The Year in Sports: 2001

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The Year in Sports:

Triumphs, Scandals, and Local Talent Going National - What a Year!

By Jack Tany

Review Sports Columnist

The following are some of the top sports stories - local and national -

from 2001.

BASEBALL
In one of the most exciting World Series in some time, the Arizona Diamondbacks, bolstered by the strong one-two pitching combination of Curt Shilling and Randy Johnson, toppled the perennial champion New York Yankees in the seventh and deciding game.

Major League baseball saw the careers of two of its finest players - Cal Ripken, Jr., and Tony Gwynn - come to an end. Not only were Ripken and Gwynn fine baseball players, they were class individuals as well. Ever hear of them holding out for more money?

San Francisco slugger Barry Bonds belted home run after home run during his assault on baseball's all-time single-season home run mark, set by Mark McGwire of the St. Louis Cardinals just a few years earlier. When the smoke finally cleared, Bonds wound up with a whopping 73 dingers.

Photo by Richard Curry

A gentleman by the name of Alex Popov caught home run ball No. 73, but it

was quickly wrestled away by Patrick Hayashi in the made scramble. You know

the rest of the story, don't you? Popov has taken Hayashi to court over the

prized possession, which could fetch more than $1 million.

Fourteen-year-old Danny Almonte appeared in every newspaper in the nation.

Why? Because he was supposed to be 12-years-old when he pitched in last

summer's Little League World Series for a team from the Bronx, New York.

The scandal rocked the sacred grounds of Williamsburg, Pa., the home of the

annual Little League World Series.

BASKETBALL

Michigan State University's Jason Richardson was the fifth pick overall and

the first collegiate player taken when he was selected by the Golden State

Warriors in the 2001 National Basketball Association draft. Richardson, a

graduate of Arthur Hill High School, was MSU's highest pick since 1991 when

Steve Smith was picked fifth overall by the Miami Heat.

Saginaw High's Anthony Roberson is one of the top cagers in the state of

Michigan. Roberson, who will be one of the finalists for the state's Mr.

Basketball Award, entered a recruiting war which saw Duke, the University

of Michigan, Michigan State University and the University of Florida vie

for his services. The 6-3 guard, who averaged 24 points and 6 rebounds per

game as a junior, signed a letter-of-intent to play his collegiate ball

with Billy Donavan and the Gators. Roberson is the No. 1 points guard

recruit in the country according to recruiting expert Bob Gibbons.

The Heritage High School girl's varsity basketball team had a superb season

when the Hawks trekked through tournament play and wound up in the Class A

state championship game where they dropped a 53-43 decision to Lansing

Everett at Central Michigan University's Rose Arena. The Hawks outlasted

top-ranked Detroit Martin Luther King in three overtimes during a tense

semifinal clash the previous day, which left nothing in the tank for the

finale. Heritage coach Tim Conley, whose team finished the season with a

fine 23-4 mark, was named Class A Coach of the Year for his efforts.

CROSS COUNTRY

Hemlock boys cross-country team captured the Division 3-state championship

at Michigan International Speedway when they rolled up 137 points. Benzie

Central was second with 161. Members of the Coach Bill Agresta's squad

included Nick Puchacz, G.K. Drown, Andy Henne, Joe Frost, Rob Slate, Steve

Czymbor and Craig Madaleno.

FOOTBALL

Most Michiganders had high hopes for the Detroit Lions when their new

regime - General Manager Matt Millen and Head Coach Marty Mornhinweg - came

aboard with a sparkling new (Westcoast) offense. But injuries to key

personnel, turnovers and let's not forget the dreaded penalties, helped the

Lions reach a record - for futility.

As of this writing, the Pontiac Pussycats are 0-12.

Chesaning High School defeated Orchard Lake St. Mary's 14-7 to win the

Division 4 state championship at the Pontiac Silverdome.

The man of the hour was senior Matt Ferry who returned a punt 66 yards for

the game-winning touchdown with just 1:39 remaining. It marked the Indians'

second state title in four years. Coach Jim Szappan's squad won the state

title in '98 when they squeaked by Belding, 41-38, in the Class B state

championship game.

Saginaw High product Charles Rogers, playing in his first full season with

Michigan State University, had a record-breaking season. The sophomore wide

receiver had 1,200 receiving yards to break the single-season record of

1,142 yards set by Plaxico Burress in 1999. Rogers' 12 receiving touchdowns

this season tied Burress' 2-year-old mark.

The Detroit Lions announced that they will not return to Saginaw Valley

State University for their training camp. But it wasn't because of SVSU

Athletic Director Griz Zimmerman who worked round the clock in hopes of

getting the Lions on the dotted line. The Lions, who brought fans from

throughout the state to the training camp, brought a much-needed

shot-in-the-arm to the area's economy.

Jerome Jackson of Saginaw High established a Michigan High School Athletic

Association record when he rushed for a whopping 403 yards on 31 carries in

the Trojans' 49-24 win over Birmingham Seaholm in the Division 2 state

quarterfinal game. Jackson, a junior that college scouts have been drooling

over, scored six touchdowns in the contest and added a two-point conversion

to tally 38 of Saginaw High's 49 points.

Two Saginaw products made rosters of National Football League teams.

Alphonso Boone (Arthur Hill) joined the Chicago Bears via free agency, and

James Reed (Saginaw High) was drafted by the New York Jets. The two join

Sam Sword (Arthur Hill) of the Indianapolis Colts as current professional

football players from Saginaw.

Stuart Schweigert followed up his superb freshman season at Purdue

University with an excellent sophomore campaign. Schweigert, the Big 10's

freshman of the year, tied the Boilermakers' record for interceptions in a

career (which he shares with Rod Woodson) - which he will more than likely

eclipse next season.

HOCKEY

Shocked by being ousted by the Los Angles Kings in the first round of the

National Hockey League playoffs, Detroit Red Wings owner Mike Illitch

decided to take matters into his own hands (and checkbook). The Wings

signed future Hall of Famers Brett Hull, Dominik Hasek and Luc Robitaille

making the league's highest payroll of $65 million. The winged wheel

skaters have responded by compiling the best point total thus far in the

2001-2002 season.

MISCELLANEOUS

Don Bethune's dream finally came true. The Arthur Hill graduate has wanted

to start a Saginaw County Sports Hall of Fame for some time. After seeing

neighboring communities such as Midland, Bay City and Flint honor local

athletes, Bethune finally took the bull by the horns and assembled a

committee which hammered out bylaws and will induct its first class in the

fall of 2002.

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