The Indianapolis Star from Indianapolis, Indiana • Page 68

1 1 Comics 76 Obituaries 76 Classified 79-87 The Indianapolis Star FRIDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1982 PORTS PAGE 69 Essett advances to USABC finals Am fff; V. Hill HrO siw 1 9 5 By DAVID KNIGHT There is an Indianapolis kid in the finals of the 1982 U.S. Amateur Boxing Championships. Ronnie Essett. a three time Indiana Golden Gloves champion, crunched Mitchell Julien of Mountain View, with two right hands Thursday night in Market Square Arena, stopping Julien at 1:44 of the first round.

It was the second time Essett has stopped an opponent in the tourna ment, and he will fight James Mitch ell of Louisville and the U.S. Army tonight. Mitchell copped a 32 judges' decision over David Gutierrez of San Diego, as 1.600 showed up Thursday night in MSA. If Essett should whip Mitchell tonight, he would become the sixth Indiana fighter to win a national championship. J.B.

Williamson was the last, in 1976, in the 156 pound class. Henry Johnson and Norman Coins won titles in 1972, and Marvin Johnson won in 1971. The other Hoo-sier was Willie Clemmons, a heavyweight, way back in 1947. "I really don't feel it will go the distance against Mitchell," said Charlie DSkelton, Essett's trainer from the Indianapolis PAL Club. "We're really not underestimating Mitchell but if Ronnie don't take him out tonight, we'll just outbox him." Essett outclassed Julien.

He threw a right hand midway of the round and stunned the Californian, forcing an eight-count, then used combinations to set up another right and it was over. "I JUST caught him with a good right hand," Essett said. "The guy was real strong but I just caught him. "I saw Mitchell's fight and the guy kept coming at him and all he was doing was throwing those pitty-pat punches. He better hit a lot harder than that tonight." Essett wanted badly to fight welterweight Mark Breland, the U.S.

Boxer of the Year. Breland was forced to withdraw because of toxic poisioning. "I'm at the top of my game now and if we fight in the Sports Festival next summer, I think it would be a hell of bout," said Essett. "I've worked very hard to get this far and it's a dream of mine." Indiana's other entry, Victor Lc vine of Kokomo, lost a 50 decision to Bernard Gray. Levine, just 17 years old, was all over Gray in the third round, but the extensive international experience of the Floridian showed in the bout "I think he did real good," said Punchy Cones, Levine's coach.

"He stayed with the best. For a 17 year-old kid fighting his 10th senior fight, he did a hell of a job." Gray drew a couple of warnings from the referee for illegal tactics and Cones said, "I would think that with the warnings it could have gone either way." ONE DEFENDING champion, Bennie Heard of Augusta, lost a 32 decision to Sherman Griffin of Minneapolis in one of the most gruel ing fights of the long evening in the 178 pound division. Heard was all over Griffin in the second and third rounds with pounding combinations and body shots, but Griffin was determined to make a fight of it and that swayed the judges' decisions. Griffin was in tears in his corner when the decision was announced. Three defending champions advanced, including Henry Hughes of Cleveland at 139, Dennis Milton of the Bronx at 156, and Michael Gro-gan of Atlanta at 165.

Grogan and Nathan Houser of the U.S. Navy were imitating dance hall girls for most of 1 12 rounds, with Grogan back pedaling and throwing very few punches. Then late in the second, Grogan knocked Houser down with a left hand and Houser was in no shape to continue. Milton changed his style completely in decisioning Royan Hammond of Vallejo, Calif. Milton, of the Bronx, has been getting away with counters and running in the tourna ment and he came out and beat on Hammond from the first round Thursday night.

Milton caught Hammond, a very tenacious, gutty fighter, with some good combinations at the start of the third round, and both ended the fight very tired. MILTON WILL try to win his second U.S. title tonight against Frank Tate, a tough junior middleweight from Detroit's Kronk Gymnasium. In the heavyweight Ricky Womack of Detroit and Terry Anderson of the U.S. Marines brought the crowd into a frenzy, Womack, who gave away 20 pounds to Anderson, won a 41 decision in a -fight that had six standing eight-counts, three each.

Anderson had rallied in the final round, blasting Womack and forcing two standing eight counts before Womack finally copped the decision. Todd Hickman, a 16 year old 112 pounder from Akron. Ohio, continued to impress the national boxing officials by decisioning Michael Collins of Laporte, Texas, 41. Collins won silver medals in the last nationals and in the world championships at Munich last May. Hickman, who knocked off defending champ Steve McCrory Monday night, again threw more effective punches to win.

He is just 16 years old and was the Junior Olympic champion. His future is bright in amateur boxing. Robert Shannon, the 1980 Olympic champion, stopped Paul Banke at 259 of the first round in a highly touted battle of southpaws. Shannon came out at the bell and began artillery practice on Banke, landing just about every punch in the book before the ref mercifully stopped it. National Golden Gloves champion Jose Rosario of Patterson, N.J., deci-sioned Joe King, a silver medalist in the last nationals, 41.

King and Rosario had fought twice before and were 11. Phots by 0. Todd Moert Ricky Romero staggers toward canvas after shove from Bryan Jones Referee ruled no knockdown in first round of 106 pound fight Mitchell meets Essett for 147 title tonight some fights. Someplace in there I have to have fought someone like him." Some might think that a military career would make it difficult for a boxer to stay in training. Like, if the Army says you're going on a two-week bivouac, it isn't particularly interested in the fact that you've got this big tournament coming up and need time in the gym.

But Mitchell has found the Army helped his boxing career. He won the Kentucky Golden Gloves title in 1974, two years before he enlisted, but he admits he wasn't as serious in training then. "I fought anything from 139 up to 156 when I was a civilian," he said. "Whatever I was at weigh in, that's where I fought. "I train harder in the military than I ever did as a civilian.

After I went in the service, I fought three years at 139 before going back to 147." AT 27 with a wife and two kids, Mitchell has no plans for going pro. He figures his career is in the Army. "After I quit (fight), I want to coach and train some of the younger guys, try to teach them some of the things I've learned," he says. But that's still in the future. "I feel good, I'm winning," he says.

"It's something I enjoy doing. "I figure I'll be through in another two years, whether I go or I don't go." Go, as in Los Angeles. Go, as in the Olympics. "That's my goal, to make the 1984 team. But I know I've got a lot of stairs to climb to get there." One of them is Ronnie Essett tonight.

By DAVE OVERPECK At 27 years of age, he is just about the Grand Old Man of U.S. amateur boxing. Tonight he'll be the villian, the guy trying to keep the 147 pound championship away from hometown boy Ronnie Essett in the finals of the USA Amateur Boxing Federation championships. But that doesn't bother Sgt. James Mitchell, U.S.

Army stationed at Baumholder, West Germany. It's pretty much old hat, in fact. He's used to being the "visiting team." "I won the Kenya Gold Cup in Africa in 1980," he notes. "1 was runner-up in the North American Games, and I won a bronze in the World Cup. And I've beat a Cuban.

I've also fought some West Germans, so I'm used to it (having the crowd against him)." 1 MITCHELL DOESN'T consider that any serious handicap. "In fact, it could work in my favor," says the Louisville native. "He (Essett) has the pressure on him. He's going to be thinking about that and about living up to their expectations. "I just have to go out and fight my fight and not worry about any of that." And what will his fight be? "Whatever it takes to win," he says.

"If it means going inside and mixing it up with him, that's what I'll do. If it means boxing with him and' staying away, I'll do that." This will be the first time he has fought Essett, but that doesn't bother Mitchell either. "He just another fighter," he says. "I've had 100 sT i i I l.JL..1. A i Sunday leaf -raking poor second to watching NFL Photo by Jeff Atteberry Bernard Cray (right) catches Kokomo's Victor Levine with jab to face Boynton Beach (Fla.) slugger gained decision in 125-pound semifinal If Sports over LIGHTLY BASEBALL CARD SHOW BY BOB COLLINS WHAT'S A GUY to do? Leave it sit there blank and it ain't even a good piece of furniture.

if After a while you get the uneasy feeling that confounded Cyclops eye is following you across the room. If it i were a dog, you could toss it a bone. But, a man must ride with his principles even when the old stiff tipper lip is quivering. Who needs them? After all, where were they when we needed them? YOU COULD come up with a list of grievances a mile long. Because of them and their petty bickering you spent a month of Sundays raking leaves, washing windows, cleaning ONE DAY ONLY SUNDAY, DEC.

19th HOLIDAY INN EAST 1-70 East at Shadeland Ave. Noun: 12-5 P.M. Admission Sty Oooi Prizes Buy Stll Trade for Information Call (317) 642-1355 acally single-minded. He hears no pleas. The baby needs milk." Give it some beer." "We're supposed to go to Aunt Martha's funeral." "Give her my regards and tell her I'll call next week." "ISNT THIS a beautiful new bed spread?" "How can there be a new spread; the game's already started." "The house is one fire." "How in the hell can it do that when the Cowboys have a first down on the five." They're back.

And they're still the best game in town. There are fewer no shows every week. Right now at least 23 teams are in the chase for 16 playoff spots. And I'm hooked again. Strike? What strike? Did you see the Chargers and 49ers? Did you watch the run that guy made for Dallas? They're back and I love it.

I hate myself for loving it, but what the heck, it beats raking leaves. COUPON' Maybe you can find a good "Looney Tunes" or a new Greta Garbo movie. But, exercise first. Make sure the old reflexes still work and you can get the hang time between channels down to something under six seconds. This way if you hear anything remotely resembling crowd noise you can hit the kill button and bail out your resolve intact.

The slightest hesitation, just a moment of doubt and it's all over. Your eyes will glaze, your brain will fog. Pro football is peanuts for the intellect. A tiny sample and you're going to consume the entire package. A man can become almost mani New 28' Wilderness T.T.

Roof Air, 2 Dr. Super Floor Plan 8498 garages, painting walls, conversing with people you barely recognized your family, for instance. Who needs 'em the overpaid and and underworked dolts. We'll show 'em, make 'em pay for every uneccessary blister we accumulated. Still, there's nothing wrong with flipping the switch just once, and sort of roaming around the channels.

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Larje, Extra Large. Ask About 50,000 MILE WARRANTY SILENT ANTI-SQUAL Most U.S. FOREIGN CARS SPECIAL Lee issues statement STAR STATE REPORT Bloomington, Ind. Deposed Indiana University football coach Lee Corso, fired Tuesday after 10 years with the Hoosiers, released the following statement Thursday through the university's sports information office: "I have served Indiana with loyalty and dignity for 10 years and have established a first-class and respected football program at Indiana within the rules and guidelines set up by President Ryan during our first discussion 10 years ago. "I will never forget the great moments I've had at Indiana University and particularly during the times of crisis when John Ryan stood by my side.

I thank him for that. "I love Indiana University. It was good to me. One of my sons graduated from Indiana, another will graduate and hopefully go on to law school here. I have enjoyed living in Bloomington.

It has been a great place to raise my family and I have made some very loyal and lifelasting friendships." There was still no word Thursday from the. off ice of Athletic Director Ralph Floyd whether Corso had been officially terminated or if he had handed in his resignation. R0DERICKST.JOHNs 0 (p)95 I i INSTALLED Li JLJ WITH COUPON CLENDALE riKs 1:1:21 roa ciKiiim ONE INDIAN SOUARE AND GlENDAIf CENIfS 38th N. Shadelond-547-5461 COUPON Lee Corso.