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: By Brad Kelly College Baseball in Texas In a telephone interview from his parents' home in Orono, Mark Tranter doesn't hesitate when asked to compare the level of baseball he is playing now, to what he has played throughout his career. He says there is no comparison. The young left-handed pitcher packed his glove and spikes in the fall of last year and headed to the Lone Star State to pursue a baseball dream. So far, things have gone according to plan. Tranter has accepted a two-year athletic scholarship to Howard Junior College, located in Texas. While home for Christmas, Tranter was understandably excited about the prospects of suiting up with the school for the next two years. And, indeed he should be. The team is coming off a fall season in which they went 15-0, earning the school the number one ranking in the State of Texas. Nationally, the polls rank them as number five. As for Tranter, in addition to adjusting to a new environment, he had a satisfactory fall season, contributing a win and three saves while pitching out of the bullpen. "I had a pretty good fall, considering it's my freshman season," he said. The fall season, if nothing else, serves as a tune-up for the regular season, season, which kicks off in February and lasts until the middle of May. Over those three months, the college will play 62 games. The extensive schedule only begins to describe the many changes that Tranter is facing as he begins his tenure at the school. Obviously, there is a period of adjustment needed to become acclimatized acclimatized to the weather. "There aren't really any seasons. It's always dry," said Tranter. Then, there is the Commitment to the team. Each morning begins with a weight training session. It is followed by a practice which runs from noon until 5:00 p.m, ! To conclude the day, there is a brisk, three-mile run the players are required required to finish. That is only the beginning. The dugouts are air conditioned. The school has its own team bus. And half of the games are played on astroturf. There are also team rules that each players is expected to abide by. Each player is to report clean shaven, with no earrings. Random drug tests are administered. It's all a part of what makes Howard Junior College a virtual sports dynasty. Three years ago, the baseball team won the National Championship. Championship. TTiis year, the girls' basketball team is ranked number one in the nation, nation, and the men's team is ranked seventh. And did I mention the school also has a rodeo team? Don't laugh. It is ranked third in the country. As for adjusting to being a transplanted Canadian, Tranter is doing just fine. "You're exclusive. They single me out, but it makes for good fun," he says. "Our team gets along really well, which is why we are so successful." successful." He especially found himself exclusive during the World Series, cheering cheering for the Toronto Blue Jays. "I was in a separate room watching," he recalled with a laugh. It was a coincidence that, during his team's final game of the fall season, Tranter Tranter threw the final pitch to record a save. That same night, Joe Carter hit a homerun to clinch the World Series.. As for the upcoming spring season, he expects his role of middle reliever reliever wdlremain unchanged. However, he is hoping that because of the high number of games, hé may get the opportunity to be insefted into the starting rotation for a game or two. The Canadian Statesman, Bowmanville, Wednesday, January 12,1994 9 Tjgs for Obtaining Your Favorite Athlete's Signature Autographs by Chad Maartense Over the last few years card collecting, collecting, as well as autograph collecting, collecting, has undergone a big change. Sports collectibles all went from being virtually unknown to an instant instant big seller overnight. Cards have been in circulation since the early 1900's when they were inserted inserted in cigarette packages. But, the craze never really began to catch on until the the summer of 1989 when more and more card companies decided decided to get in on the market. Today, the market has become so flooded with different makes of cards that it is almost a regular occurrence occurrence for a company to go out of business. Many card stores today arc unable to stock all the cards because because there are just so many to choose from. Just when the card craze began to pick up, so did people wanting autographs of their favorite sports celebrities. Today you can buy probably any autograph you want, if you are willing to pay the price. Many players choose to approach approach autographs differently. Some like to sign autographs, while other players tend not even to give you the time of day. When Paul Quantrill, of the Boston Boston Red Sox and local native of Port Hope was asked how he likes to approach autographs, he said "How you approach autographs is a matter of what kind of person you arc. When you were a kid, how important important was an autograph to you? You understand that." Quantrill said, if he could he would like to sign for every kid, but it's just not possible. "It's tough for kids to understand that this is a job. We have to get some work done," stated the rookie pitcher. Nowadays, kids are coming up and asking the players to sign seven or eight cards at a time. Many card- shops are paying kids to go and get the players' autographs because they know a player is more likely to sign for a child than an adult. The players get hounded 24 hours a day. There are kids at the restaurants, in the hotels and waiting waiting for them at the ballpark. "You don't like to sign a couple and then have to run away. Because then somebody is going to curse and swear at you," said the right- handed pitcher. Quantrill says it is becoming a real big problem when people sell their autographs. Every- To all these kids, everybody is their favorite player. "Kids come up to me and say Taut, Paul you're my favorite player.' The only place I'm that popular is in Port Hope, Kendal and Orono," said the Port Hope native. According to Quantrill, you tend to see the same faces every day you're in each city. They keep coming back for more. That's when you know they are selling the autographs. autographs. An autograph's value is determined determined basically on the status of the player, whether they are a super- star, rookie or whether the player doesn't sign very many autographs. It also depends on the area you live in. A Doug Gilmour picture is going going to sell for more in Toronto than it would in Montreal because of his popularity. Through several experiences with many players both hockey and baseball, it is easy for an avid autograph autograph collector to attain over 1000 autographs if you have the time and patience. A collection of this size takes about three years to accumulate. You also have to put in a lot of hours to get the autographs. With pro franchises in Toronto, it is quite easy to get autographs of players like Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux, and players like Paul Molitor and Nolan Ryan. However, not all meetings with these superstars are good ones. Some players completely blow up and curse and swear at you. Then there are the players who just won't sign at all. Guys like Kirby Kirby Puckett, Ken Griffey Jr., and Mark Messier. But, on the other hand, there are some really nice players. One of the nicest athletes has to be Nolan Ryan. He makes everyone line up in a straight line, and signs one autograph autograph for.everyone and shakes each person's hand. He is one of the few elite superstars who has class. There are many ways to attain autographs. You can get them at the ballpark, or at the hotel where the players are staying. You can also pay for their autographs at local local card shows. One of the new ways to get many players autographs is the popularity of Celebrity Golf Tournaments Tournaments where many superstars participate. Last year, even Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, Rollie Fingers, Mike Schmidt and Joe Thiesman were in a tournament in Brampton. The other way to get players' signatures is by writing the players through the mail. Many players will oblige if you send a stamped, self- addressed envelope. Hockey is Hot Commodity? much more successful than baseball seys. This is one of the hardest Regina Coach Visits Volleyball Roots by Brad Kelly In the small confines of the gymnasium gymnasium at Clarke High School, Heather Sawyer is putting a group of university volleyball players from Regina through an array of drills in preparation for an exhibition match against Queen's of Kingston. She has complete command and control over the entire court. Her actions actions are reminiscent of the way she once dominated the sport while playing in the same gymnasium as a student at Clarke back in the early 1980's. v \ V. Former Clarke High School graduate, Heather Sawyer, made a return return to her school last week as coach of the University of Regina women's volleyball team. Above, she is putting her team through a scries of drills prior to an exhibition match against Queen's. Following Following that game, the team was scheduled to play against York, Waterloo, Waterloo, Guelph, and Western during their week-long stay, Much has changed since that time. Over the past 12 years, there was a scholarship to a university in the United States, four years with Canada's national team, and another year playing professionally in Europe. Europe. Now, the Orono native is the head coach of the women's volleyball volleyball program at the University of Regina. She is passing along her immense immense knowledge of the sport to a group of young players who are eager eager to learn. The situation is quite a role reversal for Sawyer, who was labelled as one of Canada's best players at one time. "I'm finally starting to think more as a coach and not as a player," said Sawyer. It's her fourth year at the university, university, and admittedly the move from being a player to a coach has been a difficult transition. "It's a lot different from playing," playing," she said of her new role. "I have a greater appreciation for all the coaches and people who supported supported me along the way." Her volleyball career blossomed after graduating from Clarke back in 1982. Upon receiving her high school diploma, Western Michigan University came calling with a four- ycar athletic scholarship to the Division Division I school. During her four years there, Western Michigan won the conference conference championship each year, and advanced to the NCAA playoffs. In their best year, 1983, the team compiled a 32-1 record, and finished finished eighth in the counfry, losing out in the quarter-finals of the NCAA tournament. She describes the four years at the school south of the border as be-" ing, "the best move I could have made in my life. It ended up being a very positive experience." After completing her four-year commitment to Western Michigan, Canada's national team enlisted the services of the talented player. After leaving the program in 1990, she ventured to Belgium to play professionally professionally for one season. Upon her return, a coaching vacancy vacancy opened up at the University of Regina. Now in her fourth season, season, she finds herself feeling comfortable comfortable in her western surroundings. surroundings. , Peering out over the gym while a high school tournament is in progress, Sawyer talks of the many demands she puls on her players because it is such a low key sport compared to baseball. Players like Mario Lemieux, and Steve Yzer- man send back your requests. There are certain teams that like to sign and others that don't. For example, in baseball it is basically the teams that aren't very good that sign. Teams like the Cleveland Indians Indians and Milwaukee Brewers where you can usually get the entire entire team. Then there are teams like Chicago White Sox and Texas Rangers who are virtually impossible. impossible. Hockey, on the other hand, is totally totally different. Practically every team signs, with the exception usually usually of the team's major superstars. The most accessible superstar in the league is, without a doubt, Pat LaFontaine. He signs for everyone who asks him and is really nice. He is one of the few players who likes to talk to you. Most players just stay silent and sign. When you thank them, they don't reply. Another thing that has taken off over the years is the collecting of sports memorabilia - things like hockey sticks, baseball bats and jer- things to get because they are so , expensive. There are very few ; players who like to give out sticks • or bats. This is why they arc so ex- ! pensive. Many people can't afford ? to get involved in this trade, al- •! though it is one of the most glori- fied hobbies of the sports industry. Over the last couple of years, people have been balking at buying autographs debating whether or not- it is authentic or not. There are so many people out there looking to make a buck. So if you are going to buy an autograph, be sure that it is real. Ask the person how he got it, • and where. Also, ask if he has a ' picture with the player or a certifi- • cate of authenticity. If the person has an abundance of the player, there is a good probability that the autographs are fake. Over the course of 1993 both these hobbies (card collecting and autographs) have begun to slow' down. Many people just can't afford afford to shell out the big bucks for - cards and signatures. Even though - the number of people buying the products is declining, the interest in both will always be there. ' V- ' ' i\X W- ',. • ; . , It; v ■ ■ ■ * - W&mm As the number of people collecting autographs continues to rise, it; seems as though they are becoming too greedy. According to Port- Hope native Paul Quantrill of the Boston Red Sox, who is pictured I above during an appearance at SkyDome, kids are wanting seven or! eight autographs at a time. ; during the course of their six-month season. In addition to their performance performance on the court during games, players are required to follow a rigorous rigorous schedule that includes weight training, and attending daily practice sessions. There is also a strong emphasis placed on maintaining a high academic academic standard. Compiling victories in the tough Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) is also a priority, but the won/lost record at the end of the season isn't the gauge which Sawyer Sawyer uses, to measure her team's success. success. "You can't. That's a byproduct," byproduct," she said. "It's all the little little things that get you through a season season that count the most." This season, like the three previous previous ones at the university, promises to be a difficult one. Included in the GPAC are Winnipeg and Manitoba, who, for the past five years, have shared the first and second ranking in Canada. But in Sawyer's case, those two universities won't present any bigger challenge than she faced throughout her playing career. And, after spending so many years relocating relocating from place to place, she is quite content to remain where she is for a long period of lime. "That's what I eventually want to get to is having some stability." Though coaching as a career choice isn't traditionally known for offering long-term stability, the opportunity opportunity at the University of Regina Regina offers Sawyer a chance to build a successful program. SPORTS CARD SHOW SAT.. JAN. 15 Bowmanville Recreation Complex Location: Hwv. 2, Bowmanville (Exit 401 at Waverley Rd.) Time: 11 a.m.-4p.m. FREE ADMISSION Next Show: Sal,, Jan. 29 < (905) 7284456 . Install a high efficiency ! ] gas, oil or propane furnace and receive UP to $500 TRADE-IN on your old furnace when you purchase a CARRIER FURNACE Htgh-efflctency gas furnace can save you up to 65% on your heating bills! Authorized Conmnws' Gat Dealer Heating & Air Conditioning Bowmanville/Newcastle 436-3212 • Oshawa/Whitby 428-0333 Cumimtttr on EmlmnmrfitJ Sir. kill cuuultjtlf Wf lft IWWI rnxlrunmiiirolilri p*;W I '** '"I Setting a standard for environmental protection WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU ABOUT TRITIUM The Minister of the Environment & Energy has requested that the Advisory Committee on Environmental Standards (ACES) conduct a public consultation on the proposed new Interim Ontario Drinking Water Objective of 7,000 Becqucrels/Litrc (Bq/L) for Tritium. The current Ontario Drinking Water Objective is 40,000 Bq/L. ACES was established to contribute to environmental improvement by advising the Minister on standards for environmental contaminants. We are seeking public input before reporting to the Minister and would like to invite you to take part in this public consultation. ACES is particularly interested in your answers to the following questions, although we welcome any other comments you may have: 1. Is the proposed standard acceptable? 2. If not, what is the basis for finding the proposed level unacceptable? 3. Do you have an alternative level to propose and what is your rationale for suggesting this level? The deadline for written comments is March 10,1904. A public information session is scheduled for January 27, 1994 in Ajax, Ontario. If you are concerned about the environment and would like to make a difference then we urge you to get Involved! For further information, and copies of the documentation, please contact: Advisory Committee on Environmental Standards 40 St. Clair Ave. West, Suite 401 Toronto, Ontario M4V I M2 Telephone: (416) 314-9265 Fax: (416)314-9270 © Ontario