Fort Worth Star-Telegram from Fort Worth, Texas • 43

SPORTS COLLEGE WEEKEND FISHING BASKETBALL TV HOT REPORT SPOTS LISTINGS 140 13D 20 THURSDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1999 A Star-Telegram www.star-telegram.com Leading off BRAVES-PADRES DEAL Atlanta and San Diego work a six-player 1 trade that sends Wally Joyner and Quilvio Veras to the Braves and Ryan Klesko and Bret Boone to the Padres. In another deal, the New York Yankees send pitcher Hideki Irabu to the Montreal Expos for young prospects. 3D CAN'T CATCH UP Texas Tech's Katrisa O'Neal tries stealing the ball from TCU's Diamond Jackson, and the Lady Raiders built a quick lead to beat the Lady Frogs, 63-57. 15D RICKY READY Injuries have plagued the rookie season of Saints running back Ricky Williams, but coach Mike Ditka stands by his decision to draft the former Texas Longhorns star. After being sidelined with injuries 1 for more than a month, Williams is expected to play Friday against the Cowboys.

6D SHOVE DRAWS SUSPENSION The NFL handed Cleveland's Orlando Brown an indefinite suspension for shoving a referee, and he might receive a fine. 7D INSERT FOOT Atlanta Braves relief pitcher John Rocker is in the center of a firestorm over remarks made about minorities in an interview with Sports Illustrated. 2D SCORES NBA, 11D NHL, 10D Celtics 98 Devils 3 Hawks 81 Flyers 2 Magic 103 Red Wings 4 Cavaliers 97 Hurricanes 1 Knicks 91 Thrashers ....3 Raptors 90 Panthers 3 Heat 74 Capitals Jazz .........72 at Canucks T'wolves ..106 Coyotes Bulls ............86 at Ducks Clippers Kings at Warriors at Sharks WOMEN'S BASKETBALL, 15D Texas Tech ..63 TCU 57 MEN'S BASKETBALL, 15D Cincinnati 72 Oklahoma ..57 SCORELINE For the latest in scores, call our scoreline number: (817) 336-7827, Code 1290 SPORTS BRIEFLY BASEBALL 12D COLLEGE FOOTBALL PRO FOOTBALL RECRUITING HOCKEY PRO OUTDOORS 13D COLLEGE BASKETBALL 13-15D GREATEST Counting down the most memorable athletes and moments in the century of sports FOR HAMMERIN' HANK, RELIEF WAS 7-1-5 BY DAVID WELLHAM Aaron's long winter ended a little more than The StarStar-Telegram Staff Writer six months later on a cool April evening in Telegram he lore been number since attached the was to Bambino's Babe magical: Ruth's 7-1-4. retirement It legend had in and um Atlanta. audience, and a In rare Aaron front of hit prime-time one 53,775 of fans national baseball's at Atlanta television more Stadi- dra- the last counts 10 1900s days down with of the 1935.

On the penultimate day of the 1973 sea- matic home runs, leaving no one ahead of him the 10 most son, Atlanta Braves outfielder Henry Aaron hit on baseball's all-time home-run list. memorable aththe 713th home run of his career, leaving him Aaron's pursuit of Ruth had captivated base- letes and one behind the Babe. ball fans. With each home run that drew him moments of the After the game, a reporter asked Aaron what closer to the top, Aaron's fans grew more excit- century in kind of winter he expected if he did not hit two ed and his detractors grew more enraged. His sports.

Who or more home runs in '73. Aaron's answer: "I fans saluted him in and his detractors what will be No. song, think it will be the longest winter of my life." rained abuse upon his head in the form of hate mail, some filled with racial epithets. THE LIST The quest was over for Hank Aaron, who tips his Aaron's off-season had been full of televi- OF TEN, 12D hat toward the fans after breaking Babe Ruth's sion appearances and banquet speeches. "I Associated Press archives career home-run record.

(More on COUNT on Page 12D) TCU 28, EAST CAROLINA 14 Cowboys BOWL STORY 2 3 WAG WAC ON M. STEINMAN John Turntine holds his helmet high as he leads the Horned Frogs in the TCU school song after beating East Carolina, 28-14. Underrated Frogs have turned corner OBILE, Ala. As the clock ticked -ing down, with the cold TCU and cheering happy Frogs, section, couldn't swayresist the bait. "Overrated overrated," they chanted over and over at the beaten team across the way.

But let's not be rude, shall we? Perhaps the East Carolina Pirates did not acquit themselves, as billed, as the swashbucklingest, Miami-beatingest, 20th-best gang in the land. And those ouch minus-16 yards of rushing by the Conference USA runners-up are nothing to write home about, even from a place like Mobile. But if anything, another chant was in order for TCU fans as the Horned Frogs put the holiday frosting on a 28-14 victory in the first Mobile Alabama Bowl: (More on LEBRETON on Page 5D) 49 FaDER -16 East rushing Carolina's yards A Sacks by TCU put 5 in Pro Bowl BY RAY BUCK Star-Telegram Staff Writer IRVING Emmitt Smith and Erik Williams made a pledge to each other during the off-season that they would be back together representing the Cowboys in the 2000 Pro Bowl. "We committed to each other: "We're going to get back the Pro Smith said yesterday. "And we did." Smith and Williams, both voted in as reserves in the three-part balloting of NFL players, coaches and fans (each counting one-third), will join NFC Pro Bowl starters Larry Allen and Deion Sanders for the Feb.

6 game in Honolulu. In all, the Cowboys had five players selected Outside linebacker Dexter (More on COWBOYS on Page 6D) NFL Pro Bowl-bound The Cowboys are sending two starters to the Feb. 6 Pro Bowl in Honolulu: Larry Allen, left Fifth consecutive Pro Bowl, fourth as a starter. He was surprised by selection. CB, Deion Sanders, right Eighth Pro Bowl, fourth with Cowboys.

Deion gets his $1.5 million bonus. COWBOYS RESERVES, 6D TCU outclasses another bowl foe GIL LeBRETON COMMENTARY TCU's defense comes to the rescue after East Carolina closes the gap in the third quarter. 40 Defensive end Aaron Schobel earns lineman-of-thegame award. 5D THE TCU 35:20 of BY ARTHUR GARCIA Star-Telegram Staff Writer MOBILE, Ala. The future is now.

It has been two seasons of history-making firsts for the TCU football program. Bowl games, winning seasons, a conference title and a rushing champion are just some of the chapters of a history written and tradition recaptured with each game. Last night in this Gulf port a first-year bowl, the Horned ends on the school's stunning 28-14 demolition in the inaugural Mobile Frogs' first back-to-back 1936-37 seasons. "It's special what this team (More on TCU on Page 4D) NUMBERS city in the backdrop of Frogs slammed bookpostseason chronicle. TCU's of No.

20 East Carolina Alabama Bowl marks the bowl victories since the carved out for itself in of possesion LaDainian Tomlinson TCU's time Rushing yards by TCU's 124 Stars' Belfour remains at top of his game BY JENNIFER FLOYD Star-Telegram Staff Writer CHICAGO Stars backup goalie Manny Fernandez realized playing on what had quickly become a sore knee wasn't really an option not too long into practice Tuesday. Stars at Now, all he had to Blackhawks do was tell usual 7:30 p.m. Fox Sports Net goalie Ed Belfour that he would have to play. Well, maybe, that knee wasn't so bad after all. But it was.

So Fernandez went to Belfour, who had just played in back-to-back games a couple of nights before, and explained the situation. "He said 'I'll go," Fernandez said. "He's fired up. He knows he's (More on STARS on Page 10D) BY.