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Mormon Mayor Won't Wager on
Liberty Bowl
The Associated Press
 PROVO,
UT (AP) � There's no betting on Brigham Young University's bowl game against
Louisville for Provo Mayor Lewis Billings.
The devout Mormon doesn't take part even in
friendly wagers between mayors of competing towns. The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints, which owns BYU, frowns on gambling.
Louisville, KY, Mayor David Armstrong put up a
personalized Louisville Slugger baseball bat on the outcome of Monday's
Liberty Bowl in Memphis, TN.
"Perhaps you have something similar to wager,"
Armstrong wrote in a Dec. 20 letter to Billings.
Instead of taking the bet, Billings sent
Armstrong memorabilia for the 2002 Winter Games which begin Feb. 8 in Salt
Lake City.
"In the spirit of good sportsmanship and
contest, I am not waiting for the outcome of the game to forward some
holiday season goodwill to you," Billings wrote.
It didn't surprise Louisville leaders that
Provo officials declined the bet, said Louisville Chief of Staff Steve
Tedder. The bat will be sent to Provo whether the Cougars win or lose, he
said.
"It's not fair to bet on what you know is a
sure thing," said Billings spokesman Mike Mower. BYU went 12-1 this season,
losing its final game to Hawaii. Louisville was 10-2.
AP-12-29-01 1313EST
Copyright 2001
Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be
published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
02/23/2007 10:47:50 AM
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