Journal Gazette from Mattoon, Illinois • Page 12

Mattoon (111.) Journal Gazette B4 Thursday, July 31, 1997 'Crash' Romero finally in the show wasn't usine that as an ex- 1 1 -nit i i Members of the American Youth Basketball team that recently took second in a national tournament are: front row left to right-Tiffany Key, Meredith Webb, Melissa Miller and Whitney Self. Back row-Jessica Hortenstine, coach Barb Love, Jolene Lee, Kyla Cunico, Lauren Nunamaker, Kelsey Hudson and Megan Sparks. Missing from the photo is team member Karen Butts. Mattoon girls finish in second SAN DIEGO (AP) It's not hard to look at Mandy Romero and think of Crash Davis from the movie "Bull Durham." After all, he spent 9 Vi seasons in the minor leagues before his first call to the major leagues. By the time he buttoned up a San Diego Padres jersey for the first time, Romero had played in 792 minor league games.

The wait was well worth it for the switch-hitting catcher. In his first start on July 18, he got his first hit, then his first homer in consecutive at-bats against fellow Cuban-American Alex Fernandez of the Florida Marlins in his hometown of Miami. About 40 of his friends and family members were at the game, including his mother, Soledad, who had never seen her son in a pro uniform. Last week, he went 3-for-4 with another homer against Pittsburgh, which had given up on him in 1994. "I didn't expect it to be this good," the 29-year-old said.

"It's going unbelievably good for me right now." Romero's call up on July 13, after backup catcher Carlos Hernandez went on the disabled list, has coincided with the Padres' surge back into contention in the NL West. And he has become something of a folk hero to fans and teammates. "That home run you hit, that was so cool," a fan yelled to him before a recent game. "Everybody's psyched for him," said rookie pitcher Will Cunnane, 23, who spent four years in the minors before being plucked out of the Marlins' organization last December. "The patience would be the hardest part.

But he felt it was worth striving for to achieve his dream." Romero was a 19th-round draft pick for the Pirates in 1988 and became its minor league player of the year in 1990 while at Class A Salem. He made it to the 40-man roster in 1991 but injuries knocked him off. The 1992 season brought his second rib-cage injury. In 1993, he was slowed by chicken pox and a torn ligament in his right thumb. It was hard explaining to friends and family Why he had not reached the big leagues, cuse," he said.

"They didn't know any better. You have to block out those things." The Pirates released him May 6, 1994, after seven games at Class AAA Buffalo. "I took it so hard I wanted to quit, Romero; said. His brother, Andy, who had played the Philadelphia Phillies organization, talked him, ''out of it, "He's the one who told me that as long as you: have uniform on, you can play in the big. leagues," Romero said.

"Without a uniform you're nothing." Romero finished that year playing for-Campeche in Mexico. Padres general manager Kevin Towers, who, spent two years as a scout for Pittsburgh, got; Romero to San Diego. After he hit .302 with 21J homers and 82 RBIs for Kansas City's Triple-A; club in 1995, the Padres signed him as a free; agent. "It's certainly almost a sigh of relief that with all the hard work and effort, he hasn't given up," Towers said. "He never complained, he never-bitched about anything.

He just wanted to go out; and play baseball." When Towers visited Class AA Mobile earlier; this year, Romero asked if he had a shot at going, to Triple-A Las Vegas. Towers told him to stay; positive. Romero did go to Vegas, but for only 20 After all those years in the minors, he found him-? self in the same clubhouse with Tony Gwynn Ken Caminiti and Rickey Henderson. i The Padres have not decided whether they, will keep three catchers after Hernandez is activated. If Romero is sent back to the minors, he will certainly be back up when rosters expand on' Sept.

1. "My job is to play good and make it tough on the coaches said Romero, who is hitting .350, with two homers, three RBIs and a stolen He has also thrown out two of four baserunners. "I would love to stay with this team because they've treated me so well, but it has opened a door for me in the major leagues." Mattoon 44, Btoomington, Ind. 32 MATTOON: Sparks 18; Cunico Webb Nunamaker Key Hudson Lee Hortenstine Miller Self 2. StxH ipsmft Mattoon 40, Olney 25 MATTOON: Hudson 15; Key 10; Nunamaker Self Sparks Lee Webb 2.

Seventh gams Mattoon 47, Salem 26 MATTOON Hudson 1 Sparks 1 1 Cunico Lee Key Webb Nunamaker Butts 2. snpfimwisunmiB First Q9m8 -Mattoon 31, Kenosha 22 MATTOON: Sparks Key Nunamaker Hudson Cunico Lee 2. SerrMnei Mattoon 44, Peoria 41 MATTOON: Hudson 1 Sparks Webb Cunico Key Lee Butts 1 Nunamaker 1 FM Racine, Wis. 47, Mattoon 40 MATTOON: Sparks 14; Cunico 12; Key Nunamaker Webb 2 Mattoon's overall season record was 23-3. Pool play Prat game Peoria Lightning 42, Mattoon 30 MATTOON: Meredith Webb Jolene Lee Whitney Self Tiffany Key Kelsey Hudson Kyla Cunico Karen Butts 1 Second game Mattoon 57, Jackson, Mich.

16 MATTOON: Cunico 12; Lauren Nunamaker Butts Hudson Key Jessi Hortenstine Melissa Miller Self Megan Sparks Lee Webb 2. Third game Mattoon 37, Maroa 1 3 MATTOON: Sparks Cunico Hudson Fourth game Mattoon 28, Kenosha, Wis. 25 MATTOON: Sparks Hudson Key Cu-nico Hortenstine Webb 2. RMhgame BLOOMINGTON, Ind. Members of Mattoon's junior high girls basketball team, competed in the American Youth Basketball national tournament recently and came away with sec-ond place.

Mattoon went 8-2 in the tournament, going 6-1 in pool play and then advancing to the championship game before losing to Racine, Wis. 47-40. Kyla Cunico, Kelsey Hudson, and Megan Sparks all had high point games for Mattoon during the tournament. Members of this team consisted mainly of members of the 1996-97 seventh-grade basketball team, which took second place at state. iffiPftiesMEiifMa' Mattoon to issue football equipment StJGLES 14-AND-UNDERGIRLS Quarterfinal Briana Janssen def Laura Coffey 6-4, 5-7, 7-6 (7-5) i i oenweB Jessica Mathews def Maltory Fellers 7-6, 4-6, 6-1 MMtikm Maggie Kane def Janssen 64, 6-0 vited to attend.

cnarroonn) Mathews vs. Kane, 10 a.m. West def. Kevin Hay John Pagliai def Cobb 7-67-5 Todays semifinals Salmela vs. Frank, 8 am.

Westvs. Pagliai, 8 am 1NWJNDERBOYS Fkst round Johnny Lane def. Eric Spencer 60, 6-2 Kevin Zawodniak def. Josh Griswold 64, 7-5 Adam Flack def Ricky Kuma 6-3, 4-6, 64 Quarterfinals Ryan Fellers def Jon Schubert 7-5, 64 Shariq Katnawala def. Lane Zawodniak def Flack 60, 6-2 Chris Grant def.

Ben Cherry 30, 6-2, 6-3 Today's sernttraki Fellers vs. Katnawala, 10 a.m. Zawodniak vs. Grant 1 0 a m. 18-AND-UNDERBOYS I.

tm .1 semnnai Justin Livingston def. Amin Ketan 3-6, 6-2, 6-1 TooWscharnptorehb Brooke Wells 6-2, 6-2 Reem Hasib-Aarti Bajaj def. Callie Wells-Jamie Holt 60, 60 Tocleyschamptonshlp Davis-Woods vs. Hasb-Baiaj, noon 184N4ADERGIRiS ChOTDionshJp Heidi Fryman-Kelly Purcell def. Aarti Bajaj-Emily Jacobs 6-2, 6-1 14ANTMJNDERBOVS Quartsrfinei Jeremy West-Austin Frank def Kevin Hay-Pat Today's semfrialB Tyler Cobb-Chase Salmela vs.

West-Frank, 10 am. John Pagliai-David Kuma vs. Tyler Weaver-Nate Farber, 10a.m. 1WWMJNDERBOYS niMi ii. semnnsB Johnny Lane-Kevin Zawodniak def.

Chris Grant-Jon Schubert 60, 64 Josh Griswold-Shariq Katnawala def. Clark Miller-Tyler Stanfiek) 6-3, 64 Casey Rinehart picked up all five wins, raising her season record to 33-8. During the tournament she struck out 21, walked six, and gave up just 12 hits. "Casey Rinehart once again proved how strong she is and how well she can pitch under pres-' sure," said Lady Pride coach John Dye. "She pitched two quality games on Sunday in some unbelievable heat and was as strong at the end of the day as she was in' the beginning." Danice Johnson, Jessica Andrews, Kirsten Kelley, Sarah Fleischmann, and Melissa Haga led Mattoon with the sticks.

Mattoon finished its season with a 36-9 record. MATTOON Football equipment will be issued for Mattoon High School football players Monday. Equipment will go to seniors at 8 a.m., 9 a.m. for juniors, 10 a.m. for sophomores, and 11 a.m.

for freshmen. Varsity and sophomore practice will begin at 7:30 a.m. August 13th. Freshmen practice will be at 7:30 a.m. August 15th.

Mother's football day A mother's football night, for moms who want to know what it is that their son is doing on the field, will be held at the MHS library August 1 1th at 7:30 p.m. All Mattoon football mothers are in- Lady Pride end year Mattoon's 16-and-under Lady Pride fastpitch Softball team ended its season by winning the Bagelfest tournament for the fourth consecutive year, defeating Logansport, 4-0, the third place finisher in Indiana's state tournament. Mattoon went 5-0 in the tournament, starting with an 8-0 win over the Decatur Bat Breakers, a 14-0 win over Taylorville, 5-0 over the Decatur Demons, and 4-0 overEdinburg. IfrND-UNDERGIRLS Sarah Davis def Aartj Bajaj 6-2, 6-2 Fteem Hasib def Helen Nefeen 6-2, 6-1 Nicole Woods def. Anna Kane 6-3, 6-3 Emily Jacobs def Lindsey Engle 6-3, 7-6 Today's somjflnato Davis vs.

Hasib Woods vs. Jacobs 18-ANrMJNDERGnLS Champtorahlp Emily Jacobs def Aarti Bajaj 6-1 6-0 14-AND-UNDERBOYS First round Chase Salmela def David Kuma 6-4, 45, 6-1 Austin Frank def. Pat 6-1 Jeremy West def. Daryl Neteen 6-0, 60 TyierCobbdef.TylerWeaver6-2,6-3 Quatotoate Salmela def. Sagar Ravi 6-2, 3-6, 7-5 Frank def.

Nate Farber 6-1 60 James Heller vs. Livingston, 8 a.m. Lane-Zawodniak vs. GriswoW-Katt athawala, 8 am. 14-AND-UNDER GIRLS Todsy'schainplonstyp Jessica Mathews-Maggie Kane vs.

Mallory Feller-Briana Janssen, noon 16ND-UNDER GIRLS oemBTHB Sarah Davis-Nicole Woods def.Helen Neteerv 18-ANrMJNDERBOYS CharnpioneHp Erik Fister-Matt Horney def. Amin Ketan-James Heller 64, 64 IpODOaDDDaQDDDDDDaan Mall, This Coupon Di 1 I I I i i JOURNAL GAZETTE 100 Broadway Mattoon, IL. 61 938 1 013 Weeks Daily $28.60 Signature. mm i nomeueiivaiyuniy Name. i mm I nPaumont PnrlncoH -i I 1: Address.

Bill me Ql DeRousse, Charleston; d-not listed) 5. Count Keith (o-Judith May, Charleston; d-J. May) 2-and 3-year-old open pace First division 1. Hi Reba (o-Barkley Counts, Flintville, d-E. Avenatti Jr.) 2.

De Wolf (o-Steve and Cindy Titus, Charleston; d-B. Titus) 3. Defies Explanation (o-Deric and Sheila Wetherell, Urbana; Bart Seales, Mason; d-D. Wetherell) 4. Fox Valley Bloomie (o-Guy Coil, Erin Coil, Alison Coil and Kelly Coil, Greenville; d-G.

Coil) 5. Sporty Margie (o-Marsha Combs, Charleston; d-J. Kimball) 6. Monday's Pride (o-Donald Fletcher, Lisle; d-M. Fletcher) Second division 1.

Mighty Oak Mister (o-Orean Brosam, Gays; d-J. Freese) 2. Cullin Wonder (o-Brian Lo-man, Villa Grove; Lyle Loman, Urbana; d-not listed) 3. Rainy Day News (o-Ed Lacey, Mount Vernon; d-not listed) 4. Tempo Kid (o-Kim Haas, Decatur; Bonnie Mathias, Findlay; d-L.

Moyer) 5. Brown County Jim (o-Frank Ellison, Sullivan; d-not listed) 6. Five Fifty Five (o-Barkley Counts, Flintville, d-E. Avenatti Jr.) WEDNESDAY'S RESULTS Winners under $5,000 lifetime overnight pace Clever Heist (owner-Brent Plotner, Philo and Cecil Mullins, Atwood; d-B. Plotner) 7-5 Chef Nukum (o-Earl and Elizabeth Avenatti, Chrisman; d-E.

Avenatti Jr.) 3-2 LA Breeze (o-Duncan Price, Grant Park; d-D. Price) 4-7 Mighty Oak Shane (o-Clark Fairley, Lerna; Marlene Fairley, Charleston; and Ruth Movern, Gilman; d-C. Fairley) 6-4 Mighty Oak Caleb (o-Bob Jones, Pawnee; d-H. Mast) 5-3 Dazzling Gem (o-Jerry Mims, Vardaman, d-M. Fletcher) 2-1 Swift Bear (o-Dan and Marie Allen, Matteson; d-D.

Allen) 1-6 Tyler's Little Man (o-Vertis Wilson, Jackson, Miss.) scratch It's Fashion (o-Curtis Bankston, Clinton, Tenn; d-V. Wilson) scratch Times: 2:03.4 and 2:05.3 Open pace Bar Bell Viking (o-Dane May, Newton; d-D. May) 1-2 Rare Review (o-Jesse D. Judy, Potomac; d-D. Avenatti) 6-scratch Ms Revrac (o-John Jackson, Galtia; d-J.

Freese) 3-3 Turbo Lee Brook (o-Eddie Finn, Newton; d-E. Finn) 2-1 Fox Valley Marcus (o-Robert Peete, Decatur; d-L. Burnett) 5-5 Holdin A Good Hand (o-Earl and Elizabeth Avenatti, Chris-man; d-E. Avenatti Jr.) 4-4 Times: 2:03.2 and 2:03.2 Open trot Pleasant Rodness (o-Harold and Doris Stone, Hume; d-E. Avenatti Investment Fund (o-Donna Evans, Charleston; d-P.

Phillips) 1-1 Sir Prince Darby (o-Travis Williams, Jackson, d-V. Wilson) scratch Fox Valley Bengal (o-Orean Brosam, Gays; d-J. Freese) 3-3 Dai's Pixie Dust (o-Robert Stel-ter, Crete; dJ. Wells) 4-4 Times: 2:09 and 2:07.3 Amateur race Ringaroundthemoon (o-Barry and Toni Bell, Windsor; d-B. Bell) 4 Harvey Stewart (o-Tom Holota, Chicago; d-M.

OToole) 3 MD's Grand Prize (o-David Jabaay, Crete; d-D. Jabaay) 5 JE's Assault (o-John Long; d-J. Long) 2 Double Cam (o-Stan Swisher, Humboldt; d-S. Swisher) 1 Time: 2:06.1 TODAY'S SCHEDULE Post time 1 pan. 4-, 5- and 6-year-old overnight pace 1.

Bar Bell Viking (owner-Dane May, Newton; May) 2. Jarod Arion (o-Arion Acres, Lanesboro, d-C. Banks) 3. Double Cam (o-Stan Swisher, Humboldt; d-not listed) 4. Broadway Challenge (o-Omer Blankenship, Marshall; 5.

Royal To Be (o-Howard Armstrong, Calhoun City, d-M. Fletcher) 6. Caytastic (o-John and Kay Jackson, Galatia; d-not listed) 7. Jocular Nicole (o-Deric Wetherell, Urbana; Bart Seales, Mason; d-D. Wetherell) Winners under $5,000 lifetime overnight trot 1.

Yankee Lotto (o-Paul and Sue Phillips, Charleston; d-M. Dundee) 2. Ryan's Birthday (o-Judith Fletcher and Herbert Board, Paris; d-M. Fletcher) 3. Harbor Cove Court (o-Craig Banks, Washington, Iowa; d-C.

Banks) 4. La Rho (o-Judith May, Charleston; d-J. May) 5. Bold Jake (o-Tom Blum, Charleston; d-C. Fairley) 2- and 3-year-old open trot 1.

Night Sky (o-Frank Ellison, Sullivan; d-not listed) 2. Deb's Yankee (o-Stacy DeRousse, Charleston; d-S. DeR-ousse) 3. Endora (o-Judith May, Charleston; d-C. Fairley) 4.

DWiskered Yankee (o-Stacy CltyZlp Carrier Collect Willaret3i Service Station 800 N. Route 45 Mattoon Ph. 258-9017 Open: 6am-7pm Mon. Fri. 6am 6pm Sat.

Closed Sunday jurist Phone 235-5518 for more Information PUBLIC LINKS W.Rte. 16 -Mattoon, IL JuriorLBague Meaoon Nedonato 14, Newton 2 Winning pitcher Kyle Hudson NATIONALS: Kyle Hudson home run, double, single; Daryl Winnett double, triple, single; Wade Stark, Tyson Spits, Eric Sowers; and Cory Stabler two singles; Eric Sinclair, Blake Cutright, and Brody Walworth singled. Mattoon Natlonata 7, Newton 5 Winning pitcher: Kyle Hudson MATTOON: Kyle Hudson home run, double, single; Eric Sinclair double, two singles; Wade Stark triple, single; Blake Cutright, Daryl Winnett, Tyson Spitz, and Ralph White single; Jared Hanner triple, single; Mitch Wilson and Jamie Rieck two singles; Hunter Rawlings singled. Winning pitcher: Tyson Spitz NATIONALS: Ralph White home run-Kyle Hudson triple; Daryl Winnett double; Wade Stark. Ryan Bradley, and Cory Stabler Coach-pAdhal stars West 13, East9 WEST: Lucas Arthur triple, single; Lyle Seaman two doubles; Kevin Portugal single, double; Zachery Wolf three singles; John Holmes, Jay Hartbank, Kayleb Burritt, Jacob Rippey, James Hendrix, and Alex Kollman two singles.

EAST: Calen Alexander two triples; Ryan Willison single, triple; Scott Navel single, double; Jacob Moritz three singles; Derek Alms two singles; Alek Mann double; Jarrett Beel and Justin Parmer singled. Mattoon Nationals 13, Mattoon Ameri- 3 GAS TANK REFILL canss Winning pitcher: Daryl Winnett NATIONALS: Ryan Bradley single, double, home run; Kyle Hudson double, two singles; Ralph White double, triple; Tyson Spitz three singles; Daryl Winnett two singles; Wade Stark arid Blake Cutright singled. JUNIOR DIVISION -August 1, 1997 Boys Girls (Age up to 16) Flighted By Age Entry Fee-FREE MEN'S DIVISION HOLE IN ONE August 2 3, 1997 1997 36 holes-Flighted Play PtmPlinV Entry Fee-Members $25.00 I-JL Non-Members $35.00 VILLAGEII TOURNAMENT TOTAL PRIZES. $5,000.00 DOOR PRIZES: MEN PING CLUBS BAG WOMEN -PING CLUBS BAG Beef Cookout For More Information Tee August 2, 1997- 7:00 P.M. Times Call: Rogala Public Links Tournament (217)235-5518 20lhs 1 I i Ql III11U.IIUMMMMMIM1 Courtesy Is Contagious!.