The Women's World Cup continued last night as the U.S.
defeated Nigeria 6-1 in front of 65,080 fans, the largest
crowd to ever see a soccer game at Soldier Field. The
previous record was 64,443 for a Mexico-Argentina Reebok Cup
match two weeks ago. In Chicago, Lucio Guerrero, on the
fans at Soldier Field: "Awash in red, white and blue,
thousands of young girls in pigtails and painted faces
welcomed the ['99 WWC] with a fervor and intensity that few
expected" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 6/25). In Indianapolis, Sean
Horgan, on the pre-game festivities: "The Soldier Field
parking lots, almost filled three hours before [last
night's] first game, were a sea of mini-vans from throughout
the Midwest and beyond" (STAR-NEWS, 6/25).
MIA MANIA: Mia Hamm, on women's soccer growth: "We
still have aspirations to see this game continue to grow,
and one thing is a professional league. The more we get out
there as a team ... you just gain credibility, and hopefully
we'll lay a really strong foundation to get a professional
league started." MLS Commissioner Doug Logan, who attended
yesterday's U.S. game in Chicago, said that [he] "supports a
women's pro league but won't organize one." Logan: "We have
too much on our plate at the present time" (SUN-TIMES,
6/25). In Boston, John Powers reports that Hamm will "no
longer do TV studio appearances or radio or phone
interviews" during the WWC, though she's "still available in
person after practices and games" (BOSTON GLOBE, 6/25). In
Boston, Convey & Touma: "Faster than a Mia Hamm penalty
kick, women's soccer is taking the sporting world by storm"
(BOSTON HERALD, 6/25). In DC, William Gildea: "Suddenly,
everyone ... was talking women's soccer" (WASH. POST,
6/25)....ME-based Highland Marketing Group President Jack
Cowie III, on endorsements for women athletes: "You've got
women making forays into what have been traditionally known
as men's sports" (CINCINNATI ENQUIRER, 6/25).
KICKING FOR $$: Thirteen-year-olds Crystal Juarez and
Werner Ramirez each won $25,000 with the "Allstate $2
Million Kick" during halftime of last night's U.S.-Nigeria
match. Each had an opportunity to kick a soccer ball
through a target for the chance to win $1M. In addition to
the money awarded, Allstate matched the winnings for a
donation to the National Alliance of Youth Sports
(Allstate). Juarez, Ramirez and honorary coach Alexi Lalas
each wore Allstate-branded T-shirts (THE DAILY).
