The San Bernardino County Sun from San Bernardino, California • Page 25

C2 The Sun SATURDAY, August 26, 1995 Kaleidoscope Taiwanese team hit with sour grapes 1 Italian Raiders fans iagga-am when the team is introduced. Even the umpire from Taiwan is booed. Wang thinks fans root against Taiwan because the players are so emotionless on the field. "The kids are verv serious during the game, because I stress that," he said. "I tell them to be serious because the game is dangerous and you can get hurt.

"But olTthe field, they are kids who like to have fun," Wang said. Evidence of that could be seen at the Little League complex all week. The players jumped in the pool and joked around with players from other teams despite the language barrier. They signed autographs for young fans and clowned with teammates. "After the tournament, the kids will have two days of fun in California with a trip to Disneyland," Wang said.

"The baseball federation in Taiwan pays for that every year." Baseball is the No. 1 sport in Taiwan, and Tainan is the hotbed. "Baseball is very important to Tainan," Wang said. "We take pride in sending a team to the Little League World Series." The scries used to be the culmination of most careers in Taiwan, with only the best players going to Japan to play professionally. But a six-year-old baseball league in Taiwan has changed things.

"Because or the pro league, the kids have a dream for the future," Wang said. "Now our goal is not just to win the Little League World Series, but to produce good players for the pro league." Dominance of Far East champ has some Little League fans crying foul and hurling insults. By Michael A. Giarrusso The Associated Press WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. Few American 12-year-olds are as respectful as the youngsters from Taiwan playing in the Little League World Series.

They salute the umpires, take off their hats when their coach is speaking and bow to the crowd alter victories. Despite all the politeness, fans love to hate the Taiwanese at Williamsport, where they 'll play Spring, Texas on Saturday for the championship. "It's a natural emotion and we expect it," said manager Tzyy-Tsan Wang, who coached the team from Tainan, Taiwan to the 1990 Little League title. "I don't mind, but it is not fair to the children." Some fans don't like Taiwan because the team has dominated U.S. squads since 1969, winning 15 Little League titles.

Many believe the team from Taiwan is made up of ineligible players, either too old or from dilferent regions of the country. "These players all come from one league," Wang said through an interpreter. "We have hundreds of leagues in Taiwan, and the players are all 1 1 and 12." After the Philippines forfeited the 1992 title, Little League has more strictly enforced rules re- AP WIREPHOTO Chia Pin Lee salutes umpire Gary Mendoza before battingThursday a display of respect typical of Taiwan's Little Leaguers. Mendoza is from Rialto. garding ineligible players, but the belief that the teams from the Far East region cheat has lingered.

The team from Taiwan has five players who are 5-foot-5 or taller, while international runner-up, the Dominican Republic, had eight players that tall. But the fans at Williamsport warmed to the Dominicans, and treated the Taiwanese roughly. Wang has been booed loudly every time he challenges a call and a smattering of jeers can be heard deserve an apology Paul Oberjuerge always thought you were a pompous nerd. I take it back. You are just sick.

What you know about Oakland, the Raiders and we Italians you can stick in your e'C- 311 I believe Oberjuerge owes all of us an apology, especially we Italians that go to the games. Of course, this Italian earned five Combat Stars so that he could be free to spread his venom. The only reason we subscribe to The Sun is because we are old and wouldn't want to miss a friend in the obituaries. LUIGI ANTONIO COSSAVELLA Highland RESPECT FOR THE REPLACEMENTS: During the baseball strike, a lot of players were brought up from the minor leagues to cross the picket line. Now that we're playing ball again, some of the minor-league players are starting to filter up to the big leagues.

Most of these players are being treated really bad by the other players. They're not being talked to, being called names and, in some cases, other players will not even play catch with them prior to a game. What these players who were on strike don't realize is if not for these guys crossing the line and by doing so putting pressure on the striking players and the team owners the strike might still be in effect and the players and owners would have lost an unbelievable amount ofmoney. So I think these major-leaguers owe something to the former replacements that crossed the line. STEVE PORTIAS San Bernardino The Sun publishes letters to the Sports editor on Saturdays.

Send letters to The Sun, Roar of the Crowd. 399 N. Street, San Bernardino, 92401, or tax to (909) 384-0327. Include name, address and night-time phone number. Sports in brief Blaze ends Spirit's five-game winning streak groundout and Dandridge singled in Roberge.

That tied the game at 2-2, but Jake Kenady (4-5) ended an eight-game losing streak, keeping the Spirit offense without a hit until the sixth. Kevin Zahner broke the tie with an RBI double off the right-field wall. He scored when Redlands High School graduate Ervan Wingate singled. Wingate added an RBI double and Zahner squeezed in another run in the seventh as the Blaze built a 6-2 lead. Spirit notes The Los Angeles Dodgers continued effort to strengthen the Spirit pitching staff resumed Friday as Kevin Pin-cavitch (10-7, 1 66) and Joseph Jacobsen (1-3.

3 67. 32 saves) joined San Bernardino from Single-A Vero Beach, Fla. Meanwhile, Jeff Paluk (6-3, 5.71) and Julio Aquino (2-2, 7.84) will move to Vero Beach from the Spirit. Pinca-vitch debuted Friday by allowing two runs in the sixth with two hits, a strikeout and two walks. Prior to tonight's game, a Softball game featuring soap opera stars will be played at 5:30 p.m.

When the pros take the field, the Spirit's Chad Zerbe (10-7, 4.66) will face Bakersfield's Nathan "I expect to beat these guys, but whatever the reason they get pumped up for we have trouble against them." The Blaze (24-27, 55-76) missed batting practice and still thumped San Bernardino (34-27, 79-52) pitching for 13 hits, including Paul Wittig's four-run, four-RBI performance with a three-run home run. Bakersfield was inspired against its former starter Mike Iglesias (8-11), getting seven hits and four runs in five innings. "When we found out we were going to go against Iggy we were talking about it all week," Blaze manager Greg Mahlberg said. Vernon Spearman delivered a solo home run for San Bernardino, which never led. The Spirit's five-game winning streak ended just as the team is about to embark on a tough season-ending set.

Bakersfield and Riverside won the season series against San Bernardino, while Lake Elsinore is the second-half division leader. In the first, Spearman scored on Adam Riggs' By James Curran Special to The Sun SAN BERNARDINO Talk about the mismatches in the Dodgers' minor-league system. There's the San Bernardino Spirit, first in hitting and already possessing a playoff berth. Then there's the Bakersfield Blaze, with no playoff chance and its best pitcher pillaged by the Dodgers for the Spirit to use. There's one other mismatch to mention.

San Bernardino had a four-run ninth but dropped an 1 1-8 decision to Bakersfield in front of 1,795 fans at Fis-calini Field on Friday. Brad Dandridge's three-run HR in the ninth salvaged a little pride against the Blaze, which had 18 Dodgers prospects at one point this season. "What impresses me is not how we hit when the game is a blowout, us ahead or us behind," Spirit manager Ron Roenicke said. "We shouldn't be waiting for the ninth before we hit, we should've done it earlier. Bland (2-6, 4.90).

Game time is 7 p.m. ns i 1 1 vi 1 1 i Kafelnikov stops Matsuoka in Hamlet Cup quarterfinals ALL NEW 1995.5 KIA SEPHIA RS 'WPWFV'PfW mm mm Had a eli-taae Car. $9,355 tquloptd With Richie Parker to play for Arizona junior college The attorney for Richie Parker, whose sexual abuse of a New York high school classmate made him a recruiting pariah, said his client plans to continue his basketball career at an Arizona junior college. Parker's attorney, Michael Miller, issued a statement Friday saying the star guard would play at Mesa Community College and was on his way to Arizona. The statement even included a comment from Mesa basketball coach Robert Standifer.

One of the nation's top 30 recruits, Parker had a scholarship rescinded by Seton Hall after his January guilty plea to sexual abuse. Later, the University of Utah and George Washington University backed off plans to re $139. tar Tennis roundup Only Hui tax mi a 36 wth cletad tnd haw with opt. on la pvrchat 1700 down pki lit oovnwit licn A 1 SO ACCORD SEDANS ALL NEW 1995 HONDA DEL SOL I cflifp 4 with i SpMtf $13,495 COM MACK, N.Y. Defending champion Yevgeny Kafelnikov of Russia advanced to the of the Hamlet Cup on Friday night, beating Shuzo Matsuoka of Japan 5-7, 6-2.

6-2. Kafelnikov, seeded No. 1. won 37 of 40 points on his first serve, but was broken in the 12th game of the first set after three straight double faults. "He served very well in the first set and it was tough to get a rhythm on the return," said Kafelnikov, who will face No.

3 Marc Rosset of Switzerland today. "In the second and third sets I returned much better." Rosset. 5-0 lifetime against Kafelnikov, beat Cedric Pioline ofFrance 7-5, 6-7 (3-7), 6-1. Rosset was up a service break in the second set. but Pioline broke back and won the tiebreaker to force the third set.

"I should close out matches when I'm up a set and a break," said Rosset, the 1993 winner. "If I want to win here and next week at the U.S. Open, I have to do that." Jan Siemerink of the Netherlands will play Renzo Furlan of Italy in the other semifinal. Siemerink beat Todd Wood-bridge of Australia 6-4. 6-2 and Furlan defeated MaliVai Washington 6-4, 1-6, 6-2.

NOVOTNA STORMS TO SEMIS: $179 for Only MAHWAH, N.J. Second-seeded Jana Novotna, deprived of her serve and volley game by strong winds, took control in the third set and advanced to the semifinals of the Pathmark Classic with a 6-2, 2-6, 6-0 victory over Iva Majoli. "I didn't have as many opportunities to come in, the wind made a difference," said Novotna, ranked No. 4 in the world. "But I was good enough to finish off the point from the back." Novotna will face third-seeded Magde-Iena Maleeva in one semifinal, while sixth-seeded Chanda Rubin will face Ai Sugiya-ma of Japan in the other.

Maleeva beat Austria's Judith Wiesner 6-2 4-6, 6-4, while Rubin beat Marianne Werdel Witmeyer 6-2, 6-1. Sugiyama, who upset top-seeded Conchita Martinez earlier in the week, advanced by beating Nicole Bradtke of Australia. NOTABLE: Top-seeded Thomas Muster of Austria needed only 64 minutes to defeat Jordl Arresa of Spain 6-1, 6-3 and advance into the semifinals of the $375,000 Croatia Open, where he will face Francisco Clavet. Carlos Costa will face Andrea Gaud-enzl in theother semifinal. From Sun News Services flirt tow on a 48 month cloud ond Iwtt with option lo pvrckaM i 1000 down plgt tit paymw.1.

1 1200 oWpoiH. Total 7tl ML- iW aV -a Equipped with 5 Speed. Air conditioning, Stereo Cassette Mats 19 rAlW cruit Parker amid an outcry from the media, alumni and students. Parker and a classmate forced a giin to perform oral sex on them at their Manhattan high school in January 1994. He received five years probation in a plea bargain.

HALL OF FAME INDUCTIONS: Jim Brown praised fellow College Footbtrll Hall of Fame inductee Paul Robeson of Rutgers as the two were enshrined along with, 1 1 others in the new hall in South Bend, Ind. "The man was multi-talented, had tremendous courage," said Brown, who rushed for 2,091 yards and 25 touchdowns at Syracuse. The other inductees were: Chris Burford, Casanova. Louisiana State; Jake Gibbs; Mississippi; Rich Glover, Nebraska; Jim Grabowski, Illinois; Jim Martin, Notre Dame: DcnnisOn-kotz, Penn State; Rick Redman, Billy Sims. Oklahoma; Mike SingletaryV Baylor; and ex-Arizona State coach Frank Ktish.

WORLD CUP RIGHTS GO FOR $1 BILLION: I MG, an American sports marketing firn'r, and a German television company have made'a joint bid billion for the world broadcasting rights to soccer's 2002 World Cup. The--amount is four times higher than the marketing figure for the 1994 World Cup in the United States. FIFA will select the site of the 2002 World Cup next year. Japan and South Korea are the only candidates. JORDAN MURDER CASE DEALT SETBACK: A Superior Court judge has thrown outa ,1991 assault conviction of the remaining defendant in the James Jordan murder case, citing fiu-merous errors made by a defense attorney in Lumberton, N.C.

Thejudge vacated a WSL conviction against Daniel Andre Greer) faces first-degree murdercharges in thudL-ath Ju tiowa una wai option to pureta huvaj down plui I it payment kmit SZ50 dpon r.a.-e-'so' tgq cj. tfl, Opd oj "i OOO to, r. lOf 't thP.PO(tBr Unpredictable Virginia hoping season gets off on right foot of James Jordan, the father of basketball star Michael Jordan. L.A. SPORTSWRITER MISSING: Jim Bertken.

a sportswriter at the Losweles of Tyrone Wheatley, running the ball should be Michigan's strength. However, the Cavaliers led the nation last season in defense against the rush, allowing an average of 63.6 yards per game. And, just in case Driesbach is looking for a little beginner's luck, Virginia's secondary also led the nation in interceptions last year with 27. "The mere fact that they're freshmen doesn't mean they can't be very good at it, Welsh said. "We've had some here.

Don Majkowski, who came in as a freshman, did very well. "Plus, the fact that they have a young quarterback means they may do a better job of protecting him than we will of protecting ours." This is only the 19th time Virginia has started its season with a road game. The Cavaliers are 4-12-2 in the others. In addition to a new quarterback, Michigan also will be playing its first game under Lloyd Carr. He became coach last spring after the forced resignation of Gary Moeller.

Carr had been the defensive coordinator. The Wolverines are coming off successive 8-4 seasons. They yearn for another Big Ten championship and a return to the Rose Bowl. "Training camp has been very upbeat," guard Joe Marinaro said. "The pace has been pretty swift.

We seem to be a bit more focused on where we are." Cavaliers take on No. 14 Michigan in today's Pigskin Classic. By Harry Atkins The Associated Press ANN AKIiOK, Mich. Virginia coach George Welsh has given up trying to get an early handle on his teams. Just when he thinks the Cavaliers are ready, they're not.

And he finds his teams especially unpredictable when opening on the road. Last year, for example, the Cavaliers opened the season at Florida State. Welsh felt his team was ready. But KSU routed the Cavaliers 4 1-1 7. The 17th-ranked Cavaliers open in Ann Arbor against No.

14 Michigan today in the transplanted Pigskin Classic. This is the sixth annual edition of the game with the first five played in Anaheim, mostly before empty seats. If they get olTto a good start, the Cavaliers might go on to do big things. They finished 9-3 last season and have most of the regulars back from that team, including quarterback Mike Groh, last year's leading passer in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Because the Wolverines will be breaking in a freshman quarterback.

Scott Dreisbach, it is likely Michigan will try to stay on the ground. With most of the offensive line returning from 1994, and with Tim Biakahiituka finally out of the shadow tr y.j wnniyyii 'HMB ilii i Ma I Daily News since 1989, was reported missing from a fishing boat off the California coast, the newspaper said. Bertken was presumed to have been swept overboard during an overnight charter trip. A Coast Guard cutter and two aircraft conducted a daylong search, but reported no sign of Bertken. Bertken.

36. became the Daily News outdoors writer in 1992. BRIEFLY NOTED: Lisa Jacob won her second gold medal as Americans dominated the swimming with four victories at the World University Games in Fukuoka. Japan, but Japan stayed atop the World University Games gold medal standings. Jacob took the 200 in 2 minutes, 2.03 seconds.

Alexander Zolkln (23-2, 15 KOs) outpointedTonyTubbsina 12-round majority Beam of the Sacramento State University football team and a former player, Greg Johnson, were arrested and accused of possessing marijuana and steroids with intent to Denmark's Mette Jacob-sen won her second title and fourth medal in the Kuropean Swimming Championships, taking the 100-meter bulterlly in 1 minute, 0.64 seconds. Moses Klptanul ran the second sub-8 minute steeplechase in hislory at the Van Damme Memorial in Brussels. Belgium. Kiptanui posted a mark of 7:59.53 minutes. 1 From'Sun News Services Mavericks lose sixth straight, 7-1 rWlifriio'M (v ii iillliillliMfl arf-ii Hi Hi 1 1 1 ili one-out single in the seventh inning, scoring right fielder Eric Chavez, who had singled earlier.

Alex Pena took the loss for the Mavericks, allowing four runs on four hits in five innings. San Jose (36-25) got two RBI each from right fielder D.J. Thielcn and firsttba.se-man Charlie Alimena. The Sun SAN JOSK Third baseman Brian Bogle drove in the High Desert Mavericks' only run as they lost their sixth consecutive game, 7-1 to the San Jose Giants on Friday night. The Mavs (22-40) managed only four hits in the game.

Bogle's RBI came 6n a A DrV'l TCI Cablevision of California. Inc. fib Q( QQQ A(fVr Catch JBircJaatvo lTT, coverage only on.