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Lofton’s layoff —Was it a blessing or
a curse for the Atlanta Braves?
~ Aftersittingidle for the past six
weeks nursing an aggravating
groin injury, Braves All-Star
Kenny Lofton is back in his famil
iar role at Turner Field. With
Lofton’selectrifying return to the
starting lineup earlier this week
versus the Chicago Cubs (Lofton
belted a triple and a single while
scoring two runs in a 6 - 0 Braves
victory), the rumor mill at “The
Ted” is now buzzing with sugges
tions as to what Braves general
manager John Schuerholz should
do to free up additional playing
time for budding superstar An
drew Jones. .
Braves fans who thought that
Lofton was somehow nursing his
injured groin alittle toolong (Kenny
missed the last 34 of Atlanta’s 35
games before making his return),
were quietly hoping that the Na
tional League’s premier
centerfielder would sit out a few
more games to allow Jones more
timc to gain invaluable experience
and playing time. Actually, the
bleacher bums were hoping Jones
would play his way into the start
ing role good, thereby rendering
Lofton, whoisinthelast year of his
contract, somewhat expendable.
Needless to say most of these pun
dits are avid Greg Maddux fans,
who want “Mr. Cy Young,” also in
P.L.A.Y. Golf Grant funds clinics to reach under-served kids
£ WASHINGTON, D.C.
. While Tiger Woods captivates
kids of every age, gender and
race on the greens of the U.S.
Open, Nike announces its new
commitment to help diversify
golf. Over the next five years,
Nike P.L.A.Y. (Participatein the
Lives of America’s Youth) will
donate $2.3 million to support
the Tiger Woods and National
Minority Golf Foundation’s
-youth programs. “Minority
-youth programs are changing
< ‘the face of golf,” said DeMonty
“Price, manager of Nike’s
9
PVA’'s Bass
Tournament
set for late
October 97
WASHINGTON, D.C.
The third annual Southeastern
Bass Tournament, the fourth stop
on the 1997-1998 PVA National
Bass Trail, is set for October 24 -
26, 1997, on Clarks Hill Lake,
Augusta, Ga., said Kenneth C.
Huber, national president of the
Paralyzed Veterans of America
(PVA).
PVA’sSoutheastern chapter will
host this tournament and is ac
tively recruiting anglers with dis
abilities and able-bodied boat cap
tains from Georgia and the sur
rounding states, including South
Carolina, North Carolina, Florida,
Alabama and Tennessee, to fish
in the tournament, Huber added.
Dozens of cash awards and prizes
will be awarded to participants
and volunteer boat captains in
various categories.
The able-bodied boat captains
will be randomly paired with an
glers with disabilities during the
welcoming reception on Friday
night, October 24. They will fish
as a team on ‘Saturday, October
25, for the SI,OOO first-place prize,
and the anglers with disabilities
will compete on Sunday, October
26, for a new Hydra-Sports bass
boat. The Team and Open Divi
sion award cash, prizes and/or
awards to those who place in the
top ten. The entry fee, $125, for
anglers with disabilities and S3O
for boat captains, includes entry
into the Team and Open Divi
sions, breakfast and lunch on Sat
urday and Sunday, and tickets to
the welcoming reception on Octo
ber 24. To inquire about register
ing as an angler or boat captain,
call (706) 796-6301.
with Tony (!
the final year ofhis contract, shown
thebigbucks ASAPby Bravesown
ership. Astrangeandratherunique
way of thinking to be sure, but fans
will be fans especially in Atlanta.
The bleacher backlash isn’t so
much because of a dislike or lack
of respect for Lofton, but because
of the “greater” respect Maddux
has established as the top ace on
the best pitching staff in the big
leagues.
All knowing fans at “The Ted”
are only saying aloud what many
members of the print and elec
tronic media are asking quietly.
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Sports
Are the Braves willing, or able, to
meet the contract demands of both
Lofton and Maddux? The num
bers for both deals will be astro
nomical to be sure. If Andrew
Jones were able to somehow play
his way into the starting lineup, a
major off-season financial head
ache could be averted. But that’s
a huge “if.”
No doubt Lofton has heard the
whispers and murmurs during his
time on the bench. Any lesser su
perstar (see Albert Belle), might
lash out in the media, or find a way
to cause confusion and dissension
in the clubhouse out of pure frus
tration, and even perhaps bore
dom. To his credit, Lofton has not
found a need, or a reason, to start
any fires within the defending
National Leagur Champions.seems
quite happy to once again let his
talents, bothin the field, and at the
plate, answer all questions. Lofton
is still arguably the best
centerfielder in the majors.
Seattle’s Ken Griffey Jr. hits the
ball a mile, and covers a lot of
territory in the field, but no can
cause as much havoc on the
basepads as Lofton. The confusion
he creates as a feared leadoff hitter
is unmatched. Opposing pitchers
often find themselves concentrat
ing so much on Lofton’s ability to
P.L.AY. “How many more Afri
can American, Hispanic, Asian,
disadvantaged youth and
women golfers will we see in the
years to come? It is up to us—
adults, businesses, communi
ties, everyone—to bring oppor
tunity and inspiration to our
young people. Sports is a very
pewerful medium through which
to accomplish that.”
Nike’s five-year, $2.3 million
P.L.A.Y. supports the cost and
resource needs of Tiger’s six an
nual golf clinics, with a five
year total of $375,000. Last, rec
steal bases, they lose focus on the
batter at the plate. That distrac
tion (simply referred to as the
“Lofton Factor”), often results in
highfast-balls waiting tobe parked
inthecheapseatsor pitchesclearly
outside the strike zone.
Braves skipper Bobby Coxknows
these different scenarios don’t de
velop for the middle of his battery
(Chipper, Klesko, McGriff) with
young Andrew in the leadoff
positionnot...yet, anyway. Lofton’s
experience and savvy, along with
his skills, make him a very valu
able commodity in the Atlanta ar
senal. For those still not convinced
the Braves need Lofton in the
lineup, let’s check an all-important
stat. At the point of Lofton’s latest
return from injury, Atlanta had
posted a 21 - 13 (.618 wining per
centage) without Lofton. With KL
thisseason, Atlanta posted arecord
of 45 - 25 (.645 winning percent
age). Lofton clearly sets the tone
every day that he is in the Braves
lineup. That tone, set clearly on
winning, may lead the Braves to
ward another World Series ring
when October rolls around.
Tony Cornish Jr. is a freelance
sports columnist and host of
Sports Talk Live with Tony C!
aired weeknights at 10 p.m., ex
clusively on WBEK-TV.
ognizing the value of continu
ous community-level efforts,
P.LAY. will give $600,000 to
aid the National Minority Golf
Foundation’s grass-roots golf
programs. :
The Tiger Woods Founda
tion and Nike recently hosted
fourotherclinicsin New York |
City, Chicago, Memphis and |
Miami. Earlier this year, doz- ‘
ens of kids had the opportu- |
nity to receive golf tips from
Tiger in clinics held in Or
lando and Dallas.
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. eeknights at 7:00 PM
Augusta’s World Champion
agrees with the doctors
Tee Meyers is a man on a mis
sion. That mission is to motivate
people of all ages to begin experi
encing the joys and benefits of an
exercise program. Tee is the
owner of Python Nutrition and
Gym in Augusta. He is also the
recipient of five National
Powerlifting Championships, five
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Exercise for better health!
World Deadlifting Champion
ships and three World
Powerlifting Championships that
attest to his commitment to exer
cise.
Although Tee’s championships
have been won in the world of
powerlifting, he encourages
people of all ages to use the form
of exercise that allows them to
enjoy what they're doing and get
the results they want.
“Twoofournation’s leading kill
ers are high blood pressure and
Enhance your office waitin
room; buy a subscription to
Augusta Focus for only $24.95
per year. Call 724-7855 to
arrange your purchase.
AUGUSTA FOCUS JULY 31,1997
heart attack,” Tee said. “A lot of
this is brought on by obesity, bad
diet, and lack of exercise. If we
can show the public that good
healthis achieved through proper
diet and exercise instead of medi
cation, we can save numerous
lives, save millions of dollars on
prescription drugs and generally
improve people’s quality of life.”
That’s good news for people who
may be wondering if their own
medicine supply will eventually
rival the local pharmacy’s.
But Tee also recommends exer
cise for people with needs that
are not related to medication use.
Many singers and musicians are
discovering that regular exercise
improves their performance.
Regarding musicians, espe
cially those who play wind instru
ments, exercise is very beneficial.
Exercise also proves particularly
beneficial for marching band
members who are required to
carry their instruments while
marching or dancing in addition
to playing their instruments!
Tee believes that we can benefit
from regular exercise whether
we’re young, middle-aged or senior
citizens. In fact, one of his greatest
passions is to motivate Americans
to begin exercising while they’re
children since “much obesity be
gins in childhood” when habits re
garding health are formed.
In order to help him fulfill his
mission, Tee has set his sights on
hosting a televised exercise pro
gramin the near future sothat he
can take his message to the
masses and motivate more people
to exercise so they can begin to
“enjoy life to its fullest!!”
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