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Sports | Hockey

SPORTS

Coach Crean to sing at Wrigley Field

Dan Woike
April 26, 2002

Ex-MSU assistant and current Marquette men’s basketball coach Tom Crean will now be able to say he has something in common with the late Hall of Fame broadcaster Harry Carey, Mike Ditka, Muhammad Ali and Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder. During the Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers game at Wrigley Field this afternoon, Crean will lead the crowd in a rendition of “Take Me Out to the Ballgame,” during the seventh inning stretch. For the past five years, the Cubs have had celebrities from all walks of life lead the crowd in singing, a task Carey had before his passing.

BASEBALL

Diminutive Braun excels on diamond

Chris Mackinder
April 26, 2002

Opposing catchers may joke about his size when he steps up to the plate, but the jokes stop once he swings the bat.Despite his 5-foot-9, 155-pound frame, Spartan second baseman Charlie Braun has become a dynamic player, helping MSU (27-9 overall, 9-6 Big Ten) stay among the Big Ten’s elite.“He’s being the player that is a thorn in the other team’s side,” Spartan hitting coach Cory Mee said.

SPORTS

After record start to season, Lugs beginning to slide

Ryan Wallace
April 26, 2002

In the midst of a 12-game road trip, the Lansing Lugnuts have had a wild ride thus far. Lansing (9-10) is 0-2 to start the trip, with two games remaining with the Michigan Battle Cats, four games with the Dayton Dragons and four with the West Michigan Whitecaps. The optimism that was created with a franchise-best 5-2 start is now gone. In the first game of the road trip, the Lugnuts pitched well enough to win, but the bats never showed up.

SPORTS

Track team splits for competition

Justin A. Rice
April 26, 2002

Members of the women’s track and field team will compete in Philadelphia this weekend, while others will compete in Hillsdale. Five Spartans are headed to Philadelphia for the Penn Relay Carnival, which started Thursday and finishes Saturday. Sophomores Jamie Krzyminski and Michelle Carson lead the group in Philadelphia.

SPORTS

Spartans look to defend Big Ten Championship

James Jahnke
April 26, 2002

Coming off a strong showing in Ohio last weekend, the women’s golf team starts its run at back-to-back Big Ten titles today in Urbana, Ill.For the first time in 19 years, the Spartans are the defending conference champions heading into the league championships.

BASKETBALL

Students appreciate Johnsons committment to U community

Ryan Wallace
April 25, 2002

Earvin “Magic” Johnson changed the way professional basketball is played and he is now almost guaranteed a place in basketball’s hallowed walls. Johnson, who played 13 years with the Los Angeles Lakers, was one of 14 players, coaches and teams nominated Wednesday for induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass. During his two-year career at MSU, Johnson put up record numbers.

BASEBALL

Oldsmobile welcomes Spartan sluggers tonight

Chris Mackinder
April 24, 2002

The MSU baseball team will have revenge on the mind tonight at Oldsmobile Park.The Spartans (26-9 overall, 9-6 Big Ten) will travel to Lansing for the first time this season to host Central Michigan, which defeated MSU both times the two teams faced off last season.

BASKETBALL

Garland interviews for head coach job

Dan Woike
April 24, 2002

Just a week after one piece of the Spartan men’s basketball coaching staff decided to stay put, another assistant soon might be leaving the MSU sidelines.MSU assistant coach Mike Garland will interview for the head coaching job at Wisconsin-Green Bay today, Wisconsin-Green Bay Sports Information Director Brian Nicol said.Garland, a teammate of MSU head coach Tom Izzo at Northern Michigan, has spent six seasons as an assistant on the Spartan bench.

BASEBALL

Injury wont keep catcher out all season

Chris Mackinder
April 23, 2002

As the MSU baseball team enters the second half of the Big Ten season, one of its most productive weapons is battling an injury.Junior catcher Brady Burrill, who leads the Spartans with a .444 batting average, took a foul ball off his left hand in Friday’s 11-0 win against Michigan.Burrill was forced to watch the remaining three games of the series from the bench, with his catching hand wrapped in ice.“We’re definitely better with Brady catching, from a leadership and experience standpoint,” Spartan manager Ted Mahan said.

FOOTBALL

Thornhill invited to Lions camp

Justin A. Rice
April 23, 2002

A day after not being picked in the 2002 NFL Draft, middle linebacker Josh Thornhill was given another chance.The third-team All-American and team MVP was invited to workout at the Detroit Lions mini-camp Thursday through Sunday at its Allen Park practice facility.

FOOTBALL

Rogers to be named Playboy All-American

Justin A. Rice
April 22, 2002

Spartan receiver Charles Rogers will become part of an elite class of athletes when he is pictured in the October 2002 issue of Playboy Magazine. Rogers will not be baring all, he will join 25 others as members of the 2002 Preseason Playboy All-American team. Gil Brandt, an analyst for NFL.com said Thursday that Rogers would be part of the 2002 Playboy All-American team. “He’s a great player and can he return kicks,” Brandt said. Brandt has helped Gary Cole, photography director and sports editor of Playboy Magazine, select the team in the past. Last season, Rogers caught 67 passes for 1,470 yards in 12 games.