GA Tech Univ. golfer MATT KUCHAR has decided not to
turn pro, and will return to school this fall. Kuchar will
defend his U.S. Amateur title August 24-30 at Oak Hill
Country Club in Rochester, NY (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 7/31).
...Retiring NFL Senior VP/Broadcasting VAL PINCHBECK will
receive the PETE ROZELLE AWARD tonight at the Hall of Fame
ceremonies (USA TODAY, 7/31)....Hootie and the Blowfish's
DARIUS RUCKER, on if his "original" dream: "My goal was to
be working for ESPN, on air, doing sports commentary, by the
time I was 35" (N.Y. POST, 7/31)....JEFF BAGWELL, on the '90
deadline trade that brought him to the Astros from the Red
Sox for LARRY ANDERSEN: "I've been a Red Sox fan my whole
life, but I was cool about that trade even though it was for
me. They were trying to get to a World Series" (HOUSTON
CHRONICLE, 7/31)....The N.Y. Chapter of the Juvenile
Diabetes Foundation Int'l (JDF) will honor MSG President and
CEO DAVID CHECKETTS as this year's Humanitarian Of The Year,
at the 26th Annual Promise Ball on November 14 (JDF).