Sorenstam Wins Mizuno, Named LPGA Player of the Year OTSU, Japan – Annika Sorenstam won another LPGA Tour Player of the Year award Nov. 9 by winning the Mizuno Classic for the third straight year.
She broke the course record with a 24-under-par 192 for 54 holes. This broke the old record held by Wendy Ward. Sorenstam had no bogies and no three puts the entire weekend.
She also became the first woman with at least three consecutive victories at more than one tournament. Sorenstam has won the Michelob Light Classic for three straight years.
Sorenstam has won 48 times in her ten-year LPGA career and has taken home $1.9 million this season.

U.S. Baseball Fails to Qualify for Athens

PANAMA CITY, Panama – The defending champion U.S. baseball team did not qualify for the 2004 summer games to be played in Athens.
The team of mostly minor league players, managed by Frank Robinson, lost to Mexico 2-1 Nov. 7, which eliminated them from competing in the 2004 games with no second chance to make it in.
The Americans were the heavy favorite to repeat in Athens, and there were rumors that Roger Clemens would have pitched for them.
The team that won the gold medal in 2000, the first year professional players were used, boasted then-minor-leaguers Roy Oswalt, Ben Sheets, and Doug Mientkiewicz.
“I can’t believe it!” said Tommy Lasorda, who managed the team in 2000. “It’s a shock and a disgrace that the Americans won’t be represented in the Olympics.”

Gagliardi Sets Victory Mark

COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – St. John’s head football coach John Gagliardi became college football’s all-time leader in wins with his 409th victory Nov. 8, passing former Grambling legend Eddie Robinson.
Gagliardi has been coaching at the small Division III liberal arts school in central Minnesota since 1951.
St. John’s (9-0, 8-0) beat Bethel 29-26 for the record-setting win, and also clinched the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference title for the 10th time in 13 seasons. The Johnnies have won three national championships under Gagliardi. By clinching the conference title, St. John’s gained its sixth consecutive trip to the NCAA Division III playoffs.