In the latest (August) issue of "Tennis Magazine" there is an interesting
article on pages 70-71 on pro athletes in other sports who also play
tennis.  I have long known a connection between hitting a baseball and a
tennis ball, as Paul O'Neill of the Yankees talks about.  The others are
Joe Dumars of the Pistons, Kent Graham of the NY Giants in the NFL, and
Paul Kariya of the Ducks.
 
Here is some of the article about Paul paraphrased a bit:
 
TITLE:  "Paul Kariya: Working on the Chang game"
 
Many call him the NHL's newest superstar. But Paul K, rookie LW for the
MDs, prefers to think of himself as a two-sport athlete.
 
Paul, who was named the best US coll hockey player in 1993 when at Maine,
has been playing tennis since he was 8.
 
I am not sure whether I am a better serve-and-volleyer or baseliner,
sometimes  I change tactics in the middle of a match, then back again at
the end.  My opoonents think I'm trying to fool them, but I'm really
trying to find a style that feels comfortable.
 
His tennis not only gets him in shape for the grueling NHL season, but he
also thinks the court skills cross over on the ice.  "One of the best
things about tennis is that it helps develop hand-eye coordination. In
hockey, this skill is esp important for tipping in pucks in front of the net."
 
Paul's tennis hero is Michael Chang.  "Michael's like a jackrabbit out
there.  I'm amazed at how he can get to a shot that he has no right reaching."
 
A lot of NHL fans are saying the same thing about Kariya on the ice.
 
 
Original article written by David McConnachie
 
 
Did Paul play college tennis at all at Maine?  I guess the first question
is does Maine have intercollegiate men's tennis?  About what time of year
does the ice and snow melt off the courts :-)???
 
Tony Buffa
RPI '64