Pensacola News Journal from Pensacola, Florida • 47

SECTION Newsjournal SCOREBOARD American League Boston 5, California 3 Toronto 8, Minnesota 6 Baltimore 4, Seattle 3 New York 8, Oakland 6 i Milwaukee 3, Kansas City 2 Chicago 9, Detroit 3 National League Florida 3, Cincinnati 2 Colorado 8, Chicago 2 San Francisco 10, New York 1 Pittsburgh 6, Atlanta 1 NBA Charlotte 108, Detroit ,103 Atlanta 93, Orlando 89 Golden State 126, L.A. Lakers 91 New Jersey 135, Milwaukee 100 PNJ SCORELINE I Dial 469-8290 -Press Code 3001 Final results of major national and local sporting events updated throughout the day starting at 4 p.m. Call every day, 24 hours a day. Pensacola, Florida TO REPORT A SPORTS STORY (AFTER 4 P.M.): 435-8521 Sunday, April 24, 1994 A rail? mm Bill Vilona Sports Writer win WHAT: 59th NFL Draft WHERE: New York WHENTV: 2:30 p.m. today (rounds 1-2) ESPN; 9 a.m.

Monday (rounds 3-7), ESPN2 'ii Cowboys seek deal to better spot than 28th Knight-Ridder Prime-time football takes on new meaning today when the 59th annual NFL Draft begins not at its customary noon hour, but at 2:30 p.m. The Change guarantees that fans who choose to be mesmerized by Chris Berman on ESPN will have to give up "60 Minutes" and "Murder, She Wrote." Shuler of Tennessee and Trent Dilfer of Fresno State and running back Marshall Faulk of San Diego State figure to go in the first four picks along with defensive tackle Dan Wilkinson of Ohio State. The Dallas Cowboys already have made known their intention of trading up into the top 12 from 28. Minnesota, Miami, San Francisco and Philadelphia would like to join them. i Although the NFL's two newest members the Carolina Panthers and the Jacksonville Jaguars will not pick in this year's draft, they will flip a coin today to decide which team chooses first in the 1995 draft tfl HI Cincinnati has the first pick.

The rest of the top 10 choices will be made by Indianapolis, Washington, New England, Los Angeles Rams, Tampa Bay, Indianapolis, Seattle, Cleveland and Arizona. The teams will draft and trade, and not necessarily in that order. There are ll blue-chip players in the 1994 draft two quarterbacks, a running back and eight defenders and there could be some major jockeying for position to draft them. The three offensive players will be gone early. Quarterbacks Heath if iv 1 ROUNDS: Seven, 220 selections TIME LIMITS: 15 minutes per team in first round, 10 minutes in second round, five minutes for rounds 3-7 INSIDE: Draft order2C Talks between Bengals, possible No.

1 choice stall6C MICHAEL JORDAN'S TEAMMATE Young Fryman adjusts to Glass Jordan BIRMINGHAM 1 giving us tips," I Fryman said with a laugh. Fryman, the 6-foot-4 first baseman, was skeptical at first of Jordan, who stopped playing baseball two games into his senior year at Laney High in Wilmington, N.C., "to concentrate on basketball," according to the Barons' media guide. The guide makes no mention of Fryman's youth baseball achievements, or about his play at Tate High or- Jefferson Davis TROY FRYMAN Age: 23 Position; 1B Height: 6-foot-4 Weight: 195 pounds Bats: left; Throws; right Average: At-bats: 49 Runs: 4 Hits: 8 Doubles: 4 Triples: 1 RBI: 2 By Nathan Dominitz News Journal HOOVER, Ala. The fan wanted to see Michael Jordan play baseball. He wasn't alone among the 4,349 on this warm Wednesday night at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium.

The fan saw an opening when the Memphis Chicks sent in a left-hander to pitch to Pensacolian Troy Fryman, the Birmingham Barons' big left-handed batter. "Put in Jordan! Need a right-handed batter!" the fan yelled. If you play baseball by the book, then southpaws have a sizeable advantage over left-handed batters. But it was only the fifth inning. And Fryman is, the Barons' starting first baseman.

Jordan is a right fielder. And minor-league baseball at this level Class AA is a chance for lefties to learn how to hit lefties. Fryman batted and drew a walk. He played the whole game. Jordan didn't play at all.

Fans yelled other things, some barely printable, to get Jordan in the game. IT MADE SENSE, IF you play baseball in Jordan's world, as Fryman does. Someday he'll tell his grandchildren that he played with Jordan, and that some fan wanted him pulled from a game for a glimpse at a 31-year-old basketball legend trying to live out his baseball fantasy. If Fryman thought he was in the shadow of his older brother Travis, the two-time All-Star for the Detroit Tigers, the Jordan hoopla puts that in a different light. "The place is packed wherever we go," Fryman said.

"It's nice to play in front of a lot of people." It's also been nice to play with Jordan, who has proven to be a special athlete, Fryman said. Jordan is the team's top hitter, batting .333 (14-for-42) through Saturday. "He's hitting better than we are. He ought to be i i. i A I Basketball should be Ward's sport This day once figured to be Charlie Ward's coronation, after being the greatest athlete -y in Florida State history.

I It was a plausible scene. Ward surrounded by cameras. A wide grin on his face. His family seated nearby. Either the telephone would have rung or Ward would have been attending the NFL draft in person, putting on the hat of the team that drafted him in the first round.

Instant fortune would be his reward. But it won't happen today. Ward will be far removed from New York City site of the NFL Draft both literally and figuratively. After leaving Phoenix, where he's been on display for NBA scouts in the Nike Desert I Classic at America West Arena, Ward will be at home in Thomasville, Ga. He will be without media or fanfare, throwing a private party for his parents' anniversary.

The television will be showing ESPN's NFL Draft coverage, but as Ward puts it, I "I'm not going to sit down and go crazy." Good thing. It's unlikely he'll hear his name. Ward is not expected to be selected when the first two -l rounds are completed tonight. He will have to wait until Monday a rather strange circumstance for someone who has the Heisman Trophy, Sullivan Award and numerous most valuable player awards I displayed in his house. But football is no longer 2j Ward's best career opportunity.

His skillful vision, leadership, quickness, athleticism are best suited for pro basketball. He belongs in the NBA. He may never be a superstar, but he'll get a better chance than I the NFL could ever provide. (Local readers disagree. See lj FAN LINE, Page 6C) Size not questioned No one in the NBA questions Ward's size or his arm strength.

They only wonder if he can score consistently, something he has yet to display. If Ward devoted 12 months to basketball, there's no telling I how great he could be. As a part-time point guard, he has held his own among many of the best college seniors invited to this event. These guys have played basketball since August Ward was in shoulder pads until January. "He can play in the NBA," said Marty Blake, the NBA director of college scouting.

"I remember when Magic (Johnson) came out, he couldn't even make a layup. I don't worry about his scoring." "He has a decent-enough shot, and with work, that will improve," said Dick Percudani, chief scout for the Phoenix Suns, the host team for the I Nike Desert Classic. Suns are interested The Suns are one team partic- ularly interested in Ward They have scouted him in Tallahas- see and treated him like royalty this week, inviting him inside their locker room and into their II private boxes at America West Arena. Phoenix would be an ideal match for Ward sparkling clean, laid-back, conservative, few hassles. Ward has never basked in the jj media glare.

He would prefer to play and be left alone. He sometimes chafed last fall i under the daily deluge of media accorded someone who wins the Heisman and leads a team to the national championship. It would magnify in the Instead, Ward would blend in with the NBA. That's all he wants. Football should be his former career.

I Bin Vilona covers Florida State for the News Journal. He can be reached at 435-8521 or write him at P.O. Box 12710. Pensacola. Fla.

32574. Junior College in Brewton, Ala. Just the routine stuff like being selected by the White Sox in the ninth round of the June 1991 draft. And being named the organization's player of the month for his torrid April in 1993 (.391 with seven homers and 29 RBI at Class A South Bend, AND BEING A 1993 Midwest League All-Star. And leading all Sox organization first baseman with 87 RBI last year while at South Bend and Class A Sarasota.

The bottom line is Fryman, 23, -is a promising player at a position, first base, which everyone knows is taken at the major-league level by American League MVP Frank Thomas. A lot of teams must be watching Fryman's progress, knowing Chicago's wealth of talent could make See FRYMAN, 5C Scott FisherNews Journal Troy Fryman is trying to shake off a slump, while his new teammate, Michael Jordan, leads the squad in hitting. Barons' GM: We won the Michael Jordan lottery' I The Jordan fanatics are appearing in droves, at home and on the road. "This is much, much greater than the San Diego Chicken or anything By Nathan Dominitz News Journal HOOVER, Ala. The scene in the Birmingham Barons' 7 clubhouse was like playing "What's wrong with this picture?" A few players were huddled around a television, which was i showing an "NBA Superstars" videotape.

One of the players was Michael Jordan. Not in the videotape. In the huddle. Standing near the former NBA superstar were Hoover police officers Tommy Stuart and in Birmingham. He was here four days in 1991 on injury rehabilitation." Hardekopf had to increase ticket office personnel to handle the flood of calls.

But he is thankful for Jordan, and for mobile phones, which he needed to make outgoing calls. "It's a great ride, a once-in-a-lifetime experience," said Hardekopf. "It's something 150 other teams would give their, uh, right fielders for. It's something we feel fortunate about. We won the Michael Eddie Braden, part of the beefed-up security since Jordan started playing for the Chicago White Sox's affiliate in the Class AA Southern League.

"The crowds have been real good. We were anticipating people trying to sneak around and do stuff," Stuart said Wednesday, before the Barons played the Memphis Chicks at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium. Braden said the Barons hire five officers for a normal game. -This season, eight or nine off icers have been hired. Jordan lottery." Local TV stations and newspapers do a daily Jordan watch, as does The Associated Press wire service.

"I'm not trying to overshadow the team. I don't think I'm talented enough to overshadow anyone now," Jordan said. His teammates say now he's one of the guys. "At first you're kind of in awe," outfielder Kevin Coughlin said. "That's Michael Jordan, the greatest basketball player ever.

But he puts us at ease." Jordan else," said Bill Hardekopf, Birmingham presidentgeneral manager. "Bo Jackson was a tremendous draw Next foe not on new champ's mind; Holyf ield camp to protest decision FIGHT ON TV Michael Moorer's 12-round majority decision over Evander Holyfield to win the WBA and IBF heavyweight championships will be shown by HBO on Wednesday. By Steve Sneddon Gannett News Service LAS VEGAS Michael Moorer, the first left-handed world heavyweight champion, just wanted to enjoy his newly won title. He didn't want to worry about who he's fighting next. "A lot of people don't realize we just fought 12 grueling rounds last night," he said Saturday.

"We're not thinking about fighting right now." Moorer said it's not important to him to unify the heavyweight title. Before Evander Holyfield lost, he had verbally agreed to a unification bout with World Boxing Council champion Lennox Lewis later this year. On Friday night, titles with a 12-round majority decision. Finkel said Saturday he will file a protest over judge Jerry Roth scoring the second round, 10-10, although Holyfield decked Moorer in the second for the fight's only knockdown. If he had given the round to Holyfield, the bout would have wound up a majority draw with the champion retaining the crown.

Holyfield dropped Moorer with a right-left combination. It was his first knockdown in a fight in 2Vt years. "We believe that (round) should have been in his favor," Finkel said. "We want to preserve his See HOLYFIELD, 4C i 1 Moorer said he would be interested in fighting former heavyweight champion Riddick Bowe. The 26-year-old might not have a choice who he fights if Holyf ield's manager Shelly Finkel gets his way with the World Boxing Association and International Boxing Federation.

Moorer won the WBA and IBF Associated Press Michael Moorer, right, delivers a right hand toward Evander Holyfield in Moorer's upset over the heavyweight champion. A.