The Santa Fe New Mexican from Santa Fe, New Mexico • 26

I 4 THE NEW MEXICAN Wednesday October 27 1993 1 BASEBALL Death threats over a game? Give me a break By SCOTT OSTLER San Francisco Chronicle Few top athletes in recent memory have Mitch Williams' knack of scaring and infuriating his own fans and his own teammates There has never been a pitcher quite like him Two hours after the 15-14 game I jumped on a shuttle bus at Veterans Stadium for the five-minute ride to my hotel My bus driver and two of his pals who were taking a break from their own routes spent the entire ride angrily trashing and vilifying Williams The three grandfatherly fellows railed on about how the Phillies gotta get rid of that at any cost They were very upset more upset than I would expect grandfatherly guys to get over someone named Wild Thing who played a sport I enter the fray but knowing what I know now I wish I had "Excuse me" I might have said this person you are discussing the same Mitch Williams who saved 43 games this year? it be the same Mitch Williams who gave the Phillies team so much of its offbeat personality and its heart who helped make this one of the most fun-to-watch baseball teams ever who was completely charming and genuinely funny to the press and the fans all year and as loved by his teammates? The samegyy who gave that wonderful victory leap that some of us will remember forever after shutting down the Braves in that last playoff game?" It is ironic that the City of Bad Sportsmanship was represented in the World Series by such a stand-up baseball team After Saturday crushing defeat every Phillie I talked to saluted the Blue Jays One hour after the game Lenny Dykstra and John Kruk were both laughing with members of the media while sharing their emotions and thoughts Dykstra said were the better team We stop Dykstra stood up lifted his arms and said with a smile it! A few feet away Mitch Williams sat on his stool Sounding like a person thinking out loud wrestling with an impossible riddle he said: a game played for the enjoyment of If listening Philadelphia: In that Sickest Fan contest hold the calls we already have a couple of winners TORONTO Mitch Williams is no rocket scientist and no psychologist but he is a bright enough young map to realize that death threats are just way of saying "We "In Philadelphia they like to win" Wild Thing Williams said late Saturday night in the World Series clubhouse "For the COMMENTARY most part they are very very good fans they've treated me really well" But a couple a few? Phillies fans phoned the team switchboard last Wednesday night and said they were going to kill Mitch Williams For those particular Philadelphia fans booing at the ballpark and phoning the radio whine-in shows just getting the job done Williams himself would not have mentioned the death threats but teammate Dave Hollins brought up the topic long after the Blue Jays had whipped the Phillies on a three-run Joe Carter homer off Williams were death threats and I saw how it affected Hollins said in the clubhouse his voice loud and angry his jaw tight sleep the whole night he had police around his house all night I know it affected him not an excuse The threatening phone calls came in not long after Williams was torched in Game 4 He was the final fall guy in a hysterically historical 15-14 Phillies loss at Veterans Stadium The front-office people tell Mitch about the phone calls Williams knew nothing until 2 am Friday a few hours after the Phillies had defeated the Jays in Game 5 He walked out of his house to put some stuff in his truck and someone shined a flashlight in his eyes It was a cop are you Wild Thing inquired they tell who tell me "There were some death threats We had undercover people watching you and your fiancee at the game tonight and be patrolling your place all night" Williams sleep that night and skipped the team workout Friday at Toronto to try to sleep Teens charged with egging Williams' house The Associated Press Moorestown Both were released to their parents and could face harassment charges police said Police had been patrolling the area since Oct 20 after at least two death threats against Williams The threats began after Williams blew a five-run lead and the Phillies lost Game 4 of the World Series on Saturday police said about 30 youngsters armed with cartons of eggs arrived at house Williams was not at the house after leaving Toronto he flew to his home in Arlington Texas where he lives during much of the offseason When police arrived most of the youths fled but two were taken into custody a 17-year-old from Gwynedd Pa and a 16-year-old from MOORESTOWN NJ Two teen-agers were charged with pelting the home of Philadelphia Phillies relief pitcher Mitch Williams with eggs to show their displeasure with his performance in the World Series Hours after Williams gave up the series-winning home run against Toronto anybody gonna make me hide from what done proud of what done I know in my heart I gave everything I had to this team and this Telephone death threats while not good things are rarely anything but sicko phone pranks However dealing here with Philadelphia and Wild Thing Williams a volatile combo Consider the words of Saturday he threw a fastball that fast enough to Carter Then he went straight to his locker and faced the media for nearly an hour offering no excuses taking the blame for his pitching not mentioning the phone calls until Hollins spoke out leaving town (for the winter) Williams said they (would-be assassins) want to follow me home more than welcome Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Bill Lyon last Tuesday: makes you want to strangle him he? He will pitch his usual cataclysmic ninth inning and leave you feeling either lobotomized or homicidal want to reach right through your television set and get a two-handed choke hold on his windpipe and just squeeze the life right out off Ah sports rt Astros Mariners should be two teams on the rise in 1994 By PETER PASCARELLI The Sporting News shifted into the NL Central the Astros automatically lose the Braves and Giants as 100-victory divisional rivals And talent seems better than the Cubs St Louis Cincinnati and Pittsburgh And forget the Astros won close to 90 games this year with Doug Drabek and Greg Swindell combining for only 21 victories The Astros already have taken some steps firing manager Art Howe and general manager Bill Wood naming Bob Watson as the new GM Whoever Watson names as manager will inherit a talented club And Watson has loads of options with his personnel Houston has a load of young prospects infielders Phil Nevin Orlando Miller and James Mouton pitchers Jeff Juden Brian Williams and Shane Rey nolds outfielders Gary Mota and Chris Hatcher Meanwhile look for the Mariners to make their first run at a division title Lou club finished above 500 despite a devastating run of injuries that sidelined for long periods such key people as Norm Charlton Edgar Martinez Dave Fleming and Chris Bosio If everyone is healthy the Seattle starting pitching is as good as any in the American League so good that they likely will shop Erik Hanson this winter in hopes of finding a relief pitcher or a catcher Any lineup with Ken Griffey Jr is formidable And there is no juggernaut in a new AL West that also includes Oakland California and Texas In the AL Central watch out for the Indians They were only too happy to rid themselves of Toronto and the Yankees among others in the AL East And although they have the talented White Sox to worry about in the AL Central the Indians seem finally ready next year to take the big step toward being contenders Their lineup is already fearsome and should be even better with kids Jim Thome and Manny Ramirez and a rejuvenated Sandy Alomar And the pitching has to be better There are also teams that could fall swiftly Start with Baltimore The Orioles overachieved simply to remain in contention as long as they did If you match their talent against their division rivals the Orioles come up woefully short In fact the only positions where they might be superior to the Blue Jays or Yankees is shortstop with Cal Ripken and bullpen closer with Gregg Olson And Olson is a huge question mark because of an elbow that at any time could blow out and require ligament transplant surgery that would sideline him for two years And as for this elite Philadelphia and San Francisco could be one-year wonders In the case they have a roster full of players with a history of physical problems and a pitching staff that is far from stable And those two negative ingredients can turn a 90-victory team around in a hurry As for the Giants they got a lot of career years and remarkable mileage from a pitching staff in which durability is an open question face it one of the best things about baseball is looking ahead to next year So as a great regular season ends and a fascinating postseason begins what better time to start planning for 1994 Sure early A winter of free agents trades arbitration injury rehabilitation salary dumping and namecalling between the union and owners lies between now and the opening of spring training But go out on the limb start with next surprise clubs the Phillies and Giants of One is the Houston Astros By being Election Campaign Announcement! A Message to My Many Friends and to all Santa Feans time for a positive change I wish to take this opportunity to make it known that I am a candidate on March 1 1994 for the office of Mayor for our beautiful city of Santa Fe! I look forward to addressing the many issues confronting our beloved city and I look forward to presenting my solutions The first rally will be announced in the very near future and I am soliciting the support of all my friends and fellow Santa Feans to please join my campaign On a personal note I realize I am not a candidate without flaws However I believe my candidacy will be the best to address and solve the many problems and concerns that exist in our community Who is Tony Lopez? A Proven Leader Committed to Public Service! To all those Santafesinos that I have not had the pleasure of knowing or meeting and to my long time friends and acquaintances the following is a brief outline of my background and qualifications: Present Member City DWI Task Force Public Relations Chairman Present Member County DWI Task Force Member United States Navy League Member Santa Fe Public Safety Committee Present Member-National Committee to Preserve the Social Security Act Member LULAC Council 8043 Member of Knights of Columbus Member of Eagles Club Decorations and Awards of the Armed Forces Navy Commendations Medal Combat Action Ribbon Presidential Unit Citation Navy Unit Commendation Meritorious Unit Commendation Navy Good Conduct with Four Bronte Stan Naval Reserve Meritorious Service Medal And many letters of Commendation including from former Presidents of the United States of America Former Chairman of the NM Employer Support of the NM Guard and Reserve Former Chairman of the Santa Fe Spain Committee Past Chairman-Veterans Day Services (21 years as Chairman) Past VFW Post' Commander and Life Member Past State Chairman of Employment Security Commission' Past Member of Children and Youth Service Bureau Past Chairman and Member of Santa Fe Sister City International Committee Past Chairman of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish Council Present Member of St Catholic Church Former Member of New Mexico State Roofing Contractors Association Member of National Roofing Contractors Association Member of the Fraternal Order of Police I Member of the BPOE Present Member of the American Legion Post 1 1 Former Fund Raising Chairman for Saint Vincent de Paul Society Son of the late Joe A Lopez and mother is Marie Stella Lafollette both natives of this City and Father of Shannon Andrea Miranda and Joseph Tony Lopez is Retired Master Chief 22 years active duty United States Navy and two term Viet Nam Veteran He is the owner of Tony Lopez Roofing Company Former partner and manager of Lopez Roofing Service Inc Past Chairman of the City Public Housing Authority 1973 De Vargas Staff Captain 1974 Captain General and Governor Don Diego de Vargas Past President and Vice President of Los Caballeros de Vargas 1 Past and Present President of the Santa Fe Fiesta Council Past Chairman of the City Fiesta Commission Past Chairman of the 375th Anniversary Commission Former Member of the Plaza Use Committee Current and past State Chairman-Memorial Day (20 years as Chairman) Please do not hesitate to call me at 473-1 100 or drop me a note at 21 16 Avenida de las Alturas Santa Fe NM 87505 Thank you for your consideration and support VOTE TONY LOPEZ FOR MAYOR Paid for by The Committee to Elect Tony Lopez for Mayor Larry Moya Treasurer.