Zephyrs Are Promoted Right Out of Market

As a ball boy for the old San Diego Rockets, Tom Maloney learned at an early age franchises do not stay put forever.

At 34, Maloney, the son of retired San Diego sports writer Bud Maloney, is at least partially responsible for the probable uprooting of one.

First as a sales executive, then assistant general manager and now as general manager of the Denver Zephyrs, the Milwaukee Brewers’ triple-A affiliate, Maloney has initiated and overseen some of the largest-drawing promotion events in minor league history.

In April, Denver more than doubled its own minor league record for opening-day attendance, outdrawing several major league teams with 43,247 fans. It was “Guaranteed Win Night” and the Z’s won, beating Buffalo, 6-2.

On June 22, 37 couples were married in a mass postgame ceremony on the Mile High Stadium field. Team chaplain Bill Faye officiated, and Maloney signed all 37 marriage certificates as witness.

Tonight, Maloney is expecting 50,000 for a fireworks show. On Aug. 10 and 11, he is going for the minor league attendance record of 65,666, set by Denver in 1982. A real estate company and a grocery chain have bought and will have distributed 70,000 tickets for each day.

Fan interest and potential attendance were two reasons the National League expansion committee recommended Denver as one of the two new sites for major league baseball in 1993. Should major league owners approve the recommendations--and they are expected to do so--the Zephyrs will be forced to relocate after the 1992 season.

Add Z’s: Denver’s manager is former San Diego Mesa College standout Tony Muser.

“His claim to fame was being the only guy to ever pinch hit for Richie Allen,” Maloney said, adding: “Tony is the best manager we’ve had since I’ve been here, simply because he cares more about getting the players in the big leagues rather than getting himself there.”

A Newer Brewer: One day, he’s cutting meat. The next, he’s making plans to meet with Milwaukee president Bud Selig, his new boss.

It happened last week to Scott VonDerLieth.

VonDerLieth, who hadn’t played organized baseball since pitching for Mission Bay High in 1987 and Mesa College in 1988, signed a minor league contract Friday with the Brewers, the result of a good showing at a recent Major League Scouting Bureau tryout at Southwestern College.

VonDerLieth, according to one scout, was the lone player out of about 250 at the camp to receive an offer. Apparently, his 90-m.p.h. fastball still had some pop after nearly three years of inactivity.

On Sunday, VonDerLieth’s now-former co-workers at Greentree Grocers threw him a going-away party. The next morning, he left for Milwaukee. Selig wanted to meet his newest left-handed pitcher before VonDerLieth departs for his rookie-league assignment in Peoria, Ariz.

Dunckel For Hire: How or why is anyone’s guess, but among those passed over in this year’s amateur draft was Bill Dunckel, San Diego State’s most valuable player last season.

“We don’t understand it. We’re befuddled,” said Jack Dunckel, whose son is playing for SDSU Coach Jim Dietz at Fairbanks in the Alaskan Summer League. “I’m thinking of getting a brochure out to some of those teams.”

Jack was kidding about the brochure, but it might not be a bad idea.

Among Bill’s career highlights:

--Hit .333 this season and led the Aztecs in doubles (14), triples (eight), RBIs (40) and slugging percentage (.524). Was second in stolen bases (29).

--Hit .330 with six triples, six homers and 47 RBIs as a junior.

--Hit a school record .470 his freshman year at Palomar College and .420 as a sophomore.

--Hit a school record .514 his senior year at Fallbrook High, the fifth-highest in San Diego Section history at the time.

Said Jack: “He’s always been a producer, so I don’t understand it. But dads are that way.”

Clark’s Back: Tony Clark’s back is acting up again, and he was sent back to San Diego for rest without having played for Niagara Falls, a single-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers.

Clark, a 1990 graduate of Christian High, was the second player drafted in the first round last June. His back problems began while playing basketball for the University of Arizona. He has since transferred to San Diego State.