Author: David Shama

Former Twin Torii Hunter, now with the Los Angeles Angels, is the best defensive player in the major leagues, according to a Sports Illustrated players’ poll in the May 5 issue of the magazine.

Sportsmanship got a badly needed boost last week in a softball game between two universities, Western Oregon and Central Washington.  A Western player hit a home run but injured her knee rounding the bases.  Central Washington players carried her so she could touch all the bases and make the home run count.  The home run allowed Western to win the game and ended Central Washington’s pursuit of a conference title and playoffs, according to news reports.

The Minnesota Wild announced on Wednesday that five of its players will participate in the 2008 Men’s World Hockey Championships in Quebec City, Quebec and Halifax, Nova Scotia.  Based on preliminary roster submissions, defenseman Brent Burns will represent Canada, center Morten Madsen (fourth round pick in 2005, played for Houston Aeros last season) will play for Denmark, goalie Niklas Backstrom and center Mikko Koivu will compete for Finland, and right wing Julien Sprunger (fourth round pick in 2004, played for HC Fribourg-Gotteron in Swiss League last season) will represent Switzerland.  The World Championships begin today (Friday).

The Hobey Baker Memorial Award Committee hosts its annual banquet tonight at 317 on Rice Park in St. Paul. The banquet will honor the University of Michigan’s Kevin Porter, the 2008 winner of the Hobey Baker Memorial Award.  Also honored will be legendary Dartmouth College coach Eddie Jeremiah who will receive the 2008 Hobey Baker Legend of College Hockey award.  Ticket information is available at www.hobeybaker.com.

General manager Djorn Bucholz of the Minnesota Thunder said forward Ricardo Sanchez has played “fantastic” in the team’s first two games.  He scored on a penalty kick at Vancouver in the Thunder’s 1-0 win on April 26.  Bucholz likes Sanchez’s steadiness with the ball.  Bucholz said other key players for the Thunder, 1-1 on the season, are goalie Nicolas Platter, defender and midfielder Stephen deRoux and forward Alen Marcina.

The Thunder opens the home schedule on Sunday night at James Griffin Stadium in St. Paul.  Tickets will be available at the stadium prior to the 5:05 p.m. game time, Buchholz said.

Sportscaster Randy Shaver said his annual golf tournament set for June 2 at Rush Creek has filled its available inventory for players and sponsors.  He expects the tourney to raise about $390,000 for the Randy Shaver Cancer Research Fund.  He said over the years the tournament has generated more than $3 million for the fund which then distributes it for cancer research.

Twins president Dave St. Peter told Sports Headliners on Monday that a “couple” of home games would have been postponed this spring if the team were playing outdoor baseball. “Maybe two or three,” he said.

The Twins open play in their new outdoor ballpark in 2010 and no one wants to see a duplication of an early spring that St. Peter described as “abnormally harsh.”   Temperatures in the 30’s and 40’s with snow and rain make this an April to forget, and the elements have created speculation about early season games in the new ballpark instead of the weather-proof Metrodome where the team has played since 1982.

Based on previous analysis, the Twins expect up to five postponed games per season in the new ballpark that will have to be rescheduled.  That means playing through some adverse weather but that happens already in cities like Chicago, Detroit and Cleveland, all with teams in the same division as the Twins, the American League Central.  Modern playing fields are designed to minimize problems caused by rain and cold.

Asked about the Twins play during the first several weeks of the season, St. Peter said he still expects the team to compete for the division championship.  The club’s record is 12-14 and the Twins have lost four of their last six games.

The Twins, who won last night at home against Chicago, are 2.5 games behind the division leading White Sox.  No team in the division is more than three games behind Chicago.  St. Peter described the division race as “incredibly competitive” and said the gap between teams has narrowed from past seasons.

Although he doesn’t like the record, St. Peter said there is still so much more baseball to be played. “No question we expect to contend,” he said.  “It’s a long, long, long season.  We’re not even at the one-sixth mark yet.”

It makes a nice story to report that Thomas Tapeh is back in Minnesota where he played for St. Paul Johnson High School and the Gophers.  With a reported five-year, six million dollar contract, the Minnesota Vikings brought the 28-year-old fullback here this winter where his mother and other family still reside.  He’s happy to be back in town and likes his new team, but told Sports Headliners earlier this month that as a free agent this winter he was determined to join whatever NFL team provided the best opportunity.  “It’s a business,” said Tapeh, who will make New Jersey his off-season home.

He played for four seasons in Philadelphia after being drafted on the fifth round by the Eagles.  Playing for a “better future,” Tapeh intrigued the Vikings enough to offer him the best contract of his career and a role he’s accustomed to, sacrificing his body while blocking for others.  In the NFL he has rushed 22 times for 69 yards and no touchdowns.  As a featured runner for the Gophers, he might have achieved those totals in less than four quarters.

In Philly, Tapeh blocked for Brian Westbrook who has rushed for over 1,200 yards in each of the last two seasons.  Here he will lead the way for Adrian Peterson who ran for 1,341 yards last season as a rookie and led the NFC in rushing. Tapeh recognizes both Westbrook and Peterson as great backs.  “I am grateful, man.  I really am,” he said.

The Vikings will depend on their running game led by Peterson and veteran Chester Taylor.  Defenses will crowd the line of scrimmage and the combat will be demanding and nasty including for Tapeh who at 6-1, 240 will block defenders of varying sizes and temperaments.

What have the Vikings’ coaches told him about his opportunity here? “This game, the nature of the beast is competition,” he said.  “You survive by competing. …The opportunity is what I make of it.  That’s how I see it.”

Tapeh has been working at Winter Park, preparing his body for the season.  “The older you get in this game, you realize you can’t pound the body like you used to when you first came out,” he said.  “It’s more endurance.  It’s a marathon.  It’s not a sprint.  When I first came in you try to lift heavy, heavy, heavy. You can’t do that no more. You gotta start light and increase as the time comes closer to the season.

“But right now you take it slow until about a month away from the season. Then you pick up.  That way you hit the season full stride.  You can’t go crazy no more, man.  You get tired quick.”

What aches and pain linger?  “This is football, man,” Tapeh answered.  “What don’t linger?  Back, neck, knee, hip.  You name it.  That’s why you go slow.  You rehab the body.  Basically what we’re doing right now.  Just rehabbing. …”

Tapeh wouldn’t complain about any particular pain.  “It’s just pain,” he said laughing. “That’s all it is. Deal with it.  It’s just football.  Anything in particular?  Nah.  Just got to keep going.”

Coach Brad Childress was the Eagles’ offensive coordinator for two seasons when Tapeh was a young player in Philadelphia.  He spoke about how Childress was a patient teacher, explaining in detail how plays worked.  Now he’s reunited with Childress and wants to help the Vikings “win a championship.”