Thursday, June 17, 1999 - Vol. 98, No. 156 CWS a unique experience for fans, players alike INSIDE: So long, and thanks for all the birdies Five of the players who helped turn NU’s golf pro OMAHA - A kid in red mesh shorts and baseball cleats opened a gate and confidently walked up to Stanford senior Josh Hochgesang behind die batting cage Sunday afternoon. The kid looked up through his oversized sunglasses and extended a ball and pen to the Cardinal leading hitter. Unshocked, Hochgesang signed the ball, and the two shared a quick smile «- before Hochgesang jumped into the cage to It hasn’t changed. Wt L1 , A block away, the Its just gotten interstate was congested J 0 with traffic hurrying to bigger. Its the catch the action at Rosenblatt Stadium dur same old situation ing this, the one week of the year in which the — With a Jew more Midwestern city trans , forms into a baseball home runs. town. Though the little Ed VESCIO league field - which Omaha native doubles as a College World Series practice field - was a good five miles away from college baseball’s center stage, a similar atmosphere still lingered. It’s an atmosphere that’s only present during the second week in June, when people from every walk of life are brought together by a game. “I can’t think of a couple adjectives in particular that could do justice to what the feeling is here in Omaha,” Stanford senior reliever Tony Cogan said. “It’s pretty much all of your dreams coming true at once. You grow up watch ing die College World Series and imagining that one day maybe you’d get the chance to play there. Then, actually coming here, it’s more than you ever imagined.” Hochgesang, swarmed by children on a field they now shared, didn’t seem to have as much difficulty finding the Please see CWS on 6 Story by David Wilson Photos by Rick Townley gram mto a nationally rec ognized force are hanging up their collegiate spikes this year. PAGE 8 Yeah,baby! “The Spy Who Shagged Me” is a worthwhile follow up to the hilarious “Austin Powers,” in many ways proving itself better than its predecessor. PAGE 4