"Lazzari's Sports Roundup" -- - - - 6-07-08

I talked recently with former MLB pitcher Frank Sullivan--who offered the following on ex-Red Sox pitcher/Celtics player Gene Conley--a man he was once traded for: "This guy (Conley) went 6 years without a day off as he played in both the NBA and the major leagues. Not only that, but he has championship rings in both sports and was a major contributor on every team he was on. I rank his feat right up there with DiMaggios hit streak and Ripkens endurance record."..........."Who Am I?" TRIVIA QUESTION: I played only seven seasons in the old American Basketball Association (ABA) from 1968-1975, but truly left my mark. I won the Rookie of the Year Award and was a four-time All-Star--despite playing for SIX teams in such a short time. I also averaged over 28 points per game in the playoffs during my rookie season and was named MVP of the '72-'73 ABA All-Star game. Finally, throughout my career, I was considered one of the best defenders in the league. Who am I? Answer to follow..........Question: If LPGA golfer Hee Young Park ever married Hall of Fame catcher Johnny Bench, would she mind being known by the name of Hee Young Park Bench?..........Rick Dutrow, Jr., controversial trainer of Big Brown, recently told the New York Post that his choice of three dinner guests would be Hugh Hefner, Paul Newman, and Sheikh Mohammed. If that was the case--at an upscale restaurant--there would be no shortage of accompanying women, no shortage of salad dressing, and absolutely NO problem paying the bill..........This week in sports history, June 10, 1977: 39-year-old golfer Al Geiberger shoots an incredible 59 in the second round of the Memphis Golf Classic--the first-ever sub-60 round recorded in a PGA event. Geiberger carded an amazing 11 birdies and an eagle during his memorable round as he broke the previous low record of 60--shared by six golfers. His 13-under-par day enabled him to build a six-stroke advantage over Keith Fergus--who shot an impressive 67 over the same round..........Lazzari's "Lopsided Score of the Week": In a CT high school state tournament baseball game played last week, East Catholic annihilated Vinal Tech 29-0--with the winning squad exploding for a total of 26 hits during the course of this terrible mismatch. Just another reason why sub-.500 teams (like Vinal) should not be playing in the post-season--and why rewarding mediocrity can frequently render "not-so-pleasant" results..........The ONLY way yours truly pays $250 for a major league baseball game is if the price includes the following: pre-game drinks with Cameron Diaz, top-of-the-dugout dances by Julianne Hough after each half inning, full-game entertainment by the Philly Fanatic, 50-cent Nathan's hot dogs, and a post-game dinner with Denise Richards..........Answer to trivia question: WARREN JABALI--who averaged 17.1 ppg during a career in which he played for Oakland, Washington, Indiana, Florida, Denver, and San Diego of the ABA.......... Folks, you haven't lived until you've heard Connecticut Defenders' (AA Eastern League) P.A. announcer Ed Weyant and his LONG, drawn out introduction of the club's first baseman Travis Ishikawa when he comes to bat; it's worth the price of admission..........Happy birthday wishes go out to former major league infielder Scott Ullger--who blows out 53 candles on June 10th. The little-known Ullger, a New York native, played just ONE big league season--1983 with the Minnesota Twins--accumulating 15 hits in 79 at-bats. Yes, Scott Ullger goes into the record books with a lifetime batting average of just .190--ten points short of the famed "Mendoza Line." Hey, they all can't be Kent Hrbek, right? Best wishes, Scott..........Finally, condolences go out to the family of former major league pitcher Geremi Gonzalez--who was killed by a lightning strike in his native Venezuela recently at the age of 33. Gonzalez pitched for five major league teams from 1997-2006--appearing in 131 games while compiling a 30-35 lifetime record. He led the Cubs with 11 victories during his rookie year of 1997; he also pitched for the Rays, Red Sox, Mets, and Brewers before being released by Toronto during spring training of '07. Writing on his blog, 38pitches.com, former teammate Curt Schilling recalled Geremi Gonzalez as being someone who loved life and lived it to its fullest; he was also remembered as a guy who smiled constantly and a person who rarely had a bad day. Yes, we all can learn a lot from the way Geremi Gonzalez approached life in general; may he rest in peace.