The Indianapolis Star from Indianapolis, Indiana • Page 39

1 i The Indianapolis Star Bindley Western earnings jump 207c. Rige 16 AM EUSSXESS SECTION STARTS ON PAGE 10 FRIDAY, APRIL 25. 1997 Knicks find range to humble Hornets Drivers' Indy 500 fortunes take a quick turn. Tonight's games Detroit at Atlanta, 6 p.m., TBS. Washington at Chicago, 7 p.m., TNT.

Phoenix By Mike Wise NEW YORK TIMES NEW YORK When the long-distance shootout portion of the Eastern Conference playoffs was over, Allan Houston was standing with raised fists while Glen Rice was still waiting for an open look at the basket. The Knicks made more shots beyond the arc than the National Basketball Association's most impressive 3-point team, and Rice and the Charlotte Hornets lost at their own game. New York took Game 1 of their best-of-five first-round series Thursday night, beating the Hornets 109-99. Before a charged crowd at Madison Square Garden, the Knicks erased a third-quarter collapse with a fourth-quarter sprint, knocking down every key shot and trying a novel approach to back up their stingy See KNICKS Page 2 Inside i i Kelley of the Kelley Automotive Group in Fort Wayne, provided that Dismore drive the entry. That left Bettenhausen, 55, angry and searching for a ride.

"It's kind of unusual to get fired by a couple of rookie car owners (Terhune and Gregg) before I sit in the car," Bettenhausen said from his Monrovia, home. "I told my wife this morning all the wind is knocked out of my sails. (The reasons) probably are the engines and the damned guaranteed starting spot." Rookie orientation for this year's Indy 500 is May 3. The race will be May 25. Larry Nash, who would have been Bet-tenhausen's LP crew chief, declined an offer to head Dismore's crew.

Therefore, See INDY 500 Page 3 By Dick Mittman STAFF WRITER Mark Dismore is in and Gary Betten-hausen is out as the driver merry-go-round made a startling pit stop Thursday on the way to opening practice for the Indianapolis 500. The change occurred when a new sponsor demanded that Greenfield's Dismore drive the entry promised to Bettenhausen, a veteran of 21 Indys. The Terhune-Barnet Racing team owned by Charley Terhune of Middletown, Ohio, and Gary Gregg of Camden, Ohio announced earlier this week that Bettenhausen would drive its entry under the LP Racing banner. However, Terhune-Barnet agreed Thursday to accept sponsorship from Tom Seattle, 8:30 p.m.,1 A proposed Chicago-area race track -whose backers included Indianapolis Motor Speedway President Tony George has hit the skids. In Business: Page 10 TBS.

Portland at- LA. Lakers, 9:30 p.m., TNT. INSIDE: Miami overwhelms Orlando in series opener. Page 2 Associated Press REASON TO ROAR: New York forward Larry Johnson had plenty to celebrate Thursday. He scored 20 points and the Knicks beat Charlotte 109-99 in their playoff opener.

Erratic Id dig their own hole I Indianapolis is on brink of elimination after helping Cleveland score two Indians beat the weather, then conquer their demons Tribe avoids a rainout and finally collects clutch hits in comeback victory over New Orleans. i'1 m. I)! By John Bansch STAFF WRITER CLEVELAND Two bad plays have the Indianapolis Ice one game away from another quick exit out of the Turner tournament. The second-period By Conrad Brunner STAFF WRITER Technically, It wasn't a double-header, but the Indianapolis Indians did score a couple of significant victories on a long Thursday night at Victory Field. First, they beat Mother Nature.

Then, they rallied from a four-run deficit to down the New' Orleans Zephyrs 8-7 in 1 1 innings. New Orleans 7 Indians 8 Next game: vs. New Orleans, 7 p.m. today; WNDE-1260 AM, FM. breakdowns handed Cleveland a 2-1 victory and a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five first-round International Hockey League playoff series.

To survive, the Ice must beat the Lumberjacks here Saturday and back in Indianapolis on Monday. Otherwise, they will make their fourth consecutive opening-round departure from the postseason party since winning it all in 1990. Mistake No. 1 came 8:12 into the middle period. Defenseman Tuomas Gronman turned the puck over behind the Ice cage.

Ice vs. Cleveland GAME 1: Ice 6, Cleveland 3. GAME 2: Cleveland 6, Ice 3. GAME 3: Cleveland 2, Ice 1. GAME 4: At Cleveland, 6:30 p.m.

Saturday. GAME 5: At Indianapolis, 7:30 p.m. Monday (if necessary). RADIO: WMYS-1430AM. A team that had struggled to come up with key hits the Indians entered the game batting .199 with runners in scoring position came up with several.

Eric Owens, who learned of his recall to Cincinnati before the game, ripped a two-out double to the warning track in right-center, to score Paul Bako with the winning run. "It was a nice sendoff for him," said manager Dave Miley. Aaron Boone had the biggest bat, once again. After a two-run homer cut the deficit to 5-3 in the second inning, his bases-clearing double with two outs in the eighth tied the game at 7-7. See INDIANS Page 8 ,1, Cleveland right winger Lane Lambert poked it past goaltender Jimmy Waite.

Mistake No. 2 permitted the ageless Jock Callander to score his fourth power -play goal and fifth overall in the short series with 40.4 seconds remaining before the second intermission. This time, there was no defender protecting the right side of the cage. Jeff Christian's shot from the blue line rocketed past Waite's left side, caromed off the See ICE Page 4 Staff Photo Kat Wade FIRING WHEN READY: Indians reliever Pedro Martinez rears back to unleash a pitch in the sixth inning. Newcomers shine at Hoosier Park Sprinter on track fbennis Mitchell likes what he fees after checking out lUPUI's fenovated running surface.

Page 5 I 1 1 i. i i 3 (ID OO'WH --SHIfC-ii jt WMi.ti.ii,.mi,iiiin I fclBA PLAYOFFS "He's a nice addition to this track," Lee said. 'There'll be some good drivers out -here this year." Morgan lost his first race of the night to Hoosier Park staple Grant Wilfong, from Shirley, Ind. At the reins of Pipecreek Lacey, a 4-year-old bay mare that he also trains, Wilfong went wire-to-wire for the longshot win. "That was kind of a nice surprise," Wilfong said.

"It makes me feel a little better about the world right now." Wilfong, who doesn't drive in many races, has won three straight races with Pipecreek Lacey. It was her first start of 1997 after winning three of five races to close the season at Hoosier Park in 1996. "She's kind of a finicky girl," Wilfong said. "She and I seem to get along pretty well." Wilfong is thrilled with the challenge of having so many talented out of towners in for this year's meet. "It's always fun to see the good drivers show up and try to beat them," he said.

'It's going to be a heck of a challenge for everybody here, but it'll bring out the best in most of us." By Suzy Mulligan CORRESPONDENT ANDERSON, Ind. It was a mix of old and new faces in the winner's circle for Hoosier Park's harness racing opening Thursday night. A crowd of 1,841 was on hand to greet newcomers Tony Morgan, two-tjme defending national driving champion) and Dave Magee, currently seventh in the standings, for their Inaugural treks around the oval. "I'm very happy with the crowd," said Rick Moore, executive vice president and general manager. "It's a great opening.

We're just about Morgan made his first trip to the win ner's circle after the fifth race with a thunderous stretch drive behind Fox on the Hunt, a 6-year-old by Quick Brown Fox out of Schillki Deb. "It's pretty nice to win anytime," Morgan said. "I try to have a good day every day. I like it here. The atmosphere is really nice' It's a little more laid back." John Lee, trainer of Fox On the was among those quick to extend a welcoming hand to Morgan.

Yortt 99 Miami WOrtando 64 ijouston 112 Minnesota 95 i 0tah 106 LA. Clippers 86 MAJOR LEAGUES 'Texas 4 Detroit 2 Oakland 12 Minnesota 11 Cleveland 6 Milwaukee 3 i Boston 2 Baltimore 1 I Pittsburgh 4 Chicago Cubs 3 american association Ihdians 8 New Orleans 7 IHL PLAYOFFS Cleveland 2 Ice ,1 Staff Photo Kelly Wilkinson. ENJOYING THE RIDE: Robert W. Harmon drives R.D. Spiderman, a horse he also owns, to victory in Hoosier Park's second race, a one-mile trot..