– Making a move: In case you haven`t noticed, there`s been some progress with our city`s baseball teams in the past week or so. Here`s a move that might push them over the top: Trade managers. Think about it. Feisty Jim Lefebvre might be just the ticket for a White Sox roster seemingly heavy with underachieving players. Besides, he knows the American League. Furthermore, Gene Lamont`s laid-back style might be nicely suited for a Cub team full of building projects. And, as we know, Lamont is familiar with the National League.
– Teeing off: Here were two Tuesday golf stories in Chicago:
– No. 1: A press conference announcing details of Michael Jordan`s charity celebrity pro-am was held in the morning at Kemper Lakes Golf Club. Sir Michael wasn`t there, but his mother, Delores Jordan, kicked off proceedings. The event, which will be smaller and more competitive than past Jordan tourneys at Cog Hill, will be Sept. 5-7-and geared for spectators. Among celeb-athletes who`ll participate: Ernie Banks, Elgin Baylor, Bonnie Blair, Quinn Buckner, Clyde Drexler, Julius Erving, Steve Garvey, Willie McCovey, Stan Mikita, Chris Mullin, Charles Oakley, David Robinson, Danny Sullivan and Dominique Wilkins. Tournament director Michael Carey said one of the days of competition will see present PGA players competing for $230,000 in prize money. They are: John Cook, Chip Beck, Jeff Sluman, Robert Gamez, Billy Andrade, Peter Jacobsen, Calvin Peete, Mark Brooks, Mark Calcavecchia, Dan Pohl, Jay Haas, Tommy Armour III, Nolan Henke and Wayne Grady.
– No. 2: While heavyweights lined up for Jordan`s tournament, Peete slipped quietly away after the press conference to get ready for a clinic that didn`t draw any media attention later in the day. It was at Columbus Park, where Peete gave instruction to several busloads of inner-city kids. It`s an ongoing interest for the PGA star, who has his own foundation aimed at building an academy. He`s solicited corporate support for several years. This event was coordinated by the Chicago Park District`s Willye White with assistance from the Joe Louis Foundation. ”Golf is a wonderful tool if we can just get more kids into it,” Peete said. ”It teaches them etiquette, following rules and dedication.” Peete is concerned, like many, that there seems to be a dwindling number of minority role models on the PGA Tour. ”Michael Jordan may be one of the best we have in golf,” he said. ”I was at a clinic with him once, and he drew unbelievable crowds.”
– A good fit: The Bulls are going to have more representation at the Olympics than Jordan and Scottie Pippen. Chicago-based Brunswick Corp., which has built an 18,000-square-foot bowling center in the Olympic Village, just shipped over the same bowling shoes used by the Bulls-and provided by Brunswick-at their annual preseason bowling party in Deerfield. ”We figured there`d be some athletes in Barcelona with big feet, and those were the biggest shoes we had,” said a company spokesman. Incidentally, the bowling center figures to be popular because it`s one of the few buildings in the Olympic complex with air conditioning.
– More Olympics: NBC`s coordinating director for the Olympics, Joe Cortina, has a Chicago connection as a former high school student at Niles West. His greatest contribution to the school? It may have been giving his pommel horse to future Olympian Bart Conner, another West gymnast.
– Tiger rag: If Vince Tobin continues to strike out seeking an NFL head coaching job, should we feel free to assume he might be welcome at his alma mater-Missouri? With Dan Devine returning to the Big Eight school as AD at age 67, there`s a possibility. Tobin played and coached for Devine. Current Tiger coach Bob Stull, whose record is 9-23-1, is on shaky ground. It wasn`t too long ago Devine said Bill Tobin would be a good choice as the school`s AD.
– Three-peat: The annual ”Hoops for Life” 3-on-3 basketball tournament, which benefits the American Cancer Society, raised a record $103,000 in Hinsdale. There were 256 teams in several divisions, and the overall open winner featured Illinois-Chicago star Kenny Williams. But maybe the most fortunate participant was the unidentified player who fell and seriously hurt his ankle during one game. Why was he fortunate? Playing on the next court in an Over-35 game was a team of physicians, who called time out to assist the fallen cager.
– Rolling the dice: State Sen. Denny Jacobs may find out first-hand the effect legalized gambling-riverboat, in this case-may have on the horse racing industry. Jacobs, a Moline politician who has been a big proponent of the riverboats, reportedly has scheduled a fundraiser for July 30 at the Quad City Downs track. One problem: The track has applied to shut down before that date because of failing business brought on, according to horsemen, by riverboat gambling.
– And finally: Larry Bertuzzi, arbitrator in the Eric Lindros` case, was better qualified than anyone realized to settle a dispute among NHL owners. In addition to being a high-powered Toronto lawyer, he`s a leader of a Cub Scout pack.
