Fast Break

Baseball

Lasorda puts up Dukes as No. 1

Tommy Lasorda, for his role leading the talent-stocked 1972 Albuquerque Dukes to the Pacific Coast League title, became the first inductee of the Albuquerque Baseball Hall of Fame.

“I have great memories here,” Lasorda said. “It was the first year they were in Triple-A. We had a good team and we meant to give great results, which we did. We won everything.”

The Dukes went 92-56 that season.

“In ‘72 I enjoyed one of the finest seasons I’ve ever been part of. Great team. Great bunch of guys,” Lasorda told more than 700 baseball executives, players and fans at a luncheon Wednesday.

It was high praise, considering Lasorda also managed the 1970 Spokane Indians, who won their pennant by 26 games and are considered by some to be the top minor league team in history.

“I felt the team we had here in ‘72 was better than the one in ‘70,” Lasorda said.

Baseball

Swing for fences while you can

The average career for Major League Baseball position player is 5.6 years, according to a study to be published in the August issue of “Population Research and Policy Review.” One in five will only be in the majors for a single year.

According to a press release, researchers examined career statistics for player who started their careers between 1902 and 1993.

Using the statistics of baseball careers, the researchers used demographic life tables, which adjust for age composition and produce “exit and survival rates” to come up with their conclusions.

We always knew baseball was a stat freak’s dream.

College football

Better Badger someone else

Washington State University has sold out its ticket allotment for the 2007 football season opener, Sept. 2, at Wisconsin. The game will kickoff at 12:30 p.m. (Pacific) and will be televised by ABC.

Horse racing

Horse, 17, gets social security

If 17-year-old thoroughbred Alpena Magic has any magic left, he’ll have to share it with kids and not on the racetrack.

The horse was sold to Ellis Park track president Ron Geary on Wednesday. Geary then scratched Alpena Magic from a $4,000 condition claiming race at the Henderson, Ky., track for safety reasons.

“It’s time for a new career for Alpena Magic,” Geary said.

The horse won 16 races and more than $200,000 during his career. He will now serve as an “equine ambassador” at the track, working with children as part of the track’s Early at Ellis program.