Surgery

Justin Jannetti didn't think it was a big deal. He grabbed his glove, pulled down his cap, and trotted onto the baseball field for the start of another inning. He's done the same thing hundreds of times in his life. But a lot of other people at Hank Greenberg Field in Audubon on Sunday knew this was different. His mother and father fought back tears. Folks in the stands yelled and clapped when the public-address announcer noted that Jannetti was playing second base for Audubon High School.

Flyers left winger Simon Gagne underwent successful surgery yesterday at Pennsylvania Hospital to repair his partially dislocated left shoulder and a small tear in his labrum. "He's doing well," said team orthopedic surgeon, Art Bartolozzi, who performed the approximate 90-minute surgery along with Peter DeLuca. Trainer John Worley observed. Bartolozzi said as soon as Gagne's pain subsides, he will begin rehabilitation. Gagne dislocated the shoulder on Feb. 24 against Tampa Bay when he threw an errant punch that missed Lightning forward Andrei Zyuzin.

New York Mets pitcher Bill Pulsipher will undergo season-ending surgery on his left elbow Wednesday to repair a torn ligament. Prominent sports surgeon James Andrews will operate in Birmingham, Ala., the Mets said yesterday. Pulsipher, 22, hurt himself in spring training. He got two opinions on the injuries, and both doctors recommended surgery. In other news: REDS: SCORES ARE BACK The Cincinnati Reds renewed their SportsTicker service that provides out-of-town scores when a local bank agreed to pay the roughly $11 a day for the service, which owner Marge Schott had axed in a cost-cutting measure.

Flyers forward Mike Knuble will undergo surgery tomorrow to repair a small tear in the labrum of his right shoulder. "I had the same procedure done three years ago on my left" shoulder, Knuble said yesterday. "I don't think this tear is as severe as the one I had in my left shoulder. "This was a case of me rehabbing it and if that didn't work, it would be the beginning of June by the time I would have had the surgery. That would be cutting into my training time, and it would be getting too close to the start of the season.

David Cone had surgery yesterday to repair an aneurysm in his right shoulder, but neither the New York Yankees nor the doctors who performed the operation would predict when he'll pitch again. Doctors took a one-inch vein from Cone's upper left thigh and used it to repair two arteries in his right shoulder during the three-hour operation at New York's Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center. "The surgery was performed without disturbing any muscles, nerves or veins in the region," a hospital spokesman said.

Eagles fullback Jon Ritchie underwent successful surgery yesterday to repair the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, the team said. Team physicians Peter DeLuca and Paul Marchetto performed the surgery at Hahnemann University Hospital. Ritchie, 30, who was injured in the 30-13 win over Detroit on Sept. 26, will be lost for the remainder of the season. Although he had no rushing attempts, he had four catches for 36 yards in the Eagles' first three games. He was used primarily as a blocking back.

Anaheim righthander Mark Gubicza had arthroscopic surgery yesterday to check for damage in his pitching shoulder. The Penn Charter graduate has been on the disabled list since April 14 and is expected to be out until at least early August. In two starts this season, Gubicza allowed 13 earned runs in 4 2/3 innings - an ERA of 25.07. New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner ordered manager Joe Torre to bench second baseman Mariano Duncan, who then demanded to be traded. Montreal Expos first baseman David Segui is expected to be sidelined for four to six weeks after undergoing surgery to repair a slightly torn miniscus in his left knee.

Earl Strom, a former NBA referee who retired in 1990, underwent surgery for a brain tumor on Sunday and is in Pottstown Memorial Medical Center. Strom, 66, officiated in professional basketball for 33 years and worked the NBA Finals in his last season. Strom's wife, Yvonne, said her husband experienced problems in expressing himself on Thursday and went to his family physician on Friday. A CAT scan disclosed the tumor. Strom's son, Eric, said he talked with his father after the surgery and described him as "talking and laughing while still under the effects of anaesthesia.

Eagles defensive end Tim Harris might need a second elbow surgery that would sideline him for four to six weeks, the Daily News has learned. Harris underwent a thorough examination of his right elbow yesterday, after which surgery was recommended. The examination was not conducted by team physician Dr. Joseph Torg. Eagles president Harry Gamble confirmed last night that Harris was examined and that surgery "is a possibility. " Gamble said that the club will have Harris examined again today by another specialist, after which a decision will be made regarding surgery.

Mark Breland tore cartilage in his left knee while successfully defending his World Boxing Association welterweight title Saturday with a fifth-round technical knockout of Rafael Pineda in Atlantic City. Breland will undergo surgery Friday by Dr. Lester Lieberman and probably will be unable to fight again until September, Breland's manager, Shelly Finkel, told the New York Daily News. Breland had a fight planned for early July against Aaron Davis. Lieberman told Breland he was lucky to end the fight "because there's no way the knee would have stood up for 12 rounds.