ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, September 17, 1996 TAG: 9609170097
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-2 EDITION: METRO
TYPE: IN THE REGION
SOURCE: FROM STAFF REPORTS
Salem Avalanche first-year general manager Dave Oster has been selected the Carolina League's Executive of the Year in a vote of league managers, general managers, owners and the league president.
The Avalanche set a franchise attendance record of 173,073 despite an overall record of 62-76, second-worst in the eight-team league. Salem and Kinston were the only teams to see an attendance increase this season.
One of Oster's best promotional ideas was a hot tub down the rightfield line. The hot tub was popular with fans and generated national publicity, as CBS and ABC sent camera crews to Salem to do stories on the hot tub. ABC's ``Good Morning America'' conducted a live interview with Oster and Avalanche catcher Blake Barthol back in June.
Oster, a native of Mantua, Ohio, and a graduate of Ohio Northern University, spent three years as assistant general manager of the Wilmington Blue Rocks and was the general manager of the New York-Penn League's Geneva (N.Y.) Cubs for two years.
In other sports news in the region:
* Tom Hickman, a former Ferrum athletic director who has served as Winthrop University's interim athletic director since July, has been appointed to an extended term as the school's AD through 1997-98.
* A rematch of two Group AA finalists kicks off the Blue Ridge District girls' basketball race when William Byrd visits Lord Botetourt at 7:30 p.m. tonight. Both teams are off to a fast start. Lord Botetourt, which won the title, is 7-0 while Byrd is 6-1.
* The United States will play its home World Cup qualifying game against Trinidad and Tobago in Richmond rather than Foxboro, Mass.
The game will be played at University of Richmond Stadium at 1p.m. EST on Sunday, Nov.10, U.S. Soccer Federation spokesman Tom Lang said Monday. Originally, the game had been scheduled for Foxboro, but the USSF decided to use a smaller stadium. The one in Richmond seats about 22,000, about 38,000 less than Foxboro.
* The team of Kathy Hull, Susan Morris, Joan Jaeger and Helen Andrews combined to capture the first division title in the State Cancer tournament in Hot Springs.
The foursome combined to shoot 16-under 56 in the final round and finished at 20-under for 36 holes at The Homestead course. The victory qualified the victors for the National Cancer Society event to be held in October in Palm Beach, Fla.
The area squad of Trish Golding, Linda King, Cindy Salyer and Pat Tickle finished third in the state tournament.
LENGTH: Medium: 53 linesby CNB