Star Tribune from Minneapolis, Minnesota • Page 22

TuesdayJune 131995Star Tribune THE BEST BET THE FACT Loons, Blue On looking for fans Cry) PAGE Since 1955, the world-record times for men running marathons have decreased 8 percent. During the same period, women's world-record marathon times have decreased by 36 percent. The Stanley Cup's Eastern Conference finals are on ESPN at 6:30 p.m., and the Twins and the Angels on Midwest Sports Channel at 9, but with weather like this, a walk around the lakes is more appealing than either. Establishing identity no easy task Olson contends that more fans will looking like Foreigners Open the way they want" she said Monday. "It's not appropriate, and as federal employees we cannot endorse a product or service." Just call him 'Righty' Experts were checked about every detail on the Babe Ruth statue at the entrance to Oriole Park at Camden Yards.

They debated 1 995 Tftm UK Ssrvfcee, he As grttt Hasans! By Jerry Zgoda Staff Writer The Tin Cities might be on the cuiiing cuge of a lutilujia! revolt against the greed of big-time professional sports. But entrepreneurs who are trying to find their niche in the world of the alternative sports market are discovering there aren't always instant answers to establishing an identity and fan base. The exception is the St Paul Saints, who continue to draw sellout crowds of 6,200 fans to Midway Stadium for their independent Northern League games. But elsewhere from Blue Ox roller hockey at Aldrich Arena, to Loons Prairie League baseball at Sie-bert Field, to the Minnesota Stars' Women's Basketball League games at Minneapolis Community College not too many fans are parting with their money. At Siebert Field, managerminority owner Greg Olson and owner Roger Nieboer were hopeful that the addition of beer this season would double, or even triple, last season's average of about 800 fans a game.

In last weekend's season-opening series against the Minot Mallards, the Loons drew 982 fans on Friday, 419 on Saturday and 828 on Sunday. "Our biggest problem still is people don't know who or what we are," said Nieboer, a theatrical producer, director and playwright from Mora, who returned home from California last year to run the Loons. "The Saints are an anomaly. Minor league baseball traditionally has been a small-town product; the Saints have been able to tap into the community spirit of that with St Paul suffering in the shadows of Minneapolis for so long. We've not been able to tap into Minneapolis so far." Nieboer contends that "community boosterism" plays better in Prairie League cities such as Aberdeen, S.D., or Minot N.D.

"Here, people want to know what kind of media buy is it how many fans will see my signboard?" he said. "In Minot or Aberdeen, it's a big thing that has hit town. We're lucky to get a reporter out to one of our games." I U.S. Open Ladbrokes, the British bookmaker based in London, can't find a strong American contender to win the U.S. Open golf title this week.

Mark Calcavecchia, a 20-1 shot, was the highest-rated American, and he was behind five others when the betting list was an- nuunceo rviunuay. Australia's Greg Norman, who has never won the event, is the 9-1 favorite ahead of Britain's Nick Faldo and Nick Price of Zimbabwe, the current U.S. PGA and British Open champion, who are 11-1. Then come defending champion Ernie Els of South Africa and Bernard Langer of Germany, both at 12-1 The tournament at Shinne-cock Hills in Southampton, N.Y., begins on Thursday. I Last year's victory by Els at Oak- mont was the first by a non-American for 12 years.

Ladbrokes says that the odds for a European win- ning for the first time since Tony Jacklin won at Hazeltine in 1970 are 5-2. Other leading Americans on the jist Fred Couplet, looking for his U.S. Ooen title, is tied for k'-seventh at 25-1 along with Lee 'janzen, tne 1933 open cnampion won the Kemper Open on Sundav. 3 Marketing ploy nixed NASA has rejected the Houston Rockets' request to unveil new from aboard the shuttle Atlantis during its upcoming dock-ihg with the Russian space station. Johnson Space Center spokeswoman Billie Oeason said the club asked about the possibility on Friday.

The Rockets will announce their Ttew colors and logo during the NBA draft June 28. Deason said the Rockets would have been re- jected even if they had asked sooner. "We can't participate in 0 0 Gary Shelton I 111 you wonder 1-1 1-1 guess is The in Pom EA5EBALL5 -vicfca hops Screaming LINE DRIVER -NASTY GROUNDERS find the ballpark once a tew home series have been played. One thing to remfmbr: None of these teams or leagues has to worry about a salary cap. Stars players receive $100 a game, officials get $55 per game, although average attendance between 200 and 250 a game likely doesn't cover expenses.

Nieboer said his team needs to average between 1,200 and 1,500 fans to break even. Blue Ox chief executive Lila Ryan said the Roller Hockey International team can survive on the 1,000 fans it drew to each of its first two home games at Aldrich Arena. "A thousand doesn't kill me it only hurts my feelings because our rent is reasonable," she said. "But certainly things look better at 3,000 a night." The Blue Ox were born after the Arctic Blast, which played at Target Center last summer, left the RHI and took a year's leave of absence while planning to move into a new league next year. RHI officials didn't want to lose the Minnesota market in ijs 19-team league, so Ryan whose background is child psychology 4-was enlisted to run a new league-owned team that also is looking for local investors.

Ryan's husbanq, Mike, owns the Chicago franchise with Minneapolis law-firm partner George Mikan. The Blue Ox includes such former Arctic Blast players as Billy Pye, Tim Hanus and Jim Hau. "This is a natural market although hockey cities probably are the hardest places to sell roller hockey," Ryan said. "Here, ice hockey really is a year-round 3 Both Nieboer and Ryan hope to cap'ir talize on anti-pro sports feelings heltj by fans disenchanted with work stopr pages in the NHL, Major League Baseball and perhaps soon in the NBA. Their prices $6 for adults, $3 for kids for Loons' games, $10 for, reserved, $5 for general admission for the Blue Ox are the lure.

In an attempt to improve upon last weekj end's attendance, the Loons are slashing prices to $2 a ticket for this weekend's series against Moose Jaw. Loons 10, Brandon 3 it AT BRANDON, MANITOBA 13 Loan 001 230 33010 16 I Brandon 000 001 02O1 6 3 Loons Spurgeon and Boyce. Brandon Moffat (5), Eastman (7), Snaknadma (8) and Kaller. Spurgaon l-O). Opray (0-1).

HR LoontJ Kama (2). ''n (Through Sunday) Batting Taam Avg. AB HN BB SO SB Winn. .309 288 59 59 id'l 49 11 47 Brj 61 1ft 1 59 i Saints .308 334 55 103 Dukrth .280 304 40 S. City .282 305 38 T.Bay 260 308 43 S.Falls .243 276 44 85 60 1 39 6 34 77 6 67 11 31 Pitching Taam W-L ERA CO 8H Sv BB 80 S.

City Sainta Dukitti Winn. T.Bay S. Falls 4-5 3.60 77 6-3 4.11 76 4-6 4.56 82 6-3 4.79 89 4-5 5.01 76 34 6.88 102 31 56,. 38 54 1 42 46 6a 43 68 36 Batting AB Avgt i Shook, Sainta Biamat Saints Laa, Wmntpag Young, Sioux City Murphy, Sioux City Oartola, Winnipeg Valdaz, Sioux Fairs Hwndareon, Dututh Proctor, Sioux City Davit, Skxjx Falls 40 40 31 29 27 38 34 21 35 33 18 17 13 12 11 15 13 8 .425,1 .385 .382 .3810 13 12 iff! 3 Marlins buy Dascenzo, Zupcic Christie won't defend 1 00 title whether The Babe wore his belt buckle on the left or right side; whether his hat was cocked to the side or straight They double-checked the proper size of his belt loops. One fact escaped scrutiny.

The bronze 9-foot 800-pound Babe, unveiled last month is clutching on his hip a righthanded fielder's glove. The real Babe was Now that Nancy Kerrigan get tier for a wedding beaten 6-2, 4-6, 6-1 by fellow American Jared Palmer in cold, damp and windy conditions that exaggerated the effects of the new ball. Australian Patrick Rafter, seeded 14th, beat American Vin Spandea 6-3, 6-1 Rafter's countryman Jason Stol-tenberg, seeded 1 0, beat Swiss Jakob Hlasek 6-4, 6-2, and No. 15 Javier Frana crushed Michael Tebbutt Pam Shriver was one of only two seeded players who survived first-round matches at the DFS Classic women's grass-court tennis tournament in Birmingham, England. Shriver, seeded 14th, defeated Tatiana Panova from Russia 6-3, 6-0.

The No. 1 1 seed, Laurence Courtois of Belgium, defeated British No. 1 Clare Wood 6-2, 6-4. Auto racing Kalittawins Scott Kalitta, Al Hofmann, Steve Schmidt and John Myers posted victories at the rain-delayed Olds-mobile Springnationals at National Trail Raceway in Kirkersville, Ohio. The $1 .3 million event, ninth stop in the 19-race NHRA Winston Drag Racing Series, had been completed down to the finals on Sunday before rain forced the postponement Etc.

The Buffalo Bills signed veteran wide receiver Bill Brooks and draft choices John Holocek and Tom Nutten The Philadelphia Eagles signed unrestricted free-agent wide receiver Kelvin Martin to a one-year contract. Former Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Tim Barnett was convicted of second-degree sexual assault of a child for an incident last year in a Milwaukee hotel involving a 14-year-old maid. Sentencing was set for July 5. Washington defenseman Calle Johansson signed a five-year, $5 million contract with the Capitals. In 1995, Johansson led Capitals defensemen in scoring and was fourth on the team with 31 points in 46 games The Florida Panthers NHL team signed free-agent forwards Todd Harkins and Rhett Trombley to multiyear contracts.

a lefty. Batted left Threw left. Was even called Lefty as a kid. "My instant reaction is: artists!" said Robert Creamer, author of "Babe: The Legend Comes to Life." Artist Susan Luery, who admits to "not being very astute in the fine points of sports," said she worked with a vintage glove sent over by the Babe Ruth Museum in Baltimore. Museum director Mike Gibbons said the glove was used in lieu of a real one because Ruth's equipment is too valuable to lend.

By the time the error was caught, it was too late. "It was 9 feet tall and in the foundry and ready to go, and I looked at it and said, 'Oh, Luery said. Gibbons noted Ruth probably did use righthanded gloves as a boy, because a lefthanded mitt may have been a luxury. "It was the right glove on the wrong man or the wrong glove on the right man," Luery said. Another bad nickname The transplanted Quebec team will not be known as the "Denver Nordiques." Rocky Mountain Extreme was the first choice of COMSAT Video Enterprises President Charlie Lyons, The Denver Post reported Monday.

COMSAT, which bought the Quebec Nordiques last month, wants the team to have a regional flavor and is considering attaching "Colorado" or "Rocky Mountain" to the name. The league office in New York still has to approve the name. Other nicknames considered were Cougars, Bighorns and Storm, according to the Post. Compiled by sports staff is engaged, 93 present. My Johannson new coach of Vulcans Jim Johannson has been named head coachgeneral manager of the St.

Paul Vulcans of the U.S. Hockey League. He succeeds Tom Ward, who has joined the Gophers hockey coaching staff. Johannson, 31, has more than 10 years of college, pro and international hockey experience. A 1986 graduate of Wisconsin, he was a forward on the Badgers' NCAA championship team in 1983.

The native of Rochester was a member of the 1988 and '92 U.S. Olympic teams. He also has played pro hockey in Germany and with Salt Lake City, Indianapolis and Milwaukee of the IHL Tryouts for the Vulcans' 25-man roster will be held June 23-25, with a second camp in July. St. Paul junior middleweight Mike Evgen scored a unanimous eight-round decision over Jeff Graffius of Pittsburgh in the main event of a professional boxing card Sunday night at Treasure Island Casino.

Welterweight Troy Lowery of St. Paul scored a second-round TKO over Chris Jefferies of Columbus, Ohio. The top slow-pitch Softball sluggers in the country will be hitting the 'deadest" ball on the market (44 core) this weekend at the 13th annual Dudley Budweiser Classic in Brooklyn Park. This will be the first time the ball has been used in a national invitational event. The goal is to have teams depend more on defense.

Action in the double-elimination tournament starts at 6 p.m. Friday. The championship game is at 1:30 p.m. Sunday. Home runs Davmmrt filmm Falta A nuiM, fiWH'i From Staff Reports Doug Dascenzo of the St.

Paul Saints and Bob Zupcic of the Duluth-Supe-rior Dukes, two Northern League outfielders with major league experience, were purchased Sunday night by the Florida Marlins' organization and assigned to Class AAA Charlotte. Dascenzo, 31, was hitting .289 with no home runs and seven RBI for the I Saints (6-3), who are tied for first place with Winnipeg. Zupcic, 28, was hitting .314 with one homer and five RBI. Charlotte is his hometown. The Saints released shortstop Angel Cesar, who was 0-for-3 in one game.

Loons win 4th straight Former Twins replacement player Steve Spurgeon pitched a complete-game six-hitter as the first-place Minneapolis Loons (4-0) beat the host Brandon Grey Owls 10-3 Monday night in the start of a three-game Prairie League series in Brandon, Manitoba. Loons third baseman Mick Kerns hit a two-run homer in the fourth inning. Right fielder Pat Wright singled home a run in the third and had a two-run single in the fifth. Blue Ox lose The host Ottawa Loggers defeated the Minnesota Blue Ox 8-6 Monday night in a Roller Hockey International game. Minnesota rallied from a 6-4 halftime deficit to forge a 6-6 tie in the third period on goals by John Hanson and Tony Gruba, but was outscored 2-0 in the final period.

Jim Hau had two goals and one assist for the Blue Ox, and Chris Tucker had a goal and two assists. Batten Avg. AB Biernat .425 9 40 3 17 Shook .450 9 40 7 18 Peltier .353 9 34 9 12 O'Neill .316 9 36 9 12 Dascenzo .289 9 38 8 11 Mota .281 8 32 8 9 Thomas .250 9 28 3 7 D'Alexander .233 7 30 2 7 Miller .227 8 22 3 8 Frazier .211 6 19 2 4 Lopez .100 3 10 1 1 Cesar .000 1 3 0 0 Totals .308 9 334 55 103 Pltchen W-L ERA OS CO Sh Sv Ross 0-0 0.00 2 0 0 0 0 Turri 0-0 0.00 2 0 0 0 3 Morales 1-0 0.93 4 0 0 0 0 Hebert 1-0 1.50 2 0 0 0 0 Drnweerd 0-1 1.80 2 2 0 0 0 Alkire 1-0 2.38 2 2 0 0 0 Stafford 2-0 2.70 5 0 0 0 0 Billiard 0-0 3.60 1 1 0 0 0 Curry 1-1 4.61 2 2 0 0 0 Walton 0-0 8.31 4 0 0 0 0 Pskievtch 0-1 14.1 3 2 0 0 0 Falls Kuld, Thunder Bay, Mveral others had at 20 Rum MHrf in ChMb cw 44. ei. the St.

Petersburg Times: what Tonya Harding will Club. 3 A David Wheaton Mark Kotsay, a sophomore outfielder-reliever who led Cat State-Fullerton to the national championship, received the R.E. (Bob) Smith Award as college baseball's player of the year. Kotsay set career College World Series records this season with his two grand slams and .529 batting average (15-for-29). UNLV has hired University of Memphis athletic director Charles Cavagnaro as its new athletic director.

Cavagnaro, who has been at Memphis for 14 years, will take over Aug. 1 from interim UNLV athletic director Fred Albrecht. Tennis Wheaton loses David Wheaton of Deephaven became the first player to be upset in the Queen's Club tournament in London, then complained about the new ball designed to reduce the speed of grass-court tennis. The Slazenger ball, which is 8 to 10 percent slower, is to be used at Wimbledon. "In my opinion, I don't think anything should be tampered with," Wheaton said.

"Grass Is a fast court surface, I think it should stay that way. If you want slow court tennis you should watch the French Open." Wheaton, the No. 9 seed, was If Ji Fats, 12; Laa, Winnipeg, 12; Biamat, Sainta, 1fpS Valdaz, Sioux Fairs, 10. tv 3 Stolen bases Young, Sioux City, O'NeiU, Saints, Lane, Sioux City, Dattota, severs! others tied at 3. Un Earned run avenge Peterman.

Thunder Bav. 0.00: Ward, Thunder Bay, 0.00; Nlshlguchl. Sioux 0.64; Morales, Saints, 0.93; Maatarrnan, 1 113. From News Services Olympic champion Linford Chris- tie, frustrated by criticism and his disputes with British track authorities, said Monday niqht he I will not defend his 100-meter title year's Atlanta Games. The sprinter, 34, appeared tearful and broke down when explaining tiis decision on a live television program in London.

Um definitely not going," he j-srald. "It's got to the stage now where athletics isn't my life." fThe 100 meters is the glamour event of the Summer Games, Christie would have been in position to become only the third man to win the 100 in consecutive Olympics. I Archie Hahn of the United States in 1904 and 1906. Carl Lewis in 1984 and 1988. Lewis was I awarded the gold in Seoul, South Korea, after Ben Johnson was disqualified for steroid use.

rBJFour days before the vote on location of the 2002 Winter Games, Quebec City played a card by announcing it had the backing of the province's native Indian groups that include 75,000 people. On Friday, the International Olympic Committee will vote on the location for the Games. Quebec is competing against favorite Salt Lake City, Ostersund, Sweden, and Sion, Switzerland. -V Colleges team named Six players from the Big East, led by Villanova's Kerry Kittles and Georgetown's Allen Iverson, were among the 12 players riamed to the U.S. team for the World University games, Aug.

12-18 in Gainesville, Fla. The other Big East players are Ray Allen of Connecticut, Austin Croshere of Providence, and Othella Harrington and Jerome Williams of Georgetown. The other members of the team include Charles O'Bannon of national champion UCLA, Jerod Haase of Kansas, Lorenzen Wright of Memphis State, Chucky Adams of South Florida, Tim Duncan of Wake Forest and Brian Evans of Indiana. etching (victories) McOarrty, Duruth, a Sainta, BaHey, Winnipeg 2. nln Saves Bruce Walton, Sainta, Barry Ootdmarv'q SLrr, wvwwf nmiiyuuH, onux un 10; lamon, inure.

der Bay, 14; Ward, Thunder Bav. 14: BaUev. peg, 14; Meyers, Sioux Falls, 12. cr) 3 -5b n1 H2B3B HR RBI BB SO SB 2 0 2 7 0 0 3 0 0 1 1 0 2 0 0 2 0 0 4 0 0 2 0 1 3 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 11 1 0 13 2 6 0 5 11 2 1 2 6 4 5 7 8 2 2 3 3 4 1 2 8 11 0 4 2 4 0 14 7 0 13 2 2 0 10 0 0 0 2 0 49 49 49 11 ngii 0 od 1 IB 0 0 Z)1 minx 27 IP ER HR HB BB SO WP art) 0 .82 0 3Vt 2V4 9 6 10 11Vi 6 5 13 4tt 7 0 0 1 1 2 3 2 2 7 4 0 0 1 1 2 3 2 2 7 4 11 3 4 10 2 6 10 1 4 6 3 0 5 18 11 obns 0bo! Via -no? Totals 6-3 4.11 9 9 0 0 3 81 54 78 38 37 2 7 38 1-.