ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, March 13, 1997 TAG: 9703130073
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-6 EDITION: METRO
TYPE: NEWS OBIT
Giants' Snow suffers injury to eye socket
FROM ASSOCIATED PRESS REPORTS
J.T. Snow's lower left eye socket was fractured when he was struck in the face by a pitch from Seattle's Randy Johnson.
Snow, hospitalized after sustaining the frightening injury in a Cactus League game Tuesday in Scottsdale, Ariz., was released Wednesday. However, his vision remains blurred due to severe swelling around the eye and doctors may not be able to determine the full extent of the injury until the inflamed area subsides in the next seven to 10 days.
There was no word on when Snow could return, and Giants general manager Brian Sabean said he doubted Snow would be ready for San Francisco's opener against Pittsburgh on Apr.1. Surgery has not been ruled out.
Johnson, whose fastball has been clocked at 98 mph during his career, was making his second start of the spring.
Snow, acquired in an offseason trade with the Anaheim Angels, was playing in just his fifth game of the spring. He missed eight games with an intestinal disorder.
Surgery for Pendleton: Terry Pendleton had knee surgery, a double setback for the third baseman: He won't be on the Cincinnati Reds' opening-day roster and he won't be going anywhere else. He will be out for three to six weeks and is expected to start the season on the disabled list.
Indians re-sign Alomar: The Cleveland Indians signed catcher Sandy Alomar to a two-year contract extension. Terms of the new deal, which includes a club option for 2000, weren't immediately available.
Pirates' Schmidt cleared: When Jason Schmidt's heart skipped a few beats last week, so did Gene Lamont's.
Schmidt, a right-hander around whom the Pirates are hoping to build a young pitching staff, was sent back to Pittsburgh last Sunday after an examination revealed he had an irregular heartbeat. He underwent tests Monday and Tuesday and was cleared to resume normal activities.
FOOTBALL
Carolina president retires
Mike McCormack officially retired as president of the Carolina Panthers.
McCormack was hired by owner Jerry Richardson eight years ago to help bring an NFL franchise to the Carolinas. Richardson said there are no immediate plans to fill the position.
The Charlotte Observer and The (Columbia, S.C.) State reported that the most likely successor to McCormack is the franchise owner's son and director of business operations, Mark Richardson.
In other Panthers' news, wide receiver Willie Green is on the verge of signing a four-year contract with the Denver Broncos, the Denver Post reported. Green's signing could mean Anthony Miller's days could be numbered with the Broncos.
ETC.
Buser wins Iditarod
Martin Buser has won his third Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. Buser finished the 1,100-mile race in nine days, eight hours, 31 minutes - slower than the nine-day, two-hour record set by 1995 champion Doug Swingley of Lincoln, Mont., who finished second this time.
Buser won $50,000 and a $38,000 truck.
Sampras bounced: Pete Sampras, who had looked virtually unbeatable in winning his first three tournaments of 1997, made a hasty exit from the Newsweek Champions Cup in Indian Wells, Calif., losing his opening match to unheralded Bohdan Ulihrach.
Sampras, uncharacteristically on the defensive, struggled in every phase of his game, with Ulihrach taking advantage for a 7-6 (7-5), 7-5 upset over the world's top-ranked player.
IMSA to change name: The International Motor Sports Association Inc. will change its name to Professional SportsCar Racing Inc. to focus on its duties as a sanctioning body of sports-car racing. The organization, which sanctions five different series of racing, will use SportsCar as its brand name, rather than an acronym like IMSA or NASCAR.
Oldest female bowler dies: A woman who reputedly was the oldest active female bowler in the United States has died. She was 106.
Maude Mildred McIntyre, who died last Thursday, was sanctioned the oldest active female bowler by the Women's International Bowling Congress in 1993 when she turned 103.
LENGTH: Medium: 83 linesby CNB