Casper Star-Tribune from Casper, Wyoming • 17

star Sports CI Wednesday, August 21, 1991 Star-Tribune, Casper, Wyo. WBI officials eye Arizona A league Group trying to bring pro baseball to Wyoming explores all options 'JK i v' Rick SorcnsonStar-Tribune By RONGULLBERG Star-Tribune staff writer LARAMIE Officials of Wyoming Baseball Inc. who hope to lure minor league baseball to Wyoming may have to go through Arizona to do so. Looking to capitalize on major league baseball's decision to locate a National League expansion franchise in Denver, the group has been active in trying to create interest in bring professional baseball to Wyoming. "I know the Colorado Rockies are interested in having minor league affiliates in the Rocky Mountain region," WBI co-director Patrick Wolfinbarger said during a telephone interview on Monday.

According to Wolfinbarger, Wyoming's current best hope for landing a minor league team lies in Arizona. Wolfinbarger revealed he is in contact with a Grand Junction, businessman interested in relocating the failing Arizona League, a six-team Class-A short-season developmental league that has been beset by low attendance figures, competition from major league spring training and midsummer heat. Each of the league's teams are owned by major league clubs and would continue to be so if they were moved to the Rocky Mountain region, according to Wolfinbarger. Wolfinbarger said Sam Suplizio of Grand Junction hopes to place teams in both Colorado and Wyoming and that he, along with WBI, would assist the major league clubs with facility studies and organization. Suplizio could not be reached for comment.

WBI's other co-directors arc sports broadcaster Dave Walsh of Laramie and Scott Farris, the intergovernmental affairs coordinator for Gov. Mike Sullivan's office in Cheyenne. Wolfinbarger works as an editor for the University of Wyoming News Service. "(Suplizio) reached (Arizona League officials) first and he heard of us and we heard of him and finally we were able to talk to him over the phone," Wolfinbarger said. "We're trying to get together in the future and see how we can help him." While it is too early to determine which cities would play host to the six teams, Wolfinbarger said possible Colorado sites include Grand Junction, Pueblo and Greeley.

He said Cheyenne, Laramie, Casper, Sheridan and Gillette arc among the many Wyoming cities to "seriously investigate." "If this thing (the move from Arizona) looks feasible, we would do some type of study, a market study as well as a site study for the physical considerations of facilities," Wolfinbarger said. Wolfinbarger cautioned that Wyoming baseball fans shouldn't begin to "jump up and down" over his organization's recent inquiries. "I doubt things would move so fast that we would have something in the very near future, but on the positive side of it, it seems like major league baseball has responded back to (Suplizio) with some interest, no promises, but some interest," Wolfinbarger said. "We're not going to get everybody excited. But I can say to this point, we've had all positive feedback and no negative feedback (from major league According to Wolfinbarger, WBI has at least two other options in its goal to house minor league baseball.

One is to either land a Pioneer League expansion club or relocate one of its troubled franchises. The other avenue would be to hook up with Suplizio and start their own Rocky Mountain region instructional league. Unfortunately for WBI, the Pi-Please see BASEBALL, C2 Inspecting the troops Kelly Walsh High School football coach Kevin Williams keeps an eye on his team during the second day of fall practice Tuesday. Practice for fall prep sports football, volleyball, cross country, golf, girls swimming and tennis began Monday. The Trojan football team opens its season Sept.

6 against Cheyenne East in Casper. Gillette football team begins under the lights Camels catch 'midnight madness' up late, the bright lights of the football stadium and the players' cheers might have stirred some. After the practice the players spent the night at the high school and awoke later that morning to breakfast and another practice at 10:30 a.m. "Their enthusiasm is good," Colgate said. "Our overall team speed is a lot better and their knowledge is good, too.

We've got an attitude that is as high as I've seen in a it long time. They believe in themselves." Last year the Camels finished the year with a 4-5 record that included an appearance in the Class 4-A semifinal game. This year the team opens on the road Sept. 7 against Hastings, in Sidney, Neb. Colgate hopes for more success this season behind the passing of senior quarterback Rusty Bell.

"Rusty seems to have a lot of field savvy," the coach said. "What I like about control football is you can throw the football to control it." A V' y. i i I 1 1 GILLETTE (AP) "Midnight madness" is a common occurrence during basketball season, but it's a little unusual on the football field. That didn't stop Campbell County High School football coach Paul Colgate from opening his team's fall drills with an early morning workout session earlier this week. "It dawned on me one time how nice it is to play under the lights, and why not start the season excited like that," Colgate said.

"It's a togetherness thing, and just as much motivation it's the biggest slumber party in the history of Giants delay teams begin By DAVE GOLDBERG AP football writer The Miami Dolphins have one first-string quarterback, are perfectly content with him, and are willing to give him the largest financial package in the NFL. The New York Giants have two first-string quarterbacks and are trying to figure out if they can use them both in the same game. While the Dolphins were signing Dan Marino to a contract extension expected to pay him $25 million over five years, Giants' coach Ray Handley was once again delaying his announcement on his starter Phil Simms or Jeff Hostetler. In fact, he said he was considering alternating the two during some games. Marino's new contract, announced at a Miami news conference, includes a $3 million signing bonus that added to his $1.6 million salary this year will bring his earnings to $4.6 million, $600,000 more than Joe Montana is due to make this year.

In New Jersey, meanwhile, Handley was still mulling over what to do about Simms and Hostetler, each of whom has quar-terbacked the Giants to a Super Bowl victory. Handley, who promised to make a decision after the third exhibition game, met with both quarterbacks and again said he had two first-stringers. "I didn't want to make the quarterback situation out to be a circus," Handley said. "I'm trying to determine how to come out of this without the perception that there's a loser here." There were a lot of other losers around the NFL as teams pared down to the 60-player roster limit by the 4 p.m. EDT deadline.

Among the prominent names to go Tuesday were two Broncos Melvin Bratton, Denver's starting fullback the past two seasons and linebacker Rick Dcnnison, a 10-year veteran. Atlanta cut another 10-year man, offensive lineman John Scully; Cleveland released 36-year-old Roy Green, once one of the NFL's top receivers, and the Rams cut Campbell County." The coach said the 60 players who turned out for the practice didn't seem to be fazed by the early hour. "They were right on the task tonight," he said. "This is the furthest ahead I've ever seen a team on the first day." During the session Colgate had the players work on their offensive assignments and calisthenics. While the coach tried to warn neighbors that the team would be QB choice; to cut back NFL Roundup defensive lineman Doug Reed, an 8-year veteran.

Backup quarterback Steve Pel-luer, meanwhile, returned to the Chiefs after walking away a week ago and told coach Marty Schot-tenheimer he wanted to resume his career. "I've been dealing with a personal issue, and now I've overcome that," said Pelluer, who will be able to practice with a roster exemption that will keep him from being counted against the 60-player limit. "Now I'm trying to work it through with Marty. I made a decision to come back and want to see if it's possible." The Giants' quarterbacks seemed impatient after meeting with Handley for the second straight day. The 35-year-old Simms, who has started for most of his 12-year career and led the Giants to an 11-2 start last year before injuring a foot, did not talk to the media.

Hostetler, who carried the Giants through two playoff wins and the Super Bowl victory over Buffalo, had only a few words to say. Asked if the situation had become tiring, he replied: "Yeah." Asked how he had handled it, the 30-year-old Hostetler replied: "You wait." Handley said he hoped to announce a decision Wednesday. He said one option would be to use both quarterbacks, leaving opponents wondering whether to prepare for Simms' dropback style or Hostetler's scrambling. He said he got the idea while discussing the situation with his offensive coaches. "Whether that's feasible or not, I'm not certain," Handley said.

"I've said continually that these guys are interchangeable. Ideally, it would be a situation where if Simms or Hostetler came in, the team would respond and then say, 'Who was Aside from Bratton, Dennison and Scully, most of Tuesday's cuts were low draft choices, free agents and marginal veterans. Please see NFL, C2 ZL A AP Marino agrees to richest deal in NFL liistory MIAMI (AP) Dan Marino, the golden-armed quarterback of the Miami Dolphins, cashed in Tuesday when he agreed to perhaps the richest contract in NFL history. Neither Dolphins management nor Marino would release details of the contract other than it was a 5-year extension of his current pact which will pay him $1.6 million this year. Several newspapers reported Tuesday that Marino and his agent Marvin Demoff negotiated a contract for $25 million, including a $3 million signing bonus.

"This gives security for my family," said Marino, 29, who has three sons ages 2 to 5. "As a dad you always want that for your kids. The biggest thing for me is getting paid a lot of money for doing what I love to do." Dolphin president Tim Robbie wouldn't discuss the numbers, but he heaped praise on his star quarterback. "We feel Dan is one of the best players in the history of the NFL and the contract reflects that," Robbie said. "As long as we have number 13 on the field, we have a shot at the Super Bowl," Marino, entering his ninth season, was a first-round draft choice from the University of Pittsburgh.

He led Miami to the 1984 Super Bowl as a second-year quarterback, where he was outdueled by Joe Montana and the San Francisco 49ers, 38-16. If reports on Marino's contract prove true, it will have pushed him past Montana's $3.5 million per year to make him the highest-paid player in the NFL. "Montana's a great quarterback," Marino said, dodging the comparison at a news conference at Joe Robbie Stadium. "I just want to get one of his Super Bowl rings." Don Shula, Marino's only pro coach, said the quarterback proved his worth last year despite compiling lesser numbers than in past seasons. "When you think about Dan's numbers, 1984 was mind-boggling," said Shula, of the year Marino threw for 48 touchdowns.

Miami's E.J. Junior tras Bronco QB Jolui Elway in 21-13 Denver win Monday night Bratton heads list of bounced Broncos physically unable to perform list, also because of a back injury. Juriga will be out for the season; Carreker for about six weeks. Bratton, a starter last season, had plunged precipitously on the depth chart during the preseason, falling behind new acquisitions Robert Perryman and Reggie Rivers and veteran Steve Sewell. "You could see the writing on the wall," Bratton said.

Although disappointed, Bratton also was philosophical, even jovial. After arriving at Broncos headquarters early Tuesday, he waved to reporters outside the complex and shouted, "Got to go see Dan (Coach Dan Reeves). I'll be right out." About an hour later, Bratton emerged and told the media of his dismissal. "They're pretty much content with the younger backs they have," Bratton said. "They've got some good, hard-working backs, and I wish them all well.

I guess it just didn't work out for Melvin Bratton. "1 have no regrets. Dan was the one coach in the league who gave me the opportunity to come back Please see BRONCOS, C2 By JOHN MOSSMAN A sports writer DENVER A fourth-string fullback who didn't play on special teams was a luxury the Denver Broncos couldn't afford, and veteran Melvin Bratton was among 16 players cut by the team on Tuesday. Also deemed expendable as the Broncos trimmed their roster to the required 60-player limit were veteran linebacker Rick Dennison, tight end Chris Ver-hulst and running back Blake Ezor. Other players waived by the Broncos were running back Tony Alford, offensive linemen Scott Beavers and Matt McCall, wide receivers Tim Stallworth, Curtis Mayfield, Ernest Priester and Norris Hanes, quarterback Pat Hegarty, defensive linemen Rollin Putzier and Doug Jacobs, cornerback Fred Foggie and place-kicker Tracy Bennett.

Two other players, offensive tackle Jim Juriga and defensive end Alphonso Carreker, were placed on reserve lists because of injury. Juriga was placed on the reserve-injured list with a back injury, and Carreker went on the reserve- V..