"Lazzari's Sports Roundup" - - - - 5/12/12

Lazzari's "Lopsided Score of the Week": In a Connecticut high school softball game played last week, Platt Tech defeated Prince Tech 20-0; the winning squad held a 15-0 lead after just two innings of this "laugher" while Prince Tech had ZERO hits and made EIGHT errors in a game shortened to just five innings. Just HOW quickly was this game over? Put it this way: The outcome of this game was already determined even before the coaches of both teams had imbibed their first cups of COFFEE on the morning of the game..........TRIVIA QUESTION: The 1990 Philadelphia Phillies--who finished 77-85 under manager Nick Leyva--were led in victories (10) by a pitcher who spent only FOUR years in the majors. Can you name this former lefty who was done with big league baseball by the age of 25? Answer to follow..........ITEM: Clemson wide receiver Sammy Watkins is arrested on drug charges; after scraping his car against a curb on campus, police found marijuana--along with pills he didn't have a prescription for--in the vehicle. Hey, let's give the kid the benefit of the doubt: Perhaps he's a pre-med major and was transporting the drugs to a campus science lab in order to examine their chemical compositions..........Here goes--picture the scenario: Texas-based family/marriage counselor Linda Shake marries former MLB hitting coach Rick Down, divorces, then marries San Diego Padres closer Huston Street. Fans of the Grateful Dead would be smiling every time her full married name was pronounced: Linda Shake Down Street..........I used to think that watching the great Mario Lemieux on a breakaway was the ultimate thing of beauty. That all changed the other day when I saw the revealing white dress that actress Mischa Barton was wearing at the "Women for Women International" gala dinner in London. My goodness..........Did you know that the 2004 Seattle Mariners were led in victories by pitcher Ron Villone--with a paltry total of just EIGHT? The topper? Villone spent most of his time that season in the bullpen--pitching a total of 117 innings for a team that won just 63 games..........Great cause: The S4 Epilepsy Walk, Dinner, and Silent Auction will be held Saturday, June 9th at Ballantine Park in Southbury (CT)--starting at 1:00PM. After a 2.74 mile walk, various sports/games such as bocce, tennis, volleyball, and horseshoes will be played; basketball shots will also be taken in an attempt to win a Nissan. Proceeds from this terrific event will go toward epilepsy research/striking out seizures. For more information, please visit www.s4epilepsywalk.com or call (914) 954-2789..........Answer to trivia question: PAT COMBS--who went 10-10 that year with a 4.07 ERA; he wound up winning only 17 games in a career that spanned from 1989-1992..........Happy birthday wishes go out to former MLB pitcher Al McBean--who blows out 74 candles on May 15th. One of the first natives of the Virgin Islands to play professional ball, Al was signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates as an amateur free agent in 1958; he spent ten years in the National League between 1961 and 1970--the majority of his time with Pittsburgh. Used mostly as a reliever, McBean put together a career record of 67-50 with a lifetime ERA of 3.13. In 1963 and '64, McBean won a combined 21 games while losing just six; his ERAs during that two-year stretch were 2.57 and 1.91 respectively. Following his playing days, Al returned to the Virgin Islands and worked for the Housing, Parks, and Recreation Department on St. Thomas; he also established his own landscaping business. Best wishes for many more birthdays to come, Al..........The tragic death of Junior Seau? At this juncture, I'll just choose to remember an intense competitor whose constant effort on the gridiron was unrivaled. My Dad once told me--using a sports term--that one of the keys to life is to "take as few 'downs off' as possible." Junior was the poster boy for that; you'll be missed, #55..........Finally, condolences go out to baseball Hall of Famer Stan "The Man" Musial and his family; Stan's wife of nearly 72 years, Lillian, passed away last week at the age of 91. Lillian Labash met Stan Musial while he was pitching for a semi-pro baseball team in 1934; they became high school sweethearts and were married in May of 1940 while Musial was playing Class D minor league ball. "Lil" Musial was a hero in her own right--involved in such great organizations as the Cardinals Pinch Hitters Group and helping homeless, runaway girls with the Covenant House. An easygoing, family-oriented person, she--like many other "baseball wives" at the time--had to raise kids while her famed husband was on the road a lot. In addition to her husband, Lillian Musial is survived by four children, 11 grandchildren, and 12 great-grandchildren. May Mrs. Musial rest in peace.