2B• WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2018
COM
WA R R E N S PA H N AWA R D
Facing Spahn in his
prime no easy task
Ed
Godfrey
egodfrey@
oklahoman.com
SPORTS
Former Brooklyn Dodg-
ers' infielder Bobby Mor-
gan of Oklahoma City
remembers the first time
he got a base hit off of War-
ren Spahn.
“A little slow curve on
the outside part of the plate
and I kind of just poked
it out to right field,” said
the 91-year-old Morgan.
“I remember the umpire
saying, ‘That is the way to
hit that guy,’ just go with
him, don’t try to pull him. I
didn’t get many or I would
remember them.”
Clayton Kershaw of the
Los Angeles Dodgers will
receive the Warren Spahn
Award at the Oklahoma
City Golf & Country Club
on Wednesday night as the
best left-handed pitcher in
baseball last season. It will
be his fourth Spahn Award.
Kershaw, Spahn, Sandy
Koufax and Randy John-
son — who also is a four-
time winner of the Spahn
Award — are all certainly
in the conversation about
who is the greatest lefty of
all-time.
Morgan doesn’t know
who is the best, but he
knows firsthand that
Spahn was as tough as they
come. Morgan played eight
seasons in the National
League from 1950-58 with
the Brooklyn Dodgers,
Philadelphia Phillies, St.
OU BASEBALL
Murray adjusting to center field
Ryan
Aber
raber@
oklahoman.com
OU BASEBALL
NORMAN — Last season,
dual-sport athlete Kyler
Murray played primarily left
fieldfor the Sooners base-
ball team.
This year, though, Murray
has moved to center field,
moving Steele Walker over
to right.
The Sooners open the
season Feb. 16 in Myrtle
Beach, South Carolina,
against Indiana.
He’ll balance his baseball
duties with competing for
the starting quarterback
slot after Baker Mayfield’s
departure.
Last week, Oklahoma
football coach Lincoln Riley
said he was happier with
Murray’s schedule this
OSU BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL JOURNAL
Cowboys ‘close’ to funding for stadium
Nathan Ruiz
nruiz@
oklahoman.com
OSU SPORTS
OSU BASKETBALL
STILLWATER — For
the past several years,
Oklahoma State athletic
director Mike Holder has
been fundraising to get the
Cowboys a new baseball
stadium.
On Tuesday, coach Josh
Holliday said the university
is making “great progress”
toward a replacement for
Allie P. Reynolds Stadium.
“We’re getting very close,
I think, to having the funds
that Coach Holder and the
administration feel is nec-
essary to make that project
Louis Cardinals and Chi-
cago Cubs.
His longest stint was
with the Dodgers. Mor-
gan said he didn’t face
Spahn as often as other
National League hitters of
the era because the Mil-
waukee Braves would skip
Spahn’s turn in the rota-
tion when they played
Brooklyn because of the
Dodgers heavy right-
handed hitting lineup.
“Warren always pitched
the last game of a series
before they came to Brook-
lyn so he would miss
the whole series against
Brooklyn,” Morgan said.
Still, Morgan had his
share of at bats against the
southpaw.
“I am sorry to say that
I did,” he said. “Warren
had such pinpoint con-
trol you very seldom got
one in the wheelhouse,
one in the strike zone
you could cut at it. He would
give you what we used to
call a comfortable collar, a
comfortable O-for-4.”
Spahn, however, didn’t
have the kind of stuff that
Kershaw has, Morgan said.
“Spahn was more or less
a finesser,” Morgan said.
“Spahny didn’t have an
overpowering fastball.   He
knew it so he would just
show it to you. He would
never give you a good fast-
ball to hit. He wasn’t what
I would call overpowering
like Kershaw. Kershaw will
blow it by you.”
Kershaw also has an out-
sanding curve ball to go
with the heater.
“He has what we would
season as he and
first-year Sooners
coach Skip Johnson have
worked to devise a plan for
Murray’s workload.
Johnson said at Tues-
day’s media day that
Murray’s schedule had
been altered to give him
more rest this spring.
Last year, Murray primar-
ily worked out with the
football team during their
early morningstrength-and-
conditioning sessions that
started at 6:30 a.m.
This season, Murray
is working out with the
baseball team, which starts
their workouts a bit later in
the morning.
Ware ready for
bigger defensive role
Last season as a sopho-
more, Brylie Ware was
primarily used as a des-
ignated hitter until Austin
O’Brien’s injury necessitated
come to life,” Holliday said
during the team’s media
day. “When you see what
it’s going to look like and
the type of project it is, it’s
pretty magnificent.”
Although Holliday
couldn’t offer a time frame
for a new ballpark, he did
say the university’s plan
includes amenities for
fans, as well as improved
training facilities for
players.
“That was our thought
process when you design
something that will house
your team for the next 100
years: How do you do it to
where it’ll stand the test
of time?” Holliday said.
“We didn’t cut any corners.
We’re looking at something
that will be pretty special
and unique.”
THE OKLAHOMAN | NEWSOK.
TUNING IN
NBA
WEDNESDAY
7 p.m. New York at Boston ESPN (Cox 29)
9:30 p.m. Dallas at Phoenix ESPN (Cox 29)
NBA G-LEAGUE
7 p.m. Iowa at Oklahoma City KINB-FM 105.3
NHL
7 p.m. Philadelphia at Washington NBCSN (Cox 251)
MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL
WARREN SPAHN AWARDS GALA 5:30 p.m. LSU at Tennessee SECN (Cox 275)
5:30 p.m. Tulane at East Carolina ESPNews (Cox 254)
6 p.m. Louisville at Virginia ESPN2 (Cox 28)
• When: Wednesday at 7 p.m. 6 p.m. West Virginia at Iowa State ESPNU (Cox 253)
6 p.m. Providence at Seton Hall FS1 (Cox 67)
• Where: Oklahoma City Golf & Country Club 6 p.m. Pittsburgh at Miami, Fla. FSPLUS (Cox 68)
6 p.m. Houston at Cincinnati CBSS (Cox 249)
• Awards: In addition to the Warren Spahn Award, the 7:30 p.m. Memphis at South Florida ESPNews (Cox 254)
Ferguson Jenkins Awards and the Michele Smith 7:30 p.m. Mississippi State at South Carolina SECN (Cox 275)
8 p.m. Missouri at Alabama ESPN2 (Cox 28)
Awards also will be presented to high school baseball 8 p.m. Texas at Texas Tech ESPNU (Cox 253)
and softball players and coaches. 8 p.m. Butler at Marquette FS1 (Cox 67)
8 p.m. Virginia Tech at Boston College FSPLUS (Cox 68)
Players receiving Ferguson Jenkins Awards will 8 p.m. Connecticut at Central Florida CBSS (Cox 249)
be Heritage Hall’s Carson Orton, Tulsa Kelley’s Ryan 10 p.m. Fresno State at Nevada CBSS (Cox 249)
Gendron, Duncan’s Tyler Polk, Vian’s Javier Ramos and
Westmoore’s Braxton Bohrofen. Westmoore’s Joe WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Patterson will receive the outstanding baseball coach 10:30 a.m. Kansas State at Oklahoma FSOK (Cox 37)/KREF-AM 1400/99.3 FM
11 a.m. Fordham at St. Louis NBCSN (Cox 251)
award. 6:30 p.m. Oklahoma State at Baylor FSOK (Cox 37)/FCS (Cox 271)/
Players receiving Michele Smith Awards will be KGFY-FM 105.5
Mustang’s Zoe Jones, Carl Albert’s Audrie LaVal-
ley, Yukon’s Chyenne Factor, Broken Arrow’s Mary MEN’S SOCCER
Collins and Putnam City’s MaKayla Jackson. Mus- 1:55 p.m. Tottenham vs. Manchester United NBCSN (Cox 251)
tang’s Jamie Roberts will receive the outstanding
softball coach award. THURSDAY
NBA
7 p.m. Houston at San Antonio TNT (Cox 31)
9:30 p.m. Oklahoma City at Denver TNT (Cox 31)/FSOK (Cox 37)/
call when I was scouting a left-handers of his era, but WWLS-FM 98.1
hell of a green hammer,” Jim Kaat was the toughest
Morgan said. “That’s what on him. NHL
the scouts used to call an “He would run that ball 7:30 p.m. Los Angeles at Nashville NBCSN (Cox 251)
8 p.m. Dallas at Arizona FSPLUS (Cox 68)
unhittable curve ball.” in on you and you would
Jim Gentile, 83, of get jammed,” he said. GOLF
Edmond was a slug- From what he’s watched 2 p.m. Phoenix Open GOLF (Cox 60)
ger in the 1950s and '60s on television, Gentile
who spent most of his thinks facing Kershaw MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL
major league career in the would be just as uncom- 5 p.m. Fairleigh Dickinson at St. Francis, PA CBSS (Cox 249)
5:30 p.m. Creighton at Villanova FS1 (Cox 67)
American League. He only fortable. 6 p.m. Gardner-Webb at Radford ESPNU (Cox 253)
stepped into the batter’s His plan of attack against 6 p.m. Wichita State at Temple ESPN2 (Cox 28)
7 p.m. SMU at Tulsa CBSS (Cox 249)
box against Spahn and the Dodgers ace would be 7:30 p.m. Northwestern at Wisconsin FS1 (Cox 67)
8 p.m. LIU Brooklyn at Sacred Heart ESPNU (Cox 253)
Koufax in spring training to swing early in the count. 9 p.m. Western Kentucky at UTEP CBSS (Cox 249)
games, but called them the “I would look fastball 10 p.m. San Francisco at St. Mary’s ESPNU (Cox 253)
10 p.m. Oregon State at Stanford FS1 (Cox 67)
two best National League for the first pitch and get
pitchers he ever faced. He out of there as quick as you
only had two at bats against could,” he said. “If he gives WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Spahn in his career. you that fastball, try to put 5:30 p.m. Texas A&M at Tennessee SECN (Cox 275)
6 p.m. Connecticut at South Carolina ESPN (Cox 29)
“I am glad I didn’t have some wood on it.” 7:30 p.m. Mississippi State at Missouri SECN (Cox 275)
to face him very much, to Morgan doesn't think
tell you the truth,” Gentile it would be any fun fac- FRIDAY
said. ing Kershaw, either. Asked
In the American League, how he would approach GIRLS BASKETBALL
Gentile said Whitey Ford, an at bat against Kershaw, 6 p.m. Norman at Norman North KREF-AM 1400/99.3 FM/
normansports.tv
Juan Pizarro and Sam Morgan replied, “With
McDowell were the best deep regret.” BOY’S BASKETBALL
4:30 p.m. Archbishop Molly NY vs. Christ The King, NY ESPNU (Cox 253)
7:30 p.m. Norman at Norman North KREF-AM 1400/99.3 FM/
normansports.tv
NBA
7 p.m. Miami at Philadelphia ESPN (Cox 29)
8 p.m. New Orleans at Oklahoma City FSOK (Cox 37)/WWLS-FM 98.1
9:30 p.m. Golden State at Sacramento ESPN (Cox 29)
NBA G-LEAGUE
some time at first base. first, I know that when I’m 7 p.m. Oklahoma City at Sioux Falls KINB-FM 105.3
But this season, Ware in the game, I’m locked in.”
will be asked to play more NHL
defensively at both corner Johnson expects better 7 p.m. Vegas at Minnesota NBCSN (Cox 251)
spots. things from DeRenzo
Ware spent plenty of GOLF
time in the offseason work- Domenic DeRenzo had 2 p.m. Phoenix Open GOLF (Cox 60)
9 p.m. Maybank Championship GOLF (Cox 60)
ing on his footwork. a bit of a rough season
“That was the main thing last year as a sopho-
that I tried to improve on more after undergoing MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL
this summer,” Ware said. Tommy John surgery in the 6 p.m. Quinnipiac at Iona ESPNU (Cox 253)
6 p.m. Rhode Island at VCU ESPN2 (Cox 28)
Ware spent time offseason. 6 p.m. Western Michigan at Buffalo CBSS (Cox 249)
with former Wichita State DeRenzo hit .183 with 8 p.m. UIC at Oakland ESPNU (Cox 253)
8 p.m. Utah at Colorado FS1 (Cox 67)
standout Billy Hall when three home runs and 11
he was back home RBIs in 33 games after
inKansas. hitting .243 with eight WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL
“He’s a big second base home runs and 24 RBIs as a 7 p.m. Creighton at DePaul FSPLUS (Cox 68)
and infield footwork guy,” freshman.
Ware said. “My first step This season, Johnson WOMEN GYMNASTICS
is definitely quicker than I said he expected a bounce- 6 p.m. Florida at Auburn SECN (Cox 275)
7:30 p.m. Kentucky at LSU SECN (Cox 275)
was last year. I definitely back from DeRenzo.
can tell I feel more comfort- “He’s got the power,”
able playing the field. Johnson said. “It’s just COLLEGE HOCKEY
“I’m ready to get back in getting him to play at 90 8 p.m. Minnesota (Duluth) at Denver CBSS (Cox 249)
the field. I love DHing last percent and being under
year but at some points I control and being in control TENNIS
found myself getting out of of himself.” 8 a.m. Davis Cup TENNIS (Cox 266)
the game and not staying DeRenzo figures to spend
as engaged as I probably more time behind the plate MEN’S SOCCER
should. Playing third or this season. 1:30 p.m. Cologne vs. Borussia Dortmund FS1 (Cox 67)
“Feel like this is probably “I’m not going anywhere. I
our most talented team love this place. I love OSU.”
without a doubt,” Gajewski
said Tuesday. “… We’ve had Littell ‘100 percent’ after
a couple of nice years as we injury-plagued season
build, and I think we could
call those building blocks on OSU outfielder Jon Littell
where we want to be, but was not himself in the second
we’re nowhere close yet to half of last season.
that.” In an outfield collision, Lit-
As the program grows, tell suffered a shoulder injury
Gajewski will be around to that cost him 10 games. But
steer it forward. He signed after he returned, his perfor-
a five-year extension late mance dropped significantly.
last year that makes him Hitting .308 before the injury,
OSU coach Josh Holliday bumps fists with fans during the Cowgirls’ coach through Littell batted .221 afterward.
a baseball game last May between the Cowboys and West 2022. When Holder called After undergoing offsea-
Virginia in the Big 12 Tournament at Chickasaw Bricktown wanting to discuss an exten- son shoulder reconstruction
Ballpark. [PHOTO BY NATE BILLINGS, THE OKLAHOMAN] sion, Gajewski, 46, was taken surgery, Littell said he is
aback. feeling healthy entering his
Gajewski excited team is ranked, part of the “I don’t think about that senior season.
for Cowgirls’ future top 25 in two polls. Entering stuff, I really don’t,” Gajew- “It was tough, but as of
his third season as OSU’s ski said. “I was shocked the right now, I feel great,” Littell
For the first time since coach, Kenny Gajewski brings day he called me, and I was said. “I feel 100 percent. I feel
2011, the Cowgirl softball high expectations. thrilled when I walked out. strong as ever.”