Iain Fraser

Here are the public appearances slated for Baltimore Blast indoor soccer players this month. Changes may be made without prior notice. Call 327-2100 for information.Feb. 3, 4 p.m.: Reisterstown Road Library, 6310 Reisterstown Road, David ElseFeb. 4, 7:30 p.m.: Parkville Library, 9509 Harford Rd., Doug NeelyFeb. 5, 4:30 p.m.: Pennsylvania Avenue Library, 1531 W. North Ave. Kris Kelderman; 7:30 p.m.: Rosedale Library, 6105 Kenwood Ave. Doug MillerFeb. 6, 4 p.m.: Light Street Library, 1251 Light St. Domenic Mobilio; 7 p.m.: Our Lady of Fatima Sports Nite, 6400 E. Pratt St. Rusty Troy and Cris VaccaroFeb.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Just one more. The Blast beat the Kansas City Comets, 20-18, at Kemper Arena last night, reducing its magic number to make the Major Indoor Soccer League playoffs to one. A Blast win or a Cleveland loss will ensure the fourth-place Blast a spot in the postseason. Putting this one in the win column at first looked like it might be easy. But it was anything but simple, with the Comets - who lost for only the second time at home this season - rallying from large deficits to take a late lead.

The Baltimore Blast continued to seek outside help for its troubled defense yesterday, signing former Kansas City Comets defender Iain Fraser to a one-year contract.Fraser, 27, becomes the third defender from other Major Soccer League teams that the Blast has signed this summer in an attempt to rebound from last year's 21-31 record. The other two are David Eise, 25, and Doug Neely, 26.Eise comes to Baltimore from the St. Louis Storm, and Neely, like Fraser, comes from the defunct Comets."We need to tighten up on defense," said Cooper yesterday.

Dramatic comeback victories two nights in a row?Nah.But at least it was close last night at Baltimore Arena, as the Bandits fell behind the Kentucky Thoroughblades by three goals early in the second period, then just missed making it all the way back before losing, 4-3.Spotting the host Phantoms two goals Thursday night, the Bandits recovered for their first victory over Philadelphia this season.It looked for a while as if the home team might pull out another unlikely victory last night, but, instead, it fell to 0-8-2 against the Thoroughblades.

The Baltimore Blast's Sunday exhibition game against the Cleveland Crunch, originally scheduled for Providence, R.I., may moved to Baltimore's Du Burns Arena.The Blast-Crunch game is tentatively is set for 2 p.m., though plans for the rescheduled game weren't firm last night.The game was supposed to be played at the Providence Civic Center, but Blast officials recently learned that the arena had a scheduling conflict.Normally, the Blast plays its preseason games on the road in other East Coast cities in an attempt tomarket the Major Soccer League to prospective expansion cities.

Domenic Mobilio has been to two Major Soccer League All-Star games, but the Blast forward says this one will be the best.When the MSL yesterday released its All-Star selections for the Feb. 13 game at the Baltimore Arena, Mobilio learned he had made the East squad through a vote of his peers. His two previous selections had been by the pick of the All-Star coaches."To me, this is like the first time," said Mobilio, one of five Blast players chosen to the squad.The Dallas Sidekicks, with six selections, led the East, and the San Diego Sockers, also with six, led the West.

Domenic Mobilio has been to two Major Soccer League All-Star games, but the Blast forward says this one will be the best.When the MSL yesterday released its All-Star selections for the Feb. 13 game at the Baltimore Arena, Mobilio learned he had made the East squad through a vote of his peers. His two previous selections had been by the pick of the All-Star coaches."To me, this is like the first time," said Mobilio, one of five Blast players chosen to the squad.The Dallas Sidekicks, with six selections, led the East, and the San Diego Sockers, also with six, led the West.

The Major Soccer League will be playing outdoor games as early as this summer, Kansas City owner Chris Clouser and St. Louis owner Milan Mandaric announced yesterday during MSL meetings in Kansas City, Mo."We all know our main product is indoor soccer," said Mandaric. "But, at the same time, soccer is being played outdoors and we can not ignore that. We want to participate in a professional and economic way. Our recommendation is participation in some form this summer. We will have more details [as the meetings continue]

Exhibition games are usually experimental undertakings to get ready for the coming season. For the Blast, which will take on Cleveland tomorrow in the Richmond Coliseum as the Major Soccer League shows its stuff in Virginia, only half of that is true."

Second 68 gives Stadler one-shot leadCraig Stadler shot a second consecutive 3-under-par 68 yesterday to take a one-stroke lead at the halfway point of the $2 million Tour Championship in Pinehurst, N.C.Stadler is at 6-under-par 136 and leads Paul Azinger, Russ Cochran and Nick Price by one shot.* Trevor McDonald of Australia had two holes-in-one in the second round of the Victorian Open in Melbourne, Australia.According to Australian Professional Golf Association records, England's John Hudson is the only other professional to record two holes-in-one in a tournament round, doing it in the 1971 Martini Trophy in Norwich, England.

Domenic Mobilio has been to two Major Soccer League All-Star games, but the Blast forward says this one will be the best.When the MSL yesterday released its All-Star selections for the Feb. 13 game at the Baltimore Arena, Mobilio learned he had made the East squad through a vote of his peers. His two previous selections had been by the pick of the All-Star coaches."To me, this is like the first time," said Mobilio, one of five Blast players chosen to the squad.The Dallas Sidekicks, with six selections, led the East, and the San Diego Sockers, also with six, led the West.

Domenic Mobilio has been to two Major Soccer League All-Star games, but the Blast forward says this one will be the best.When the MSL yesterday released its All-Star selections for the Feb. 13 game at the Baltimore Arena, Mobilio learned he had made the East squad through a vote of his peers. His two previous selections had been by the pick of the All-Star coaches."To me, this is like the first time," said Mobilio, one of five Blast players chosen to the squad.The Dallas Sidekicks, with six selections, led the East, and the San Diego Sockers, also with six, led the West.

The Baltimore Blast was nearly caught off guard Saturday night against the Tacoma Stars but finally rallied to put itself in position to take advantage of the coming schedule.The Blast rallied to beat Tacoma, 5-4, on two fourth-quarter goals by Rusty Troy at the Baltimore Arena.That victory, combined with Cleveland's 5-4 loss to the Wichita Wings, gives the Blast a half-game lead over the Crunch in fourth place in the Major Soccer League, the last qualifying spot for the playoffs.Before the Blast left last week for a trip to England, coach Kenny Cooper designated Saturday's game and the team's next two home games "as our last real chance" to get in position to challenge for a better playoff position.

Here are the public appearances slated for Baltimore Blast indoor soccer players this month. Changes may be made without prior notice. Call 327-2100 for information.Feb. 3, 4 p.m.: Reisterstown Road Library, 6310 Reisterstown Road, David ElseFeb. 4, 7:30 p.m.: Parkville Library, 9509 Harford Rd., Doug NeelyFeb. 5, 4:30 p.m.: Pennsylvania Avenue Library, 1531 W. North Ave. Kris Kelderman; 7:30 p.m.: Rosedale Library, 6105 Kenwood Ave. Doug MillerFeb. 6, 4 p.m.: Light Street Library, 1251 Light St. Domenic Mobilio; 7 p.m.: Our Lady of Fatima Sports Nite, 6400 E. Pratt St. Rusty Troy and Cris VaccaroFeb.

The Blast was nearly caught off guard Saturday night against the Tacoma Stars but finally rallied to put itself in position to take advantage of the coming schedule.The Blast rallied to beat Tacoma, 5-4, on two fourth-quarter goals by Rusty Troy at the Arena.That victory, combined with Cleveland's 5-4 loss to the Wichita Wings, gives the Blast a half-game lead over the Crunch in fourth place in the Major Soccer League, the last qualifying spot for the playoffs.Before the Blast left last week for a trip to England, coach Kenny Cooper designated Saturday's game and the team's next two home games "as our last real chance" to get in position to challenge for a better playoff position.

The word is out on Iain Fraser.The Baltimore Blast defender has turned the Major Soccer League around during the past 10 games because of a strict aerobic fitness program that is being directed by his wife, Denise.It took a little prodding yesterday before Fraser would talk about the aerobics program, but he admitted: "It has made me stronger for the fourth quarter."Fraser has blocked 29 shots in the past 10 games (most in the MSL during that span), and he has contributed three goals and five assists.

Dramatic comeback victories two nights in a row?Nah.But at least it was close last night at Baltimore Arena, as the Bandits fell behind the Kentucky Thoroughblades by three goals early in the second period, then just missed making it all the way back before losing, 4-3.Spotting the host Phantoms two goals Thursday night, the Bandits recovered for their first victory over Philadelphia this season.It looked for a while as if the home team might pull out another unlikely victory last night, but, instead, it fell to 0-8-2 against the Thoroughblades.

The word is out on Iain Fraser.The Baltimore Blast defender has turned the Major Soccer League around during the past 10 games because of a strict aerobic fitness program that is being directed by his wife, Denise.It took a little prodding yesterday before Fraser would talk about the aerobics program, but he admitted: "It has made me stronger for the fourth quarter."Fraser has blocked 29 shots in the past 10 games (most in the MSL during that span), and he has contributed three goals and five assists.

What goes around comes around, the saying goes, and Cleveland Crunch coach Trevor Dawkins soon may be among those who believe it.Dawkins, who took over as coach last season when Kai Haaskivi couldn't get the Crunch untracked in the early going, is now in the position of having to do what Haaskivi couldn't do then -- engineer a turnaround.He also is finding out about what the Blast went through a year ago, when it had 20 one-goal losses. Cleveland, which plays the Blast at the Arena tonight (8:05)

Second 68 gives Stadler one-shot leadCraig Stadler shot a second consecutive 3-under-par 68 yesterday to take a one-stroke lead at the halfway point of the $2 million Tour Championship in Pinehurst, N.C.Stadler is at 6-under-par 136 and leads Paul Azinger, Russ Cochran and Nick Price by one shot.* Trevor McDonald of Australia had two holes-in-one in the second round of the Victorian Open in Melbourne, Australia.According to Australian Professional Golf Association records, England's John Hudson is the only other professional to record two holes-in-one in a tournament round, doing it in the 1971 Martini Trophy in Norwich, England.