HONOLULU, Hawaii - Twenty years ago on Saturday, Arnold Palmer flipped a ceremonial switch to launch a risky venture that cynics saw as an easy punch line.The Golf Channel?Tennis magazine mocked the idea as 24 hours of chubby guys in bad clothes speaking in jargon that only they understand. Rick Reilly, in his column for Sports Illustrated, suggested programming that included Body by Jack, a workout session with Jack Nicklaus in which he takes you through a 30-minute routine you can do without getting out of the cart.Even the players had their doubts.Im always stunned that theres enough golf stuff for 24 hours a day, Paul Goydos said. I would have thought, Do we really need a Golf Channel? Is there enough viewership? Enough material? I thought it would be a tough row to hoe, in my opinion. Theyve proven me wrong.Players today cant imagine life without Golf Channel.Thats all I watch, Jason Day said. I say I dont watch much golf, but I do. Pretty much every day Im watching Golf Channel.The network was launched on Jan. 17, 1995, and could be seen in about 10,000 homes. It began as a premium fee ($6.95) and changed to part of a basic cable package by the end of the year, helping it to reach 1.4 million homes.Twenty years later, Golf Channel can be seen in roughly 120 million homes in 83 countries and is broadcast in 12 languages around the world. Its offices in Orlando, Florida, have more than quadrupled to 160,000 square feet.And there is no shortage of programming.The first tournament it broadcast was the Dubai Desert Classic, which Fred Couples won in 1995. On its 20-year anniversary, Golf Channel will have four hours of live coverage from Rory McIlroys season debut in Abu Dhabi; seven hours of taped coverage and four hours of live coverage from the Sony Open (including a pre-game show), along with its popular Morning Drive and a news show.Its a big deal, Palmer said Friday morning from his office at Bay Hill. Everybody is excited and happy with the channel and all the stuff going on. Who would ever thought 20 years ago ... all the things that have happened with Golf Channel?Palmer was a co-founder with TV mogul Joe Gibbs, who plans to make an appearance on Golf Channel on Saturday to commemorate the anniversary. Golf Channel began 18 months before Tiger Woods turned pro, so it was blessed with good timing. Comcast eventually bought out the network, and then acquired NBC Universal, which gave Golf Channel even greater resources and branding capabilities.The most significant moment in its 20 years was when the PGA Tour signed it to a 15-year deal in 2006 that gave Golf Channel rights to Thursday and Friday rounds from the PGA Tour, along with full tournament coverage for the opening three events and the tournaments in the fall. Golf Channel previously had the European Tour and other global events, along with the other three U.S. tours (seniors, women and what is now Web.com).But there was another turning point equally important in the infancy of the network, a time when even Palmer had his doubts about the future. The question was whether it was prudent for Palmer and his investors to get out and cut their losses.We were questioning what we were doing and the viability of what was happening, Palmer said. And they said, How do you feel? I said, Let me say this to you: If I didnt try to hit it through the trees a few times, none of us would be here.The quote is now on a wall at Golf Channel headquarters, a daily reminder that when you hitch up your pants and go for broke, the reward can be immense.Even though were now part of a big company, you still want the spirit of how this place was founded to be a living, breathing part of what makes it tick, Golf Channel President Mike McCarley said. That culture and everything Arnold represented, that should be part of it.McCarley said Golf Channel now is the most affluent network of those devoted to a sport, mainly because of the demographic of those watching.Davis Love III smiled at the coincidence that a network co-founded by Palmer would benefit from the arrival of Woods, the two players who in different ways made golf appealing to the masses.Its make a big difference for our sport, Love said.Golf Channel has kept the newspaper clippings from two decades ago that either panned the idea of a golf channel or predicted failure.That was an easy column to write, McCarley said. It was the first of its kind. Now every sport has its own network.Geoff Ogilvy of Australia was among the skeptics. He remembers when he first came over to America to play in events like the Western Amateur and the Porter Cup. Golf Channel was just getting started.Coming from Australia, we had four channels and we didnt have any cable, Ogilvy said. I thought this was cool, but no chance anyone was going to watch. They had all these infomercials, like Orlimar Trimetal. Remember that? So I was like, Whos going to watch this? But in the last 10 years when they got the tour deal, I think it really kicked on. Now its a legitimate channel — really legitimate.ESPN was the same, he said. I remember when they started, they showed Aussie Rules football because it was the only thing they could afford. ESPN only got there when they started showing real sport, and Golf Channel is probably the same. Its a big channel now. Its a big part of our tour.How far has Golf Channel come?There are sheer numbers. Golf Channel had the rights to 23 domestic tournaments when it began (mostly the LPGA and Nike tours) and 41 events from Europe, South Africa and Australia. This year, it will televise 189 events from the major tours around the world. It began with 180 employees and now has nearly 700; McCarley said 13 employees have been there from the start.And there are intangibles. On the day before it celebrated its 20-year anniversary, Palmer watched his grandson, Sam Saunders, compete on the PGA Tour on a network that he helped to start. Dermontti Dawson Womens Jersey . -- D.A. Points was disqualified Friday from the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am for using a training device while waiting to play the 18th hole at Pebble Beach. Lynn Swann Steelers Jersey . There will be no Down Under four-peat for Djokovic, as the eighth-seeded Swiss slugger Wawrinka outlasted the second seed 2-6, 6-4, 6-2, 3-6, 9-7 at Melbourne Parks Rod Laver Arena in yet another five-set thriller in their burgeoning rivalry. http://www.steelersrookiestore.com/. For Bergevin, the best pick is the 30th — which traditionally goes to the Stanley Cup winner. "Thats our goal. Jack Ham Jersey . Numbers Game looks at the As getting Jon Lester from Boston, sending Yoenis Cespedes to the Red Sox along with a deal involving the As and the Minnesota Twins. The Athletics Get: LHP Jon Lester, LF Jonny Gomes, OF Sam Fuld and cash. L.C. Greenwood Youth Jersey . Not only that, when Julian de Guzman first stepped on the pitch for Deportivo de la Coruna he became the very first Canadian to play in Spains top tier. ST. LOUIS -- Not long after Jose Fernandez was lost for the season with an elbow injury, the Miami Marlins found a new ace. Theyve won a franchise-record 10 in a row when Henderson Alvarez takes the ball. "Hes been really good for us, especially since Jose went down," cleanup hitter Casey McGehee said Sunday after Alvarez (6-3) worked seven stingy innings and started the key rally with the first of his career-best three hits in an 8-4 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals. "He pretty much did today what hes done all year for us. We love having him out on the mound." McGehee extended his hitting streak to a career-high 13 games with an RBI single in the first. Marcell Ozuna had a two-run single in a three-run sixth that made it 4-0, and Jarrod Saltalamacchias three-run homer off Jason Motte put Miami up 8-1 in the eighth. The Marlins had lost four of six before taking two of three from their spring training partners. The first two games of the series were decided by one run. "This group is special," manager Mike Redmond said. "Weve bounced back all year." The Marlins easily took the series finale despite stranding 14 runners, largely because of Alvarez. Hes 4-0 with a 1.04 ERA since May 16, allowing two or fewer runs in each of his last nine games. "Ive always wanted to be a leader," the 24-year-old right-hander said through a translator. "Im just focused on being a pitcher." Kolten Wong, just off the 15-day disabled list, had two hits and homered in the seventh for the lone run against Alvarez. Matt Adams had a career-best four hits, including an RBI double. "All we can do is stick with our approach and go up there and get the barrel on the balls, and thats what were doing," Adams said. "Were just hitting it right at people right now." Cardinals rookie Marco Gonzalez (0-2) allowed a run in 4 2-3 innings despite giving up seven hits and walking five in his third career start since being recalled from Double-A Springfield. He yielded five runs in each of his first two starts. "You look at the bottom line, obviously it wasnt as efficient as he wanted to be and we had tto get him out early," manager Mike Matheny said.dddddddddddd "He kept us in there and made good pitches when he had to." Alvarez struck out to end the second and then had a hit in three consecutive at-bats, the biggest a leadoff bloop single in the sixth. He topped his previous best of two hits, done twice, and raised his average this season to .250. Obviously, thats a bonus. "Im glad hes on our side, especially since hes been lights out," Redmond said. "I think we all feel so confident when he takes the ball." The three-day weekend series drew 133,736 fans, with the first two games sold out and the finale just shy at 42,160. It was 84 degrees at game time and temperatures were unseasonably mild throughout. Redmond, a former catcher, remembers St. Louis and Kansas City as the hottest cities in the majors, with triple-digit temperatures this time of year and "just roasting out there." "Its gorgeous," Matheny said before the finale. "Yesterday, I didnt realize it during the game but it was a beautiful day." NOTES: The Marlins previous franchise mark for consecutive wins in a pitchers starts was nine straight for Chris Hammond in 1993. Hammond was 8-0 during that stretch. ... Jim Edmonds threw out the first pitch, firing a high fastball to Matheny, on his bobblehead giveaway day. ... McGehee has hit in 20 straight games on the road, the second-longest streak in Marlins history behind a 27-game run by Luis Castillo in 2002. ... The Marlins open a three-game series at Arizona on Monday with Tom Koehler (6-6, 3.48 ERA), back from paternity leave, opposing Chase Anderson (5-4, 3.91). ... Cardinals ace Adam Wainwright (11-4, 1.89 ERA) was tied for the league lead in wins heading into a matchup against the Pirates and Charlie Morton (5-9, 3.30). Wainwright is 1-1 with a 1.20 ERA in two starts against Pittsburgh this year. ... Matheny said closer Trevor Rosenthal was unavailable after tough outings in the first two games of the series. ... Motte missed last year due to reconstructive elbow surgery and allowed four runs for the first time since Sept. 22, 2011, at the Mets. ' ' 'ison each scored twice as the Saginaw Spirit crushed the Ottawa 67s 10-5 in Ontario Hockey League action Friday. Justin Kea, Eric Locke, Kristoff Kontos, Jimmy Lodge, Mitchell Stephens and Nick Moutrey also made their way onto the scoresheet as the Spirit (19-17-5) went ahead with five goals in the second period. Jonathan Duchesne scored twice for Ottawa (14-22-4), which was routed one night after hammering Windsor 8-3. Erik Bradford added a goal and three assists, while Brendan Bell and Alex Lintuniemi also scored. Spirit goaltender Jake Paterson finished with 38 saves. In Ottawas net, Liam Herbst was on the hook for all 10 goals despite stopping 36 shots. Philippe Trudeau added two saves in five minutes of relief. --- STORM 5 KNIGHTS 3 GUELPH, Ont. -- The Storm scored three goals in the first period and held on to beat London. Nick Ebert, Ryan Horvat, Kerby Rychel, Zack Mitchell and Scott Kosmachuk had a goal apiece for Guelph (31-8-3). Zach Bell, Max Domi and Brady Austin replied for the Knights (28-8-4). Storm goalie Justin Nichols stopped 31 shots for the win, while at the other end of the ice Anthony Stolarz allowed four goals on 38 shots. --- FRONTENACS 9 GENERALS 4 KINGSTON, Ont. -- The Frontenacs scored twice in the first minute of the game en route to rolling over Oshawa. Robert Polesello and Darcy Greenaway had two goals each for Kingston (24-12-4), with singles coming from Samuel Schutt, Conor McGlynn, Corey Pawley, Sam Bennett and Spencer Watson. Cole Cassels, Josh Sterk, Dylan Smoskowitz and Hunter Smith had goals for the Generals (26-12-4). Matt Mahalak stopped 25 shots in net for Kingston, while Oshawas Daniel Altshuller was pulled after giving up three goals on six shots. Ken Appleby took over and made 21 saves. --- STING 4 WHALERS 3 (SO) SARNIA, Ont.dddddddddddd -- Daniel Nikandrov scored the winning goal in the shootout as Sarnia held off Plymouth. Anthony DeAngelo, Nickolas Latta and Nikolay Goldobin scored in regulation for the Sting (13-23-5). Connor Sills, Carter Sandlak and Yannick Rathgeb had goals for the Whalers (15-21-5). Taylor Dupuis turned aside 37 shots in net for Sarnia. At the other end of the ice, Alex Nedeljkovic made 24 saves. --- ICEDOGS 6 RANGERS 5 (OT) KITCHENER, Ont. -- Aleksandar Mikulovich scored in overtime to lift Niagara past the Rangers. Brendan Perlini scored a hat trick in regulation for the IceDogs (13-22-6), while Billy Jenkins and Anthony DiFruscia had the others. Brent Pedersen, Nick Magyar, Max Iafrate, Ryan MacInnis and Justin Bailey answered for Kitchener (15-24-2). IceDogs goalie Brent Moran finished with 27 saves. Matthew Greenfield was replaced in the Rangers net after allowing four goals on 23 shots. Jordan DeKort took over and stopped eight shots. --- OTTERS 4 ATTACK 0 OWEN SOUND, Ont. -- Oscar Dansk made 31 saves for the shutout as Erie rolled past the Attack. Brendan Gaunce, Connor McDavid, Connor Brown and Dane Fox scored for the Otters (33-7-2). Brandon Hope allowed three goals on 29 shots in net for Owen Sound (20-15-6). The Otters penalty killing unit was effective, stopping all five Attack opportunities. Erie meanwhile scored on its only power play. --- WOLVES 4 STEELHEADS 2 SUDBURY, Ont. -- The Wolves opened a 3-0 lead in the first period and never looked back. Ray Huether, Nicholas Baptiste, Mathew Campagna and Nathan Pancel had a goal each for the Wolves (23-10-6). Jared Walsh and Brett Foy countered for Mississauga (16-23-4). Franky Palazzese stopped 26 shots in net for Sudbury, while the Steelheads Spencer Martin made 39 saves. ' ' '