LITTLE ROCK — Ex-Hog Akerfelds, 50, dies after 18-month cancer fight
Darrel Akerfelds, who played football and baseball at Arkansas in the early 1980s, died Sunday from pancreatic cancer. He was 50.
Akerfelds had been the San Diego Padres’ bullpen coach since 2001.
“Ak was an invaluable member of the Padres coaching staff,” San Diego Manager Bud Black said. “He was a loyal Padre to the end. Players and coaches were made better by Ack. He will be sorely missed.”
Akerfelds was diagnosed with cancer in December 2010, but he attended 148 of the Padres’ 162 games last season while undergoing chemotherapy. He was still with the team in the early part of this season before he finally stopped coming to the ballpark.
Akerfelds came to Arkansas from Columbine High School in Littleton, Colo., and lettered in football in 1981 and 1982 as a linebacker and in baseball in 1981 and 1982 as a pitcher. He transferred to Mesa (Ariz.) College in 1983 and concentrated on baseball and was a first-round pick by the Seattle Mariners (seventh overall) in 1983.
Akerfleds was traded to the Oakland A’s shortly after being drafted and played five major league seasons from 1986-1991 with Oakland, the Cleveland Indians, Texas Rangers and Philadelphia Phillies. He pitched in 125 major-league games and was 9-10 with a 5.08 ERA.
BASKETBALL
Arkansas Magic win in San Antonio
The Arkansas Magic 15-under boys basketball team won the 16-under San Antonio Shootout over the weekend. The Magic defeated the Bayou Bulls 58-42 in the semifinals and the San Antonio Flyers in the finals, 68-54. Team members are Markell Foreman Jr., Antonio Edwards and Braylon Walker of Little Rock Parkview High School, Cory Smith and Davis Fox of Catholic High School, Hayden Matthews of Harding Academy and Rashad Martin of Helena-West-Helena Central and James Wade of Searcy High School.
Sports, Pages 15 on 06/25/2012