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Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas
Sports
Monday, July 26, 1999
Clark wins cutting event at 4-H Show
PECOS, July 26, 1999 -- Pecos High School student Courtney Clark took first
place over the weekend in the cutting competition at the Texas 4-H Horse
Show, which began in Abilene over the weekend.
Today's Abilene Reporter-News said Clark, a member of the Pecos High
School Rodeo Team, scored 142 points in both the first and second go-rounds
to beat out defending champion Heather Gholson of Iowa Park, who tied Clark
for first in the opening go-round before scoring 138 points in the second
go.
Clark, who was one of two PHS students to compete in the Texas High
School Rodeo Finals in Abilene last month, was matched against both boys
and girls from around the state in this weekend's 4-H event. A total of
18 riders were entered in the cutting competition.
Clark placed second earlier this year in cutting competition in Region
II, earning her a trip to the State High School Rodeo Finals, though she
failed to earn a place on the Texas squad.
Pecos SLers hope Moffet luck improves
PECOS, July 26, 1999 -- Moffett Field was where the Pecos Eagles' run through
the Class 4A playoffs ended in late May. Starting tonight, the Pecos Senior
League All-Stars will try not to let their season end at Moffett, when
they travel to Snyder for the Region I sectional finals.
Pecos will face Southeast Arlington in the sectional finals, which will
be a best-of-three series. Game 1 will start at about 8 p.m., following
the Junior League sectional finals game between Abilene and Midland, which
was to begin at 5 p.m. Game 2 will also be in Snyder on Tuesday, with the
starting time to depend on the outcome of the Junior League tournament.
Southeast Arlington defeated Allen and Abilene in Abilene over the weekend
to claim the Region I's eastern subsectional title, while Pecos has been
idle for the past six days, since beating Perryton in Lubbock, 13-3, to
claim the western subsectional crown.
Pifi Montoya, who got credit for the victory, is one of two Senior League
players who were members of the Eagles' varsity baseball team which lost
to Weatherford in the Region I-4A semifinals in late May. Mason Abila was
the other Pecos player, though he's moved into catch for the Senior Leaguers,
after playing left field for the varsity this season.
Capi Magana pitched two innings of scoreless relief in place of Montoya,
and has not allowed a run in 12 innings of work so far this summer. Magana
also had a chance to pitch this season in Snyder, going one inning back
in March in a loss to Lubbock Cooper in his only varsity appearance. Magana
and Abila were also among several Senior League members who lost in the
subsectional finals at Snyder to Big Spring two years ago.
Ryan calm, Brett emotional, entering Hall
By BEN WALKER
AP Baseball Writer
COOPERSTOWN, N.Y., July 26, 1999 — George Brett was completely blown
away. And it was not by one of Nolan Ryan's fastballs.
Following an unassuming speech by baseball's greatest power pitcher
ever, one of the game's best clutch hitters felt the pressure on the Hall
of Fame podium Sunday.
His eyes welled up with tears. His voice cracked. And he was so overwhelmed,
he cut his induction speech short.
"I've broken down. I've had every emotion I could. It's time to get
out of here," Brett said later, recalling the moment.
"It was pretty stressful," he said. "I felt like I was up there for
an eternity."
Actually, it was only 17 minutes. But to Brett, that was plenty long
enough.
Brett spoke last, after Robin Yount, Orlando Cepeda and Ryan, on an
afternoon when a record crowd estimated at 50,000 honored seven new members.
Late umpire Nestor Chylak, Negro leagues pitcher Smokey Joe Williams
and turn-of-the-century manager Frank Selee also were inducted.
It was the largest Hall of Fame class since Sandy Koufax led a parade
of eight in 1972.
Ryan spent most of his 16-minute speech thanking those who had made
his career possible. Along with family members and friends, the man whose
Hall plaque praised him as a "Texas legend" paid tribute to former players'
union chief Marvin Miller and all fans.
"I appreciate y'all being here," he said.
"I always thought there was going to be life after baseball," Ryan said.
"I didn't realize the grip baseball had on me. It took me two full years
to get over the fact that I was no longer a baseball player."
Ryan, 52, played a record 27 seasons and holds major league marks of
seven no-hitters and 5,714 strikeouts. He finished 324-292, yet never won
a Cy Young Award.
"A fierce competitor and one of baseball's most intimidating figures
on the pitching mound," read his bronze plaque, which bears a "T" for the
Texas Rangers.
Brett and Yount each topped 3,000 hits and Cepeda hit 379 home runs.
All three were Ryan strikeout victims.
Thirty-four Hall inductees — 15 of them struck out by the Ryan Express
— turned out for the 60th anniversary festivities.
Ted Williams, the oldest at 80, stayed more than a hour in the sweltering
heat before leaving in a wheelchair.
Williams, the hero of the recent All-Star Game at Fenway Park, and Willie
Mays, who made a rare return to see former teammate Cepeda, got some of
the biggest ovations.
Also receiving a huge cheer was Texas Gov. George W. Bush, the former
owner of the Texas Rangers. New York Gov. George Pataki, mentioned as a
possible running mate on a presidential ticket with Bush, implored, "Let's
have another great New York welcome for Governor Bush!"
The only boos of the afternoon came for commissioner Bud Selig. He was
met with calls of "Where's Pete Rose?" and "How about Charlie Hustle?"
Rose, as has become his custom, was on Main Street, signing autographs
just blocks from the Hall. Banned from baseball, he's ineligible for Hall
election.
"I've expressed my opinion to Mr. Selig. My thoughts are Pete Rose should
be in the Hall of Fame," Ryan said later. "Pete Rose should be judged on
his merits as a player."
This year's inductees increased the Hall membership to 244 — with space
for only 240 plaques in the main gallery, extra room was found in an adjacent
rotunda.
Next year, first-time candidates include Jack Morris, Goose Gossage
and Kent Hrbek. Tony Perez and Carlton Fisk will again appear on the Baseball
Writers' Association of America ballot.
Brett had 3,154 hits and batted .305 in a 21-year career with Kansas
City. "Played each game with ceaseless intensity and unbridled passion,"
his plaque rea' read his plaque, which also denoted his "stoic demeanor."
Yount, 43, was afraid his emotions might get the best of him. So he called
Hall officials about three weeks ago and asked to speak first. "I never
dreamed of being in the Hall of Fame," he said. "And with all due respect,
Mr. Gehrig, today I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the
earth." Cepeda, 61, was the second player from Puerto Rico to be elected,
following Roberto Clemente. "His ability to drive the ball with authority
was respected and feared," his plaque read. Cepeda rose to stardom with
the San Francisco Giants, and entered the Hall wearing their cap. His final
season was 1974, when he played two months with Brett for the Royals. "This
kid is never going to make it," Cepeda recalled himself thinking, drawing
a laugh from Brett. "Sometimes, you make mistakes." Chylak, who worked
in the AL from 1954-78, was only the eighth umpire elected. Accepting on
his behalf was his son, Bob — Chylak was working when Bob was born, learning
of the birth on the Yankee Stadium scoreboard. Williams played in the Negro
leagues from 1910-32. In a 1952 poll by the Pittsburgh Courier, he beat
out Satchel Paige as black baseball's best pitcher. Selee managed the Boston
Beaneaters and Chicago Cubs from 1890-1905. He is credited with turning
catcher Frank Chance into a first baseman, creating the Tinker-to-Evers-to-Chance
infield. Also honored were Bob Stevens of the San Francisco Chronicle and
late announcer Arch McDonald. Stevens won the J.G. Taylor Spink Award for
writing and McDonald got the Ford C. Frick Award for broadcasting.
Pecos Enterprise
York M. "Smokey" Briggs, Publisher
Division of Buckner News Alliance, Inc.
324 S. Cedar St., Pecos, TX 79772
Phone 915-445-5475, FAX 915-445-4321
e-mail news@pecos.net
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Copyright 1999 by Pecos Enterprise
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