The Keys is losing one of its most prominent sports figures to Tampa. And I don't think our paths ever crossed, although Robert Lucas and I have talked on the telephone and communicated by e-mail many times.

Lucas has been at Island Christian School in Tavernier for 21 years, serving as athletic director for 11 and has coached 6 man football, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, boys and girls volleyball, JV baseball and boys and girls tennis.

I don't know how he kept track, but he tells me (by e-mail, of course) that his overall win-loss record for all those sports was 525-325.

He is becoming athletic director at Citrus Park Christian School. His responsibilities will be to oversee the athletic program that includes some 20 teams. "My function is to oversee the program, increase involvement, evaluate coaching and grow the program," he told me.

Lucas said he's already impressed with the coaching staff who are "very knowledgeable and tireless workers."

He doesn't plan to add to that coaching record, but will "if needed."

In the meantime, he and his wife, Nancy, who has lived in the Keys for 25 years, have welcomed a new son to the family that also includes Cynthia, 7; Natalie, 5 and Josiah, 3.

Elijah Benjamin Lucas was born July in a home birth setting with midwife Leticia Juan. Elijah weighed in at 8 pounds, 10 ounces and 20.5 inches long.

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While I was on vacation, Key West High School named an old friend, Ralph Henriquez Jr., as its athletic director. This is the second time Ralph has been the school's AD, but he was also coaching baseball during the previous term. This time, he'll have just the AD duties.

Congratulations to Ralph -- and to his wife, DeeDee, who had her husband on the road most of the preceding year, as he coached baseball (and won the District 16-4A championship) at Belen Jesuit Prep the past season.

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Ralph and DeeDee's son, Ralphie, was on the move again this past week, as he was promoted for a few days to Seattle's AAA team at Tacoma, Wash. While he didn't get in a game, it showed the Mariners are taking notice of the catcher from Key West.

While he was hitting .303 at the time of his callup, Ralphie is back at High Desert in the A Advanced California League and saw his average drop to .288 after going 0-for-4 Thursday night.

Although he didn't get a decision, Reidier Gonzalez gave up but two runs in six innings for Class AA New Hampshire Wednesday night. He's now 2-3 with an earned run average of 6.90 through eight starts.

A third Key West High product, Blayne Weller, is 3-3 and 4.03 in 10 starts for the Elizabethton Twins in the Rookie Appalachian League. After winning his last two starts, on Wednesday, Weller got a no-decision as he gave up four runs over 4⅓ innings.

Ben Harrison has completed his 100-game suspension and was activated by the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs of the independent Atlantic Baseball League on Monday. He was hitting .214 through Friday's game -- his fourth.

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Key Wester Michael Dively, swimming with Team Florida, won six gold medals at The Gay Games VIII in Cologne, Germany, setting 70-74 age group records in five individual freestyle events (50, 100, 200, 400 and 800 meters) and swam anchor on the 4x50 medley relay that set a 220-239 age group (combined ages) record.

Dively swims regularly at Florida Keys Community College under the guidance of Lori Bosco, the pool director. "The fun at the Gay Games is to swim for your personal best and breaking records is a really exciting addition," Dively e-mailed me.

The Gay Games were started in 1982 in San Francisco. Gay Games VIII concluded a week ago Saturday and brought some 10,000 participants from more than 70 countries to Cologne.

Sports Editor Ralph Morrow's Armchair Comment appears exclusively each Sunday in The Citizen. He can be reached at 305-292-7777, Ext. 264, at Rmorrow@keysnews.com and by Fax at 305-295-8016.