Indianapolis Recorder, Indianapolis, Marion County, 6 December 2002 — Page 18
mm
ft I,#; 5
Cecil Cooper named Indians manager 17-year major leaguer will guide TVibe Cecil Cooper will manage the Indianapolis Indians during the 2003 season, Indians General Manager Cal Burleson has announced. Cooper, the 56th skipper of the Tribe since1902, will be making his managerial debutafter serving the Milwaukee Brewers in various capacities since 1997“Managing in Indianapolis is something I’m really looking forward to,” Cooper said. “I’m excited to be the manager of an affiliate for the team I’ve spent many years with. I’m looking forward to working with the special people in Indy who I’ve grown to know over the last couple of years.” Cooper, 52, played 17 seasons in the major leagues earning five All-Star appearances. The left-handed hitting first baseman played thefinal 11 seasons of his career with the Brewers after six campaigns with Boston. Cooper led the American League in doubles twice and RBI twice. He finished second in the AL in batting in 1980 with a .352 mark. Cooper won two Gold Glove awards and was Milwaukee’s MVP three times. He retired after the 1987 season with a .298 career average, 241 home runs and 1,125 RBI. He holds the Brewers’ franchise records for hits in a season (219 in1980) and RBI in a season (126 in 1983). Upon retiring as a player, Cooper served as a player agent until the Brewers named him director of player development in October of 1996. Following three seasons in that role, Cooper was named special assistant to the general manager in 2000. He retained that role until this April when he returned to the dugout as bench coach for the Brewers. Burleson said, “The one constant in the Brewers organization since we first sat down and , talked with the Milwaukee people during the fall of 1999 has been Cecil Cooper. He was a part of that initial meeting, and he helped lay the groundwork for the cooperation that has existed between the Brewers and I ndianapolis since then. “Part of the understanding that we reached was that Indianapolis must have a competitive team, and the efforts of the Milwaukee organization bore fruit immediately as we won the Triple-A World Series the following season. The last two years weren’t as successful as we thought they would be, but with Cecil at the helm we feel that the Brewers are renewing their commitment to provide us with awinningteam. “Cecil Cooper is a tremendous baseball man, and one of the most likeable people I have ever met, in or out of baseball,” Burleson said. “His Major League experience has been as outstanding as it has been ex-
8m COOPER, Page B5
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL
Slow start, fast finish bring Ben Davis another title
U" *'
By STEVE HERMAN AP Sports Writer Never, never write offthe Ben Davis football team. Three losses in the regular season? That just toughened the Giantsforthe playoffs, and once again they proved why they’re the most successful team in the 30-year history of the Indiana high school football tourna-
ment.
“It’s funny,” coach Dick Dullaghansaid of the way things sometimes seem to work out despite adversity. The Lord was with us all year. He kept us together. We came together and said, We haven’t been playing Ben Davis football. We need to play the way God wanted us to
play,’ and we did.”
Saturday night, the Giants collarbone, rushed for 161 yards needed no divine intervention, and two touchdowns to lead the however. Jon Polston, Jermell Ben Davis rout.
Whorton, Zach Rainey and the rest of their teammates were
enough to roll over previously and forth with the defense and records with 10 receptions for under coach Matt Lindsay. Snider finished the regular unbeaten Fort Wayne Snider 31- then the offense, but tonight 175 yards. The 5A championship was a season ranked No. 3 behind 7 for their second straight Class everybody was on,” Whorton “Everybody seemed to be record eighth overall for Penn and Warren Central-two 5A championship, their third said. “Our linemen held their clicking,” said Polston, who be- Dullaghan,whoalsowononeat ofthe teams that beat Ben Davis title in four years and the blocks. I just tried to keep my came the starting quarterback Carmel. - but managed only 18 yards ofschool’s seventh championship feet moving. this year in place of graduated “I’m so proud of the way our fense in the first quarter and overall, a state record. “I ducked my head and tried Mr. Football James Banks. We offensive line stepped up, the Whorton, who missed the to get whatever I could get,” he played well-not perfect, but we way Jon Polston executed, the See BEN DAVIS, Page B5
«
got thejob done. When you have way our wide receivers caught a back like Jermell, and with the everything he threw and the way receivers we have, we’re adouble we ran the ball,” Dullaghan said, threat. “I’m tickled to death for the kids. We always knew we could “Lately, we’ve been about 40 come back, but I was kind of percent with the pass and 60 nervous,” he said of the Giants’ percent with the run. Tonight, early losses. “We understood we made plays with the pass, what we needed to do, and we That’s why we were very hard to
did it.” stop.”
In other games on Saturday, Ben Davis (12-3) overRoncalli scored twice in the fi- whelmed the previously unnal six minutes to beat Fort beaten Panthers (13-1), who Wayne Dwenger 24-21 in Class reachedthechampionshipgame 4A, and Chatard completed an for the first time since they beat unbeaten season with a 31-12 the Giants for their only state
victory over Gary Andrean to title in 1992.
repeat as the 3A champion. The We never got into a rhythm sweep for the Indianapolis on offense or defense,” Snider
Ben Davis wide receiver Bruce Williams. first five games with a broken said.
coach Russ Isaacs said. “You cannot give them the ball that much. Their quarterback had a
schools also marked the sixth titles for both Roncalli and
Chatard.
On Nov. 29, Southwood beat career night. He was on fire, and
Brian Faires also scored twice, South Putnam 17*14 in Class A their tailback ran well, once on a pass from Polston in for its first championship in any “They hammered us and did the second quarter and on a 16- sport, and Fort Wayne Luers a great job, but we didn’t quit,”
We just came out and stuck yard run in die third period, and * beat Southridge 36-30 in Class Isaacs said. We just didn’t have together. We’ve been going back Rainey set 5A championship 2A for its sixth title and fifth any answers."
Thomas named NBA coach of the month
Indiana Pacers coach Isiah Thomas was named this week the NBA’s Eastern Conference coach of the month for November. Thomas led the Pacers to a 13- 2 record through November, including a win over Dallas that ended the Mavericks’ 14- game win streak to open the season. These guys have done it,” said Thomas, whose team is one win away from matching the best 17-game start in franchise history. They’ve really done everything we’ve asked them to do, both on and offthe court.” The Pacers won a team record nine straight games during November. “It was a great month,” Thomas said. “It’s one of the better months I’ve had in basketball. I don’t know if I’ve ever been on a team that’s had this type of month. I hope w? can have another month like this.”
First Black female official having a successful season
BlackAthlete Wire Service GREENSBORO, N.C. - Annice Canady made history
this football season when she became the first female to officiate a Division I college football game. This Satur- _
day will be her Annies Canady
final game of
the season, when she takes the field at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Florida, for the MEAC Championship match-up between Bethune Cookman College and Florida A&M Univer-
sity.
Canady is a line judge and according to supervisor of officials, Johnny Grier, she has had
M..
son, because she is ready for everyone to stop calling her a
rookie,” stated Grier.
IndudingthegameSaturday, Canady will have officiated eight games this season and when asked about her experience, she has enjoyed eveiy minute of it. This has been a great experience and I have learned a lot. Last year I did Division III football and this year was a huge
difference,” she said.
The games she has worked this season are: Morris Brown/ Delaware State, South Carolina State/Benedict, Morgan State/ Monmouth, Hampton/Bowie State, Morgan State/Morris Brown, Bethune Cookman/ Norfolk State, and Howard/
South Carolina State.
MEAC Commissioner Dennis Thomas said, “I am not sur-
a successful first year. “She has prisedbyhergoodperformance. progressed very well for a first Ms Canady earned her way and year Division I official. She has was qualified to be a Division I also done well with the coaches football official and I know she and players and I know Annice will continue to strive to be the
is looking forward to next sea- best.”
Who’s the best? Kobe vs. T-Mac
By CHRIS CRAFT Blackathlete.com % ATLANTA - OK it’s about that time for some comparisons. Sports fans love to make comparisons and match up teams and players often from different eras and often their comparisons aren’t feasible. Well we have two incredible players presently in the NBA that have sports fans and industry alike throwing out the “who’s better” argument. These two players are Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers and Tracy “I’ve surpassed my cousin Vince” McGrady. With Sllaq being out at the beginning of this season, we’ve had a chance to see what Kobe can do. Even though it’s not enough to have the Lakers at a winning record right now, the kid almost averaged a triple double for a week earlier this
Now re-joining T-Mac in Orlando is Grant Hill, but T-Mac is still putting up league leading
the foul line (he’s second to Stackhouse in the league to getting to the charity stripe).
T-Mac is a much more efficient scorer than Kobe. I can’t understand some of the shots that Kobe chooses to take; it’s as if Kobe tries too hard to make
ESPN’s Sportscenter highlight
reel every night. As far as field
goal efficiency, T-Mac is almost 50 percent from field compared
to Kobe’s 43.6 percent and he also beats Kobe in 3-point per-
centage at 38.6 percent to Kobe’s
Kobe Bryant scoring numbers this year. We know both of these guys can put the ball in the hole, but let’s look at how and their scoring efficiencies. T-Mac just makes things look easy, while Kobe will turn in more “circus looking” shots. McGrady is a much longer player and has a much more smooth form of play, while Kobe is more compact and plays more strong than smooth. Both Kobe and McGradyare variety scorers, but McGrady is more prone to get to
3U percent, xracys snots just Tracy McGrady look more “for sure” and fluid than Kobe’s often rushed and while they’re about even in overpowering delivery. blocks. Kobe just plays harder What about the other stuff than T-Mac and is scrappier, like defense, assists, and re- which could be the reason that bounds? I can’t really look at Kobe averages exactly one more Kobe’s current ’02-’03 season personal foul per game than statistics as a legit representa- Tracy. Over their careers, things tkm of what kind of averages basically even out with T-Mac he’ll have, because of the cur- averaging more rebounds and rent absence of Shaq; but Kobe blocks than Kobe, which makes is currently racking up better this “who’s better” argument a numbers in the “other stuff.” very tough call He’s edging out T-Mac in re- Now let’s look at durability, bound, assist, and steal averages McGrady has had severe back
problems in the past, which he seems to have been relieved of. The only time I can think of Kobe being out of play is when he got food poisoning in last year’s Western Conference Finals and maybe an ankle twinge every once in a while. As far as durability, I’ll give the edge to Kobe. Kobe’s motor never quits running, which also goes along with the crazy amount of heart he possesses. Kobe definitely gets the edge with the amount of fire he plays with. I mean come on, T-Mac is explosive but his “Droopy the Dog” eyes makes him look passive at times — a mere aesthetic point Now this column is only pointing at the athletic ability and play level of these two players. If we look at wins and losses, T-Mac will probably never have the number of championship rings that Kobe has on his fingers; but T-Mac isn’t playing with the most dominant player