"Lazzari's Sports Roundup" - - - - 07-07-07

A guest on WFAN last week, sportscaster Jim Lampley was asked to comment on the tragic career of boxer Mike Tyson. He proceeded to say that certain boxing styles (a la Buster Douglas') were destined to give Tyson trouble. He also stressed that Tyson's only option in order to overcome styles like Douglas' and remain successful was to work diligently/constantly in the gym; he was NOT going to stay on top of the boxing world by "buying Maseratis and going to strip clubs." Succinctly put and well said, Jim, regarding one of the most disappointing sports careers or our time..........TRIVIA QUESTION: In 1992, the Minnesota Twins had three of the American League's top ten players in hits. Can you name these three gentlemen? Answer to follow..........I'm already encouraging my teenaged nephew to develop a fondness for both golf and younger women with the hopes that he'll hook up with Tiger Woods' daughter Sam in about 20 years..........Can you imagine if LPGA golfer Ji Young Oh married former major league pitcher Joey Jay, divorced, then married Champions Tour golfer Tim Simpson? Perhaps she could help a former USC running back search for the REAL killer of his former spouse and an acquaintance while bearing the full, married name of Ji Young Oh Jay Simpson..........I recently caught up with golfer/Trinity College product Jay Williamson after his second round at the Traveler's Championship in Cromwell and asked the sentimental favorite (who was eventually defeated in a playoff with Hunter Mahan) if he's a much better player than he was a year ago. "I have more confidence in what I'm doing," he told me. "I'm no real different than I was two or three years ago--I'm just kind of recommitted to what I've been doing with my golf swing." A great guy who has truly experienced a "topsy-turvy" pro career, it's difficult NOT to root for a guy like Jay Williamson; people here in the Nutmeg State will continue pulling for you, Jay..........I swear--there may be more women on the LPGA Tour with the last name of 'Kim' than there are cheese-steak vendors in the city of Philadelphia..........Lazzari's "Non-Sports Related Tidbit of the Week": At this juncture, I'm TOTALLY convinced I'd rather eat raw, rancid snake meat--followed by a castor oil chaser--than watch any further interviews with Paris Hilton..........This week in sports history, July 9, 1977: Golfer Tom Watson birdies three of the last four holes at Turnberry--enabling him to win his second British Open championship in three years. Watson's four-round total of 268 was one shot better than Jack Nicklaus --who had held a two-stroke lead approaching the 15th tee in the final round of play..........Answer to trivia question: KIRBY PUCKETT (#1--210 hits), SHANE MACK (#4--189 hits), and CHUCK KNOBLAUCH (#9--178 hits)..........The definition of a TRUE boxing fan: If you flew to Moscow last weekend to view the non-championship fight between Russian Alexander Povetkin and American Larry Donald--and you're NOT a member of either fighter's immediate family..........Yankees reliever Scott Proctor has it all wrong: He's paid decent money to put OUT "fires"--and NOT to start real ones after bad outings..........Happy birthday wishes go out to former major league catcher Alan Ashby--who blows out 56 candles on July 8th. A Long Beach, CA native, Ashby spent 17 years in the "bigs" between 1973 and 1989 playing for the Indians, Blue Jays and Astros. Never really a "full-time" catcher, Ashby appeared in 1,370 games and hit .245 lifetime. His best year came in 1987 with Houston when hit hit 14 home runs and drove in 63 runs while hitting .288; best wishes, Alan..........Finally, condolences go out to the family of former big league reliever Rod Beck--who was recently found dead in his suburban Phoenix home; he was 38. Beck pitched 13 seasons between 1991 and 2004 for the Giants, Cubs, Red Sox and Padres and appeared in 704 games--all in relief. He accumulated 286 lifetime saves--including a career-best 51 with Chicago in 1998--and was a three-time All-Star. He is survived by his wife, Stacey, and two daughters; may he rest in peace.