- Publish date:
For the Record
Surrendered
To police in the Dominican Republic, where he is the prime suspect in a fatal shooting, Giants prospect Angel Villalona (above). The 19-year-old first baseman signed with San Francisco three years ago for a bonus of $2.1 million, which was then a franchise record. He played in the Futures Game during the 2008 All-Star festivities, and MLB.com ranked him as the 48th best prospect in the majors before this season. Police say that Villalona is suspected in the death of 25-year-old Mario Felix de Jesus Velete, who was shot in a bar last Saturday night. Villalona—who this year played for the Giants' Class-A Advanced affiliate in San Jose, batting .267 with nine homers in 74 games before suffering a hamstring injury—turned himself in the following day.
Acquitted
Of reckless homicide and wanton endangerment in the death of a 15-year-old Kentucky high school football player, former coach Jason Stinson, 37. Max Gilpin, a sophomore offensive lineman at Pleasure Ridge Park High in suburban Louisville, died of heat stroke on Aug. 23, 2008, three days after he collapsed while running sprints at practice. Prosecutors argued that Stinson withheld water from players while forcing them to run in the 94¬∫ heat. But two doctors—a former Kentucky chief medical examiner and the chairman of the University of Louisville department of emergency medicine—testified that excessive running did not cause Gilpin's heat stroke. (They said more likely contributing factors were a viral infection, his prescription for Adderall and his use of creatine.) Stinson, who faced 10 years in prison, left the courtroom without speaking to reporters. He was reassigned to noninstructional duties at Pleasure Park Ridge during the trial but now can return to teaching and is allowed to apply for coaching jobs.
Arrested
And charged with two counts of weapons possession, Cavaliers guard Delonte West (below). Last Thursday, West was riding his motorcycle in Upper Marlboro, Md., when he was stopped for allegedly speeding. Police found a loaded handgun in his waistband and another strapped to his leg. He also had a loaded shotgun in a guitar case on his back. West was released on his own recognizance and has not yet entered a plea.
Established
By 21-year-old Cuban defector Aroldis Chapman, residency in Andorra. The lefthander's move to the tiny European nation between France and Spain means that a major league bidding war is imminent. Given his age, his 102-mph fastball and his three-pitch repertoire—along with the lackluster free-agent pitching market—Chapman will command a contract at least as big as the four-year, $32 million deal the Yankees gave Cuban righthander Jose Contreras in 2002. Chapman defected on July 1 by walking away from the Cuban team hotel during a tournament in the Netherlands.
Died
At age 76, artist Bernie Fuchs, whose works ranged from paintings of golf tournaments for SPORTS ILLUSTRATED to portraits commissioned by presidents. After he lost three fingers in an accident at a machine shop as a young man, Fuchs's dreams of becoming a jazz trumpeter ended and he enrolled in art school. He worked as a commercial artist drawing automobiles, and his style—largely rooted in realism but tinged with enough abstract impressionism to stand out—quickly attracted the attention of magazines. His first painting for SI was of the 1961 Masters (right); his final one was a 2005 portrait of Negro league star Oscar Charleston.
Died
Of pancreatic cancer at age 67, Myles Brand. Before he became the NCAA president in 2002, Brand was the president of Indiana University; in 2000 he fired basketball coach Bob Knight for violating a zero-tolerance behavior policy. Brand played a year of lacrosse and basketball at RPI but otherwise had little athletic pedigree. He was a philosophy professor who, unlike previous NCAA presidents, had been neither an athletic director nor a coach. His mandate, he told SI in 2003, was to show that "athletics are not at odds with the greater academic mission of a university; quite the contrary, in fact." To that end, he created the Academic Progress Rate, stripping programs of scholarships when their APR fell below an acceptable level. "I believe Myles will be remembered as a person who helped us refocus on the student in student-athlete, and his academic reforms will long outlive him," said Georgia president Michael Adams.
Died
At age 72, Monte Clark, who coached the Lions for seven seasons and led them to consecutive playoff appearances in 1982 and '83. An offensive lineman at USC, Clark played 11 years in the NFL with the 49ers, Cowboys and Browns. He was the O-line coach for the 1972 Dolphins, who went 17--0 and featured the first pair of teammates (Larry Csonka and Mercury Morris) to rush for 1,000 yards in the same season.
Go Figure
7
Years since Phoenix's Carl Hayden High had won a football game before its victory over San Luis High last Thursday; the Falcons' 66-game losing streak was believed to be the nation's longest.
78
Aces served by Croatia's Ivo Karlovic in a Davis Cup match against Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic, 23 more than his own previous pro tennis record.
30
Games in the fifth set of the five-hour, 59-minute match, which Karlovic lost.
82.4
Speed, in miles per hour, that Sam Whittingham pedaled at the World Human Powered Speed Challenge in Battle Mountain, Nev., the fastest ever on a bicycle.
287--12
Margin by which winless Texas College has been outscored in its four losses this season; the NAIA school was beaten 75--6 by Division I-AA Texas Southern last Saturday.
1
Times Nebraska has won in its last 22 games against Top 20 teams; the Cornhuskers lost to No. 13 Virginia Tech 16--15 last Saturday.
THEY SAID IT
Jim Tressel
Oft-criticized Ohio State football coach, when asked if, after nine years in Columbus, the honeymoon was over: "You felt like it's been a nine-year honeymoon? You must not have liked your honeymoon."
PHOTO
CHRIS TALLEY/CAL SPORT MEDIA (VILLALONA)
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JOHN BIEVER (WEST)
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BERNIE FUCHS
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DAMIAN STROHMEYER (TRESSEL)
