• Ocean Fest surfs over to PK’s • ESPN to highlight state canoe races • Pujols sets homerun record • Knight to host reality show • Mayfair masters first day of International • NCAA bans Indian mascots • Las Vegas
• Ocean Fest surfs over to PK’s
• ESPN to highlight state canoe races
• Pujols sets homerun record
• Knight to host reality show
• Mayfair masters first day of International
• NCAA bans Indian mascots
• Las Vegas will host 2007 All-Star game
• Royals honor Bell’s nephew
Ocean Fest surfs over to PK’s
By The Garden Island
The Kaua‘i Surfing Association (KSA) will be holding its 7th Annual Ho‘onua O Ke Kai Ocean Festival from August 13-14 at Prince Kuhio Beach (PK’s) fronting the Beach House Restaurant.
Heats will kick off at 7 a.m. each morning and schedules will be posted at the beach.
There will also be an awards ceremony on August 14 at Joe’s on the Green at 6 p.m.
The entry fee is $15 per event entered and covers the cost of one competitor T-shirt, lunch at the beach, and dinner at the awards ceremony.
The deadline for early entry is August 7. Entry blanks may be picked up at Progressive Expressions, Nukumoi Surf Company, Kai Kane, and Hanalei Surf Company.
Mail entries to: Kaua‘i Surfing Association c/o Jeanne Jackson, P.O. Box 1195, Kalaheo, HI 96741.
Contact Curt Smith at 652-3720, Miguel Graham at 652-7019, or Jeanne Jackson at 652-5589 for more information.
ESPN to highlight state canoe races
ESPN’s Sportscenter is high-lighting the 2005 State Canoe Paddling competition on Maui, today, as part of its “Sports Nation” celebration.
For 50 days, Sportscenter will celebrate the sporting culture and heritage of each state.
Pujols sets homerun record
ST. LOUIS — Albert Pujols of the St. Louis Cardinals became the first player in major league history to hit 30 home runs in each of his first five seasons, connecting in the first inning off the Braves’ John Smoltz on Friday night.
Pujols has hit 190 homers since breaking in with the Cardinals in 2001, including a career-best 46 last season. With two outs in the first, he hit Smoltz’s first pitch over the left-field wall for a two-run shot that gave St. Louis a 2-0 lead.
Pujols hit 160 homers his first four seasons, second behind Ralph Kiner’s 168 from 1946-49.
Kiner’s 215 homers were the most by a player in his first five seasons. Pujols is tied with Hall of Famer Eddie Mathews for second.
Jim Kelly’s son dies
Hunter Kelly, whose battle with a fatal nervous system disease inspired his Hall of Fame father Jim Kelly’s charitable works, died Friday. He was 8.
Hunter’s doctor, Patricia Duffner, said he died of respiratory failure.
Hunter’s Hope Foundation released a statement saying the Kelly family is grateful for the support people have shown.
Knight to host reality show
LUBBOCK, Texas — Bob Knight will give one Texas Tech student the chance to play on his team in a reality show hosted by the Hall of Fame coach.
Sixteen students will attend “Knight School,” the name of the show set to air on ESPN in February, and Knight will whittle the class to one during six one-hour episodes. Filming will begin in late September.
That player will have endured what all Knight players do — long hours of drills, conditioning and instruction — and will have chance to be a walk-on for the 2006-07 season.
“It’s a great opportunity for the kids at Texas Tech who want to have a shot at playing for a legend as well as learning from a legend,” said Robert Lundgren, one of the show’s executive producers with Knoxville, Tenn.-based RIVR Media.
Knight was out of town and unavailable to comment Friday. He told the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal that in addition to the tryout format, filming will include shots of the campus and the students in class and in other activities.
“From a public relations standpoint, this couldn’t be any better for Texas Tech,” Knight said.
Lundgren said the idea came from Dan Stone, chief executive officer with Hunnington, N.Y.-based WealthEffectMedia and another executive producer of the show.
Discussions about the show began about a year and a half ago and details were completed in recent weeks, Lundgren said.
“It’s just one of those great ideas you hear,” Lundgren said.
ESPN spokesman Rob Tobias said there will be story lines following those competing as well as a look inside Knight’s coaching style.
“These are all the parts that make a successful reality show,” Tobias said. “This type of show has drama built into it.”
Athletic director Gerald Myers said Knight and his style will do well in front of cameras.
“Bob will be great with a show like this,” Myers said. “It’ll be a great opportunity to play with one of the all-time great basketball coaches. He’s excited about it. We’re excited about it.”
Mayfair masters first day of International
CASTLE ROCK, Colo. — There aren’t many players who make more eagles and birdies than Billy Mayfair. And there aren’t any tournaments that reward below-par shooters the way the International does.
NCAA bans Indian mascots
INDIANAPOLIS — The NCAA banned the use of American Indian mascots by sports teams during its post-season tournaments, but will not prohibit them otherwise.
Las Vegas will host 2007 All-Star game
LAS VEGAS — The NBA is going “all-in” with its All-Stars.
The 2007 NBA All-Star game is headed to Las Vegas, the first time a city without a franchise has been chosen to host the event.
The festivities will take place just off the Strip, at the Thomas & Mack Center on the UNLV campus.
Royals honor Bell’s nephew
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Royals had a moment of silence before Friday night’s game to honor the nephew of manager Buddy Bell.
Lance Cpl. Tim Bell Jr. was among the 14 Marines killed by a roadside bomb Wednesday in Iraq.
“I’m doing all right,” Buddy Bell said Friday before the game against the Oakland Athletics. “There’s a lot of support there. My other nephew and two nieces are here. My brother (Timothy) is actually coming in later, … so I get to see him.”
