The Capital Times from Madison, Wisconsin • 11

Hf 4 Yankees, Mets hot. 3B Home Talent League. 5B Bobby Labonte wins. 6B fjCj I asStiW iV 1 1 The Capital Times 13 Monday, July 26, 1999 E-Mail Address: tctsportmadison.com Sports editor: Joe Hart 252-6474 Ul fanfare Robin soars into Hal I 'v Yount remembers crane victims COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. (AP) It was Robin Younts big day, but he still had time to remember three workers killed while building a new ballpark in the city where he found baseball greatness.

As great a day as this is for us up here, we have to remember there are people out there who are hurting, Yount said Sunday, during an acceptance speech for his induction into baseballs Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. Were often reminded as to how quickly things cam be taken from us. My heart goes out to the families of the men who lost their lives in the construction of the new stadium in Milwaukee. On July 14, a 567-foot crane at Miller Park, what will be the Milwaukee Brewers new stadium, collapsed, killing three workers helping to lift a 400-ton section of roof into place. The game of life can sometimes be too short, Yount said, concluding his speech.

So play it with everything youve got. Yount, who is the first player to wear a Brewers cap into the Hall of Fame, ranks 15th on the career hits list with 3,142. He spent all 20 years with Milwaukee, spuming chances to play with better teams, and he is one of only three players to win the MVP award at two different positions: at shortstop in 1982 and center field in 1989. He retired in 1993. I guess, simply Robin, all I can say is on behalf of myself and the fans of Milwaukee and Wisconsin, it has been an unbelievable privilege, said former Brewer president Bud Selig, who now is the commissioner of baseball.

Yount told people who had gathered for the induction ceremony, including hooting and clapping Brewer fans, that as a boy, he spent hours playing baseball with family and friends and he dreamed of playing professional ball. I was lucky. That dream came true, Yount said. His dreams of hitting a homer in a World Series and playing in an All-Star Game also came true but he also dreamed of making the final catch in a World Series and being mobbed by his teammates. Well, I guess all my dreams didnt come true, Yount said, bringing chuckles from the audience.

The 1982 Brewers lost to the St. Louis Cardinals in seven games. But what Id really like to tell you is, I never dreamed of being in Robin Yount, who played 20 seasons for the Milwaukee Brewers and won two American League MVP awards, took his place among baseballs legendary stars Sunday when he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y. ASSOCIATED PRESS MYount Plaque The wording on the bronze Hall of Fame plaque of Robin Yount, who was inducted Sunday in Cooperstown, Robin R. Yount Milwaukee, A.L, 1974-1993 A prolific hitter with a stoic demeanor who was equally graceful at shortstop and in center field One of the three players to earn MVP honors at two positions.

Produced 3,142 hits, 7th most in American League history Hit 300 six times, 40 doubles four times, 20 HR four times and scored 100 runs five times Exceptional conditioning and extraordinary work ethic made him a bastion of consistency and durability for 20 seasons An everyday major leaguer at age 18. MIKE LUCAS What a day for The Kid This is how it all started on The Biggest Day of The Kids Life with a cheesy George Grande stepping to the podium and delivering the roll call of 34 returning Hall of Famers with the passion and precision of a game show host. Ill take Yogi Berra to block. Grande sounded more slick than sincere. Nonetheless, he has become an integral part of the upper New York state landscape, a Cooperstown tradition; not to mention the answer to a trivia question.

Who anchored the first-' ever ESPN Sports Center? Taco Grande. Ill take Chris Berman in the center square. This is how it all started on The Biggest Day of The Kids Life with an uninspiring Bud Selig stepping to the podium and drawing catcalls from the Pete Rose loyalists in the huge crowd. Selig sounded more sincere than slick. Unfortunately, in his role as commissioner, he obviously felt compelled to be more neutral than necessary when introducing Robin Yount; one of his own Kids.

In this case, instead of reading from the script, like he did for all of the inductees, he should have been talking from the heart. Before stepping aside, Selig looked up from his notes and finally personalized Younts intro. Speaking on his own behalf, and on the behalf of fans in Milwaukee and Wisconsin, Selig called it an unbelievable privilege. That it was. And that was it.

That was how it all started on The Biggest Day of The Kids Life. Yes, it was an unbelievable privilege to watch Robin Yount grow up in front of our eyes. Yount would later say that he grew up as a kid watching and idolizing the San Francisco Giants. Yount would later say that he would pretend to be Juan Marichal or Willie Mays or Orlando Cepeda. The Brewers can be grateful that he didnt grow up emulating Eddie Bressoud or Jose Pagan or See THE KID, Page 4B Brewers stumble in Florida MIAMI (AP) A series against the Florida Marlins, who have the youngest and most inexperienced roster in all of baseball, used to be a walk in the park for Milwaukee.

Now, it feels more like a mugging. After threatening last week to push past the .500 mark for the first time since the opening day of the season, the Brewers leave Florida in tatters after a three-game sweep by the Marlins. Alex Gonzalez tripled home the go-ahead run in the seventh inning and Antonio Alfonseca wrapped up his sixth save in as many games as Florida edged Milwaukee, 4-3. The sweep was the Marlins first at Pro Player Stadium since September 1997. Florida, which lost the first 12 meetings between the clubs, has now won five of the last six.

They played like a winning ballclub and we didnt, Brewers manager Phil Gamer said. It doesnt get any easier for Milwaukee (47-50), which opens a three-game series at Atlanta tonight with Scott Karl facing fourtime Cy Young winner Greg Maddux. The Brewers took a 2-0 lead before Mark Kotsay tied the game with a two-run homer in the fourth inning. The runs were unearned because Gonzalez reached on an error by third baseman Jeff Cirillo to lead off the inning. The Marlins broke the tie in the fifth on Danny Bautistas two-out See BREWERS, Page 4B Box score, 3B.

tory. There was Selig, who truly cared about his players. Former managers, such as Del Crandall, Harvey Kuehn, George Bamberger and current manager Phil Gamer. Then there were the players, such as Henry Aaron, Paul Moli-tor, Cecil Cooper, Gorman Thomas, Larry Hisle, Rollie Fingers and Jim Gantner. The list went on and on.

See YOUNT, Page 2B Ryan, Brett, Cepeda Yount in Hall of Fame, 2B. join the Hall of Fame. Standing here with all these great players was beyond any of my dreams, Yount added. I couldnt have handpicked a better class to go to Cooperstown with. Yount was inducted Sunday along with baseball greats Orlando Cepeda, Nolan Ryan, George Brett, late umpire Nestor Chylak, Negro leagues pitcher Smokey Joe Williams and tum-of-the-century manager Frank Selee.

Yount also heaped praise on former coaches dating back to his little league and high school days. He thanked people from a list that was a whos who of Brewers his From staff, news senices At age 39, Mr. Gray runs to gold medal At 2 1 years old, sprinter Bernard Williams still has plenty of spring in his legs. At 39, Johnny Gray showed he still has something left, too. The two U.S.

runners at the opposite end of the track and field age spectrum both won gold medals Sunday at the Pan American Games in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Williams beat a field that lacked Donovan Bailey, but included teammate Tim Harden, the favorite. Gray, meanwhile, has competed in four Olympics and is hoping to make it five next year in Sydney. The man younger runners call Mr. Gray won the 800, nipping Cubas Norberto Tellez.

His time of 1:45.38 was fairly ordinary, but he did win. And the guy is 39. When youre young, all you think about is time, said Gray. Throughout the years, I have found out winning is more important. Its not the only thing.

I dont want all those youngsters reading that Johnny Gray says winning is the only thing. But you do compete to win. Ryan wants Rose to join him in Hall As has become his custom on induction day, Pete Rose was signing autographs on Main Street in Cooperstown, N.Y., on Sunday, just blocks from the Baseball Hall -of Fame where he remains persona non grata. Rose, the games all-time hits leader, was banned from baseball by former commissioner Bart Giamatti for gambling on games and is ineligible for election. But Rose was a hot topic once again Sunday.

Ive expressed my opinion to (current commissioner Bud) Selig. My thoughts are Pete Rose should be in the Hall of Fame, said Nolan Ryan, who was inducted Sunday. Pete Rose should be judged on his merits as a player. Bears QB McNown given new proposal The negotiations with Cade McNown are moving. How quickly is now up to the quarterback.

The Chicago Bears revised their Contract proposal, getting closer to what McNown and agent Tom Condon were seeking, said Jim Miller, the Bears director of business operations. We made a few, which we think are substantive, changes in what weve proposed before, Miller said Sunday. Its an effort to get to that middle ground that weve been talking about. But that doesnt mean McNown is packing for training camp in Platteville just yet. No more dreaming The first NBA players in the Olympics were treated like royalty, but since then, teams have been better known for boorish behavior or apathy.

The current team that won the gold medal at the American qualifying tournament isnt much different. The arena in Puerto Rico where the games are being played has rarely been even half full for U.S. games, writes The Associated Presss Brian Mahoney, and when it has been, the crowd is turning against the Americans. The team is playing with the kind of thuggery that the 94 team showed in the World Championships. Already, Gary Payton has been ejected from a game, Tim Hardaway has been booed for clotheslining a player and Tom Gugliotta committed a hard foul that had tempers flaring.

KQQoteWqlTote Just because he hadn talked to the media until Sunday since joining the Baltimore Orioles doesnt mean Albert Belle has been speechless. In the wake of speculation hell be traded, Belle recently posted a note for the media that read: Half-year down, 4V2 years to go, so dont fight it and show me some AB. Who holds the major league record for pinch-hit home runs? Answer in Sports Briefs, 2B. Armstrong triumphantly rolls into Paris The Los Angeles Times PARIS Less than three years after vanquishing cancer, U.S. cyclist Lance Armstrong beat the worlds best at his grueling craft Sunday, rolling over the sun-warmed cobblestones of this capital to capture the 1999 Tour de France with the fastest overall speed in history.

I never expected to be here. I never expected to win, said Armstrong, the 27-year-old Texan who fin- ished more than seven minutes ahead of his closest competitor. Im in shock, Arm- strong said three times. He said he hoped his back-to-back victories first over disease and then in cyclings greatest race would give hope and inspiration to others. If theres one thing I say to those who use me as their example, its that if you ever get a second chance in life, youve got to go all the way, Armstrong said.

It was a long road to get to the Tour, and a long road to get through it. In covering 2,288 miles in 91 hours, 32 minutes, 16 seconds in the saddle of his bicycle, Armstrong displayed the same grit and willpower that helped beat the 50-50 odds for survival that his doctors once gave him and recover his good health. In 1996, he was diagnosed with cancer that spread to his brain, lungs and abdomen from his left testicle. He underwent two operations and three months of chemotherapy that made him nauseated and caused his hair to fall out. He returned to competitive cycling only last year, after 18 months off his bike.

In the opinion of Raymond Poulidor, one of the most beloved cyclists to race in France, this month Armstrong wrote one of the most beautiful pages in the history of the Tour. If not the most beautiful. On a sunny, hot day in Paris, Armstrong rode conservatively during the 11 final laps on the Champs-Elysees and finished 86th on the day in the 86th edition of the Tour de France. ASSOCIATED PRESS Cancer survivor Lance Armstrong holds the Stars and Stripes after winning the Tour de France Sunday In Paris. He and Greg LeMond are the only Americans to win cyclings most famous race.

See ARMSTRONG, Page 4B a.