Port Charlotte Sun from Port Charlotte, Florida • A21

tS Thursday, July 31, 2014 YourSun.com Facebook.com/SunCoastSports SunCoastSportsBlog Sports Editor: Mark Lawrence INDEX Lottery 2 Auto racing 2 Community calendar 2 Baseball 3-4 Golf 5 Scoreboard 5 Quick hits 5 College football 6 NFL 6 Cardinals acquire Masterson from Indians, Page 3 FORT OGDEN Not many football players can look down on the 1972 Miami Dolphins and their legendary 17-0 perfect season. But one of them is a 76-year-old woman living near Sunnybreeze Golf Course in DeSoto County. And Nancy Erickson afraid to tell you so. play golf with (former Dolphins safety) Charlie Babb and we go round and she said. Erickson can rightfully claim a part in one of great forgotten stories, the Toledo Troopers of the National Football League who won seven consecutive titles starting in 1971.

She played middle linebacker and right guard for the team in 1973 when the team had a perfect season. Unbeaten and unscored upon. Top that, Dolphins. The team last week became the first to be named to the Football Federation Hall of Fame, which pleases Erickson no end. took it she said.

realize at the time we were doing anything exceptional. That was the one sport at the time that was giving us an opportunity at all. There was nothing comparable for women at the stint with the Troopers came at a pivotal time for sports in the United States. Title IX had just become law the year before, though its impact on women was yet to be felt. In 1973, Billie Jean King trounced tennis legend Bobby Riggs in a highly publicized of the The Troopers, led by standout halfback Linda Jefferson, became a part of the trend.

very proud of the fact that I was ale to be in a position where I could have a positive impact on the Erickson said. a bit awed that someone is suddenly noticing it. Now, everyone is asking for my autograph and can I have my picture taken with She laughed. I did was knock people The story is set to be memorialized on the big screen, with a movie project in the works. is scheduled to start filming in November.

own story is just as compelling. By ROB SHORE tS Nancy untold story of the Toledo Troopers A all OF THEIR OWN PHOTO BY ROB SHORE Nancy Erickson with her Toldeo Troopers football helmet. The team is the subject of an upcoming feature film. TROOPERS 2 PHOTO PROVIDED BY NANCY ERICKSON From left, Linda Jefferson, Nancy Erickson (60) and Jackie Allen with the Toledo Troopers in 1973. The Troopers became the first members of the newly formed Football Foundation Hall of Fame last week.

FOOTBALL After loss, Price waits ST. PETERSBURG One way or another, David Price will be involved in a trade today. Either the ace lefty will be shipped off to a contender for a stack of young talent, or get to swap the uncertainty that has been hanging over him for the chance to continue leading the Tampa Bay improbable charge toward a playoff spot. After 5-0 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers that much of a potential farewell performance, Price said he expects to stay with the Rays. he said.

Manager Joe Maddon said the same, suggesting the Rays found a team willing to meet their high price for the 28-year- old Cy Young Award winner. takes two to dance, Maddon said. takes a partner, and it takes a partner with some gumption and wants to do something. If you find that partner, it going to happen. So I know if a whole lot of folks out there like that these The decision, however, will be made by executive vice president Andrew Friedman.

And while a trade might seem unlikely, he is expected MLB: Milwaukee 5, Tampa Bay 0 ANGELS AT RAYS WHO: Los Angeles (63-43) at Tampa Bay (53-55) WHEN: Friday, 7:10 p.m. WHERE: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg PROBABLE PITCHERS: Matt Shoemaker (8-3, 4.13) vs. Jeremy Hellickson (0-0, 1.00) TV: Sun Sports RADIO: 620 AM, 1220 AM, 1480 AM, 1530 AM, 1580 AM RAYS 3 By MARC TOPKIN Crabs bust out in win PORT The Charlotte Stone Crabs have been waiting all year for this to happen. The breaks never seemed to go their way when they were struggling, manager Jared Sandberg said, but now they are.

The Stone Crabs were 10 games under .500 10 days ago. But after winning eight of their last nine games, that number has shrunk to three. The success continued on Wednesday. The Stone Crabs scored seven fourth-inning runs on seven hits, two walks, two errors and a wild pitch, cruising past the Tampa Yankees, 9-4, for their fifth consecutive win. was definitely one of our better hitting games had in a third baseman Tyler Goeddel said.

was nice to break nice to have the big inning. We needed Sandberg added. a huge boost for The fourth inning started with six consecutive hits back-to- back-to-back singles, a bases-clearing double off the bat of center fielder Johnny Field, then two more singles and catcher Justin walked to make it seven straight runners to reach base. Then came an at-bat that left some at Charlotte FSL: Charlotte 9, Tampa 4 CRABS 3 By JOSH VITALE tS YANKEES AT STONE CRABS WHO: Tampa (20-19) at Charlotte (18-21) WHEN: Today, 6:30 p.m. WHERE: Charlotte Sports Park PROMOTION: Thirsty Thursday PROBABLE PITCHERS: Miguel Sulbaran (2-1, 2.76) vs.

Jordan Harrison (1-2, 4.03) RADIO: 91.7 FM or online at www.stonecrabsbaseball.com TAMPA As a sophomore at Stanford, Chris Owusu returned three kickoffs for touchdowns, setting a school record and matching the most in Pac-12 history. But in his first two years in the NFL, Owusu get a look on kickoff returns. So he smiles wide when asked about lining up deep in practice last week with a new coaching staff to impress. been a waiting game for me. tested me with my the 24-year-old said.

love kick returning. Just being back there, our special-teams coordinator has shown great faith in me to put me back there. I plan on letting him Owusu is part of Tampa wide-open battles at kickoff returner and at receiver, where little is guaranteed behind veteran Vincent Jackson and rookie Mike Evans. Bucs hoping for big returns NFL: Tampa Bay By GREG AUMAN BUCS 6 MONTGOMERY, Ala. Quarterback battles and signal-caller questions abound in the Southeastern Conference going into preseason camps around the league.

Big names, not so much. Division favorites Alabama and South Carolina will be banking on new starters. Ditto for Texas Georgia and defending East Division champion Missouri. So long, Johnny Manziel, Aaron Murray and AJ McCarron et al. Hello, little-known new guys.

The biggest name returning at quarterback is Nick Marshall, himself an unproven commodity this time last year. The biggest stars are gone, but Georgia coach Mark Richt says that necessarily signal a big drop-off. guys are going to have a chance to make a name for Richt said. many Name that QB? Not easy in SEC COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Southeastern Conference By JOHN ZENOR A ssociA AP FILE PHOTO Nick Marshall, passing against Arkansas last season, is the biggest name returning at quarterback this year. SEC 6 I IR' 1 1 lot 1 1 AUBURN.