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Cy Young leads the Cleveland Spiders over Cincinnati 12-3 in first game at League Park: The Plain Dealer front page from May 2, 1891

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Cy Young led the Cleveland Spiders to a 12-3 victory over Cincinnati on May 1, 1891, in the opening game at League Park, home to Cleveland baseball for nearly half a century. Read our coverage of that historic game and see a League Park photo slide show

Cleveland's League ParkAn artist's rendering of League Park about the time of its opening in 1891.

(First in a series of three stories)

Today: Pitcher Cy Young led the Cleveland Spiders to a 12-3 victory over Cincinnati on May 1, 1891, in the opening game at League Park, home to Cleveland baseball for nearly half a century.

Sunday: Game five of the 1920 World Series was a big day in Cleveland baseball history, with the Indians beating the Brooklyn Dodgers and recording the only World Series unassisted triple play, the first World Series grand slam and the first World Series home run by a pitcher. All at League Park.

Monday: Babe Ruth got his 500th home run at League Park on Aug. 11, 1929, and a local boy got $20 and the Bambino's autograph for returning the ball that was hit out of the park and onto Lexington Ave.

CLEVELAND, Ohio--Cleveland's League Park, the center of the city's baseball universe for nearly half a century, opened on May 1, 1891, when Denton "Cy" Young threw the first pitch, a strike, before a standing-room-only crowd. Young's Cleveland Spiders of the National League would call League Park home for nearly a decade.

Below is the story by the Cleveland Plain Dealer on the first game at League Park.

A Grand Opening

About Nine Thousand People See the First Game

A Tremendous Crush at the New League Grounds - Cleveland's Good Ball Club Wins from the Cincinnati Reds - Music, Flowers and Handsome Women

Cleveland 12 -- Cincinnati 3

At eight minutes past 4 o'clock yesterday afternoon Deuton Young, ex-rail splitter, put a double reef in his trousers, wet a brand new Spalding baseball with his fingers, smiled grimly and then propelled his arm through space, releasing the ball as he did it.

It sailed gently toward a rubber plate firmly fastened in the ground some feet in front of him and passed directly over the center of that plate.

Standing on one side of that piece of rubber was a young man dressed in a baggy blue flannel uniform with a great big bat in his hand. The man was "Biddy" McPhee. He made not a move when that ball passed over the plate and Umpire Phil Powers gently murmured "one strike." The base ball season of 1891 was open in Cleveland and the heart of the lover of the game was glad.

Read the rest of the story by clicking on the link below:

First-Game-League-Park-1May1891.pdf

See all of these photographs in the League Park gallery


St. Edward's Seth Cunningham wins four events; St. Ignatius boys, Magnificat girls grab Division I regional track titles

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For Seth Cunningham, starting has never been much problem. Finishing is a different story. After being denied one regional championship because of a slow start, the St. Edward senior finished strong. Now Cunningham will head to the state meet just looking to finish -- period.













St. Edward’s Seth Cunningham runs to victory as the anchor in the 4x200 meter relay Friday at the Division I regional meet in Amherst.



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(Joshua Gunter / PD)












For Seth Cunningham, starting has never been much problem. Finishing is a different story. After being denied one regional championship because of a slow start, the St. Edward senior finished strong.

Now Cunningham will head to the state meet just looking to finish -- period.

Cunningham finished second to Brunswick's Lorenzo Pace in the 100-meter dash by five one-hundredths of a second, an outcome Cunningham chalked up to a slow start.

"Sometimes I start slow in the 200, but not the 100," he said. "It's more of a mental issue in the 100."

Cunningham went on to win the 200, which Pace scratched from, and anchored the winning 4x200 team. The Eagles finished second in the 4x100, also with Cunningham on the final leg.

Now Cunningham will turn his attention toward the state meet, where his experiences haven't been sparkling. He went to Columbus last year with hopes of winning a title or two, but a hamstring injury ended his weekend almost before it started.

Cunningham said the muscle has given him problems off and on throughout his career, usually at the ends of seasons.

"I was happy that I qualified for state in all four of my events," he said. "But I'm even more happy to be healthy. My freshman, sophomore and junior year I got hurt before states every time. I try not to think about it now. I'm just thinking, 'stay loose.' "

Without, as head coach Chuck Kyle put it, any star power, St. Ignatius won the boys team championship with 62 points. The Wildcats edged Medina, with the title coming down to the final race. For the second week in a row Medina won the 4x400, but not enough other teams finished high enough to get the Bees a championship.

"We've been kind of under the radar a bit all year," Kyle said. "It's a team that's been working and improving and we had a great day."

The Wildcats won their title with depth. The 4x100 team of senior Kevin Johnson, juniors Anthony Mescia and Bob Grebenc, and freshman Tim McVey, got St. Ignatius its only first-place finish. The team finished in the money plenty, though, with 10 athletes qualifying for the state meet in four events.

Johnson qualified in three events; Lamar Kemp and Evan Baum in two each. Several other Wildcats finished in the top eight to add to the point total.

"Magnificat won the girls team title with 74 1/2 points to outpace Midpark's 58.5. The Meteors lost 20 potential points when junior Jade Barber's balky hamstring gave way Wednesday in the prelims. Barber would have been among the favorites in the 100 hurdles and 400.

Magnificat will send nine athletes to the state meet in seven events. Showing the Blue Streaks are about more than distance, sophomore Rachel Hlatky will compete in Columbus in three sprint events, including the 200, which she won at Amherst.

"It means a lot," Magnificat coach Anjanette Arabian Whitman said. "We were represented everywhere, distance, sprints, relays. We've worked really hard at getting them working as a team."

Senior Madeline Chambers added three state berths for the Blue Streaks. She was on the winning 4x800 team on Wednesday, won the 1,600 and finished second in the 800.

Matching Cunningham's four-event qualification was Midpark junior Kaila Barber, Jade's twin.

Along with winning the long jump and 300 hurdles, the latter in a meet-record 40.88, Barber finished second in the 100 and was on the runner-up 4x400 team. Her mind was on her twin, who for the second year in a row endured heartbreak at Amherst.

Last year, an inadvertent coaching error placed Jade Barber in five events over the two days - she ran a preliminary heat of an event in which she didn't run the final - which caused five disqualifications. Instead of competing at state in four events, Jade Barber watched the meet from the stands.

This time it was a muscle pull that ended her season. She pulled it during her first race Wednesday, the 100 hurdles, and could not continue.

"I feel terrible for her," Kaila Barber said. "She could have qualified and been going with everyone. She's just had a really hard track season. It's an injury that happened a few weeks ago and never healed."

Medina had a trio of three-event qualifiers, with Anna Boyert (4x800, 800, 1,600), and Hunter Heaton and Evan McKee (4x800, 800, 4x400) turning the feat. Berea sophomore Donovan Robertson was a double-winner, taking both hurdles races.

Todd Stumpf is a freelance writer in Rittman.

Thrilling Freedom 100 a good start for racing weekend: Indianapolis 500 notebook

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A tight race most of the afternoon ends with a third straight victory for Wade Cunningham over Charlie Kimball and James Hinchcliffe.

freedom 100.jpgView full sizePippa Mann, left, is hit by Jeff Simmons in the first turn of the Freedom 100 on Friday.INDIANAPOLIS -- If Sunday's race matches the Freedom 100 run Friday by the Indy Lights drivers, then don't expect to sit down.

A tight race most of the afternoon ended with a third straight victory for Wade Cunningham over Charlie Kimball and James Hinchcliffe.

wade cunningham.jpgView full sizeWade Cunningham celebrates after winning the Freedom 100 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.Two of the three drivers, Cunningham and Kimball, swapped the point four times during the 40-lap race, with Hinchcliffe swapping positions with them for second.

"Dude, it was unbelievable," Hinchcliffe said.

"I don't know what it looked like from the outside," Kimball said, "but it sure was a great show in the car."

The best seat belonged to Cunningham, who pumped his fist for victory well before the yard of bricks, even though Kimball and Hinchcliffe were just car-lengths behind. "I was tempted in Turn Four to wave, but I didn't," Cunningham said.

Pippa Mann, the first woman to win the pole at the 2.5-mile speedway, crashed on the second lap when Jeff Simmons lost control and pushed her car up into the wall.

"He spins, slides up the track, whacks me because I'm the car behind him," Mann said. "It was an accident that didn't need to happen, but it's actually not [Simmons'] fault. In my opinion, he got pushed down really, really hard. I saw it unfolding, but there was nothing I could do."

In the pits: No surprise, really, as Helio Castroneves won the pit-stop contest for the second straight year. Last year, the Brazilian driver swept the top awards: winning the pole, the pit-stop challenge and the Indianapolis 500. He won the pole earlier this month and now the pit-stop contest leaving only the race to make it another triple crown for the popular driver.

New tags? Roger Penske will need to change his license plates if Castroneves wins Sunday's Indianapolis 500. Right now Penske, a native of Shaker Heights who lives in Michigan, has a license plate that reads "1Indy15x." He will have to change it to "1Indy16x" if Castroneves comes through.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: ealexander@plaind.com, 216-999-4253

Indians Comment of the Day: Brad Grant turning around team's drafting

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"There is a new guy running the draft, Brad Grant, and this will be his third draft. The last two first round picks by him have been Lonnie Chisenhall and Alex White. White is already in AA in his first year out of college. Chisenhall will soon be replacing Peralta at third. Both are considered prime prospects. Yes, the past ten years overall have been poor, but the past few under Grant have been just the opposite, so there is something positive to look forward to." - sadsamjones

lonnie chisenhall.jpgView full sizeCould players like Lonnie Chisenhall be a sign that the Indians' draft woes are on the way out thanks to Brad Grant?

In response to the story Failed drafts a leading factor in Cleveland Indians' malaise: Terry Pluto, cleveland.com reader sadsamjones has high hopes for the team's drafting under Brad Grant. This reader writes,

There is a new guy running the draft, Brad Grant, and this will be his third draft. The last two first round picks by him have been Lonnie Chisenhall and Alex White. White is already in AA in his first year out of college. Chisenhall will soon be replacing Peralta at third. Both are considered prime prospects. Yes, the past ten years overall have been poor, but the past few under Grant have been just the opposite, so there is something positive to look forward to.

To respond to sadsamjones' comment, go here.

For more comments of the day, go to blog.cleveland.com/comments-of-the-day.

Cavaliers Comment of the Day: LeBron not going to the Clippers

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"LeBron will not be going to the Clippers. He doesn't want to share the same city and arena with Kobe. The Clips are a first round draft picks' worst nightmare and no one would advise Lebron to take his show there." - cavsfan498

Cavaliers beat Clippers 114-89View full sizeThe Clippers offer some talent to build around LeBron, but will their history scare him off?

In response to the story Come to L.A., LeBron: Clippers fans hold parade in James' honor (video), cleveland.com reader cavsfan498 isn't worried about the Clippers stealing LeBron. This reader writes,

LeBron will not be going to the Clippers. He doesn't want to share the same city and arena with Kobe. The Clips are a first round draft picks' worst nightmare and no one would advise Lebron to take his show there.

To respond to cavsfan498's comment, go here.

For more comments of the day, go to blog.cleveland.com/comments-of-the-day.

Coach with 23 years in AFL leads Chicago Rush to Cleveland

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Mike Hohensee, one of four men to have significant involvement with the AFL in each of its 23 seasons, did not believe the league would return until he watched the opening kickoff of the Rush's game against Iowa in April.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — When the Arena Football League went dark in 2009, Chicago Rush coach Mike Hohensee did not think it would resurface in any form. Hohensee, one of the biggest names in AFL history, was ready to move on.

"It got to the point where I took my Rush gear to Goodwill," he said. "I was sending out resumes and going on interviews."

Hohensee, one of four men to have significant involvement with the AFL in each of its 23 seasons, did not believe the league would return until he watched the opening kickoff of the Rush's game against Iowa on April 2.

Today

What: Gladiators vs. Chicago Rush

When: 7 p.m.

Where: The Q.

Radio: WJMO AM/1300.

"That's how volatile it was -- and still is a little bit," he said. "I understand how it feels to have your sport taken away. Next year, obviously, is not guaranteed. I've told our players: 'I don't have a two-year plan, I have a one-year plan.' "

The one-year plan is working well. The Rush is tied with Milwaukee atop the National Conference Midwest Division at 5-2. It visits The Q tonight for a division game against the Gladiators (3-4).

Chicago won the first of two meetings, 59-56, on April 9 in Illinois.

Hohensee is excited for any opportunity he gets to see Steve Thonn, coach of the Gladiators. As an assistant with the Albany Firebirds in the early 1990s, Hohensee coached receiver Thonn.

"I don't think Steve's given the recognition that he should get as a player in this league," Hohensee said. "I know everyone talks about his offensive mind and things like that, but he was a tremendous player. He was one of the first guys who mastered the double-move downfield by the middle guy. He wasn't the fastest receiver in the league, but he understood angles and he was smart."

Hohensee is the only head coach in the history of the Rush, which is in its ninth season. He has led the Rush to four division titles and five trips to the AFL semifinals. Chicago won ArenaBowl XX in 2006 despite a 7-9 regular-season record.

"We needed to win our last two games of the regular season just to get in," he said. "We won six in a row to win it all. We had a very good football team at the beginning but went through a lot of injuries. Basically, everybody wrote us off except the guys in the locker room. I could not have been happier for our players."

Hohensee has been an AFL head coach for 16 seasons and member of a coaching staff for 21. His 135 total victories as a head coach rank third all-time behind Tim Marcum and Danny White. Hohensee's teams have been to the playoffs 12 times; he is tied for fourth with 12 postseason victories.

For all his success, though, Hohensee never has been AFL coach of the year. Many who follow the league are baffled by the omission.

"I've never wanted to win the award for myself -- I've wanted a chance to brag about my players, staff and organization," he said. "I've had some of the best staffs in arena football. They've done incredible things. We haven't always had the most talented teams, but we've won a lot of games because we've worked extremely hard and brought in good human beings."

One of the most enjoyable moments of Hohensee's career came several years ago, when one of his players, receiver Donovan Morgan, presented him with a coach-of-the-year award. Morgan wanted to let Hohensee know how much he meant to him. Morgan now plays for Tulsa.

"Donovan wanted to thank me for giving him an opportunity, believing in him and treating him like a man," Hohensee said. "The award sits in my trophy case. It means more to me than you can imagine."

As quarterback of the Pittsburgh Gladiators on June 19, 1987, Hohensee threw the first touchdown pass in AFL history. He connected with Russell Hairston on a 42-yarder.

"It was a matter of scheduling," Hohensee said. "Somebody was going to do it, you know? But it's cool to be the first. I remember the play. We knew we were going to score on it."

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: dmanoloff@plaind.com; 216-999-4664

Nick Mangold's 'girly-girl' sister gives up football for weightlifting

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The Other Mangold, Holley, is making a name for herself in weightlifting, breaking free from the shadow of older brother, New York Jets lineman Nick Mangold.

Holley Mangold.jpgView full sizeHolley Mangold trains at King's Gym in Bedford. Mangold, the sister of former Ohio State star and current New York Jets center Nick Mangold, hopes to compete on the USA Olympic women's weightlifting team in 2012.

Not too long ago, the nickname everyone used most often was "The Other Mangold."

As in, the one who wasn't Nick Mangold. Still a football player, still a hulking offensive lineman. Still a 300-pound behemoth like big brother, Nick, the New York Jets lineman who once anchored the Ohio State offensive line.

Except one major difference. Holley Mangold likes certain things her older brother doesn't -- such as pink nail polish and frilly ribbons dangling from her long blond hair.

nick mangold.jpgView full sizeHolley's brother, Nick Mangold.A self-proclaimed "girly girl," Holley Mangold actually had no problem differentiating herself from that other Mangold when she played with the boys on her Archbishop Alter High School football team. She was a strong lineman on the football team just like her brother, sure. And she received plenty of acclaim in her hometown outside Dayton because she was a girl in the otherwise all-male sport. Still, she earned the most publicity for her back-up lineman position merely because she was Nick's little sister, The Other Mangold.

Now, finishing her second year at Ursuline College, Holley Mangold is finding a way to break free from the shadow of big brother. The Other Mangold has found an entirely new sport, and it might be her ticket to the 2012 Olympics in London.

Mangold has developed into a world-class weightlifter, and after just two years of dedicated lifting, appears headed to Colorado Springs, Colo., to train with USA Weightlifting in hopes of realizing her dream of competing in the Olympics.

She'll always be a Mangold, but Holley is out to make her own name, too.

"Holley is an unconventional girl," said her mother, Therese. "There's no two ways about it. Her personality is really differ ent and unique. She's always been a big girl, she grew up being a big girl, yet she loves girly things. She used to love wearing twirly dresses. She would go with football practice and games with fingernail polish on."

Because she's a Mangold and because she has the same build of older brother Nick, a 6-4, 305-pound center, she followed in his footsteps from the start. Holley Mangold loved football, too, and began playing for her high school team. At 5-9 and 310 pounds, she fit in easily with the teammates she called "brothers."

They'd all hit the weight room together, and oftentimes, Holley Mangold would challenge her "brothers" to lifts. They'd bench press and squat, comparing who could do the exercises with the most weight.

"We stopped because I could beat them," Mangold said modestly.

That was when she noticed she might have some skill in weightlifting, and began training with local powerlifting guru Larry Pacifico. He told the then-sophomore in high school that he'd have her performing 500-pound squats by the time she graduated from high school. In two years.

Within four months, she was squatting 500 pounds and re-evaluating her goals.

"I just thought it was really fun," Mangold said. "I realized I really liked it."

She also realized she had a future in weightlifting. With football, she might be able to play four more years at the collegiate level -- if some daring coach would be willing to take a chance on having a girl on the offensive line.

If she switched to Olympic weightlifting -- which features the snatch and clean-and-jerk lifts instead of powerlifting's squat and bench press -- she could compete for years and years to come.

And so she enrolled at Ursuline, a track scholarship (shot put) helping her to pursue the degree in theology that she coveted. She started working with Dan Bell, a weightlifting coach in Orwell. And she began to get serious about weightlifting for the first time.

The right coach

improves her technique Bell saw her at weightlifting's junior nationals competition before Mangold began college. She figured she could do pretty well in the meet; she ended up winning. But that was the only good part.

"Her technique was awful," Bell said. "Suffice it to say, she was twice as strong as any girl in her class, so she did outlift the rest of them."

Bell began restructuring her technique, helping her ease from powerlifting bench and squat to Olympic snatch and clean-and-jerk lifts.

"I liken Olympic weight lifting to a 400-pound golf swing," Bell said. "It's that technically demanding."

Last year, she competed at junior nationals, again, without really training. She finished second. Then came junior worlds in Romania last summer, where she placed ninth.

After finally getting serious about lifting, in December, Mangold went to the American Open, in Mobile, Ala., for her first full meet. Of course, she won, completing lifts of 95 kilograms (about 209 pounds) in the snatch and 125 kilograms (about 275 pounds) in the clean-and-jerk.

Bell quickly discovered that Mangold is the type of athlete who flourishes when she's around the toughest competition to push her. That's why he encouraged her to begin training with USA Weightlifting in Colorado Springs this fall in hopes of qualifying for the 2012 Olympics. Mangold said she's "about 90 percent sure" she's headed west in a few months, despite being so attached to family that she never considered leaving Ohio for college.

"Holley shows incredible potential," said Rick Adams, CEO of USA Weightlifting in a recent phone conversation. "She's one of the most exciting young athletes we have. She certainly has the attention of the Olympic Committee, and has our attention. We absolutely think she's a strong candidate for future international teams."

Assessments like that have caused Mangold to re-evaluate, again. She once aimed for the 2016 Olympics, but now is hoping to find a way on the 2012 team.

"It's time to get a little more serious," said Mangold, who participated on Ursuline's swimming and track teams in the past year. "Although I'd like to call myself a serious lifter, I do swimming, I do track and I'm going to school full time. I just can't wait to see what I can do if I focus on lifting."

The Other Mangold just might find a way to make a name for herself.

"My biggest dream for Holley is that one day when their family is sitting around and he's [Nick's] talking about a giant contract or his Super Bowl ring, she can pull up her sleeve and show her the Olympic rings tattoo," Bell said.

It seems like an achievable goal. One that Nick Mangold is excited to see if his sister can reach. However, he's pretty certain that no matter how far Holley progresses with weightlifting, she'll never be able to outlift him.

"I'll always be the big brother," Nick Mangold said. "She might be able to [outlift me] without me standing over her, but if I'm around I'll be able to play the 'Big Brother Games' and talk her out of it."

Because to Nick Mangold, at least, she'll always be The Other Mangold.

To everyone else, she hopes to be an Olympian.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: jvalade@plaind.com, 216-999-4654.

Indians Comment of the Day: Shut Grady down

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"Shut Grady down and get him healthy for 2011. There is no point in pushing his recovery for this season." - LakeErieSeaGulls

Indians lose to Royals, 6-4View full sizeGrady Sizemore may be headed for surgery and some fans would just rather see the team shut him down for the remainder of 2010.

In response to the story Surgery remains option for Grady Sizemore's ailing knee: Cleveland Indians Insider, cleveland.com reader LakeErieSeaGulls doesn't see the point in bringing Grady back this season. This reader writes,

Shut Grady down and get him healthy for 2011. There is no point in pushing his recovery for this season.

To respond to LakeErieSeaGulls' comment, go here.

For more comments of the day, go to blog.cleveland.com/comments-of-the-day.

Cavaliers Comment of the Day: Tired of the LeBron watch

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"Another day, another pile of rumors. I hope LeBron stays, but this whole courting period is starting to get sickening." - snowfall

lebronjames.JPGView full sizeWhile fans want LeBron to stay in Cleveland, they are also tired of all the rumors and speculation.

In response to the story LeBron will be in Cleveland on Saturday to judge dunk contest: LeBron James Rumor Watch , cleveland.com reader snowfall is getting tired of all the rumors. This reader writes,

Another day, another pile of rumors. I hope LeBron stays, but this whole courting period is starting to get sickening.

To respond to snowfall's comment, go here.

For more comments of the day, go to blog.cleveland.com/comments-of-the-day.

There's no place like New York City: Cleveland Indians briefing

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Walking the streets of New York takes some practice.

 

CC SabathiaCC Sabathia starts against his former team today at Yankee Stadium.

NEW YORK, New York -- This is a daily briefing of the Indians 2010 regular season. The Indians play the Yankees today in the second of four games at Yankee Stadium.

 Pregame notes:

 Game 47: It takes a couple of hours to get used to New York. It's the people. There are a lot of them.

 I mean they're everywhere. It's hard to walk on the sidewalks or cross the street. Everybody seems to move at their own pace without looking left or right. It's amazing there are no head-on collision.

 It takes a while to catch your stride. Then you stop walking on people's heels.

 It's the same way on the subway. On Friday the No.4 train from Grand Central Station to Yankee Stadium was crammed. Every car was packed, but the passengers acted like it was nothing.

 Never let anyone say New Yorkers are rude. In the packed subway car I saw a man give up his seat so an elderly lady could sit down. I saw another guy grab the baby stroller of a young mother to help her exit from the train while he was boarding.

 Hey, I even heard someone belch and say excuse me. There's no place like New York.

 Lineups:  Indians (17-29): CF Trevor Crowe (S), RF Shin-Soo Choo (L), LF Austin Kearns (R), 3B Jhonny Peralta (R), DH Shelley Duncan (R), 2B Mark Grudzielanek (R), 1B Matt LaPorta (R), C Lou Marson (R), SS Jason Donald (R) LHP David Huff (2-6, 5.25).

 Yankees (29-19): SS Derek Jeter (R), RF Nick Swisher (S), 1B Mark Teixeira (S), 3B Alex Rodriguez (R), 2B Robinson Cano (L), DH Mark Thames (R), C Francisco Cevelli (R), LF Kevin Russo (R), CF Brett Gardner (L) and CC Sabathia (4-3, 3.86).

 Umpires: HP C.B. Bucknor, 1B Doug Eddings, 2B Dana DeMuth, 3B Kerwin Danley. DeMuth, crew chief.

 Lineup notes: Manny Acta rested Travis Hafner today, but it wasn't because the Yankees pitched a lefty in Sabathia.

 "Nothing to do with a lefty," said Acta. "We're playing three straight days games and we wanted to give him a day off. We picked the day game after the night game (Friday night)."

 Headline makers: Here's the New York Post headline after the Yankees rolled the Indians, 8-2, Friday night: "YANKS REVIVE VS. TERRIBLE TRIBE."

 Quote of the day: "Baseball is a hitter's game. They have pitchers because somebody has to go out there and throw the ball up to the plate," former Reds pitcher Clay Carroll from Baseball's Greatest Quotations by Paul Dickson.

 Next: RHP Justin Masterson (0-5, 6.13) vs. RHP A.J. Burnett (4-2, 3.55) Sunday at 1:05 p.m.
 

The LeBron-O-Meter: Happy Holiday edition

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For the first time since the 'Meter was launched, we're feeling pretty good about LeBron staying in Cleveland.

Like everyone else in Cleveland, we wonder what LeBron James will do when his contract is up this summer. Will he stay home, or follow the bright lights to Broadway? Until he decides to talk, we have to rely on hunches, instincts and educated guesswork. We'll report our findings, more or less daily, using the                    LeBron-O-Meter.

We have to admit it, we're feeling a little better today about LeBron James staying in Cleveland.

For one thing, the King is in town judging a dunking contest with NBA legend Darryl Dawkins, and he'll no doubt be feeling the love from the assembled multitudes.

For another, as Bill Livingston reminds us today, LeBron wouldn't necessarily get a bigger marketing platform in New York than he already has here, that "geography is irrelevant" when you talking about someone who's an international star.

Add to that the fact that no one can pay LeBron more than the Cavs, and Cleveland's chances of keeping him might look a little better.

Then there's this point to consider: LeBron James might not even be the biggest free agent on the market, and anything that takes the spotlight off the King, even for a moment, is a good thing where Cleveland is concerned.

But the most convincing argument comes from super agent David Falk, whose most famous client was Michael Jordan. In a story on SI.com, Falk says if LeBron wants to "Be like Mike," he should stop being coy and just stay in Cleveland.

"He should not play in Chicago. He will always compete with Michael Jordan," Falk said. "He should not play in L.A. He will always compete with Kobe Bryant.

Finally, it's a beautiful summer day, and who wants to brood on unpleasant possibilities at a time like this?

TODAY'S METER READING IS:


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Tribe spokesman says David Huff never lost consciousness after being hit in head by Alex Rodriguez liner

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David Huff gives thumbs up to Yankee Stadium crowd as he's driven off the field in the third inning.

David HuffCleveland Indians pitcher David Huff waves to the fans as he is being carted off the field after being hit by a line drive by New York Yankees' Alex Rodriguez during the third inning of a baseball game Saturday, May 29, 2010 at Yankee Stadium in New York. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

 UPDATED: 2:53 p.m.

NEW YORK, N.Y. -- Indians left-hander David Huff was struck above the left ear by a line drive off the bat of Alex Rodriguez today in the third inning. The ball was hit so hard that after hitting Huff it sailed into right field.

He was taken to Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center for tests. Indians spokesman Bart Swain said Huff never lost consciousness and had no memory loss.

 Huff went down immediately, his face in the dirt of the mound, after being hit. His teammates and trainers rushed to his assistance after Nick Swisher scored and Mark Teixeira stopped at third. Assistant trainer Rick Jameyson and manager Manny Acta were the first to reach him as Rodriguez squatted at second, his head showing concern.

 Huff eventually was rolled over onto his back. He was strapped to a wooden back board, his forehead secured by a strap, and placed on a cart. While he was being driven off the infield, he waved and gave up a thumbs. The near capacity crowd at Yankee Stadium gave him a rousing ovation.

 Lonnie Soloff, Indians head athletic trainer, rode with Huff.

 Huff is the second Indian to be carted off a field in the last 13 days. Shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera broke his left forearm in a collision with teammate Jhonny Peralta on May 17 at Tropicana Field.

 Aaron Laffey relieved Huff with one out and two on in the third.

Cleveland in the Super Bowl? How?... Host one!!! Polls

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NFL commissioner Roger Goodell says the success of the 2014 Super Bowl slated for Meadowlands Stadium in New Jersey will determine whether more championships are played at undomed cold-weather sites.

cold-browns-stadium.jpgFans in Cleveland Browns Stadium will confirm that Cleveland could qualify to host the Super Bowl as a cold-weather city.



No Cleveland Browns fan has to be reminded that in the 44-year history of the Super Bowl, the Browns have never been there. Maybe some players, coaches or executives were given or bought tickets, but no, the team has never suited up to play in the game.



Who knows if Cleveland will ever be a part of the sport's signature game? How about if you can't play in it, at least own it once?



Another thing that every Browns fan knows is that Cleveland, indeed, is a cold-weather city.



From the Associated Press:



NFL commissioner Roger Goodell says the success of the 2014 Super Bowl slated for Meadowlands Stadium will determine whether more championships are played at undomed cold-weather sites.



Goodell spoke at commencement ceremonies Saturday for the University of Massachusetts Lowell, where he accepted an honorary doctorate for his father, the late Sen. Charles E. Goodell of New York.



The commissioner was introduced by Robert Kraft and stood with the New England owner after the ceremony. The Patriots play outside at Gillette Stadium.



On Tuesday, the league awarded the 2014 championship to the new $1.6 billion home of the Jets and Giants.



Kraft, who supported the decision, said "the elements should be part of the game."


We ask if you would like Cleveland to pursue being a Super Bowl site, and if you think there is any chance the city could be awarded a game.








NE Ohio finalists denied at state tennis championships

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COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The championship hopes were dashed by mid-morning. Northeast Ohio will just have to wait another year to bring home some boys state tennis titles as all four entries, three singles and a doubles team, were stymied at the state tournament Saturday morning at Ohio State's Stickney Tennis Center.













Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy doubles player Will Konstan gets a congratulatory kiss from his mom, Margaret, following the team's third-place Division II finish at the Ohio High School state tennis tournament in Columbus.



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(Courtesy ImpactActionPhoto.com)












COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The championship hopes were dashed by mid-morning.

Northeast Ohio will just have to wait another year to bring home some boys state tennis titles as all four entries, three singles and a doubles team, were stymied at the state tournament Saturday morning at Ohio State's Stickney Tennis Center.

Westlake's Colton Buffington and Ethan Dunbar of Cloverleaf in Division I, along with Alex Aleman of Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy in Division II, lost straight set matches. The CVCA duo of Lou and Will Konstan lost in three sets to Gahanna Columbus Academy, but managed to come back in the afternoon to earn a third-place finish.

Buffington, a sophomore, went up, 3-0, on sophomore Zack Mueck from Liberty Township Lakota East. But after losing, 6-4, 6-2, he had his head in his hands as Mueck looked to the next court to watch the finish of Dunbar and Kevin Metka.

"I went up 3-0 at the start and I tried doing too many things that turned into a lot of mistakes for me," said Buffington, who lost in the first round a year ago. "Zack's a good player and he definitely forced a lot of errors. But I feel I beat myself more than I should have.

"I learned a lot. Everybody is pretty equal here. Three or four points can change a whole match."

That was definitely the case with Dunbar vs. Metka.

Coming in at 35-0, Dunbar's serve was broken on the match's first game as Metka, a senior from Wothington Kilbourne, held the rest of the way for the 6-4 win. Both continued on serve in the next set before Metka went up, 5-1, in the tiebreaker and eventually won it, 7-3. Metka went on to win the Division I title.

It was a bitter disappointment for Dunbar, who was seeking to become his school's first state titleist, and he did not hide it as he talked in a solemn manner.

"I didn't play my game," said Dunbar, who is headed to the University of Richmond. "Certainly, he played well. He served well and I didn't return well at all. I didn't serve well that first game."

Keith Dunbar, a former professional tennis coach, said his son will recover from the loss.

"He'll be fine," he said. "He played well. One break, that's all it takes. He was always playing from a little bit behind.

In a rematch of last week's Oberlin district final, Buffington earned some solace as he turned the tables on Dunbar (6-4, 6-3) to earn third place.

In Division II singles, Aleman could only swat away junior Chris Diaz's winning drop shot that completed a 6-1, 6-0 victory against the CVCA junior. At least Aleman's pain lasted only 38 minutes.

"He just played ridiculous," said Aleman, who has lost to Diaz five times over the years. "I thought I could give him a close match. It's not really fun."

Diaz went on to triumph against defending champion Joey Fritz.

In a rematch from last week's Canton District, junior Colin Bernier from Canton Central Catholic denied Aleman third place as he prevailed in a marathon affair, 5-7, 7-5, 6-2.

A member of last year's CVCA state doubles championship team, Aleman had to watch as his former partner, Lou Konstan, played with younger brother, Will, in their match against Gahanna Columbus Academy. CVCA won the first set, 6-4, but dropped the next two, 6-3, 6-2.

"They won it," said Lou Konstan, a junior. "They played well and we were not winning the big points. I am disappointed, but we were trying to get to state. So as I look at the big picture, we got there."

Sophomore Will Konstan, who replaced Aleman, said it helps knowing they can return as a doubles team next year.

The Konstan brothers earned some solace in the third-place match as they took care of Toledo Maumee Valley Country Day in straight sets.

 

LeBron James says he wants to win; does that mean also having control on the court? Bill Livingston

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Is playing with a top-rated point guard necessarily the best fit for LeBron James? The answer just might be no.

Bill LivingstonCLEVELAND, Ohio -- Clevelanders always hear that LeBron James, the fifth game against the Celtics aside, "just wants to win." It is the conventional wisdom that he will make his decision on free agency with that in mind.

Many think Chicago has the inside track, because point guard Derrick Rose was the recipient of many compliments from James in the first-round series between the Cavaliers and Bulls.

There are a few if's and but's to that scenario, however.

If James relinquishes the ball to a real point guard, what does that do to his major claim to leaving a historical imprint on the game, the triple double?

The comparisons between James and Oscar Robertson are valid, although neither James nor anyone else is ever going to average double figures in points, rebounds and assists over a whole season, as Robertson did in 1961-62. Possessions were higher, and points were freer then.

It is worth noting, however, that James had the highest assist average of his career (8.6 per game) this year with the best supporting cast he has ever enjoyed. It was also the highest assists per game of any forward ever.

lebron-pass-jg.jpgLeBron James' ability to pass makes it difficult to determine his best position on the floor, and could argue against joining a team with a strong point guard, like the Bulls' Derrick Rose, says Bill Livingston.The catch is that James is not really a forward. He is one of those multi-positional, new-age players who can play anything from point guard to power forward. Magic Johnson was the first; James could be his rival as the best.

But to do so, he has to have the ball.

It is wrong to cast the argument simply in terms of stat-sheet stuffing, though. James has said many times that he gets more enjoyment out of a great pass than a great shot. Larry Bird, who held the record for forwards and actually played the position all the time, was that way too.

The pass is the vehicle by which James changes basketball from a sport to a kinetic art form.

Oscar piled up assists in conventional fashion. In fact, everything Robertson did was economical and without frills. Bob Cousy and Guy Rodgers were around, sprinkling magic dust over the fast break, but it was mainly the era of the two-hand chest pass.

Stylistically, James belongs with the creative passers who gave the game a spark of life with their imagination -- "Pistol" Pete Maravich; the short, sensational years of Ernie DiGregorio; Magic Johnson and Bird; Isiah Thomas, who could make half-court bounce passes for alley-oop dunks; Jason Kidd, Chris Paul and Steve Nash.

They were the trigger men for momentum baskets and avalanches of crowd noise, for seeing-eye passes to finishers flying in for "Play of the Day" dunks. No wonder so many loved this game.

James is very good at all aspects, so he can finish the fast break with a slam that is like cymbals clashing. But he is even better at orchestrating it.

He has proven that he can play off the ball with a dynamic point guard, winning the gold medal with set-ups from Paul and Kidd. But that was a quick-hitting campaign, a couple of weeks in Beijing. It was not for 82 games.

He improved at cutting from the weakside to the basket for passes this year, but still did not post up enough. His comfort zone in the crunch seems to be with the ball, in the middle of the floor. Would he adapt as readily over 82 games to not having the ball in that position as he did in China for a fortnight?

Wasn't James' greatest success here in the Finals run of 2007 due in part to Drew Gooden, a forward who could finish and also keep defenses honest from mid-range?

Can't J.J. Hickson, a James favorite, become that kind of player here? Hickson's athleticism makes him, potentially, even better than Carlos Boozer, whom a previous Cavs regime inexcusably bungled away.

Isn't Anderson Varejao's constant movement off the ball perfect for James' passing? Couldn't Antawn Jamison's poor Boston series, at least offensively, have been a result of trying to fit in on the fly with Shaquille O'Neal? Shaq won't be back.

James will get a lot of latitude to handle the ball wherever he goes. But he won't have more than here.

If it's all about winning, the armory isn't without weapons here, either.


Contract as yet unsettled, but Danny Ferry remains in charge as GM: NBA Insider

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Danny Ferry's contract expires in 30 days, but if it is his last month as the Cavaliers GM, no one within the organization seems to be worrying about it.

ferry-mf.jpgDanny Ferry and owner Dan Gilbert had an intense post-playoff meeting in assessing the Cavaliers, but insiders say Ferry continues to call the shots as the off-season gets underway.

DRIBBLES
Andy Miller, the agent for several Cavs, including guard Sebastian Telfair, said Saturday that Telfair has elected to pick up his $2.7 million option for next season. The Cavs have not yet received the paperwork, but it is expected to become official next week.
Telfair was limited to just four games with the Cavs after being part of the Jamison trade in February as he recovered from a ruptured muscle in his leg. The quick point guard averaged 9.8 points in games at the end of the season.
Telfair’s future with the team is uncertain. He is a trading chip because of his expiring contract, but the Cavs are expected to attempt to trade backup guard Delonte West and that could make Telfair more valuable.
West has a partially guaranteed contract of $4.6 million that is worth just $500,000 if he’s waived by August 5. That type of deal that could provide more than $5 million in savings for another team depending on how a trade is structured.

Dwyane Wade made plenty of waves last week in an interview with the Chicago Tribune when he talked about the top free agents getting together for a summit before deciding where to sign. He also ripped his hometown team, the Bulls, by saying the organization didn’t show loyalty. And loyalty, said Wade, is what is important to free agents.
“I think the biggest question that you think about has to be loyalty,” Wade told the Tribune. “I know one thing about Miami: It is a very loyal organization. I see what they do with their players when their players get done with the game of basketball ... how loyal they are. I don’t know about the Bulls.”
This created plenty of conjecture about the free agents’ plans. But if anyone was paying attention, it shouldn’t have. Wade’s remarks are quite transparent and gives away exactly he’s trying to do. He’s attempting to recruit James, Chris Bosh and others to Miami and ripping the Bulls and getting everyone together (perhaps in lovely Miami) is part of the plan.
It has been Heat president Pat Riley’s not-so-well guarded secret that he wants to re-sign Wade, sign James or Bosh and then make a sign-and-trade for the other in July. The Bulls are the only other team that could pull off such a move, which is probably why Wade is jabbing them.
Meanwhile, the loyalty commentary could come back to bite Wade. First, he’s stepping out on a ledge because he’s preaching loyalty and perhaps trying to talk to his star friends about leaving their franchises who have paid them millions and constructed teams around them. That would be quite hypocritical on Wade’s part.
Second, the Heat do not have the sterling record of loyalty. Just ask former coach and longtime Riley employee Stan Van Gundy, who was pushed out of his job when Riley wanted to coach in 2005. Now Riley may do the same to coach Erik Spoelstra, hinting he might demote him after two years on the bench because Riley might feel like coaching again.

• In a reminder of what might await James if he were to sign with the New York Knicks or New Jersey Nets, recently a New York newspaper had a reporter stake out Gloria James’ Akron-area home. At the time there were unsubstantiated Internet rumors involving the James family.
The family’s Cleveland-based attorney and New York-based publicist have had to threaten Web sites and media outlets with legal action recently to attempt to stop the spread of rumors.
-- Brian Windhorst
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Danny Ferry's contract expires in 30 days, but if it is his last month as the Cavaliers general manager, no one within the organization seems to be worrying about it.

Since last summer, Ferry has firmly declined to talk about his future in any setting. Owner Dan Gilbert has declined several interview requests on the matter.

The signs are there, however, that Ferry plans on staying and that Gilbert wants him back. It is possible one of the reasons for the silence is that the two sides are talking about a new contract.

According to league sources, Ferry is indeed running the point as the Cavs begin to do background research on coaching candidates, an indication that he plans on being around.

Despite doing a strong overall job -- Ferry finished second in the Executive of the Year race, which is voted on by his peers, in each of the last two seasons -- it was not a given that Ferry would want another contract.

Three years ago, as the team was facing some serious pressure for a makeover, Ferry told some of his close friends in the business that he wasn't sure he wanted to do the job long term. For one, being an executive was never his dream job. Being a player was and Ferry lived out that dream, playing 13 seasons and winning a championship ring with the San Antonio Spurs.

Ferry also saw the toll that 17 years as a general manager took on his father, Bob, who did the job for the Washington Bullets from 1973-90.

In the high pressure and comparatively low-paying world of NBA executives, that is not an uncommon reaction. However, at 43, Ferry is still one of the NBA's youngest GMs. Though he has a reputation for being hard-headed when it comes to contract and trade negotiations, he's established a solid reputation.

League sources have indicated that Gilbert and Ferry's season-ending meetings were intense and in-depth, but that both men eventually walked away on the same page and with a stronger relationship.

Part of those discussions likely focused on some of Ferry's own shortcomings. If there is one issue where Ferry could be critiqued, it would be the type of players he brought in during his makeover.

Ferry leveraged Gilbert's willingness to spend money by working one-sided trades, bringing in Mo Williams, Shaquille O'Neal and Antawn Jamison without giving up much from his roster. From a chemistry and character standpoint those stars fit. The offensive diversity they brought was badly needed to help out LeBron James.

But all three have defensive issues. While the offense improved over the last two seasons, the playoff defense was not as strong as in 2007 when the Cavs made the Finals.

Looking at these types of decisions are what the Cavs and Ferry have been doing. The end results seems to include Ferry going forward.

It is possible that he could follow the path of his close friend, Indians GM Mark Shapiro, and seek a promotion to team president with broader responsibilities and less day-to-day operations.

Ferry's assistant, Chris Grant, is seen as a future GM and may get a promotion to that role. Grant already runs the draft and handles some player contract negotiations. Not unlike Indians GM-in-waiting Chris Antonetti, Grant has turned down chances to leave to run his own team.

When talking about the job in 2005, Ferry played hardball with Gilbert and walked away from the table at one point. It wasn't until his five-year contract was fully guaranteed and he was promised full control over basketball decisions that Ferry signed on just days before the draft and the start of free agency.

With all of the issues the Cavs have right now, it is possible that the details of a new contract will take a while to work out. But expect for Ferry to remain in his role as the top decision-maker in the franchise.

 

Grim, then grins: David Huff survives scare and Cleveland Indians mount improbable 13-11 victory over Yankees

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David Huff and the Indians were the comeback kids Saturday afternoon in the Bronx.

donald-crowe-ap.jpgNot every victory deserves an airborne celebration, but certainly no one could blame Jason Donald (left) and Trevor Crowe for enjoying Saturday's 13-11 comeback win.NEW YORK -- It looked bad, really bad. Then it looked good, really good.

Saturday was that kind of day for left-hander David Huff and the Indians.

In the third inning, Huff was hit above the left ear by a line drive off the bat of Alex Rodriguez. Teammate Trevor Crowe said he feared for Huff's life.

Huff was driven off the field on a stretcher as 46,599 fans applauded his thumb's-up signal while strapped to a backboard. As Huff was on the way to New York-Presbyterian Columbia University Medical Center, the Indians were busy falling behind the Yankees, 10-4.

They each came back in style.

The Indians scored seven runs in the seventh inning to shock the Yankees, 13-11, in a game that promised to never end. It lasted 4 hours and 22 minutes.

Huff returned to the stadium in the eighth or ninth inning, but stayed in the trainer's room. When traveling secretary Mike Seghi saw him, he said, "You must really have a hard head."

Huff just smiled.

There was no such levity in the third when Huff lay face down on the mound while Rodriguez's liner was headed into right field for a RBI double. The ball was hit so hard that it was still traveling on a line after hitting Huff.

"That was really scary," said Crowe. "That's one of the few times on a baseball field I've ever feared for someone's life. A-Rod hit such a bullet and David didn't get his glove up at all. I think everyone that was gathered around the mound as very fearful something bad had happened."

The CAT scan was negative. Manager Manny Acta said Huff showed no signs of a concussion, but the Indians medical staff wanted to wait to see how he responded Saturday night before saying anything for certain.

"It was an eventful day," said Acta.

donald-double-ap.jpgJason Donald's two-run double put the Indians ahead, 11-10 in the seventh inning. The Indians trailed by scores of 9-3 and 10-4. They were facing CC Sabathia and looked thoroughly beaten.

"In the dugout, you could feel something was going to happen," said catcher Lou Marson, who had three doubles and three RBI. "We just kept talking about chipping away."

The Indians made it 10-4 on Austin Kearns' RBI single in the fourth. It was 10-5 on Marson's second double in the sixth.

In the seventh, with Sabathia gone after six innings, all the chipping away created a hole in the Yankees' bullpen.

David Robertson relieved Sabathia, but hit Crowe to start the inning. Crowe stole second, but Shin-Soo Choo flied out to left. Kearns made it 10-6 with his third single of the game. Robertson had to leave with back tightness and Sergio Mitre relieved. He walked Jhonny Peralta and was replaced by Damaso Marte to face pinch-hitter Russell Branyan.

Marte retired Branyan and manager Joe Girardi called for his fourth reliever of the inning, Joba Chamberlain. The hole was about to open.

Mark Grudzielanek singled home Kearns to make it 10-7. Matt LaPorta walked to load the bases. Marson, who had four doubles coming into the game, hit his third of the day to make it 10-9. Jason Donald put the Tribe ahead to stay with a two-run double to right. Crowe made it 12-10 with an RBI single.

The Indians believe Marson, LaPorta, Donald and Crowe are their future. They were a combined 7-for-17 with six RBI.

"That's what we're envisioning here," said Acta. "We want to see those kids blend and mesh someday and fight every single night against a good club like that one."

Aaron Laffey, with the Yankees leading, 2-0, relieved Huff with one out in the third. He retired Robinson Cano on a sacrifice fly and Marcus Thames on a grounder, but came apart in the fourth when the Yankees scored six runs to take a 9-3 lead.

"First and foremost I was worried about David," said Laffey. "It was a tough situation to go in. After the first two-thirds of an inning, I thought it was going to be an alright day. I was throwing strikes, but that completely stopped in the next inning."

Branyan stretched the lead to 13-10 with a second-deck homer to right with two out in the eighth. It was his second homer in as many days and his sixth of the season.

Kerry Wood, after two innings of scoreless relief by Chris Perez, pitched the ninth for his second save despite giving up an RBI double to Derek Jeter.

Northeast Ohio athletes shine in discus at Division III track and field championships

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Familiarity pays off for athletes with local ties in earning All-America honors.

Norm Weber

Special to the Plain Dealer

For results in all events

BEREA, Ohio -- Nearly a cheese/buckeye final surfaced in the men' discus event in the NCAA Division III National Track and Field Championships Saturday at Baldwin-Wallace.

Four of the nine finalists came from an assortment of colleges in Wisconsin and four others came from Northeast Ohio schools. The ninth in the finals was a fellow from Augustana (Ill.) College.

Mount Union's Judd Lutz -- who finished second to Wisconsin-Stout's Sean Larson -- and Sean Denard threw well enough to join host Baldwin-Wallace's Kevin Phipps and Mitch Supan in the finals. All four young men attained All-American status by avoiding finishing ninth. On a day hot enough for any cheese brick to melt, the Wisconsin schools got only three in the top eight, leaving the Buckeye State as the more All-American of the two, at least as far as discuss throwing goes.

Phipps wound up finishing sixth, just a couple of days after he placed in the hammer throw, making him a double All-American on the weekend.

"Just as it was the other day; I wanted more but was still happy to have done as well as I did today," said Phipps. "I was also happy for Mitch, Judd and Sean. We have all been competing with and against one another all season and it was great for us all get up on the podium together."

Supan, who grew up in Medina and is a Walsh Jesuit alumnus, is brand new to the national level as a freshman for the Yellow Jackets.

"The Ohio Athletic Conference is very good for this event so it is not surprising that four of us from the league not only made it here but also into the finals," said Supan, who finished eighth. "I was rooting for Kevin and Judd and Sean, just as the Mount guys were for us. I am happy with getting this far on my first try. I did not tell too many of my friends from Medina or high school that I was doing this, but still I did get a lot of support from the stands."

Each time one of the four would step inyo the cage, a large roar came from the crowd of 300 people, larger than for any of the out-of-state competitors.

"It's not that hard to get up here from Mount, so we had quite a few friends from school make it to support us," said Denard, who took seventh. "We see B-W in a lot of events and have competed here so the familiarity sure helped."

Lutz also made it in the shot put, but failed to make it out of the semifinals.

"The discus is my better event," said Lutz, who was a finalist for the Gagliardi Trophy, which goes to the top football lineman in the country each year. "We were here for a meet earlier this year so we know the surface and the surroundings here. All my national team championships and qualifications make me feel more accomplished than the Gagliardi nomination, since that one is more individual."

This was Lutz's 10th time to the highest level nationally – four times to the Stagg Bowl with the football team, four times to nationals in outdoor track and twice in indoor track.

It certainly was a team effort for Mount, with Aubree Jones also qualifying in the discus but joining Broadview Heights native/Ohio Wesleyan senior Sharon Rymut in not reaching the finals.

"It helped that three of us from one school could all make it to the nationals like this," said Jones. "Sean and Judd have been like second and third coaches to me. They have helped me out a lot in all of my events. It was a good experience getting here despite not doing better than I did."

Cloverleaf High alumnus and Medina native Cory Beebe, who runs for Salisbury University, repeated as the national champion in the 400-meter hurdles and took sixth in the 110 hurdles. He left it all on the course in the 400, repeating his activity from Thursday's semis and throwing up five minutes after the race.

"I do it every time after I finish a 400," Beebe said. "My stomach just turns within a few minutes after the race. I've made all kinds of dietary changes but it still seems to happen. I wish I could be good at something else so I wouldn't have to go through this each time. It has gotten better. It only happens after the race and never during it."

Trinity High alumna Elise Johnson finished second in the women's 100 hurdles for Williams College.

"I am so excited to finish in second," said Johnson, who is the daughter of the late Eddie Johnson of the Cleveland Browns. "My middle school track coach, Mr. Davidson, was standing at the corner of the track when I came in this morning. I was so surprised to see him here. It brought back great memories from running on this track in seventh grade."

Johnson attended Ford Middle School in nearby Brook Park and spent a year at Midpark High before transferring to Trinity.

Chardon native Erin Hollinger finished 10th in the high jump for Case Western Reserve, while the Spartans' Elaine Simpson took 18th in the 5,000-meter run.

Rahal family hoping to get season turbocharged with a strong Indy performance

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A lot is on the line for Bobby and Graham Rahal in Sunday's 94th Indianapolis 500, both at the starting line and the finish line.

rahals-ap.jpgThe odds are long against winning Sunday's Indianapolis 500 for Graham Rahal, left, and car owner Bobby Rahal. But the two men would be satisfied with a good-enough showing to solidify a spot in IRL fields for the rest of the season.

PREDICTIONS
Sunday’s race is considered a two-team duel between the six drivers for team owners Roger Penske (Helio Castroneves, Well Power and Ryan Briscoe) and Chip Ganassi (Dario Franchitti, Scott Dixon and Townsend Bell).
But 500 miles in the cockpit of temperamental open wheel missiles can make strange things happen. Heat can be a problem for one car, humidity for another; traffic can turn a dialed-in bullet into a shuddering jalopy, and a jalopy into a ballet dancer floating in and out of trouble.
Considering all that, who is going to win?
1. Helio Castroneves: Shaker Heights native Penske has been racing at Indy since 1969. He’s won here 15 times including five of the last nine. It’s tough to see Castroneves, who’s already won in 2001, 2002 and 2009, anywhere but climbing the fence in victory.
2. Dario Franchitti: It seems few give the Scotsman his due at the Brickyard, but the 2007 winner has finished no worse than seventh in his last four races. The 2007 win came in a rain-shortened (166 laps) race; a win while going the distance will make the few who doubt him have second thoughts.
3. Tony Kanaan: In public all the drivers pick themselves to win, but in private, hands down, the choice is TK. The fact he is starting last will make his journey tougher. But if he wins the TV cameras better pan the pits because there will be a lot of thumbs up for a driver who has seen more than his fair share of tough luck without winning.
Rookie to watch: With all the drama around Danica Patrick’s Indy woes, few outside of the garage area have taken notice of Simona de Silvestro. She qualified 22nd. But if she can avoid the early trouble that often plagues rookies, a top-10 finish is not out of the question for this Brazilian.
Elton Alexander
INDIANAPOLIS -- A lot is on the line for Bobby and Graham Rahal in Sunday's 94th Indianapolis 500, both at the starting line and the finish line. Bobby is looking to remain viable as a successful Indy Racing League team owner, while son Graham is looking to keep a promising career from stalling.

For Bobby, the 1 p.m. start will be the first IRL race of the season for the man who directed Buddy Rice to an Indy win in 2004 and introduced Danica Patrick to the world with a fourth-place start and finish at Indy in 2005.

But this year, the sponsorship money for Rahal to enter a competitive car just wasn't there -- at least until Indianapolis. For Graham, who has subbed in two races this season, Indy offers a chance to regain some lost momentum after losing his ride with Newman-Haas just before the start of the season.

"I don't like being in the position we're in," the elder Rahal said minutes before Friday's final Indy practice. "It's very expensive to run these cars. Even in 2008, we had a reasonably good budget, but not near the Penske and Ganassi or Andretti cars. I think we out-performed [our means], but that's really no way to go racing. I just concluded, if you can't do it right, I have no interest in just being out there."

Money woes also derailed Graham, who at age 19 in 2008 became the youngest driver to win a major open-wheel race. His promising career came to an unexpected halt when funding within the prestigious Newman-Haas race team dried up and he was the odd man out when that three-car team cut back.

At one time father and son made it a point to stand on their own in auto racing, but now they stand together. With the help of a sponsorship for the Indianapolis 500 only from Quick Trim, the Rahals are betting on a strong run to get back into the game full-time.

"When we decided to do this program ... we needed to get the [top] stuff that was out there," Bobby Rahal said, "... different radiators, different this, different that. I think we could have qualified with the stuff we had. But we wouldn't be where we are, for sure. We do want to win the race.

"Either we are going to be funded properly, or we weren't going to do it. Now we're working hard to see if we can continue this to the remainder of the year. And I'd like to see it go beyond that."

Graham Rahal qualified seventh and is the fastest American in a 33-car field that has only nine Yanks, the fewest in Indy history.

The road to the top series in American open-wheel racing was not an easy one for Graham Rahal. From the start, he did not get a car handed to him. Bobby Rahal had his son write letters seeking sponsorship, and search for funding for his go-carts. As Graham worked himself up the ladder, he was led to get rides with other race teams.

Whatever success Graham Rahal earned, Bobby Rahal wanted it to be completely his, without the shadow of "daddy" hanging over him. So winning that first race for Newman-Haas showed that Graham could not only stand on his own, but also deserved the accolades that came his way.

Now, however, both are trying to survive, at least for 2010. But the battle is being fought without one looking over his shoulder at the other.

"I feel like we're both comfortable with it," Graham said. "[Dad] feels very confident. He wants to showcase what both the team and myself can do. Of course, it's easier for him to sit there. It's a little more difficult to actually sit in the car and get the job done. Dad's thought is to try, as much as we can, to turn this into something, long-term, to help both myself and to help the team."

Yet make no mistake, being competitive in the race is going to be tough. The good news is Graham turned in a fantastic qualifying effort at 225.617 mph to land inside the third row. Another plus is his father's history with young drivers at Indy. He is the one who nurtured the early careers of Patrick, Vitor Meira, Buddy Rice, who won in 2004, and Ryan Hunter-Reay. All but Rice are in this field and regulars in the IRL.

But the negatives include Graham's brief history at Indy. He exited early in his two appearances at The Brickyard, both races ending after aggressive moves in the fourth turn.

"I think I know the mistakes I've made the last couple of years," Graham said. "I heavily doubt you're going to see the same thing. I know there's one turn I'm not going to pass in is going to be four."

There's another cloud. While the qualifying effort was sterling, Graham's post-qualifying practice efforts have been less than stellar. In Friday's final one-hour tune-up, the Rahal car was the slowest in the field, the only one to clock in under 220 mph at 219.998 mph.

Yet, visions of winning it all fuel excitement within them.

"I know one thing that would help my driving career a lot is that we win this thing," Graham said. "And hopefully, he's involved. There would be no better story to tell, from both the team's struggles from last year and mine over the past six months. For us to come together and win this would be pretty amazing."

Now 21, Graham Rahal would be the youngest Indy 500 winner. And while they would not be the first father and son to win Indy -- Al Unser and Al Unser Jr. have won -- they would be the first father-son team to wear separate Indy rings.

Win or lose, Bobby Rahal is assured of a bit of satisfaction. One Indy tradition over the years has been watching the famous families of Indy walk side-by-side from the garage to start/finish line before the race: the Bettenhausens, the Unsers and the Andrettis. This year, for the first time, the Rahals will make that walk together wearing the same racing colors.

"That will be cool. That will be great," Bobby Rahal said.

Then they will turn their attention to the race, hoping the 500 brings a result that doesn't end their season, but keeps it going.

The LeBron rumor mill: 'Don't believe none of that' says Derrick Rose of speculation

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There's no escaping LBJ questions ... especially if you're a potential new teammate in Chicago. Right, Derrick Rose?

lbj-dunk-ribs-jg.jpgLeBron James' first public appearance since the end of the Cavaliers' season came Saturday night at a dunk competition during the rib burnoff at Tower City. James judged the competition with former NBA star Darryl Dawkins -- and no announcements were made.CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Even high-profile players under contract are getting drawn into the NBA's free-agent mania.

Bulls point guard Derrick Rose spent more than two hours signing autographs at an auto dealership outside Chicago on Friday night, reported Scott Powers of ESPNChicago.com, and Rose repeatedly had to answer questions about LeBron James.

Maybe prompted by earlier unfounded -- and illogical -- rumors that Bulls legend and Charlotte Bobcats owner Michael Jordan had escorted a house-scouting James around Chicago, one fan asked Rose if James had been in Chicago for a week and stayed at Rose's house.

Rose shook his head and smiled, Powers wrote, as he autographed the fan's poster.

The Bulls are one of the teams with the salary cap space to chase James, the Raptors' Chris Bosh, the Hawks' Joe Johnson and the Heat's Dwyane Wade when they become unrestricted free agents on July 1.

Powers asked Rose if he and James had talked recently. Rose replied: "No, no, that's not true. Don't believe none of that. Don't believe none of that, man."

When Powers asked how the Bulls intend to improve, the second-year star said, "By getting the free agents we're supposed to be getting."

Powers did not report which free agents Rose was referring to, nor what Rose meant by "supposed to be getting."

• Michael Jordan, even when his salary with Chicago dropped out of the NBA's top 10, remained committed to the Bulls, in part by accepting the advice of his agent, David Falk.

The Cavaliers, of course, can offer James more money than any other team, so his compensation considerations are not similar to any issues Jordan may have had. Regardless, Falk believes it's probably best for James to stay in Cleveland.

Falk made this point, among others, to Frank Hughes of Sports Illustrated's SI.com:

"I am a big LeBron James fan. But he needs to decide what he wants to do. He has all of the power. If he doesn't want to stay, fine. If he wants to go, then go. But tell Cleveland that and work with them to make it happen in the best fashion for everybody. The lack of dialogue is, to me, confusing and illogical.

"I don't think the people around him understand that. I don't think they understand that if LeBron James leaves Cleveland he will be a pariah, he will be a Benedict Arnold. I don't think he understands the implications of his decision. If he leaves, Cleveland's economy is going to tank, he is that important.

"He is in a unique situation. Do you think if Dwyane Wade leaves Miami and goes back to Chicago anybody in Miami is going to hold it against him? But if LeBron James leaves Cleveland and goes somewhere else he will be a pariah in the entire state of Ohio."

• Kent State students Austin Briggs and Brittany Neal have founded the company Pleasedontleave23.com -- in reference to James' No. 23 -- as part of a class in entrepreneurship at the school.

There's more to this project than getting good grades for the duo. They are passionate, too, as the Web site makes apparent.

Briggs has turned his customized 1987 Cutlass Supreme into the "Witness Mobile." The vehicle's hood is used as an oversized petition for James' fans to sign, while the trunk is reserved for the signatures of local celebrities and politicians.

Among the events Briggs will bring the car to is a meeting of the Akron-based "Grandmothers for LeBron" fan club. From June 11 to 29, the "Witness Mobile" will be on display at the Visitors Center of Positively Cleveland (the convention and visitors bureau) at 100 Public Square in the Higbee Building, where fans can sign the car/petition.

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