News-Press from Fort Myers, Florida • Page 29

NEWS-PRESS SECTION NEWS-PRESS SCORELINE Call 332-5600 or 1-800-848-0515 Touch tone only I Briefly 2C I Scorecard 2C I College football 5C I Hockey 5C I Pro basketball 6C PORT EXECUTIVE SPORTS EDITOR: MIKE KLOCKE, 335-0357 (Monday Friday, 1 9 p.m.) SATURDAY, APRIL 16. 1994 Coach still loves to help swimmers NO HOilSIKG AROUHD INSIDE Miracle wins 9th straight, but no one knows mark Mac Kennedy has coached Lee County swimmers so long he wasn't even sure how long it's been until he checked. Earlier this week he said he it would be 20 years in May. No, make that 20 years in June. Ah, no, it'll be 19 years in June.

Yes, that's it. Kennedy, head coach for Swim Florida, will celebrate his 19th anniversary as a Lee County swim coach in June. He began at the old Fort Myers By GLENN MILLER News-Press staff writer IV f. xv V- "-'tvc-A i YMCAon Evans Avenue. Back then Kennedy, now 42, was thinking about attending law school.

He never made it He liked coaching then and still does. Kennedy, who operates Swim Florida out of the Cypress Lake High School GLENN MILLER People As winning streaks go, the Fort Myers Miracle's 9-0 start to the Florida State League season is almost certainly no record. On the other hand, it sure is compelling. The Miracle scored three runs in the top of the ninth to tie the game, then beat the Tampa Yankees 10-9 in 1 1 innings Friday night in Tampa for its ninth straight win. And who knows? It might be close to an obscure record for most consecutive victories at the start of a minor-league season.

What is the longest winning streak to start a season in the FSL and in minor-league baseball? Nobody seems to know. The News-Press did some futile checking: The FSL record book doesn't list a record for most consecutive wins at the start of the season. FSL president Chuck Murphy didn't know anything about any such record and couldn't find any information at league headquarters. He recommended calling Howe Sports Data. Howe didn't know how many season-opening victories is the record.

A Howe spokesman suggested calling Bill Weiss, a Californian with an interest in minor-league records. Weiss didn't know. The National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues, the governing body of minor-league baseball; Baseball Weekly and two members of the Society for American Baseball Research also didn't know. The Salt Lake City Trappers own the minor-league record of 29 consecutive victories, but that 1991 winning streak didn't come at the start of the season. Miracle comeback sinks Yankees 4C Magic won't return as Lakers' coach INGLEWOOD, Calif.

Magic Johnson won't return as coach of the Los Angeles Lakers next season, a decision he hinted at but declined to announce before Friday night's game with Portland. Johnson told reporters that he had made a decision, but would hold off announcing it until today. That changed about an hour later, when early in the second quarter a news release was handed out confirming that Johnson wouldn't return. Johnson's comments before the game served as a thinly disguised hint about his plans. "It's been a tough decision," he said.

"I've enjoyed it. This has been great for me working with 12 guys and trying to get them to understand the Laker tradition." Los Angeles, 33-43, went 5-1 in its first six games under Johnson but has lost its last four. The Associated Press pool, estimates he's coached about 2,000 swimmers. Some have been in it merely for recreation. A great many were and are serious, competitive athletes.

About 1 00 of his swimmers became collegiate swimmers. About 25 of those became Division I swimmers. The best of the bunch, so far, has been Fort Myers High School graduate Derek Weatherf ord, who now swims for Stanford and competed in the 1 988 Olympic Trials in the 200-meter backstroke. That was an extraordinary moment in Kennedy's career. "I'd say probably the highlight was the Olympic Trials with Derek in Texas when he came off the 1 50-wall even with six other swimmers and I saw my life flash in front of my eyes," Kennedy said.

"That was nerve-wracking. That's something I'll never ever forget." Weatherf ord didn't make the Olympic team. Of course, most of Kennedy's coaching time isn't spent GARTH FRANCISNews-Press Vitalli Okrashevski works out on the pommel horse at International Gymnastics Center Inc. in Fort Myers. Russian gymnast excels in U.S.

Move to Fort Myers continues success ByBOBPETCHER News-Press staff watching swimmers at that level. cost of supporting a family of seven two of his female students returned to Estonia because of student-visa problems and a foreign political and business system. "This is all difficult for me," Grigori said. "We're going to try it for five years, but we're not used to the political system here. Our next step is to try to get green cards." Without national citizenships, the Okrashevskis have encountered difficulty competing in regional and national meets.

Vitalli finished fifth in the regional meet last year, but was not recognized in the medal ceremony. Grigori will not take his son to the regionals this year. If not for the help of Igor Ivonov, a Russian immigrant and Naples resident, and Doug Williams, owner of International Gymnastics Center the Okrashevskis would be on their way back to Estonia. "They have been a big support for me and my family," Grigori said. "We almost went back to Estonia But my family likes it here." medals in his division at the Gasparilla Open in Tampa.

The Gasparilla, one of the nation's top meets, featured 1,700 participants from 23 states and several countries. Still, Vitalli's road to gymnastics fame has seen its share of tumbles. Vitalli, who attends Cape Coral High School on a student visa, came to Fort Myers with his parents, sister and five other Estonian gymnasts in October 1992. His father, Grigori, is his coach and club manager at International Gymnastics Center the first American-Russian gymnastics club managed by Russian-born coaches in the nation. The center, which boasts all Russian-made equipment, opened its doors in Fort Myers in March and now has 30 students.

Fresh off a Soviet Union national junior title, Vitalli arrived in Fort Myers after his father, the longtime coach of the Estonia National Team, chose Florida over many other coaching invitations around the country. But Grigori must deal with the There's a new kid in town, and in the country, for that matter. He's been in the United States only 17 months and already is the best at what he does in Florida and, arguably, the nation. Vitalli Okrashevski, a Russian immigrant living in Fort Myers, won the age 15-16 division of Class 2 competition at the United States Gymnastics Federation's Florida State Gymnastics Championships recently. Vitalli, born in SL Petersburg, Russia, and reared in Tallinn, Estonia, placed among the top six in all seven events at the state meet Before that, he gained worldwide attention by collecting all seven gold "My favorite part of coaching is the day-in, day-out 5 o'clock morning practice, trying to keep kids motivated, trying to get them to realize what their potential is, what they can do," Kennedy said.

is 1( I Cavs burn slumping Heat 6C UP AMD OVER Orlando making effort to lure Raiders from L.A. i v. Orlando Sentinel tions," Weinberg said, "things can change." Most likely, local officials will promise to upgrade the Florida Citrus Bowl by improving the skyboxes, adding a number of enclosed "lodge-seating" booths, constructing an administration building, installing new practice fields and building extra food and concession stands. The estimated cost of those improvements could reach $40 million. City and county officials hope to get the money from a $50 million state fund set up to attract professional sports franchises to Florida.

In return, the city, which manages the stadium, would want a long-term lease of at least 10 years. The Raiders' perspective on a possible move to Orlando apparently is being closely guarded by Davis, who rarely grants interviews. A spokesman for the team said Friday that Davis was unavailable. 1 i ORLANDO The city of Orlando is expected to make a formal bid within a week to bring the Los Angeles Raiders football team to Central Florida, an official for Mayor Glenda Hood said Friday. Orlando is one of several cities reportedly under consideration by Raiders owner Al Davis.

The Raiders have played in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum since 1982. The stadium was badly damaged by the recent Northridge earthquake, and the Raiders have not signed a lease for the 1994 season. City and Orange County officials, along with the Economic Development Commission of Mid-Florida, were busy Friday preparing a bid for Davis to study. Wayne Weinberg, an aide to the mayor, declined to say what will be o'fered. "In negotia i '1 i MARC BEAUDINNews-Press Cypress Lake's Ron Salters clears 6 feet, 2 inches In the high jump at the Panther Relays on Friday at Cypress Lake High School.

The meet drew several teams from across Southwest Florida. KENNEDY "I've heard it said before the struggle is a lot more important to me than the triumph." Thestrugglecomeseverydayatthe pool. Although most mornings Kennedy is on the pool deck supervising swimmers, he says he has no regrets about not becoming an attorney. "I think you got to do what you really want to do," Kennedy said. "And I still enjoy the coaching as much as I did 20 years ago.

When the alarm goes off at 4:20 in the morning I have no problem. It's probably easier now getting enthused than it was then. You go through a lot of different cycles, but I feel as enthused and inspired now." Keeping score Fort Myers High graduate Rod Gadson, a second-team cornerback at Syracuse, returned an interception 32 yards and made two solo tackles in the Orangemen's spring game April 9. Fort Myers grad Jammi German, a wide receiver at the University of Miami, said the Hurricanes are recruiting former Fort Myers teammate Keith Drayton, a defensive lineman now at Northwest Mississippi Community College. Estero High graduates Brian Myers, John Roszell and Wade Wilmet are playing baseball for Maryville (Tenn.) College.

Mariner High graduate Jeff Cindrich is pitching for the Tampa Yankees of the Florida State League. Tampa plays at the Fort My ers Miracle April 22-25. Bishop Verot graduate Chad Epperson is a designated hitter and catcher for the St. Lucie Mets of the Florida State League. Heading into Friday's game he had only three at-bats this season.

St. Lucie plays at the Miracle May 19-22. Edison Community College freshman center fielder Bobby Lentz leads state junior-college players with 45 stolen bases. He has 1 0 more steals than any other' player. ECC pitcher Mike Davis leads the state in strikeout-to-innings-pitched ratio with48strikeoutsln34 innings.

Former Fort Myers Miracle assistant general manager Lee Smith is now general manager of the Tyler Wildcatters of the Texas-Louisiana League. Glenn Miller Is a News-Press staff writer. You can phone him at 335-0358 or tax him at 334-0708. BOTTOM OF THE FIRST -ZJit'--" Baseball 0 Tops on the tube Baseball American League College football HERE COMES BOBBY: Florida State University football coach Bobby Bowden will be on Sanibel Island today for the second National League Braves 19, Cubs 5 I Royals 2, Indians 1 DEION DANDY: Fort Myers native Deion Sanders went 3-for-6 with a double, homer, four RBI and two runs scored as the Atlanta Braves pounded the Chicago Cubs 19-5 Friday at Chicago's Wrigley Field. The Braves rapped out 24 hits off six Cubs pitchers.

Atlanta leads the National League East with a 10-1 record. Story 5C Red Sox 5, White Sox 3 Phillies 3, Reds 1 Yankees 7, Tigers 5 Giants 6, Marlins 0 Orioles at Rangers Pirates 6, Dodgers 4 Twins at Athletics Astros 8, Mets 1 Blue Jays at Angels Cardinals 10, Padres 6 Brewers at Mariners Expos at Rockle3 Roundup 4C Roundup 5C AROUND annual Bobby Bowden NFL Reunioa A scramble HE 1 Braves at Cubs, WGN, TBS, 2:10 Giants at Marlins, Sunshine, 7 Horse racing Wood Memorial, ABC, 4:30 Oaklawn Handicap, ESPN, 5 Golf PGA Seniors, NBC. 1 Heritage Classic, CBS, 4 NBA Suns at Spurs, NBC, 3:30 Complete listings 2C i golf tournament and barbecue dinner will start at 1 p.m. at The Dunes Golf and Tennis Club. Tickets are still available for the dinner, which costs $40 per person and will start at 6.

Info: 997-3267. Vince, a 1 6-year-old Fort Myers resident, has Gorham's Disease. Tickets cost $3 and are available at Hooters, Runabouts Roadside Grille, Florida Parenting News and the stadium box office. HANLEY DAY: The Fort Myers Miracle's Vlnce Hanley Night will be at 7:05 Thursday at the Lee County Sports Complex against the Brevard County Manatees. The date was listed incorrectly in Friday's News-Press..