Grand Slam

June 17, 1984: Gary Roenicke hammered a grand slam to give the Orioles a 6-2 win over the Yankees.

Beatrice Capra had seen Court 6 at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center before. So when she walked onto that court at the U.S. Open for her first main-draw match at any professional tournament Tuesday, she was not overwhelmed. It was after the match that she was overwhelmed -- with joy. Capra, who came into the tournament as the No. 371 player in the world, knocked off No.95 Karolina Sprem, 6-1, 6-3, in a tidy 72 minutes on one of the hottest days in the history of the event.

It was a dismal effort all around for the Orioles, who, in falling, 10-1, on Sunday to the Toronto Blue Jays to complete a three-game sweep, looked nothing like the team that took four games from the Texas Rangers before the All-Star break and everything like the bumbling club with the worst record in the major leagues. There was left fielder Felix Pie taking several circuitous routes on balls that wound up either bouncing in front of him or behind him. There was first baseman Ty Wigginton double-clutching on Adam Lind's ground ball and costing the Orioles an inning-ending double play.

Boston catcher Victor Martinez drove in six runs with a pair of long home runs Wednesday as the Red Sox scored a 14-6 exhibition victory over the Orioles before an announced 7,657 at Ed Smith Stadium. Martinez lit up right-hander Jason Berken with a two-run shot in the third inning and hit a grand slam off the tall backdrop in straightaway center field against reliever Jim Johnson. Infielder Kevin Frandsen also hit a grand slam, in the eighth off Dennis Sarfate. Berken lasted just 2 1/3 innings and gave up five runs on seven hits in what figures to be his last outing of spring training.

The Hammond baseball team has placed four players on the Maryland State Association of Baseball Coaches preseason team, thought to be a possible state record. "I can remember Calvert Hall having three," said Mount St. Joseph coach Dave Norton, who has been coaching the game for 35 years. "But I can't recall four. It's very, very unusual for schools to have multiple players." Hammond's team members are all seniors: pitcher-third baseman Travis Clark, first baseman Tyler Clark, pitcher Danny Wissmann and shortstop Jared Christensen.

John McEnroe, one of the most popular tennis players in the world, will play in Pam Shriver's BTP Tennis Challenge on Dec. 9 at 1st Mariner Arena. McEnroe is known as much for his attitude as for his volleys and shot-making. Who will forget his 1981 Wimbledon meltdown, when he screamed, "You can't be serious!" at an umpire, or his rivalries with Bjorn Borg, Jimmy Connors and Ivan Lendl? During his playing career, which lasted from 1978 to 1992, he earned No. 1 world rankings in both singles and doubles, and he holds seven Grand Slam singles titles, as well as nine Grand Slam doubles titles and one Grand Slam mixed doubles title.

Serena Williams was fined a record $82,500 for her tirade at a U.S. Open line judge and could be suspended from that tournament if she has another "major offense" at any Grand Slam event in the next two years. Grand Slam administrator Bill Babcock's ruling was released Monday, and he said Williams faces a "probationary period" at tennis' four major championships in 2010 and 2011. If she has another "major offense" at a Grand Slam tournament in that time, the fine would increase to $175,000 and she would be barred from the following U.S. Open.

John McEnroe, one of the most popular tennis players in the world, will play in Pam Shriver's BCF Tennis Challenge on Dec. 9 at 1st Mariner Arena. McEnroe is known as much for his attitude as for his volleys and shot-making. Who will forget his 1981 Wimbledon meltdown, when he screamed, "You can't be serious!" at an umpire, or his rivalries with Bjorn Borg, Jimmy Connors and Ivan Lendl? During his playing career, which lasted from 1978 to 1992, he earned No. 1 world rankings in both singles and doubles, and he holds seven Grand Slam singles titles, as well as nine Grand Slam doubles titles and one Grand Slam mixed doubles title.