24A - The Michigan Daily - Wednesday, September 8, 1999
Umpires mourn their losses
Associate Press
Umpires' bitterness over their lost jobs was
evident at Tuesday's funeral service for the
wife of American League umpire Drew Coble.
"His family has been abandoned by major
league baseball and his bosses," said AL
umpire Richie Garcia, a pallbearer at Kim
Coble's funeral. "That's basically the sad part
at this point."
Garcia and Coble were among the 22 mem-
bers of the Major League Umpires Association
whose resignations were accepted by baseball
and let go last week.
Several umpires - those let go and others
who stayed - and their wives attended Kim
Coble's funeral in the Cobles' small hometown
of Graham, about 20 miles southeast of
Greensboro.
Kim Coble, 44, was first treated in the spring
with what doctors thought was pneumonia. In
June, doctors said she had cancer and it had
spread throughout her body. She died Sunday
at her home, three days after Coble lost his job.
"She was very supportive of his profession
and friends," said Don Denkinger, another
pallbearer and a retired AL umpire. Coble was
a rookie when he first worked with Denkinger,
now an umpire evaluator for the AL.
Denkinger's wife came to Graham two
weeks ago to help Coble's family. The Cobles,
alumni of nearby Elon College, also took in
Denkinger's daughter while she was attending
Elon.
"All umpires are family," Denkinger said.
"This thing has torn affiliations and friend-
ships apart."
Umpire Steve Rippley, who said Friday he
may retire, said Kim Coble attended umpire
meetings and supported Coble's career.
Rippley declined additional comment.
Umpires voted in July to resign Sept. 2, say-
ing they wanted to induce bargaining for a
labor deal to replace the one that expires Dec.
31.
But the plan collapsed when many AL
umpires either failed to resign or quickly with-
drew their resignations. By the time all
umpires withdrew the resignations, baseball
hired 25 umpires from the minor leagues and
accepted the resignations of 22 veterans.
Coble said he never signed a letter of resig-
nation and will take his case to arbitration.
"I believe he will do everything in his power
to get his job back," Denkinger said.
Umpires recently
banished from
Major League
Baseball mourn
at the funeral of
Kim Coble, wife
of former Major
League umpir4
Drew Coble. The
loss symbolized
the helplessness
feit by umpires,
whose botched
negotiations with
the league have
left them without
jobs.
AP PHOTO,
McEnroe could take Davis helm Wings' defenseman Chelios fits*
Associated Press Gullikson took much of the blame him to the team. in surrounded b former rivals
Hall of Famer John McEnroe is when the United States lost to Australia "I've wanted to do it for a long time,
expected to be appointed captain of the
United States Davis Cup team, with the
announcement to be made during a
press conference today.
United States Tennis Association
officials refused to confirm the report,
saying only that there would be an
announcement Wednesday.
McEnroe would succeed Tom
Gullikson, captain of the team since
1994.
in the Davis Cup quarterfinal at
Brookline, Mass., in July. He was criti-
cized for using Jim Courier and Todd
Martin in singles while top-ranked Pete
Sampras was relegated to doubles duty
against the Australians.
McEnroe, 40, an ardent Davis Cup
fan, has campaigned for some time to
be named captain of the team. He also
had hoped to play doubles against the
Australians but Gullikson did not name
McEnroe said Tuesda."vrbd
knows that. This time it feels right. But
it won't be 100 percent until they
announce the name."
McEnroe played on Davis Cup
championship teams in 1978, 1979,
1981, 1982 and 1992. He said that as
captain he would still consider playing
Davis Cup doubles. "It would be easier
to be picked than to pick yourself," he
said.
Lutheran Campus
Ministry
Lord of Li t Lutheran Church, ELCA
801 . Forest at Hill Street
Phone: 668-7622
Sunday Worship 10:00 am
Student Supper 5:00 pm
Tuesday Dinner andDiscussion.7:00 pm
Wednesday Vespers 7:00 pm Choir 7:30 pm
Students Always Welcome!
Activities Throughout the Week
John Rollefson, Campus Pastor Jennifer Nagel Intern Pastor
TRAVERSE CITY (AP) -
Defenseman Chris Chelios joined the
Detroit Red Wings at the trading deadline
last year and was thrown right in the fray.
He went from being one of the Wings'
most fierce rivals, with the possible
exception of Colorado's Claude Lemieux,
to being a key component on a team try-
ing to win their third straight Stanley
Cup.
"It was strange at first, being from a
rival like Chicago and all," he said after
Tuesday workouts at -training camp in
Traverse City. "But we were winning and
that certainly made the adjustment a bit
easier
"Then we got into the playoffs, and you
kind of forget abut othat and all you care
about is competing for the (Stanley)
CUP."
The Red Wings were busy at the trad-
ing deadline last season, bringing in
Wendel Clark and Ulf Samuelsson
among others.
"Coming in with those guys made it
easier," he said. "I wasn't such a lone
wolf Now I've gotten to know these guys
and I feel like a part of the team."
Between the Blackhawks and Red.
Wings last season, Chelios had nine
goals, 27 assists and 93 penalty minutes.
With Nicklas Lidstrom, Larry Murphy
and Steve Duchesne, Detroit could have
the top scoring defensive unit in the NHL
this season. But it isn't his scoring punch
that Chelios' new teammates recall when
talking about their former nemesis.
"I think we had run-ins every time I've
played against him," said Wings enforcer
Joey Kocur. "But you always have to
respect a guy you play against that won't
back down and Chelly has always been
that way. It makes you play a little bit bet-
ter when you're going against a guy like
that. You knew you had to give a little
extra because you knew he'd hit you the
same way."
Red Wings forward Kirk Maltby, who
is known as a bit of an instigator himself,
agrees.
"Hge as tough to play against," he
said. "He's just such a great competitor.
Hejumps up into the play and isn't afraid
to lay a cheap shot on you. Basically, he
did whatever it took for his team to win
and last year we found out that that's what
he'll do for us, too."
Chelios says there is no comparison
between camp in Traverse City and those
he's been a part of when he was with
Chicago and Montreal Canadiens.
"It's much different than in Chicago,"
said Chelios, a Chicago native. "We nevi
went anywhere except Culver Cit
Academy. It was nothing like this.
"Everybody's treating us like kin t
here. We've got rides, free golf- W
good to be true for a training cami
Obviously, we're here to get ready for tl
season, but it's a lot easier in this enviroi
ment."
The 16-year veteran has never been
northern Michigan before, but it has
certain familiarity to him.
"It looks a lot like northe
Wisconsin," he said.
Looking ahead to the regular s
Chelios is confident in his new i
mates as they shoot for a third Stant
Cup in four years. And after watching t
Blackhawks go from Westera Confereni
finalists in 1995 to sub-mediocrity
1998-99, he is glad to be a part of a tea
with a chance to go all the way.
He also doesn't mind that the tea
may be planning to reduce his ice time
"It's much different than being
Chicago," he said. "We didn't have t
much depth, but, here there are a
guys that can get it done. It doesn't m,
ter if I play 35 minutes or 25 minut<
whatever is best for the team. We ji
want to win:'
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