South Florida Sun Sentinel from Fort Lauderdale, Florida • 39

BASEBALL win tlukiua SUN-SENTINEL Sunday, June 22, 2003 7C No signs of an All-Star .91 Bio discrepancies 4 I 1 I has appeared in nearly 1,200 games. Everywhere he has played, Martin has been a popular clubhouse presence, albeit somewhat distant away from the park, ex-teammates say. He recently took Devil Rays publicity director Rick Vaughn shopping in New York City, paying for a 130 pair of dress shoes. "I've been doing this 17 years," Vaughn said Saturday, "and no player had ever done anything like that for me before." Courteous to writers, teammates and coaches, Martin's gregarious personality in some ways may have allowed him to perpetuate his stories as long as he did. Now comes this latest revelation about the '94 All-Star Game.

"We've all been through it where we might have said something we wish we could take back, but then you let things snowball on you a little bit and it's just hard," former Pirates teammate Kevin Young said. "You keep feeding something that you don't really want to be." 1994 All-Star selection as well. When Martin was traded to Seattle at midseason, his bio followed him. The Mariners used the same two incorrect items on page 76 of their 2001 media guide. Several months later, after Martin compared an outfield collision with the time he tried tackling former Michigan running back Leroy Hoard, The Seattle Times released its story.

Mariners teammate Bret Boone, who actually attended USC, would later tease Martin in the clubhouse and on the team plane. It was nothing mean-spirited, witnesses say, but Martin never seemed part of the group the way he did before. "It was a real strange twist," said former Mariners bench coach John McLaren, now with the Devil Rays. "Truthfully, I liked him so much, I didn't want to see him get torn up inside." The curious part is Martin's career stands on its own merits. He has made nearly $16 million playing big-league baseball.

He has more than 1,100 hits and continue to follow Devil Rays player 'Al Martin. BYMIKEBERARDINO "staff writer Almost two years have 6 passed since Al Martin's claims 2 of having played football at the j0 University of Southern California were proved false. The August 2001 incident, sparked what the Tampa Bay Devil Rays outfielder has termed a "living hell," remains a fresh wound on his psyche. -He has never discussed it with Reporters, not even after it first came to light in a report in The SeattleTimes. Martin, 35, again refused to answer questions about the matter before Saturday's game against the Marlins at Pro Stadium.

Martin, who spent five pWeeks with the Marlins this 'Spring, wishes to put the whole football issue behind him. His club-issued media biography no longer contains any references to football except for the fact his uncle, Rod Martin, was a former Super Bowl MVP and his older Rickey, was drafted by 'the Pittsburgh Steelers. However, Martin's current CONTRADICTION: Al Martin's media guide bio says he was picked for the 1 994 All-Star Game but couldn't play because of an injury. Official records show otherwise. Staff photoRobert Mayer uiu in ine uevu Kays supplemental media guide, originally prepared in the spring of 2002 when he was Jwith the St.

Louis Cardinals, a still includes one apparent picked up much of what had been written in Pittsburgh except for two items, both listed on page 65 of that year's Padres guide. "With the All-Star Game in his home stadium," the first item read, "Al was named to the NL All-Star team by Philadelphia manager Jim Fregosi, but he did not play due to a sprained left wrist." This had never appeared in the Pirates book. What's more, there was a new line regarding his football background: "played two seasons at strong safety for the Trojans." Former Padres publicity director Glenn Geff ner, now with the Boston Red Sox, refused to comment on the Martin discrepancy. So did former Padres public relations assistant John Dever, now with the Expos. But a source with knowledge of the process said Martin himself provided the information about USC football and "could have mentioned" the part about the bring mP5.

FT Hi. On page A-95, in the first Non-Current Moieh DEMOS Overstock Models Trades Welcome "My bio goes from year to year. I don't know where it comes from. I don't know where it starts or where it finishes." AL MARTIN delphia manager Jim Fregosi who managed the '94 team, Martin quickly corrected himself. "Fregosi? That's right," he said, standing in the tunnel outside the visiting clubhouse.

"It was me or Carlos Garcia that was going to make that team, and Carlos Garcia was the guy that made that Believe me, I'm not going to do one of these stories again." Pressed further, Martin said: "Before the game was started, I was selected on that team I'm not going to get involved in any part of this. I tried to get involved in one thing before, and it turned into a nightmare. I'm not going down that road again." We live in the age of resume embellishment. Just ask George O'Leary and Jim Harrick each of whom lost his job in recent years at least in part for pumping up their credentials. O'Leary, the disgraced former Notre Dame football coach, never played fullback at the University of New Hampshire, nor did he complete work toward a master's degree, as claimed.

Nor did Harrick a former University of Georgia basketball assistant, receive all the academic honors he claimed in his media guide bio. Martin ran into trouble because of his bio as well as comments to Seattle writers referencing a USC-Michigan football game that never took place. Martin said Saturday he never reads his entry in the media guide. "I don't read that stuff he said. "I don't even know my bio's in there.

I don't read it. Why am I going to go over my bio?" When someone mentioned the USC football flap, Martin shook his head. "My bio goes from year to year," he said. "I don't know where it comes from. I don't know where it starts or where it finishes.

I don't know where anything starts or where it finishes." From 1992 through 1999, the Pirates media guide routinely listed Martin as having "attended the University of Southern California on a football scholarship." In reality, Martin never enrolled, much less played football there. Instead, Martin signed at 17 out of Rowland High School in West Covina, to play baseball for the Atlanta Braves. An eighth-round draft pick, Martin signed for about $30,000. Braves bullpen coach Bobby Dews, Red Sox manager Grady Little and others who knew him as a Braves farmhand say Martin never mentioned playing for USC during his first seven seasons in the minors (1985-91). In his first phone conversation with Pirates publicity director Jim Trdinich, however, Martin volunteered the football information during a debriefing for the annual media guide.

"He obviously must have said he got a scholarship to USC to play football, so I put it in there," Trdinich said of Martin, signed as a minor league free agent after the '91 season. "You think these guys are being truthful when they say that's what they did. They could say they threw six no-hitters in Little League, and you take them at their word." When Martin was traded to the San Diego Padres near the end of spring training in 2000, the club's media relations staff had a half-day to cobble together a new bio before publishing deadlines. They The Honda Superstore ifitofe Mwd Line entry for his 1994 season, it states Martin "was named to the National League All-Star team but did not play due to a sprained left Then with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Martin indeed had a sprained wrist that eventually rJrequired surgery. He suffered the injury a few days before the July 12 game in Pittsburgh.

However, according to the off icial 2002 All-Star Game media guide, just four Martins been chosen forthe Midsummer Classic: Billy, 4 Pepper, Stu and Herschel. Page 138 provides a detailed all31 National League (All-Stars for the 1994 game, including three players who jwere elected or selected but unable to play due to injury. Martin's name is not listed. Instead, it was former j.Pirates second baseman Carlos 1 Garcia who was the club's only representative that year. The All-Star section of Major League Baseball's Web site omits Martin as well, g.

"I was hurt in '94," Martin said Saturday when asked about the discrepancy. "I wasn't on the team. I got selected. I got chosen, not selected, in '94. Carlos Garcia went to that game." Asked to clarify, Martin Ho DEMO RIDES AVAILABLE OFFER BHDS JDHB 30 nan SPECIAL SALE! $7,699 The fastest product Introduction In history.

This amazing 600 stunned the world by dominating Daytona in its first race ever. It took the three ot the top four spots. Here why: its spawned trom our Motour champion kuzi i with center-up exhaust, Unit Pro-Link(r) suspension, and Dual Stage Fuel Inspection. With its awe-inspiring handling, 15.000 RPM redline, and superior overall performance, this is the sportbike taking the 600 class to a whole new level. honda.com fiACETMUOHYtHflMrMDnUOrOUfl OWNf fl Wmi mOftOUfiHW.

fii lmn iiniii MUM a nftf bMM mm VM. NaMCftki HONDA PERFORMANCE FIRST" HmmaaM Hi uti. uw(il. muMii) mi rrama rmuaj an nwrani nwu mm M-. ui.

iwi suggesieu a repuuei caujue Torre because "he was the 'manager of that team." Told it was former Phila- 9JiDl Major League Notebook Rainout creates subway twinbill 11 Buy a new Honda VTX1800CRS, the most extreme cruiser on the planet and get $1,000 in-store credit' toward Honda Genuine Accessories. rHONDA HONDA PERFORMANCE FIRST" htnai Ctm IE A RES PONS Wlf AIOEF UNITS WEAR A HELMET, PTE PROTECTION AW PHOtFCTTVE CLOTHtNG MET THE LAN AND Pi AO TOUR OWNER'S MANUAL HEVER RIDE UNDER THE IHHUEKCE Of DRUGS AM ALCOHOL. taacWumM miliWlitj ubrKl a tkiaaa wtAoat aatm. 'SIMS rn-Wn trHH pot wrth ttl retro el Mf am 2MB at anat moatl pMVninKMiMcMHrraiitaafrTtamit OtbjrMt at cm nla iaiamrmtHi. CaUwMri mi) apart nt-Hart cnrtll ta Howit 6mm tt mares let waliim waathi ft rnpawMl Mr tH rtlMM uMt Hi iM Hntjllilwa duran Mat tt at eamaiaH mtt him ladrj ortar AtamartM mtlNH motil Mm Oflajr (Ma Sm iiar Mr camakM rut ram MiHl.

TTX Hand (aawaj Attnwr.tt)nPt1wmriiFiry)ftlratTriotrlOTi!iMfllo'Ca IW Arwci" HaiHi MnlprCa Mt I4t3 hcmf! tm MSPONSmii BfDEB UWATI WEM A HELMET. EYE PBOTfCDON AH0 mOTECTM ClOffllM AND Plim RESPECT THE ENVIHONWHT MET THE LAW AND READ YOlffl OWNER 1 MANUAL THOROUGHLY 'Ho pitrntnti rill kt rtiiirta tai tbt dm thm mnthi from Ml if purchasa tl ailiht cailemw 'I IS tita APR finintini ajUN mmta kVHati Am mm. Hernia Hnaat CarosntiM ifW nrsval am. fwpmt aiimalt mwithlf parmaRt. at 111 Tl hK Hch SI 000 ffiuncttt Ofttr toad an lit turn 7W3 ana art moatl ri' Mulsrqfdw ATVi.

fWCi tfrt Staann. Owe wri MrHciaibaa. Hmi Dtilart tm cwmIMi toialtt OltH antt Jtrc 31. MU tM Pricri Model Price! I Model Price! 8999 CRF150F 9499 CRF230F 9499 CR65R at 8:10 p.m. The Yankees and Mets were forced to do something similar on July 8, 2000, because of a rainout.

That time, they opened at Shea and finished up at Yankee Stadium that was the first two-park doubleheader in the majors since Sept. 7, 1903, when games were held at Brooklyn's Washington Park and the Polo Grounds, home of the New York Giants. Todd Zeile had a home run and a single wiped out for the Yankees. He began the day in an 0-for-20 rut and his two hits didn't count. Jeromy Burnitz and Ty Wigginton had homers wiped out for the Mets.

Tom GlaVine, who was supposed to pitch for the Mets, was scratched after he began to warm up, and Griffiths made his first major league start. Glavine recently missed his first start in more than 10 years because of an inflamed left elbow. He's scheduled to start tonight against the Yankees' Da- vid Wells. ELSEWHERE ANGELS: Darin Erstad has 1 55 hits In In-terleague play, most of any player. Garrtt Andtraon has 143.

ASTROS: 2B Jeff Kant was scratched CBR954 RC51 CBR11XX from the starting lineup before the start of Saturday night's game at Texas because of his sore left wrist The Astros shuffled their lineup just minutes before the game started, with josa Vizcaino taking over at second base. LF Lanca Barkman moved from fifth to fourth in the batting order. CARDINALS: 3B Scott Rolen, bothered by a sore neck after a headfirst slide earlier this month, will get at least three more days off to rest the injury. Rolen missed his third consecutive start and fifth game this week Saturday night against the Kansas City Royals. Eduardo Peraz played third base Friday night and Wilton Delgado started at third Saturday in place of Rolen, a Gold Glove winner who was batting .291 with 12 home runs and 51 RBI.

EXPOS: 3B Farnando Tatli was placed on the 1 5-day DL because of swelling in his chest wall. Tatis. who had only started one of Montreal's previous six games, was hitting .194 with two homers and 15 RBI in 53 games. GIANTS: Promising rookie pitcher Kurt Alntworth might be out much longer than anticipated with an injured right shoulder. Ainsworth left his rehab start Wednesday at Triple-A Fresno because of stiffness in the area behind his throwing shoulder.

Ainsworth will not return for "weeks," trainer Stan Contt said. 1 J.T. Snow was put on the 1 5-day DL with a strained left groin, the second setback In two days for the defending NL champions. To fill Snow's roster spot, the Giants recalled OF Carlo Valderrama from Triple-A Fresno to fill a hole in the outfield since reserve Marvin Btnard is injured. Valderrama started in center field Saturday to give Marquis Grltsom a day off INDIANS: RHP Rlcardo Rodriguez is set to come off the disabled list and start Thursday against the Royals at Jacobs Field.

PHILLIES: Manager Larry Bowa served his automatic one-game suspension for a bench-clearing brawl with Cincinnati on June 13. Gary vertho handled managing duties. WIRE REPORTS new York While lightning svcrackled, thunder boomed and iVrain poured down in buckets Saturday, a baseball suddenly shot out of the Yankees' dug- out, skimming across the tarpaulin and skittering toward the Mets' bench. There was a note on the ball, a message between good friends and former teammates RobinVenturaandJoe McEw- iVing. I Ventura wrote: "I don't think the hard stuff's coming down a while." 4 "A little line from Caddy sh-y ack," said McEwing, the Mets' utilityman.

0 Comedian Bill Murray made it popular in the movie, and Ventura picked a perfect time to reprise it after the field was 0 cleared. Minutes later, the Subway Series game af Shea Stadi-, urn was rained out in the fourth inning with the Yankees lead-tag 4-3. The game will be made up as part of a day-night, two-ball-' park doubleheader next Satur-n day. The teams will play the regularly scheduled game at Yankee Stadium at 1:20 p.m., tthen bus over to Shpa to meet Blackbird 2599 2999 2699 4099 4850 CR125R CR250R Ruckus 1899 IIIIMj.t-fiJ.llhll.'l.ifUJJ:!!.! NPS50 FSC6O0A FSC600A 6499 Silver Wing 3499 4699 2999 2799 3599 3799 4299 4499 5199 5399 6099 6699 Sportrax Sportrax Recon Recon Rancher Rancher Rancher Rancher Foreman Foreman Rubicon RINCON TRX250EX TRX4O0EX TRX250TE TRX250TM TRX250TM TRX350TE TRX350FM TRX350FE TRX400FW TRX450FM TRX500FA TRX650FA Silver Wing ABS 6899 CMX250 Rebel VLX ACE l.ll:klli:.HJ;lMi:U VT600 VT750 VT1100 999 2799 4599 5489 7199 In stock 10799 11199 11299 In stock 14999 XR50R XR70R XR80R XR100R XR200R XR250R XR4O0R 1299 VTX1300 1699 VTX180OC 1899 VTX1800R 2799 VTX1800S 4299 ST1300 4799 GL1800 7099 6899 Gold Wing CBR600F4 CB900 Asphalt 1 5660 W. DIXIE HWY, N.

MIAMI BEACH, FL 331 62 PHONE: 305-948-6464 TOLL FREE: 866-948-6464 HOURS: MONDAY-FRIDAY SATURDAY 1 0-4KX II A liSrONSIIU IIDM. UWtYS WIA HtUMl ITI ftOTKTKMI AND rHOTICTM aOTHINS AN0 PUAU HSKa TM INVmOMUNT. OUT TM UW AND READ YOU OWNtl'i MANUAt THOIODGHlt. ATVS ARE RECOMMENDED ON1T HIGHIY EXPERIENCED tWIRS 14 TEARS AND OUXI. ro sfrrr and tinin iNfotMnoN.

caii the asi at (m) ur-tur.