1999 Ektelon 32nd USRA National
Doubles Championships
Presented by Penn Racquet Sports
Merritt Athletic Club/Security
Baltimore Maryland: October 6-10
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MEDIA ADVISORY! ... Call 719/635-5396, ext. 126 (pre-event) for more details about this event from Christie Hyde, USRA Media/Public Relations Coordinator. For website questions or concerns, contact Linda Mojer, USRA Assoc. Executive Director/Communications & Editor/RACQUETBALL.
See who's signed up ...
check out the participant list
Starting times ...
... will be available by telephone only, by calling 410-298-8700 -- after 5:00 pm on Monday, October 4.
Conine to Compete on home turf at National Doubles
Baltimore to Receive a Taste of Orioles'
First Baseman's Other Favorite Sport
Baltimore Oriole's first-baseman Jeff Conine will give his city a taste of his
other favorite sport, racquetball, when he competes in the Ektelon 32nd U.S.
National Racquetball Doubles Championships presented by Penn Racquet Sports.
Baltimore will play host to the championships at the Merritt Athletic
Club/Security, October 6-10.
Conine, who is currently wrapping up the Major League Baseball season with the Baltimore Orioles, is a longtime racquetball player, who began his title-collection with a win at the 1985 IRF World Junior Racquetball Championships over then-rising-star Michael Bronfeld, who has since earned several national titles and appointments to the U.S. National Racquetball Team, plus recently took the silver medal at the Pan American Games.
Conine is married to Cindy Doyle Conine, whom he met at a professional racquetball tournament in New York City in 1987. Cindy is an elite-level racquetball player and former-U.S. National Team member, who has won numerous racquetball titles in her own right, including the 1992 IRF World Intercollegiate Championships. Jeff and Cindy took the bronze medal in the mixed open division at the U.S. National Doubles Championships in 1993 and '94. They will compete together once again at this year's championships in the mixed doubles 25+ division, and Jeff will also compete in the men's 30+ division with former-pro tour regular Steve Lerner.
Conine, a two-time National League All-Star selection, credits racquetball with much of his success in baseball. "It trains your eyes to watch a racquetball going 150 miles per hour," Conine said. In 1995, Conine was named MVP at the All-Star Game. He was a member of the World Series-champions Florida Marlins, batting .242 with 17 homeruns.
In October 1997, Conine was traded to the Kansas City Royals, where he played until earlier this season when he was traded to the Baltimore Orioles. "Conine the Barbarian," as he was dubbed by ESPN's Chris Berman, is currently batting .290 as he wraps up his season with the Orioles and looks to becoming a free agent this fall.