Newspapers / The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, … / May 8, 1997, edition 1 / Page 20
Part of The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.) / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
4B SPORTS/The Charlotte Post Thursday, May 8 1997 Backup role is OK with Cunningham Continued from 1B good, too, at least in the con trolled situations of minicamp. He still has the strong arm, still moves well at age 34. What he lacks is the attitude. “It’s just a grooving situation,” Cunningham said. Tve got to groove myself into everything, and there’s not that pressure to go out and be the Pro Bowl play er, because there’s already a man here who’s starting. I know my role.” 'The Wirings have been very clear about that role. Johnson is their unquestioned starter, the guy whose surprisingly poised performance in relief of Warren Moon last season earned him a $15.5 million contract. When Minnesota released Moon, they coaxed Cunningham out of retirement with the offer of a low-stress job as Johnson’s backup. Cunningham might have had other chances to com pete for a starting spot else where, but he chose the Vikings because they weren’t offering that opportunity. “It’s good to be just another guy,” Cunningham said. Cunningham earned his place in the spothght after the Eagles took him in the second roimd of the 1985 draft, the first quarter back picked that year. He was Philadelphia’s full-time starter by 1987, a Pro Bowl starter the following season. His best season was 1990, when he threw for 3,466 yards and 30 touchdowns while run ning for 942 yards and five more TDs. But a knee injury in the season opener in 1991 - and Rich Kotite’s ascension after Buddy Ryan was fired — began his decline. He returned in 1992 to earn his only playoff victory in a wild card game against New Orleans, and was NFC Offensive Player of the Month in September 1993 before breaking his leg in the first game of October. He lost his starting job to Rodney Peete by the end of “94, and was benched in favor of Peete after four games in ‘95. After skipping a week of practice for Randall IPs birth, Cunningham played the final three quarters of Philadelphia’s playoff loss at Dallas Jan. 7, N.C. junior golf classic registration The Independent Insurance Agent Junior Golf Classic tour nament begins next month with nine regional tovunaments. The regional tournaments are qualifying rounds for junior men who are 18-under as of Aug. 13. Tbp scorers of the regional toum- ments and junior women will play in the state tournament Juy 12-13 in Southern Pines. ’The deadine for junior men registration is June 2. Deadline for junior women is June 16. Junior men must play in a regional toiunament in order to qualify for the state tournament. 'Ib register, call Linda Ward at (919) 828-4371 or (800) 849- 6556. • Donald Littlejohn finished fourth in a golf tournament in Orangeburg, S.C., last week. Littlejohn shot a two-round score of 150, best among Charlotte golfers. Robert Parker was first in the senior flight with 151, followed by Otis Worthy at 152 and third place, followed by Arthur McDonald at 152. 'The entry fee for the junior men’s tournament is $25, $10 for 11-and-under • CharUe Barnette finished fourth in the super senior fligh with a score of 173. Ace Drakeford won the closest to the pin competition, while Doc Mangum had the longest drive Saturday and Sunday’s longest drive belonged to Arthur McDonald. Ibp 10 charlotte finishes in the Orangeburg golf tournament: Donald Littlejohn 150; Robert Parker 151; Otis Worthy 152; Arthur McDonald 152; James Barrett 156; Doc Mangum 160; John Love 161; Phil Neely 161; Bill Johnson 163; John Crawford 163. Herbert L. White 1996, after Peete was hurt. It was the last game Cunningham played. The Eagles released him, and he retired the following August. “I probably should have asked to be traded before Ray Rhodes got there (in 1995),” Cunningham said. “My agent told me to do that, but I wanted to be loyal. And that loyalty got me basically in the wrong situa tion.” Cunningham, whose 4,384 rushing yards are the most ever for an NFL quarterback, believes he’s in the right situa tion now, even though it might seem an uncomfortable fit for Johnson. “I think it could be, but I really don’t feel that way,” Johnson said. “I really feel good about it.” So does Cunningham, even if it means putting aside his family life. On 'Thursday he could only hsten over the phone as wife Fehcity told him of his son’s acci dent. Randall H wailed in the background. “That hurts my heart,” Cunningham said. “I’m Uke, “What’s wrong? What’s wrong?’ But I can’t go out there and do anything.” He hopes that won’t happen if the Vikings need him next fall. GIVE TO THE UNITED NEGRO COLLEGE FUND. CaptMn’s Treasure Chest “Your 14kt Gold Connection” D.D. Neal “The Captain’’ Join the “Captain’s Club” for additional savings. (704) 536-7352 Office (704)378-9337 Pager Mastercard, Visa, Discover Accepted 14kt. Gold Jewelry Quality Gems r$ ‘fORD’S'uSED flMS'$1 • Brake Job - Labor $35.00 • Oil Change - Labor $17.95 3401 Tuckaseegee Rd. $ Charlotte, NC 28208 ^ (704)393-1109 Tuesday & Wednesday Special Buy 3 used tires & get 1 Free ^2056515 ^2057015 ^2357515 NEWLOCATION 2012 Beatties Ford Rd. Chariotte, NC 28216 (704)392-9799 • N.C. State Inspection 1222 Central Ave. Charlotte, NC 282 (704)377-0870 IVack more of big deal at Livingstone Continued from IB ety of the track team, and he beUeves the program has been successful. As good as the Bears have been on the track, they’ve performed with honors in the classroom. “There’s a formula that we have used and this is how we attracted the kind of scholar ath letes we have,” Huff said. “Instead of going out and trying to lure the big name athletes, we went towards the good students who loved the sport for what it was. “That’s how we landed athletes like Denice Brown with a 3.8 GPA, and the other three young ladies who also boast 3.0-plus GPAs. This way, you don’t have to worry about athletes being ineligible or dropping out of school.” From the start of the season, Livingstone set high expecta tions. Huff said that though the women’s times are fast now, theyll drop dramatically as the weather warms. “The funny thing about it is, these young ladies ran together for the first time during this meet,” Huff said. “Before the CIAA championships, I tried to equally distribute our talents to all events. So I’m glad we put it together when we did.” C.P HCURE ft HOCKEY lESSOHS 'FRir Unllmiieil Pncdce Monday - Friday "FREE" Rental Skates en Lesson Day ENROLL NOW!! SPACE IS LINITED 5595 Central Ave. Charlotte CHRltl Risk to women boxers is focus of international conference By Marion Lloyd THE ASSOCIATED PRESS ORANJESTAD, Aruba - Breast protectors in place, the boxers let fly, bloodying their opponents with the vengeance of their male counterparts. But at what cost? Four years after Seattle teen ager Dallas Malloy won a court battle allowing her to fight alongside men, the risks for hun dreds of women who followed remain a mystery, according to doctors at boxing’s first medical conference. “The case histories just aren’t there,” said Virginia orthopedic surgeon Joseph Estwanic, whose recent book “Sports Medicine for the Combat Arts” may be the first medical text to address female boxing. After consulting dozens of medical experts throughout the United States, Estwanic con cluded there were “no major red flags” signaling the sport posed greater health risks to women. But he cautioned, “The hard research has yet to be done.” He said, for example, that women’s bone structure was more fi'agile than men’s. Most of the medical experts from 83 countries said they had never seen a female fight. Supporters of women’s boxing charged medical concerns masked sexism, while doctors snickered at breast protectors displayed at the four-day confer ence, sponsored by the World Boxing Council. 'The number of women taking to the ring is soaring, particular ly in the United States, Europe and Austraha. Mexico already has two world champions among its 30 women fighters. The sport’s main promoter, the Miami-based Women’s International Boxing Federation, boasts about 1,000 members worldwide, said gener al secretary Jimmy Flynn. Unlike male boxers, who come from largely humble back grounds, Flynn said most of of the women are educated profes sionals who looked to boxing pri marily as an exciting hobby. Many come from martial art dis ciplines such as kick boxing. “They’re not in it for the money because, right now, there’s none to be made,” he said. The federation has sponsored 26 title fights since its founding in 1993, many fought by women with wildly differing abilities and equipment. Doctors at the conference snickered at the display of coni cal and rounded breast protec tors and brochures of pink-hp- sticked women displaying their world title belts and grinning, fists raised. “You don’t see male boxers try ing to look sweet,” one comment ed. “I can’t imagine any of these (protectors) would do a damn thing,” said Charles Wilson, medical director of New Jersey’s boxing commission. He cited concerns ranging from potential breast trauma, undetected pregnancies and damage to women’s wrists and shoulders, which he said were more vulnerable to injuiy than men’s. But Wilson said efforts to reduce the risks, such as requir ing women to wear breast and groin protectors, could backfire by encouraging female fighters to aim for the head. Some breast protectors cover much of the stomach area, a traditional tar get for male boxers. Other veteran ringside doctors warned of the dangers of the inevitable mismatches within a limited pool of women fighters. One such fight, in Philadelphia, pitted a 5-foot-8, 145-pound novice against a 6- foot-3 165-pound unbeaten Indiana Golden Gloves winner at the U.S. amateur boxing championship. Kate Seules, the rookie, lost the fight after a blow from Jen Childers shattered her nose. Malloy, the pioneer, fought her first and only bout under the U.S. Amateur Boxing League flag in 1993. "The Man Who Sold Hot Dogs" I'd like to share a story that a very loyal customer recently shared with me, about the man who sold hot dogs. Fran Farrer, Advertising & Marketing Director Laverne Stephen There was a man who lived by the side of the road and sold hot dogs. He was hard of hearing, so he had no radio. He had trouble with his eyes, so he read no newspapers. But he sold good hot dogs. He put up signs on the highway telling how good they were. He stood by the side of the road and cried "Buy a hot dog. Mister." People bought He increased his meat and roll orders. He bought a big ger stove to take care of his trade. He finally got his son home from college to help him out. But then something happened: His son said: "Father, haven't you been listening to the radio? There's a big depression coming on. The Europe an situation is terrible. The domestic situation is worse." That made his father think: "Well, my son's been to col lege, he reads the papers, and he listens to the radio, and he ought to know." So the father cut down on his meat and roll orders, took down his advertising signs, and no longer bothered to stand on the hi^way to sell his good hot dogs. Sales fell fast, almost overnight. "You're right son," the father said to the boy. "we cer tainly are in the middle of a great depression. There just isn't any business." If this sounds like your business don't you think its time to give one of our professional account executives a call? Bob (704) 376-0496
The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
May 8, 1997, edition 1
20
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75