The Kerrville Times from Kerrville, Texas • Page 6

6 Monday, July 27, 1992 Sports Slatlu Diebel grabs first U.S. gold BARCELONA, Spain (AP) An American flag wrapped rakishly over his shaved scalp, three earrings piercing his lobes, the Olympic symbol tattooed boldly on his hip, Nelson Diebel wore the jaunty look of a pirate who had plundered gold. It was the first U.S. gold of these Summer Games, and the unlikeliest of swimmers swiped it in Olympic- record time in the 100-meter breaststroke on a day of improbable triumphs and sudden tragedy, odd slips and fierce disputes. One of the most graceful athletes, world champion gymnast Kim Zmeskal, shockingly fell from the balance beam in her first event, and is in danger of not qualifying for the all-around finals.

But, thanks to teammate Shannon Miller, the U.S. women still have a chance of winning the team medal by upsetting the heavily favored Unified Team. The Dream Team made its debut in a predictable laugher, the levity of a 116-48 romp over Angola marred only by a little roughness from Charles Barkley that drew a stem warning from Michael Jordan. The Americans were up 38-7 when Barkley elbowed Angola's Herlander Coimbra in the chest after they tangled briefly. That got Bark- Sports briefs Junior All-Stars advance in tourney Kerrville Junior League All-Stars have advanced to Wednesday's championship round of the sectional tournament after defeating Round Rock on Saturday, 19-3.

The All-Stars got a tremendous game from pitcher Alex Ybarra, as he collected 13 strikeouts while allowing just 1 hit in seven innings of work. Johnny Lopez went 2-for-4 at the plate with 3 RBl's, while Tim Faure went 3-for-4 with 3 RBI's to help Kerrville beat the defending state champions. The All-Stars, undefeated in the double-elimination tourney, will find out who they'll face on Tuesday. Sports on TV Baseball Houston Astros at Atlanta Braves, 6:35 p.m., TBS (Channel 20) Pittsburgh Pirates at Chicago Cubs, 7 p.m., WGN (Channel 18) Oakland Athletics at Minnesota Twins, 7 p.m., ESPN (Channel 17) Olympics Men's gymnastics, swimming (both), women's platform diving, USA basketball vs. Croatia, 7 p.m., KMOL (Channel 4) Kim Zmeskal took an unexpected tumble from the balance beam on Sunday.

ley an intentional foul, and Coimbra converted the free throw for the only point in a 46-1 run. "He hit me and I hit him," Barkley shrugged after leading all scorers with 24 points. "It's a ghetto thing. It's part of the physical play of the game." Barkley may have seemed the bad guy, but Diebel was a most pleasant pirate, a Princeton man, really, no longer the wayward youth who Fall bowling schedule The 1992-93 ball bowling schedule has been announced by the Family Sports Center. Bowlers are urged to sign up for a league as soon as possible.

6:30 p.m. Sunday Night Mixed. 9:15 a.m. Monday Parks and Recreation Mixed. 6:30 p.m.

Monday Night Scramblers Mixed. 1:15 p.m. Tuesday Seniors Mixed. 6 p.m. Tuesday Trio Mixed.

8:30 p.m. Tuesday Men's Charer. 9:15 a.m. Wednesday Ladies Coffee. 6 p.m.

Wednesday Twilight Mixed. 8:30 p.m. Wednesday Couples Mixed. 9:30 a.m. Thursday Early Birds Ladies.

6 p.m. Thursday Mixed Foursome. 8:30 p.m. Thursday Night Hawks. Noon Business Persons Doubles.

7 p.m. Friday Notre Dame Mixed. 9:30 a.m. Saturday Jr. Mixed.

nearly destroyed himself with booze and pot from 12 to 16. He's a reformed two- pack-a-day smoker who still calls himself "way loo hyper." And he summed up for all Olympic champions the feeling of clutching a gold medal: "I was happy, I was sad, I was freaked out It was awesome. It's like a drug, you know. It's the best high you can ever get." Diebel would know because he's been through it all, and when asked why he could conceivably be sad after winning in 1 minute, 1.50 seconds, .10 off his own American record, he replied, "It's over. It's a great rush to have done it and gotten the gold and everything.

I wish I could do it all over again." His triumph was tempered by a deeper sadness, though. Less than 16 hours earlier, teammate Ron Karnaugh learned his father had died of a heart attack while fondly watching him march in the opening ceremonies. Ron, 26, learned of the death at 3:30 a.m. when he was awakened by coach Terry Stoddard and taken to a U.S. Olympic Committee office.

His mother, Jean, and sister, Debbie, were waiting. His mother broke the news. Sunday's Highlights: BASKETBALL U.S. men's team routed Angola 116-48. Charles Barkley's 24 points and Maqic Johnson's 10 assists were tops.

VOLLEYBALL bounce off player's head allowed U.S. men's team to survive a match point as it defeated Japan. But International Volleyball Federation upheld Japanese protest that U.S. player should have been ejected at earlier decisive moment for yelling at officials. Federation officials meet Monday to discuss the case.

MONDAY U.S. men's basketball team plays Croatia. Women's platform diving final. "He has confirmed that he is go- anything to see his son, the world's ing to swim and swim well" Friday top-ranked swimmer in the event, in the 200-meter individual medley, Stoddard said. Peler Karnaugh wanted more lhan race Olympics.

Friends and neighbors in Maplewood, who raised $27,000 for the Kamaughs' trip to watch Ron, were in agony. Houston ready for the Astros take 8-5 pounding from Chicago HOUSTON Houston Astros hoped to give their fans a win to remember during their monthlong road trip. Instead, it was the Chicago Cubs who went away cheering. "We just couldn't get them out today," said Astros manager Art Howe after Chicago's 8-5 victory Sunday in the Astrodome. Both teams left town facing major obstacles.

Houston begins a 26-game road trip while die Republican National Convention takes over the Astrodome. Chicago will host the NL East-leading Pittsburgh Pirates. Chicago built an 8-1 lead in the eighth, but Houston foi'ght back with a solo home by Eric Anthony, his second of the game, and a three- run shot from Jeff Bagwell. But reliever Jim Bullinger preserved the victory for starter Mike Harkey (1-0). It was his first win since Aug.

17, 1990. Harkey has been sidelined with cartilage damage in his right shoulder since April 1991. "I think I'm right on schedule in my rehabilitation," said Harkey, who was making his second start of the year. "I had better command today than I did in Cincinnati," where he gave up one run and four hits in 51-3 innings. Harkey was the Sporting News' National League Rookie Pitcher of the Year in 1990 with a 12-6 record and a 3.26 ERA in 27 starts.

"I just want to be out there every fifth day," Harkey said. "I will know that I am all the way back when I make every start the rest of the year." The Cubs may need Harkey more than ever because they may be forced to disable Shawn Boskie with a shoulder injury. Houston All-Star second baseman Craig Biggio makes contact with a pitch during the Astros' 3-2 win over Chicago on Saturday night. The Cubs, however, got the last laugh as they blasted Houston on Sunday, 8-5. The Astros now embark on a 26-game road trip.

(Photo by Brent Dollar) Chicago is fifth in the NL East, games behind the Pirates. The Cubs return to Wrigley Field on Monday following a 6-4 road trip, their longest of the second half. We ust have to continue to play like we have been. We knew we had to get on it after the All-Star said Chicago manager Jim Lefebvre. The Cubs' 10-game trip is nothing compared to what the Astros face with their 28 days on the road.

The Astros begin in Atlanta against the Braves, who have won 13 of their last 14 games. That could be a tough beginning for' Houston, which has the worst road record in baseball at 13-27. "I will be happy if we play good, sound baseball on the Howe said. "Fatigue may be a factor late in the trip. After 10 or 12 games on the road, every team is ready to go home." The Astros didn't give their home fans much to cheer about early, falling behind 3-0 in the third.

Harkey singled and advanced on a double by Mark Grace, who had three hits. Andre Dawson singled and Kal Daniels doubled him home. Steve Buechele' drove in Grace and Ryne Sandberg in the fifth and the seventh, then Chicago added three more in the eighth off Rob Murphy. Anthony's homers helped him break out of a two-week slump, during which he went six for 35. The home runs give him a career-high 11 this season.

NL ROUNDUP Expos stay within reach of Pirates (AP) All during the Atlanta Braves' surge this month, another team was making a move in the National League. Not that anyone really noticed the Montreal Expos. Year after year, no one ever notices the Expos until midseason, when they always seem to somehow sneak up in the standings. The Expos won again Sunday, rallying for two runs in the ninth inning to beat Los Angeles 4-3. A crowd of 46,620, the largest at Olympic Stadium since opening day in 1988, saw the Expos stay within two games of NL East- leading Pittsburgh.

The Pirates beat Atlanta 5-4, stopping the Braves' franchise record-tying winning streak at 13. Delino DeShields doubled home the tying run with two outs in the ninth when his grounder glanced off the glove of rookie first baseman Eric Karros. Bret Barberie followed with a blooper that Karros misplayed into a game-winning single. "If we win the division by one game, maybe we'll look back at that ugly play," Barberie said. "We need breaks like that to win championships." In other games, Chicago beat Houston 8-5, Cincinnati defeated St Louis 7-6 in 10 innings, San Diego edged New York 1-0 and Philadelphia downed San Francisco 7-2.

The Dodgers lead the majors with 98 errors in 98 games, and even though Karros was not charged with any miscues, Dodgers manager Tom Lasorda wasn't happy. "It was hard to tell whose ball it was but it had to be caught," said Lasorda, ejected in the first inning during an argument with umpire Charlie Williams. "It should have been caught," Karros agreed. "I wasn't where the ball was." Mel Rojas (3-1) was the winner and Wilson took the loss. Pirates 5, Braves 4 In another game as tense and tight as the ones in last October's playoffs, Pittsburgh won at Atlanta on Orlando Merced's go-ahead single with two outs in the ninth.

The Braves tied it at 4-4 in the eighth on pinch hitter Lonnie Smith's three-run homer. But Pittsburgh bounced back when Jeff King led off with a single against Mark Wohlers (0-2), Don Slaught sacrificed and Merced singled. Stan Belinda (5-2) wound up as the winning pitcher despite giving up Smith's second home run of the season, both as a pinch-hitter. Reds 7, Cardinals 6 Darnell Coles got five hits and Hal Morris hit a solo home run in the 10th inning as Cincinnati won at Busch Stadium. Coles singled in the ninth and later scored on Bill Doran's single to tie it at 6.

The Reds rallied against Lee Smith, who has blown six of 30 save chances. Cincinnati won in the 10th when Morris connected against Cris Carpenter (3-4) for his fourth home run of the season. Atlanta losing secondary to other sports In baseball-crazed Atlanta, Falcons coach Jerry Glanville must be wondering whether he's in the right city or the right sport, for that matter. The Falcons opened summer camp Sunday with this to contemplate: safely Brian Jordan, a team leader and one of its leading ladders, has signed a three-year contract to play baseball for the St, Louis Cardinals; wide receiver Andre Risen wants a new contract and is threatening to switch lo pro basketball; and cornerback Deion Sanders, he with a National League-leading 13 triples and lofty ,317 balling average for ihe Braves, says both football and baseball are equally important to him. What's paramount for the Falcons is getting Rison and Sanders in camp, and quickly.

It is important to keep continuity, get people signed and gel the emphasis back on ihe football field," said Ken Herock, Falcons' vice president of player personnel. If the Falcons had to suit up and play today with a revamped secondary, they probably couldn't utilize the all-out single-coverage style that helped produce 11 victories last season. "We'd have to play more zone," cornerback Tim McKyer said. "We couldn't blitz on defense like we have with new people learning starting roles." Sanders, who was offered $1 million earlier in the summer if he NFL TRAINING CAMPS showed up for the Falcons' mini- camp in mid-July, is under contract with the Braves through the end of July, and with Ihe Falcons through the upcoming season, with an option for 1993. "I'm right where I want to be," Sanders said.

"I don't need the Falcons. They need me." The Falcons held their first irain- ing camp workout Sunday al the same time Sanders was playing center field against the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Braves reportedly have offered Sanders a two-year deal worth $3.6 million. He can pick up an $800,000 bonus if he reports to the Falcons on Aug. 1.

Bears If William "Refrigerator" Perry is doing any eating these days, he's probably eating his heart out along with Jay Hilgenberg. They're Ihe only unsigned players on Ihe Chicago Bears. Hilgenberg, a perennial Pro Bowl selection, is asking for 1.6 million a year, which would make him the NFL's highest paid offensive lineman. Player personnel chief Bill Tobin says nobody's expressed an interest in Perry, whom the Bears put on the trading block Friday. Cowboys The Cowboys used an early burst by their first-unit offense Sunday night, defeating the Houston Oilers 12-6 in a scrimmage at Austin.

Troy Aikman led the attack, throwing for one touchdown and running for another on Dallas' first two possessions. Broncos Pro Bowl running back Gaslon Green signed a series of one-year contracts with Denver on Sunday. Terms were not disclosed. Green, UCLA's all-lime leading rusher, joined the Broncos last year in a trade with the Rams. Patriots The Palriois are down to two unsigned veterans wide receiver Michael Timpson and defensive end Garin Veris and two unsigned draft choices offensive lineman Eugene Chung and cornerback Rod Smith.

The Patriots signed veteran cor- nerback Mickey Washington on Sunday. Terms of that agreement also were not disclosed. Bengals Cincinnati still has two unsigned rookies including the team's top draft pick, quarterback David Klingler and six unsigned veterans. Wide receiver Reggie Rempert joined the team and practiced Sun- Oilers close to signing Moon SAN ANTONIO (AP) Houston Oilers owner Bud Adams says the club is close to reaching a contract agreement with quarterback Warren Moon. "It's fairly imminent," Adams said.

"We've had excellent dialogue with Warren's agent (Leigh Steinberg). I think we're going to gel an agreement, but it's not just something you can do overnight." Adams is willing to buy out the escalator bonus from the last two years of Moon's contract for millions of dollars. Moon makes base salaries of $1.5 million this year and $4 million next year. To buy out the clause and pay it in the form of an extension, Moon probably would get somewhere in the vicinity of $4 million to $6 million. "I want to do what's right for the Oilers, but something like this takes lime," Adams said at a weekend news conference.

WARREN MOON day after missing a team meeting and curfew Friday, and both practice sessions on Saturday. He was fined, but the team declined to reveal his excuse. Jets The Jets' quarterback quandary continues veteran Ken O'Brien and backup Troy Taylor are still holding out for more money. The Jets have offered O'Brien $1.5 million, which would be a $50,000 raise over last season. O'Brien wants $2 million this year and $1.75 million next year.

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