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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (July 14, 1986)
Page 6 Daily Nebraskan Tuesday, July 14, 1986 if qiniestosiLai vents addled to games .A By Jeff Apel Sports Editor Officials representing this year's Cornhusker State Games hope a one year layoff has a positive effect on the equestrian sports. Dick Hudson, the games' equestrian coordinator, said he and a group of approximately 30 followers chose not to make equestrian events a part of last year's initial state games in hopes that details for this year's equestrian com petition could be worked out. With approximately 35 competitors already signed up to compete in the equestrian competition of this year's games, Hudson said the group's deci sion to wait is beginning to pay off. "We could have been in last year," Hudson said. "But we didn't want to have a haphazard event." Hudson said the riders in this year's competition have the opportunity to smooth out any rough areas they may have by being given practice time at the Windhoek farm. The farm, located at 114th and Van Dorn Streets, is a 10-fence course which is similar to the course which will be used in the Cornhusker State Games. Hudson said that while the practice course at the Windhoek farm is fairly small compared to most of the courses the riders will compete on, it serves its purpose since state game officials were unable to come up with a big enough arena to host a 13-fence course. This year's equestrian competition will be held in the state fairgrounds coliseum, which lies adjacent to the Bob Devaney Sports Center. The Corn husker State Games will be Friday through Sunday; the equestrian com petition will be Saturday at 6:30 p.m. Hudson said he hopes the competi tion will serve as a learning process so interested persons are able to learn more about the sport. Nationally, he said Nebraska lags far behind the East and West coast, as well as most of Europe in interest in eques trian sports. But with the type of exposure the group will be receiving when they com pete in the Cornhusker State Games, Hudson said, he is confident the sport will catch on in the midwest. Brush with greatness inspires all-star Here in the midwest it has become a tradition to spend those usually dull evenings by staying up until the wee hours of the morning and watching the "Late Night with David Letterman" show. Jeff Apel While the Letterman show is nothing but purely ridiculous, I must admit that I, too, have gotten swept up in the craze. My main reason for watching this show is the segment "brush with greatness." In these segments, members of the studio audience are selected to tell their stories about their brush with famous people. To make these stories more exciting than they really are, the selected members of the studio audience often tell a gripping conclusion which makes the entire story seem anything but believable. Anyway, I would like to tell you about my brush with greatness before the focus of this column switches to who should participate in the 1986 All Star game. My encounter with a person of fam ous caliber occurred during a recent Ml Fifty-nine year-old Elmer Epp for the upcoming Cornhusker "This is only t he beginning," he said. "We are just now starting to see increa ses in the level of interest." Dee Slagel, an international eques trian rider who will be competing in the open division of the state games, said the sport was originated by early man while he was on fox hunts. During the course of chasing foxes, Slagel said, the hunters often would encounter fences separating farm pro perty. road trip to St. Louis. Following the New York Mets three game sweep of the Cardinals, I ap proached New York outfielder George Foster in pursuit of an autograph. As I held up a baseball I had stolen from Met batting coach Bill Robinson, I asked Foster if he might sign this "real fast." He gleamed at me, and asked if I was in "a hurry." I responded with a sur prised, "well, yeah." Foster looked at me through his three-piece suit and responded, "not now," as he shrugged me away with his hand. I could go on and make up some fictitious ending to this true story like they would on "Letterman," but I think I will conclude it instead by listing a bunch of people I would like to brush into one day. These people, unlike Foster, are the individuals I think should represent both the American and National League in the 1986 All-Star game. The individuals I feel should be given the opportunity of starting in this game will be in bold. The people I have chosen as reserves for both teams will be in regular type. National League Catchers Gary Carter of the New York Mets and Tony Pena of the Pittsburg Pirates. My only problem with these two catchers is that they are the same two I chose to play in last year's all-star game. No one, however, "v ' ' ' . II" I - : -- ' -- IS- . . . i and his horse, Mr. Chip Wind, run State Games. That's when man would command his horse to jump, and thus began the equestrian sports. "It's come a long way since then," Slagel said. Slagel said each rider competing in any of the four categories offered in the state games will spend time analyzing the course before competing. This not only allows the rider to bet ter familiarize himself with the course, but it also allows the competitor a bet has risen to the point of being able to challenge either Carter or Pena. First base Glenn Davis, Houston and Bob Horner, Atlanta. While Horner has made a successful comeback from a career-threatening wrist injury, Davis continues to pound out homeruns in the spacious Astro dome. Just think what Davis would do if he played in Wrigley Field. Second base Wally Backman of the New York Mets and Steve Sax of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Back man is an overshadowed player on a loaded Mets team, while Sax is one of the most consistent offensive players in the game. Third base Chris Brown, San Francisco and Mike Schmidt, Phila delphia. The rookie-sensation Brown has surprised everyone in the baseball world by consistently hitting above the .300 clip, while Schmidt falls into the category of repeat performers who seem to make the team every year no matter what their numbers are. Shortstop Shawon Dunston of the Chicago Cubs and Ozzie Smith of the St. Louis Cardinals. Dun ston and Smith do such a superb job in the field that they can outdistance their closest competitor, Hubie Brooks of the Montreal Expos, by a wide margin. Outfielders Dale Murphy of Atlanta, Dave Parker of Cincin nati, Vince Coleman of St Louis, Darryl Strawberry of New York and Paul VonderlageDaily Nebraskan through the course at the equestrian riding school in preparation ter chance to realize what the physical capabilities of his horse are. "It's critical that an individual real izes what their horse can and can't do," Slagel said. "Communication between the two is critical." Slagel said she tries to brush aside the slight amount of risk involved in competing. During a recent competition in Ariz ona, Slagel was thrown from her horse when it hit a rut in the ground after a Barry Bonds of Pittsburg. I feel the only individual I need to justify here is Bonds, who had eliminated the gloomy shadow cast by his father, former major leaguer Bobby Bonds, to become the National League's premier center fielder. Pitchers Mike Scott of Hous ton, Todd Worrell of St. Louis, Lee Smith of Chicago, Fernando Valenzuela of Los Angeles, Floyd Youmans of Mont real, Dwight Gooden of New York, Rich Goosage of San Diego, Rick Rueschel of Pittsburg, and Scott Garrelts of San Francisco. I like to take the policy of never commenting on my pitcher selec tion. Just take a look at the statistics, I think they speak for themselves. American League Catchers Carlton Fisk, Chi cago and Lance Parrish, Detroit. Des pite the fact that both are aging, Fisk and Parrish continue to perform so well behind the plate that they are the clear-cut favorites at this position. First base Wally Joyner of the California Angels and Pete O'Brien of the Texas Rangers. The rookie sensa tion Joyner has stolen everyone's heart in California, while O'Brien has been a key reason for Texas' surge to the top. Second base Lou Whitaker, Detroit and Willie Randolph, New York. Sweet Lou Whitaker is definitely anything but sour to watch, and Ran dolph earns an all-star berth via the traditional route. Third base Wade Boggs of the jump. An Arizona doctor examined Slagel after the accident, but said the source of her pain was a bad bruise on her leg. Slagel said she spent the next three weeks competing, only to find out on her return trip to Lincoln that she actually had broken her leg. "I knew something was wrong," Sla gel said. "But I just had too much time and money invested in the competition to stop competing." picks Boston Red Sox and George Brett of the Kansas City Royals. No doubt about it, Boggs and Brett are the two premier third basemen in baseball. Shortstop Alfredo Griffin, Oakland, Tony Fernandez, Toronto and Cal Ripken, Jr., Baltimore. It's unfortunate that the American League is blessed with so many good short stops, because I still have two to three individuals in my mind who I feel are just as worthy as either of these three. Outfield Jose Canseco, Oak land, Jesse Barfield, Toronto, Phil Bradley, Seattle, Kirby Puck ett, Minnestoa, Robin Yount, Milwau kee and Pete Incaviglia, Texas. You may be asking why I ever picked both Incaviglia and Yount to be on the team. I can justify Incaviglia by saying that the former Oklahoma State slugger had made a fairly smooth transition to the majors, while Yount has made an even smoother transition to the majors, while Yount has made an even smoother transition to the outfield. Pitchers Phil Niekro of Cleveland, Donnie Moore of Califor nia, Don Aase of Baltimore, Roger Cle mens of Boston, Bob James of Chicago, Dennis Rasmussen and Dave Righetti of New York. Again, mum is the word on my pitching selections. There you have it. Of course, not everyone is going to agree with every selection I made. But remember, this is only an exhibition.