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Autographs spawn lines at CWS
By SCOTT BAUER
Associated Press Writer
College World Series
Notebook
<View previous day's notebook>
OMAHA � Autograph seekers at
the College World Series have to guess when it comes to figuring out which
player will become the next big star.
But fans looking for a sure
bet head straight to the blue stage just outside Rosenblatt Stadium's main
entrance.
There, they can find Hall of
Famers signing balls, pictures and programs. About 350 people worked their
way through the line to get Bob Gibson's autograph Sunday. Ozzie Smith was
on the program for Monday, with former major league pitcher and current ESPN
on-air personality Jeff Brantley on tap Wednesday.
Scott Ratliff of Omaha came
too late to get Gibson's autograph. So he showed up during the second inning
of the South Carolina-LSU game � about three hours before the autograph
session was to begin � just to be sure he got Smith.
"I saw him play for a long
time," Ratliff said, holding the first place in a line that had yet to form.
"He's cool."
Smith, who spent all but four
of his 19 seasons in St. Louis, was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2002.
Gibson, whose 17-year career with the Cardinals earned him a spot in the
Hall of Fame, was born in Omaha and lives in nearby Bellevue.
The autograph stage made its
first appearance last year, with Gibson on hand to meet fans. Based on the
increasing interest, it should be back next year possibly with even bigger
names, said Scott Fosler, manager of promotions and events for the NCAA.
"We'd love to do it again,"
Fosler said. "Most of all we just want to enhance the fan experience."
The autograph area is within
the "NCAA Beyond the Game Tour," which features virtual-reality sports
experiences such as throwing the winning touchdown with the clock winding
down and climbing the outfield fence to snag a potential home run shot.
The lure of the autograph was
the only thing that brought Ratliff to the stadium. He didn't even have
tickets to the game.
"After I see Ozzie, I'll go
home," he said.
Incubator for the Bigs
If history is any indication,
several players strutting their stuff at Rosenblatt Stadium this year will
find their way to the major leagues. There were 95 former CWS participants
in the majors as of April 21. Every MLB team, except Florida, had at least
one former player in the series, with Boston and Houston boasting the most
with seven each. Some of the most famous CWS graduates still playing in the
majors include Roger Clemens, Barry Larkin, and Jason Giambi.
Texas Express
Top-seeded Texas has won two
straight, and that's bad news for the opposition. Texas has started the CWS
2-0 11 times and won the national championship three times, in 1949, 1983,
and 2002. The Longhorns have outscored their NCAA Tournament opponents
71-21. Texas next plays the winner of Tuesday's Georgia-Arizona game.
Wright man for decades eases
out of picture
Jim Wright has been the right
guy for the job of corralling CWS media for 25 years. But after a quarter
century in the press box, Wright spent his last day on the job Sunday. He
remains the NCAA's director of statistics, but he is retiring from
volunteering as media coordinator. Wright was honored at a ceremony between
games Sunday. Wright stuck around for the first six games of the series to
smooth the transition for his replacement, staff member Dave Worlock.
Copyright 2004
The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be
published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
02/23/2007 10:37:30 AM
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