The Town Talk from Alexandria, Louisiana • Page 9

The Town Talk, Alexandria-Pineville, La. Tuesday, June 4, 1996 B-3 Talon Baseball Briefs Belle suspended by league I -St NEW YORK (AP) Cleveland teammates Albert Belle and Julian Tavarez, and Milwaukee's Mike Matheny each got five-game suspensions from the American League on Monday for their parts in a bench-clearing brawl All three appealed. The 10-minute melee started in the ninth inning Friday night when Matheny charged the mound after Tavarez threw a fastball behind his back. During the fight, Tavarez body-slammed umpire Joe Brinkman to the ground. In the eighth inning, a fastball by Marshall Boze hit Belle on the shoulder.

When Eddie Murray grounded to second one batter later, Belle flattened second baseman Fernando Vina with a forearm to the face when Vina tried to tag the Indians slugger. AL president Gene Budig said Belle was suspended "since his action not only threatened injury to an individual but also led to the later disruption of the game." Swindell released HOUSTON (AP) Three disappointing seasons after signing pitcher Greg Swindell to a $17 million contract, the Houston Astros cut their losses Monday by releasing the lefthander and promoting a rookie. Swindell, 31, lost back-to-back games and had an 11.37 ERA in a pair of relief appearances for the Astros last week after the previous year in Cincinnati. He posted a 30-34 record with a 4.48 ERA in three seasons with Houston. Dykstra's news bad PHILADELPHIA (AP) It was a day of mixed medical news for the Philadelphia Phillies, with the bad news involving center fielder Lenny Dykstra's back.

The Phillies announced Monday that Dykstra, sidelined since May 19 with a sore rib cage, will "seek several medical opinions" in an effort to deal with continuing pain in his back. As a result, Dykstra, who is on the 15-day disabled list, did not accompany the team on a six-game road trip set to begin Monday night in Chicago. Philadelphia got better news on right-hander Mike Grace, whose seven wins this season is tops among major league rookies. An MRI done Monday indicates Grace has a strained muscle in his shoulder, according to team physician Dr. Phillip Marone.

Grace will receive treatment with trainer Jeff Cooper starting Tuesday, but is expected to miss his next start, scheduled for Friday in Houston. Joyner put on DL SAN DIEGO (AP) First baseman Wally Joyner, whose smooth defense and .321 average has been a factor in the San Diego Padres' fast start, was placed on the 15-day disabled list Monday with a fractured left thumb. Joyner, who had five homers and 33 RBIs, broke his thumb while breaking up a double play. He will be out for at least six weeks. Anthony put on DL CINCINNATI (AP) The Cincinnati Reds put outfielder Eric Anthony on the 15-day disabled list Monday and called up Eduardo Perez from Triple-A Indianapolis.

Perez, the son of former Reds first baseman and manager Tony Perez, was expected to be available to pinch hit Monday night against San Francisco and start at first base Tuesday night. The Reds plan to option Perez back to Indianapolis after the game Tuesday and call up pitcher Kevin Jarvis, who will start Wednesday. Rodriguez injured MILWAUKEE (AP) Texas Rangers catcher Ivan Rodriguez left Monday night's game at Milwaukee in the first inning after getting hit on his right wrist by a wild pitch from Bobby Witt. Rodriguez was hurt on the 14th pitch of the inning and was replaced by backup catcher Dave Valle. Rodriguez was hit- ting .300 with six homers and 30 RBIs.

On Monday night, he started his 50th game behind the plate, the most in the AL. Albert Belle: will appeal his five-game suspension. returning from a groin injury. He had been dismal in four starts before the injury, going 0-1 with 13 earned runs in 7 1-3 innings. "This has never happened to me," a choked-up Swindell told reporters after he was cut.

"It's hard to take." Swindell signed as a free agent with the Astros before the 1993 season after spending Saints' minicampi comes to an end Associated Press Track star Florence Griffith-Joyner will not attempt to make the U.S. Olympic team this year due to tendonitis in her right achilles tendon. Her husband AT Joyner also announced that he will not go the the Olympic trials either. Basketball Alcorn lures Whitney back to coaching post LORMAN, Miss. (AP) Davey Whitney came out of retirement Monday when he was named basketball coach at Alcorn State, where he won 395 games and nine Southwestern Athletic Conference titles from 1969-89.

Whitney takes over a program that has fallen on hard times, both on and off the court, since winning its last SWAC title in 1986. "I'm not a savior, I'm not wearing a white collar," the 66-year-old Whitney said. "We have a great task in front of us, but it is not unsur-mountable. It is going to boil down to hard work, understanding, discipline and players willing to prepare to win." Whitney replaces Sam Weaver, who resigned after three seasons to become an assistant coach at Iowa State. Weaver was 20-58 overall, but the Braves were 10-15 last season, marking only the second time since 1986 that they won at least 10 games.

Nix moves from UNO to USL women's job LAFAYETTE (AP) Gay Nix, whose high school teams won seven state titles, was named Monday as head women's basketball Coach at Southwestern Louisiana. For the past two seasons, Nix has been an assistant coach at the University of New Orleans. Before that, she posted a 444-136 record during 17 years of high school coaching, including back-to-back state titles at Shreveport Byrd in 1992-93 and 1993-94 and five state championships, including four consecutive, at Caldwell Parish High. Nix, 44, has been named coach of the year four times by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association and twice by the Louisiana High School Coaches Association. Football Cothran arrested drunk and disorderly CINCINNATI (AP) Cincinnati Bengals fullback Jeff Cothran was arrested over the weekend, charged with drunken and disorderly conduct outside a bar and subdued by police with a chemical spray.

He was arraigned Monday in Hamilton County Municipal Court and released, pending a hearing in the court July 17. Cothran, 24, of Middletown was arrested at about 4 a.m. Sunday. Police said he was trying to fight someone. He refused to leave when asked to by police.

Cothran became disorderly, was sprayed with chemical irritant and was handcuffed, police said. Tulane announces football schedule NEW ORLEANS (AP) Tulane's 19 football schedule includes six home games for the first time since 1991 and three games on television, the most in 13 seasons. The Green Wave, which begins play in Conference USA this year, opens the season Friday, Aug. 30, at Cincinnati in a game televised by Prime and its regional affiliates. The other two TV games will be played in the Louisiana Superdome against Texas Christian on Oct.

5 and against Syracuse on Nov. 9. The schedule: Aug. 30, at Cincinnati. Sept.

14, Rice; 21, at Memphis. Oct. 5, Texas Christian; 12, Louisville; 19, at Army; 26, Southern Mississippi. Nov. 2, Houston; 9, Syracuse; 16, at Navy; 23, at LSU.

A V- AY- Ni "Only Vince Buck and Anthony Newman are under contract, and that's not enough," Mora said. "I'm a little worried. If we get Sean Lumpkin under contract, that would take care of it. If we don't get him signed, then we're going to have to find somebody else." The team has two other unrestricted free agents in cornerback Tyrone Legette and center Jeff Uhlenhake, neither of whom is expected back by Mora. "I am preparing as though neither Legette nor Uhlenhake will be a member of the team this season," Mora said.

"We can't fit them (under the salary cap) unless they come back for the league's minimum salary, and I can't see either one of them doing that." The Saints are attempting to sign All-Pro offensive tackle William Roaf to a new contract. His current deal expires after the 1996 season. "It's going well," Roaf said. "They're getting closer and closer. I think I should be signed before training camp I know it'll be done before football season starts." METAIRIE (AP) The New Orleans Saints finished their mandatory off-season workouts Monday, but the front office isn't finished tinkering with the roster.

Some players will continue voluntary workouts Tuesday through Friday, then will be on their own until they report for training camp July 13 in La Crosse, Wis. The Saints continue to negotiate with free agent tight end Keith Jackson, and coach Jim Mora said he also would like to sign a free agent safety. The Saints signed another tight end, John Davis, to a free agent contract Monday. "I think we've made some progress with Keith," Saints director of pro personnel Chet Franklin said. "And the reason I say that is because we are still interested in him, he's still interested in us, and no other team appears to have come in on him." No other teams have come in on Saints safety Sean Lumpkin, a restricted free agent who participated in the minicamp.

New Orleans has just two healthy, veteran safeties under contract. Associated Press Edberg says goodbye Stefan Edberg of Sweden blows a kiss to the cheering, public after he was defeated by Marc Rosset of Switzerlancfin their fourth round match of the French Open Monday, 7-6 (7-4), 6-3, 6-3. Before the tournament Edberg announced this would be the last French Open in which he would compete. Olympics Shipp not in spot he was to be in Our comprehensive services can be tailored to meet your specific needs. We're efficient, thorough, and professional.

Jessica 9s Office Cleaning' Service Cleans Cenla area homes and offices over 3,100 times a year! Gingrich: homosexuals blackmailed Olympics KENNESAW, Ga. (AP) House Speaker Newt Gingrich said on Monday that Olympic officials were wrong to allow homosexual protesters to influence the games. Gingrich, whose half-sister is a lesbian, was referring to a decision in April by the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games to bypass Cobb county, just north of Atlanta, on its torch relay. Earlier, the volleyball competition was moved from the county. The decisions were made after homosexual groups threatened demonstrations because the county commission passed an anti-gay resolution.

"The entire reason the Olympic committee made its decision about Cobb County was because they were threatened with demonstrations every day by people who were willing to disrupt the Olympics with their own ideological viewpoint," Gingrich said at an appearance in his district. "Frankly, the homosexual demonstrators blackmailed the Olympic committee." The county's resolution says the gay lifestyle conflicts with family values. "I think it was very sad," Gingrich said. "It was the wrong decision and I think it's important to keep the Olympics above politics." Now, Olympic officials are deciding if the torch run will go through Greenville County, S.C., on June 26 as scheduled because an identical resolution was passed there last month. Matos finally joins Aces 100 Satisfaction Guaranteed If, for any reason, you are not completely satisfied with our work, we will return to meet your expectations at no additional charge.

Call 640-4462 800-750-4462 FAX 640-3495 Jessica David M. Howell owner operator SportsNet Plus By Bob Tompkins Staff reporter Malvin Matos, the popular "Numero Siente" for the Alexandria Aces last year, is finally back with the team and 2 1 nail Sean Walsh on a close play. Shipp then struck out Mark Ellis on three pitches to end the inning. Shipp faced one other test Monday when his defense botched two potential inning-ending double plays in the eighth. Instead of being out of the inning, Shipp had runners at second and third with two outs and the SEC's leading hitter Brad Wilkerson at the plate.

"I remember he hit a home run against me in the SEC Tournament," Shipp said. "I realized I had to make three perfect pitches to get him out." Shipp got the first strike on a curve ball and the second strike on a fastball that seemed to surprise the freshman Wilkerson. After two balls, Shipp threw a nasty curve ball low and inside that froze Wilkerson for strike three. "I just took a close pitch," Wilkerson said. "I couldn't do anything about it.

It was a good pitch." "That was a great pitch to neutralize Superboy," Bertman said. "He's not from this planet. You can look it up. He's from Smallville, not from Owensboro Thank God for the kryp-tonite in the bullpen because (Wilkerson) is unbelievable." Shipp's role for the rest of the CWS is still uncertain. There's a chance he could start LSU's next game Thursday, but it depends on which team the Tigers play and how his arm feels.

Or he could start Friday, if they lose Thursday. Or he could start the national championship game Saturday. Or he could stay in the bullpen to close out what LSU hopes is By Jeffrey Nixon Staff reporter OMAHA, Neb. When Kevin Shipp came to the College World Series, he thought the only save he could get would be saving LSU from elimination should the Tigers lose the first game. Instead, Shipp has become the stopper on the Tiger staff.

Shipp, a converted starter, picked up his second save of the College World Series Monday in LSU's 9-4 win over Florida. "It's shocked me," Shipp admitted. "This is the first time I've ever pitched relief in my life. I may have come in for one out or an inning in high school, but I was always a starter. "I like taking 30 minutes before games to be real loose," Shipp said.

"In relief, you have to be pumped up real quick." Shipp's relief stint wasn't something planned by the Tiger coaches. It just sort of happened. In fact, the first Shipp heard about working out of the bullpen was in the eighth inning against Wichita State. With LSU's pitchers struggling Saturday against WSU, Tiger coach Skip Bertman sent Shipp who was originally slated to start LSU's second game of the CWS out to the bullpen. Because Shipp pitched against WSU, Bertman started Brett Laxton Monday against Florida.

Bertman hoped to save Shipp to start LSU's next game, but when the Gators put runners on second and third with one out in the sixth in a 4-3 game, Bertman never hesitated. He went to Shipp. Once again, Shipp wiggled out of the fix. He got David Eckstein to ground out to shortstop Jason Williams, who threw home to Using a touch tone phone you just dial three digits 211 from anywhere in the local Alexandria calling area Just 40' for up to five minutes of access. Charges appear on the phone bill where the call is placed.

14 mm eager to help. Matos has heard about the problems Alexandria Aces have had to start the season, but the Aces' outfielder who finally joined the team play, the players weren't," he said. When we get together, we start winning." Matos said some people on a team take out their frustrations with another player's problems by slacking off themselves. "If you no play well for me, I no play for you," he said, characterizing this attitude. Matos said his experience in playing winter ball in Venezuela through the middle of February taught him the importance of fundamentals.

"Some people think baseball is just hitting, throwing and fielding," he said. "There's more. It's little things like bunting to move a guy over and bring him in. If we don't do what we have to do, we don't win game." The 25-year-old resident of Maracaibo said he was ready to go "100 percent," but he stressed he would do what he could to help the players put aside whatever may alienate them from one another during a game. "We are nine on the field," he said.

"If one of nine don't want to play, we are nothing." Hockey 1600-1625 Motor Sports. 1987 Boxing 1988 Soccer 1989 Rodeo 6776 I Pro Wrestling 6774 Speedway 6795 SportsNet Plus For a complete list of Town Talk Xtra categories dial 211, then category 6368. NCAA Basketball 1630-1764 NBA Basketball 1765-1791 LPGA Golf 1981 PGA Golf 1982 Sr. Tour Golf 1983 Men's Tenuis 1984 Women's Tennis 1985 Transactions 1986 Matos Monday after encountering visa problems in his native Venezuela said, "I believe in this team." The problems the team is having remind Matos of some of the same problems that cropped up during part of the season last year. "One of the problems last year was when the players were ready, the pitchers weren't ready; then, when pitchers were ready to Xim Town Talk Extra is a service of McComuck Information Services two more wins..