Lowe

Derek Lowe's no-hitter last week, the first of the season and the first at Boston's Fenway Park since 1965, reminded me of pitcher Babe Ruth's involvement in one of the most unusual no-hitters in major league history. It too occurred in Fenway Park in 1917 when Ruth was a young Red Sox pitcher. He started the first game of a double-header with Washington but was removed from the game for arguing with the umpire who gave a base on balls to Washington's first-inning leadoff batter. Ernie Shore, without warming up, took Ruth's place on the mound. The base runner was thrown out trying to steal second, and Shore retired the next 26 batters. Boston won, 4-0, and Ruth went into the record books as having pitched in a no-hitter.

.90 B.C. vs. .80 UT

Tennessee's football record against Boston College is 8-2, but BC graduated 90 percent of its players in the most recent NCAA tabulation. So who's the winner, UT or BC? ... Tennessee's Vandy and Wyoming football games, at $50 each, are the highest priced tickets on the 2002 Vol schedule. ... Vol athletics administrator Gus Manning was hospitalized last week for a few tests but is doing okay. ... Ex-Vol All-America lineman Chip Kell (1969-70) is the new head football coach at Southeast Whitfield High in Dalton, Ga.

'Best dressed' Buzz

Tennessee basketball coach Buzz Peterson and wife Jan were among the 20 "best dressed" chosen by a Knoxville newspaper." ... Buzz has told Memphis coach John Calipari that he hopes two-year starter Scooter McFadgon's decision to transfer to Tennessee won't damage their long-time friendship. ... In addition to McFadgon, Memphis is losing freshman Dajuan Wagner, junior Chris Massie and signee Qyntel Woods, all of whom have declared for the NBA draft. ... After losing 15 pounds on the Atkins diet this spring, Calipari learned its namesake, Dr. Robert Atkins, has been hospitalized with a cardiac arrest.

Overstreet overwhelms

Ex-Tennessee Vol defensive end Will Overstreet, being converted to "rush" linebacker by the Atlanta Falcons, had an impressive first two days of rookie minicamp last weekend. Falcons LB coach Billy Davis said Overstreet "understands the game, and the instincts and techniques that you use, he uses now." ... Washington Skins coach Steve Spurrier appreciates intelligence, and I suspect that's the reason he took ex-Vol Reggie Coleman in the NFL late rounds. Coleman is far more articulate than the average ex-Vol.

How 'bout soccer, Hokie?

Asked once to project a team's won-lost record, former LSU and N.O. Saints fullback Hokie Gajan replied: "Get back to me when they're in pads. You don't play football in shorts." ... Blount County old-timers remember that day in the mid-1940s when Alcoa High's Rusty Johnson struck out 17 but lost a no-hitter when Maryville's Ollie Keller stole home. Winning pitcher Jimmy Hawkins fanned 16. ... If baseball commish Bud Selig wants to eliminate a franchise, why not the one he owns, the last-place Milwaukee Brewers?

Shooting star

Florida, among many, has shown interest in 6-2 Maryville High shooting guard Lee Humphrey, a senior next fall. ... First pick in the upcoming NBA draft is likely to be 7-6 Yao Ming, who was 21-of-21 from the field in a recent Chinese Nationals win. But if he signs, he'll owe the Chinese government half his NBA bonus and paycheck. ... National Geographic says the best way to avoid crowds in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is to park two miles from your destination and "leave 90 percent of the people behind."

Va. Hall trimming

Ed Beard, who lettered at blocking back for Tennessee in 1961 and was starting linebacker for the San Francisco 49ers eight years, has been elected to the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame. ... Osama bin Laden is 6-5 and has children by multiple women. Orlando's Mike Bianchi says OBL may be hiding in the NBA. ... Mike DuBose did what ??!!???