Sunday, October 17, 1999
HIGH SCHOOL INSIDER
St. Xavier plans stadium upgrade
BY DAVE SCHUTTE
Enquirer contributor
Few spectators would disagree that St.Xavier's Tom Ballaban Stadium isn't the ideal football facility. But not for long.
With seating for only 3,700, more than 7,500 fans were forced to stand — some five deep on the cinder track — to watch the Bombers play Moeller two weeks ago and then Elder Friday.
Most of these fans may have seats when St.Xavier hosts those two rivals in 2001.
“The boosters have a plan on the table to upgrade the entire facility,” St.X assistant athletic director Paul Klems said. “Once the current capital campaign is over, they'll start on the stadium.”
The plan is to increase the seating to at least 8,000, and an all-weather, eight-lane track is planned as part of the renovation.
“There's talk of putting down one of the new artificial turfs,” Klems said. “The field is used for so many events that this makes sense.”
Also planned is seating for the adjacent baseball field, along with lights.
The school is within $1 million of raising the money needed to cover the cost of the recent building expansion that is nearing completion.
Besides building a new gym for intramural sports and upgrading the swimming facility (1,000 seats), the school also added three labs each for physics, chemistry and biology, as well as a new computer center and a language lab.
“We'll have to raise $2 million to $3 million for the stadium project,” Klems said. “This would bring us up to (Greater Catholic League) standards.”
If the campaign is initiated in the spring, the project could get off the ground as early as next summer.
HILL REACTS: After basketball coach George Jackson said he had “never been so disappointed in (his) life” concerning a donation by alumnus Tyrone Hill for the proposed new gym at Withrow, Hill expressed his own frustration.
“I told George that I had personal problems and can't give right now but would give later,” Hill said. “He told me later would be too late and hung up on me.”
Because of run-down conditions at Withrow's gym, Cincinnati businessman Richard Lindner pledged $1 million toward the construction of a community athletic complex.
Lindner's contribution was contingent on the school raising the other $5 million for the project by Sept.1, 1999. When the deadline wasn't met, Lindner extended it to March 15, 2000.
A center for the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers, Hill pledged an unspecified amount when told about the fund-raising endeavor late last year.
“I promised I would give a large amount of money, and a half-million dollars will be no problem in about a year,” Hill said.
“Withrow has been good to me, but I'm not going to let one man tell me how to live my life. I'll always love George and his family no matter what he said. But I am disappointed.”
When Withrow needed money to keep the sports programs alive three years ago, Hill was quick to donate $50,000.
“I give out of the kindness of my heart,” Hill said. “But who's going to take care of Tyrone if something happens? I have a problem with what George said, but two wrongs don't make a right.”
CLASSIFIEDS: Mount Notre Dame is looking for assistant basketball coaches. Call Lisa Hayden at 821-3044, ext.375.
MND also is looking for a head track coach. Call Mark Schenkel at 821-3044, ext.107
• Walnut Hills is looking for a junior high girls basketball coach. Call Dave Hammer at 984-5336.
• Wyoming is looking for an assistant varsity wrestling coach. Call Jim Barre at 761-7722.
Sports Stories
With Martinez, it was never a contest
Morgan's knowledge second to none
NLCS: Mets 3, Braves 2
PENN STATE 23, OHIO STATE 10
OHIO STATE NOTEBOOK
KENTUCKY 31, LSU 5
KENTUCKY NOTEBOOK
MIAMI 17, KENT 10
Mount St. Joseph 46, Franklin College 29
Thomas More 42, Bethel 0
Alexander steps up Heisman bid
Conditioning top priority for winded Wildcats
Expansion means a weaker C-USA
Deaf golfer comes into his own
La Salle wins GCL cross country
League cross country titles decided
 St. Xavier plans stadium upgrade
This week's football schedule
Ursuline golfers win state
CHCA's Falk wins 3rd district tennis title
CINCINNATI HIGH SCHOOL RESULTS
N.KY. HIGH SCHOOL RESULTS
Volleyball title not enough for Campbell Co.
CHICAGO 3, CYCLONES 0
Cincinnati boxer shows why he's No. 1
Hughes in NBA camp, but spot not certain
LOUISVILLE 3, MIGHTY DUCKS 2
|
'Akili Matata,' Bengals fans
Bengals, Steelers want respect
By the numbers
Who's got the edge?
Bengals risk alienating Dillon
UC freshmen take spotlight
Five questions with Bob Huggins
ALABAMA-BIRMINGHAN 24, UC 21
UC NOTEBOOK
Six-foot-10 recruit to visit Xavier
Reds coaching staff may not change much
