ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, January 13, 1997 TAG: 9701140030
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B3 EDITION: METRO
TYPE: NEWS OBIT
SOURCE: FROM ASSOCIATED PRESS REPORTS
Figure skater Oksana Baiul was hospitalized Sunday with a concussion and needed 12 stitches from injuries sustained in an early-morning car crash in Bloomfield, Conn.
Baiul, 19, sustained a cut to her scalp and was held overnight at St.Francis Hospital and Medical Center.
Another person in the car, Ararat Zakarian, 30, of New York City, was treated for a broken finger and released from the hospital.
Police responded to a complaint about screeching tires at 2 a.m. The car had gone off the road. Police are investigating.
In other sports news:
* Virginia running back Tiki Barber was among the NCAA's Top Eight award winners at an awards dinner at the NCAA Convention.
The Top Eight awards are given to athletes who excel in sports, academics and leadership.
Also honored were soccer player Mike Fisher (Virginia), quarterback Danny Wuerffel (Florida), diver Adam Burgasser (Cal-San Diego), basketball player Jennifer Clarkson (Abilene Christian), swimmer Berit Puggard (SMU), soccer player Jennifer Renola (Notre Dame) and swimmer Annette Salmeen (UCLA).
* Jerry Neudecker - the last major league umpire to wear a balloon chest protector - died of cancer at age 66 in Fort Walton Beach, Fla.
Neudecker was an American League umpire from 1965 to 1986. His balloon protector - grandfathered in after the AL began requiring the type of inside equipment long used in the National League - was elected to the Hall of Fame after his retirement.
Foremost among the highlights of Neudecker's career was working home plate when Oakland's Catfish Hunter pitched a perfect game in 1968. Neudecker also called balls and strikes in Game 7 of the 1979 World Series at Baltimore.
* Sweden's Jonas Bjorkman defeated Denmark's Kenneth Carlsen 7-6 (7-0), 6-0 to capture the New Zealand Open tennis tournament in Auckland.
LENGTH: Short : 44 linesby CNB