Mbe £idatmBko PORTS A A> ~i ~y~i Spring practice leaves questions for M' foo l Gentile sweeps back on to scene ly TJ. Berka Daily Sports Editor The Michigan football team's open spring practice Saturday could be considered a success. But not because the offense looked sharp and the defense looked aggressive. It was because nobody else got hurt. The Wolverines canceled their spring game for the second time in three years because of a rash of injuries that have engulfed the team this spring. But Michigan did run a semi- formal scrimmage - with the offense in blue jerseys and the defense in white - this past Saturday. "Today was just one day out of 15;" Michigan football coach Lloyd Carr said. "But today was significant just because there were a lot of people in the stands." The couple thousand that ventured out to Michigan Stadium Saturday saw crisp performances from two essential offensive players, tailback Anthony Thomas and quarterback Drew Henson. Thomas, a few pounds heavier than he was in January's Citrus Bowl win over Arkansas, darted for three runs of at least 25 yards, including one touchdown. As the returning running back with the most experience, Thomas hopes to step up his performance accordingly. "I don't see it as pressure - I see it asbeing a team leader," Thomas said. "As a team leader, I have to step it up to the plate. Henson has emerged this spring as a viable threat to win the starting quarterback job. His passes were sharp, as he hit Marquise Walker on a couple of long strikes, including a touchdown. By Jon Zemke Daily Sports Writer Patience is a virtue - a virtue that Michigan softball catcher Melissa Gentile has had to learn this season. But her patience has begun to pay off, as she returned to the lineup in this weekend's sweep of Northwestern. Gentile batted in Rebecca Tune for the first run in Michigan's 4-2 win yesterday. The All-America catcher was forced to sit out the beginning half of the season while recovering from back surgery in November. She saw her first action as a pinch- hitter for Karmen Lappo in Saturday's 10-3 victory in the first game of the doubleheader. Gentile walked and was immediately replaced with pinch runner Mary Conner as soon as she reached base. Starting as the designated hitter yesterday, Gentile no longer had to be quite as patient. Neither did the rest of Michigan's squad as they jumped out to 3-0 lead off Catherine Davie's two-run shot to right, scoring Tune from first. Pam Kosanke finishedhout Michigan's scoring, reaching home plate on a sacrifice fly from Chrissy Garza. Jaime Gillies (13-2) earned her second win of the series in a relief appearance for Kate Eiland. Eiland went 3 1/3 innings, allowing one run before the durable Gillies finished out the game. Saturday's results were much the same - as Michigan swept the dou- bleheader against Northwest Gillies pitched a four-hit shutout for the Wolverines, who won the night- cap, 2-0. Michigan did its scoring in the sec- ond inning. After a wild pitch that scored Kosanke, Garza hit a long fly ball to left field. The sacrifice fly scored Tammy Mika for the last run of the game. It was Gillies' sixth shutout of the season. Earlier in the afternoon MIe Barda (17-1) provided Michigan with another complete game, leading the Wolverines to a 10-3 victory. The sophomore went all seven innings, stranding six Northwestern batters on base. Never letting an inning get out of hand, Barda allowed no more than one run per inning. Scoring four runs in the fifth and two runs in the second, third sixth, Michigan's bats beat Northwestern into submission. Big Ten hit leader Traci Conrad led all hitters withsthree, also scoring on three occasions. But it was Kosanke's second-inning rocket homerun to left field that start- ed the Michigan slaughter. The two- run shot completed Michigan's scor- ing in the inning. Inside: Softball boxscores. Page 15. DANA LINNANE/Daily Melissa Gentile returned to the Michigan softball lineup, helping Michigan to a four-game sweep of the See FOOTBALL, Page 15 Wildcats. The 'Great One' finishes grand career NEW YORK (AP) -There were four farewell laps around the rink, tears and a simple wave - and then he was gone. Wayne Gretzky ended his NHL career yesterday to rousing cheers and endless chants from an overflow crowd at Madison Square Garden. Smiling through his tears, the greatest player ever made it easy for everyone to say goodbye - skating around the arena slowly enough for plenty of souvenir photos to be taken. He touched youngsters' hands every time he noticed them extended from the crowd. He even played to the adoring fans, donning a blue Yankees hat, then a red Rangers beret. The 38-year-old Great One skated one lap around the rink with teammates in tow, then came an encore, as a lone spot- light followed him around the ice and Carly Simon's "Nobody Does It Better" blared throughout. Perhaps the most excruciating moment for him came as he fought the tears, occa- sionally looking down at the ice, while posing for one last photo with team- mates, who all wore No. 99 caps. "I'm devastated I will no longer be a hockey player," Gretzky said. "I will miss every part of the game, because I loved every part of the game" But he never second-guessed his deci- sion to retire, announced this past Friday. " ... I've made the right decision. You know, this is not a passing on, this is a moving on," he said. Gretzky ended his career with an assist, setting up a second-period goal as his New York Rangers lost to Pittsburgh 2-1 in overtime. On the final shift of his 21-year pro career, with all the fans at Madison Square Garden on their feet cheering as if a Stanley Cup title was imminent, Gretzky did nothing special. That was rare, particularly on this day - when he set up a dozen good scoring chances - and for his unparalleled career. During a Rangers timeout with 40.4 seconds to go in the third period, his wife, Janet, started to cry as the fans began the long, final salute to her husband. Gretzky acknowledged it with a nod, then a wave, then by raising his stick in the air. "When (New York coach) John (Muckler) called timeout, it hit me that I was done;' he said, his eyes watering once more. "Then is when it hit me that I had only 30 seconds left" Moments after the timeout, he nearly had a breakaway, but Pittsburgh goalie Tom Barrasso, who had a sensational game, beat Gretzky to the puck. As if his career just wasn't supposed to end now, the game went into overtime. It ended abruptly when Jaromir Jagr, hock- ey's dominant player these days, scored. The crowd and the Rangers seemed stunned, but only momentarily. Then everyone remembered why they'd come to an otherwise pedestrian matchup. As the "Gretz-ky" chants began again, he skated over to the Penguins, who were lined up at the blue line, and shook hands with several. Then he hugged Jagr - an unofficial passing of the torch? - before returning to his teammates. One 'Great' legacy in Edmonton, Los Angeles, St. Louis and New York, in his transformation from the most dominant young player to the most dominant veteran. Wayne Gretzky has always been hockey's best. By the age of 14, Gretzky had already scored more than 1,000 goals and became a national celebrity. He went on to score 2,856 points in 20 NHL seasons. How dominant was he? Gretzky has more assists (1,962) than any player has goals and assists combined. The "Great One" retired at the age of 38, despite Canada's prime minister begging him to continue playing. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman announced that no one will ever again wear No. 99 in the league. "When a gentleman told me in 1977 to wear this sweater, I didn't imagine one day nobody else would be allowed to wear it," Gretzky said. I - . Have you checked out Versity.co?E We're yourisource of FREE LECTURE NOTES and much morel " Find out about local events " List YOUR OWN event or party online = Enter our contests to win a FREE DVD Player, PalmPilot or CD! * Post questions and get romantic tips in our Love and Relationships area = List or find a sublet AP PHOTO Wayne Gretzky played in his last NHL game yesterday in New York. During his 20-year NHL career, "The Great One" netted 894 goals, 2,856 points and 15100-point seasons. " Discuss what's important to you * Send your friend a Boris-Lib " Get great study tips " Check out our joke archive " Get news from your campus daily " New features added all the time i1//' s i "y :'ir _J 'Zau 1eda 4 idiiga n Giammta Tau Beta Pi, the National Engineering Society, was founded to mark in a fitting manner those who have conferred honor upon their Alma Mater by distinguished scholarship and exemplary character as students in engineering, or by their attainments as alumni in the field of engineering, and to foster a spirit of liberal culture in engineering colleges. We, the officers and faculty advisors of the Michigan Gamma Chapter of Tau Beta Pi, wish to congratulate the following people who have achieved our high standards and have successfully completed the initiation ritua s, thereby becoming active members of Tau Beta Pi: Ar', :