Easy Workout To Swallow
Danny Ainge, who was Charles Barkley’s teammate in Phoenix, on teammates’ attempts to whip Barkley into shape on an Eastern swing:
“Charles met with us the first day and we had a good 45-minute workout in the swimming pool.
“The next day, Charles said the water was too cold and decided not to work out. He got in the Jacuzzi, he ordered about a six-pack of beer and sat there and drank and watched us work out. He continued to do that for the rest of the road trip.
“The last game of the trip was in Orlando. Charles had a great game on national TV. In his postgame interview, he thanked (conditioning coach) Robin Pound for working him so hard and getting him in shape.
“From that time on, we called it the Charles Barkley Triathlon Workout - steam, sauna and the Jacuzzi.”
Just another 254-pitch outing
After a superhuman 17-inning, 254-pitch performance, most pitchers would be waiting for an arm transplant.
Justin Green of Cameron University was waiting tables in Lawton, Okla., the day after tying an NCAA Division II record for most innings pitched in a game.
“My arm has never hurt,” said Green. “I’ve never missed a game because of arm problems.”
That streak was certainly put to the test in the April 8 marathon against Abilene Christian.
As the game wore on, ACU’s hitters - accurately assessing the Cameron bullpen - started taunting Green by yelling, “This is all they’ve got!”
“That fired me up,” said Green, who has thrown 18 complete games in the past three seasons.
But in the top of the 17th, ACU scored the go-ahead run on a single up the middle and Green was tagged with the 10-9 loss.
His final line: 17 innings, 17 hits, 10 runs, five earned runs, four walks and 13 strikeouts.
Making the big Bills
From The Gallery column in the San Diego Union-Tribune: “So you thought buying stock in Microsoft was a good move when the company went public? Consider Ralph Wilson’s $25,000 investment in 1959.
“That’s what he paid for the Buffalo Bills. The Bills are estimated to be worth more than $500 million.”
The last word …
“For the first time in a year, a Kenyan won the annual Boston Marathon.”
- Bud Geracie in the San Jose Mercury News