4 Page 12-The Michigan Daily-Wednesday, February 10, 1988 Athletes exemplify Michigan sports In a sports world inundated with stories of collusion, drug abuse, payment of players, and other ille- galities, sometimes the good things that happen in sports go overlooked. Here at Michigan, a school that has never been investigated for any wrongdoing, success is something we all can be proud of. Michigan's 192 Big Ten titles are 38 more than second-place Illinois and 105 more than third-place Indiana. Over the years, Michigan has been the home of many superstars who followed up tremendous college careers with just as great profes- sional careers. Anthony Carter, Phil Hubbard, Dan Dierdorf. The list goes on and on. In my four years covering Michi- Adamantly Speaking BY ADAM OCHLIS at the time that had made the deci- sion to come to Michigan and it kind of made us feel like he was go- ing to be a cornerstone of our build- ing project," said Berenson during O'Connor's first season. Now a junior, O'Connor has de- veloped into one of the league's best defenseman, and has helped restore the program to its lofty status of years ago. O'Connor also helped de- velop the pipeline that runs between Calgary and Ann Arbor, as five other Calgary natives now wear the Michigan uniform. -Jim Abbott (baseball) - Unquestionably the most inspira- tional athlete I've ever met, and I'm sure others share this sentiment. Born without a right hand, Abbott overcame obvious obstacles to be- come one of the most dominant pitchers in the country. The left-hander was 11-3 last year, with a 2.08 earned run average, four complete games, three shutouts, and 60 strikeouts in 86 innings. Abbott also helped the United States in winning the silver medal at last summer's Pan American Games and capped a phenomenal year by being awarded the Golden Spikes Award - the Heisman Trophy of college baseball. If you ever think something is impossible, go see Abbott pitch this spring and you will realize that any- thing is possible. -Vicki Morrow (softball) - As dominant in her sport as Fisher is in his, Morrow, who has since graduated, assaulted the Michigan softball record book. Last year, she became the first 20-game winner in Michigan history, while establishing single-season records for wins, in- nings pitched (246), and shutouts (18). Her four career no-hitters are also a Michigan record. Despite being the 1987 Big Ten Player-of-the-Year and pitching in 22 of 24 conference games, Morrow's biggest highlight may have been as program flooded with phenoms and superstars, Hughes and Stoyko have had to accept the fact that they are no longer the stars they were in high school. The two forwards are the only two Wolverines to play during both the Roy Tarpley and Gary Grant eras, and both have dealt with the situation admirably. While both will admit that they aren't the most gifted athletes on the team, if there were an award for class and dignity, these two would be All- Americans. -Scott and Dave Mandel (football) - Probably the most well known walk-ons who have never played a meaningful down of football, these twin brothers are the epitome of commitment and dedica- tion. The two watched Michigan foot- ball while growing up in Ann Ar- bor, and lived out a dream by being part of the team. It doesn't matter whether these two are talented or not, they should be commended on what they have done just the same. -Frank Downing (hockey) - The prototype student-athlete, Downing, who graduated two years ago, succeeded on the ice and in the classroom. Michigan's 1985-86 captain combined a 3.43 GPA in the Business School with a 20-goal sea- son as a senior. Far from a gifted player, Down- ing's 20th goal typified his strive for excellence, as he scored in the third period of his last college game at Michigan State. Not bad for some- one who had never scored more than nine goals in any one season, and not bad for someone who defined leadership, hard work, and what Michigan athletics is all about. 4 4 D.Mandel ... twin walk-on gdn sports, I've encountered many athletes who may not have been, or eten turn out to be, superstars, but hAve affected the Michigan sports scene just the same. In the same manner in which Sports Illustrated presented its "People Who Care," I would like to present, in no particular order, nine of Michigan's athletes under the ti- tle, "People Who Make A Differ- ence." -John Fisher (wrestling) - If you can't think of a good reason to go to a wrestling meet, here is !one. Perhaps the most dominating ,varsity athlete on the Michigan sports scene today, Fisher puts on a 4inic almost every time he wrestles. In three seasons, the redshirt se- nior has accumulated a 122-18 tcord, and has helped Michigan to a 42-18 dual meet record over the same time. A two-time All-American and currently ranked second in the coun- try at 134 pounds, Fisher has helped Michigan prove that there is successful collegiate wrestling out- side of Iowa and Oklahoma. -Myles O'Connor (hockey) - Michigan hockey fans should thank O'Connor for helping the program rebound from the sorry state it was in when he arrived. Granted, the hiring of head coach and NHL Mall of Famer Red Berenson was more important than the signing of O'Connor, but the Calgary native was Berenson's first big-name re- cruit, and he gave the program in- stant credibility. "He was the most notable recruit S. Mandel ... twin walk-on a batter. Joining Abbott at the Pan Am Games, Morrow, a career .300 hitter, drove in a run during the United States' gold medal victory in Indianapolis. -Mark Hughes and Steve Stoyko (basketball) - In a Uily Photo by SCO T TLITUCY Jim Abbott-1987 Golden Spikes Award Winner t 14! )RaJ0 7t 'I M 1) It T11 4z 4 I S)t tz /'IL m at RECRUIT CO., LTD. has been instrumental in the development of Japan's information service industry. In RECRUIT's Tokyo, Los Angeles and New York offices, challenging work in such fields as telecommunications, super-computing and H p iT qA A / 14 0 JOIN OUR INFORMATION SESSION AT Place: 2311 EECS 14 publishing awaits you. RECRUIT U.S.A., INC. 65 E. 55th St. 34th Floor 725 New York, NY 10022 Lo (212) 750-6100 (N.Y.) (80 (800) 782-7856 (Other States) Both Attention to TWiR-TG COORDINATOR Date February 11, 1 pm -6 pm Daily Photo by ROBIN LOZNAK Junior defenseman, Myles O'Conner, stickhandling in last Saturday's game against Western Michigan, was Red Berenson's first big-name recruit. 5 S. Figueroa St., 31st Floor s Angeles, CA 90017 00) 325-9759 VACHT CLUB HOTEL R E S T A U R A N T & L O U N G E 'I BREAK-AWAY To PORT ISABEL THE GATEWAY TO SOUTH PADRE ISLAND REASONABLE RATES -$44 DOUBLE OCC. HEATED POOL W/SECLUDED PATIO CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST WITH ALL ROOMS AWARD WINNING RESTAURANT 5 MINUTES FROM THE HILTON & BEACHES 25MINUTESFROM OLD MEXICO Reservations: (512) 943-1301 Never on Wednesday 700 Yturria St. Port Isabel. Texas Albert Terrace 1700 Geddes Ann Arbor, Michigan 48104 Phone# for Albert Terrace (313)761-1717 Affordable Rates! Hill Street Forum/Celebration of Jewish Arts Singing in seven languages, playing on twelve intriguing instruments, Willy Schwarz JEWISH and Miriam Sturm offer audiences a musical MUSIC odyssey ranging from the soulful doina of Romania to the shepherd's pipe of the Gobi desert, from ! Ithe mystics of Safad to the Yiddish theatre. Tickets available at Ticketmaster outlets in the Michigan Union and at Hudson's: (Visa/Mastercard:TKTS) $8 SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 13 AT 8PM MICHIGAN LEAGUE BALLROOM ffm C'mon... thursday's classes aren't all that important presents comedian NEW WAVE VAUDEVILLIAN OF THE NINETIES O.J. ANDERSON 4 A NOMINATED COLLEGE ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR FOR '86 & '87 I Student Comedans CHRIS WASHINGTON TOM FRANK JIM MERCURIO WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 10 And Your Host PETER BERMAN A