"Lazzari's Sports Roundup" - - - - 7/30/11

Imagine this: New Haven Open tournament director Anne Worcester walks down the aisle with former MLB player Fred Lynn, divorces, marries former MLB third baseman Mike Lowell, divorces again, weds ex-outfielder Willie Norwood--divorces yet AGAIN--then marries ex-MLB outfielder Daryl Boston. Lovers of Massachusetts geography would delight in her full married name of Anne Worcester Lynn Lowell Norwood Boston..........TRIVIA QUESTION: Al Kaline of the Detroit Tigers led the American League in doubles in 1961 with 41. Since then, only ONE member of the Tigers has led the AL in two-baggers over the course of a season. Can you name this individual? Answer to follow..........If A's DH Hideki Matsui had aged HALF as well as Eileen Davidson of "The Young and the Restless," then Oakland may very well be contending in the AL West at this juncture..........I talked to former MLB pitcher Frank Sullivan recently--a member of the Red Sox Hall of Fame--and asked him about the modern day pitch count. Sullivan: "All starting pitchers in my day stayed on the mound until the manager couldn't stand it anymore. It had nothing to do with how many balls were thrown. And, I might add, we pitched every fourth day and rarely got a five day reprieve."..........This week in sports history, August 2, 1992: Jackie Joyner-Kersee captures her second straight Olympic heptathlon--accumulating a total of 7,044 points at the Summer Games in Barcelona, Spain. Joyner-Kersee virtually wrapped up the championship at the start of the second day of competition with a long jump of 23 feet, 3 1/2 inches; she later ended the event with a time of 2:11.78 in the 800 meters. Irina Belova of the United Team finished second to Joyner-Kersee--199 points behind. Jackie quite possibly could have made this her THIRD straight Olympic victory in the event; however, a hamstring injury during the '84 Games in Los Angeles ultimately led to a five-point loss for one of the great female athletes in history..........ITEM: Former University of New Hampshire defensive back JeRome Wilkins is arrested for attacking a convenience store clerk who refused to sell the under-aged Wilkins alcohol; Wilkins was also arrested LAST year on felonious assault charges. Just wonderin': Due to his obvious inability to be a law-abiding citizen, do you think he had a poster of troubled Bengals DB Adam "Pacman" Jones on his dorm room wall when he WAS on the UNH team?..........Answer to trivia question: MAGGLIO ORDONEZ--who led the American League in doubles in 2007 with an impressive total of 54..........Did you know that the 1983 Milwaukee Brewers--who finished 5th in the AL East--were led in victories by Jim Slaton with 14? The topper? Slaton pitched all of his 46 games that year in RELIEF--finishing with a record of 14-6. Starter Moose Haas was second on the staff in victories with a total of 13..........Congrats to the great Bert Blyleven--who was FINALLY enshrined into baseball's Hall of Fame last weekend. Along with many others, I've been lobbying for this honor for MUCH too LONG; it was WAY overdue. The man is a "class act," too. After sending him a column I recently wrote about my Dad after he passed away, Blyleven immediately emailed me back with these kind words: "Bob--Again, sorry for the loss of your Dad but his life will live on forever through you, his family and friends. A very nice tribute to a great man. Stay strong." Thanks, Mr. Blyleven..........Happy birthday wishes go out to former major league pitcher Frank Cimorelli--who blows out 43 candles on August 2nd. If the name doesn't ring a bell, you're not alone. A native of Poughkeepsie, NY, Frank pitched just ONE season in the "bigs"--1994 with the Cardinals--appearing in just 11 games in relief. In 13 1/3 innings that year, Cimorelli gave up 20 hits, walked 10, and allowed 13 earned runs. Yes, folks, Frank Cimorelli--though he never won OR lost a major league game--is listed in the record books as having a career ERA of 8.78. Hey--they all can't be Bob Gibson, right? Best wishes, Frank...........Finally, condolences go out to the family of former college basketball coach Neil Dougherty--who died recently after collapsing while jogging in Indianapolis; he was 50. Dougherty coached TCU from 2002-2008--winning 75 games. Prior to that, Neil worked at Kansas under Roy Williams from 1995-2002; he also served as an assistant at Drake, Vanderbilt and South Carolina. Most recently, he promoted youth basketball while working for ihoops--a joint venture between the NCAA and NBA. Neil Dougherty leaves behind a wife and three children; rest in peace, "Coach."

"Lazzari's Sports Roundup" - - - - 7/23/11

Recently, I talked with Dave Sims--voice of the Seattle Mariners--and asked him for his thoughts about Ichiro Suzuki's "down year" so far in 2011; a .327 lifetime hitter, he was hitting just .264 going into last weekend's action. Sims simply told me, "Ichiro? Heck, he's not Superman. He's getting older like everyone does. It happens."..........TRIVIA QUESTION: The lowly 1979 Oakland A's--who finished 54-108 under manager Jim Marshall--were led in home runs by a player who hit only 63 during his entire CAREER. Can you name this individual? Answer to follow..........Still MORE evidence how much the 'bar' is being lowered regarding big league baseball pitching performances: Last weekend, Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe said that John Lackey had "pitched well again" during a 9-5 Red Sox victory over the Rays. Lackey's line that day? 5 2/3 innings pitched, 10 hits, 4 runs. Question: Just HOW low will the bar be lowered, say, ten years from now, folks--or will it already have touched GROUND by then?..........If Red Sox OF J.D. Drew had aged HALF as well as actress Diane Lane, Boston would be leading the AL East by 8 games at this juncture..........This week in sports history, July 26, 1964: Two players from the Chicago Bears--Willie Galimore and John Farrington--die tragically in a car crash not far from the team's training facility at St. Joseph's College. The accident occurred around 10:30 PM as the duo apparently tried to avoid breaking the team's curfew. Galimore had gained close to 3,000 yards rushing over seven seasons while Farrington had owned the record for catching the longest TD pass in club history (98 yards back in 1961)..........ATTENTION BOXING FANS: In the mood for an excellent, interesting, short read this summer? Check out Mark Allen Baker's Title Town USA: Boxing in Upstate New York--published in 2010. Baker skillfully writes about the geographical area near Canastota, NY--home of the International Boxing Hall of Fame--and how it has produced some of boxing's most prominent pugilists. Fighters like Carmen Basilio and Billy Backus are mentioned; it also goes into detail how some of the greatest fighters of all-time (i.e. Sugar Ray Robinson, Jack Dempsey, Henry Armstrong) were drawn to fight in that region. More information about this terrific publication can be obtained by visiting http://www.historypress.net ..........Answer to trivia question: JEFF NEWMAN---who hit 22 round-trippers in '79; his career was spent with Oakland and Boston and lasted from 1976-1984..........Former Trinity College (CT) football star Mickey Kobrosky was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame last weekend in South Bend, Indiana; Kobrosky led the Bantams to a combined 19-2 record from 1934-1936 and later played professionally with the New York Giants. Inducted this year was a VERY impressive quartet: Kobrosky, American hero Pat Tillman, former Super Bowl MVP Desmond Howard, and five-team Super Bowl champion Charles Haley. While at Trinity, Kobrosky played both offense and defense--truly one of the most versatile athletes of his day. He also played baseball, too, and once signed a MLB contract with the Cleveland Indians. Mickey died in Longmeadow, MA, back in 2003 at the age of 88. His son Neil Kobrosky--who played soccer for Trinity back in the 1970's--represented his Dad at the induction ceremonies. Yes--a well-deserved honor for a tremendous athlete of the past--and a long time coming..........Happy birthday wishes go out to former major leaguer Greg Colbrunn--who blows out 42 candles on July 26th. In a 13-year career from 1992-2004, Colbrunn surely kept his bags packed--playing for a total of SEVEN different teams over that time frame. Used mostly as a part-time first baseman and pinch-hitter, Colbrunn DID play regularly for the Florida Marlins during the '95 and '96 seasons--hitting a combined 39 home runs while collecting a total of 146 hits in each season. Greg was also a member of the world champion Arizona Diamondbacks in 2001. A native of Fontana, CA, Colbrunn ended his career with a very respectable .289 lifetime batting average. He is currently the batting coach for the Charleston RiverDogs of the Class A South Atlantic League; best wishes, Greg..........Finally, condolences go out to the family of former NBA player Armen Gilliam--who died recently while working out at a gym in Pennsylvania; he was 47. A first-round pick of the Phoenix Suns in the 1987 draft, Gilliam played for six different teams (including the New Jersey Nets) before retiring in 2000; he averaged 13.7 ppg/6.9 rpg while appearing in 929 games. Gilliam also coached and played for the Pittsburgh Xplosion in the American Basketball Association in 2005 and 2006. During his college days, Gilliam was a key member of Jerry Tarkanian's 1987 UNLV team that made it to the Final Four. Nicknamed "The Hammer," Gilliam's #35 jersey was retired by the school during a halftime ceremony at the Thomas & Mack Center back in 2007. May Armen Gilliam rest in peace.

"Lazzari's Sports Roundup" - - - - 7/16/11

Matt Hurlock recently succumbed to a year-long battle with colon/liver cancer; he was just 39. His name may not be familiar to all who read this column, but those who were fortunate to have crossed paths with the man will always treasure fond memories of a special person--and a true educator. Yes, I was one of the lucky ones.

I met Matt a few years ago; he was the head basketball (boys) and volleyball coach at Coventry High School and also taught physical education. At the time, he had just won another Class S state championship in volleyball. In addition, his basketball team was still undefeated and his wife was expecting their second child. Yes, all was well in the world of Matthew J. Hurlock. Before the start of one particular basketball game, I approached Matt, shook his hand, and introduced myself. After congratulating him on his continued volleyball success, our conversation immediately turned to basketball. I relayed to him that I had coached his star player, Jamie Kohn, at the middle school level. He then shared some thoughts with me about Jamie and his team in general. What immediately struck me about Matt Hurlock was his modest, easy-going nature. For a guy who was collecting state volleyball championships like they were stamps (he'd win a total of seven after taking over the program in 2001), I found him to be remarkably approachable, non-egotistical, and friendly. In an instant, it felt like I had known the guy for a couple of decades. I then asked him if he'd like to appear on my cable TV sports show--and if he could bring a couple of athletes from the high school with him. He smiled, his face lit up, and without hesitation said something similar to, "Absolutely--that would be SO cool." We then parted ways as I would go on to watch his basketball team keep their unblemished record intact that night. Man, I said to myself--if only ALL coaches were as easy to deal with as Matt Hurlock!

A live edition of "Monday Night Sports Talk" was produced in February of '08 as Matt brought along one of his top volleyball players, Ashley Curtis, and the aforementioned Jamie Kohn--an All-State player. He immediately thanked me for inviting him and happily chatted with my co-host, Tony DeAngelo, prior to the airing. As the show progressed, Hurlock continually lauded the personal efforts of the duo that had accompanied him to the studio that night. Even more noticeable was the fact that he constantly used the words "we" and "us" when referring to EITHER team he coached. Yeah, it soon became extremely clear to me that Matt Hurlock's philosophy of coaching could be summed up in ONE word--"selfless"--and he was able to communicate this approach very easily to his players. And it was more than just athletics to Coach H. as he was quick to point out that he was most proud of Ashley due to her being "very well-rounded." At one point, we specifically asked Matt about combining academics and sports. It was then revealed that both Ashley AND Jamie were ranked in the TOP FIVE of their graduating class academically. "I have high expectations," he said that evening, "but I want my players to reap the awards of working hard." It worked, folks.

Matt Hurlock compiled a 208-19 record as Coventry's volleyball coach; last fall, as he coached through chemotherapy, his squad became the first small school to ever be voted the #1-ranked team in Connecticut. He headed the basketball team from 1997-2009--winning four conference championships. He ran summer programs for youngsters--all aimed at developing a sense of TEAMWORK. It's really no surprise that this man won all those volleyball titles; you see, the ultimate "team game" was headed by an extremely erudite "TEAM GUY."

Finally, it was obvious that he cared so much about his family--which he was quick to point out on the night of our telecast. "Family comes FIRST," Hurlock said--and it DID. I remember the unmistakable glow on his face when he'd see his wife and children just before game time--or when he'd spend a few quality minutes prior to tip-off getting some last minute pointers from his twin brother Mike. But one can only ponder if Hurlock's "family" was an extended one--including the many young athletes he came in contact with over his brilliant coaching career; he surely treated them that way. If you knew Matt Hurlock--even casually--you FELT like family. What better legacy can a man leave?

I hadn't heard much from Matt over the past year or so; sadly, a fellow media colleague ultimately alerted me to Hurlock's battle with the aggressive disease that would soon take his life. From this day forward, I'm sure his wife Julie will be fueled by memories of special times spent with a wonderful man/husband. His children, Colby and Katelyn, will someday take comfort in knowing that their father--though taken from this world at such a young age--was a 'high-quality' human being. I'll always remain grateful that our paths crossed and that I could consider him a friend--even if only for a few years. His abbreviated time here on earth was surely QUALITY time. Most important, he made a huge impact--and isn't that the ultimate goal? Yes, though short in duration, it was a life well-lived.

Rest in peace, Matt Hurlock--you'll surely be missed.

"Lazzari's Sports Roundup" - - - - 7/9/11

Just wonderin': If tennis star Venus Williams married Tennessee surgeon Dr. William Fly--divorced--then married former NBA forward John Q. Trapp, would she then go by the full name of Venus Fly Trapp?..........TRIVIA QUESTION: The 1989 Boston Red Sox--who finished 83-79 under manager Joe Morgan--had two players who drove in 100 or more runs. Can you name them? Answer to follow..........Lately, I can't tell which is thinner--Red Sox pitcher Andrew Miller or my WALLET..........Not too long ago in this column, I extended an open invitation to the lovely Christie Brinkley to play tennis some time--and have heard NOTHING so far. What do you think, guys--she prefers golf instead?..........This week in sports history, July 12, 1967: In the longest game in All-Star history, Cincinnati's Tony Perez homers off Jim "Catfish" Hunter in the 15th inning--giving the National League a 2-1 victory over the AL. The NL took an early lead in the second inning when Richie Allen of the Phillies homered; Brooks Robinson of the Orioles later tied it with a home run in the sixth. The two teams combined for just 17 hits over 15 innings, while a dozen different pitchers recorded 30 strikeouts in a game played at Anaheim Stadium..........Did you know that the 1992 San Diego Padres had a team total of just 69 stolen bases? In contrast, Marquis Grissom of the Montreal Expos stole 78 bases HIMSELF that year--leading both leagues..........A sign that one's best days are in the past: During last Sunday's game vs. Houston, Red Sox manager Terry Francona sent Darnell McDonald to the plate to pinch hit for J.D. Drew. McDonald's batting average at the time? .125. NOT a good sign, J.D..........Looking back at his first four years (2007-2010) since signing a 7-year, $126 million contract with the Giants, Barry Zito had won a total of 40 games for the club--or an average of 10 wins per season. With an annual salary of about $18 million (with three more years to go), that comes out to about $1.8 million PER WIN, folks. My only question is this: When San Francisco GM Brian Sabean is reminded of this on a regular basis, does he reach for Tums, Pepcid AC, or plain ginger ale?..........ITEM: Former NBA player Jose Ortiz is arrested in Puerto Rico after federal agents found 218 marijuana plants at his home. An interesting stat is that the number of plants (218) surpasses the number of points (183) that Ortiz scored in his NBA career. Don't expect to find that kind of info at basketball-reference.com anytime soon..........Answer to trivia question: NICK ESASKY (108) and DWIGHT EVANS (100)..........Further proof that professional tennis is truly a game for the younger crowd: All four men's semi-finalists this year at Wimbledon (Nadal, Murray, Djokovic, and Tsonga) were 26 years old or younger. All-time legends such as Roger Federer, Serena Williams, and the aforementioned Venus Williams--ages 29, 29, and 31, respectively) all failed to make it past the quarter-finals.........If yours truly was writing about Novak Djokovic's Wimbledon victory over Rafael Nadal last weekend, the headline would read something like this: It's No 'Djoke'--Novak Beats Rafael..........Happy birthday wishes go out to former MLB catcher Robbie Wine--who blows out 49 candles on July 13th. The son of former MLB infielder Bobby Wine, Robbie played parts of just two seasons in the majors--1986 and 1987 with the Houston Astros. Perhaps the reason why he didn't stay around longer is THIS: In 41 career at-bats, Wine could muster just six hits (with no HR's or RBI's)--thus rendering him with a lifetime batting average of .146. Hey, at least he can tell his grandchildren that he was a former teammate of the great Nolan Ryan, right? Wine is currently the head baseball coach at Penn State; best wishes, Robbie..........Finally, condolences go out to the family of former boxing champion Billy Costello--who died last week of lung cancer at the age of 55. A native of Kingston, NY, Costello overcame a troubled youth (including doing jail time for robbery) to become the WBC light-welterweight champion in 1984--knocking out Bruce Curry in the tenth round. He later lost his title when he was TKO'd by Lonnie Smith in 1985. After quitting boxing for several years, Costello did make a comeback (winning nine consecutive fights) but never received another shot at a title. All told, Costello compiled a ring record of 40-2 in a career that began in 1979. In his later years, Costello did some refereeing, worked in construction, and also helped young people back in his hometown. The Billy Costello Gym now stands in Kingston--a tribute to a former champion who had truly turned his life around. Rest in peace, "Champ."