European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 5, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Fri Fay March 5,1993 sports the stars and stripes Pago 33 by John Mossman Tucson Ariz. Apr Rocky mania extends a Good 900 Miles from Deifer at least As far As this Southern Arizona out Post. How else to explain More than 100 fans sitting patiently in i Corbett Field and watching a Well a grass grow. The Colorado Rockies were still in their club House attending a late morning meeting with the head of the players association but the fans weren t deterred. Quot my buddy and i drove All the Way from Colorado a 900 Miles about 14 hours Quot said Chris a 20-year-old College student who asked that his last name not be used. He was playing Hooky from school Quot we be got tickets for the opener in Denver but we just  wait Quot he said. When the Rockies finally took the Field Chris saw them do stretching and running then take infield practice and work on base stealing and Pickoff moves. Next came batting practice. Then some More work on fundamentals. Not the sort of stuff to excite the average fan. But for Chris and other Colorado fans it was enough just seeing 62 players dressed in Rockies uniforms. Quot just looking at these Guys in their Black jerseys it gives me chills Quot said Dennis Robinson 52, of Aurora Colo. He and his wife Emily had taken a weeks vacation intending to catch the Rockies first exhibition game Here on saturday Gamst the san Francisco giants. That game has been sold out at 8,000-seat i Corbett. Quot we be been waiting for big league baseball in Denver for a Long time Quot Robinson said. Quot you see these Guys out there and you hear the sound of a Ball popping in someone a Mitt a and you realize its really going to happen in t it they re playing for  majority of the fans at i Corbett each Day Are local residents Many of whom a like Vern Peterson a have quickly adopted the Rockies As their own. And this is after 45 years of allegiance to the Cleveland indians who trained Here since 1947 before moving to Florida. Quot in be been an indians fan and a Toros fan Tucson s class aaa team for years but the Rockies Are our team too a Peterson said. Quot  always be special to  after practice Peterson stood in line to get an autograph from David Nied the Rockies designated starter for their exhibition opener. Few baseball fans had even heard of Nied until he became the no. 1 pick in the expansion draft last november. Now he a besieged by autograph seekers after every workout. The extent of support for this expansion team became apparent to those who participated in the Rockies caravan to 23 cities in eight states in january. When Denver was awarded the National league expansion franchise in 1991, a fit Pitcher David Nied was mobbed wednesday when Rockies Spring training opened just like he was in the picture when he was first pick in in expansion draft last november. Team officials predicted it would be a Quot regional team. But the reaction has stunned even those officials. Quot the incident at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City brought it into perspective for me Quot manager Don Baylor said. Quot our support is not just in Denver it s the entire Region. It was quite amazing to have a guv Tell you you re the manager of their baseball team and we re in Salt Lake City. It really kind of opened my eyes up to How big the Region really  Nied remembers a caravan visit to a grocery store in Santa pc . The parking lot appeared empty and Nied i thought a this is going to be the first  but when they got inside they encountered the usual mob scene. Quot there was a line All the Way Back to the produce department Quot said Mike Swanson the Rockies Public relations director. And when the players finally get to Denver for the Home opener april 9, the real lunacy figures to Start. The team is adding 4,000 temporary bleachers in Center Field to 76,000-scat mile High stadium hoping to set a major league attn dance record for an opener. More than 26,000 season tickets Hay been sold and the Rockies Are hoping to draw 4 million fans their first season. A there arc about eight Guys who have some idea How incredible the support is for this team Quot Swanson said. Quot the rest of them will have to find out for  Seikaly grabs 34 rebounds san Antonio s David Robinson takes the Ball to the Basket with Bostons Alaa Abdelnaby hanging on. By the associated press Miami a Rony Seikaly had an Aba season High 34 rebounds four More than the entire Washington team As the Miami heat beat the bullets 125-106 wednesday night. Seikaly a 34 rebounds were 10 More than his previous career High and seven More than this seasons Aba High of 27 by Dennis Rodman on dec. 23. Rodman had 34 rebounds in an overtime game against Indiana last season making him the first Aba player since Charles Oakley in 1988 to grab that Many in a game. Oakley then of the Chicago bulls had 35 rebounds. The heat tied a franchise record with their fourth consecutive Victory. They have won six of seven Overall and five in a Row at Home. Seikaly took advantage of the absence of Washington Center Pervis Ellison who sprained a ligament in his left knee in the bullets last game a 92-91 loss to Orlando on feb. 26. Steve Smith who hit 12 of 15 from the floor had a career High 30 Points for Miami while Glen Rice scored 23 and Grant Long 21. Larry Stewart led Washington with 22 Points. The heat a matured eight Points by. _ 89-74 Lead with 3 19 left in the third Quarter. In other games wednesday jazz 106, pistons 98 Auburn Hills Mich. Karl Malone scored 38 Points and Utah ended a five game losing Streak by defeating Detroit in the teams first meeting since dec. 14,1991. The last time the jazz and pistons faced each other in Salt Lake City Isiah Thomas received a 40-stitch Cash when he was elbowed by Malone. On wednesday Thomas season High 40 Points nearly led the pistons Back from a 16-Point fourth Quarter deficit. The jazz led 89-73 with 8 50 to play but Detroit scored the next 10 Points capped by Thomas off bal Unce 3-Pointer with 5 48 left. Utah led 93-85 when Dennis Rodman was called Tor Leat broke the game open with a 14-3 run that featured eight Points by Rice. The spurt gave Miami a National basketball association a technical foul. Jeff Malone made the free throw and then converted another eight seconds later when Detroit Recic Ved a illegal defense  132, spurs 91 Boston a Sherman Douglas had 23 Points and 12 assists his Best game in two seasons with Boston leading the celtics rout of san Antonio. The celtics led by As Many As 47 Points in the fourth Quarter As they won their sixth straight Home game and sent the spurs to their 15th loss in 16 games at Boston Garden. The spurs playing without injured All Star Forward scan Elliott and with All Star Center David Robinson limited by a thumb injury have won just two of eight games since winning 18 of 19. It was the worst loss for san Antonio under coach John Lucas who took Over the spurs on dec. 18. Robert Parish had 19 Points and 11 rebounds for the celtics who shot 59 percent and Kevin Gamble added 19 Points. Reggie Lewis Boston s top scorer this season missed the game with a lower Back Strain. , Reid led the spurs with 19 Points but Robinson was limited to 13 Points and eight  89, Kings 86 Sacramento Calif. A Hakeem Olajuwon had 30 Points and 13 rebounds As Houston won its eighth straight game with a defeat of Sacramento. Leading by one Point following Wayman Tisdale super for the Kings with 8 25 left in the game the jumper Rocke pockets used a 10-2 run for an 82-73  117, warriors 111 r Oakland Calif. A. Green had six of his 24 Points in the final two minutes lifting los Angeles past Golden state. A trailing 109-106 with 3 08 to play the lakers scored seven straight Points and led 113-109 following greens Long jumper with 47 seconds remaining. They scored 11 of the games final 13 Points