'Neill will be on the bench for the Nationals. Pete Harnisch, John Smiley and Dennis Martinez will be among the pitchers. Tune in any day to ESPN, CNN or the local news, and you can see every one of them, They're good, sure. And some, such as Rickey Henderson, Tony Gwynn, Wade Boggs, Cal Ripken, Ryne Sandberg and Roger Clemens, rank right up there with Whitey Ford, Eddie Mathews, Yogi Berra, Roger Maris and the 17 Hall of Famers who played in 1961. But, by the looks of it, baseball's best OH THE AIR Television Baseball Athletics at Royals, Ch.

27, Ch. 55, 1 1:30 a.m. Braves at Dodgers, TBS, 1 p.m. Cubs at Cardinals, ESPN, 5 p.m. Tennis Wimbledon men's singles final, Ch.

12, 6 a.m. Golf Kroger Senior Classic, ESPN, 1 1 a.m. Centel Western Open, Ch, 10, 1 p.m. Auto racing CART Budweiser Cleveland Grand Prix, ESPN, 1 p.m. Radio Baseball Athletics at Royals, KAMJ (1230), 1 1 a.m.

Braves at Dodgers, KOY (550), 12:45 p.m. Padres at Giants, KCKY (1150), 12:43 p.m.; KAMJ (1230), 2 p.m. (joined in progress) Cubs at Cardinals, KCKY (1 1 50), 4:34 p.m. Angels at Rangers, KCKY 1 1 50), 7 p.m. (taped) Information supplied by networks and stations..