Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, May 31, 1995 TAG: 9505310106
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JACK BOGACZYK
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The top Roanoke-area pick in baseball's amateur draft, starting Thursday, figures to establish a school record. Ryan Glynn, VMI's junior right-hander, is projected as a mid-to-late third rounder in the draft. Former catcher Andy Beasley, now out of baseball, was the Keydets' highest draft pick, a fourth-rounder in 1990.
Glynn has impressed scouts with his pitching velocity. The 6-foot-3 Portsmouth native has been clocked throwing in the 90s into the late innings for the Keydets, for whom he has only an 8-11 career record. However, the All-Southern Conference pitcher had 86 strikeouts in 87 innings this season to go with five complete games in 12 starts.
The state's first choice likely will be James Madison left-hander Brian McNichol, projected to go in the second round.
SMOKED: The NCAA comes into Municipal Field for its Division III baseball tournament and has the beer advertising on the walls covered and gets the Marlboro Man sign in left-centerfield taken down. No beer or tobacco sponsors are allowed at NCAA events. That's fine.
The NCAA also has a rule prohibiting use of tobacco products on the field by its athletes and coaches. Then why was a member of the Division III baseball committee - a coach - smoking a cigarette near the rightfield bullpen benches during Monday's play?
Sort of hypocritical.
GOOD MOVE: The local organizers for the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl at Salem Stadium now have a voice on the NCAA committee. Salem native and VMI alumnus Joe Bush, the Hampden-Sydney athletic director and coach, has been named to the NCAA Division III football committee. That's the group that picks the 16-team playoff field and oversees the Stagg Bowl. It's also worthy recognition for Bush, whose presence at the first two Stagg Bowls in Salem has boosted the Old Dominion Athletic Conference's ties to the game.
GREAT STUFF: Virginia's basketball opponent in the Great Eight at the Palace of Auburn Hills next November is yet to be determined. The Cavaliers' scheduled game at Connecticut won't be moved and played as part of the two-night event. Among this year's NCAA regional finalists, UConn and Arkansas have told organizers they won't play, and NCAA champion UCLA is likely a non-participant, too.
RADFORD RISE: Now we know why Radford basketball coach Ron Bradley got his doctorate. He'll need that degree against the Highlanders' schedule next season, the toughest in school history. The non-conference opponents include Florida State and South Carolina on the road, Duquesne, Middle Tennessee State and two dates with East Tennessee State.
Also, Radford's conference schedule may be growing as soon as next year. While Towson State is leaving the Big South, Maryland-Baltimore County has reaffirmed its ties, and Morehead State, Wofford and Hampton - which will become the state's 12th Division I hoops program this season - are candidates to join.
KICKING: One year after staging soccer's World Cup, the United States has dropped from 22nd to 27th in FIFA's world rankings. Brazil, Italy, Spain, Norway and Germany are the top five.
However, the Soccer Industry Council of America reports 18.23 million people played soccer at least once in the U.S. in 1994, and with those age 18 and under, the sport ranks third in participants behind basketball and volleyball. Soccer is second to hoops for those 12 and under.
BIG BUCKS: A University of Dayton business professor has devised a statistical program that estimates baseball payrolls in current dollars. According to Lawrence Hadley's formula, In 1938 Lou Gehrig would have earned a base salary of $12,710,822 in 1994 dollars.
Cal Ripken, at $6 million this year, isn't even in the same ballpark.
by CNB