Coble

Drew Coble is one of nine umpires whose resignations Gene Budig, the American League president, accepted last week. The only problem is Coble said he never resigned.Budig also accepted Greg Kosc's resignation, but Kosc said he had rescinded his resignation in the same period when other umpires withdrew their resignations and saved their jobs.Coble, a crew chief in his 18th year with the league, was notified in a letter from Budig dated July 26 that he had received on July 15 a letter of resignation from Coble dated July 14.But Coble said yesterday that he did not sign a resignation letter dated July 14 and did not attend the meeting in Philadelphia that day at which more than 50 umpires did sign such letters.

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation says the next governor of Maryland needs to rein in growth, help farmers control pollution and better manage storm water runoff if the state is to have any hope of improving the bay's health. The Annapolis-based group unveiled its legislative blueprint yesterday, which it billed as free advice for any gubernatorial candidate running for office. And with Maryland slated to elect a new comptroller, attorney general and senator for the first time in decades, foundation officials see an opportunity to extract new commitments for environmental priorities.

Gary Coble, with an assist from Josh Burford, scored the game-winning goal in the first minute of sudden-death overtime to give the third-ranked Gladiators a 1-0 win and the outright Howard County championship yesterday at Glenelg. The Gladiators thwarted Wilde Lake's hope of creating a possible four-way tie for the title on the last day of the regular season. As it turned out, had No. 15 Wilde Lake won, it would have shared the title with Glenelg and River Hill. Centennial lost its chance, because it tied Atholton yesterday, 0-0. Close games have been rare for Glenelg's dominating offense, which entered yesterday's game with a 3.4 goal-scoring average.

Over the years, the relationship between Maryland's agricultural community and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation has been chilly, to put it charitably. The two sides have been on opposite sides of the fence on an array of issues. And it is no exaggeration to say that the foundation and farm groups excoriated each other as recently as the late 1990s during the debate over whom to blame for the outbreaks of toxic Pfiesteria piscicida in waterways flowing into the bay. But more recently the relationship has been undergoing a thaw, and many in the farm community are attributing it to the efforts of Kim Coble, the foundation's Maryland executive director.

If Battlebots had a house band, it would look kind of like this. Supported by steel frames and maneuvered by a festival of wires, levers, electrodes, pulleys, servos and circuit boards are a violin, a series of guitars, a bass and a drum kit. Behind a computer console and running a series of programs stands Kurt Coble, creator and conductor of this motley crew of robotic musicians. "It is a retro-renaissance approach to music," he says. A musician by training, Coble turned scientist five years ago: combining his music passion with enthusiasm for mechanics, engineering, computers and sculpture.

It may be awhile before athletes at Carroll Community College can play against those at other schools, but at least they'll have the opportunity to compete against their classmates.The school is starting an intramural sports program, and Dolly Coble, a CCC health and life fitness instructor, said volleyball and flag football teams are forming for the fall semester. She hopes to have competition in other sports throughout the winter and spring seasons, she said.Neither the football nor volleyball programs have had any competitive play yet, but Coble said teams have started practicing.

As Maryland's secretary of agriculture, Wayne A. Cawley Jr. is responsible for getting the state's farmers to do their part to save Chesapeake Bay from pollution.But Wayne Cawley, farmer, has been taken to task for not following his own department's advice on reducing agricultural pollution of the bay from his own cornfields on the Eastern Shore.Caroline County's environmental health director, Lester W. Coble Jr., cited Cawley recently for not following "best management practices" on his farm on old Md. 404, just west of Denton.

Over the years, the relationship between Maryland's agricultural community and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation has been chilly, to put it charitably. The two sides have been on opposite sides of the fence on an array of issues. And it is no exaggeration to say that the foundation and farm groups excoriated each other as recently as the late 1990s during the debate over whom to blame for the outbreaks of toxic Pfiesteria piscicida in waterways flowing into the bay. But more recently the relationship has been undergoing a thaw, and many in the farm community are attributing it to the efforts of Kim Coble, the foundation's Maryland executive director.

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation says the next governor of Maryland needs to rein in growth, help farmers control pollution and better manage storm water runoff if the state is to have any hope of improving the bay's health. The Annapolis-based group unveiled its legislative blueprint yesterday, which it billed as free advice for any gubernatorial candidate running for office. And with Maryland slated to elect a new comptroller, attorney general and senator for the first time in decades, foundation officials see an opportunity to extract new commitments for environmental priorities.

MINNEAPOLIS -- Depending on who's telling the story, either Kent Hrbek has been watching too much professional wrestling or Ron Gant is not telling the whole truth.Hrbek appeared to lift Gant off of first base in the third inning of last night's second game of the World Series, but umpire Drew Coble ruled that the Atlanta Braves outfielder fell off all by himself.The play turned out to be a pick-me-up for the Minnesota Twins, who escaped from a first-and-third jam and went on to score a dramatic 3-2 victory at the Metrodome.

Gary Coble, with an assist from Josh Burford, scored the game-winning goal in the first minute of sudden-death overtime to give the third-ranked Gladiators a 1-0 win and the outright Howard County championship yesterday at Glenelg. The Gladiators thwarted Wilde Lake's hope of creating a possible four-way tie for the title on the last day of the regular season. As it turned out, had No. 15 Wilde Lake won, it would have shared the title with Glenelg and River Hill. Centennial lost its chance, because it tied Atholton yesterday, 0-0. Close games have been rare for Glenelg's dominating offense, which entered yesterday's game with a 3.4 goal-scoring average.

If Battlebots had a house band, it would look kind of like this. Supported by steel frames and maneuvered by a festival of wires, levers, electrodes, pulleys, servos and circuit boards are a violin, a series of guitars, a bass and a drum kit. Behind a computer console and running a series of programs stands Kurt Coble, creator and conductor of this motley crew of robotic musicians. "It is a retro-renaissance approach to music," he says. A musician by training, Coble turned scientist five years ago: combining his music passion with enthusiasm for mechanics, engineering, computers and sculpture.

Drew Coble is one of nine umpires whose resignations Gene Budig, the American League president, accepted last week. The only problem is Coble said he never resigned.Budig also accepted Greg Kosc's resignation, but Kosc said he had rescinded his resignation in the same period when other umpires withdrew their resignations and saved their jobs.Coble, a crew chief in his 18th year with the league, was notified in a letter from Budig dated July 26 that he had received on July 15 a letter of resignation from Coble dated July 14.But Coble said yesterday that he did not sign a resignation letter dated July 14 and did not attend the meeting in Philadelphia that day at which more than 50 umpires did sign such letters.

NEW YORK -- Typically in yesterday's setting, the Orioles are the ones who bring all the questions.But in one very atypical inning, the Orioles did everything to reverse the psychology of a one-sided series that has consistently punished them. Circle the seventh inning of Game No. 47 vs. the New York Yankees. There will never be a stronger suggestion of a shift between these teams than yesterday's 8-6 Orioles win at Yankee Stadium.Trailing 6-2, the Orioles answered by putting together a six-run seventh inning against Yankees starter Andy Pettitte and a chaotic bullpen.

For all the technical wizardry and baseball intelligence ESPN placed on display in its first playoff telecast yesterday, the star of the show was a lovable retired outfielder named Kirby Puckett.From the time, the former Minnesota outfielder made his first appearance around the Oriole Park batting cage yesterday morning until he dashed from the stadium last evening, Puckett was the object of everyone's affection and the focus of ESPN's efforts.Orioles bullpen coach Elrod Hendricks rubbed heads with him. Cleveland catcher Tony Pena kissed the cherubic Puckett.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The scene was familiar. Orioles manager Johnny Oates went nose-to-nose with umpire Drew Coble on Tuesday night in Toronto, and it wasn't hard to tell that what they were saying there cannot be printed here.Gone are the days when the umpire stood impassively while the maniacal manager spit and cursed and kicked dirt on his shoes. Now, as often as not, the umpire strikes back.Coble is well-known around Baltimore. Former Orioles manager Frank Robinson referred to him as "a liar and a no-good human being" after an argument in 1990.

The Orioles have devised a method that may help them break their annoying habit of falling behind in the early stages of a game.Noting that the club was quickly in arrears by three or more runs six times in the previous eight games, manager John Oates and pitching coach Al Jackson gave Jeff Robinson an extra five minutes of warmup time before yesterday's game with the Minnesota Twins."

TORONTO -- Johnny Oates was playing the role of defender, not motivator, when he was thrown out of last night's 3-0 Orioles victory over Toronto.Plate umpire Drew Coble and Orioles shortstop Cal Ripken were embroiled in a long-range discussion of a called third strike, when Oates emerged from the dugout to divert attention."

TORONTO -- Johnny Oates was playing the role of defender, not motivator, when he was thrown out of last night's 3-0 Orioles victory over Toronto.Plate umpire Drew Coble and Orioles shortstop Cal Ripken were embroiled in a long-range discussion of a called third strike, when Oates emerged from the dugout to divert attention."

TORONTO -- Johnny Oates was playing the role of defender, not motivator, when he was thrown out of last night's game.Plate umpire Drew Coble and Orioles short stop Cal Ripken were embroiled in a long-range discussion of a called third strike, when Oates emerged from the dugout to divert attention."