"Lazzari's Sports Roundup" - - - - 6-14-08

I was watching the Michael Douglas & Friends Celebrity Golf Tournament on NBC last weekend--featuring lovely actress Heather Locklear as one of the participants. I am hereby offering to become her new swing coach, her caddy, AND her personal masseuse--and I will pay HER to let me perform those duties..........TRIVIA QUESTION: In June of 1991, Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Andy Ashby became one of the few rookie hurlers in history to strike out three batters on NINE pitches--doing it vs. Cincinnati during a 3-1 loss to the Reds. Can you name any of Ashby's three strikeout victims? Answer to follow...........Watching the Connecticut Defenders' mascot "Cutter" play air guitar to BTO's "Takin' Care of Business" on top of a dugout is just as good as having heard the group perform it live back in the 70's..........Great point made by WFAN's Richard Neer last weekend in regard to Yankees pitcher Joba Chamberlain's "meteoric rise." Neer pointed out that he hates to use that expression--especially because the typical meteor has a tendency to go DOWN..........This week in sports history, June 17, 1973: California native/PGA golfer Johnny Miller shoots a U.S. Open-record 63 in the final round--enabling him to win the prestigious tournament by one stroke over runner-up John Schlee. After a rocky, third round score of 76 the day before (which put him six strokes behind the leaders), Miller's nine birdies in the final round allowed him to wait in the clubhouse while his opponents tried to chase him down--which ultimately never materialized at the famed Oakmont Country Club..........I'm sure Roger Federer will agree: Beating Rafael Nadal on a clay surface is now more difficult than working at the Ben & Jerry's factory while sticking to a lactose-free diet..........And the next time Roger Federer is the #1 seed at the French Open, there should be an asterisk near his name with the following explanation: *seeded #1 solely due to overall world ranking; one must remember that this is NADAL's surface.......... Recently waived Chicago Bears RB Cedric Benson has been arrested for driving while intoxicated; this comes only a month after he was busted for BOATING while intoxicated. Let's all hope that Benson has no intentions of taking flying lessons anytime soon..........Answer to trivia question: HAL MORRIS, TODD BENZINGER, and JEFF REED..........Lazzari's "Cheap Win of the Week": This one undoubtedly goes to Cleveland Indians pitcher Cliff Lee. He threw a whopping 112 pitches in just 5 innings vs. Texas last week--giving up nine hits and six earned runs. However, he happily picks up the "W" as his Tribe teammates explode for 17 hits during a 15-9 slugfest victory over the Rangers..........Happy birthday wishes go out to former major league infielder Brian Ostrosser--who blows out 59 candles on June 17th. Only the most fanatical of Mets fans out there will remember this Canadian native, who came to bat just 5 times in 1973--his only year in the majors; sadly, he never got a hit. However, he had five total chances in the field and did NOT make an error; thus, Brian Ostrosser goes into the big league record books with a fielding percentage of 1.000. Ah, just goes to prove that we ALL can hang our hats on something, right? Best wishes, Brian..........Finally, condolences go out to the family of former NFL defensive end Dwight White--who died last week following complications from back surgery; he was 58. Nicknamed "Mad Dog," White was a member of the famed "Steel Curtain" defensive front that helped the Pittsburgh Steelers to four Super Bowl titles in the 1970's. A product of East Texas State, White climbed out of a hospital bed to play in the Steelers' first Super Bowl victory vs. the Minnesota Vikings in 1975--having lost 18 pounds after being diagnosed with pneumonia and a lung infection. Dwight White is the second member of the original four-man Steel Curtain to pass away this year; defensive tackle Ernie Holmes died this past January following a car accident in Texas. White became a very successful, Pittsburgh-area stock broker once his career ended; may he rest in peace.