The Capital Times from Madison, Wisconsin • 16

16 THE CAPITAL TIMES. Madison, Weekend of April 30, 1988 MlTfllSfCORNE i Sl Steinhauer 2nd after shooting 66 Worst team ever isnt the Orioles NAMES AND GAMES St. Cloud State to join WCHA; league to end Hockey East pact Faculty representatives of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association voted this week to invite St. Cloud (Minn.) State University to join the conference in 1990-91. The association also voted to discontinue after next season an arrangement with Hockey East conference schools in which interconference games count toward the WCHA championship.

WCHA teams will still independently schedule games with Hockey East schools, however, WCHA Commissioner Otto Breitenbach said Friday. He said WCHA schools also voted to require hockey players to be making satisfactory progress toward a degree in order to be eligible to play. The rule will require players to maintain a 1.6 grade-point average the first season, a 1.8 average the second season and a 2.0 point average in subsequent seasons they play. The Big Ten has a similar requirement for its athletes, but the NCAA has no such requirement Its a motivational factor for getting a degree, Breitenbach said. He said St.

Cloud, which was elevated to Division I status in hockey last year, is a natural to join the WCHA. It is geographically central and is a sister institution to the University of Minnesota and University of Minnesota-Duluth, which are also WCHA teams, Breitenbach said. The school is completing a $9.5 million arena, and joining the WCHA in 1990-91 will give its program another year to mature, he said. Breitenbach said the University of Alaska-Anchorage was not invited to join the WCHA because competing in that state would have added enormously to WCHA travel budgets. Other teams in the conference are the University of Wisconsin; North Dakota; Denver; Northern Michigan; Michigan Tech; and Colorado College.

Teams in the Hockey East conference are Boston College; Boston University; Northeastern; Providence; Lowell; New Hampshire and the University of Maine. Top area bowlers to compete in Super tournament Several of the top bowlers in the Madison area will be competing today and Sunday in the Super Bowling Tournament at the Waun-a-Bowl in Waunakee. Competition will start today at 1 p.m. Bowlers who qualified for the tournament by winning other tournaments this season are Jeff Barsness, Joe Janz, Craig Zirbel, Doug Ziesch, Dlno Bratz, Chris Gibbons, Steve VandeZande, Rob Bailey, Mitch Marks, John Breunig, Bob Ballweg, Jess Parizo, Loran Schultz and Rick Lewin. Bowlers who qualified by winning tournaments last year or by accumulating points this season are Kevin Bailey, BUI Borchers, Biff Borowitz, Tom Brandt, Joel Carlson, Jim Corcoran, Joel Dennenberg, Paul Dutch-er, Dave Erickson, Don Goldade, Mark Habich, Elmer Heiser, Don Hipler, Bob Holzbauer, Tom Howery, Dave Kail, John Kosanovich, Bill Kreitzman, Bob Lappen, Gary Lee, Bill LekUch, Larry McDowell, Darold Meisel, Mark Miller, Don Muchow, Gail Myers, Dick Pedracine, Kevin Pierce, Jeff Prein, Greg Pureell, Chuck Quartana, John Rickard, Jim Ring, Rhett Roeth, Greg Schermer-horn, Mark Schultz, Dan Seppa, Dennis Slinde, Ted Smith, Tom Smyth, Lee Stanley, Rollie Truehl, Kurt Wis-kow and Pete Yelk.

First-place prize is $1,000, with a total prize fund of $4,200. For information about the tournament, call Wauri-A-Bowl at 849-5931. Bits and pieces Hal Sutton and Mike Donald got the jump on the weather Friday in the $700,000 Independent Insurance Agent Open to share the lead in a second round that was suspended by rain and lightning. PGA Tour officials planned to complete the second round early today and also play the third round to get back on schedule for Sundays finale. Donald shot a 3-under par 69 and Sutton had a 70 to share the lead with 8-under-par 136 totals Bob Charles and Bruce Devlin moved into sole control of the lead halfway through Fridays rain-delayed second round of the Legends of Golf Tournament in Austin, Texas Mark Williams kept his grip on the top spot after Friday nights sixth round of the $250,000 Tournament of Champions in Fairlawn, Ohio.

Wil-, liams, who is trying to become only the sixth bowler in Professional Bowlers Association history to win more than one of has to win only one game today to pocket the $50,000 firstprize The Australian Endeavour Syndi- cate, headed by Iain Murray, said Friday it was prepared to accept the conditions of entry laid down by the San Diego Yacht Club for its bid to I challenge for the Americas Cup The United States Olympic Com- mittees executive board on Friday approved plans to build an academy i at Olympia, Wash, to help train the coaches and teachers of athletes that may one day represent the United States in the Olympics By JOHN ADAMS Knoxville (Tenn.) Newt-Sentinel I asked my wife to name a team in the American League. Pittsburgh? she guessed. Close, I said. How about the New York Yankees? I dont know the American League from the National League, she admitted. OK, never mind teams, I said.

How many players can you name? Steve Sax and Strawberry Darryl Strawberry." She knows Steve Sax because one of her friends once had a crush on him. But Strawberry? Hes a good pitcher, isnt he? she asked. Close, I said. Now, what do you know about the Baltimore Orioles? They set the American League record for the most losses in a row, she said without hesitation. Just as I thought My wife does not know the American League from the National League.

She knows the names of two major-league baseball players. But she knows about the Orioles. And until some other April fools lose 21 games to start a season, she will answer Orioles whenever you ask her to name the worst team in basebalL Ask me the same question and I will answer the 1943 Ruppert Mundys. The 1943 Mundys were 34-120 and finished 56 games out of first place. Their pitchers had an 8.06 earned run average.

Their hitters went hitless in six games, including four in a row. The Mundys left fielder, Mike Rama, had a bad memory. He kept forgetting there was a fence behind him and was thus forever running into it. Their right fielder, Bud Parusha, had one arm; their catcher, Hothead Rah, had one leg. Their shortstop, Nickname Damur, was 14; their third baseman, Wayne Heket, was 52.

Those stranjge birds were worse than these Birds. Yet for all of the Mundys misfits and misadventures, there is no mention of them in The Baseball Encyclopedia. Instead, you have to read Phillip Roths The Great American NoveL I do not have to resort to fiction to remember worse teams than the Orioles, however. I coached a Little League team that was worse than the Orioles. I played on a softball team that was worse than the Orioles.

I also can find a worse team than the Orioles simply by tracing the Orioles ancestry. During the Orioles losing streak, much has been made of the franchises winning tradition. But lets not forget from whence the Orioles came. They came from St Louis in 1953. They were called the Browns.

And they had good reason to change their name. In 52 years, the Browns finished last 10 times and seventh 12 times. They lost 100 games or more eight times. Like the fictional Mundys, they had a one-armed outfielder; and like the Mundys, they had a midget. Owner Bill Veeck used 3-foot-7 Eddie Gaedel as a pinch-hitter in 1951.

Gaedel walked in his only at-bat, was removed for a pinch runner and never played again. The other Browns werent as fortunate. They continued losing 102 games in 1951, 90 in 1952 and 100 in 1953. The Browns 100th loss in 1953 came in their last game, on their home field. By then, their losses on the field were not nearly as noteworthy as their financial losses.

The Browns were in such dire straits, they had to borrow practice balls from the visiting Chicago White Sox to finish the extra-inning game. The Orioles miss baseballs, but they never run out of them. And now that they have ended their 21-game losing streak, we can begin to evaluate their ineptitude more objectively. For example, the 1935 Boston Braves were 38-115. They finished 61- games out of first place and 26 games behind the Philadelphia Phillies.

Ah, yes, the Braves. You might remember this seasons Atlanta Braves matched the Orioles blunder for blunder in losing their first 10 games. But they slipped up and won a couple of games, then another; America forgot about Americas team and began following the oles great American distress story. While the national media have hounded the Orioles from one loss to the next, the Braves have quietly, almost secretly, lost 15 of then-first 18 games. If they were in the same division, the Braves would lead the Orioles by only four games.

I told my wife to keep an eye on them. said. But this year, after coming so close to losing racing in Minnesota and then having new life breathed into it, well, this is a totally different kind of excitement" Fewer people than expected shared this years opening-day excitement, however. After a record 27,439 showed up last year, when tote bags (some full of money) were given away, Fridays crowd of 13,926 looked paltry. Only the 10,322 opening draw of 1986 was smaller.

track in Shakopee, Minn. Even the second-poorest opening-day attendance in the tracks brief history couldnt rain on Canterbury president Brooks Fields parade. Were kissed by an angel, Fields said as he enjoyed temperatures in the low-70s. Today theres a special kind of enthusiasm. The track opened one day after Gov.

Rudy Perpich signed a bill that will pump some $4 million into the pockets of horse owners who bring their stock presumably, their superior stock to Canterbury. The money now earmarked for purses had been scheduled to go to the state through pari-mutuel taxes. The tax structure was blamed by Canterbury management for most of the $20 million in losses over the tracks first three years. With improved purses $85,225 on Friday, about $25,000 more than last years daily average should come improved racing, Fields said. The tax-relief bill shows that this state is committed to keeping the horse-racing industry alive, he said.

It was inevitable that something had to happen one way or another. Either we were going to get the bill or we might not have come back in 1989. With the bill passed, Fields said this years opening day produced even more excitement than that of 1985, when the track was new and the public was curious. The novelty of the first opening day was one kind of excitement, he From staff, news service reports Madisons Sherri Steinhauer shot the best round of her professional career Friday, a 6-under-par 66, and is in second place in the $335,000 Sara Lee Classic in Nashville, Term. Steinhauer birdied seven holes, including a stretch of four in five holes on the front nine of the Hermitage Golf Course.

Steinhauers 66 was her best round as a professional by two strokes. I missed four putts under 10 feet and made anything outside 10 feet, she said. I needed a round like this to boost my confidence. Amy Alcott shot a 7-under-par 65 that gave her a one-stroke lead in the opening round. Alcott sank four birdie putts of 15 feet or longer on Friday, but missed a long birdie putt by inches on the 18th hole.

Despite settling for par, Alcott held a one-shot lead over Steinhauer and two-shot advantage on Cathy Johnston heading into the final 36 holes of the inaugural 54-hole tournament Alcotts 65 tied the best round of her illustrious career, which includes 26 victories and more than $2 million in winnings. Derby Trial Stakes set for today in Louisville Kingpost Cefis and Jims Orbit will prep for the Kentucky Derby by running in the one-mile Derby Trial Stakes today (3:30 pm, Channel 27) on opening day at Churchill Downs. The other four 3-year-olds entered in the Trial also are eligible for the 114-mile Derby next Saturday, but it is unlikely any of them will start Kingpost and Jims Orbit have not started since the 1 18-mile Jim Beam April 2 at Turfway Park in which Kingpost finished first and Jims Orbit finished fourth. Cefis has not raced since he won the 1 1-17-mile Tampa Bay Derby March 20 at Tampa Bay Downs. Completing the field will be Lovers Trust 119.

ridden by Wesley Ward; Frosty The Snowman 119, Earlie Fires; Morgans Levee, 119, Patrick Johnson; and Pastourelles, 117, Pat Day. Velvet Fog was scratched Friday. Five Derby rial winners have won the Derby. They were Black Gold, who won the inaugural Derby Trial Purse in 1924; Triple Crown winner Citation, 1948; Hill Gail, 1952; Dark Star, 1953, and Tim Tam, 1958. Meanwhile trainer Laz Barrera was hoping that Mi Preferido might give him a shot at winning the Kentucky Derby for the third time, but now the 3-year-old colt has only a marginal chance of starting in the 114th running of the race at Churchill Downs next Saturday.

Right now, Id say that his chances are 50-50 of running, Barrera said. Minnesota horse track fighting for survival The fourth season at Canterbury Downs opened Friday under blue skies, perhaps a sign of a bright future for the financially troubled horse Caraballo KENOSHA Felix Caraballo pitched seven scoreless innings and Jamie Reiser drove in three runs with a bases-loaded single as the Madison Muskies blanked the Kenosha Twins 4-0 in a Midwest League game Friday night. Caraballo (1-0) had a no-hitter going into the sixth inning before a one-out single ended it. Madisons Chris Gust walked to load the bases with two outs in the second inning and Reiser followed with a single to center, clearing the bases. Gust doubled in the seventh, went to third on an error and scored on a balk for Madisons other run.

FISH NOTES Madison (11-7) opens a four-game homestand today at Warner Park against Wausau at 2 p.m. Muskie painters caps Brewers than concurred. He was awesome, said Wathan of Saberhagen (3-2). Anytime hes got his curveball going good with his fastball at 90 (mph) plus, hes going to have a good night. These days, however, it seems as though anybody could have a good day pitching against the Brewers.

Even though their last four losses have been to quality pitchers (Roger Clemens, Bruce Hurst, Jose Guzman and Saberhagen), the Brewers hitters have made things easy for them. I think he gave us some pitches to hit, said second baseman Jim Gantner. But we just missed them or fouled them off. Were just not hitting the ball The Brewers entered the game with a .248 team batting average, 10th in the American League. Their pitchers, however, were holding opposing teams to an even lower .235.

Still, that hasnt been good enough. pitches Muskies past BASEBALL American Lagu NEW YORE YANKEES Placed Rick Rhoden, pitcher, on the 15-day disabled list. Recalled Steve Shields, pitcher, irom Columbus oi the International League. FOOTBALL National Football League CLEVELAND BROWNS Signed Garlan Powell, running back. DALLAS COWBOYS Signed Victor Harmon, linebacker, to a free-agent contract.

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS Traded foe Ferguson, quarterback, to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers ior a 12th round pick in the 1989 draft Signed Richie Sims, defensive back. MIAMI DOLPHINS Signed Robert Banks, Harvey Smith and Quint Smith, wide receivers; Ian Howiield, kicker; McCarthon Clayton, Darryl Russell and Eric Williams, defensive backs; Leo Reherman, center; and John McCormick, guard. Announced the retirement of Jim Huddleston, guard. Announced Shawn Rose, linebacker, failed his physical SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS Announced the retirement of Keith Fahnhorst, offensive tackle. Strieker leading pack at Midwestern Invitational Illinois Steve Strieker, a native of Edgerton, was the individual leader and defending champion Ohio State held a three-stroke team lead after two rounds of play Friday in the Second Midwestern Invitational golf tournament at Fontana, Wis.

Strieker shot a 6866-134 on the par-72, Abbey Springs Golf Course. The Buckeyes headed the 15-school field with 590 strokes, followed by Illinois with 593 and Northwestern with 596. Indiana and Nebraska shared fourth place at 600 while Wisconsin had 606, Northern Illinois 611, Kansas 613, Illinois State 618 and Notre Dame 621. The tournament was to wrap up with 18 holes today. League with a .403 average.

DeMarlo Hale is fifth in the league with a .351 average. Madisons Will Schock leads the league with four victories while Jim Chenevey is seventh in the league with a 0.98 ERA. The Muskies lead the league with a .274 team batting average and are second in runs scored with 98 through 17 games. Recent player transactions include the release of catcher Pat Britt, who was hitting .368 with 0 and four RBIs in five games. Troy Holland (CF) has been sent to extended spring training.

He appeared in two games. Bill Reynolds (C) was called up from extended spring training. He played collegiate baseball at the University of Maine and was Oak The Royals took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. After retiring the first two batters, Birkbeck walked George Brett and then gave up singles to Danny Tartabull and Jim Eisenreich. He then walked Frank White to load the bases but retired Bo Jackson to escape further damage.

But in a sense the damage had already been done, as a potentially easy inning had turned into a struggle. I had two outs on nine pitches and then all of the sudden I lost my rhythm, said Birkbeck (0-2). I didnt feel comfortable when I was in the stretch and 1 ended up throwing 25 extra pitches that inning. That hurt me at the end of my outing because I had accumulated a lot of pitches. I hadnt thrown that many pitches since spring training.

After five innings from Birkbeck, Trebelhom called on Dave Staple-ton. It proved to be an unfortunate Kenosha lands 19th-round draft choice in June 1986. He spent the entire 1987 season on the disabled list. MADISON Reiser ss Robinson 2b Suldo 3b Conseco if Parry rf Halo tfh 1 Reyna lb Gust cf Reynolds Totals KENOSHA Brown cf Copellan 2b Jacus rf Tinkey 1b Webster Valdes 3b Smith If Erlcson dh Jenny pr-dh Totals eb It bl 4 0 9 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0, 0 1 0 0 0 0 OSS Madison S3S i ISO 4 040 S' Game-wlnnine RBI Reiser (1). Reiser, Valdez, Lexa, Kryzanowskl.

DP 1 Kenosha 1. LOB Modlson 4, Kenosha 9. 2B Robin son. Parry, Gust. SB Capellan.

IP Modlson Coraboilo (1-0) Arota Boez Kenosha Banks (01) Kryzanowskl Delkus IR II SO 7 4 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 4 1-3 4 4 12-31 0 1 0 Balk Kryzanowskl. 2:40. Aft. 479. From Page 15 choice as he gave up three runs on four hits and a walk in just of an inning.

Still, Trebelhorn said he had no choice but to remove Birkbeck He was tired, Trebelhorn said. He was done at five, there was not any judgment call there. He was finished. So too were the Brewers, as the Royals piled on three more runs off Mark Clear in the eighth. And it probably was closer than it shouldve been, Trebelhorn said.

We gave them a lot of opportunities a bundle of hits (13), five walks, a hit batsman. We gave them enough for 10 or 11 runs." But with Saberhagen in that was hardly necessary. When the guy on the other side is throwing up zeros, you better throw up zeros, too, said Birkbeck If you dont, you lose. Unless of course you could get rained out will be given away to the first 500 kids. Madison hosts Wausau again Sunday at 2 p.m.

with kazoos being given away to the first 1,000 kids as part of Madison Area Schools Day. Wausau, an affiliate of the Seattle Mariners, features third baseman Mike McDonald, a member of the Midwest Leagues Northern Division All-Star team last year as a shortstop. Kurt Stange leads the Timber pitching staff with a 2-0 record and a 0.56 ERA in three starts. He has 15 strikeouts in 16 innings. Muskie shortstop Scott Brosius has hit safely in 13 of his last 14 games.

During that streak he is 24-for-53 with 18 runs scored and 11 extra-base hits. He is currently second in the Midwest As a club, were just not doing the job with the bats, said Braggs. Sometimes it seems like guys go up there trying to hit a 12-run home run with nobody on base. When youre not hitting, that puts a little more pressure on the pitchers. They know this is not going to last too much longer.

Its lasted too long already. Weve got some quality hitters on this club and were going to break out of it And when we do, were going to get some wins because our pitchers have been doing an excellent job. We just need to give them a little support Certainly, Birkbeck did his part Friday. Compared to his only other outing of the season a disastrous start in the home opener in which he allowed six runs in 1 innings it was a masterpiece. Birkbeck gave up just one run in five innings Friday, lowering his earned run average by some 30 points (from 40.50 to 9.95).

From Page 15 cago Bulls and Cory Blackwell, who played one year with Seattle). I think that throughout my years in Madison to now, every year prepared me to get here, Roth said. Everything has led up to this point all the hard times and all the good times at Wisconsin, all the ups and downs of going to Europe and then giving up a good contract there to take a gamble on playing in the CBA. The biggest thing I didnt want was when Im 40 or 50 1 didnt want to sit around thinking, What if I wouldve stayed that one more year and given it one more try. I dont ever want to be in that position where I didnt give something a real good chance to happen.

If I didnt get moved up from the CBA this year I couldve walked away and been very content to go back to Europe and play out the rest of my time knowing I gave it my best shot. But this has all worked out for the best Roth level and find out how much you really dont know. Ive learned a great deal over the last two months, but I know theres some things I definitely have to work on if Im going to be here. I have my foot in the door and thats what I needed to do. I just dont want to be content just by being here and if I get cut next year Ill be on my way and Ill be happy.

I want to be more than just a marginal player that came into the league for a year or two and was out. I'd like to stay awhile. As long as I have my foot in the door, then its up to me how long I stay. Whatever the length of his NBA career, Roth will never lose sight of the path he had to take to get there. This summer he plans to return to Madison to play in the Pride Classic, a chanty game honoring the late UW coach Bill Cofield.

Roth was a member of Cofields last recruiting class at Wisconsin one that included three future NBA players (Brad Sellers of the Chi- 4.