Calgary Herald from Calgary, Alberta, Canada • 8

Calgary Herald C. Tuesday June 25, 1996 For Further Information PRESS CODE Classified lbKj Weather C5 C6 24 3-7253 1 aliw' Knutft 5700 Editor: Mark Tremblay 235-7578 Fax: 235-7313 E-mail: sports theherald.southam.ca FANFARE SCOREBOARD CHI BASEBALL American League Chicago 4-4 Minnesota 3 Baltimore 8 Oakland 4 National League Montreal 11 Florida 2 Cincinnati 7 New York 2 St. Louis 9 (More scores and California 2-6 New York 0 Texas 3 Detroit 2 Pittsburgh 3 San Francisco 1 Philadelphia 0 Colorado 1 Atlanta 2 stats on Page C4.) (Mir df ay Agassi 's early exit just one of number of shocks as top-seeded players defeated Kevin Lamarque, Associated Press GREAT FEELING: Doug Flach celebrates his victory. A i "'(: CV STEVE WILSTEIN The Associated Press WIMBLEDON, England ndre Agassi has the vacant, 11 red-eyed look of a man whose fW 1 career is crashing out of con-IfUtrol. What happened to Agassi at Wimbledon in the first round Monday was much different than the relatively routine upsets that knocked out Michael Chang and Jim Courier earlier in the afternoon under a mottled sky the color of a bruise.

Agassi's loss bore all the signs of third-degree burnout, the kind of performance that makes a player question his desire, his direction and his future. The third-seeded Agassi came to Wimbledon as unprepared and unfit as he had gone to the French Open last month. This time, he left a round sooner, flaming out 2-6, 7-6 (7-1), 6-4, 7-6 (8-6) against a journeyman qualifier from cVv" i TVRadio WIMBLEDON TENNIS 7 a.m. (TSN Ch. 25) Men's and women's singles matches.

BASEBALL 5:30 p.m. (TSN Ch. 25) Seattle Mariners at Toronto Blue Jays. 5:35 p.m. (TBS Ch.

43) St. Louis Cardinals at Atlanta Braves. Surfing the 'Net A look at sports sites on the Internet: Wimbledon: The official site (http:www.wimbledon.org) provides live updates, in addition to background info on the competitors. Tennis Magazine has its own site (http:www.tennis.com) and you can also follow the tournament on the Tennis Country page (http:www.tenniscountrycomwi mble.shtml). NBA draft: Follow Wednesday's draft on the official NBA page (http:www.nba.com).

Another option is the ESPN site There's also a decent site for info on past drafts (http:www.unc.edu.(tilde)lbrooks 2draft.html). Vancouver Grizzlies fans may went to check out the Orca Bay site (http:www.orcabaycom). Auto: Players Racing has set a site (http:www.players-racing.com), providing a chance to link up with drivers ranging from Greg Moore in IndyCar to Claude Bourbonnais and David Empringham in Indy Lights. Compiled by Neil Davidson, CP Soccer showdown England is looking to square up its series of famous soccer confrontations with Germany on Wednesday when the countries meet in a Euro 96 semifinal at London's Wembley Stadium. C3 Kieran Doherty, Reuters after his stunning first-round defeat at the hands of U.S.

compatriot Doug Flach on Monday. STUNNED SILENCE: An astonished Andre Agassi (centre) is escorted from the Wimbledon courts by police the satellite tour, the No. 281-ranked Doug Flach, in a stunning upset. "I'm trying to kind of get myself at the top of my game again," Agassi said, somewhat unconvincingly. "You know, when you've been there, and then all of a sudden your game is a little off, there's more frustration to it." Flach, who served 22 aces, made his share of once-in-a-lifetime shots, none more spectacular than the volley he hit after rising from a belly-flop dive at the net.

"That's the first time I've ever dived for a ball on grass," said Flach, a 25-year-old who had played only one ATP Tour match in the past two years. "I know it's possible, but that was a crazy point. Actually, after the point I was so, like, freaked out. I didn't know where I was for a minute. The crowd was clapping so loud, and that was really neat." BIGGEST PAYDAY Flach, better known as the brother of former doubles specialist Ken Flach, started the year ranked close to 600th and had won $2,205 in prize money going into Wimbledon.

He earned more than six times that figure just by getting to the second round. As inspired as Flach played, Agassi appeared equally indifferent. Four years ago, Agassi won his first Grand Slam title at Wimbledon. Last year, he came in ranked No. 1 and reached the semifinals.

Now, he's played just five matches in the past three months, losing three of them, and there's a sense that, at 26, the peak of his career may be behind him along with the pleasure of playing. He could offer no explanation for his poor play this year and, despite a touch of flu a few days ago, he made no excus- Wimbledon, at a glance Highlights of Monday's play at the event: Attendance: 32,545. Last year's first-day attendance was 33,016. Upsets: No. 3 Andre Agassi, No.

6 Michael Chang, No. 8 Jim Courier, No. 15 Arnaud Boetsch. Stat of the day: Known for his return-of-serve, Agassi won only 47 of 144 points against Doug Flach's serve. Quote: "I've had better days of hitting the tennis ball, no question." Andre Agassi after losing his first-round match to Flach.

Human judges removed C3 Complete results C4 title last year with Martina Navratilo-va. France's Boetsch lost to Alexander Radulescu of Germany 6-3, 6-4, 6-7 (2-7), Pete Sampras, opening his bid for a fourth straight Wimbledon title, dropped the first set against Richey Reneberg and went down a break in the second before rallying to win 4-6, Following Sampras on Centre Court was Monica Seles, the women's No. 2 seed playing her first match at Wimbledon since losing in the 1992 final to Steffi Graf. Seles looked perfectly at home as she breezed to a 6-1, 6-2 win over Ann Grossman in 50 minutes. Other first-round winners included Boris Becker, the three-time champion and No.

2 seed, fourth-seeded Goran Ivanisevic, a two-time finalist, and No. 12 Stefan Edberg, a former two-time champion. Former women's champion Conchita Martinez also won easily es, except to say the conditions on Court 2, dubbed the "graveyard of champions," were difficult. "It's definitely a tough court to play on," Agassi said of the court where John McEnroe, Jimmy Connors, Hie Nastasie and other notables had gone down to early defeat. "From one side of the court, you can't see one line." Agassi was one of four men's seeds eliminated, joining No.

6 Chang, No. 8 Courier and No. 15 Arnaud Boetsch. With No. 7 Thomas Muster out with an injury, it is only the second time at Wimbledon in the Open era that just four of the top eight men remain after the first round.

Chang lost 3-6, 7-6 (7-5), 7-6 (7-1), 6-4 to Alberto Costa, a Spanish clay-court expert who had never won a grass-court match. Courier, runner-up here three years ago, was ousted 6-2, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 by fellow American Jonathan Stark, a doubles specialist who took the mixed doubles National Sports Report 3001 National Hockey League 3002 Flames Focus 3080 NHL Point Spreads 3031 NBA 3003 NBA Point Spreads 3033 Toronto Raptors 3529 Vancouver Grizzlies 3528 NBA SportsNet Directory 3530 Major League Baseball 3004 MLB '96 Schedule (by 3037 Golf 3007 Soccer KICK Speedway 3012 Boxing 3008 Rodeo 3020 Pro Wrestling 3755 Sports Transactions 3011 Skiing Conditions 1250 University of Calgary 4210 Mount Royal College 4220 SAIT 4230 Masterman's Fishing Tips 1130 R00E0 Barrel racing hilts Stampede big time The Issue: Status of ladies' barrel racing in professional rodeo. What's New: For the first time ever, this year's Calgary Stampede includes barrel racing in the $50,000 jackpot finals. What's Next: Canadian Professional Rodeo Association members will decide by July 10 whether barrel racing will be considered a major event. "5 K.w 23 says the Cochrane bareback rider.

Noting he's heard some male members are opposed to equal rating for barrel racers, Whitney declined to predict the ballot's possible outcome. "Hopefully, they'll see it as a progressive step," he says. Monica Wilson, 43, says the prospect of winning $50,000 on July 14 makes this year's Stampede rodeo "the most exciting of all." The Stampede announced the move in April, after Canada Post agreed to expand its barrel racing sponsorship to include the final jackpot. Forty-eight barrel racers have entered the rodeo. For barrel racers, most of whom earn less than $20,000 while competing in up to 60 rodeos a year, having a shot at $50,000 in one run of about 16 seconds is a dream come true.

"All the girls are pretty darn excited," says barrel racer Amie Stone, 25, of Madden. "$50,000 is just unreal." Stone concedes she's a little nervous about the vote seeking major event status for barrel racers. The balloting deadline is July 10. To pass, the motion would require approval from 66 per cent of ballots returned. The Stampede rodeo starts July 3, with two days of slack competition held without an audience.

Public afternoon performances begin July 5. The top 10 barrel racers from the Stampede's daily early rounds will earn berths in the final day's elimination round. The fastest four will advance to the $50,000 showdown. Unlike the major male events in which Cana- BRUCE MASTERMAN Calgary Herald You've come a long way, cowgirls. For the first time since the Calgary Stampede introduced $50,000 jackpots for cowboys in five major rodeo event finals in 1982, female barrel racers this year are rejoicing at getting a shot at their own 50 grand.

"It's about time," says Cardston barrel racer Monica Wilson, barrel racing representative of the Canadian Professional Rodeo Association. "It's like a new era." Montana cowgirl Carolynn Vietor, acting president of the Women's Professional Rodeo Association, calls the $50,000 payout for barrel racers "a major breakthrough" for women in a sport long dominated by men. "Rodeo's very says. "It's the last stronghold of chauvinism." Vietor says the $50,000 prize is "the greatest thing to happen" since the mid-1980s, when barrel racers in the United States waged a controversial battle for rodeo winning payouts equal to those earned by cowboys. In a telephone interview from her ranch near Philipsburg in western Montana, Vietor notes the Stampede now boasts the biggest prize barrel racers can win for one run anywhere.

The rodeo starts next week. In barrel racing, cowgirls on horseback individually race the clock around three barrels in the rodeo infield. Barrel racers ride specially-trained horses worth at least $30,000, and face the same travelling and entry expenses as cowboys, Word of the Stampede jackpot came on the eve of a vote being taken within the CPRA's 900 members to officially recognize barrel racing as a major event. Barrel racers' current official status is similar to boys' steer riders, wild cow milkers and novice bucking events. Major event status now is given only to men's bull riding, bareback and saddle bronc, steer wrestling and calf roping events which until this year also were the only ones accorded $50,000 grand prizes at the Stampede.

Wrilson, who spearheaded both the ballot and the Stampede's barrel racing grand prize, says both initiatives follow several years of hard work by barrel racers. "We've always considered ourselves a major event," she says, noting surveys have shown fans agree. CPRA president Drake Whitney supports both the ballot and the Stampede's $50,000 barrel-racing jackpot "I think the women should be treated equal," Deb Thorne-Latta, Calgary Herald GOOD NEWS: Cardston's Monica Wilson, here competing at the Guy Weadick Rodeo on the weekend, is excited by news that barrel racing will be a $50,000 event at next month's Calgary Stampede rodeo. dian, world and Rodeo Royal champions have automatic byes into the first elimination round there are no byes for barrel racers this year. Wilson says byes weren't permitted because the decision to include barrel racing in the lucrative finals was made after those champions were known..