St. Joseph News-Press from St. Joseph, Missouri • 31

Baseball 2 Scoreboard 3 Business 6 Lids Camper Shells Saturday Nov. 14, 1998 Sport stofy? Call Sports Editor Paul Suellentrop at 271-4554. Or e-mail Paul at pautsOnpCcoxom 40 i. Usnwd Hi. SI6-2H-C231 SOO-713-4418 ynwk TMEa CS St.

Joseph News-Press PUT A LID i-Pinaupm ay Wa need to recajpturo the spirit and enthusiasm that existed here before. I beiisve we can do it Miles Prentice, about the Royals' glory days arrives for 'Cats K-State finally gets big shot against Nebraska Associated Press MANHATTAN, Kan. Kansas State last beat Nebraska 30 years ago. But the anguish has lasted a lot longer Kansas State fans have been waiting 103 years for this game, "Since Wrentice mew owner iqfRoyals World War we had been in a seemingly endless down cycle," Kansas State president Jon Wefald said of a team that between 1954 and 1991 had three NCAA probations and two winning ,1 Associated Press KANSAS CITY New York lawyer Miles Prentice, after raising about 75 percent of his money from local investors, was given unanimous approval Friday to buy the Kansas City Royals for $75 "mtjlioa The money, plus another $50 u.mwjiHM!iinii inure .1 y.MWaMiit I 1 I iKvJ' j- I -i, til I 1 Bill Snyder: Biggest game in K-State history. I million left over from funds pro vided by local businesses and late osner Ewing Kauff man to run the club until a new owner was found, will all go toJocal chanties.

sale is sub- ieEt to aDDroval bv major league own- ets, who usually take 3-4 months to make a dacision. But this decision could br prolonged because Prentice's group is so large 2lt's somewhere between 25 and -1 75? said Prentice, 56, who spent CUfr SCHIWAAswxiated Preu ajjput 14 months pursuing the Kansas City Royals president Mike Herman, right, presents a the team's board of directors had approvod the Wd off Pren-team Jersey to Milos Prentice, loft, after Hormon announced tlce's group to buy the toasn Friday at Kauffman Stadium. American League club that's been in-ownership limbo since Kauff- man's death in 1993. 31any of the investors include some of the leading families in Kansas City, including bankers R. Crosby Kemper James B.

Nut- ter golfer Tom Watson and Negro Leagues baseball star Buck under way now. "Even with the money we'll be generating with the improved stadium, we won't be generating the revenues some of theose bigger market generate," Prentice said. "What I do hope is that because we will have more people coming to the ballpark and more sources of revenue, we will have more money to pay (players). But we're going to do it on a rational basis, a reasonable basis. Getting to the World Series is my goaL" The biggest investor.

Miles said, i ir rn 1 4l0l rxom tiansas liy anu uoes- -C ul wish to be identified. ii sagreaicross-secuunoi pw through the mid-80s, capped by their beating Si. Louis in the 1985 World Series. But confronting the same problems of lack of revenue and dwindling attendance that many small-market clubs have been facing, they have become consistent money-losers. They have not been competitive on the field for about six years.

"We need to recapture the spirit and enthusiasm that existed here before," said Prentice. "I believe we can do that" Nevertheless, the Royals are expected to slash a payroll that was about $40 million last year while at the same time raising prices. The first of a planned three-phase improvement to 25-year-old Kauffman Stadium is Kansas City people who recognized what a great, great asset this franchise is to this community," he said. "And I think a lot of people here took it for granted. They never really focused on the fact it could go away But after it became apparent what was needed, in less than six weeks we put this group together "To raise $30 million in six weeks is an arduous task.

It says a lot for the people of this region." Under terms of the sale. Prentice must first try to sell the club to Kansas City interests if he should want to unload it The Royals, founded as an expansion club in 1969, were among the most successful teams in the AL from the mid-70s and I hope that will be our has been running the club since 1993, announced more than a year ago that it had begun the bidding process. Early favorites to own the club were groups headed by former Royals star George Brett and Lamar Hunt, owner of the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs. But both dropped out last summer, leaving the field open to Prentice. "I wasn't even a dark horse," Prentice said.

"I wasn't on anybody's radar screen." When the board and president Mike Herman imposed an additional condition that at least half his money had to come from Kansas Citians, Prentice admitted it at first appeared to be a major obstacle. "Because I couldn't find any "There weren't a half-dozen Kansas State fans in the world who thought we'd ever play a game of this magnituda For most of our history, this game would have been thought of as impossible." The only Kansas State partisan who refuses to recognize that today's game is the biggest in school history might be the person most responsible for bringing it about "I can't tell you I don't try to address that with our players," said coach Bill Snyder, who 10 years ago took over the los ingest program in the history of major college football. "I certainly wouldn't make light of the desire to win the ballgame." Tle No. 2 Wildcats (90, 60 Big 12) find themselves in the almost unheard of position of being 10-point favorites over the No. 11 Huskers (8-2, 4-2), who took a bit of the luster off this showdown by losing to Texas and Texas.

"Whichever way it goes, Til be glad when it's over," said Jeff Kelly, who leads a linebacking corps Kansas State fans believe is the finest in the country "That's all people want to talk about Nebraska and Kansas State, but I know Nebraska took their season one game at a time just like we're taking ours. And now it's here, and it's going to be played here in Manhattan, and it's going to be a good game." Based on comparative scores, the Wildcats deserve to be They clobbered Texas 48-7, and the Longhorns snapped Nebraska's-long home winning streak with a 20-16 victory in Lincoln. Oklahoma State fell 52 20 to the Wildcats. But Nebraska needed a last-second goat line stand to preserve a 24-17 win. Iowa State lost in similar fashion to both, 42-7 to the Huskers and 52-1 to Kansas State.

Would a victory by the long-woe ful Wildcats signify a passing of the torch? "We won't pass along anything tq anybody" said first-year Nebraska-coach Frank Solich. "Everybody's got to earn what they get whether it's through us or through somebody else. So far, they've (Wildcats) earned everything they've got" strength," said Prentice, wno since 1890 has owned the Double- flMiQlana. lexas Anceis. we are ever going to divulge the f-amounts of the investments, per- lUi iUt uttHiages ui tuiy uuiig line uiai.

of the people have invested The Red Sox sign former Royal Jose Offerman to a four-year, $26 million contract. Page D2 with that in mind. Some people still want to remain anonymous. 'The board ot directors, wrucn Fans welcome Prentice but not his vision for team Associated Press KANSAS CITY Kansas City Royals fans said Friday that they're glad the club finally has an owner, and one who has pledged to keep the financially struggling am in town. I think it's fabulous," said Charles 5urke, a patron at a downtown sports bar.

'We've just been floundering without an dwner for so long. Now that we've got somebody at the helm, we can get some direction and get things turned around." It I Al A J.1 without dipping heavily info the free-agent market. "I think they'll hang around, but I don't think they'll ever be good," said Jim Bolles, another customer. "You'll never see a 1985 again." Another patron, Tom Reynolds, agreed that the Royals could not win without free agents, "not unless oping their farm system. I think in a small market like Kansas City, you have to go that way" Royals fans would like to see big-name free agents on the roster, Espinosa said, but that's not feasible.

"You've got to bring some direction back to the farm system," he said. "Hopefully, Prentice will be able to come in and do that." Fans were almost uniformly pessimistic, however, that the Royals' attendance woes would reverse themselves without some kind of onfield success. "I have access to free tickets all the time, and I still don't go." said the bar's doorman, Jeff Reeder. "I'm always a fan, but I just don't go out there very much at all." Reynolds said. "And where are (the Royals) to get the money for those players?" Just this week, the Royals lost third baseman Dean Palmer and Jose Offerman to free agency Palmer signed a 5-year, $36 million deal with Detroit on Wednesday, and Offerman agreed Friday to a 5-year, $26 million deal with the Boston Red Sox.

"We could never afford to pay that much," Bolles said. "Six and a half million a year is way too much for a second baseman, anyway." But Burke and one of his tablemates, David Espinosa, weren't ready to write off the Royals' chances of winning through player development. "I'm a patient guy," Burke said. "That's how the Royals won 15-20 years ago, devel Miles Prentice: Hopes to return glory to Royals. But tans aren i an convinced mat me group headed by New York lawyer Miles Prentice can keep a promise to make the team competitive again and even return the Royals to the World Series for the first time since they won it in 1985 they get very, very lucky "The established players have a higher talent level than the farm players," Starting QBs have differing big-game experience.

Page D4 Tips for bagging big deer Outdoor Beat (he Missouri firearms deer season opened today. The Missouri Department of Western wins opener Dickerson scored 26 points Western to first victory. 'Z Soo Page DS krJ In win bf mm iu i4 ure. The confident mind always stands a greater chance of success. The best deer hunter I know, outdoor writer Andy Cllne, is good because of undying patience.

He moves into a likely spot before daylight and does not leave until dark. He has sat like this two or three days before success. His family room wall holds three trophy bucks. DON GIVE UP Hunters in this area give up their dear stand and attempt deer drives on opening day. This Is a mistake because you generally stir the deer up to a point where they change habits.

Gonzaga naa a tour- point lead at the half, but Kansas Conservation estimates that 425,000 hunters took on the deer herd. By now, many of you have already shot your first deer. But for those who have not, don't despair. Patience and good technique will make you successful. PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE Unfortunately, many who do not shoot a deer on opening day become discouraged.

This is easy do and all of us have done it while sitting in the woods looking at squirrels and leaves. It starts with a hunter thinking thoughts like: "This spot Is too open. Look at that area over there. I sure wish a deer wouli show up Listen to those shots. Ken Kieser Outdoors Correspondent rebounded for a 16-point win Friday.

Sea Page DS 4 Utiam i ih Um hum 1. ejfJtajSLl John shot his buck in the first hour last season. I should have seen something by now. This is a lousy spot. I think I will move!" and so on.

This Is the beginning of fail mmna lie KENNETH L. NESERSt. Joseph NewsAass The Mlaaowri ftroarn dear acaaon opened today. Bucks such aa cm wUI aeon ba finding comfortable hiding spota. Please see DeerPage D3 today's Nwt-Pr U-E.