July 13, 2003
There's been some movement among Duquesne alums who are playing pro sports in the United States. Basketball guard Mike James is now with the Indiana Pacers while outfielder B.J. Barns was traded by the Pittsburgh Pirates to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays organization.
James spent the past two seasons with the Miami Heat and averaged 7.8 points, 3.2 assists, and 1.9 rebounds in 78 games during the 2002-03 season. The Heat had until Monday, June 30, 2003, to make a qualifying offer to their restricted free agents, including Mike James. That didn't happen. And it didn't take long for the Amityville, N.Y. native to find a new home.
The Indiana Pacers announced on July 3, 2003 that James was one of 17 players signed to the team's summer roster. The Pacers conducted a mini-camp for these players over the Fourth of July weekend. The Pacers will compete in the Rocky Mountain Revue summer league in Salt Lake City as a split squad with the Philadelphia 76ers. The league runs from July 18 thought July 26, 2003.
Barns, who was drafted into the Pittsburgh Pirates organization in 1999, last season hit .268 with 12 home runs and 69 RBI, all career highs, with the Class A Lynchburg Hillcats. After a slow start with the Buc's Altoona Curve (AA) he was transferred in May 2003 to the Williamsport Crosscutters, a split season club that begins play in mid-June.
However, he returned to Curve on June 8th and after raising his batting average from .161 to .183 in just a few games, was traded to Tamp Bay on June 16th. He is now playing with the Orlando Rays, the Florida franchise's AA program, and is batting .293 with 11 RBI in 18 games.
As for the other Duquesne U.S. pros:
- Joe Beimel is in his third season as a relief pitcher with the Pittsburgh Pirates and in 30 games with the MLB team, has a 3.60 ERA and a 1-2 record as the Bucco's head into all-star week.
- Coach Korie Hlede is in her first year on the bench rather than the court. After five years of WNBA competition, Hlede started this season as an assistant to Detroit Shock head coach Bill Laimbeer. The Shock have a 10-5 record at the all-star break, a half-game behind the Eastern Conference leader Charlotte.
- Quarterback Tony Zimmerman is in his second season with the AFL2 Quad City Steamwheelers. He's started all 12 games and is 304-450 for 3,839 yards (67.6 percent) with 81 touchdowns and six interceptions. Quad City is 12-2 and has clinched a bye in next month's playoffs. Zimmerman is just 578 yards shy of the league record of 4,417 yards with two more regular season games to play.
