The Star Press from Muncie, Indiana • Page 15

I The Star Press Saturday, July 26, 1997 Page3B Fired Knight Artist Continued from Page 1 suggests that players helped Ifv iliHiil AmU SMon SutK turn get canned ART COLLECTION: Michael Matherly designed these stamps, which includes the 2-cent red-headed woodpecker, the 3-cent eastern bluebird, the 29-cent red squirrel and the 1-cent American kestrel. He also designed the 1990 Fish Wildlife troutsalmon stamp (left). I n. I rit HOT SHOT: Sarah Payne fields a hard grounder to third in the fifth inning Friday at the Muncie Sports Complex. Payne plays for the Rowdies of Columbus.

They were playing the Lady Stingers from Joplin, Mo. Forty-six teams are competing in the fast-pitch world tournament, the last such tournament at the complex before a Menards is constructed at the site. The tournament will run through Sunday. work? "Just say it looks real," he says. Working full-time on his outdoor paintings has one drawback.

Matherly says he doesn't get out of his studio nearly enough to fish. Matherly sells his original paintings and prints to art collectors. To buy a work of his, write him in care of the Postmaster, Cambridge City, IN 47327. "It's a small town, they'll find me," Matherly says. Quips and Tips A calendar for outdoor sports lovers that runs September '97 through August '98 is available for $8.

It contains winning artwork in the waterfowl, troutsalmon and game bird competitions for 1998 PINK SLIP: Former Reds manager said his stint in Cincinnati was a learning experience. By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS CINCINNATI Ray Knight packed his pictures and other belongings into his car and headed for an uncertain future, making no apologies for the style that got him fired as the Cincinnati Reds manager. personality. Also, if you have no objection to catching carp of battleship proportions, bring your waders to the Little Blue River at the Wilbur Wright State Fish Wildlife Area north of New Castle. Carp tend to spit out a bait quickly, so set your hook fast.

Hank Nuwer is a free-lance writer who covers tlie outdoors for Tlie Star Press. and 1999. For a calendar, send a check to DNR Customer Service, 402 W. Washington Room W160, Indianapolis, IN 46204. Tip of the morning to ya: Forget going after trophy fish and take a youngster fishing.

Channel catfish have been biting at Prairie Creek Reservoir in the early morning and at dusk. Use an earthworm with a good Kurt Hostetler The Star Press Knight's prob lems with his players was a factor in his firing Friday morning with a couple of months left on his contract. General manager Jim Bowden said a different leadership style was needed for the team's young players. Knight, who was so sure he would succeed when he was introduced as manager at the end of the 1995 season, sug RAY KNIGHT: "I learned a lot here, mainly about the people you can trust and the people you can give that trust to. This was a growing situation, and sometimes growth is painful." wmamwumwsmrwim Vv, mm JhI i 4 1 i I i 4 i lijpjS.flw.'jMiw-'": Genuine top grain leather where vs yout U.

sides and back Introducing Sealy Westwood Plush Sealy Classic Rest Firm Sealy Classic Rest 3 To iva Dlneh ComfortECing Seam gested he wound up fired in part because dissatisfied players went to the front office behind his back. "Nobody showed me any disrespect to my face, but I don't know what they were doing behind my back," he told reporters before entering the clubhouse for the last time. "I'm not the type to allow people to show me disrespect to my face. "I learned a lot here, mainly about the people you can trust and the people you can give that trust to. This was a growing situation, and sometimes growth is painful." Bowden decided it had gotten too painful in the clubhouse, where younger players will be relied upon now that the team is out of contention.

Jack McKeon, the antithesis of Knight with hjs easy-going style, will manage for the rest of the season. Players have grumbled about Knight's indecisiveness, his micro-managing tendencies and his habit of taking credit for success and blaming others when things went wrong. They also thought he overreacted. "That's hard for me to swallow, when you're from the old school like I am," Knight said. "When you made a mistake or went against what our game plan was, then I got upset about it.

That's what the manager's prerogative was." Bowden declined to say specifically what it was about Knight's style that caused the problems. Players were surprised by the tim-" ing but not the direction the front office was taking. "I'm not real surprised," captain Barry Larkin said. "There was talk about a move being made. Nothing really surprises me around here anymore.

"A manager's always judged by wins and losses. We've been 10 to 12 games under .500. That doesn't bode well for any manager. "Personally, I really like Ray Knight. Unfortunately, he and Cincinnati didn't work out." Larkin and Bowden both denied that the players went to the front office to get Knight fired.

Reds lose new manager's debut By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS 1 CINCINNATI Jeff Blauser hit Atlanta's ninth grand slam, match- ing the National League record, and the Braves ruined Jack McKeon's return to managing by beating the Cincinnati Reds, 7-3, Friday night. McKeon, out of managing since 1990, replaced Ray Knight earlier Friday as the fading Reds decided to change directions. Cincinnati has lost six of seven to fall out of contention in the NL Central. Andruw Jones, Chipper Jones and Fred McGriff added solo homers and John Smoltz (9-9) pitched a two-hitter as the Braves remained unbeaten in six games against the Reds this season. Blauser's second grand slam of the season off Pete Schourek (5-6) put the Braves ahead 4-0 in the second inning and matched the NL record shared with three other teams.

Chicago (1929), San Diego (1995) and Montreal (1996) also hit nine in a season. The major league record is 11 grand slams by Seattle and Baltimore last season. Smoltz gave up a three-run homer in the fifth to Bret Boone, but allowed only one other hit $4 4 Q95 95 s159 by Lane Twin Ea, Sealy Posturepedic Fairhope Tm! us'i'on 'rm 6995 Reg. $370.00 WW Reg. Sale Full Ea.

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