European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 15, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Grieve sacked As rangers pm Byjah Omearon Arlington Texas a Texas rangers general manager Tom Grieve who has run a major league team without winning a division title longer than any one else was fired wednesday. Grieve was reassigned to become a assistant to club president Tom Schieffer. Sandy Johnson director of player personnel was chosen interim general Man Ager and will be a candidate for the per manent spot Schieffer said. I feel a great amount of disappoint ment today but i Don t feel any bitterness or regrets Grieve said at a news Confer ence announcing the move which Schief Fer informed him of tuesday. More baseball news on Page 34 we had every Opportunity to succeed and unfortunately we did t. I regret that. I m very disappointed in that. I m disappointed in my performance and Al though it might sound trite i feel very disappointed for the  Grieve was the youngest pm in baser Ball when Texas promoted him to the Post in 1984 at age 36. He had one year left on a contract Extension he signed in october 1983. Under Grieve the rangers clawed from cellar dwellers to contenders by 1986, then slipped Back to also rans be fore again challenging for a division title last season. In Spring training this year Grieve guaranteed Texas would win the re vamped american league West. It could be happened As the rangers held a one game Lead Over the Oakland s despite a 52-62 record when the sea son was halted by the strike. So Grieve leaves the team without a Pennant in his decade Long tenure. The Only other Gas who have held their jobs longer Are Oakland s Sandy Alderson and Toronto s Pat Gillick each of whom has overseen world series winners. Grieve retired As a player in 1979 and joined the rangers organization in 1980. The stars and stripes ports september 15,1994 Page 36 Shaw says he s Nof the top big not Yetman by Kevin Robinson staff writer Frankfurt Germany although Shaquille o Neal May be the most marketed basketball player since Micheal Jordan the Orlando magic Center said he s not the Best big Man in the National basketball association but he s working on it. I m still a Young player and i try to learn something new every year said the 22-year-old o Neal last week during " a promotional tour in Frankfurt. Last year i had a pretty Good year and i plan to have a better year this year. I want to go to the line and hit some free throws shoot a few More jumpers the 7-Footl, 310-Pound two time All Star Center led the magic to the Aba playoffs for the first time during the1993-94 season. O Neal who in 1986-87 starred at the Dodds High school in Fulda Germany More to come on Sha Quther o Neal sunday Magazine led the Aba last season in shooting percentage and finished second in scoring 28.3 Points per game and average re Bounds 13.2 per game. The Aba s 1992-93 Rookie of the year also led dream team ii to the Goldmedal during the world basketball championships last month in Toronto. He was named most valuable player of the tournament. Despite these accolades o Neal defers to Houston rockets Center Hakeem Ola Juvon As the dominating Force in the. Aba one on one the Best Center in the Aba right now is Hakeem Olajuwan Oneal said. On any Given night he can just take  there arc about four or five great Cen ters in the Aba he said. But most of them Are predictable. Like new York kicks Patrick Ewing he likes to go to the Middle o Neal added. If you take that away helices to come Back Baseline. But Hackem you never know what he s going to do. Every time i play against him i just put my hands up and Hope he  o Neal s offensive moves have been dubbed Shaw attacks for the Force of his thunderous dunks. However his professional reputation is a marked contrast from his teen age years in Germany when he was Long on Neight but Short on Confidence. A. V As the Story goes o Neal was a 6-foot 8, 13-year-old who did t make his High school team and could t jump. He had lived in the Wil Flecken Germany army Community with his family. Leu coach Dale Brown was conduct ing a basketball clinic in the local gym his father Phillip Harrison an army ser Geant with the 1st in 68th army regt in Wil Flecken urged his son to attend the clinic.  i did t want to go but my father made me come anyway o Neal said about the clinic. After the clinic o Neal pulled Dale Brown to the Side and asked him foursome exercises to help him jump higher and be a better player. He Brown said How Long have you been in the army Soldier " o Neal informed the coach that he was t in the army and he was Only 13years old. Brown immediately saw o Neal As a. Potential 7-Fpptcr and future recruit. Over the years the coach stayed i touch with o Neal and his family. Later after winning a Texas state basketball championship at Cole High school in san Antonio o Neal decided to attend Loui Siana state. He played three years at leu before entering the Aba. As o Neal enters his third season in the league he said the magic is poised to join the Aba s elite teams. He expects his team to be on our Way once the league approves the or Lando contract of Chicago bulls free agent Horace Grant to a Star studded lineup that already includes Anfernee Hardaway and Dennis Scott. O Neal said time and sweat will decide if he personally joins the ranks of then a s All time big men. I just need More practice More years o Neal said. This is Only my Sec Ond year in the Aba. If i work hard maybe one Day i la be the  is Michael abroms1. " Shaw makes big impression Shaquille o Neal who played his Early prep career in Fulda has now made a lasting impression in another German Community. The Aba Star is shown planting his size 22 shoe in wet Cement during a Park dedication ceremony Friday in Frankfurt Hochst