From the Sidelines

Published 12:00 am Saturday, July 24, 1999

MICHAEL KIRAL / L’Observateur / July 24, 1999

One of the things that makes sports great is the comeback. Who doesn’tlove a good comeback, whether it be a team rallying in the final minute or inning of a game or an athlete overcoming adversity? Almost any movie made about sports includes some sort of comeback but the best comebacks could never be scripted.

For lovers of comebacks, this past weekend was the time for you.

Across the pond (a.k.a. the Atlantic Ocean), there was a little-knownScotsman, Paul Lawrie, rallying from 10 strokes down on the final day to win the British Open, the largest margin ever overcome to win a major.

Of course, every great comeback also includes a great collapse and Jean Van de Velde provided that, triple-bogeying the final hole to fall into a playoff with Lawrie and Justin Leonard. But to Van de Velde’s credit, hehad a comeback of his own. How many of us could have made that putt hedid to force the playoff after what happened on the hole? Unfortunately, Van de Velde’s performance will likely overshadow Lawrie’s. All Lawrie did was shoot a four-under par 67, one of only eightrounds in the 60s in the tournament, then come back from a two-hour delay to win the playoff.

Across the Channel, somewhere in France, American Lance Armstrong was holding onto the yellow jersey in the Tour de France. Less than three yearsago, riding a bike was the least of Armstrong’s concerns. In October 1996,he was diagnosed with testicular cancer. The cancer spread to his brainand lungs and there were doubts whether he would live much less compete again. But Armstrong overcame that obstacle and come tomorrow, itappears he will be riding along the Champs-Elysees as a true champion.

On this side of the Atlantic, David Cone was getting Montreal’s Orlando Cabrera to pop up in foul territory to third baseman Scott Brosius, putting the final touch on the 14th perfect game (actually 15th, Harvey Haddix’s should still count) in major league history.

Like Armstrong, Cone’s career almost came to an end three years ago when he was diagnosed with an aneurysm near his right armpit. Three yearslater, there was Cone on his knees, mobbed by his teammates after entering baseball immortality.

Cone’s memorable moment capped a special week for baseball, a sport that knows something about making a comeback. It was a week that began witha monster performance by Mark McGwire in the home run hitting contest and was highlighted by Ted Williams throwing out the first pitch at the All-Star Game.

We watch sports for entertainment but often they teach us a lesson. Andthe lesson for this past weekend is that no matter how big the obstacle, no matter how long the odds, true winners can always find a way to make a comeback.

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