Sdl 1.2.8 build error on OSX Tiger

I quickly looked at the archives, so sorry if the answer is there.
Tried a generic build (./configure, make, sudo make install) and got
the following error:

em.o .libs/libSDL.lax/libthread.a/SDL_systhread.o .libs/libSDL.lax/
libthread.a/SDL_thread.o .libs/libSDL.lax/libtimer.a/
SDL_systimer.o .libs/libSDL.lax/libtimer.a/SDL_timer.o .libs/
libSDL.lax/libendian.a/SDL_endian.o .libs/libSDL.lax/libfile.a/
SDL_rwops.o .libs/libSDL.lax/libcpuinfo.a/SDL_cpuinfo.o -
framework OpenGL -framework AGL -framework AudioToolbox -framework
AudioUnit -framework IOKit -lstdc++ -framework Cocoa -framework
Carbon -framework QuickTime -install_name /usr/local/lib/
libSDL-1.2.0.dylib -Wl,-compatibility_version -Wl,8 -Wl,-
current_version -Wl,8.1
/usr/bin/libtool: for architecture: cputype (16777234) cpusubtype
(0) file: -lSystem is not an object file (not allowed in a library)
make[2]: *** [libSDL.la] Error 1
make[1]: *** [install-recursive] Error 1
make: *** [install-recursive] Error 1

My default compiler is gcc v 3.3. I do have an old version of sdl
(vintage 1.2.0) already installed at /usr/local/lib/.

Ideas?

-ck