ASSIGNMENT: Outline Gisondi article on sports game stories

Below is a link to one of my favorite articles on sports game story writing. I think it goes beyond the template approach that produces a solid game story but not a spectacular one.  To write a superior game story, you have to try to isolate something that makes the game you are covering unique. 

http://sportsjournalism.org/sports-media-news/mavericks-heat-nba-finals-provides-lessons-in-game-coverage-breaking-down-the-elements-to-create-a-compelling-recap/

ASSIGNMENT: Read the article then outline it on paper or type your outline and post it to your blog. You may use the outline on a quiz that I will give over the article at the beginning of class on Wednesday.

I thought it may interest some of you to know that I once took the craft of writing sports game stories very seriously. Not very far from McCallum High School but very long ago, I was the University of Texas general sports reporter charged with the task of covering Longhorn baseball. It was a great job. I got free Whataburger chicken sandwiches every game, got to watch baseball from a great seat for free and got to talk directly with the players and coaches after every game.

I posted one of my stories that survived the crash of my hard drive somehow. :(

See how well I did of meeting Gisondi's criteria for writing a great game story.

March 19, 1990

Texas drops third game to unranked team as WSU pulls out win

By Dave Winter

Daily Texan staff

For five seconds Sunday, the Longhorns slide toward mediocrity was frozen between second and third base along with Washington State baserunner Kurt Steck and Texas pitcher Mark Smith.

Unfortunately for No. 10 Texas (22-10), Smith ended the tableau by throwing the ball over shortstop Kyle Moody’s head into center field, initiating the Longhorns’ 7-4 loss, their third in four games, all to unranked opponents.

With one out and runners on first and second in the first-inning, Smith (3-2) caught Steck leaning toward third and ran toward him, stopping two steps short of tagging him out.

“My mind just kind of blanked,” Smith said. Steck “wasn’t moving or making a commitment either way, and instead of breaking toward him I was waiting for him to break, and he didn’t.”

The errant throw moved Steck to third and Scott Hatteberg to second. Two singles and a run later, Smith struck out first baseman Rob Nichols, which should have ended the inning.

Instead, it was Smith’s outing that ended when Greg Hunter lofted a three run home-run that glanced off and over the right field fence.

Smith got only two outs and yielded five Cougar runs.

“I don’t know if you could call it a pitching performance. I wasn’t out there that long,” said a dejected Smith.

The five-run cushion was enough for Cougar right hander Todd Springs (2-1) whose eight-hitter Sunday surprised everybody present.

“His best pitch is his curve ball, and didn’t have it today,” said Coach Chuck “Bobo” Brayton, whose Cougars are now 12-8.

The sophomore had posted one win against two losses in his career at Washington State.  The Austin children who now own his autograph probably don’t know that Springs’ career earned-run average was 6.48 before Sunday.

Brayton was at a loss to explain why Texas was held to eight hits, three of them hit hard, and only 11 base runners.

“It’s a mystery to me. I’m surprised that they don’t have the batting cage out there right now taking batting practice, “ Brayton said.

Texas Coach Cliff Gustafson probably would have agreed with Brayton had hitting been Texas’ only problem. Texas beat WSU 8-1 behind a strong outing from Brian Dare (2-1) Friday, but fell by the same score Saturday as Texas used four pitchers, who hit four batters. Texas’ record against Division I opponents is now 15-10.

The loudest cheers Sunday from 1,211 Disch-Falk fans Sunday were for the Texas men’s basketball team.  The standing ovation resulted in two Texas runs in the fifth inning, cutting the Cougars lead to 5-4.

Travis Mays’ game-winning free throws in Indianapolis confused Springs into walking Kyle Moody, and Guillermo Myers’ blocked shot to seal Texas’ 73-72 victory incited a louder ovation and a second walk to Calvin Murray. Both runners scored after a ground-ball single cured off the end of Mike Morland’s bat.

Lubbock Christian (15-13) will bring a five-game win streak to Disch-Falk Field for a 7 p.m. game.  J.J. Munoz (2-4, 5.16 ERA) will oppose Kirk Dressendorfer (5-2, 3.55). Although their numbers don’t reflect it, each right-hander is his team’s ace.