"Lazzari's Sports Roundup" ---- 08-06-05

Recently, I came across an advertisement in Golf World magazine for the new Callaway Big Bertha Fusion FT-3 Driver. In short, the ad claims--among other things--that this club will help with/improve ball speed, distance, stability, swing flaws, slices, and hooks. As I kept skimming the ad, I fully expected this over-hyped club to be able to make rent payments for the less fortunate, fill empty gas tanks on demand, eliminate world hunger, and totally reverse the federal deficit..........TRIVIA QUESTION #1: What pitcher holds the Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals team record for most saves in a season? Answer to follow..........Still think that the N.Y. Yankees don't try to outspend the opposition in order to buy pennants? Going into this season, the Yankees’ payroll was about $205 million while the Red Sox' was approximately $121 million. Try to fathom THIS: Just the DIFFERENCE between the money spent by these two teams (about $84 million) is higher than the ENTIRE payroll of 20 individual major league clubs..........The Minnesota Vikings have decided NOT to charge admission to their practices in Mankato, Minnesota, this summer. Rumor has it that Viking officials did not want to put head coach Mike Tice in a position where he could scalp tickets again--although Tice's indiscretions/moneymaking techniques would have helped IMMENSELY when it comes down to paying QB Daunte Culpepper's exorbitant salary..........Did you know that, in 1927, pitcher Bob Smith of the Boston Braves pitched a 22-inning COMPLETE GAME--losing 4-3 to the Cubs? Smith started his career in Boston as a shortstop in 1923, but switched to pitching in 1925; he ended up winning 106 games in his career as a pitcher from 1925-1937..........I'd like to see WNBA player Nykesha Sales hook up with former big-league pitcher Robert Person. If they ever tied the knot somewhere down the road, retailers everywhere would delight in her new name of Nykesha Sales Person..........Answer to trivia question #1: JOHN WETTELAND--who saved 43 games in 1993 for manager Felipe Alou's second-place Montreal ball club..........If quarterback Kurt Warner actually ends up playing the ENTIRE season with the Arizona Cardinals in 2005, then gasoline prices across this country will fall back to $1.50 a gallon by the beginning of 2006..........I am TOTALLY convinced that women live an average of five years longer than men because more males than females have endured watching the ulcer-inducing Boston Red Sox bullpen pitch over the last few years..........TRIVIA QUESTION #2: Who was the first golfer to shoot a score lower than his age in a single PGA tournament round? Answer to follow..........If Cleveland Indians pitcher C.C. Sabathia is worth over $5 million per season at this point, then you won't find one box of breakfast cereal in the city of Battle Creek, Michigan..........This week in sports history, August 7, 1992: American Jackie Joyner-Kersee long-jumps 23 feet, 2 1/2 inches at the Summer Olympics in Barcelona--earning a bronze medal. A disappointed Joyner-Kersee, who had won a gold medal in the same event at the '88 Games in Seoul, would finish behind Germany's Heike Drechsler (gold) and the Unified Team's Inessa Kravets (silver)..........The Oakland Raiders have signed top draft pick Fabian Washington to a five-year contract worth almost $8 million. I'm picking June 1, 2007, as the over/under date for when this guy expresses displeasure with the signed pact, demands renegotiation, and threatens to walk out on his teammates if his financial "needs" are not met..........Answer to trivia question #2: SAM SNEAD who, at the age of 67, shot a 66 at the Quad Cities Open in 1979..........I still can't quite understand why the Tampa Bay Devil Rays have retired newly elected Hall of Famer Wade Boggs' #12 jersey. Though he collected his 3,000th hit while playing in Tampa, he spent only TWO years there at the very end of his distinguished career--accumulating a modest total of just over 700 at-bats as a Devil Ray. Then again, considering the losing history of that lowly franchise, they may retire the jersey of the next Devil Ray fan in attendance who makes a nice catch in foul territory at Tropicana Field..........Happy birthday wishes go out to former major league outfielder Jose Cruz, Sr.--who blows out 58 candles on August 8th. One of THREE Cruz brothers to make it to the majors, Jose played a remarkable nineteen seasons with the Cardinals, Astros, and Yankees--spending the majority of his career in Houston where he was a fan favorite (remember his leg kick while at the plate?). A two-time All-Star, Cruz batted .284 lifetime, stole over 300 bases, and collected an impressive 2,251 hits over his fine career. Here's wishing you many more celebrations, Jose..........Finally, condolences go out to the family of former NFL cornerback Ray Oldham--who died recently in Tennessee at the age of 54 while training for a bike ride. Oldham played ten seasons in the NFL with the Colts, Steelers, Giants, and Lions; he was also a member of the famed 1978 Super Bowl champion Steelers. He intercepted 14 passes during his respectable career--returning a pair for touchdowns. May he rest in peace.

Bob Lazzari

Reprinted by permission of the Valley Times.