European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 20, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                0- the stars and stripes i ports october 20,1994 r Page 32 botox hire Kennedy Showalter named top Al manager new York a Buck Showalter who brought Calm to a new York Yan Kees club often beset by controversy was the overwhelming Choice tuesday for american league manager of the year. Showalter became the first Yankees manager to win the award created in 1983, after leading new York to the bes record in the league. The Yan Kees were 70-43 and in position for their first playoff spot since 1981 when the players strike stopped the season aug. 12. Showalter 38, is the youngest Man Ager in the majors. He also is the first manager to survive three straight years Showalter since George Steinbrenner bought the team before the 1973 season. The Boss has changed managers 19 times Overall. Showalter received 24 of 28 first place votes in balloting by the baseball writers association of America. He also got four second place votes and finished with 132points. Mike Hargrove who had Cleveland in Contention Tor its first postseason Slot since 1954, got the other four first place votes and finished with 86 Points. Chi Cago s Gene Lamont was third with 17. Boston a Kevin Kennedy made a speedy return to managing tues Day when he was hired by the Boston red sox six Days after losing his Job de spite winning his division. The same Day he was fired by the Texas rangers Kennedy spoke last wednesday with Boston general manager Dan Duquette who had worked with Kennedy with the Montreal expos. One. Day you get let go and then the next morning at 6 . You re on a plane Kennedy said. I m glad to get it Over with because i want to get Back to doing what i  said Duquette we had an inkling he would be available a couple of weeks  Kennedy the fourth manager fired since the strike shortened season officially ended was the first to land another Job agreeing to a two year contract. He might still be waiting had Tony la Russa not agreed to a three year contract Extension As manager of the Oakland a s. That was announced tuesday depriving Duquette of the Man widely assumed Tobe his first Choice. Asked if the timing of the announce ments was coincidental Duquette smiled and said  Kennedy 40, succeeds Butch Hobson who was fired sept. 20 after leading the red sox to a 54-61 record in his third season As manager. They finished fourth in the Al East 17 games out of firs place. The rangers had a poorer record 52 62, but finished first in the much weaker Al West one game ahead of Oakland despite losing their last six games. Even though we were 10 games under .500i was a better manager this year than Jast year said Kennedy whose rangers finished second in the Al West last year with an 86-76 record. This year there was grumbling in the Texas clubhouse some of it directed at Kennedy. " "  so a anytime you struggle and you lose six straight and you have a team that had High expectations you re going to have some people that Are unhappy Kenned said. A.  i know Jose Canseco said some very Nice things about Kennedy on the air in Texas the other Day. I m a disciplinarian but i m also a players  sex Texas Ranger Pilot Kevin Kennedy makes a speedy return to managerial ranks. A s keep & T la Russa Oakland Calif. A Tony la Russa knew there were several other clubs willing to bid for him if he left the Oakland athletics. He also wondered if he was beginning to overstay his Welcome in the Bay area. But then he thought about his close relationship with the Haas family that owns the a a and about the fact that his own family was comfortable in Oakland. Then when fans began approaching him on the Street and pleading with him to stay in Oakland he realized his place was still As manager of the a a i was really concerned about whether my time was up Here and i Don t think it is he said tuesday after signing a 3-year contract Extension with the club he has led to four Al West titles. I wanted to be sure that staying Here was t a dumb  la Russa 50, has a 731-596 record with the a s. He led them to a world series championship in 1989. A wednesday update Oates named Ranger manager Arlington Texas a former Baltimore manager Johnny Oates was hired wednesday to manage the Texas rangers pates replaces Kevin Kennedy who was fired by new general manager Doug Melvin last week. Celtics sign minor Waltham mass. A the bos ton celtics on wednesday signed free agent Greg minor drafted in the first round last june by the los Angeles clip pers who traded him to Indiana. Hornets lose Johnson Charlotte . A Char Lotte hornets Forward Larry Johnson could be sidelined for two months with a possible stress fracture in his left foot the Aba club said wednesday. Team doctor Glenn Perry who is trav Eling with the hornets on their week Long european tour said a Bone scan was per formed on Johnson s foot when the team arrived wednesday in Italy. Johnson was removed from tuesday same against Golden state in Paris after complaining of soreness in his foot. Earlier Story on Page 31. Ansbach sets up to win for by Christopher Allbright staff writers one of the newest members of the team a High school volleyball coach is guiding her players on a Mission to win for their school and a former coach strike by an often fatal and mysterious disease. Linda Sykes quietly watches from the Side line As the Ansbach High school volleyball team practices. The team is currently 4-2, with the conference losses coming from powerhouses Augsburg and Niernberg. Sykes who coached track at Niernberg last year took Over the team in her first year of teaching at Ansbach. Sykes guidance Counselor Gary Mccauley who also coached girls soccer was strike Over the summer with Necro timing Fasci itis a flesh eating bacteria that caught world wide headlines Over the summer. Al though cured of the disease he still faces extensive treatments to overcome the damage caused. Sykes a social studies teacher inherited a team office starters mostly juniors who Are capable of fulfil Ling their potential for a conference title. We want to do our Best. We want to win for or. Mccauley said Amanda Long a Junior who has been a varsity player since her freshman year. Mccauley is recovering and has gradually re turned to counselling. Mccauley says he does t planto coach this year. Despite some initial hesitation and comments from players such As that s not the Way coach Mccauley does it Sykes has won the respect and Confidence of the team. It was hard at first because most of the girls played with him two or three years Sykes said. It was t that they resented me As a coach but the were used to being with coach  player Durrell Cook a Junior agreed there s an adjustment. We were so used to what he does. I loved him and he s a real Good coach. We want to win the championship for him because we know How much he wants to be  Sykes said that she did t try to fill the popular coach s shoes and has her own style of coaching that contrasts with Mccauley s. In a Large Way she said she considers the team to be his at least in spirit. If he is not Here physically he is very much on their minds Sykes said. When Sykes had to be away from school Mccau Ley ran one of the practices. He had the heart the team members said he just did t have the strength. I just about had to crawl Home Mccauley said. Adding to the team s depth is Christy Mccauley the former coach s daughter and a starter since he freshman year. I always started varsity and had to prove myself because some people thought it was because my dad was coaching said the Junior who is solidly in the starting lineup despite the coaching change. Christy Mccauley described her father As a dominating person who has gradually Learned How to coach girls after More than 40 seasons of coaching boys sports. The former coach said he switched to coaching girls just to coach his athletic  Mccauley and his brother Jim have coached in Dodds since 1969, including a stint at London where they coached together. Mccauley s youngest daughter Carey is on the school s Cross country team. 01246850"ooq504