The Courier-Journal from Louisville, Kentucky • Page 21

The Courier-Journal, Saturday morning, May 10, 1980 Racing Sports results, 582-4871 aPOKTS Rutherford forced to share spotlight with rookie at Indy By STAN SUTTON Courier-Journal Staff Writtr INDIANAPOLIS With all due re-inspect to Janet Guthrie, the fastest thing at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway to- day should not be a filly. In fact, until late yesterday afternoon it would not have been considered over- ly risky to bet your mortgage money ps that Johnny Rutherford would win the pole position today for the 500-mile race on May 25. Rutherford, a mild-man- nered Texan with a Midas touch in the cockpit, has been riding a steed that Jvsome think to be the finest the sport has -j bred. Then, less than 30 minutes before -r practice closed yesterday, a 24-year-old rookie from Ashland, Ohio, named Tim Richmond pulled a surprise that would have made Genuine Risk proud. He cir V-v ''''''''v dominated practice sessions in a manner reminiscent of the turbine engines of the late 1960s.

His mount was Jim Hall's yellow Chaparral. Yesterday, however, Rutherford turned in his best time in the team's backup car, which Hall has said will not run in the race. However, last night team members were saying a final decision had not been made. Rutherford also went 190.355 in his regular car yesterday and had a lap at 192.472 in it Monday. Last year, race-winner Rick Mears took the pole with a speed of 193.736, but since then turbocharger boost in the engines has been reduced by USAC.

Such reductions have kept the 203.620 lap turned in by Tom Sneva in 1978 safe for some time. Although Rutherford is a great crowd favorite at the Speedway, the sentimental choice for today's pole probably will be former world driving champion Mario Andretti. Because of a conflicting schedule last year, Andretti missed his first 500 since he first came to the track in 1965 and finished third as a rookie. He won at Indy in 1969, but hasn't finished higher than 12th since. That came in 1978 after Mike Hiss qualified his car near the front of the field because Andretti had another conflict in schedules.

Andretti took over the wheel race day, but was forced to start at the rear of the pack. Andretti recorded a lap of 191.652 yesterday in his Essex Penske-Cos- Aisocnttd Prs Tim Richmond, a rookie driver, shrugged off his lap of 193.507 mph yesterday the fastest time of the month in Indianapolis 500 practice. cled the 2-mile Indy track at an average speed of 193.507 mph for the best time of the month. Earlier yesterday Rutherford, twice an Indy winner, had turned in his best time this month, 193.003. Rutherford had recorded the fastest time of the day throughout the week until yesterday, i Today's qualifying from noon (EDT) until 7 p.m.

will determine who starts on the inside of the front row on race day. Further qualifying Sunday and the following weekend will fill the 33-car field. The 42-year-old Rutherford, who won I the 500 in 1974 and '76, with a second-place finish sandwiched between, had race day is considered negligible, but the $10,000 that goes to today's fastest driver sweetens the pot. "There really isn't any racing advantage, as long as you start in the front couple of rows," said Mears. "It's a long race and with caution flags everyone bunches up, so you get chances to get up with people to pass.

"But if anything happens at the start of the race you're less apt to be in the middle of it. The trouble is usually a little back of you." Rutherford became the early favorite worth. Other former champions with hot times included A. J. Foyt, 192.102; Mears, 190.886, and Bobby Unser 190.476.

Jasper, native Spike Gehl-hausen turned in a speed of 191.939. Although his practice times had been below normal until yesterday, four-time winner Foyt cannot be counted out. Foyt also has won the pole four times and is among seven former pole-sitters who could do so again. The others are Rutherford, Mears, Andretti, Bobby and Al Unser and Sneva. The advantage of sitting on the pole to win at Indy when he opened the 1980 USAC season by winning the pole at Ontario, Calif.

His time there was 196.803 and he easily captured the ensuing Dat-sun Twin 200 championship race. However, that was before the turbocharger boost was lowered. "Naturally, we'd all like it to go as smoothly at Indianapolis as it did at Ontario, but we're going to have to work to stay on top," Rutherford said. "The other teams are going to be aiming for us now; they know what we can Speedway officials estimated yesterday that about 30 drivers had expressed interest in attempting qualification today. If so, only three more spots would be left in the field before the bumping of slower cars begin.

There have been five mishaps since practice began last Saturday. In the latest one, Pancho Carter's car slid 500 feet sideways coming out of the first turn yesterday, but the young driver got it back on course without hitting the wall. The 'Lovable Lush' tees up for charity Genuine Risk in Preakness; no decision yet on Belmont 1 Courier-Journal sports editor Comedian Foster Brooks is this kind of guy: Last week he got $25,000, his standard fee, for speaking at the Ken-iV tucky Colonels' dinner. He gave it all to I 1 his favorite charity the Kosair pled Children Hospital. I And that was nothing, really, com-1 pared to what the "Lovable Lush" of Las Vegas and television fame has done for the hospital over the past six years, The Labor Day pro-celebrity golf tour-j nament that bears his name has raised I thousands of dollars for the crippled children.

Yesterday Brooks, who will be 68 Sunday, received an award from the i Kentucky Broadcasting Association at its annual convention. Afterward, he sat in the bar and talked about his tourna- ment He drank straight tomato juice. The most famous lush in America is really a teetotaler, "The kids, that's what got me involved in the tournament," Brooks said. "After I went out there and looked at them, I wished I could give 'em a lion dollars out of my pocket Those poor little babies. You see the same ones every year.

They're so happy and so crippled." 17Z 'This year's tournament, to be held horse Derby field, said shortly after the Wood Memorial on April 19 that he would not race Genuine Risk in the Derby. The Wood had been the filly's first race against colts, and she finished a close third. Jolley said the decision to contest the Preakness was a mutual one between him and the Firestones. "We gave her some time to recover from the Derby, and we wanted to see how she would be when she got back on the racetrack," said Jolley. "She appears to be as good as she was before the Derby." Genuine Risk appeared to be quite strong in long gallops Thursday and yesterday.

Another factor in the decision to run in the Preakness is the likelihood of a small field, probably eight or nine horses. "It appears that there will be a small field," said Jolley, "so it looks like a situation where it will be worth it to go down and see." Jolley said Genuine Risk is in excellent condition. "Right after the Derby, I thought the race was easier on her than the By DAVE KOERNER Courier-Journal Staff Writer Genuine Risk got the green light yesterday to run in the May 17 Preakness Stakes, the second leg of racing's Triple Crown, at Baltimore's Pimlico Race Course. She won the first phase last Saturday by defeating 10 colts and two geldings to become only the second filly and the first in 65 years to win the Kentucky Derby. "We're going to van her down to Baltimore tomorrow morning," trainer LeRoy Jolley said by phone yesterday from New York.

"We'll use the same philosophy as we did for the Derby. If she ships all right, and if she acts all right, and if she trains OK, we'll run her in the Preakness. "As long as she continues to be at the top of her game, we'll run her," he said. Jolley and owners Bert and Diana Firestone had been very tentative about starting Genuine Risk in the 1 14 -mile Derby and didn't agree to run her until eight days before the race. In fact, Jolley, fearing a 20- Wood," said Jolley.

"The Aqueduct track was very tiring. But I would say she probably came out of the Derby less tired." Jolley said Genuine Risk will have only one brisk workout before the Preakness over five-eighths of a mile next Wednesday. She also was breezed once between the Wood and the Derby and was clocked in 1:02 over five furlongs at Churchill Downs on April 30. "That's just her way," Jolley had said after the Derby. "She doesn't need much training.

Her races are her training." The Derby was only the eighth race for the daughter of Exclusive Native, who has won seven times. "She puts all her effort in her races," said Jolley. "That probably explains why she takes a little extra time to recover." Genuine Risk would become the 52nd filly to run in the Preakness and the first since Ciencia finished sixth in 1939. Four have won Flo-See GENUINE PAGE 6, col. 4, this section Country Club, has an outstanding lineup of celebrities, beginning with former President Gerald Ford.

The Democrats will be led by Gov. John Y. Brown a former member of the University of Kentucky golf team. Baseball commentator Joe Garagiola will be there, and so will such Hollywood actors as Victor Mature, Kevin Dobson and Harold Stone. Representing the world of country music will be Chet Atkins, Roy Clark and Boots Randolph.

The pro golfers, who get only $1,000 each plus expenses, will be led by New Albany's Fuzzy Zoeller, the 1979 Masters champion. Brooks also expects such past and present stars of the PGA Tour See LOUISVILLE'S PAGE 5, col. 1, this section Staff Photo by Bill Luittr Trainer LeRoy Jolley says Genuine Risk came out of the Kentucky Derby in fine shape. Monday, May 26, at the Hurstbourne Gatti thinks fate of Bourbons, entire league at stake this year Mejias slugs 3-run triple as Reds win By MIKE SULLIVAN Courier-Journal Staff Writer If you ever showed up six or seven hours early for a Kentucky Bourbons game at Bishop David Field, you might see team owner Larry Gatti peeling, washing and slicing about 100 pounds of the potatoes that later jump out of the fryer and into the gullets of hungry, beer-drinking softball fans. Gatti made his fortune in the franchise-restaurant business, and he has diverted a considerable portion of it to his favorite hobby, pro softball.

Win or lose in the financial ledger, it's obvious that Gatti's real enjoyment comes from his emotional involvement in the Bourbons, whether he's sweating in the concession stand or cheering vociferously from the press box. This is a big summer for Gatti, the Bourbons, their fans and the American Professional Slo-Pitch League, in which Kentucky is competing for the fourth year. When the Bourbons open the season tonight with a double-header at Bishop David against the Pittsburgh Hard Hats (7:30 p.m.), nothing less than survival will be on the line. "I definitely feel that this will either make or break the APSPL and pro soft-ball as a whole," Gatti said the other day. "I'm hoping that in 1981, these two hard-nosed characters will merge forces.

Pro softball is in shock right now. But time is the best healer. By next year, we'll either be gone or we'll be stronger than ever." By "hard-nosed characters," Gatti said he was referring to the six-team APSPL and to pro Softball's newest circuit, the North American Softball League. But he could just as well have been describing himself and Ted Stepien, the Cleveland shipping magnate who founded the rival oprganization. "He steps on people," Gatti said of Stepien.

"He says he could bury any five or 10 or 15 individuals, and I guess he could, because he's got $70 million. He's playing hard-nose with everybody. He's trying to break the APSPL." Here, briefly, is what has been going on since the Bourbons posted a league-best record of 48-15 in 1979 and lost to Milwaukee, eight games to five, in the softball World Series: Stepien, part-owner of basketball's Cleveland Cavaliers and outright owner of the former Cleveland franchise in the APSPL, founded his own league. The North American has franchises in Lexington, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Chicago, Fort Wayne, Milwaukee, Cleveland and Detroit. The latter four have jumped from the APSPL; Lexington is new; Chicago was in the APSPL two years ago; and Cincinnati and Pittsburgh are competing with the established APSPL franchises in those cities.

The Bourbons' league is left with Kentucky, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, New England, Philadelphia and Rochester. In some cases, the North American League has outbid its rival for the services of top players, which has led to the biggest talent shake-up the Bourbons ever have faced. Gone are three starters from last season pitcher Phil Schroer, third baseman Donnie Rardin and center fielder Phil Gowdy and four other ex-Bourbons: Terry Davis, Dave Bair, Danny Williams and Jerry Fritz. Manager Steve Coffman will be relying heavily on the slugging of All-Pro catcher Bill Gatti, Larry's son; left fielder Chuck Winders, and infielders Nick Nikitas, Cobbie Harrison and Greg Whit-lock. A key acquisition appears to be versatile Jack Roudebush, who was All-Pro with Detroit in 1977-78.

A trio of 1979 stars on the standout Doublemont Chevrolet amateur team pitcher Steve Stewart, outfielder Jimmy Hammond and third baseman Greg Kemp will have to come through. Gatti says that he had the Bourbons entered in the North American League on the condition that Stepien personally indemnify him against lawsuits from APSPL teams left out of the merger. "But he changed the indemnifier from himself to the (North American) league," Gatti said. Later, Gatti added, he was about to sell the Bourbons to Stepien. "But he introduced a clause stating that I would owe him a full refund within 48 hours if the APSPL prevented the Bourbons from playing by injunction." Their parting words, Gatti said, were "Go to hell I said, 'Same to you and Schroer, who had a 40-8 record and a phenomenal (for slo-pitch) 3.84 earned-run average last season, said that he wasn't satisfied with the raise offered by the Bourbons, but that money did not decide his move.

"I was with the Bourbons right up until March," Schroer said. "But I put a lot of stock in which way Milwaukee was going to go. I kind of regarded them as the foundation, a club that would solidify whatever league they were in. I didn't leave the Bourbons in a huff." Gatti believes that Stepien, who reportedly owns anywhere from four to 6 '2 of the teams in the new league, "opened up Lexington just to hurt me. I have nothing but respect for those people in Lexington.

Don't be surprised, though, if I challenge them to a series for charity. The cream rises to the top, and I believe we're still the cream." Associated Cross CINCINNATI Sam Mejias drove in three runs with a fifth-inning triple, and rookie left-hander Charlie Leibrandt scattered seven hits to pace the Cincinnati Reds to a 5-2 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies last night. Leibrandt (3-2) survived a shaky start, giving up a run in the first inning and allowing two hits in the second. He was touched for a run in the seventh on a double by pinch-hitter Lonnie Smith and a single by Bake McBride. The Reds got to Randy Lerch (0-4) in the first and second innings for solo runs, then loaded the bases in the fifth on a single by Johnny Bench and walks to Junior Kennedy and Dan Driessen.

Mejias then brought them all home with his triple. The Phillies opened the scoring in the first as Pete Rose walked, moved to second on an infield out and took third on Greg Luzinski's sacrifice fly. He scored on Bob Boone's double to left. The Reds tied the score in the bottom of the first Ken Griffey reached on a fielder's choice and advanced to second on second baseman Ramon Aviles' throwing error. Griffey moved to third on a single by Dave Concepcion and scored on Bench's sacrifice fly.

After two out in the second Inning, the Reds went ahead to stay as Dave Collins doubled and scored on Griffey's single. The Phillies added a run in the second inning as Smith doubled and scored on McBride's single. The Reds' Tom Seaver (1-1) is scheduled to pitch today against the Phils' Steve Carlton (5-1). The game, which will be televised by NBC (Channel 3 in Louisville), starts at 2:15 p.m. EDT.

Staff Photo by Jim Wright Valley High School junior Raquel Nazario leaned on her brother, Carlos, after winning the race in last night's Stuart Regional. She edged PRP's Beth Casper to win. Girls track roundup, Page 3..