ESPN’s Gammons suffers aneurysm
BOSTON — ESPN baseball analyst Peter Gammons was stricken with a brain aneurysm Tuesday morning and underwent surgery.
The 61-year-old Gammons is expected to be in intensive care for 10 to 12 days, The Boston Globe reported on its Web site. Gammons started at the Globe in 1969.
Gammons, a member of the writers’ wing of the Hall of Fame, has been a regular on ESPN’s Sunday night telecasts this season.
He worked the Braves-Yankees game in New York on Monday night.
In the 1970s while at the Globe, Gammons popularized the style of baseball notes columns that became staples in Sunday newspapers.
He later wrote for Sports Illustrated.
At the 2005 Hall of Fame induction ceremony, Gammons was awarded the 2004 J.G. Taylor Spink Award for outstanding baseball writing, selected in balloting by the Baseball Writers Association of America.
Gammons covered the NHL, baseball and college basketball for Sports Illustrated from 1976-78 and 1986-90, working a second stint at the Globe in between.
He began working for ESPN full-time in 1990 and is a studio analyst for “Baseball Tonight,” as well as a regular contributor for “SportsCenter,” ESPNEWS, ESPN Radio and ESPN The Magazine. His column and Weblog can be found on ESPN.com.
He also has written a book, “Beyond the Sixth Game,” about free agency.
Gammons, a native of Boston who grew up in nearby Groton, attended the University of North Carolina.
MU BASKETBALL: Former MU Tiger, and No. 9 on Mizzou’s all time scoring list, Ricky Paulding (2000-2004) returned to speak at the Mike Anderson Basketball Camp on Tuesday.
Paulding, who spent one year with the Detroit Pistons, talked about the importance of education and maintaining interest in basketball.
Paulding spent the last two years playing overseas in Israel and France. He plans on playing in the NBA summer leagues in hopes to return to the NBA.
The first session of the Mike Anderson Basketball Camp will conclude June 29. A second camp will be offered July 23. For more information call 884-8884
MU VOLLEYBALL: Honorable Mention All-American Tiger, Jessica Vander Kooi, prepares for the 2006 season by playing with the USA Volleyball’s A2-training team.
The USA second team placed second in an open four-day tournament over Memorial Day weekend.
The 6 foot 2 inch outside hitter had four double-doubles with the Tigers against top 25 teams in the 2005 season.
The USA A1 team, including former Tiger Lindsey Hunter, is ranked No. 5 in the world and will kickoff their official season against No. 9 Poland in Rosemont, Ill., on May 26.
Tiger volleyball will begin on August 25, at the Long Beach State Invitational. They will play their first home game on August 29 against UALR.
MARTIAL ARTS: Hockman’s ATA Black Belt Academy’s Sarah Friskey won her fourth Sparring World Title in Little Rock, AR., on Friday, June 23.
Friskey, a taekwondo instructor and third degree Black Belt, competed in the 40-49 year old division against competitors from South Africa, Canada, and the United States.
Frisey and her husband began training in 1999 after observing their son in classes. They now study under fifth degree Black Belt Jeff Hockman.