The Salina Journal from Salina, Kansas • Page 33

i Sports FIRST CLASS FIVE BASEBALL D4, D5 D6 LIFESPORTS D7 ROYALS Roberts fuels KG victory Kansas City outslugs Seattle as struggling Appier collects fifth win By DOUG TUCKER The Associated Press TOM Salina Journal runners split to the left while two-mile runners break to the right at the start of the 17th annual First Class Five road race Saturday morning at Kenwood Park. Persistent McAnany finally wins 5-mile 39-lyear-old Hays resident rrvaikes first win a big win, recording 45-second margin MORITZ ThgSalina Journal Bqb McAnany's persistence in pursuit of a Five victory finally paid ofif. has been a reg- the annual five-mile since 1983 and has had than his share of sec- ondj'and third-place finish- es.t morning he runner-up to runaway winner, crossing the finish line in Kenwood Park with a time of top the rest of the field by more than 45 seconds. had other years where I was second and ran under 25 minutes," MqAiany said. "But I can go to my grave with a smile on my face, now that I've won this race." The 17th annual event, sponsored by Sun- flower Bank, was run in near ideal weather conditions, with cool temperatures, low humidity and light winds.

McAnany's victory marked the seventh consecutive year a Fort Hays State University graduate has won in Salina, following four-time champion MCANANY GEISERT Kirk Hunter of Colby and two-time winner J.P. Worcester of Lindsborg. "Both Kirk and J.P. are Fort Hays guys and I have to thank them for not running today," McAnany said. "They gave me a treat in my 39th year." Each of the top six finishers were in the 30 to 39-year-old age division.

Mark Gerber of Allenstown, was second with a time of 26:24, while Sacred Heart High School graduate Chris Nichols, who now makes his home in Leawood, was third at 26:35. McAnany finished second behind Worcester or Hunter for three straight years starting in 1992, before dropping to fifth last year. "This is the best time I've had in the last four to five years," McAnany said. "I think I was just a little more rested. I had one track workout Monday instead of two this week.

"This was by far the best weather day they've had here in years and I ran pretty even splits. I wish I could have broken five minutes in the last mile, but I was right at that." Kingman's Sally Geisert won the women's five-mile race for the second tune in three years, returning to the top after a second- place finish in 1995. Geisert ran a 30:23 to finish more than a minute ahead of Leslie Nielsen of Hays in second "The first mile felt real good, but my time was kind of slow," Geisert said. "I tried to pick it up after that. "I was kind of surprised to do as well as I did.

I've been training for long races and I ran the Boston Marathon this year, so I haven't been doing much speed work." Race results Page D6 Hunter chose not to defend his title in the five-mile run this year, instead competing in Saturday's two-mile run. His victory in that race marked the fourth consecutive year he has won in Salina, but Hunter was disappointed in his winning time of 9:41. "It was a terrible run," said Hunter, who had his sights set on the event record of 9:23. "That wouldn't even be a split in a normal race I've been running the last few weeks. "It was a great day to run, but it just wasn't a great day.

I was just tight." Kristine Isaacson successfully defended her title in the women's two-mile run. Isaacson, who will be a senior at Ell-Saline High School this fall, ran a 12:38 to top her winning time of a year ago by more than 30 seconds. "I felt good from the start today," Isaacson said. "I like to get out fast and set my own pace." More than 500 men, women and children participated in the running events. Hundreds more took part in the two-mile walk.

cms classic The Associated Press IjSU's Warren Morris leaps aner hitting the game-win- inlng homer in the ninth to Miami. See Page D2. FRENCH OPEN Graf beats Sanchez Vicario in thriller Graf wins third set 10-8 in match that lasted more than three hours By The Associated Press PARIS It looked like Steffi Graf and Arantxa Sanchez Vicario might play all night. Back and forth they went Saturday three sets, three hours and three-minutes, 40 games. At the end, Sanchez Vicario plunked a tired backhand into the net to give Graf her fifth French Open title in the longest women's title match at Roland Garros.

Graf, the defending champion, trailed 4-2 in the final set and was just one point away from falling behind 5-2 before rallying to win 6-3, 6-7 (4-7), 10-8. When it was over, both players were in tears Graf as she spoke The Associated Press Steffi Graf (right) consoles Aran- txa Sanchez Vicario after their dramatic 40-game final Saturday. of her jailed father "back home," and Sanchez Vicario as she accepted the runner-up prize. "It was an incredible feeling," Graf said of the near unanimous support she received from the center court crowd. "When they were cheering, 'Steffi! during the changeovers, that was pretty special.

I just wanted to laugh I en- joyed it so much." It was the longest women's final at Roland Garros, both in duration and games. The 40 games surpassed the 38 of the 1955 final, won by Angela Mortimer over Dorothy Knode, Timewise, the match was five minutes longer than the 1989 final, when Sanchez Vicario beat Graf in 2:58. Saturday's third set lasted 81 minutes. In another milestone, Graf won her 19th Grand Slam singles title to move past Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert into a second-place tie with Helen Wills Moody on the all-time list five behind leader Margaret Smith Court. "I think it is incredible, but I really can't focus on that record right now," said Graf, who also tied Smith Court with five French Open titles, two behind Evert.

"The match today overwhelms the Men's final: Kafelnikov vs. Stich starts at 8 a.m. today on NBC-TV, Salina cable 3,13 record right now." top seed, and Sanchez Vicario, No. 4, have played several memorable Grand Slam finals. But Graf said this one rated even higher than her win over the Spaniard in last year's Wimbledon final, which included a 20-minute game of 32 points.

"This is probably the most spectacular one that we have had," Graf said. "There have been a lot of them, not to mention the one at Wimbledon, which was dramatic, but I think this tune, it was even more incredible." Four years ago, Graf played another marathon French Open final that also ended 10-8 in the third set. That time, she lost to Monica Seles. KANSAS CITY, Mo. Bip Roberts drove in four runs and a struggling Kevin Appier picked up his second victory in seven starts Saturday night as Kansas City out- slugged Seattle 12-8.

David Howard, Sal Fasano, Jon Nunnally and Joe Vitiello each had two RBI for the Royals, who won their third in a row. Kansas City stole six bases, one short of the team record. The Mariners' road record dropped to 13-13, leaving Chicago and Cleveland as the AL's only clubs with winning marks away from home. Appier (5-6), who's been locked hi a public salary dispute with the Royals, went six shaky innings, giving up 12 of Seattle's 16 hits, and six runs. Jeff Montgomery got two outs for his 16th save.

Bob Milacki (1-4) lasted three innings and got tagged for seven hits and six runs. Joey Cora, who had four hits and three RBI, doubled leading off the game and scored on Ken Griffey single. Then the Royals rebounded for four in the second inning on Howard's two-run single and Roberts' two-run double, which missed sailing over the right-field fence by inches. Roberts also had an RBI single in the fifth and a run-scoring double in the seventh. In the third, Bob Hamelin doubled, Jose Offerman singled and Nunnally brought them in with a double to make it 6-1.

The Mariners, batting .410 with the bases loaded, closed to 6-5 in the fifth with bases-loaded singles by Darren Bragg and Cora. Bragg finished with three RBI. In the bottom of the fifth, Fasano's double scored Nunnally and Johnny Damon, then Fasano was sacrificed to third and made it 9-5 on Roberts' RBI single. Bragg and Luis Sojo singled to open the Seattle sixth, and Cora hit an RBI single with one out. Edgar Martinez hit his major league-leading 32nd double in the seventh and scored Seattle's seventh run on Doug Strange's double.

After Roberts' RBI double in the seventh, the Royals loaded the bases and Vitiello, after catcher John Marzano dropped his two-out pop foul for an error, hit a two-run single. CHICAGO AT SEATTLE Game3 6:30 tonight NBC-TV Salina cable 3,13 Series: Chicago leads 2-0 Preview: Page D3 with U.S. Olympic hopeful Steve Fritz rhen the United States Olympic Trials for track and field begin Friday in Atlanta, Gypjsum native and world-class decath- letetSteve Fritz will be poised to earn a coveted spot on the 1996 team willlrepresent the U.S. in the 27th Olyfhpic Games July 20-Aug. 4 in At- lanfe.

TKe 28-year-old Fritz, who attended Southeast of Saline High School, has the bfest score in the U.S. this season 2 in the world. His personal- bestjtotal of 8,548 points (set in 1994) ranks No. 4 all-time in the U.S. behind Daji'O'Brien, Dave Johnson and Bruce Jenper.

$alina Journal senior sports writer Hartild Bechard recently conducted a phope interview with Fritz while the Kansas State assistant track and field coacjh was in Eugene, at the Interview by Harold Salina Journal NCAA Outdoor Championships. Fritz discussed the upcoming Olympic Trials and his remarkable track and field career. Your thoughts on the upcoming Olympic Trials. Are you nervous or anxious about them? A "I'm not really nervous I'm JLJLnot really fired up about it yet, a whole lot. I've stayed healthy most of the year and I've been real healthy the last couple months, so that's allowed me not to get nervous or worry about it a whole lot.

The training has been going well. "As long as that continues the next couple weeks it will be pretty easy for me to keep myself under control and not get too worked up about it. It'd be nice if it was already over so I wouldn't worry about it and have any questions marks or anything. But I've been able to stay pretty calm, and hopefully that will continue until right before I start." You were plagued with injuries last year. When did those heal and when did you feel you were one hundred percent healthy again? A "Well, I got healthy toward the end of last year during the season, but wasn't in good enough shape to have any of it really come through as far as what I had accomplished.

And I started out in the fall and took a month off, which is the first time I've taken much time off at all, ever, and kind of got refreshed. I was healthy and got away from it all. "Now, this year, barring a couple small instances here or there, I really haven't had many problems with injuries. So I've stayed pretty healthy and haven't gotten myself into much trouble." Do you ever think back to your days of growing up in a small town (Gypsum) and maybe sending a message that growing up in small-town Kansas or wherever that people can accomplish something if they put their mind to it? "Yeah, you just never know what people are capable of doing. I mean, no one ever thought that when I was in high school, when I was about 6-2 and weighing 165 pounds, you'd never think I was going to be doing what I am now.

"You just never know. Some people develop later. Certain backgrounds may lend themselves to certain things, but anyone can do anything in any situation if they want to do it bad enough and have at least a little opportunity." See FRITZ, Page D3 Journal file photo Gypsum native Steve Fritz will compete in the U.S. Olympic Trials this week. SUGGESTIONS? CALL BOB DAVIDSON, SPORTS EDITOR, AT (913) 823-6363 OR 1-800-827-6363.