The San Bernardino County Sun from San Bernardino, California • Page 21

Motor racing: Dentist's plan calls for filling grandstandsC3 YOU MAKETHECALL Today's question Do you think Cily Council will ever close the deal for the new ballpark? Yes: 885-2678 No: 885-1678 Yesterday's question: Do you think the Angels will go to the World Series? (133) Yes: 84 percent No: 16 percent PORTS Paul Oberjuerge Sports Editor (909) 386-3865 Fax (909) 384-0327 The Sun Section Tuesday July 25, 1995 Little League: Errors costly for CivitanC3 9 Pilots to land in Lancaster next season Paul Oberjuerge 7 group he was a part of never made money in Riverside. "In didn't cost us as far as attendance goes, but without that beer revenue, we were missing out on $100,000 a year." Patton said. "When we were there, that was the main problem. "The facility was nice enough, but the revenue missing from beer sales was too big to overcome." Patton said there was no choice but to sell the team to Clutch Play Baseball, of which Kl-lis is a member. Patton said he thought Kl I is group would eventually be forced to move or sell the team if things remained the See PILOTSC2 new home in 1996.

In one month, the City of Lancaster was able to contact the Pi-lots, approve funding for a $7.7 million stadium, convince the team to move and announce plans for the stadium to be built on city-owned land. "It feels great," said Pilots minority owner and general manager Matt Ellis. "This has happened so quick that my head is still spinning. We haven't had the chance to spend a lot of time on this. "Today was a fun day.

Now we have a market that's looking forward to this." The Pilots are the second Cal League team that the city of Riv While San Bernardino mulls over stadium issue, Lancaster lures Pilots away from Riverside with promise of a new stadium of its own. By Doug Padilla Sun Sports Writer The Inland Empire lost a California League team on Monday, but it wasn't the Spirit. While the San Bernardino City Council was preparing to figure out how to pay for a new stadium, the ownership group of the Riverside Pilots was in Lancaster to announce plans for the team's RECREATION: SKATEBOARDS sigps dP Ci 0wk LA. edges above .500 as Wallach, Fonville combine for four RBI and Martinez endures 137-pitch victory. By Ken Daley Los Angeles Daily News HOUSTON The Dodgers had plenty to be happy about Monday after hanging on for a 6-5 victory over the Houston Astros.

Ramon Martinez got through a tense ninth inning on sheer will to pitch his second complete game of the season and third straight victory. First baseman Eric Karros matched a career high with four hits and scored three runs. And the team had won for the fourth time in five games on its road trip, staving DODGERS ASTROS Next: at 5:05 p.m. KTLA5 6 5 Houston, today. Anthony Mongiello, 15, of San Bernardino performs a trick near a building in downtown San Bernardino.

The area's many buildings and stairs have become a mecca for local skateboarders. IN THIS CORNER 'Riverside a layover for Pilots dicing, going Cone! Say goodbye to the Riverside Pilots, an accident of history. The thinking, when the Reno franchise moved to Riverside for the 1993 season, was to park the flub there a few years and then "migrate to a new ballpark in $loreno Valley or Temecula. Instead. Lake Elsinore built a stadium, putting Temecula's plans in a deep freeze, and More- no Valley went into economic ar-j rest.

The Pilots were stuck in a stadium with no beer in a city that has amply demonstrated its in the California league. The Pilots' next stop, ought to be a good place to do business. pi The Adelanto-based High i Desert Mavericks can't be happy about a Riverside-to-Laneaster move. The Mavericks have sold a "'lot of tickets to people commuting from the Lancaster-Palmdalc San Bernardino developer Warner Hodgdon shows no undcr- standing of the value of the Cal League and the Los Angeles 'Dodgers affiliation when he tells the city council he will i buy another team if the Spirit leaves. If Hodgdon buys a team, it ought to named llie Loose Cannons.

II Deion Sanders is such a IrRicat player, why has he been iitraded twice in two years presumably during his baseball prime time? The San Francisco 49ers may be the big winners in the Sanders trade: their chances of le-Mgimig L-ieiun me uoi neruiU eemingly are improved with MINI ttllCclU.V III lilt' Oit.V iltcl. The Dallas Cowboys are pursuing Deion, too. Their sales "'pitch? They promise to let him play some at wide receiver. Hideo Nomo is about five good starts away from wrapping up National League Rookie of he Year. He's going to need jome bad outings by Greg Maddux, though, if he hopes to win the Cy Young award, as well.

Most overrated statistic in baseball? Batting average. Most underrated? Runs. Followed by on-base percentage. Tony Phillips of the Angels '''still isn't well known among baseball fans, but he might be the best leadoff man in the major leagues this season. He leads the major leagues in runs.

The greatest name in 1 baseball? Sports Illustrated suggests it's Martinez (Tino, Edgar, Ramon, Pedro, at least for Hi, pow. 1'', All-time, however, you have consider Robinson (Frank. Brooks, Jackie, Don); Williams Billy, Matt, Mitch. Stan); Henderson (Rickey, Dave, Ken, Steve); and Smith (Ozzie, Reggie, yl Lonnie, Lee, Zane). Our choice is Johnson Randy, Howard, Lou, Alex, et al.

If the expanded baseball began today, the Angels would play Cleveland and Boston face Texas in the American League. In the National, it Colorado vs. Cincinnati Atlanta vs. Houston. The soon-to-be-defunct Baseball Network rivals Franklin tii Roosevelt's WTA for putting anonymous people to work.

Among the Network's announcers: Tim Hutton and Paul Splitorff. Bob Starr, stuck on Angels tradio, is infinitely preferable to Angels television play-by-play uannoyance Ken Wilson. How 'bout pairing Starr Sfiand Wilson's partner. Ken Brett, jTand dismissing Wilson and -xtStarr's sidekick, the useless Mario Impemba? Let Starr and Brett ii'do both radio and TV. oJ Speaking of useless Dodgers announcer Rick Monday 'donee wore the same number ifiHideo Nomo is carrying, 16.

Kontana alumnus Paul 1o Sterner, a four-year Ictterman at at Arizona, is working on bachelor's degree and recovering from shoulder surgery. He to give the NFL a try in os Antfaes Seahawks? "'''No thanks. blfcruerge Is sports editor ol The Sun. His column appears lour times weekly. Readers may write him al 399 North San Bernardino, 92401, or la to (909) 384-0327.

k. i ..1 1.. 11.... a erside has failed to embrace in the past six years. The Riverside Red Wave moved to High Desert for the 1991 season.

Despite having the second-best record in the league last season and advancing to the playoffs for the second consecutive season, the Pilots averaged just 1,274 fans per game, last in the 10-team league. This season, the Pilots have averaged only 809 per game at the Riverside Sports Center. Former Pilots executive vice president Jack Patton, now the general manager of the Bakersfield Blaze, cited a ban on alcohol sales at the Sports Center as a reason the Pilots ownership NELLY MINThe Sun They're on a roll downtown Skateboarders find clandestine late-night haven among office buildings of San Bernardino. By Nick Johnson Sun Sports Writer SAN BERNARDINO Downtown San Bernardino may not be at the top of many lists as a place to hang out at night. But for skateboarders, the inner city has become a preferred nocturnal destination.

Skateboarders from around the area have turned the area around Street in downtown San Bernardino into a skating party. Whether by bus, car or foot, they show up with their skateboards, backpacks and pagers to practice new tricks on and around office buildings largely deserted after 5 p.m. They practice tricks likes ol-lies (popping the skateboard up in the air to jump over an obstacle), kick flips (flipping the board 360 degrees while in the air over an obstacle) and just about every See Where to skateC2 trade, the two-sport celebrity initially hinted that he might give up baseball and concentrate full-time on football. But with a new Giants cap covering his braided hair, Sanders pronounced himself ready to play. "I'm thrilled to death," he said at a news conference.

"1 wanted to make sure the situation wasn't just to fill the seats. I want to win. I got a taste of the winning life, and I don't want to change." Sanders arrived at Joe Robbie Stadium by cab 2'i hours prior to game. Before shagging flies, he fielded questions about his football future, acknowledging that the trade could tempt him to re-sign with the Su ON THE MOVE Cal League movement since 1991 Riverside to High Desert, 1991 San Bernardino to Rancho Cucamonga, 1993 Salinas to San Bernardino, 1993 Reno to Riverside, 1993 Palm Springs to Lake Elsinore, 1994 Riverside to Lancaster, 1996 Vaar listed Is first season In new cKy his last 14 at-bats. Wallach said he hadn't endured a slump this bad.

But even Wallach had to smirk at the first report that the Dodgers allegedly were discussing replacing him. After all. slumps can be terminal at his age, right? "I don't think I'm over the hill." Wallach said. "People are going to speculate that, but that doesn't offend me." For rookie second baseman Chad Fonville, a 2-for-4 night meant a career-high three RBI and questions about whether, he can truly jump from the Single-A San Jose of the California League to a permanent starting job ahead of Delino De-Shields in a span of 1 1 months. "I'm busting my butt to play every day." Fonville said.

"I think I'm playing pretty good baseball right now. I 'm doing the job." It was Fonville's RBI single in the fourth off Astros left-hander Greg Swindell (6-4) that broke a 2-2 tie, and his two-run single in the eighth that capped a three-run inning off reliever Jim Dougherty. Martinez (10-6) was hitting the wall, however. He gave up one-out singles to Dave Magadan and Tony Kusebio. followed by a three-run homer to Derrick May that got the Astros within 6-5.

The erratic Pedro Astacio was warmed in the bullpen because closer Todd Worrell had worked four of the last five games. But even after Martinez gave up a two-out single to pinch-hitter John Cangelosi, he stayed in. .1 ing Deion Sanders," he said. "We haven't yet had a call from anyone in the Dolphins organization in the last year. So let's quit playing with these fans down here.

If you really want to pursue me, you know my agent." "What's his phone number?" a reporter asked. "Money," Sanders said. "1-800-Money." Sanders' baseball contract calls for him to receive a $1 million bonus if he plays the entire baseball season. For that reason. Giants manager Dusty Baker wasn't surprised that Sanders decided to join the team.

"Football is still a long ways off," Baker said. "There'4 a million-plus still on the table. He's a businessman, and he likes to play." 3 attar-'- jwdh within live games of the NT. West-leading Colorado Rockies and climbing above .500 for the first time since July 5. But the real optimism sprung from the infield, where one struggling veteran took a big step out from under his worrisome slump and another watched his rookie replacement move closer toward phasing him out.

For third baseman Tim Wallach, the relief was evident from his 2-for-4 night, which included an RBI triple in the second, a fourth-inning single and two strikeouts. Wallach. 37, has earned the chance to play through his slump after 16 major-league seasons and five All-Star selections. He entered Monday's game with three hits in his last 32 at-bats and with 11 strikeouts in jr aiwr NELLY MINThe Sun WHERE'S O.J.? APWIREPHOTO A visitor to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, checks out the vacant display area where the bust of O.J. Simpson had been on display.

The bust was stolen on Sunday and found early Monday alongside an interstate highway in Cleveland. Sports In BriefC2. Danny Jiminez, 21, of San Bernardino says he has been skateboarding for more than five years. "We have to do the best with what we have since there is not a designated place to skate," Jiminez says. Sanders arrives just in time for lackluster debut BY THE NUMBERS SCORES National League Dodgers 4, Florida 2 Atlanta 2, San Diego 1 Montreal 8, Pittsburgh 2 Philadelphia 10, St.

Louis 6 Houston 3, San Francisco 2 Colorado 8, New York 5 Cincinnati 7, Chicago 5 American League Cleveland at Angels Boston 4, Minnesota 1 New York 5, Texas 4 Milwaukee at Seattle INSIDE Caseball C2 Motor racing C3 Adult sports C3 per Bowl champion San Francisco 4S)ers. "It helps the possibility of being comfortable to play two major sports in the same city," Sanders said. "You have to think about a lot of things, like you wouldn't last a day playing baseball in San Francisco and football in Dallas. "That would be tough. I probably could pull it off because of the person I am." But Sanders indicated that money will determine where he signs.

The Florida native lobbied for an offer from the Miami Dolphins, who have repeatedly expressed interest in signing the All-Pro cornerback'. "I'm so tired of the Dolphins management fooling the fans in Miami, like they're really pursu Former Reds star talks about his new town, football and cold, hard cash. The Associated Press MIAMI Deion Sanders settled into new surroundings Monday with the San Francisco Giants, batting leadoff, playing center field and dressing next to Barry Bonds. Sanders made his Giants debut against the Florida Marlins, jvist beating a 72-hour deadline for reporting after being traded Friday. He went l-for-6 in San Fivnciseo's 8-3 victory.

The Giants, last in the NL West, acquired Sanders from the Cincinnati Reds. Hurt by the.