The Windsor Star from Windsor, Ontario, Canada • 41

BUSINESS Rules change for Canadian banks D6 Stat Line Norwav unset Snain 1 -fl Section por Baseball Hockey D2 Golf Auto Racing D3 Soccer D4 Scoreboard Briefs D5 at the Euro 2000 soccer championships. SeeD4 WEDNESDAY, JUNE 14. 2000 The Windsor Star SPORTS EDITOR: MARK FALKNER 255-5769 rr-v Cm Joe Slddall tosses an autographed cap back to a fan In July of 199S during his first game with Detroit at Tiger Windsor catcher Jm Slddall takes a break In August of 1993 during practice at Olympic Stadium In Montreal. Earlier that year, Slddall was called up from AAA Ottawa and played 19 games with the major league club. Montreal Gazette photo I Stadium.

Slddall played 29 games with the Tigers, hitting one homer and eight RBIs. Star photo: nick orancaccto Coach Carter cut by Raptors Off-court actions spoil solid season Star News Services TORONTO Praised for his work on the basketball court, Toronto Raptors head coach Butch Carter was fired Tuesday for his actions off it. GM Glen Grunwald cited Carter for his work in turning around the team but said ultimately the coach was paying the price for the cloud of controversy that has swirled around the Raptors in recent months. Carter's comments and actions have resulted in criticism from the team's veterans, perhaps cost the club a chance to re-sign coveted young forward Tracy McGrady and forced Grunwald into damage control mode. On Tuesday, Grunwald put an end to the distraction that Carter had become, saying there was no other alter City catcher calls it quits after 13 years of pro baseball By Jim Parker star sports writer Tuesday was just another day at the ballpark for Joe Siddall.

At least that's the way the 32-year-old is viewing life now that he has retired from professional baseball after parts of 13 seasons and stops in 11 cities. With his four children in tow, Siddall was relaxing at Central Park Tuesday, the site of many a South Windsor Minor Baseball League match he played as a youth. He says his days of catching baseballs are over. Instead, he'll be chasing seven-year-old Brooke, five-year-old Brett, three-year-old Mackenzie and one-year-old Kevin. "I nlavpH 'Tm twitted and i piety eu really excited about parts Of four it," Siddall said.

"I native. "We have a great team, we have some great guys in our locker-room," Grunwald told a news conference. "We have great ownership. We play in a great are vl I i. -y.

A seasnne fin always said I'd Butch Carter know when it was time to step aside. I'd been thinking about it the last' the majors) and I'll always be proud of that." Joe Siddall couple of years." The past two sea sons, he had the luxury of commuting back to Windsor af Windsor's Joe Slddall, a former catcher for the Detroit Tigers and Montreal Ejums. dvM Mttln tin. to hi. ik.u..mm rm at Central Park Tuesday.

Slddall Is retiring from baseball after 13 years In the major and minor leagues. star photo: Rob Gurdebeke Following are the career statistics of Joseph Todd Siddall. The 32-year-old Windsor catcher is retiring from baseball after 1 3 years In the major and minor leagues. Yen Team Games Avg. HR RBI ter games while playing with the Detroit Tigers or their Class AAA team in Toledo.

He was cut by the Tigers after last season. To keep his career alive, he signed with the Boston Red Sox and their Class AAA team in Pawtucket, RI. "Tamara (his wife) and the kids got down to spring training and that was nice," Siddall said. "April was really hard. I finally got home and it was another three weeks before I saw them again.

"It got to the point where I was just putting in time. I kept putting off the deadline and saying maybe I'll hold out until the all-star break or the end of the season." A day after catching right-hander Tomokazu Ohka's perfect game June 2, Siddall talked to his wife and made the decision. "He went out on top catching Tomo's game," Pawtucket manager Gary Jones said. "Joe was a good veteran guy who was good with the young pitchers, but we knew his position all along." 16 1968 Jamestown A) 53 .213 1989 Rockford(A) 98 1990 W. Palm Beach (A) 106 na before some magnificent fans.

Our future is very bright. "But I think we've lost track of that story a little bit in some of these off-the-court things and I think we need to refocus upon that and keep improving." Carter led the Raptors to their first postseason berth in the franchise's history and was rewarded in December with a contract extension that takes him through the 2002-03 season. Team president Richard Peddie of Windsor declined Tuesday to discuss details of the settlement between the club and Carter. Carter has been in the spotlight in recent months for actions away from the court. In a book written with his brother Cris, he attacked Indiana coach Bobby Knight for his behaviour while Butch Carter played there.

He sued former Raptor Marcus Camby for calling him a liar and then dropped the lawsuit after his legal challenge received widespread criticism. Carter made headlines again after a report that he had asked for Grun-wald's title in his annual job review before Grunwald and Peddie. The coach said he did not want Grunwald's powers but only his title for added influence in dealings with free agents. Perhaps the last straw came last week when McGrady, on the verge of free agency, cited the veterans' dissatisfaction with Carter and ensuing turmoil as reasons why he wouldn't be back in Toronto. "It is clear that this change, while disappointing to me on a personal and professional level, is necessary if we are to continue to build towards an NBA championship," Grunwald said.

There was no immediate word on Carter's successor. 1991 narrlsburg (AA) 76 95 Siddall has made many an acquaintance over the years and has heard from many former teammate since stepping away. He's honest when saying he doesn't miss any of them. "The people I really miss, I'm here with now," he said. "It was a tough decision, but very easy when there was so much to come home to." He has no plans to pick up a bat this summer or anything else remotely connected to the game.

"It's funny, but you don't realize how you miss the little things like the pool, a barbeque or mowing the lawn," Siddall said. While the stat sheet only gives him credit for one year and 18 days of Major League Baseball service, Siddall knows he's been fortunate enough to go places few Canadians have an opportunity to do. "From day one, I knew I was fortunate because a lot of people I played with could have had the opportunity and never got the chance," said Siddall, who left behind a football scholarship at Central Michigan University to sign with Montreal in 1988. "Such a small percentage of people get to play professional baseball let alone in the Major Leagues. I played parts of four seasons (in the majors) and I'll always be proud of that." .236 .223 .230 .236 .213 .100 .173 .214 .300 .280 .274 .240 .185 .193 .234 38 32 23 27 16 1 13 23 1 20 16 16 6 33 14 1992 Harrisburg (AA) 1993 Ottawa (AAA) Montreal (ML) 1994 Ottawa (AAA) 1995 Ottawa (AAA) Montreal (ML) 1996 Charlotte (AAA) 1997 Ottawa (AAA) 1998 Toledo (AAA) Detroit (ML) 48 19 38 83 7 65 57 43 29 84 1999 Toledo (AAA) 2000 Pawtucket (AAA) 23 Tigers feast on Blue Jays Mllll III Higginson earns kWCMflA 1 i lit ii i 1 fa.

the Tigers batted around twice in the game and built an 11-0 lead in support of right-hander Willie Blair (3-1). "We had guys on base all night," Higginson said. "Guys were doing their job getting on and I was doing mine driving them in." Opportunity lost It was Higginson who lamented how the Tigers failed to cash in oh their chances in Monday's 4-2 loss, but that wasn't the case Tuesday. Detroit batters were lO-for-15 with mei in scoring position after coming into' the game batting .227 in that situation. "When we got the men on base, we drove them in and that's the name of the game," said Tigers leadoff man Damion Easley, who was on four times, scored three runs and drove in three runs.

"That's about as good a game as you get for us. It might be the best game we've had this year of getting guys on base and driving the runs in, but you can't expect that to be there the next timeout." Detroit's Bobby Higginson, right, Is congratulated by Brad Ausmus (12) and Damlon seven RBIs in rout of AL rivals By Jim Parker star sports writer DETROIT It proved to be a bad night for young birds at Comerica Park Tuesday First, a young robin had to be carried off the field in the second inning and taken to the Huron Valley Bird Resource Centre after getting snared in Toronto catcher Alberto Castillo's glove. Toronto Blue Jays rookie left-hander Clayton Andrews could have used some assistance too. He lasted just 12 batters after giving up six runs, including three homers, in the 16-3 loss to the Tigers. Reversal of fortune On May 28, the 22-year-old Andrews (1-2) got his first win by retiring 12-straight Tigers.

"The last time we faced him guys were coming back and saying 'I can't understand why we're not hitting this usiey luesaay aner nis mree-run nomer Detroit. It was the first of Higginson' two home runs In the Tigers' 16-3 win over the Blue Jays. ap photo: Duane Burleson CHANGING TIDE IN NBA FINAL All remained not so perfect Tuesday in Lakerland, while the Pacers were starting sentences with phrases like "When we win Game Something strange has happened since the NBA final switched from LA. to Indianapolis. The team that's trailing 2-1 in the best-of-seven series seems a little more tranquil, a little more self-assured.

The Lakers are dealing with various issues surrounding key players: Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant and Glen Rice. O'Neal, shooting 38 per cent from the free-throw line in this series, will be fouled plenty more tonight in Game 4 (9 p.m., CTV, NBC) The Pacers pretty much promised it. Bryant, who missed Game 3 with a sprained ankle, was unsure how effective he would be when he returns tonight. ap said Tigers outfielder Bobby Higginson, who tied a career high with seven RBIs. "He's not that overpowering and his fastball is nothing special." The 16 runs were a season high for the Tigers as were the 21 hits that included four home runs.

Higginson, the only left-handed hitter in Detroit's starting lineup, hit a three-run shot in the first inning and Juan Gonzalez followed with the 350th of his career on the next pitch. Brad Ausmus added a solo shot off Andrews in the second inning. "You can't just expect to go out every time and deal just because you did well before," Andrews said of his second outing against the Tigers. "I wasn't throwing quality pitches and they were hitting everything I threw up there. When you get the ball up and they make good contact, it's going to go out." Higginson added another three-run shot off rookie Darwin Cubillan to highlight a five-run fourth inning as See also Baseball Standings D2 Boxscores D5 v..