Page 12-The Michigan Daily-Friday, July 14,1989 Fans selections... ... not true All-Stars BY MIKE HEAD The 60th annual mid-summer classic, also known as the major league baseball All-Star game, provided some interesting opportunities for comments about America's pastime. This year, for the umpteenth consecutive time, the fans voted for the starters and displayed their ignorance of the game and its players. Mike Schmidt, perhaps the greatest third baseman to play the game, was elected to start even though he retired in May. Last year, in what some people felt would be his final season, he was bypassed for the starting position. If the fans were bestowing some final honor upon the former Philadelphia Phillies' great, then they did so in a way which disallowed a similar honor to a deserving player. Maybe the vote was intended to be a response to Schmidt's glory years. But if that's the case, waiting until after Schmidt retired certainly does not accomplish that feat. Tom Lasorda, the manager of the National League All-Stars, selected New York Mets third baseman Howard Johnson to start in Schmidt's place. Another error of the fans was the election of Jose Canseco, the Oakland Athletics' star, to a starting position in the outfield. This guy had not played in a game all year due to various injuries, and then had the audacity to say he intended to play in the annual affair. Judged on past performances, Canseco should have been elected. But this year, definitely not. Luckily the A's and the American league had enough common sense so as to not let him play. The All-Star game is an annual affair, and the players elected to start should receive this privilege in recognition of their performance on the field during the current season. If the game occurred every five years, then it would be appropriate for the players to be elected on overall excellence during the span between games. Once again, though, the fans were saved by the managers. Tony LaRussa, manager of the American League All-Stars, chose Ruben Sierra of the Texas Rangers to replace Canseco. Both Johnson and Sierra are having great years and truly were deserving of starting roles in the All-Star game. However, the managers had to correct the fans and their ignorance. Perhaps there is a ray of hope in this voting procedure. If the fans vote for who they really want to see play instead of voting for the players having the best season at the time, then the managers will eventually end up selecting the starters anyway. Hypothetically, Willie Mays, Ted Williams, Babe Ruth, and other greats of the past could be elected to the All-Star game. And since these players would probably have prior commitments (like being dead or out-of-shape), the managers would ha.ve to select replacement starters, deserving ones like Johnson and Sierra. Maybe electing some of these former stars is what it would take before baseball gives up and just lets the managers select the whole All-Star team. They can't do any worse than the fans. The honors keep rolling in for Michigan senior Glen Rice. The All- American recently was awarded the "Jesse Owens Big Ten Athlete of the Year Award." Rice finished his career as the Big Ten's all- time leading scorer. Rice named Big Ten athlete-of-the-year BY STEVE BLONDER Michigan continued its dominance of the "Jesse Owens-Big Ten Men's Athlete of the Year" award as Glen Rice easily outdistanced the competition to win the award. The senior forward from Flint, who led the Wolverine basketball team to their first-ever NCAA championship, follows Michigan pitcher Jim Abbott, also from Flint, who won the award in 1988. Indiana tailback Anthony Thompson finished with 13 points, far short of Rice's 26. Ohio State long jumper Joe Greene nosed out Illinois gymnast David Zeddies for third place. In addition to finishing his career as the Big Ten's all-time leading scorer, Rice was named Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Tournament's Southeast Regional and the Final Four. Rice averaged over 30 points per game during the tourney's six games, en route to setting a new record for most points scored during the tournament (183). Rice led the Big Ten in scoring each of his last two seasons. As a senior, he averaged 25.6 points and 6.3 rebounds. he was named Most Valuable player in the Big ten by UPI and won the Chicago Tribune's Silver Basketball Award as the Big Ten's MVP. Last month, Rice was selected by the Miami Heat as the number four pck overallle NBA draft. Wisconsin's Suzy Favor, a five-time NCAA champion in track and field, was selected as the Big Ten's Woman Athlete of the Year. Favor, who won the award in 1988, is the first two-time winner. Favor earned all-America honors in cross country and indoor and outdoor track, in addition to becomin~g the first athlete to win three NCAA outdoor 1,500-meter titles. Favor is undefeated in her Conference championship middle distance career. MICHIGAN ROUND-UP Netter earns wild-card berth BY STEVE BLONDER Kempthorn resigned earlier this Michigan tennis player Malivai , summer to pursue other interests. Washington accepted a wild-card This year's team finished at the entry into this week's Hall of Fame bottom of the Big Ten (7th) for the Championships. The junior recently second consecutive year. During won the singles title at the United Kempthorn's five years at the helm, States Tennis Association Satellite the Wolverines have never finished Circuit. higher than fourth in the conference. Washington, who held the No. 1 singles ranking in the nation from FIELD HOCKEY January until June, finished this season with a 25-6 record inaddition " Michigan has joined five other to winning national singles titles in midwestern universities in forming the Collegiate Championships last the Midwest Collegiate Field fall, and the Indoor Championships. Hockey Conference. In May, Washington was named to The University of Iowa, the United States' National Team. Michigan State, Northern Illinois University, Northwestern, Ohio State are the other teams in the GYMNAST ICS newly formed conference. " Michigan Athletic Department Plats to ,reate the new officials have spent the week conference began when Purdue interviewing women's gymnastics coaches. The Wolverines have had a vacancy since head coach Dana &, dropped the sport in 1988, an act which left the Big Ten Conference with only five schools offering field hockey. Big Ten rules require six conference:majors participate in a varsity sport in order to award a conference championship. Field hockey was granted a one-year waiver of this rule, while plans were developed to form a new conference. Big Ten administrator Mary Masters, who graduated from Michigan in addition to working for Michigan Sports Information, has been hired as commissioner for the new conference. Last year, Iowa advanced to the NCAA championship finals, while Northwestern and Northern Illinois were ranked third and 19th@ respectively at the season's end. ATTENITiON1\ Michigan Daily SPORTS 763-0376 University Lutheran Chapel 1511 Washtenaw Ave. Ed Krauss, Pastor 663-5560 Smmer Schedul:'o Sunday Worship at 9:00 am Wednesday Supper at 6:00 pm I KEEP A-HEAD OF YOUR HAIR AT DASCOLA STYLISTS Liberty off State 668-9329 Maple Village 761-2733 Ahca M-CareHMO participants- We are your * neighborhood pharmacyl 2SLyivefsity "b05533 Deity 9-.69 closed $atcy -,.