Area sports digest 3/23/04

Hall of fame banquet

The Southeast Missouri Amateur Baseball Hall of Fame will hold its annual banquet and induction ceremony Saturday night at the VFW Hall in Sikeston.

Doors open at 6 p.m. and the program begins at 7 p.m.

Eight individuals will be inducted, including former Cape Girardeau American Legion baseball manager Ron Michel, who was also a standout player for many years in the area. Also honored posthumously will be Roger Pattillo (Poplar Bluff).

Others being inducted are Joe Bill Davis (Benton), Kenneth Marler (Poplar Bluff), Bobby McDonald (Malden), Don Metz (Poplar Bluff), Don Miller (Sikeston) and James Warren (Thayer).

Former major-league star Willie Wilson will be the guest speaker. He played for 19 seasons with three teams, including 15 seasons with the Kansas City Royals.

Tickets to the banquet are $7.50 and will be available at the door or from any Hall of Fame board member, including Homer Dickmann of Cape Girardeau, who can be reached at 334-1017.

Coad fires her 1st ace

Jennifer Coad of Cape Girardeau recorded a hole in one Friday on the par-3 13th hole at Dalhousie Golf Club. Coad used an 8 iron to score her first career hole in one.

The event was witnessed by Eileen Owens.

Scorpions win tourney

The Kohlfeld Scorpions Rugby Club won the eight-team Missouri Rugby Union invitational tournament, defeating the Scott Air Force Base Rowdies 33-5 in the championship match Saturday in Carbondale, Ill.

The victory was the third of the day for the Scorpions, who also defeated the St. Louis Hornets 17-0 and SL.S.M. 22-5.

Scorpion scorers for the tournament: Andy Stover, Mark Lineberry, Eric Hinson, Scott Johnston, Kevin Tucker, Carlos Velasco, Joey Hann, Ben Schwab and Cole Burton. Stover, who scored in all three matches, was the tournament MVP.

Junior Road Runners

The Junior Road Runners program will hold its first session at 5 p.m. today at Central Junior High School. This will be an informational meeting for the parents with a short practice to follow. A parent/guardian must be present at the meeting. The program, which holds practices from 5 to 6:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, is designed to introduce track and field to children from grades K-6. Registration fee for the Junior Road Runners is $20.

-- From staff reports