Asheville Citizen-Times from Asheville, North Carolina • Page 19

tor TJie Ashevilie Citizen PScoreboard2B OArea Roundup3B Sports A.M.3B Friday, April 27, 1990 )o)(0)L7ti LB: San Diego Will Retain America's San Diego defenders responded no su'chX JIM Vs I BAKER 1 Bay Boating Club in July 1987 triggered the brawl, finally conceded after exhausting all appeals. The Court of Appeal is the ultimate arbiter of Cup disputes under the Deed of Gift, the governing document of Cup competition. "The ruling is final and we accept it," Fay said in a statement. "It is time to move forward, however. We look forward to racing for the cup again off Point Loma (Calif.) in 1992." Fay had complained that by using the faster, twin-hulled catamaran, San Diego made a farce of the race and broke rules of sportsmanship because of the refusal to meet him in a "like and similar" craft high-tech catamaran to defeat the 133-foot single-hulled sloop from New Zealand In court-ordered races off San Diego in September 1988.

It was the first time boats of such radically different class met in 139 years of Cup competition: Use of the double-hulled catamaran also was unprecedented In the America's Cup. The San Diego entry, skippered by Dennis Conner, swept the best of three series In such convincing fashion that the event became known as "The Coma off Point Loma." New Zealand banker Michael Fay, whose maverick challenge on behalf of the Mercury Tha Associated Press SAN DIEGO The America's Cup, dinged by a three-year legal battle that bounced the sailing trophy between New Zealand and the United States, finally surfaced. New York's highest court, in a 5-2 decision, ended the tussle Thursday by awarding the Cup to the San Diego Yacht Club. "The longest race In the history of the America's Cup Is over," Tom Ehman, executive vice president and general manager of the America's Cup Organizing Committee, said. New York's Court of Appeal ruled San Diego was within Cup rules when it used a wording exists in the Deed of Gift, which im-' poses two basic requirements on participants when the two sides can't agree on race term 5 that the vessel fall within certain length re- strictions and that it be sail powered.

The deed makes no specific restrictions on the number of hulls, i lt "We have argued all along that what? is fair is what the rules permit," said Tyler a New York attorney who sented the San Diego Yacht Club. "The are no better equipped to referee yachting See CUP, Page 3B a 'I, OB McMahon IHI. Says Goodbye Hershiser To Undergo Surgery V-ji" To Chargers I 7 A The Associated Press in fj SAN DIEGO Jim McMahon's stormy stay in San Diego has blown over. The 30-year-old quarterback was released by the San Diego Chargers on Thursday with the team saying i contract talks with the unsigned free agent were going nowhere. "We're not interested in another drawn-out contract dispute as we had last year -with Gary Anderson," Char gers coach Dan Henning said, referring to the former i-San Diego running back who was traded to Tampa Bay last week after a year-long holdout.

"It's apparent that Jim's contract situation could come a distraction. Jim has asked to be released immediately so he can negotiate with other teams. We wish him welL" The Chargers gave up a second-round draft pick to acquire McMahon from the Chicago Bears last Aug. 18. McMahon's Chicago-based agent, Steve Zucker, did not immediately return phone calls.

McMahon was 4-7 in the games he started for Sahi'! Diego last season. He was benched during the month of the season as rookie Billy Joe Tolliver started the last four games. In his only season with the Chargers McMahon com- pleled 176 of 318 passes for 2,132 yards, 10 touchdowns', and 10 interceptions. never gained the following or success in San Diego that he enjoyed in Chicago, and his bad-boy image alienated local media. He was harshly by local columnists after he blew his nose on a reporter), in late October.

He later refused to apologize for his action, saying, was either that or beat the out of him, but you can't get sued for sneezing." Henning and general manager Bobby Beathard de-' clined specific comment on whether McMahon's off-thet field behavior was a reason for his release. "I would have to say we looked at every considera; tion when we did this," Beathard said. "Our evaluation of Jim McMahon was the total package. There's a certain amount of importance we attached to all that." -McMahon, who became a free agent on Feb, earned 3800,000 last season. McMahon's departure leaves the Chargers with four quarterbacks on their roster.

Besides Tolliver, they have veterans Mark Vlasic and David Archer and draft pick John Friesz from Idaho. t. The Associated Press LOS ANGELES Orel Hershiser, who won the 1988 National League Cy Young Award and MVP awards in the playoffs and World Series, will undergo surgery on his right shoulder Friday and is almost surely out for the season.1, Team physician Dr. Frank Jobe, who will perform the surgery, said he didnt believe Hershiser's career was threatened. Hershiser pitched innings Wednesday night in a 5-1 loss to the St Louis Cardinals.

The Dodgers said Her-, shiser underwent an examination Thursday morning which revealed damage to his rotator cuff. "Last night it hurt so much he knew he had to do something." Jobe said. Hershiser said his shoulder began bothering him during the off-season and called what he felt a dull ache rather than excruciating pain. "I felt I was getting better and better in spring training and in the early games (of the season)," he said at an impromptu Dodger Stadium news conference. "I thought it was just a matter of getting stronger.

"It led me to believe after the last three starts that I had better get it checked and have some pictures taken." Jobe said he would perform arthroscopic surgery to determine the extent of the injury and whether a more complicated operation is necessary. "Well make a decision whether he can be rehabili-tated with exercises," Jobe said. "If he cannot then we will go ahead and do a reconstruction of his shoulder." When asked if Hershiser's career might be over, Jobe said, "I don't think so. He's a hard worker. He understands the problem very well In fact he can describe it better than I can.

I think he's going to come back and pitch starting next spring." However, Hershiser expressed some doubts. have fear that HI never throw the ball again and that I cannot fulfill my contract with the Dodgers," he said. "I would not want to sit around for two years and have (Dodgers owner) Mr. (Peter) O'MaUey pay me the kind of money he's paying me and not contribute." Hershiser signed a three-year contract worth $7.9 million in February 1989. At the time, it was the richest in baseball.

"I want to get this surgery done with and work as hard as I can," he said. A New Ballgame Begins On ESPN B-iVRadlo Notebook: Since the nrdays of Pee Wee and 01' Diz, many baseball fans had been -conditioned to accept their everyday sport as a Saturday afternoon TV exclusive. Cable superstations arrived a decade ago, increasing the volume of Braves and Cubs games but doing little; to bring into focus baseball's six-month sojourn of twists, turns and tribulations. Less than three weeks ago, Nirvana came stomping out of the bullpen. SPN is playing wall-to-wall ball, and it's a brand-new game.

The world's largest cable work (55 million homes, 60 percent of thfe nation's total) is carrying six major league games a week on Tuesday Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays (161 overall) in addition to its daily "Baseball Tonight" show. There are imperfections, to be sure Not all IS announcers are of Costas quality. The rules that protect each team's regional market are confusing. And there is always the fear of oversaturation. The hard-core fan, however, probably has one response: Saturate away, baby.

A discussion of ESPN's four-year, $400 million package could fill a season full of rain delays. There are a few observations, however, that lep immediately to mind: The American League lives. EjjPN has unearthed the Junior Circuit, which happens to consist of the best teams, the best division (West), the most intriguing ballparks and the bQst young players in the game. Finally, we can see with our own eys that a) the Seattle Mariners are not a figment of the The Sporting News' imagination; b) Nolan Ryan dies not pitch in every Texas Rangers game; and c) Chicago does field two teams. Fresh voices.

For those who love the Cable Carays (Skip and Harry) as much as the next guy, it's still enjoyable to hear some different approaches. The most notable voice is a fa-rnjliar one: Chris Berman, ESPN's high-paid utility man and the Master of; the Monicker who provides play-by-play on the West Coast half of the Tuesday doubleheaders. Vou have to love a guy who, dur-irig the ninth inning of a San Diego blowout of the Cubs, identifies the Padres' new pitcher as Rafael "Exxon" Valdez, then quickly notes that the notorious vessel is docked two miles from Jack Murphy Stadium. T- The best play-by-play an- nouncer, however, operates on Sun- day nights. Jon Miller, the voice of the Baltimore Orioles, has called a few backup games on NBC, but his profile remains primarily regional.

Perhaps Miller can forge a national following, for he's clever, articulate, erudite and works smoothly with analyst Joe Morgan. Norm Hitzges, the Dallas-based announcer who analyzes on Wednesdays and late Fridays, was bally-hooed because of his non-jock background and Cosellean honesty. He may require a full season of seasoning. Cut-in craztness. ESPN has the unique capability to join other games In progress during its coverage periods, a bonus feature that already; has produced dramatic results.

Seattle right-hander Brian Hoi-matt carried a perfect game into the ninth inning Friday night at Oakland, and RSPN promptly switched away from a lackluster Astros-Dodgers Ken Phelps homered with two outs in the ninth to spoil Holman's attempt But without ESPN, only the West Coast would have seen it live. ESPN's flexibility and baseball's deliberate pace allow it to update scores and Insert highlights during game coverage, similar to the style employed by NBC and CBS on NFL Sundays. Superstations such as TBS and WON, meanwhile, are limited to Infrequent score updates. The network also is negotiating with baseball to obtain the right to cut in to games on its nights of no game coverage. No doubt that ESPN Is probably anticipating another Hjan near no-hitter.

studio time. "Baseball Is used by ESPN to wrap a'tuund game telecasts and supply continuity of coverage on off-days. The show, a mixture of highlights, features, analysis and hard news, Is long overdue. But It was worth the wait. i APPiwto Dodgers' Orel Hershiser May Miss All Of 1990 Season Mets Pound Tourists Before Season-High McCormick Field Crowd "I was making my moves fn the fourth, fifth and sixth Innings to keep the game Cacciatore said.

"But we didn't do the job the bullpen that we needed to. That happens sometimes." Cameron added a two-run homer in the" seventh as Columbia (13-9) scored three times. Catcher Alberto Castillo donated a two-run single in the eighth to cap a four-run uprising. "I was pleased with the fact we didn't lay'-down and die when it got to 14-6," Cacciatore. said.

"Tomorrow's another night." Met pitcher Joe McCann, who was struck In the left ear by a foul ball on Wednesdaj night, was discharged from Memorial Mission. Hospital on Thursday afternoon. third when Cameron and Thomas hit back-to-back homers on consecutive pitches from Tourist starter and loser Donnie Wall (2-3). The balls departed the premises over virtually the same spot in left-center field. The Tourists scratched their way back to 6-4 with two runs in the third inning and another In the fourth.

Catcher Kevin Scott had a two-run double and third baseman Ed Quljada added a run-scoring single. But the Tourists were never able to catch up. The Mets scored eight times in the sixth through eighth innings, hiking their lead to 14-6, as three Tourist relief pitchers were raked for 13 hits and eight runs. That onslaught made a winner of Met starter Joe Vltko. pitchers, but could never quite put the home team away.

AsheviUe (9-12) kept hitting right up until the end, with right fielder Luther Johnson leading a 12 -hit attack by going 3-for-4. Johnson tagged a three-run homer in the ninth to bring the Tourists within four runs. "All along, I thought we could come back," said Tourist Manager Frank Cacciatore, "especially with this park and this team. We have a good hitting team." The Mets showed their batting eye early. They scored four runs in the first inning, capped by a three-run blast by Thomas who had stroked a grand slam in Wednesday's game.

Columbia's advantage grew to 6-1 in the By RICK RYAN Staff Writer Columbia outfielders Stanton Cameron and Mark Thomas, roommates on the road, made themselves feel right at home at McCormick Field on Thursday night. Cameron and Thomas combined for nine hits and nine RBI to propel the Mets to a 14-10 Sally League victory over the Ashevilie Tourists before a season-high crowd of 2,843. Cameron, the Mets' right fielder, went 5-for-5 with two home runs and four RBI. Thomas, the left fielder, was 4-for-5 with a pair of homers and five RBI. That tandem, the No.

4 and 5 hitters in the Columbia lineup, also teamed to score eight runs. The Mets stroked 20 hits off four Tourist Western Crushes E. Tennessee! Brittain Named Player Of Year 3C0RECARD Thursday BaauH AtKftAU. tfldlant 4, Btu Jays 3 Brawara 3, Royata 2 I Maf1ran ft, Yaokaea 2 1 Ri Sox 9, Ang4t 4 i yvrma son Hattoiwi La i i i rtrates uiams i Cub3.fcdrMt mounts scoreless through the first five Innings before Kevin Bellomo's one-out homer In the sixth. It was' Bellomo's 12th homer of the year.

ETSU missed a chance to take the lead in the top of the seventh when Thomas Neel led off with a triple but was picked off by catcher Todd Raleigh. "We were tight at the beginning of the game and began to press. We didn't do anything well," said WCtf Coach Jack Leggett "But after a shaky first few innings we settled down. "Bellomo's home run gave us a -big lift offensively, and Matt Raleigh inspired us defensively. Also, beat them even without our best hitters producing, and that's a positive sign." Klmel (11-4) struck out three and walked two to pick up the victory.

Hilton had two hits for Western. Carolina. Patterson and Scott Smith had two hits each for the Bucca neers, who outhit the Catamounts 9-8. WCU will play Marshall at noqri Friday in the tournament's second round. Marshall defeated Furman 5-2 In Friday's second game, From Staff and AP Reports CHARLESTON, S.C.

Matt Raleigh keyed a four-run seventh Inning with a two-run double as Western Carolina defeated East Tennessee State 6-1 Thursday in the first round of the Southern Conference Baseball Tournament. Mark Poarch reached on an error to open the home half of the seventh and, with one out, Mike Hilton singled. After both runners moved up a base on a wild pitch by starter Danny Clark, Raleigh doubled to give the second-seeded Catamounts a 3-1 lead. Rob Donerty tripled to score Raleigh and then scored himself on a suicide squeeze by Andy Dunn, Western Carolina (35-23) added another run In the eighth when Rodney Tesh doubled and scored on a sacrifice fly by Grant Brittain in the opening game of the double-elimination tournament. The seventh-seeded Buccaneers (9-30) grabbed a 1-0 lead in the first when Mark Page reached on an error by Donerty In left field and scored on Butch Patterson's double.

Clark (2-11) held the Cata dogs (13-1, 36-10) to the regular-season title, was voted SC Coach of the Year for the fourth time in his 26-year career. He previously was named In 1975, '77 and '83. Port received five votes and Howard McMann of Marshall two. Third baseman Matt Raleigh, last year's SC Freshman of the Year, was the Catamounts' other representative on the all-conference first team. Unanimous selections to the first team were Jenkins and designated hitter BlUy Baker of The Citadel, Appalachian State's Waugh, catcher Andy Beasley of Virginia Military and Marshall shortstop Dave Piepenbrink.

The first team also included pitcher Mike Montgomery and outfielder Jlmbo Thornton of East Tennessee State and VMI first baseman Marshall Simpson. Waugh and Baker are the only repeat selections. Western placed three players on the second team pitcher Jack KlmeL catcher Todd Raleigh and outfielder Kevin BeUomo. From Staff! Reports Second baseman Grant Brittain of Western Carolina was named the Southern Conference Player of the Year on Thursday in baUoting by the league's head coaches. The senior leads the SC in batting average home runs (20) and slugging percentage He Is second in RBI (641.21 per game).

Brittain never had more than five homers or 26 RBI in any previous collegiate Brittain received five votes, while outfielders Anthony Jenkins of The Clladetand Scottie Waugh of Appalachian State earned one each. WCU left fielder Rob Donerty was selected the SC Freshman of the Year. He is hitting .289 with three homers, 25 RBI and 14 doubles. Right-hander Ken Britt of The Citadel was chosen SC Pitcher of the Year. The sophomore Is 8-0 in 11 starts with a league-leading 1.29 ERA.

His eight wins rank second in the conference. Britt picked up six votes, while Marshall's Ronald Thomas was named on the other ballot. Chal Port, who guided the Bull AtfO3.Bfv0 na.ufi inaiaaip-y Vw 4, 1in 1 r. 1 ,1 1.