European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - August 19, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse Wednesday August 19,1987 the stars and stripes Page 23 suns Vanos Dies in Detroit crash Phoenix Ariz. A Phoenix suns fans flooded the switchboard of the Aba team monday when they Learned that Cen Ter Nick Vanos a crowd favorite was among 153 people killed in the crash of Northwest airlines flight 255.the fans arc just calling to find out what happened said Public relations director Kheni Are stunned shocked and deeply saddened at the loss of Nick Vanos suns general manager Jerry Colangelo said in a statement it s just a terrible Shock when ayoung Man loses his life at such an Early recently appeared to be coming into his own. And to have his life taken away at this time is a tragedy to his family friends and to our Mcdonnell Douglas md-80, in which Vanos was Riding crashed and burned sunday evening after taking off from Detroit metropolitan Airport on a flight for Phoenix. Authorities said every one aboard died on Impact or of injuries suffered in the Blaze that athlete s father Peter Vanos of san Mateo calif., said his son had spent fou Days in Plymouth mich., vacationing with a said he had t talked to his son since Nick left the suns team last tuesday when the squad completed play in the Southern California summer league which some Western Aba squads use to season Rook ies free agents and some younger , 24, appeared to be a Likely starter for the suns this season after averaging 7.8 Points and 8.2 rebounds in the team s final 10 tames last year. The suns had traded William Bedford before this year s Aba College draft in part because of Vanos late season development their other Center James Edwards faces trial this fall on cocaine conspiracy charges so you would have to project him Vanos As your starting Cen Ter White addition to Vanos centers at the suns summer Camp included Leon Bass a 6-foot-10, 227-Pounder from from East Carolina and Ozeau Jones a 6-11, 235 Pounder who left Cal state Fullerton in 1984.white said that there had been no Deci Sion before the crash on who to invite to fall tryout Camp adding that Nick was going to have to compete for a Job like anyone said the suns staff is mourning the death of a member of the was the suns second round draft pick in 1985, after his College career at Santa Clara and was the first 7-footer Ever drafted by toe Phoenix franchise. He saw limited action during his Rookie season after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his right knee which forced him to sit out f1h photo suns Nick Vanos. Visiting a Friend 70 games. He was used sparingly last sea son until injuries to Edwards and Bedford forced him into a starting his two year career with the suns Vanos averaged 3.3 Points and 3.5 rebounds in 68 games with a career High of 14 Points against the Sacramento Kings last april 14 and a career High 13 rebound against the Portland Trail blazers earlier that 7-2, 260-Pound Vanos became a crowd favorite and had a fan club established in his is survived by his parents and three younger siblings Ortiz 14 picks after Robinson puerto Rico has Aba first Rounder Jimo Connell a basketball writer Indianapolis David Robinson in t the Only Aba first round draft pick playing in the pan american games. The player who will go head to head with last season s collegiate player of the year in one of thursday s semifinals was chosen 14 places after Robinson the top Overall Choice of the san Antonio spurs. Puerto Rico s Jose Ortiz the Pac-10 player of the year last season at Oregon state was selected by the Utah jazz inthe draft and like Robinson is spending Bis summer representing his country in the pan am games. I thought we d meet them in the finals Ortiz said of the . Team. But we play them now so we better be the featured matchup will be in the Middle where the 7-foot-1 Robinson Csc positional Field Narrows Sembach a Germany there s a positive Side to everything. For the Pitburg Barons and the Wei Bruecken warriors slow pitch softball teams the positive Side of their Early outs tuesday in the Continental sports Confer ence s double elimination slow pitch soft Ball positional playoffs is there s plenty of sitting room in the stands. Pitburg i Nightmare began with a 17-6 Thyl Ladrini by Wei Bruecken and ended with Span Dahlem Sabre 5-2 Squeaker. We Bruecken joined Pitburg in the observers role by falling to the Ramstein rams 12-10, and the Hahn Hawks 19-15. In other games Span Dahlem crushed the Wiesbaden flyers 27-18, while the Rhein main rockets picked up two wins by stopping Span Dahlem 15-12, and Hahn 6-1. The Winner of the positional playoffs which concludes thursday advances to the Safe championships set for aug. 26-30 at hell Inikon a Greece. Meets Ortiz who is 6-11. It will be their second meeting. I played against him once in an All Star game at the final four in new Orleans said Ortiz who averaged 22.3 Points and 8.7 rebounds for Oregon state last season. I did Well against him. He scored 24 Points but i thought i did Well defensively. He s Quick for a Ortiz scored More than 30 Points fou times during his senior year with a High of 38 against san Jose state the school attended by . Starting Forward Ricky Berry. In the pan am tournament Ortiz has averaged 20.8 Points and 9.8 rebound while shooting 63 percent from the Field 44 of 71, in five games for puerto Rico 4-1. If we Don t come ready to play they could beat us Robinson said of puerto Rico. They Are familiar with our play ers and puerto rican coach Gene Bartow of Alabama Birmingham knows Ortiz will be the key to any Chance his team has against the . Team. I am very concerned about the re bounding said Bartow who coached the puerto rican team in the 1972 olympics. The United states can be awesome off the boards and we have to have a team Effort to help Picu Picu is Ortiz. In his Homeland that is All that is needed to identify the native of Cayey. Piculin was a nickname my Mother gave me As a boy Ortiz said. There is no exact translation into English for Piculin but in puerto Rico it Means a Chance to beat the United states. It would be big for any team to beat the United states Ortiz said. In puerto Rico we Call them the monster of the pan am thu finds Jeffery clean fort Worth Texas up Texas Christian University running Back Tony Jeffery has been cleared by the University of any wrongdoing in his association with an Atlanta based sports agent thu s Chancellor said monday. The school launched an investigation last week into the possibility Jeffery May have violated Mcaa rules by his association with Gary Wilson an associate of agent Jim a Temethy of Atlanta. We have found no evidence of Loans payments contracts or inducements Chancellor William e. Tucker said. There is no evidence that Tony Jeffery violated the rules of the National collegiate athletic the thu investigation began after in quiries by the Atlanta journal Constitution. The paper contacted thu coach Jim Wacker last week to question Jeffery s association with Wilson who has de scribed himself u a Friend of the thu running Back. The newspaper reported a reservation in Jeffery s name had been made at an Atlanta hotel the weekend of aug. 8 but was unable to determine if Jeff cry used the reservation. Jeffery later said he spent the weekend in san Antonio. Jeffery was thu s leading rusher last season with 861 Yards and the Southwest conference single game Rushing Leader with 343 Yards last year against Tulane. Had he accepted Money or benefits from Wilson or signed a contract with Acme thy s Agency he could have been declared ineligible his senior season. We Are gratified to get this situation Over with and behind us Wacker said. Agents involvements with our inter collegiate athletes is a very real concern. It s scary " said Wacker. He threw seven Start ers off his 1985 team for accepting Money from boosters. I am just glad that in the Case of Tony we could find nothing to substantiate such a several prominent College football players including wide receiver Cris Carter of Ohio state and defensive Back James Lott of Texas have lost their eligibility because they signed contracts with or accepted Loans from agents. Moore throws perfect game phantoms win by Jesse Grice staff writer Span Dahlem a Ger Many now How docs thai say ing go neither rain nor sleet nor gloom of night shall keep softball pitchers from their appointed is the rain did t Stop Ben Waters Larry to to Moore from his appointed rounds on the Mound for the phantoms As he blanked the Ramstein rams 2-0 in the 1987 Safe fast pitch softball championships tuesday. Moore frustrated the rams Bat ters with his High fastball drop Ball and slow curve on his Way to a perfect game a Nam bitter and no walks striking out eight ram Bat ten in seven innings. The phantoms got their first run in the second inning when Rodney Johnson tripled and James Lester brought him Home on a sacrifice Fly in the fourth inning it was Johnson again adding a sacrifice bunt allowing Bruce Dunet to Saff Solt Nall score giving the phantoms a five hit two run Lead that kept Moore on his appointed rounds of strik ing out opposing batters. Rhein main 6, Torrejon 2 the Rhein main rockets downed the Torrejon raiders 6-2. The raiders held their own until the top of the fifth inning when Rhein main turned a 3-4-3 double play. Pancho d Molina rocket first baseman picked up a ground or and relayed it to Glenn elder the second baseman and elder fired the Ball Back to d Molina for the double play shutting Down Pitcher Vern Icke helped Seal the the Victory with seven 3, san Vilo 0 it was a Day for no hitters. The Alconbury spartans beat the san Vilo crusaders by a score of 3-0.spartans Pitcher Robbie Robertson went the distance and gave up Only one walk and no hits to the crusaders. San Vito s Short Stop Tim Garner was the Only crusader to reach first base. And that was in the fourth struck out ii crusaders on the Way to a 3-0 win. Ben Waters 10, Rhea main 1 Bent Waters 1-0, and Rhein main also 1-0, gave the few fans that braved the rain a Good show. In the third inning Ben Waters exploded for an 8-0 Lead Over the raiders in the third inning and won 10-1.the phantom loaded the bases in the third with no outs. Moore punched a double into right Center Neld scoring two runs. The raiders committed a throwing error and another run scored. Randy Smith singled and on another throwing error by the raiders moved to second. Hous ton Smith punched a line drive single into left Center Field scoring Smith for another run off raiders Pitcher James continued nil appointed rounds with 10 strikeouts. Alconbury 14, Tom Jon 6 the last game on the first Day of championship play saw Alconbury cruise to a second win by stomping the Torrejon 14-6, Torrejon s Sec Ond loss
