The Anniston Star from Anniston, Alabama • Page 20

Page 6C Friday, April 25, 2008 SPORTS Lady Cubs hand Etowah 6-0 shutout A a -r NASCAR file photo Robert 'Red' Byron races on his way to a career judged worthy of the International Motorsports Hall of Fame. of tatner Byron's daughter gets education on her late father at induction From staff re pobts ALEXANDRIA The Alexandria Valley Cubs got a one-hit shutout from Katie Hudspeth and defeated visiting Etowah 6-0, gaining momentum for today's Hoover Invitational games. The Valley Cubs (32-7) meet Hillcrest of Tuscaloosa and host Hoover, both 6A programs, in their first two tournament games. Etowah managed only two base runners against I ludspeth over seven innings. Neither got past second base.

Alexandria provided Hudspeth all the support she needed with a three-run second inning. Morgan Read and Logan Hopkins were hit by pitches and Kelsey Taylor reached on a fielder's choice. Read scored on a passed ball then Halee Henry delivered a two-run single to score Hopkins and Taylor. The Cubs added two runs in the fifth. Chelsea Randle singled Henry home and later scored on an error.

Taylor Warren scored Alexandria's final run in the sixth. Randle was the only Cub with multiple hits, a pair of singles. Ohatchee 4, Pleasant Valley 2 At Ohatchee, Amber Ray had two hits in three at-bats and drove in two runs as the Indians overcame an early 1-0 deficit. Both Peri Bryant and Lindsey Holtbrooks were 2-for-4 for Ohatchee. Bryant also had an RBI.

Holtbrooks was the winning pitcher. She went seven innings, allowed one earned fun on three hits and three walks while striking out seven Raiders. Piedmont 5, Glencoe 4 In Piedmont, Catie Hight-ower was a hit by pitch with the game tied and the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh inning to bring in the game-winning run for the Bulldogs. She was among a quartet who finished with two hits as Piedmont improved to 22-7 with the win. Brooke Dixon and Miranda Stewart were both 2-for-4 at the plate, knocking in a run apiece.

Brittany Strott was 2-for-3 with an RBI for the Bulldogs. Heather Cain got the win, striking out five and giving up five hits in a complete game. Piedmont will travel to Saks today at 5 p.m. Weaver 7, Gadsden City 1 Bethany Sims struck out five while giving up just as many hits to get the win for the Bearcats over the Class 6A Titans. Briana Ford and Haley Lynch each had a pair of hits to provide the offensive spark for Weaver.

The Bearcats (8-17) host Cleburne County at home today. Saks 6, Glencoe 3 BalentinaCuevas went 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI to lead the Wildcats to the win. Hannah Haynes was also 2-for-4. Nikki Forbus had two RBIs, and Holli Renfroe chipped in one. Cara Law picked up the win.

She struck out 13 batters, and allowed four hits and three walks. TENNIS GADSDEN Donoho's boys dominated the AHSAA Class 1A-3A Section 3 tournament at the Gadsden Tennis Complex, putting up 58 points to best second-place West-brook Christian (39) on their way to qualifying for the state tournament, which begins Monday in Mobile. Faith Christen (16) was third, followed by Plainview (seven), and Sylvania (six). Alex Christian came back after dropping the first set 4-6 to win the No. 1 boys singles title 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 over Faith Christian's Thomas Walker.

Donoho's Edward Chen took care of Faith's Stewart Emerson 6-2, 6-2 to take the title at the No. 2 spot. Chip Senkbeil was the sectional runner-up at the No. 3 slot, while No. 4 Tyler Aveni was victorious 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 at No.

4. Brothers Avi (7-5, 7-5) and Abhi (3-6, 7-5, 6-3) Purohit claimed titles at the No. 5 and No. 6 positions. The Falcons also took first place in two of the three doubles finals, with Christian and Chen (6-2, 6-4) and the Purohits (3-6, 6-4, 6-3) emerging victorious.

"I'm glad he's finally getting his llory." lictte Bvron THE REST OF Til 2008 CLASS ART ARF0NS (1926 -2007) Arfons made his name in the automotive world by setting the unlimited Land Speed Record three times in his "Green Monster" racers. He also made significant contributions to drag racing, the sport of tractor pulls and powerboat racing during his career, which spanned five decades. BILL "GRUMPY" JENKINS (1930 Innovation paired with his skills in mechanical engineering put Jenkins on the map in the mid-1950s, producing many of drag racing's most successful vehicles. Considered the Father of Pro Stock, Jenkins built engines for 61 NHRA Eliminators producing five championships and three ARHA championships. He also earned a considerable reputation as a driver, winning a total of 13 NHRA national Pro Stock events from 1965-1975 with one championship as a driver.

FRANK KURTIS (1908-1987) Though he never drove a race, Kurtis was the driving forced behind the success of many drivers. His Kurtis-Kraft, Inc. firm produced some 550 midgets in kit and ready-to-run forms. The combination of the Kurtis chassis powered by a smaller version of the famous Offenhauser engine was virtually unbeatable for more than twenty years. EVERETT "COTTON" OWENS (1924 Known as the King of the Modifieds, Owens won more than 100 NASCAR Featherlite Modified Tour races during the 1950s before making the transition to the NASCAR Grand National series.

As a car owner and driver, Owens' combined career statistics include 41 wins and 38 poles in 487 races. RALPH SEAGRAVES (1929 -1998) In the 1970s, Seagraves helped to bring together the two world R.J. Reynolds Tobacco and NASCAR which blossomed into a partnership that flourished for both. Seagraves was director of Reynolds' Special Events Operations, known now as Sports Marketing Enterprises, from 1972 until his retirement in January 1985. During that period, Reynolds forged sponsor relationships with several motorsports sanctioning bodies, including NASCAR and the NHRA.

BY BRAN STRICKLAND bstricklandannistonstar.com BIRMINGHAM Bette Byron was 4-years-old when her father, racing legend Robert "Red" Byron, passed away. She had memories from her childhood how he'd shower her and her siblings with gifts when he'd come home from racing weekends. She had the books written about him. Driving with the Devil, a book about her father and other NASCAR legends, is one of her recent favorites. And she had the stories her mother told.

But in a short amount of time Thursday, her mind was nearly blown. "I've learned more about my father today than I have in the last 50 years," she said mid-afternoon on Thursday. And it was likely to get better. Red Byron and five others were inducted as the 2008 International Motorsports Hall of Fame class Thursday. Ned Jarrett, former champion and TV personality, gave the introduction speech.

Bette Byron was among the group assembled for a pre-induc-tion luncheon at the Yorkshire Room at the Wynfrey Hotel. That was where Byron got to talk to fellow inductee Cotton Owens, who told her stories about her father. "I'm glad he's finally getting his glory," she said. "He worked hard for it." Bette Byron already knew the biggest stories about her father. Racing was a love of his as a teenager.

However, like many others in Byron's time, his life was put on hold by World War II. In the war, Byron was injured. However, a bum leg didn't stop his racing dream. He taught himself to walkagain, and as the stories go fashioned a device to basically bolt his left leg to the clutch so he could race. Byron went on to become NAS-CAR's man of firsts.

In Daytona in 1948,, he won the first NASCAR-sanctioned race at the 4. 15-mile beachroad course. The next year, he competed in six ofthe eight NASCAR events. I le won two races, Daytona and Martinsville, and grabbed two more top-five finishes. NASCAR's first champion, edging out eventual three-time champion Lee Petty.

After being told some old Red Byron stories, Bette Byron was able to clear up some misconceptions about the early years about her father. On many different occasions, the late Byron has been referred to as an Anniston native or having been born in the Model City. However, Bette Byron said that wasn't the case. "He moved there when he was about 19," she said. Bran Strickland is the sports editor for The Star.

He can be reached at 235-3570. NBA GAME OF THE DAY- Wizards throttle Cavs, close to within 2-1 Sprint Cup SCANNER FREQUENCIES BY JOSEPH WHITE Associated Press WASHINGTON LeB-ron James went up for the shot and had the ball stripped cleanly by Caron Butler, who went the length of the court for a dunk that gave the Washington Wizards a 29-point lead. That's right. No contact on the play. Even James couldn't call it "Hack-a-Bron." James was beaten on the play and he knew it, much the same way his Cleveland Cavaliers beaten soundly by the Washington Wizards, 108-72 on Thursday night.

Maybeitwasthehaircuts. Maybe it was Soulja Boy sitting on Row 1. Or the sight of Colin Powell in a Wizards "White Out" T-shirt. Or just the comfort of being home. Or the inspiration of having Gilbert Arenas in the starting lineup, even though he limped out of the game in the first half and might be done for the series.

Actually, there were plenty of reasons the Wizards routed their playoff nemesis in a party at the Verizon Center. DeShawn Stevenson and Butler found their games. James didn't have his. And, yes, those 15 first -Jalf Cleveland turn overs had a lot to do with it, too. Stevenson had a "can't-feel-my-face" 19 points, Butler scored 17 highlighted by an incredible layup move in the first half and the Wizards shot 52 percent and took themselves off the ropes by cutting Cleveland's lead to 2-1 in the first-round series.

One game after setting a franchise playoff record with a 30-point win in Game 2, the Cavaliers set another team postseason mark by losing by 36. The margin of victory also set a Wizards franchise playoff record. Washingtonwillalsohost Game 4 on Sunday, when coach Eddie Jordan's players will have the confidence of knowing they aren't destined to be forever hexed by James and Co. Cleveland had won eight straight playoff games against the Wizards, includinga first-round sweep a year ago. The Wizards took control with a pair of in the first half in a remarkable turn of events after Cleveland's 116-86 win in Game 2 on Monday.

They led 43-33 at halftirne, and the Cavaliers never threatened to make a game of it in the second half. FREQUENCY 465.9750 466.9500 469.0125 468.5750 469.8750 468.5250 461.3750 458.0000 466.1000 456.5250 463.2125 461.2250 452.2375 452.8125 464.6375 466.5000 452.6750 452.2625 451.6125 452.0875 462.0625 461.1625 466.2750 CAR DRIVER FREQUENCY CAR DRIVER 00 Michael McDowell 457.5375 26 Jamie McMurray 01 Regan Smith 463.2875 28 Travis Kvapil 1 Martin Truex Jr. 466.6875 29 Kevin Harvick 2 KurtBusch 451.8250 31 Jeff Burton 5 Casey Mears 468.2125 34 JohnAndretti 6 David Ragan 460.9500 38 David Gilliland 07 Clint Bowyer 469.2375 40 Dario Franchetti 7 Robby Gordon 469.4500 41 Reed Sorenson 8 Aric Almirola 464.9500 42 Juan Pablo Montoya 9 KaseyKahne 451.8500 43 Bobby Labonte 09 Sterling Marlin 469.3125 44 David Reutimann 10 Patrick Carpentier 462.7650 45 Kyle Petty 11 DennyHamlin ,467.4750 48 Jimmie Johnson 12 Ryan Newman 457.7875 55 Michael Waltrip 15 Paul Menard 464.8750 66 Scott Riggs 16 GregBiffle 468.4500 70 Ken Schrader 17 MattKenseth 458.4750 77 Sam Hornish 18 KyleBusch 467.4500 78 Joe Nemechck 19 Elliott Sadler 456.8500 83 Brian Vickers 20 Tony Stewart 462.5250 84 AJ Allmendinger 21 Jon Wood 452.2000 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. 22 DaveBlaney 468.9375 96 J.J.Yeley 24 Jeff Gordon 467.0625 99 Carl Edwards 4.