Fort Worth Star-Telegram from Fort Worth, Texas • 37

1 Sports Thursday June 11 1998 SECTION It's Final: Hicks Owns Rangers Owners unanimously approve sale Schieffer loaded bases for Rangers so Hicks could bat TR Sullivan The Associated Press SEATTLE Tom Hicks who owns more than 400 radio stations and the Dallas Stars became the owner of the Rangers last night By a 30-0 vote major-league baseball owners approved the sale of the Rangers to the 52-year-old media mogul for $250 million The vote rubber-stamped one made earlier Wednesday by baseball's ownership committee The group selling the franchise included Texas Gov George Bush "We had not heard of any opposition prior to this and none surfaced" said Tom Schieffer who will remain as the Rangers' president "That just makes everybody feel very good "I think that we have built a very good franchise in the past and we have built a strong foundation I think with Tom Hicks now we have a chance to take it to a higher level" Said interim commissioner Bud Selig owner of the Milwaukee Brewers: "I'm delighted I want to say I really enjoyed the ownership of the Texas club So I'm going to miss them But I think they have a wonderfully talented person in Tom Hicks" (More on HICKS on Page 4D) SEATTLE Two prominent events took place while Tom Schieffer was running the Rangers The team moved into The Ballpark in Arlington and did not reach the World Series Those milestones eclipse all else that happened since Schieffer became club president Jan 3 1 199 1 Moving into The Ballpark on time and within budget secured the Rangers' future while failure to achieve the ultimate goal increased the 26-year frustration of one of baseball's least-successful franchises The Ballpark was the more important Winning a World Series must be the primary goal of any major-league baseball team but the Rangers' chances of doing it at Arlington Stadium were down to almost zero The franchise would have been in (More on SULLIVAN on Page 3D) Rangers ravaging the weak ttl' 1 a Former Texas Tech star Sheryl Swoopes holding son Jordan Eric Jackson last summer hopes to help Houston repeat as WNBA champion ITy fwy i 10 uvuvu uuu il Sheryl Swoopes is in shape in Houston and determined to return to championship form By Dwain Price Star-Telegram Staff Writer 'm i Sheryl Swoopes is back Back in shape Back to the focus of becoming the marquee player for the Women's NBA she was pegged Reprinted from yesterday's late editions By Johnny Paul 1 Star-Telegram Staff Writer DENVER The Rangers' stranglehold on first place in the American League West can be attributed partly to their performance against those less fortunate The Rangers remain competitive against the best and continue to dominate the rest Tuesday night's 5-2 victory against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field improved the Rangers' record to 29-15 (659) against those who entered play yesterday without a winning record "You don't want to give a series away to those types of teams" first baseman Will Clark said "If you go out and execute you're going to win more often than not This team is very capable of that" This one required contributions from almost everyone Right-hander Rick Helling gave the Rangers 6 13 quality innings The bullpen pitched 2 23 scoreless innings Clark and right fielder Juan Gonzalez hit solo home runs and the Rangers' Nos 7 and 8 hitters shortstop Domingo Cedeno and third baseman Fernando Tatis each drove in a run Helling who allowed a two-out solo home run to first baseman Todd Helton in the third inning coasted through the fourth fifth and sixth innings Helling (8-3) surrendered only one hit a two-out fourth-inning double by catcher Kirt Manwaring and recorded five strikeouts during that (More on RANGERS on Page 4D) to be last year at this time Back at practice A day before the WNBA was scheduled to tip off its second season WNBA Year 2 30-game season begins tonight Defending champion: Houston TV: NBC ESPN Lifetime cause of her hiatus "I had a couple of personal things that I was thinking about and I met with Coach and talked to him" Swoopes said "Now everything is fine There are no problems" Before the disappearing act the out-of-shape six-weeks-post-giv-ing-birth Swoopes who was inconsequential in nine games with the Comets last season had all but disappeared The Swoopes who averaged 29 points in leading Texas Tech to the 1993 NCAA title and led the 1996 US Olympic team to the gold medal seemed on the verge of (More on WNBA on Page 6D) 1 with four games tonight Swoopes was reported missing from practice with the defending champion Houston Comets Her two-day absence ended when she returned yesterday and cited "personal reasons" as the The Ass(Kiuled Press Houston forward Sheryl Swoopes who gave birth June 24 1997 once again looks like "a world-class athlete" Comets coach Van Chancellor says 01' man Harper keeps rolling along Bulls veteran continues to shut down opponents in playoffs of Games 3 and 4 in the Eastern Conference finals And he's just doing his job against Stockton who was held to just two points seven assists and five turnovers in Chicago's 96-54 rout in Game 3 "I didn't shut nobody down I hate to tell you that but that's the first thing" Harper said "I think as a basketball team we do a very fine job I don't think I'm doing it all by myself "I'm not hesitant to take credit" he said 'This is a team sport This is a team game It's a team and I play on a good hasketball team" The Associated Press CHICAGO All year Ron Harper complains about chasing these quick little guards He's old he whines his body creaks and he doesn't have the stamina of these young pups Then the playoffs come and the 34-year-old guard shuts down a human tornado like Reggie Miller and the lightning-quick John Stockton Looks like the old bag of bones still has a few moves left "Ron's been for three years now twice the player in the playoffs that he is in the regular season That's a sign of a guy who comes up when the time is right" Chicago Bulls teammate Steve Kerr said "He's older now he doesn't have the legs he used to have but he saves his best for when we really need it" Kerr added "He's sort of the unsung hero on the team defensively especially" Just don't tell Harper that While Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen are regulars on the NBA's All-Defensive team Harper prefers to stay in their shadows He doesn't want any compliments and he bristles when he gets them He insists he didn't do anything special with Miller even though Indiana's sharpshooter found his rhythm only at the end Ron Harper left applies defensive pressure to Utah's John Stockton during the first quarter of Game 4 Iat niuht in jl oSaL' iQ Chicago The Associated Press 'r World Cud '98 Yesterday's results Brazil 2 Scotland 1 Morocco 2 Norway 2 Yellow Jackets ready for state Memories of their brothers' 1996 title spur several Arlington I leights players as they prepare for today's semifinal game against Highland Park Page 7D BASEBALL 3-5D OUTDOORS 8D MOTORSPORTS 8-9D SCOREBOARD 10D HORSE RACING 11D For the latest in scores call our scoreline number: SCORELINE (817) 336-7827 Code 1290 Steve Hatchell appointed commissioner of pro rodeo association Page 2D Capitals are confident after Game 1 loss in Stanley Cup Finals Page 10D I Today's games Italy vs Chile 10:30 am (ESPN) Cameroon vs Austria 2 pm (ESPN2) Pago 7D sr 4.