page 14, The Behrend Beacon, April 21, 2000
Cal: among the truly great
by Thomas Boswell
The Washington Post
April. 14 2000
For many years, Cal Ripken has
been dubbed the Iron Man and known
for his 2,632 consecutive game
streak. He also has been known as
baseball’s good and decent man,
praised for signing more autographs,
shaking more hands and having more
actual conversations with fans than
some entire major league teams. In
the past few years, as he has grayed
and balded with dignity, switched to
third base and had back surgery, as
though to prove he is not bionic after
all, Ripken has even become the
venerable symbol of the game for
many.
Cal has put up with all of this with
enormous good grace and that gentle
bemused smile that seems too
detached to belong to an athlete.
Because he was too grateful for his
luck and his gifts, and because he is
too modest to say how he would
really like to be remembered, Ripken
has remained silent on one subject.
Instead, he has let his mountain of
accumulating deeds, most recently
his 400th home run last September
and his 3,000 th hit on Saturday, speak
for him.
Ripken, who has always and only
wished to be remembered as a
baseball player, has now reached the
point in which it can truly and
incontestably be said that he is one
of the very best who ever lived. Not
just the most durable or best
conditioned or nicest or most
forebearing and responsible. Just flat
one of the absolute greatest _ leaving
aside everything else.
“Everyone thinks of me in terms
of The Streak,” Ripken has said to me
several times, always with some
variation on a wince. “That’s not how
I think of myself.”
Of course, he has never, not once,
said how he does think of himself. In
order to drive himself, he always
focuses on his own weaknesses-. His
lack of speed. His inability to make
the acrobatic plays at shortstop that
some others could muster. His
constant need to dicker with his
batting stance to stay out of slumps.
While at 6 feet 5, 225 pounds he
might have flourished as a forward
in the NBA, a tight end in the NFL or
a goalie in pro soccer, Ripken always
casts himself in his own mind as an
overachiever. Because he is so honest
and analytical, others fall for this
But it’s wrong
The list that ran in almost every
paper in America on Sunday told the
truth. Only seven players have ever
had 3,000 hits and 400 home runs.
However, only one other player out
of the seven was also a great
defensive player at one of the crucial
demanding positions up the middle
Videotape shows
grabbing player by
Knight-Ridder Tribune
April 12, 2000
INDIANAPOLIS - A videotape
broadcast Tuesday night shows
Indiana University basketball coach
Bob Knight grabbing player Neil
Reed by the neck during a practice at
Assembly Hall.
The incident lasts a few seconds,
with Reed pushing Knight’s hand
away. Indiana officials, already
investigating Reed’s claim that he
was choked by Knight in 1997, will
use the tape in their review, a
university spokes man said Tuesday
night. Reed has since left the
university.
The tape, aired on CNN, shows
Knight at midcourt reaching out and
grabbing Reed by the neck.
The player’s head snaps back and
he tries to backpedal.
Reed’s claim was first revealed
March 14 by CNN/Sports Illustrated.
Nine days later, IU President Myles
Brand announced that two university
trustees would look into that
allegation and other charges about
Knight’s conduct made on the
nationally broadcast report.
The two trustees, John Walda and
of the diamond _ catcher, shortstop,
second base or center field.
That list contains only two players:
Willie Mays and Cal Ripken.
Ripken is not one of the two best
players in history. That’s not the
point. We can all spin statistics and
records to our hearts’ delight. But
Ripken is certainly the all-time 20th
century American League shortstop.
Only Honus Wagner has ever
surpassed him at the position.
Without Ripken, big athletes with
home run power such as Derek Jeter,
Alex Rodriguez and Nomar
Garciaparra would never have
imagined they could be shortstops.
Ripken recreated the position. Now,
all "they have to do is keep up their
good work for 15 years and maybe
they’ll rival Cal.
Someday, Jeter, Rodriguez or
Garciaparra may rival or break
Ripken’s offensive marks for a
shortstop. But they’re padding their
stats now in an era of phony offense.
They're wonderful but let’s not get
carried away. Last year, at 38, playing
with a back that needed surgery,
uhm lowiedgfe.
Metrodome after his 3000th hit.
Ripken hit .340 and slugged ,584-a
combined total of .924. The totals for
Garciaparra, Jeter and Rodriguez
were .960, .901 and .871.
Though the Lou Gehrig Chase may
have blurred some memories, Ripken
was one of the best defensive
shortstops in history for more than a
dozen years. At his peak, I’d take
Ripken as a glove man over any of
the aforementioned trio. Garciaparra
has a better arm and Jeter makes
flashier plays. But Ripken made far
fewer errors, turned more double
plays and, believe it or not, got to
more ground balls. Far more.
Because Ripken holds the record
for only three errors in an entire
Frederick F. Eichhorn Jr., along with
two IU administrators, flew to the
cable network’s Atlanta headquarters
Tuesday to view the tape.
“It is clear; it is an important piece
of information that does shed light on
the incident between coach Knight
and Neil Reed,” IU Vice President for
Public Affairs Christopher Simpson
told The Indianapolis Star.
Reed said the altercation occurred
during a 1997 practice. Simpson said
school officials do not doubt the
tape’s authenticity.
Basketball practices are taped
routinely by student managers. What
the trustees learn from the tape will
be used along with accounts from
eyewitnesses in the university report,
which is due in mid-June.
The tape does not affect Knight’s
status as head coach, Simpson said.
Knight, like all university personnel,
has been asked not to comment on
the case until the investigation ends,
the administrator said.
Knight has said he did not choke
Reed, but that he does put hands on
players to position them during
practices.
Reed left the team in 1997 when
Knight told he had no future with the
National Sports
| WEEK IN SPORTS |
Baseball’s Iron Man, Cal Ripken Jr., celebrates with his teammates
after reaching the 3000 hit milestone.
season at shortstop, a .996
percentage, many now assume his
range was limited. In fact, thanks to
positioning, perfect footwork, a quick
jump and a strong arm, his range was
far above average.
Assists are an
excellent gauge of
range. He led the
league seven times;
no AL shortstop
ever had more assist
titles. In 1984, he
had 583 assists, still
the AL record. In
stark contrast, last
season Jeter,
Rodriguez and
Garciaparra had
391, 382 and 357
assists, respectively.
Ripken averaged
498 assists over a
10-year period.
That little edge of
100 over Jeter is
probably just a
fluke.
As for the double
play, it’s no contest.
Ripken led the
league eight times
and, by standing in
defiantly against all
comers until the last split second, he
averaged nearly 115 for a dozen
years. Don’t expect to see any of
today’s hot-hitting shortstops hanging
around the bag too long when the
spikes arrive. Don’t risk that next
$lOO million contract. Except for A-
Rod, they’re long gone. Garciaparra
turned only 72 double plays last
season and Jeter 87. They’re not Cal.
And it’s not close.
As this season began, many
wondered if Ripken’s back would
allow him to hit again as he did last
season. The answer isn’t final yet. But
it looks like “yes.” After an early
slump, his stance is finally squared
away again and his timing is back.
Bobby Knight
the neck
program. Reed claimed then that he
faced physical and mental abuse, but
he did not offer details until the March
14 broadcast.
University officials and teammates
said they doubted the choking claims
because they were not made public
for three years.
The March report included claims
that Knight ordered the IU president
out of one practice and that the coach
used soiled toilet tissue to motivate
players in the locker room. Brand said
he never was ordered out of a practice
by Knight, and the coach said he did
not recall waving soiled tissue at his
players.
The week started with a burst of
support for the 59-year-old coach.
Hundreds of IU fans rallied Sunday
outside Assembly Hall in
Bloomington, praising Knight for his
winning record and for running a
clean program. The fans criticized the
news media for reports that were
harsh toward Knight.
A poll conducted for The
Indianapolis Star and WTHR
(Channel 13) after Reed’s allegations
in March showed widespread support
for Knight in Indiana. More than 55
Both his home runs have been the
kind of 430-foot bombs that
disappeared for several seasons
before reappearing in 1999. Barring
injury, Ripken looks like a 25-homer,
85-RBI, .280 hitter again.
Many of Ripken’s best traits were
on display again Saturday. In his big
moment, he managed to blend a
confident stage presence with an
appealing humility. He enjoyed the
moment, but didn’t milk it. With first
base coach Eddie Murray at hand,
Ripken had an old 3,000-hit
teammate and career-long buddy to
share the first hug. The first Oriole
bounding out of the dugout to shake
Cal’s hand was a large fellow with a
grin worthy of a 12-year-old on his
face _ Albert Belle. Ripken tends to
see the best in others and, in turn, that
often brings out the best in them.
Finally, Ripken’s mother, Vi,
congratulated him by phone in a live
TV interview.
“Hi, hon. What’s new? . . . (At
least) you could have shaved for the
cameras, (couldn’t you)?”
“The way I was going I didn’t think
I’d get it tonight.”
“(Announcer) Mike Flanagan
alluded that you hit this at 8:07 (p.m.
Central Time). Now, is that prophetic
or what?”
“I know,” said Ripken,
immediately picking up his mother’s
meaning. “Eight and seven. My
(number) and pop’s. ... I was
thinking about you, Mom. I love
“I love you.”
Well, we don’t do this kind of stuff
much anymore. Or we don’t do it very
well. But the Ripkens still do. It looks
just right on them. Perhaps it’s natural
that a fellow from such a family
would forget to mention, in his last
thousand interviews or so, that maybe
400 homers and 3,000 hits, with more
to come, stands for more than
longevity. That’s okay. They rest of
us can start doing it now.
percent of respondents said Knight
should continue as coach.
But a greater majority, 71 percent,
felt Knight should be disciplined for
his conduct or the investigation
should continue.
That poll was conducted before The
Star reported that Knight ordered his
boss, Athletics Director Clarence
Doninger, out of the locker room area
after a Feb. 19 home loss to Ohio
State. Knight erupted after Doninger
offered a supportive comment. A
knowledgeable source said Doninger
felt threatened by Knight, and a friend
of the two men had to separate them.
Knight, whose record puts him
among the best of active coaches, has
had trouble over his 29-year career
at lU.
He threw a chair across the floor
during a break in a 1985 game against
Purdue. In 1979, he was convicted in
abstentia for hitting a policeman in
Puerto Rico. He’s had three major
fines for unsportsman like conduct.
Knight was suspended in 1993 after
kicking at his son Patrick Knight, then
a player, and shouting vulgarities at
people in the crowd who booed him
for it.
NCAA tries to reform
men's basketball
by Scott M. Reid
Knight-Ridder Tribune
April 11,2000
The NCAA Division 1 Management
Council approved a landmark series of
legislation aimed at reforming men’s
basketball and reasserting the NCAA’s
grip on a sport many within the
organization fear is on the verge of
spiraling out of control.
In recommending nine pieces of
legislation during its meeting in
Indianapolis, the 34-member council
of athletic administrators and faculty
representatives hoped to “have a
substantial effect of the culture of
men’s basketball and the way we
operate,” said Stanford athletic
director Ted Leland, the council
chairman.
The most controversial of the
proposals is a plan that would
eliminate the current summer
basketball recruiting structure
beginning in 2002. Under Monday’s
recommendations, the current 24-day
summer evaluation period would be
reduced to 14 days in 2001, with the
current summer recruiting system
eliminated the following year.
Leland, NCAA executive director
Cedric Dempsey and other NCAA
officials said their plan is to have in
place by 2002 a new summer
recruiting structure that diminishes the
influence of shoe companies and other
outside influences such as AAU
coaches.
“We’ve had a lot of people having
an influence on young prospective
student athletes who should not be in
that position,” Dempsey said.
The legislative package approved by
the Management Council is expected
Welcome back, Rocker;
gets standing ovation
by Bonnie DeSimone
Chicago Tribune
April 19, 2000
ATLANTA - Returning from sensitiv
ity rehab is slightly different from
checking out of the Betty Ford Clinic.
For one thing, there's no accurate blood
or urine test for a recovering foot-in
mouth sufferer. Atlanta Braves closer
John Rocker, coming off a 14-day sus
pension and a four-month sojourn in
public opinion purgatory, got a 90-sec
ond standing ovation Tuesday night
from a crowd of 34,903 at Turner Field
when he sprinted in from the bullpen
to face the Philadelphia Phillies
in the ninth inning.
He faced four batters, did not allow
a run and tipped his cap appreciatively
to fans when he left the field, having
preserved a 3-3 tie in a game the
Braves won 4-3 on pinch-hitter Brian
Hunter's home run in the 12th in
ning. Hunter was waived after the
game. Rocker's toughest audience
probably will be his own clubhouse,
stocked with veterans who will brook
no unnecessary distractions. Rocker
abused sensibilities, not a banned sub
stance, but he does have one thing in
common with someone struggling to
conquer an addiction. People around
him will be wary for a while, waiting
to see if he'll fall off the wagon.
After the game. Rocker, who had
said he would not speak to reporters,
told them to "beat it" as he exited the
locker room. "We're still watching
(Rocker) with a close eye,” Braves
pitcher Tom Glavine said before the
game "There's no question that guys
are still watching to see if there are any
signs of a change, anything different
than what we'd like to see. But it's not
like anybody in here is ready to get into
a fight with him."
From a competitive standpoint, the
7-6 Braves have missed the reliever;
the bullpen has two blown saves and
Atlanta has four pitchers, including
stalwart starter John Smoltz, on the
disabled list.
"He's on our roster for a purpose,"
Braves manager Bobby Cox said. "It
was like having a free inning for us to
have our closer pitch a full inning at
home. He did great, but that's nothing
new. He comes in hard and gets after
them."
Rocker, whose pitches topped out at
98 m.p.h„ struck out one and walked
one. Phillies center-fielder Doug
Glanville ended the inning by rapping
a line drive to left.
"What else can you ask for?” catcher
Javy Lopez said. "He was in
the strike zone. We need him. He's a
to be passed by the Division I Board
of Directors on April 27 in
Indianapolis.
The board and leading conference
commissioners in recent months have
increasingly called for sweeping
reform for men's basketball especially
in regards to summer recruiting
following a series NCAA
investigations of top players.
Nearly half of the universities in the
top 10 spots in this season’s final
Associated Press Top 25 poll, seven
of the top 25, had key players ruled
ineligible for part or all of the 1999-
2000 season for receiving benefits in
violation of NCAA rules.
In a move designed to improve
graduation rates and discourage
coaches from running off players, the
council approved a legislation that
limits to eight the number of basketball
scholarships a university can award in
any two-year period with no more than
five in any one year.
More than a quarter of the 64
universities (18) in this year’s NCAA
Tournament had 0 percent graduation
rates for their men’s basketball
programs during the six-year reporting
period ending in 1999, the most recent
NCAA reporting period.
The council also approved sanctions
for violations of NCAA gambling
rules. Student athletes who engage in
activity designed to influence the
outcome of a contest or win-loss
margins will lose their remaining
college eligibility. Student-athletes
who bet or participate in organized
gambling involving college or
professional athletics will be
suspended for a minimum of one
season.
big help to us."
There were no organized protests
outside the stadium and fans seated
near the Braves' bullpen were peace
able. Major League Baseball director
of security Kevin Hallinan, who was
at the game, said no extraordinary
measures were taken but that his staff
would monitor the situation when the
Braves go on the road.
"We have good listening posts in
every city," Hallinan said. Despite
Rocker's relatively quiet return,
chances are he will not be able to wrap
up this episode as easily as he wrapped
up 38 saves last season. And for a
while, neither will anyone in the
Braves organization.
Rocker's disparaging comments
about gays, foreigners and others ap
peared in a December issue of Sports
Illustrated. Since then, the discussion
about his conduct, and what might
constitute appropriate punishment, has
widened to include civil rights lead
ers, constitutional experts and anyone
who chose to log on to a special Web
site created for venting.
The fallout was analyzed in a
lengthy front-page story in Tuesday's
Wall Street Journal which, among
other things, lauded Braves President
Stan Kasten for his crisis management
skills.
"That's hardly any recompense,"
said Kasten, himself the son of immi
grants and known for his attention to
detail and pride in the Braves' largely
impeccable image. "I'm glad the
people who we were dealing with felt
we were genuinely dealing with their
concerns."
Rocker, who made a public apology,
received psychological counseling as
ordered by Commissioner Bud Selig,
but an arbitrator cut the pitcher's sus
pension in half and reduced a $20,000
fine to $5OO.
That optimism may be stretched
when the Braves meet the Mets at Shea
Stadium in late June. Agitated New
Yorkers, the main target of Rocker's
remarks, are sure to express them
selves.
Glavine said the team is putting
things into perspective. "I think all of
us have been consumed with what's
going on with Andres," Glavine said,
referring to Braves first baseman
Andres Galarraga, who is making a
comeback from cancer. "That's excit
ing. "Every city we go into, there's
going to be some curiosity about
what's "really 1 going on. We can sit
here all we want and tell people it's
not an issue, but they’re not going to
believe it till they see it."