THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, August 11, 1996 TAG: 9608110240
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY RICH RADFORD, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: 46 lines
Satchel Paige used to say ``Age is a state of mind over matter. As long as you don't mind, it don't matter.''
Witness Norfolk Tides centerfielder Gary Thurman.
The 31-year-old stole his team-high 20th base of the season Friday night and says his legs feel as young as ever. The Tides will give away posters of Thurman to the first 5,000 through the gates tonight at Harbor Park.
``My goal is to get at least 20 a year,'' Thurman said. ``It's part of my game. People consider me a base stealer. And at my age, I've got to let people know I can still do some things.''
Thurman's stolen base Friday gave him 299 for his minor league career, making him the active leader in minor league steals. He's been just as successful during his stints in the major leagues.
While playing parts or all of the last eight years in the major leagues, Thurman stole 65 bases, including 16 bases without being caught in 1989 while with Kansas City, at the time an American League record. Paul Molitor broke the mark with 20 without being caught in 1994 while with Toronto.
Thurman need not worry about breaking the all-time minor league record. It's held by George Hogreiver, who played in the late 1800s and early 1900s and briefly made it to the major leagues with Cincinnati in 1895 and with Milwaukee in 1901. Hogreive had 948 career stolen bases in the minors.
While Thurman's legs feel young, his left wrist doesn't.
It's given him fits the last month. X-rays revealed nothing wrong and Thurman took a cortisone shot for the pain last week.
CASTILLO UPDATE: After being hit in the head by the bat of Rochester's Joe Hall Friday night, Tides catcher Alberto Castillo was sporting an inch-long gash that would have taken three stitches had it been anywhere else on his body.
Since the cut is between his left ear and temple, a part of the skin that is rarely stretched, he is sporting butterfly tape to keep it closed.
Castillo said it was the first time in his career he'd been hit by a batter's follow through and he had some select words for Hall, once he regained his senses and was back on his feet.
Castillo said he was thankful Hall wasn't using a bat with a hollowed barrel end.
``If so, he could have killed me,'' Castillo said. ``As it was I thought I might be looking for my head to put back on my shoulders.''
Castillo was a late scratch from the Tides' lineup Saturday, still battling a headache. by CNB