YANKEE G HOS
The New York Yankees and their fans
said goodbye to Tiger Stadium last
Thursday. Page 14.
IIhe SDlich mi iuitn
rir
SJL IN JLS
Monday
July 12, 1999 1
....
'THIS GUY CAN DO IT ALL
Millions watch as U.S.
defeats China for Cup
Americans win final in shootout; Clinton looks on
By Michael Kern
Daily Sports Editor
ETROIT - Last Thursday, as
Detroit first baseman Tony
Clark came to the plate with
one out and a man on first, Yankee
shortstop Derek Jeter dug his in heels
in anticipation.
Clark smacked a groundball down
the first baseline to Tino Martinez who
turned and threw to second base. Jeter
caught the ball, and leaping over a
sliding runner, fired the ball back to
first for the double play.
Jeter walked off the field stoically,
as if the play had been a routine
groundball. But such plays have
become almost standard for the young
Kalamazoo native, as he has estab-
lished himself as one of the best short-
stops in the game.
In just his fourth ful season in the
majors, Jeter, who just three years ago
attended classes at Michigan, is the
best all-around hitter on the defending
World Series champions.
Jeter's .373 batting average is sec-
ond best in the American League. He
also leads his team in runs (73), hits
(123), doubles (22), triples (8), RBI
(60) and on-base percentage (.456),
and is tied for the lead in homers (14)
and walks (48).
Through the first half of the season,
Jeter has failed to reach base success-
fully just twice and has not gone hit-
less in consecutive games since last
August.
"As far as getting on base, you con-
sider it your job, Jeter said. "Even
when you're not swinging the bat well,
you can draw a walk."
Jeter doesn't just do it at the plate,
though. He's also one of the best
defensive players in the game at one of
the most difficult defensive positions.
Jeter makes plays like the one on
Thursday seem routine with a great
throwing arm and tremendous range.
He makes plays that most shortstops
could only dream of - often going
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PASADENA, Calif (AP) -- The ball
flew into the cotner of the net, the World
Cup was theirs - and Brandi Chastain
dropped to her knees and stripped.
Well, not completely. After all, there
were 90,185 fans at the Rose Bowl and
millions elsewhere watching on televi-
sion.
But after scoring the championship-
winning goal against China on a penalty
kick, she ripped off her jersey, swung it
over her head and waited to be mobbed
by her jubilant U.S. teammates.
"Momentary insanity," Chastain said
after the Americans beat China 5-4 in the
shootout following a 0-0 tie Saturday. "I
just lost my mind. I thought, my God,
this is the greatest moment of my life on
the soccer field."
Chastain's shot won the Women's
World Cup for the team that captured
America with its style and grace, and
now has conquered the world.
"I didn't hear any noise. I didn't get
caught up looking at Gao Hong,"
Chastain said, referring to China's goal-
keeper "I just put it home."
And with Briana Scurry's one save in
the shootout, it was enough for the U.S.
team to bring home the most prestigious
trophy in soccer before the largest crowd
ever to see a women's game.
"I knew I had to stop just one and my
teammates would put all of therm in"
said Scurry, who stopped Liu Ying on
the third attempt in the shootout. "I went
totally on instinct."
The festive gathering that included
President Clinton roared when she made
the di ing save to her left. Moments
later, they roared even louder, their
cheers reverberating off the San Gabriel
Mountains, as Chastain won it.
"You saw the courage of the
American team," U.S. coach Tony
DiCicco said. "They just fought and
fought and fought. There are two cham-
pions here today, and only one is taking
a trophy home.
"When we win, it means all of
America wins. They so much epitomize
what America is all about."
When they won, the players jumped
about with whatever energy they had left
following two hours of exhausting soc-
cer and then the tension-filled shootout.
And after they received their champi-
onship medals, they jogged around the
field carrying three huge American flags
as the fans roared and chanted "U-S-A,
U-S-A."
A cloudburst of confetti littered the
field as Scurry ran to the stands to slap
hands with fans. She then got down ott
both knees and saluted the crowd, which
was chanting "Scurry, Scurry."
AP PHOTO
New York shortstop Derek Jeter leaps over Detroit's Dean Palmer after throw-
ing to first for a double-play In the Yankees' final game at Tiger Stadium.
deep in the hole and making a leaping
throw to first to steal away a sure sin-
gle.
Besides making the spectacular
look easy, Jeter makes the ordinary
plays as well, committing just nine
errors so far this season.
At Tiger Stadium this past week,
Jeter had everyone from broadcasting
legend Ernie Harwell to future Hall of
Fame shortstop Alan Trammell
singing his praises.
"He's sort of unique because he is
such a good hitter and he's such a great
fielder, which seems to be the pattern
of shortstops now," Harwell said.
"He's almost not comparable to any-
body. He is a lot better fielder than
(Cal) Ripken was and has a lot more
speed, and he is probably going to be a
better hitter than Ripken.
"In the olden days, the shortstops
were not much hitters. This guy can do
it all. It's hard to find a guy that he is
like unless you talk about some of his
contemporaries like Garciaparra or
Rodriguez."
Another thing that makes Jeter dif-
ferent from today's athlete is his per-
sona on and off the field. There is no
trash-talking when he makes a great
diving stop. He doesn't try to show up
the opposing team's pitcher by slowly
trotting around the bases after a home
run.
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'M' coaches urge runners
to hit summer brakes
By Ryan C. Moloney
Daily Sports Writer
Summer can be an interesting season
for the Michigan athletic community.
Everyone seems to have a different take
during the breezy, slow-paced sutttuer
months compired to the regtrar school
year. The athletes,. with gone of their
sports in cOrmpietiise season. can sit
back and take a break rint their hectic.
high-selocity routmnes - enrt the best
teed to rechargc ihcir baitries
But sould crschics utcr ltheir team
to stay in Aitmi \,5,chr atid continue with
the rigors of htrird tiriinin
"No," said men's track coach Ron
Warhurst. "They get tired of me and they
need the break."
"These kids go from Septet-ber to
June without much of t brrak said
women's cross country coach Mike
McGuire said."Everybody nerdsuo take
a rest. Th smmer is a good oppocrrii-
ty to let ft ol the throttle and reinx.'
Getting rs twa Prt Ant Arr ortcds
ar athlete the pprirtrsiyviisit with
is and fi.itttil and oek siu f se
'rabroutilc of the tsh ear
"Nokiidlshould b'ralowd outhe A ii
See SUMMER P-go 14
eme, iershps valale u ea ee i Students
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wemeria G inrat e-ies cinin in 4 Q
ai r s i a im eds 12W0md E -LibertyatFourthAve
Bume obee ociclros r q
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